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Odd Future Offshoot MellowHype Storm SXSW

Posted 3/18/11 4:00 pm EST by in Music


With reporting by Christopher "CJ" Smith

Despite what most media outlets would like you to believe, Odd Future is not just Tyler the Creator.

In fact, the hotly-tipped L.A. collective is more like a living, breathing organism, a highly prolific thing making music that showcases both individual members and the group as a whole.

Case in point: MellowHype, an Odd Future offshoot featuring members Hodgy Beats and Left Brain. The pair have been cooking up songs since high school, but now, with OF riding high on a wave of hype, they're finally getting their fair share of attention.

With MTV News' cameras following the entire Odd Future squad at South By Southwest, we turned our focus on the dynamic duo as they stormed the stage at Austin's Club DeVille.

Freshly inked to the Fat Possum label, MellowHype are now out to conquer the world, in their words, "one Dutch at a time." And while they're still smoking, have a look at the footage we shot with Hodgy and Left Brain down in SXSW.


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Spotted: The Strokes Call It A Comeback At SXSW

Posted 3/18/11 12:30 pm EST by in Music


Every day a multitude of stars wander through the halls of MTV News to talk about their latest projects and goof around with our intrepid correspondents. But sometimes we catch stars elsewhere, and that's why we put together Spotted!, a daily compendium of stars in the wild.

The annual South By Southwest festival continues in Austin, Texas today, and while it has a reputation for being a breaking ground for indie bands looking for a signature moment, this year's festival has been more about big bands coming back to the garage. The long weekend got its unofficial kickoff on Tuesday night (March 15) with a performance by the Foo Fighters (they ran through their entire new album Wasting Light) and shows by Queens of the Stone Age and Jack White have also provided highlights. On Thursday night (March 17), the Strokes ran through the latest in their string of huge comeback concerts, working out many of the songs from their upcoming (and excellent) new album Angles.

The festival rolls through the weekend, and MTV News will be on the ground throughout providing reviews, interviews and insight from one of the hottest music weekends of the year. Click here for the rest of the great photos from the South By Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, including shots of Pete Wentz, Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age and Neon Trees!

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MTV Exec Tackles The Future Of Music At SXSW

Posted 3/21/10 11:46 am EST by in Music


“Music always has been and continues to be at the core of our identity and our brand," MTV executive vice president of music and talent Amy Doyle told a roomful of folks on Saturday (March 20) at South By Southwest. "Now we have more screens and platforms than ever to showcase music and work with artists in creative ways.”

Doyle was speaking on a SXSW panel called "Reaching Your Audience on Their Terms," which, though it sounds rather stiff, was actually an incredibly interesting chat, one that detailed not just MTV's continuing efforts to expose audiences to new artists and weave music into its programming, but provided the answer to the age-old "Why don't you guys play music anymore?" question.

Because, as Doyle pointed out, we do. In new and interesting ways, and in a time when the entire music industry is hurting.

“When the music business suffers we feel it too; but the good news is that while the business is challenged, music has never been more important to any generation previous to [this] generation," Doyle said. "And reaching the consumer has never been more important.”

The panel -- which also featured MTV's head of Creative Music Integration Joe Cuello and Matt McCartie of the band Theft -- was part of SXSW's ongoing examination of the industry, and where it goes from here. And it was definitely intriguing to anyone who's interested in any of that.

To wit, Doyle outlined a series of new music-based initiatives, designed to "score the channel" and put music — and the bands making it — front and center. It's a plan that involves not just airing an artist's video on AMTV, but working closely with them to develop a wider plan, one that integrates their music into programming, and build relationships that will last far beyond the promotional cycle of an album. It's a plan dubbed PUSH — "Play Until Someone Hears" — and it's definitely a top priority.

And that's just the beginning. Doyle also discussed the burgeoning Rock Band Network, which allows bands to upload their songs for inclusion in the ultra-successful video game franchise, the ongoing "$5 Cover" series, and a host of other initiatives that will be rolled out over the coming months.

All in all, it was a pretty interesting way to spend a Saturday. It provided a blueprint of where MTV — and probably the entire industry — is headed, and how they plan on getting there. And that's more than you can say about the BBQ sampler plate at Stubb's now, isn't it?

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Picture Me Broken At SXSW: BBQ, Perez Hilton, And Plenty Of Memories

Posted 3/21/10 4:54 am EST by in Music


By Layla Brooklyn Allman

It’s our final day of SXSW and we all finally got a chance to sleep in and get some Texas BBQ. I don’t think I left my bed until about 1 pm when I got up to take a shower and head over to a popular Austin BBQ restaurant called The Salt Lick for lunch with the band. Every native Texan had said that was the place to go even if it was over a 30 minute drive away. They were right. We got there, pigged out (literally) and all left the place in total food comas.

A few hours later, we played our last show of SXSW and met up with two of our most avid supporters who took a weekend off of their Air Force training to catch our show. After the show we walked down a couple blocks to the Perez Hilton party. The line was literally the longest I had ever seen in my entire life, and I thought we would have to stand in it for at least five hours in the freezing cold. We walked up to the front of the line to see what the deal was and were pleasantly greeted with VIP passes and a granted an escorted entrance through the mobs of people. Austin and I slipped in right away, but unfortunately our insane VIP party experience ended when the club owner realized we were underage at a massive SXSW party with an open bar. I was planning on drinking Dr. Pepper but sadly I had to leave and return to the rest of my band outside. I managed to snap a picture beneath Perez’s name in lights and stole a cupcake before I left. The whole party reminded me of an episode of MTV's "My Super Sweet 16" times about ten. Needless to say I was bummed that we got the boot.

But I must say the trip in it’s entirety has been incredible. Even if my purse was stolen, I got no sleep and was thrown out of my first insane VIP party, my band and I had the time of our lives. We’re so thankful for all of the opportunities from MTV and everyone supporting us here at SXSW and can’t wait to see what’s in store for us in upcoming months and after our Rock Band song is released!

Up-and-coming California band Picture Me Broken were nice enough to cover South By Southwest all week (and weekend) for MTV News. Their song "Dearest (I'm So Sorry) will be available on "Rock Band" later this year.

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Picture Me Broken At SXSW: A Record Deal, A Free Massage

Posted 3/20/10 1:14 pm EST by in Music


By Layla Brooklyn Allman

We're still here, still running and I still haven't found my purse. But day two of our South By Southwest experience — otherwise known to the rest of the world as "Friday" — was definitely a doozy.

It started with a solid four hours of sleep and one grande soy chai, then a big meeting at the Hilton in downtown Austin with the folks at Megaforce Records, who we anticipate working with on our debut album! Needless to say, we're stoked and flattered by the opportunity. The folks at "Rock Band" have really helped us by accepting our track, "Dearest (I'm So Sorry)," but I'd like to think that Austin has had a lot to do with our success, too. There's so much to do here, so many people to meet with, and so many bands to see. It's been amazing.

Friday was even busier than Thursday, with two interviews following our Megaforce meeting. Luckily we were able to head back to the hotel for a bit, I took the time to catch up on some hardcore social networking! Then, around 2:30 p.m. we left to meet up with vh1 at Moonshine Café which had been set up with free food, drinks, massages — you name it — for artists (it was pretty amazing). We also checked in with iheartradio for a short interview, and headed over to the Lucky Lounge to play a set that, honestly, turned out to be one of our best shows to date, thanks to the amazing Austin crowd! I really feel like they helped us rise to the occasion in order to impress some important people in the audience.

Anyway, now it's time to catch up on some sleep, and then Saturday will actually leave us some time for grabbing some Texas BBQ. And maybe finding my purse, too. Anyway, so stoked to be here!

Up-and-coming California band Picture Me Broken will be covering South By Southwest for MTV News all week (and probably weekend, too.)

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Kristen Stewart Reviews Broken Social Scene's SXSW Show For MTV News

Posted 3/19/10 6:52 pm EST by in Music


You would think that with a brand-new movie to promote (a tiny little rock bio called "The Runaways" that you may have heard of by now) and a full-time job dodging pesky paparazzi to focus on, Kristen Stewart wouldn't have much time to do anything else. But you'd be wrong.

Turns out, she's also a budding rock critic.

See, after last night's "Runaways" premiere at South by Southwest, Stewart sneaked out to venerable Austin BBQ shack/music venue Stubb's to check out the indie-riffic Band of Horses/Broken Social Scene double bill. And despite the fact that the gig was perhaps the biggest Thursday night show at SXSW (well, either that or Stone Temple Pilots), Stewart braved the crowds, because, as she put it, "Band of Horses happen to be, like, my favorite band at the moment."

Perhaps wanting to share the love, she also brought her "Runaways" co-star Dakota Fanning along to check out the show. But after Fanning left (perhaps it was past her bedtime?) Stewart stayed around to watch B.S.S. So how was it? Here's Stewart's 32-second review of the gig:


Stewart said she's also hoping to catch Broken Bells — the duo featuring Danger Mouse and Shins' frontman James Mercer — before she hightails it out of Austin, and she also cops to worshiping at the altar of Radiohead and Interpol (just like everyone else at SXSW). What can we say? The girl's got taste.

And if this whole acting gig doesn't pan out, she could always turn her attention to the lucrative world of rock criticism. The pay is lousy, but hey, at least you get free CDs!

Check back throughout the week (and into the weekend) for more of MTV News' adventures at South by Southwest ... the biggest bands, the best interviews, the beefiest beef ribs ... it's all gonna be here.

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Picture Me Broken At SXSW: Glass Houses, Stolen Purses

Posted 3/19/10 12:03 pm EST by in Music


By Layla Brooklyn Allman

Well, I've finally returned to my hotel room at 3:22 a.m. after quite an eventful day here at SXSW. We actually arrived in Texas late Wednesday, crashed hard and spent pretty much all of Thursday running around Austin playing shows and doing interviews. Oh, and getting our property stolen. But more on that in a bit.

We woke up, wandered around the city and were blown away by the amount of people and the energy on display here. It was sort of overwhelming, but we didn't have much time to dwell on it, as we were off to our first stop of the day: An interview on the back of a moving truck, which was encased in huge windows so people could watch Nick and I answering questions. Needless to say, we've never done an interview quite like this one. The two girls who interviewed us had Southern accents (we don't often get that in California), and we spoke to them about everything from foreign countries to our musical style back in the day (when we were 12) all while driving around in this transparent vehicle on a live feed to various music bloggers. It was sort of crazy, to be honest.

Then we had our interview with MTV News, which went down on a street corner here in Austin. Some guy kept lurking into the frame, but other than that it was a great success and we were so stoked to be a part of MTV News and chat about our song on "Rock Band." We had a few hours to kill before our next show and visited a local music store store, walked around Austin's main drag (Sixth Street) and were amazed at just how much music was being played down here. We left to load in for our first-ever SXSW show at Aussie's, played our set and stayed to watch a bit of the British indie band that followed us.

After we packed up and loaded out, Austin and I showed up to the Sennheiser rooftop party a bit early and the place was packed. We didn't play our set until about 1:30 a.m., but there were still plenty of people around to rock out with us. Unfortunately, my purse was stolen as we were rocking faces off, but other than that dilemma our first day at SXSW has been an incredible experience and we're stoked for Friday!

Up-and-coming California band Picture Me Broken will be covering South By Southwest for MTV News all week (and probably weekend, too.)

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Meet MTV News' Special SXSW Correspondents: Picture Me Broken

Posted 3/18/10 9:54 pm EST by in Music


There's a whole lot of ground to cover here at South by Southwest, so it's a good thing MTV News has someone to help us do it: not-quite-legal California flamethrowers Picture Me Broken, who are down in Austin for the very first time (and since they're all still in high school, that means they're skipping class to be here). And while you might not be familiar with them just yet, we get the feeling you will be. Very soon, in fact.

Fronted by (not quite) 17-year-old bellower Layla Brooklyn Allman (her dad is Gregg, a founding member of a little band you may have heard of called the Allman Brothers), PMB pummel and wail with a force that is way beyond their years. And though they're still without a record deal, fame doesn't seem all that far away: One of their songs, "Dearest (I'm So Sorry)" will debut in the near future as a downloadable track in the ultra-successful "Rock Band" franchise.

So PMB come to SXSW with the eyes of the industry already firmly fixed on them, and now they've got to prove that they're more than just hype. They've got a full schedule of shows ahead of them, which means plenty of opportunities to screw everything up. So with so much on the line, we figured they'd be the perfect guest correspondents for MTV News. Over the coming days, you'll read about their pressure-packed SXSW ... the make-or-break showcases, the high-profile meetings, and, of course, the BBQ. There's always time for BBQ.

But before we get to the drama, let's meet Picture Me Broken ... a band very much on the edge. Of something.


Picture Me Broken will be filing blogs for MTV News throughout South by Southwest. And make sure to check back throughout the week (and into the weekend) for more of MTV News' adventures at SXSW 2010 ... the biggest bands, the best interviews, the beefiest beef ribs ... it's all gonna be here.

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Paul Wall And Chamillionaire Welcome You To SXSW

Posted 3/18/10 9:03 pm EST by in Music


Once again, MTV News has packed up the stick mics and headed down to Austin, Texas, for South by Southwest, the gut-busting, eardrum-shattering celebration of bands, beer and BBQ (and gifting suites) that grabs the Longhorn State by the short hairs once a year and doesn't let go until it's good and ready.

Four days of near-continuous live music, peppered with brief, meat-filled interludes, the occasional open-bar, and parties that plow on into the early morning hours, SXSW is the music marathon to end all music marathons; it's part endurance test, part wild, unending bender ... the kind of thing you've got to experience at least once in your life, provided your ears (and liver) can handle it. Seriously, you have no idea how nuts things get down here.

Anyway, we arrived in town early Thursday morning, and when we got here, the folks at SXSW were nice enough to have two of Texas' favorite sons -- Paul Wall and Chamillionaire -- waiting on hand to welcome us. We'd like to think they do this for everybody, but we know better.

We spoke to the dynamic duo -- who had just reunited on stage the previous night at Austin's La Zona Rosa after spending much of the late '00s pursuing solo careers (with, it should be added, much success) -- about teaming up once again, memories of their earlier days spent hustling in Houston, and the status of their respective solo albums (after months of delay, we found out Cham's Venom will finally see the light of day on June 22, five days before another date that holds plenty of significance for any true fan of Houston's so-called "Screw Music" scene -- June 27 -- the title of an influential mixtape released by the late, great pioneer DJ Screw).

And while we'll get to all the news over the coming days, we figured we'd let these two Texas boys do what they do best: get on the mic, and welcome all of you to the party. After all, even the most gnarly of marathons must begin with a single step.


Check back throughout the week (and into the weekend) for more of MTV News' adventures at South by Southwest ... the biggest bands, the best interviews, the beefiest beef ribs ... it's all gonna be here.

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Pete Wentz, Gym Class Heroes Kick Off 2010 SXSW Festival

Posted 3/13/10 12:00 pm EST by in Music


By Matt Harper

The 2010 South by Southwest (SXSW) festival began Friday (March 12) with the premiere of the heavily-anticipated comic book flick "Kick-Ass," but anyone familiar with Austin's famed annual festival knows that music takes center stage during this week-and-a-half. And in keeping with that spirit, Ustream held their own kick-off party and invited Gym Class Heroes and Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz to start the week off right.

Gym Class Heroes frontman Travis McCoy took to the stage in good spirits and kept the crowd dancing to the band's own unique brand of rock-infused hip-hop (or is it the other way around?). Friend and label mate Pete Wentz stood on a couch to get a better view of the band with a coy half-smile. Wentz wasn't the only celeb in the house though, as actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler watched enthusiastically from the VIP section and legendary rapper Bun B hung out with the crowd on the floor.

During Gym Class Heroes' set, Travis took a moment to talk about his upcoming solo album and assured the crowd that the band was about half way through a new Gym Class record. His solo project is just a chance for him to explore a new sound, he told the enthusiastic crowd. Travis told the room that we can expect The Papercut Chronicles 2 some time in the first quarter of next year.

After Gym Class Heroes wrapped up their set, Pete Wentz took to the club's turntables for a quick DJ session. All in all, it was a great way to kick off SXSW in Austin, and we're hoping more great things in the next 10 days.

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