By Matt Thompson
Tonight (October 9), a multitude of celebrities will take part in a global event dubbed "Moving Stars and Earth for Water." Musicians, movie stars, politicians and environmentalists will unite for one common cause: Bringing the world more and better water. This diverse group includes Shakira, Salma Hayek, Bono, Joss Stone and former Vice President Al Gore. Perhaps the most riveting component of the show? On the same day we searched the moon for water, the event will be broadcast into outer space.
Why? Because the architect of the entire project is Canadian billionaire Guy Laliberte, who has been on a personally-financed mission to the International Space Station since October 2. He describes the event as a "poetic social mission." Laliberte intends to use his time off Earth to find supplies of one of the world's most important resources. "My mission is dedicated to making a difference on this vital resource by using what I know best: artistry," Laliberte said.
Each of the fourteen cities will have a different theme attached to them. "In Osaka, where (pop star) Tatuya Ishii is doing a performance, the poetic tales bring forth the problems related to the melting of the ice caps, which will raise eventually the ocean levels," said Fernand Rainville, the show's creative director. "In Johannesburg, we are bringing the idea of water and education and how the two are related."
DriecTV will televise the show throughout the United States, and it can also be seen on the Internet through Laliberte's Web site.
Even if he had never picked up a movie camera, Rob Zombie would have had a permanent place in history as the frontman of seminal psychedelic metal band White Zombie and the author of three fantastically freaky solo albums. But Zombie was never content to just sit still, and he has managed to carve himself out a nice little niche as a horror movie director. The guy is responsible for some of the craziest, goriest entries in the modern horror canon, including "House of 1,000 Corpses," "The Devil's Rejects" and his re-imagining of the John Carpenter classic "Halloween." Promotion for the latter's sequel brought Zombie to New York, where he stopped by Planet Hollywood in Times Square with his wife Sherri Moon Zombie at his side.
Be sure to stay tuned to the MTV Movies Blog next week, where Zombie will be guest-editing in support of his new movie "Halloween II." He'll also provide some updates to his upcoming projects, including the animated "The Haunted World of El Superbeasto" (based on Zombie's own comic book). And he can't shake the music bug, either, as he has an album finished and will perform at a metal festival in Japan in October, which will be his first show in two years.
In other celeb news, U2's Bono signed a handful of autographs during a visit to Radio Two in London, and Jessica Simpson dressed up as a Geisha for her upcoming VH1 show. Click here for these photos plus fresh shots of Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé, the Jonas Brothers, Lady Gaga and Madonna!
By Benjamin Wagner
The last time I interviewed Bono was at the Sundance premiere of his modest Irish quartet's modest little concert flick, "U2 3D," a rock doc so massive it required 250-pound cameras shooting 70mm film and was helmed by not one but two directors.
At the time, U2 were still fleshing out their then-untitled 12th album with the aid of Joshua Tree co-producers Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno.
"Daniel is about the ancient," Bono explained. "And Brian is about the modern, the future, the things that haven't happened. Somewhere between that is our next album."
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By Sarah Maslin Nir
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Abraham Lincoln was staring at me.
OK, it was just his statue. But as I stood in the back recesses of the stage during the rehearsals for the "We Are One" inaugural celebration Saturday while on assignment for Rolling Stone, sandwiched between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, I was sure that if I took a step any direction, someone — a guard, a policeman, even Abe himself — would sound the alarm bells and send me packing. In front of me, dozens of gospel singers were humming and oohing the chorus of Bruce Springsteen's "The Rising." Over the sea of their shoulders I could see the Boss himself, standing at the edge of the stage facing them, teaching them his lyrics.
My objective was to get as close as an average person (i.e. one without official clearance) could possibly get to the rehearsals. As I wandered closer and closer to the stage, I realized no one was stopping me. Offstage, James Taylor and John Legend were strumming, Shakira, Will.I.Am and Stevie Wonder were loosely jamming, but I was drawn to the memorial's steps by the swelling choir sounds and Bruce's husky voice.
Hesitantly, I put a toe on the first step to the stage. I was immediately spotted. Read more...
Washington, D.C.
President-elect Barack Obama doesn't take the oath of office until Tuesday, but the nation's capital already feels like the site of the biggest, most expensive political pep rally for America ever.
Strolling along the National Mall on Saturday afternoon near the Lincoln Memorial - the location of Sunday's "We Are One" all-star show featuring Beyonce, Bruce Springsteen, Usher, Mary J. Blige, U2, John Legend and others - the unmistakable strains of The Boss' "The Rising" rose up into the frigid grey sky.
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Now we know why that next U2 album really got pushed back until next year. It's not because the band has so much material that they can't get it all down on tape. It's because Bono has taken on yet another job: columnist for The New York Times.
Apparently, the only rock star who has Congress' ear will be writing between six and 10 op-ed pieces for the Times over the next year. According to New York magazine's Web site, Times editorial-page editor Andrew Rosenthal told a group of Columbia University Journalism School students that he recruited the renowned humanitarian to write about music (for no pay). On the other hand, the Times article announcing their new columnist said he'd be "covering a range of subjects."
At Columbia, Rosenthal also said he was thinking about asking Queen guitarist Brian May to write a few pieces for the paper as well. Read more...
· Axl Rose just learned a harsh lesson about how the world has changed since he started working on Chinese Democracy almost 15 years ago. According to reports, nine of the album's mastered tracks were leaked online Wednesday, then quickly yanked after Axl's people got wind of it.
· Looks like Steven Tyler is done with his stint in rehab that was reportedly due to a bum foot. He was recently spotted at a Boston Celtics game.
· Weezer promised that their Red Album Tour would be a hootenanny, and they’ve followed through, playing their first audience-participation gig on Tuesday in Phoenix. There's another one Thursday night in Portland, so grab a rainstick and brush up on "Pork and Beans," "Islands in the Sun" and "El Scorcho."
· As if his "FNMTV" gig weren't enough, Pete Wentz just got another TV job. The Fall Out Boy bassist is slated to appear on the Showtime series "Californication" as himself.
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· The Game will have a chance to add another tattoo to his face. He began serving a two-month jail sentence on Sunday.
· We kind of stopped counting around the time all those news hounds got rope-a-doped by the Lez Zeppelin / Bonnaroo announcement, but the rumors of a Led Zeppelin reunion appear to have been deep-sixed for good due to singer Robert Plant's overwhelming desire to turn down $200 million in favor of playing bluegrass versions of “Black Dog.”
· How do 900 pissed off Lil’ Boosie fans protest a no show in Omaha? By wildin' out on a ticket booth.
· Can it really be that Radiohead and Jack Johnson are the only headliners available for every major U.S. festival this summer?
· Russell Simmons has officially endorsed Barack obama's presidential bid, feeling that at this “transcendent and historic moment in American politics...I am obligated not to remain on the sidelines.”
· Bono, Fergie, John Legend and Eli and Peyton Manning have been added to the list of performers and presenters for the second annual "Idol Gives Back" charity show on April 9. They join a previously announced roster that includes: Brad Pitt, Miley Cyrus, Reese Witherspoon, Mariah Carey, Snoop Dogg, Daughtry and Carrie Underwood, but, sadly, no Gary Busey.
