Rolling Stone’s trip to the VMAs was quite educational: we learned that Linkin Park are developing a designer drug with the goal of enslaving all humanity (seriously, watch Chester Bennington explain it), and that Panic at the Disco are in a weird state of mind — see for yourself by watching our interview above. “We’re going to do a record over the winter,” Ryan Ross says, and the band shares an Axl Rose story. Want more tales from the red carpet? Click the jump to catch Paramore explaining why they keep blogging, T-Pain gushing about Eminem and Tokio Hotel sharing hairspray secrets. (more…)

Kid Rock gets ready to party (”I can feel a good time coming on”), Linkin Park spill details on their next LP (”We’ve created a new designer drug”) and Taylor Swift gets ready to be catty as a fashion correspondant, plus Paramore, Panic at the Disco, Taylor Swift, Tokio Hotel, T-Pain, Ne-Yo, Lupe Fiasco and more stars answer our questions about winning awards and lesbian porn on the VMAs red carpet.

More 2008 Video Music Awards:

• Backstage at the VMAs With Britney Spears, Linkin Park, Russell Brand and More

• Photo Gallery: Britney Spears, Lil Wayne, Rihanna and More at the 2008 Video Music Awards

• The 2008 MTV Video Music Awards: The Live Blog

Photo: Getty

MTV Video Music Awards host Russell Brand’s controversial, rapid-fire comedy had the press room buzzing last night, and the British comic defended himself after the ceremony. “I feel a bit bad that I kept talking about their vows to chastity,” Brand told reporters of his comments about the Jonas Brothers (he repeatedly joked about the band’s purity rings). “And I’d like to take this opportunity to say, ‘No one ever have sex again. It’s a mad idea. What a crazy way to spend an evening.’ ” Brand said he had a “lovely time” hosting the awards. “I do think it was a comeback for Britney,” he said. “This is the resurrection of Britney Spears. I saw stigmata. And, I liked when Lil Wayne leaned over and touched my legs. I think he might be from another world and he has a message for us all.” Brand also called Republicans “evil” and suggested “we need to return to socialism.”
(For more on Brand, check out our feature Dirty Sexy Funny in the current issue).

• Photo Gallery: Britney Spears, Lil Wayne, Rihanna and More at the 2008 Video Music Awards

Britney Spears hit the press room basking in the afterglow of her three big wins. She smiled ear-to-ear holding her Moonmen and posing for the photographers. She didn’t talk to the press, but T.I. wasn’t shy about calling his own performance the best of the night. He also praised Spears and Brand. “Britney did her thing. It’s quite a comeback,” he said. As for Brand, “I think you have to push the envelope and think outside the box and he’s definitely doing that.”

Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington agreed. “Last year was probably one of the worst experiences of my professional career,” he told us. (more…)

Photo: Winter/Getty

After what seemed like several years of hype but no real buzz, the day is finally here. Welcome to the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards live blog. Tonight’s show poses many questions: Will America fully embrace Russell Brand? What brand of hot pants will the Pussycat Dolls be wearing? What terrible reality show will get the most plugs? And what the hell will Britney be doing? Scroll down and stay tuned in for what promises to be a less painful ride than it was 365 days ago (we hope).

• Photo Gallery: Britney Spears, Lil Wayne, Rihanna and More at the 2008 Video Music Awards

• Who the Hell is VMAs Host Russell Brand?

8:53: We haven’t been watching the pre-show (because we don’t want to have a collective stroke), but who is the guy who looks like Casey Affleck and taking shots at T-Pain?

8:56: No matter what Britney does four minutes from now, she’ll be hard pressed to outdo the elephant in that ad for the VMAs.

9:01: Guh. It looks like Britney’s ability to bring the show to a grinding halt hasn’t waned. When was the last time you saw Jonah Hill bomb at anything?

9:03: Man, Britney is a terrible actress. If we wanted to see someone’s bad acting, we’d be watching Turtle butcher the script on the season premiere of Entourage right now. That being said, she hasn’t looked that great in a long time.

9:05: Are the VMAs in a high school gymnasium this year? This looks like our prom — zombies and all.

9:07: Rihanna comes out to confuse people rather tepidly (despite the awesome White Stripes reference in the breakdown). You know, for all the junk Britney took last year, that performance wasn’t much better (despite the zombies). (more…)

Photo: Getty

Kid Rock and Lil Wayne had both been announced as performers at this Sunday’s MTV Video Music Awards, but as it turns out, the two will will perform together. Rock will reportedly play his “All Summer Long” while sharing the stage with Weezy. More details: Depending on which MTV article you read, new addition Christina Aguilera will either be performing a new version of her hit “Genie in a Bottle” or her new track “Keeps Getting Better,” the title song of her upcoming Target-only greatest hits album. Aguilera also promises that the VMAs will be the first place to showcase “my new image and my new sound,” with Christina making the transition from “vintage glam” to “the future.” T.I. also has a duet planned, as he’ll hook up with Rihanna on stage to debut a new song from Paper Trail. Slash will also make an appearance as a presenter. And then there’s Kanye West. (more…)

Photo: Getty

Last year, after given what he considered a second-rate slot by performing in a Palms’ suite instead of the VMA stage, Kanye West pledged never to return to the MTV VMAs. It turns out West will perform at the VMAs again, as MTV announced today that both West and Christina Aguilera were added to the award show’s performer roster. In the case of Aguilera, she’ll perform her old-school hit “Genie In A Bottle” in honor of the show’s 25th anniversary. The “Genie” will likely be the refurbished, rerecorded version of the song that will appear on Xtina’s upcoming Target-only greatest hits. As for West, if rumors of the rapper releasing a new song this weekend are true, it’s a safe bet that he’ll perform the rumored new track “Love Lockdown.” (more…)

Photo: Getty

Will she or won’t she appear on stage? That’s been the question that’s dogged Britney Spears ever since the pop princess was nominated at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards, scheduled to air live this Sunday, September 7th. While Spears’ reps have outright stated the singer won’t perform at the event, it was announced last night that she will kick off the awards show in what is being called “an opening not to be missed.” (more…)

Photo: Getty

When MTV announced that British comedian Russell Brand would be hosting this year’s Video Music Awards, the first response was mostly “Huh?” But then everybody remembered his hilarious performance as rock star Aldous Snow in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and the stories of his exploits in the UK started to circulate: his dressing as Osama Bin Laden, his drug use and his tendency to smoke crack in public. “When I was making RE: BRAND, a TV show that was inspired by Jackass, I was doing all these insane things,” Brand told Rolling Stone’s Melissa Maerz, “like having a bath with a homeless man whose ulcerated legs were weeping into the water. And I smoked crack with a prostitute and her family.” To prepare for the VMAs, Brand — who describes his own style as “superhero S&M scarecrow” — collected some advice from Chris Rock. (more…)

Photo: Getty

MTV’s Video Music Awards has fleshed out its roster, adding a parade of big name presenters and performers to those already announced. Among those reading from teleprompters will be Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps, Scarlett Johansson, Lindsay Lohan, Miley Cyrus, Zach Efron and the rest of the High School Musical crew and the cast of Twilight. Providing musical entertainment throughout the VMAs will be new mixtape duo Travis Barker and DJ AM, who will be joined by artists like Katy Perry, the Ting Tings, Lupe Fiasco and T-Pain “to perform new and past MTV hits as part of a special celebration of the VMAs’ 25th birthday.” Noticeably absent from both lists is Britney Spears, who will not be present despite rumors to the contrary and appearing in the ads. (more…)

Photo: Celotto / Getty
Just when this year’s VMAs was looking like a No Girls Allowed event — with three male performers (Lil’ Wayne, Jonas Brothers, Kid Rock) and a male host (Russell Brand) the only announced talent — MTV has added a trio of ladies to make this year’s awards seem less like a stag party and more like the prom. Rihanna, Pink and Paramore were all added as performers for the event, scheduled to air live from Los Angeles on September 7th. Rihanna will perform “Disturbia,” Paramore will play “Misery Business” and Pink will sing her new single “So What.” Rihanna and Paramore are also up for VMA awards. MTV promises more performers and presenters to be announced in the coming weeks.

Update: MTV announced that rapper T.I. will also be on the bill for this year’s VMAs. Tip will be performing a track from his upcoming album, Paper Trail.

Related Stories:

• Britney Spears Among Nominees for VMA Video of the Year

• Kid Rock To Perform At VMAs Despite Last Year’s Fisticuffs

• MTV VMAs Select Host: Brit Comedian Russell Brand

• More MTV VMAs

It’s shaping up to be A Tale of Two VMAs for Britney Spears. A year after the singer had the audiences eyes rolling with a jaw-droppingly-bad performance of “Gimme More,” Brit will have a shot at redemption at this year’s VMA as she’s up for Video of the Year after her “Piece of Me” was named among the five nominees. Joining Spears in the top category are the Jonas Brothers‘ “Burnin Up,” Chris Brown’s Wrigley-sponsored “Forever,” the Pussycat Dolls‘ “When I Grow Up” and the Ting Tings‘ “Shut Up and Let Me Go.” Spears role at the awards show is still undefined, but her nomination likely guarantees she’ll be appearing at the September 7th live broadcast from Los Angeles. It’s not like she’s on tour or anything. She is crafting her “best work ever,” however.

[Photo: Getty]

First, the MTV Video Music Awards revealed their first performer, current RS cover boys the Jonas Brothers. Now, we know who will be hosting the festivities: British comedian/actor Russell Brand. A huge figure in his native England, Brand is best known (perhaps only known) to audiences in the States as the British rocker from Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Besides being a comedian, Brand is also a renowned actor, columnist and radio host. Brand was also once the host of an MTV UK show called Dance Floor Chart, but was fired after showing up to work dressed as Osama bin Laden on September 12th, 2001. Almost seven years after getting the boot, MTV rehires him to host only their most important telecast of the entire year. This year’s VMAs will take place September 7th live from Los Angeles’ Paramount Studios.

More VMAs:
• 2007 VMAs Live Blog: From Britney’s Blow-Out to Kid Rock’s Punch
• All MTV Video Music Awards Coverage

• Kid Rock was cited by police for misdemeanor battery after his scuffle with Tommy Lee at Sunday’s VMAs. Rock reportedly threw a punch at fellow Pamela Anderson ex-husband Lee after the Mötley Crüe drummer cat-called while Anderson was introducing Kanye West. Rock faces up to six months in jail, though an officer tells Billboard it would be “uncommon” for someone in Rock’s situation to receive such a lengthy sentence. To watch MTV footage of the aftermath of the scuffle, click here.

• Michael Jackson’s mother and four of his brothers have issued a letter to the media to refute press claims about the pop star, E! Online reports. Katherine, Tito, Jackie, Marlon and Jermaine Jackson write, “Of these widely reported rumors, what has become the most troubling and heinous is that my son, and our brother, Michael Jackson, is dependent on painkillers and alcohol.”

• Rock Daily previously reported that Nirvana songs were going to pop up in an upcoming episode of Cold Case; now we know when. Eight tracks including “Lithium” will appear during the crime drama’s season premiere on September 23rd to soundtrack an episode taking place in 1994 (full list of songs after the jump). This is not the first time the CBS show has been soundtracked by a single artist: Nirvana joins the ranks of Bruce Springsteen, U2 and Bob Dylan.

• Nas tells MTV’s Mixtape Monday he is planning to follow his trend and release his next album later this year: “They say the fourth quarter is for big dogs. I been doing the fourth quarter for years, so I guess I’m at home in the fourth.”

• Yoko Ono will unveil the “Imagine Peace Tower” on October 9th to honor what would have been John Lennon’s sixty-seventh birthday. The sculpture, which will make Lennon’s 1967 wishes for a conceptual light tower a reality, will be located in Iceland’s capital city of Reykjavik. Ono hopes the tower will “give light to strong wishes of world peace.” (more…)

The Britney Spears Comeback Tracker was a bit mystified by the troubled star’s less-than-stellar Video Music Awards performance of “Gimme More” last night (as were 50 Cent and Rihanna, based on their painful reaction shots … and the rest of America, based on your comments in our live blog). But rather than wallow in despair, let’s celebrate the Britney of yore: the not-a-girl-not-yet-a-woman who made her VMAs debut by busting out “… Baby One More Time” in 1999. The sequins-clad “Oops! … I Did it Again” girl (she was still in her ellipses phase, evidently) from 2000. The python-draped superstar who was a Slave 4 Us in 2001. The sassy bride-to-be who romped around to Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” before getting a “Hollywood”-worthy kiss from the Material Mom. Click here to check out photos of all those performances, plus a few from last night’s big show. There’s always next year, Brit! It’s never too late to re-do “Toxic”!

“Did Britney do her thing?,” Dave Grohl asked the crowd in suite 26213. “Did she do it? Did she make it? It’s done? She did it? So what!” High above the VMA ceremony, Britney’s medicated performance was the last thing on the minds of the fifty-odd lucky rock fans who crammed into the hotel room at the Palms Hotel & Casino for a ninety-minute performance by Foo Fighters.

The Foos held down two suites on the twenty-sixth floor. One was full of alcohol, and custom Foo Fighters beer bongs. The other they turned into a hot, sweaty pit for guest appearances by Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age, Cee-Lo Green of Gnarls Barkley, Jesse Hughes and Brian O’Connor of Eagles of Death Metal, guitarist Pat Smear, Motorhead’s Lemmy Kilmister and metal gods Mastodon. The Foos kicked off the set with classics like “Everlong,” “Best of You” and “All My Life,” before Cee-Lo stepped in for a rocked-out rendition of Prince’s “Darling Nikki,” (”Let’s make this sexy,” Cee-Lo said) and a soulful take on the Queens’ new classic, “I Wanna Make It Wit Chu,” featuring Grohl on drums. Mastodon smoked out “Colony of Birchman” at an ear-shattering volume, then Lemmy hopped onstage for the Probot jam “Shake Your Blood.” Down the hall, in room 26217, was the Fall Out Boy suite, with performances by Panic! At the Disco, the Bravery and Cobra Starship.

Though it was only 9 PM when the Foos concert ended, nobody was sober. (more…)