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Bon Iver Latest To Join Collaborative Flaming Lips LP

Posted 1/13/12 1:13 pm EST by in collaborations, Flaming-Lips, Music


Bon Iver

by Zachary Swickey

The Flaming Lips had a whirlwind of a year in 2011, releasing a five pound gummy skull with a USB of new songs in the brain, recording a six hour song (soon followed by a 24-hour song) and performing their opus The Soft Bulletin and Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon at the legendary Hollywood Forever Cemetery, in addition to their many random collaborations with folks like Neon Indian, Prefuse 73 and Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros. But it appears they are not done yet.

After wrapping the New Year with a pair of hometown shows featuring Yoko Ono’s Plastic Ono Band, the Lips’ unofficial leader Wayne Coyne has revealed some more collabs are on the way for a new LP that he hopes will be out by April. The diverse group of artists that the Lips hope to have on board appropriately reflect Wayne’s whacky music palette: Nick Cave, Ke$ha, Bon Iver, Erykah Badu, and Lykke Li to name a few.

The Bon Iver hook-up is apparently a “go,” according to Coyne’s chat with Rolling Stone, but has yet to take place. He claims to have spoken with singer Justin Vernon, who is reportedly sending two tracks for the Lips to work on “any day now.” A song with Nick Cave is also in the gestating stages with the group already sending the Aussie singer some music to work on.

While several of the collabs are set-in-stone, there are few who haven’t exactly signed the dotted line just yet. Ke$ha, Lykke Li, and Erykah Badu have all been requested by the Lips for some studio sessions, but they have yet to agree. While a Ke$ha collab seems a bit strange (even for the Lips), Coyne sees a little of himself in the singer: “She’s a freak,” he said of their similarities, also noting he knew she was a fan. Read More...

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Jack White's Appearance On 'American Pickers' Not As Crazy As It Sounds

Posted 1/4/12 12:17 pm EST by in collaborations, Music


Jack White

By Zachary Swickey

The White Stripes may have called it quits earlier this year, but we’ve seen and heard plenty from former frontman Jack White since their demise. Adding yet another eccentric appearance to the list is word that White will appear on the History Channel’s “American Pickers” next week.

The show is admittedly addictive, following two friends/business partners as they scour various barns, homes and junkyards across the country in search of hidden antiques. The episode is set to air at 9PM EST on January 9 and will feature pickers Mike Wolfe and Frank Fitz as they visit White’s Third Man Studios and label home in Nashville. The two will reportedly barter with the music icon over memorabilia, which will include the photo booth used in the music video for “Hang You From the Heavens” by one of White’s many musical projects, The Dead Weather.

White certainly has not used his newfound freedom to retire into hiding – quite the opposite actually – as the singer has managed to stay in the headlines with several studio collaborations. And, as always with Jack, you must expect the unexpected. From Insane Clown Posse to the Jigga Man, here are our five favorite random Jack White collabs, which all somehow make total sense. Read More...

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Justin Bieber And Mariah Carey And Five Other Strange Musical Collaborations

Posted 10/20/11 4:49 pm EST by in collaborations, Justin Bieber, Mariah Carey


By Sterling Wong

‘Tis the season to be jolly, especially if you’re a Justin Bieber fan, as the teen superstar is set to release his first holiday album, Under the Mistletoe, come November 1.

(The first single, "Mistletoe," dropped earlier this week during MTV First: Justin Bieber.)

For this release, Bieber has roped in a whole host of guest artists. Some guest appearances are to be expected – mentor and close friend Usher, of course, duets with Bieber on his version of "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts)." Some, though, seem to have come out of left field. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one to do a double take when I found out that Bieber would be collaborating with Mariah Carey on a new version of her smash “All I Want for Christmas is You.” Not only is the music Carey makes very different from Bieber's, her fanbase is an entirely different demographic.

But, then again, this new Justin/Mariah power combo is hardly the first unusual music collaboration. Artists working together and crossing genres often produce fresh, innovative music. In anticipation of hearing the new duet version of “All I Want for Christmas is You,” I thought I’d take a look back at some of music’s most unusual and unexpected collaborations.

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From T.I. And Usher To Justin Bieber And Jason Mraz, Taylor Swift Is The Queen Of Concert Duets

Posted 10/3/11 11:06 am EST by in collaborations, Concerts, Taylor Swift


This weekend at Atlanta's Philips Arena, Taylor Swift was joined on stage for a pair of surprise duets. On Saturday, during the first of two sold-out shows, Swift shared the spotlight with Usher to perform his hit "Yeah!" and the following night got an assist from newly free T.I. Late in her show Sunday night, Swift introduced the rapper by singing the chorus to his song, "Live Your Life." He then joined her on stage to wild applause to perform his track while Swift sang the chorus – performed on the record by Rihanna – alongside him.

(Even stranger was the crowd backstage at Swift's Sunday night show in Atlanta. Not only was T.I. shooting the breeze before hitting the stage, but Nelly and Young Jeezy were there too.)

This isn't the first time a guest has joined Swift on her "Speak Now World Tour." The Grammy-winning country diva has been bringing her famous friends on stage to perform with her throughout her tour and rather than have them join her for one of her songs, Swift often lets her superstar guests shine and instead joins them for one of their songs.

Who else has partnered with the Speak Now superstar for a surprise concert appearance, read on to find out. Read More...

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Jack White Teams Up With Insane Clown Posse (Yes, Seriously) For Single

Posted 8/31/11 2:10 pm EST by in collaborations


Jack White and ICP

By Zachary Swickey

Jack White never fails to surprise us, but he has taken it to a whole other level with the announcement of a collaboration with the foul-mouthed crew Insane Clown Posse (yes, you read that correctly).

Fresh off helping Danger Mouse with his spaghetti-western project, Rome, White has issued a press release detailing the unimaginable hook-up with the Faygo-dousing clowns, who are generally viewed as outcasts from mainstream music.

A single titled “Leck Mich Im Arsch,” (which supposedly translates to “Lick me in the arse"), will be going on sale as a 7” vinyl and digital download on September 13 via White’s Third Man Records. The tune reportedly uses a classical melody dating back to 1782 from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. A teaser of the track sounds about as strange as you’d expect. Read More...

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Will Smith Reportedly Readying Comeback With Game Producer

Posted 8/23/11 12:30 pm EST by in collaborations


By Zachary Swickey

It appears that one of the most successful rappers of the ‘90s is prepping to make a long-awaited comeback. Will Smith (yeah, remember he used to make music?) has reportedly been in the studio working on the follow-up to his 2005 flop, Lost and Found, with current on-the-rise hip-hop producer La Mar “Mars” Edwards.

Most recently, Edwards’ production work includes a majority of the tracks on The Game’s new R.E.D. Album, and he’s also been staying busy in the studio working with a slew of big names, including Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa (on music for their “High School” flick), Ashanti, T.I. and Tyler, the Creator.

But it’s his casual mention to XXL Magazine about collaborating with Smith that caught our attention. “We’re working on Will Smith, bringing him back. That’s actually him on the other line right now,” he told the mag.

That’s literally the only light he shed on the matter. How could he not elaborate on something so huge (and seemingly out of nowhere)? Granted, Smith is a cash cow at the box office, but it’s been quite a while since he captivated the music world “Big Willie Style.” Rap had quite a different atmosphere in 1997 when Smith released his solo debut, which begs the question, Can he pull it off? Read More...

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Details About Mysterious Metallica/Lou Reed Collabo Surface

Posted 8/22/11 2:30 pm EST by in collaborations, Metallica


Metallica

By Zachary Swickey

Slowly but surely details continue to emerge about Metallica’s much-anticipated joint effort with former Velvet Underground frontman Lou Reed. Updating their new joint website this morning, the San Fran thrashers have revealed Lulu as the name of the effort. The group appears to be going by “Lou Reed & Metallica” rather than adopting a joint moniker (so far), which is all the rage these days with The Throne.

Due on November 1, it also appears that the effort will be a concept album as explained via the posting:

’Lulu’ was inspired by German expressionist writer Frank Wededkind’s plays ‘Earth Spirit’ and ‘Pandora’s Box,’ which tell the story of a young abused dancer’s life and relationships and are now collectively known as the ‘Lulu Plays.’ Since their publications in the early 1900’s, the plays have been the inspiration for a silent film, an opera, and countless other creative endeavors.

Apparently, Mr. Reed had initially begun work on a theatrical production in Berlin based on said “Lulu Plays,” but after meeting Metallica at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concerts held in New York in 2009, the effort segued into a joint venture between the two music powerhouses. Read More...

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Usher And The Case Of His Mystery Collabo

Posted 8/16/11 3:00 pm EST by in collaborations, Usher


By James Dinh

Collaborations are all the rage these days, and Usher appears to be stirring the pot big-time. On Monday, the R&B crooner teased the Twitterverse about a mystery team-up, offering fans with just one cryptic clue – “YO WHAT UP NY!!...I bet you'd never guess who I'm in the studio wit right now? A Clue. Borough starts wit a B! The record is CRAZY!!”

Now, Usher has a long history of star-studded team-ups, including tunes with Alicia Keys (“My Boo”), Ludacris (“Yeah!”) and Mary J. Blige (“Shake Down”), but the chart-topper has the Newsroom pondering who exactly his secret studio partner is. Assuming that his subliminal clue indicates that the collaborator’s name begins with a B, take a look at some our guesses (and wishes) for Ush’s hush-hush matchup.

Beyoncé
With her string of “intimate” New York shows lined up this week, King B serves as our first guess for Usher’s secret collabo. Not only have these two hit the studio together before for a remix to the R&B singer’s slow jam “Love in This Club Part II,” but they’ve also sizzled in front of the cameras for Bey’s “Naughty Girl” clip in 2004. Call us Team Sherlock Holmes, but why does Usher tease NY boroughs that begin with a B? Brooklyn stands as the most populous borough in the city with the simple BK abbreviation, which also remains the initials for the pop queen.

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Red Hot Chili Peppers And Mr. Brainwash Collabo: The Latest Musician/Artist Venture

Posted 7/14/11 1:30 pm EST by in collaborations, red-hot-chili-peppers


Red Hot chili Peppers

By Zachary Swickey

California rockers the Red Hot Chili Peppers are gearing up for the release of their newest rock/funk masterpiece, I’m With You, and have acquired the services of famous street artist Mr. Brainwash to help promote the album with some Pepper-themed guerilla marketing.

TMZ reports that Mr. Brainwash, real name Thierry Guetta, has been in the Los Angeles area hanging art work that bears the album’s release date (8/30/11), the Chili Peppers logo and a bit of Guetta’s signature pop flare. With his bumbling charm (and wicked facial hair), Guetta essentially starred in the documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop, which was directed by the notoriously stealth Banksy, who picked up an Oscar nom for Best Documentary for his efforts. RHCP have also recruited Guetta for some other upcoming projects, but the artist was hush when pressed for details.

Collaborating with an artist has become a booming trend. Old timer Roger Waters hired street artists to promote his recent tour behind Pink Floyd’s iconic double album The Wall. Even professional companies and prestigious museums have been known to commission controversial artists. Here are some of our favorite band/artist collabs that all provide some great eye candy.

Interpol and David Lynch

Interpol did something special at this year’s Coachella festival when they worked on a video collaboration with the mysterious David Lynch, director of creepy cult faves like Blue Velvet, Lost Highway and Twin Peaks. The band played along to a short film Lynch directed for the group’s song “Lights,” off their recent self-titled record. The black-and-white animated clip contains a quirky character that repeatedly pushes a red button that makes its color burst all over the screen. In typical Lynch fashion, it will leave you thinking WTF?

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Who Should Sing The Next Bond Theme Song?

Posted 6/28/11 8:45 am EST by in collaborations, listicle, soundtrack


Adele

By Matt Goodhue

With James Bond star Daniel Craig’s secret marriage to Rachel Weisz late last week, we at MTV News have rekindled our excitement for what's in store for the British secret agent. Although the latest Bond movie, the twenty third in the series, is not due out until October of next year, there are already talks about which artist will be writing the theme song that defines the cunning, swift and fearless actions of agent 007.

Jack White and Alicia Keys performed the theme to 2008’s "Quantum of Solace," and the list of artists in the running for this gig has made us curious as to how they will interpret the James Bond theme. Each of these artists has a unique sound and surely can bring something different to the table. But who will best capture the essence of the world's longest-running secret agent?

Kings of Leon

If I had any say in the matter, I would surely pick the Followill clan to turn out a distinctive track. With a distorted bass leading the way, the guys in Kings of Leon could add some heavy rock and roll to pick up the excitement and danger that follows Bond's latest mission. Singer Caleb Followill commented on the possibility of the song, stating, "I've always wanted to work with strings so that would be a good excuse to do it." A full orchestra backing the Kings' rock while Daniel Craig speeds through a fiery explosion? Sounds pretty epic to me.

Lady Gaga

It seems like Lady Gaga can do just about anything, so a theme song for a Bond film would just add to the list of the accomplishments she's achieved. Lady Gaga is an incredible songwriter and has a distinct, powerful voice that could truly capture the mayhem that would ensue on screen. Gaga's unpredictability would fit perfectly with the always-on-the-move lifestyle of Bond, but perhaps she would need to perform something harder than her poppy dance music.

Read on for more. Read More...

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