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Weezer, My Morning Jacket Join Legendary Musicians By Collaborating With Muppets

Posted 6/28/11 3:00 pm EST by in soundtrack


By Zachary Swickey

We’re all excited for Jason’s Segel’s film The Muppets, which hopes to revitalize the nostalgic franchise, and some notable musicians seem amped up as well. Weezer, My Morning Jacket and Paramore’s Hayley Williams are a few of the contributors who will all appear on The Green Album, which is quite the appropriate title.

Due Aug. 23 – two months before the film’s Nov. 23 release date – the record will consist of artists tackling cover versions of some of the best songs from our childhood. Hayley Williams has the honor of having Weezer as a backing band and the duty of performing Kermit’s most famous piece, “Rainbow Connection.” Amy Lee of Evanescence will also appear, supplying a cover of “Halfway Down the Stairs,” while goth-poppers Alkaline Trio have recreated “Moving Right Along.” My Morning Jacket, who are such big Muppet fans they nearly toured together (seriously, check out the vid above!), will be in charge of covering the classic “Our World.”

It’s great to see modern day musicians covering songs dating back to the original Muppets’ show. You might be surprised by some of the musical guests that were featured on the original program, but lucky for you, we made this list of memorable moments.

Johnny Cash

Yes, even the Man in Black got cozy with Miss Piggy 30 years ago on the show's fifth and final season in 1981. Cash performed his 1965 hit “Orange Blossom Special” before breaking into a duet with Miss Piggy on “Jackson,” which originally garnered Cash and wife June Carter Cash a Grammy award. For “Riders in the Sky,” Cash was joined by Lubbock Lou and his fellow Jugghuggers along with Gonzo running around onstage dressed as an outlaw.

Elton John

Sam the Eagle wasn’t thrilled with Elton John’s appearance on the show, claiming he “dresses like a stolen car.” Kermit defends John’s honor and says artists like Mozart were known for dressing extravagantly. Sam promptly bets that information is false, but when proven wrong, the stoic eagle is forced to don a glittery patriotic outfit when introducing the closing song. John was backed by Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem on his classic “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” before joining Miss Piggy for “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart.”

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Red Hot Chili Peppers Join Long List Of Bands That Almost Broke Up

Posted 6/27/11 11:18 am EST by in Breakups, red-hot-chili-peppers


flea

By Zachary Swickey

Flea, the rambunctious bassist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers has revealed through an interview with Spinner that he recently thought about quitting the band and leaving his tighty-whitey stage antics behind him.

He said he asked his compatriots for a two year sabbatical in order to regroup his thoughts. “We’ve been going really hard for a lot of years with small breaks here and there, but never a major break,” Flea said. “And I just felt like I wanted to take two years away just to really look and see if the band was something we should be doing.”

Flea attributes his friendship with lead singer Anthony Kiedis, which dates back to childhood, as an inspiration and big reason for his decision to continue making music. “I said, ‘Together let’s do this, let’s make this album, I love you, and let’s f**king rock.’ And as cliché as that might sound, I think for us as a band, and for he and I, both of us, we decided to do it.”

As most RHCP fans are already aware, the group plans on releasing their new album, I’m With You, on Aug. 30, their first with new ex-Warpaint guitarist Josh Klinghoffer – who replaces John Frusciante, who left the group in 2009.

The near-breakup experience of the Red Hot Chili Peppers seems to be a rite of passage that almost every band faces. Some almost breakup in between every album they create. Here are some more groups that claim they almost didn’t make it for a variety of different reasons. Read More...

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MTV's Musical March Madness: Green Day Vs. Paramore For The Title!

Posted 4/4/11 8:27 am EST by in Music


It's MTV's second annual Musical March Madness! MTV News took the 64 biggest names in rock, split them up into four regions, assigned them seeds and puts them up against one another in a single-elimination series of match-ups in a winner-take-all contest. We're leaving it to you to decide an actual champ in this field of 64, so over the next few weeks, fan voting will determine who will emerge as this year's champion. It's all about the fans, and the artist with the most passionate fan base will score the awesome Musical March Madness trophy!

Well, it's all come down to this: After millions of votes (and nearly as many shattered dreams), thousands of comments, 62 matchups, five rounds and three weeks, we've reached the championship game of MTV's 2011 Musical March Madness tournament: Green Day vs. Paramore, for all the marbles. Both bands have survived tough challenges to get here, but only will lay claim to the MMM title. Who will it be? Only you, the fans, know for sure.

Voting in the 2011 MMM championship game will close on Monday, April 4 at midnight ET. Oh, and since we want to keep things suspenseful, voting results — and our champion — won't be revealed until Tuesday on MTVNews.com.

(3) Green Day vs. (5) Paramore
Our championship matchup pits third-seeded Green Day against #5 Paramore, a clash of two battle-tested bands (Green Day knocked off the likes of U2, Blink-182 and Panic! at the Disco in this year’s tourney, while Paramore survived showdowns against foes like No Doubt and Tokio Hotel), that also serves as the culmination of a year-long quest for redemption: both were upset in the opening round of last year’s MMM tournament, and have spent the past 12 months seething about that fact. For one of them, the long road back will end with the MMM title. And it will be your votes that decide our winner!

Voting in our championship match-up is now closed ... to see who won the 2011 MMM title, make sure to check out MTVNews.com Tuesday afternoon!

Watch our updated look at the MMM championship game now!

Check out the Musical March Madness bracket and be take a look at the hoops-centric photos of some of the tournament's biggest bands.

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Crack 'Source Code' With Ozzy Osbourne And Paramore

Posted 4/1/11 11:00 am EST by in Music


The baseball season has begun, but the weather in most of the country still frustratingly refuses to move forward into actual spring. That's why this weekend might be best spent at your local cinema, and luckily there are plenty of options at your disposal. In addition to some still-around must-sees like "Jane Eyre" and "Rango," there is a lot opening this weekend. You could check out the haunted house movie "Insidious," which is directed and written by the team of James Wan and Leigh Whannell, the creators of the first "Saw" flick. There's also "Super," the dark indie action comedy featuring "The Office" star Rainn Wilson as a wannabe masked hero. Another option is "Hop," the animated adventure starring Russell Brand as the Easter Bunny. And if you're tastes are extra-indie, there's the action comedy "Cat Run," the devastating cyber-stalking flick "Trust," the Mexican circus documentary "Circo" (which features music by Calexico) and the mind-bending grindhouse homage "Rubber."

But the big event this weekend is "Source Code," the second feature from visionary director Duncan Jones (he created one of 2009's best films in "Moon"). The envelope-pushing sci-fi film stars Jake Gyllenhaal as a soldier who is repeatedly sent back in time to try to prevent a bomb from exploding on a train. It's a film full of mystery, action and jaw-dropping twists, and the cast gamely embraces the sometimes dense script.

In order to properly get yourself in the mindset of "Source Code," check out the soundtrack playlist below. It features a solid batch of songs about codes (Paramore's "Decode"), bombs (Rancid's "Time Bomb") and trains, beginning with Ozzy Osbourne's immortal "Crazy Train."


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MTV's Musical March Madness: My Chemical Romance Vs. Paramore

Posted 4/1/11 8:15 am EST by in Music


It's MTV's second annual Musical March Madness! MTV News took the 64 biggest names in rock, split them up into four regions, assigned them seeds and puts them up against one another in a single-elimination series of match-ups in a winner-take-all contest. We're leaving it to you to decide an actual champ in this field of 64, so over the next few weeks, fan voting will determine who will emerge as this year's champion. It's all about the fans, and the artist with the most passionate fan base will score the awesome Musical March Madness trophy!

This Final Four promises to be the closest and most intense in the history of MTV's Musical March Madness. Each of the four remaining bands could become the champion, but they'll have to overcome killer odds to do so. Which two bands will be left standing when the championship match goes down on Monday, April 4 (the same day as the NCAA men's basketball championship)? Only you, the fans, know for sure.

Voting for all Final Four match-ups will close on Sunday, April 3 at midnight. As always, you can follow all the voting here.

(3) My Chemical Romance vs. (5) Paramore
My Chemical Romance are making their second straight appearance in the Final Four of MTV's Musical March Madness, having ended the Cinderella story that was Sum 41's run through the tournament to win the East region. They'll take on Paramore, who managed to top the always-dangerous Tokio Hotel to win the South. Which one of these bands will compete for the coveted Musical March Madness trophy? Your votes will decide it!

Watch Dick Bagwell and Vincent Twice unveil the Final Four!

Check out the Musical March Madness bracket and be take a look at the hoops-centric photos of some of the tournament's biggest bands.

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MTV's Musical March Madness: Paramore Vs. Tokio Hotel

Posted 3/30/11 12:30 pm EST by in Music


It's MTV's second annual Musical March Madness! MTV News took the 64 biggest names in rock, split them up into four regions, assigned them seeds and puts them up against one another in a single-elimination series of match-ups in a winner-take-all contest. We're leaving it to you to decide an actual champ in this field of 64, so over the next few weeks, fan voting will determine who will emerge as this year's champion. It's all about the fans, and the artist with the most passionate fan base will score the awesome Musical March Madness trophy!

The regional finals in the Midwest and West are both already intense battles, and the match-up in the South will be no different. Both of the squads left in the South have incredibly intense followings, and this should be another extra-close contest.

Voting for all Elite Eight match-ups will close on Thursday, March 31 at midnight. As always, you can follow all the voting here.

(5) Paramore vs. (14) Tokio Hotel
Paramore might have delivered the most impressive performance of the tournament when they defeated Linkin Park in a nail-biting fiasco that came right down to the final minutes. That particular match-up grabbed more votes than any pairing so far, which is also impressive. For their efforts, Paramore will go head-to-head with Tokio Hotel for the right to advance to the Final Four. Tokio Hotel took out Muse in the Sweet 16, but Paramore poses their greatest challenge yet. Who will come out on top? Your votes will decide it!

Watch the latest update on all the Elite Eight action!

Check out the Musical March Madness bracket and be take a look at the hoops-centric photos of some of the tournament's biggest bands.

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MTV's Musical March Madness: Linkin Park Vs. Paramore

Posted 3/28/11 2:00 pm EST by in Music


It's MTV's second annual Musical March Madness! MTV News took the 64 biggest names in rock, split them up into four regions, assigned them seeds and puts them up against one another in a single-elimination series of match-ups in a winner-take-all contest. We're leaving it to you to decide an actual champ in this field of 64, so over the next few weeks, fan voting will determine who will emerge as this year's champion. It's all about the fans, and the artist with the most passionate fan base will score the awesome Musical March Madness trophy!

The Sweet 16 spotlight is now pointed directly at the South region, which features another quartet of bands who could easily find themselves holding the 2011 MTV Musical March Madness trophy aloft when all is said and done.

Voting for all Sweet 16 match-ups will close on Tuesday, March 29 at midnight. As always, you can follow all the voting here.

(1) Linkin Park vs. (5) Paramore
Linkin Park have cruised through the first two rounds of the tournament, besting Sleigh Bells and R.E.M. on the way to the Sweet 16. They'll take on their strongest challenger yet in Paramore, who have come through two intense battles against No Doubt and Kings of Leon to emerge as a power in the South region. Which one of these platinum-sellers will continue their push to the finals? Vote to find out!

Check out Dick Bagwell and Vincent Twice previewing the Sweet 16!

Check out the Musical March Madness bracket and be take a look at the hoops-centric photos of some of the tournament's biggest bands.

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MTV's Musical March Madness: Paramore Vs. Kings Of Leon

Posted 3/24/11 11:33 am EST by in Music


It's MTV's second annual Musical March Madness! MTV News took the 64 biggest names in rock, split them up into four regions, assigned them seeds and puts them up against one another in a single-elimination series of match-ups in a winner-take-all contest. We're leaving it to you to decide an actual champ in this field of 64, so over the next few weeks, fan voting will determine who will emerge as this year's champion. It's all about the fans, and the artist with the most passionate fan base will score the awesome Musical March Madness trophy!

The votes are really flying in the South bracket, as Linkin Park are building a healthy lead over R.E.M. in the first showdown of the day. Who will the winner of that match-up face in the Sweet 16? One of the two huge acts in the second pairing of the day.

Voting for all second round match-ups will close on Sunday, March 27 at midnight. As always, you can follow all the voting here.

(4) Kings of Leon vs. (5) Paramore
In a battle of the greater Nashville area, Kings of Leon ride their solid first round defeat of Grace Potter and the Nocturnals into the second round to square off against Paramore, who went toe-to-toe with No Doubt for a true heavyweight fight that came down to the wire. With the wind at their backs, will Paramore charge into the Sweet 16, or do Kings of Leon have too much power to be put down? Your votes will decide it!

Watch the breakdown of the first round and a preview of round two!

Check out the Musical March Madness bracket and be take a look at the hoops-centric photos of some of the tournament's biggest bands.

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MTV's Musical March Madness: Paramore Vs. No Doubt, Kings Of Leon Vs. Grace Potter And The Nocturnals

Posted 3/16/11 11:30 am EST by in Music


It's MTV's second annual Musical March Madness! MTV News took the 64 biggest names in rock, split them up into four regions, assigned them seeds and puts them up against one another in a single-elimination series of match-ups in a winner-take-all contest. We're leaving it to you to decide an actual champ in this field of 64, so over the next few weeks, fan voting will determine who will emerge as this year's champion. It's all about the fans, and the artist with the most passionate fan base will score the awesome Musical March Madness trophy!

The South bracket is open, with Linkin Park already battling it out with Sleigh Bells and R.E.M. squaring off against Hinder. The South continues with two more match-ups that should shake up the entire tournament.

Just as a reminder, first round voting continues through Sunday night (March 20), and you can catch up with any match-ups you might have missed here. Let's get to the match-ups!

(5) Paramore vs. (12) No Doubt
These two bands share an awful lot of parallels, and they both find themselves in the midst of transitions. Paramore are still riding high on 2009's Brand New Eyes and are expected to drop hotly-anticipated new music later this year, while No Doubt are in the midst of their big comeback album, which will undoubtedly be greeted with aggressive enthusiasm. But which one has the chops to advance to round two?

(4) Kings of Leon vs. (13) Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
Kings of Leon tumbled during last year's tournament when they were placed in a top seed (thanks to the breakout crossover success of "Use Somebody") and were quickly upended in the first round. But they're back and better than ever, and despite some setbacks (including a key injury to drummer Nathan Followill), they are still a force to be reckoned with. Grace Potter and the Nocturnals are a band on the rise, largely based on their workmanlike approach to touring and singer Potter's willingness to branch out (she not only collaborated with Kenny Chesney but also participated in last year's "VH1 Divas" show and contributed to the Disney film "Tangled" — quite the eclectic resumé). Who will survive to the next round?

Watch Dick Bagwell and Vincent Twice break down this year's bracket!

Check out the Musical March Madness bracket and be take a look at the hoops-centric photos of some of the tournament's biggest bands.

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Britney Spears, 'Jersey Shore' And Taylor Swift's Snow Storm: This Week's Deep Cuts

Posted 1/14/11 5:30 pm EST by in Deep Cuts


There were a pair of massive new singles, a huge video premiere, a handful of fantastically strange video experiments and a snow storm, but we once again managed to arrive at the end of the week. There is a three-day weekend ahead of us (Monday, January 17 is Martin Luther King Day, so celebrate accordingly), so that will give you extra time to reflect on the past, watch playoff football, finally get around to taking down that Christmas tree or reveling in the awards season (you can catch the Critic's Choice Awards Friday night on VH1 and the Golden Globes on Sunday night on NBC, and we'll be covering them both at MTV News and MTV Movies Blog). But before you do any of that, you should really catch up with everything you might have missed on the MTV Newsroom Blog this week, because our cup was overflowing with excellence.

» The big news this week was the new single from Britney Spears. It's called "Hold It Against Me," and it awakened out inner pickup artist.

» Spears' new song attracted a lot of attention, including that of the Bellamy Brothers.

» Of course, Spears wasn't the only star dropping a huge single this week, as the Kanye West/Jay-Z tag team song "H.A.M." also reared its head for the first time.

» "H.A.M." doesn't have a video yet, but you should watch this compilation of ham-related videos (you know, like the meat) to tide you over.

» Our video editing equipment was extra-busy this week, as in addition to the "H.A.M." clip, we also put together a "Jersey Shore" remix of Bruno Mars' "Grenade."

» In other news, we looked back on the one year anniversary of the earthquake in Haiti, and it turns out there's an awful long way to go.

» Taylor Swift debuted her new video for "Back to December," and it features an empty bathtub and an indoor snow storm.
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