Rolling Stone : Rock and Roll Daily

Readers’ Rock List: Phone Songs

Daniel Kreps — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 22:11:08 +0000

Last week, inspired by both Lady Gaga and Beyoncé collaborations “Video Phone (Remix)” and “Telephone,” we started collecting your top telephone-oriented songs. After tallying the votes, Tommy Tutone’s phone number anthem and perennial prank call victim “867-5309/Jenny” was dialed in as our winner, beating out tracks by Beck, the Replacements and Lou Reed. Click below to see the entire Readers’ List of Phone Songs.

1. Tommy Tutone – “867-5309/Jenny”
2. Blondie – “Call Me”
3. Electric Light Orchestra – “Telephone Line”
4. Beck – “Cell Phone’s Dead”
5. Blondie – “Hanging on the Telephone”
6. Cake – “No Phone”
7. The Replacements – “Answering Machine”
8. Wilson Pickett – “634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)”
9. Jim Croce – “Operator (That’s Not The Way It Feels)”
10. Lou Reed – “New York Telephone Conversation”
11. New Edition – “Mr. Telephone Man”
12. Stevie Wonder – “I Just Called To Say I Love You”
13. Ryan Adams – “Call Me on Your Way Back Home”
14. The Cure – “Wrong Number”
15. Phil Collins – “Don’t Lose My Number”

The Whigs Channel Johnny Cash, Rolling Stones on March Disc “In the Dark”

Daniel Kreps — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:55:22 +0000

When Athens, Georgia garage rockers the Whigs were preparing to hit the studio for their third album, In the Dark, (out March 2nd), their label sent over a highly recommended producer who just happened to be an old pal from their earliest shows. “They were like, ‘Hey, this guy Ben Allen, he’s worked on that first Gnarls Barkley record and did Animal Collective’s Merriweather Post Pavilion,’ ” Whigs’ singer-guitarist Parker Gispert tells Rolling Stone. ” I was like, ‘Yeah, I talked to him last week.’ ”

Allen wasn’t the only new addition to the band’s arsenal in the studio. In the Dark marks the Whigs’ first album with new bassist Tim Deaux, who had an immediate impact on the songwriting process. “When we first started putting the record together, I was talking a lot about [the Rolling Stones'] Beggars Banquet. I don’t think the record sounds anything like Beggars Banquet, but the whole time we were really just open to doing things that we hadn’t done before,” Rispert says. “Ben had just done Animal Collective record, so we knew that Ben was capable of doing things that aren’t normally on our rock records, so we just kind of opened ourselves up to anything we were listening to.”

Rispert also found himself opening up lyrically, as years on the road had taken a toll on many of his personal relationships, and he began connecting with the straight-forward, layered lyricism of Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and other country greats. “The whole country thing, for me, was just about lyrics, and trying to be a little more direct,” Rispert says. “Being a child of the ’90s, with the Becks and Steve Malkmuses, the more word collage-y lyricists were my inspiration for a long time. I’d never listened to country, and I was just falling in love with how direct someone like Johnny Cash is.”

That different approach is apparent in songs like “In the Dark,” which find Rispert drawing comparisons between a blackout and a communication breakdown. “I wrote that lyric when we didn’t have power in our house, and I was literally sitting in the dark,” Rispert says. Inspired by his newfound love of country and their tourmates the Kings of Leon, the Whigs traveled up to Nashville following their sessions with Allen to record with Kings producer Angelo Petraglia and Jay Joyce, who worked on the Cage the Elephant disc. What came out of those sessions were a handful of reworked songs, including the anthemic “Kill Me, Carolynne.”

Two songs off In the Dark, the title track and “Hundred/Million,” are both available as free downloads on the Whigs’ official site. The group is in the midst of their own headlining tour, where they’re showcasing In the Dark tracks on a nightly basis. Check out the remaining dates below:

The Whigs

Dec. 1 – Austin, TX @ Emo’s
Dec. 2 – Dallas, TX @ The Loft
Dec. 4 – Atlanta, GA @ The Variety Playhouse
Dec. 5 – Chattanooga, TN @ Rhythm & Brews
Dec. 8 – Charlotte, NC @ Visulite
Dec. 10 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat
Dec. 11 – New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
Dec. 12 – Philadelphia, PA @ North Star
Dec. 14 – Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
Dec. 15 – Charleston, SC @ Pour House

Infamous Crotch Rock Moments: Adam Lambert’s AMAs Stunt to Timberlake’s “Dick in a Box”

Rolling Stone — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:24:16 +0000

So we hear America got acquainted with Adam Lambert’s crotch last night. A big deal for network TV? Maybe. A big deal in the world of rock & roll: not so much. In fact, we’ve helpfully compiled a greatest-hits of crotch-rock moments that tracks some early groin infractions (Jim Morrison exposing himself onstage; Madonna fake-masturbating on tour) with more recent crotchtaculars (Prince’s Super Bowl guitar silhouette, John Mayer’s thong) and perhaps the most famous “look at my crotch” short film ever created, Justin Timberlake and Andy Samberg’s “Dick in a Box.” Check them out here:

• Infamous Crotch Rock Moments: From Adam Lambert’s AMAs Stunt to “Dick in a Box”

Guess the Next Cover of Rolling Stone

Rolling Stone — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:53:29 +0000

Someone (or one of several someones) is wearing the above jean/T-shirt combo on the next cover of Rolling Stone, out this Wednesday. Think you know who’s going casual chic in our new issue? Leave your guesses in the comments, and we’ll clue you in tomorrow afternoon with a sneak peek at our upcoming stories.

Michael Jackson’s Glove and More “Music Icons” Rarities Reap $2 Million at Auction

Daniel Kreps — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:41:23 +0000

Photo courtesy of Julien’s Auctions

An auction of Michael Jackson collectibles and other rare rock objects brought in $2 million this weekend at New York’s Hard Rock Café. The huge total far exceeded the estimated $120,000 the 80-plus items were expected to draw from bidders, who proved to be willing to throw down big bucks on storied items from the King of Pop’s past. The biggest item on the block was Jackson’s rhinestone-studded glove from the 1983 Motown 25 concert. The iconic glove was only expected to fetch between $40,000-$60,000, easily the highest estimate for any item at the auction. Instead, the glove sold for an astounding $420,000 to a buyer in Hong Kong, CNN reports.

• Rock on the block: check out prized MJ, Madonna and Kurt Cobain collectibles from the auction.

Jackson’s famed fedora, worn when he kissed then-wife Lisa Marie Presley during the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards, had a pre-auction estimate of $6,000-$8,000; it sold for $73,800 at the Julien’s Auctions event. A drawing of Charlie Chapin by the King of Pop, estimated to sell for between $4,000-$6,000, went for a winning bid of $33,480. Other noteworthy MJ items on the block included handwritten “Beat It” lyrics and a Mickey Mouse drawing by Jackson featuring the Disney character on the cover of Bad.

Jackson memorabilia wasn’t the only thing up for grabs at the Julien’s Auctions Music Icons event, as items from the Beatles, Buddy Holly and Nirvana were also available to the highest bidder. To see some of the best items to go under the gavel this weekend, check out our gallery below:

• “Music Icons” Auction 2009: Michael Jackson’s Glove, Kurt Cobain’s Fingerprints Hit the Block

Dave Matthews Plays Ozzy, Rocks “GrooGrux” on “SNL”

Daniel Kreps — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:07:04 +0000

The Dave Matthews Band rocked two songs on this past weekend’s Joseph Gordon-Levitt-hosted episode of Saturday Night Live, but it was Matthews’ killer turn as Ozzy Osbourne in Andy Samberg’s recurring sketch “The Mellow Show” that had fans abuzz. Samberg plays fellow acoustic guitar aficionado Jack Johnson in the bit that celebrates the wonders of ultimate Frisbee and laid-back riffs. Saturday, Bill Hader featured as co-host, Dave Matthews and Levitt kicked off his shoes to play Jason Mraz. Moments later, Matthews himself emerged from backstage to deliver a dead-on impersonation of the Prince of Darkness.

Dave “Ozzy” Matthews sang a chilled out version of Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man” about “taking it easy and having fun” he dubbed “I Am Tired, Man” (sample lyric: “I wear sweatpants all the time/hang out on my own/watch a Frasier marathon”).

This isn’t the first time Matthews has showcased his comedic chops, as the Crash singer has previously appeared as an actor in films like I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry and You Don’t Mess With The Zohan. The “Mellow Show” skit was the highlight in an episode that featured both a funny Al Gore cameo and several musical gags, including a bizarre SNL Digital Short where Andy Samberg duets by a rapping, pot smoking woman who claims to be Reba McEntire, played by Kenan Thompson.

As for DMB, the band performed two cuts off their semi-new album Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King: “You and Me” and “Shake Me Like a Monkey,” which you can watch below:

Bruce Springsteen and E Street “Say Goodbye for a Little While” as Tour Wraps in Buffalo

Andy Greene — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:19:09 +0000

Photo: Kisby/Getty

Early on in Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band’s final gig of their two-year world tour, Bruce began telling a familiar story: the night of a wicked nor’easter in Asbury Park, New Jersey, circa 1971, when a gigantic saxophone player walked into a club and asked to sit in with the band. “We got into a Cadillac at the end of the night and drove out to the outskirts of town,” Springsteen said as he called Clarence Clemons to the center of the stage to thunderous applause. “We got very sleepy and we fell into this long, long, long, long, long dream. And when we woke up, we were in fuckin’ Buffalo, New York!”

Springsteen’s Dream tour: photos from the epic two-year trek.

Coming into the show, many hardcore fans — who traveled to Buffalo from across the world like it was a pilgrimage to Mecca — worried that after this show the 38-year dream of the E Street Band might be over. During a marathon, three-and-a-half-hour, thirty-four-song concert Springsteen seemed determined to quell those fears by playing a ferocious set that proved the remarkable strength and vitality of the band as they approach their fourth decade. “The E Street Band has come thousands of miles tonight to be here one last time — for a little while,” Springsteen told the crowd, emphasizing the world little. “It’s been just about the best time in our band’s work life. We want to thank you for supporting our old music, our new music, our tour.”

Exclusive: what’s next for Bruce — Dream Tour DVD, Darkness on the Edge of Town box set.

It was the old music that formed the core of the show, particularly the first-ever live performance of Springsteen’s 1973 debut album Greetings From Asbury Park, NJ. He dedicated it to John Hammond, the Columbia executive and producer who signed them to the label. “This was the miracle,” he said, “This was the record that took everything from way below zero to… one.” He was being modest. While the LP lacks the cohesiveness and raw emotion of The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle, and the epic grandeur of Born To Run it remains a tremendously solid, fun debut that fully warranted all the hype it received at the time of its release.

When Springsteen wrote the songs on Greetings he was barely into his twenties. Listening to it you really felt like he spent his days hanging out with Crazy Janie and Hazy Davy down at Greasy Lake — though it was a bit a stretch to picture him as the “pimp’s main prophet.” He wrote better songs as he matured, but never anything so effortlessly carefree as “Spirit In The Night” or “Blinded By The Light.” Each of the tracks on the album was played at some point during the tour’s run with the exception of “Mary Queen Of Arkansas” and “The Angel.” The former has been dismissed as a Dylan knock-off, while the later is largely seen as half-baked. Last night he breathed new life into them both, playing them acoustically with tremendous care and passion. The highlight of the mini-set was an epic “Lost In The Flood,” which culminated in a jaw-dropping guitar solo by Springsteen.

Shortly afterwards Bruce dipped into deeper into the archives by busting out The River outtake “Restless Night.” Steve Van Zandt has long hailed it as a lost masterpiece that deserved a spot on the double album. “For years he’s been asking to play this one song,” said Springsteen. “This is Stevie’s very favorite song of all time, it’s very obscure, it’s on the Tracks record. We’re gonna do this for his birthday tonight.” Though bits of it seemed out of his range, it still sounded great and Steve grinned the entire time. Said Bruce at the end: “Dammit, he might have been right all these years!”

The request portion of the show brought out a back-to-back Christmas shot of “Merry Christmas Baby” and the inevitable “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.” Afterward, he challenged the band with a fun and highly appropriate cover of Chuck Willis’ “(I Don’t Wanna) Hang Up my Rock and Roll Shoes.” After some brief discussion about what key it was on, the band plowed forward even though it was clear not all of them knew it — though with a band that big it usually doesn’t matter. The main set wrapped up with “Born To Run” and “10th Avenue Freezeout,” which Bruce said they played to “tell you the story of my band.” The encore began with the rarely played Magic track “I’ll Work For Your Love,” which was clearly aimed at Springsteen’s fans.

The previous two E Street Band tours ended with solemn performances of “Blood Brothers,” with tears running down the faces of many in the band. Many expected a repeat performance, but Springsteen wisely decided to not go out on a bummer and opted for John Fogerty’s “Rockin’ All Over the World.” By this point, three and a half hours had passed, and even though Bruce had been moving non-stop that entire time he looked like he could go all night. Somewhere there’s a portrait of that man aging. As the entire band locked hands at the end Springsteen addressed the crowd: “We appreciate you coming out to see the E Street Band. So we’re gonna say goodbye, but just for a little while… a very little while.”

Can Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine Rescue Sound? How Interscope Is Rethinking the Record Business

Jayson Rodriguez — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:53:15 +0000

Photo: Kambouris/WireImage

If it seems like Dr. Dre has spent more time promoting his signature Beats By Dre headphones than finishing up his long-awaited Detox, he has a good reason for it: according to the legendary West Coast producer and his label boss, Interscope, Geffen and A&M chairman Jimmy Iovine, they’re hard at work on a noble crusade — saving the music industry from digital sound.

“There’s two things happening at once, it’s very important that we fix digital sound,” Iovine tells Rolling Stone of the state of the record biz. “Digital sound is damaging music, it’s damaging the artists. It’s so degrading. We’re the first industry to ever downgrade the quality of our product. It’s crazy. You go from a master [recording] to a CD quality, which is somewhat downgrading in the first place. Then you go to a computer where these gigantic companies spend 50 cents on the sound [for each unit]. Then you rip it onto an MP3. It’s like taking the Beatles remasters and playing them through a portable television.”

The Death of High Fidelity: read more about the sound wars.

Sitting in a small make-shift greenroom inside a New York City retail space last week, Dre and Iovine chatted about the launch of Club Beats, an in-store technology hub created in partnership between Beats By Dre, Monster and Best Buy. Ever since the early 2000s, physical album sales have been on the decline. And digital sales haven’t exactly made the pie whole again for labels when it comes to the revenue that was once generated from selling CDs. So in the “360″ era, where music moguls are looking to partner with artists on a variety of things, from publishing to touring to merchandise, you can see why Iovine is eager to push Dr. Dre-endorsed headphones and laptops.

If technology companies aren’t going to invest much into developing better speakers for the computers they sell, who better to get into that market then music-industry execs? Iovine cites Robert Stigwood’s RSO Records as an example of a record label that operated more like a “music company,” where investments and operations ranged beyond releasing music and included everything from management deals to backing Broadway plays.

“It’s called a record company, but what it really is [though] is a music company,” Iovine explains. “And it should do whatever the people at that music company feels is the direction that they should go in. Where they feel emotion, where they feel passion. A music company should do whatever the person feels, that’s why the more entrepreneurial people that get into music and start pushing the boundaries of it, is what a music company should feel like.

“The health [of the overall industry] will automatically come,” he adds, as a result.

So far Beats By Dre seems like a stunning success story. (Although company sales numbers are not available.) In addition to the signature headphones (cross marketed in a number of music videos by Interscope artists), a laptop partnership with HP has been birthed and the Beats By Dre banner also has released a line of earbuds endorsed by Lady Gaga.

Next up, Black Eyed Peas’ Will.i.am will develop a DJ-based item through Beats By Dre, according to Iovine. Diddy and David Guetta are expected to get on board, too, with projects that will undoubtedly be showcased prominently at Club Beats.

To understand how important these ventures are now in an era where Jay-Z, Madonna, and Shakira are signing multimillion-dollar deals with a touring company and forgoing the record company route, just listen to the joke Iovine cracked during the preceding press conference, to little laughter.

“For those who are fans of Dr. Dre, these headphones weren’t coming out until they sounded perfect,” he tells the crowd. “Or else we would have had Detox five years ago.”

Dre, a notorious perfectionist, at this point in his career now has something new to be transfixed on in the studio besides mixing
records. “I just want people to hear the music the way it’s suppose to sound, the way we meant for them to hear it, ” he said of the audio equipment. “You sit in the studio all this time and make the music, tweak it, try to get it perfect. They should be able to hear it that way.”

“Full-Frontal Glambgasm”: Rob Sheffield on Adam Lambert’s AMAs

Rob Sheffield — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:39:56 +0000

Photo: Mazur/AMA 2009/WireImage
Oh, Adam — that was nutballs. If there was any worry Adam Lambert was going to tone down his wild glam-rock side, the American Idol star shattered it in his debut performance of “For Your Entertainment” at the American Music Awards. Glambert didn’t show any skin last night. He did, however, grab a leather dude’s head and grind it into his crotch, shortly after leading his gimp across the stage on a leash. (ABC cut the audio, maybe because Adam’s moans were too much for us to take?) It was a full-frontal Glambgasm, in the style of his slutty David Bowie medley on last summer’s Idol tour, moving his hips like six kinds of yeah and moaning “Can you handle what I’m ‘bout to do?” Now that’s Glambertainment!

See photos of the AMAs Glambglory plus more from the big show.

Adam strutted around the stage with a cane and a shoulder-padded black suit, looking uncannily like Bowie doing “Young Americans” on The Dick Cavett Show in 1974, except with a Heat Miser pompadour and buckets of eyeliner. And those severe-tire-damage spikes on the right shoulder were excellent. He spent the whole performance writhing and sucking face with his back-up dancers, some male, some female, none wearing all that much besides complicated underwear. Paula Abdul must have been proud to see the choreography pay homage to her “Cold Hearted” video from back in the day, except it was a wise move for Adam to keep walking up and down staircases, since his “Feelin’ Good” performance proved this man can handle some stairs.

Lambert’s best Idol performances: the glam-rock sex god in photos.

Glambskanks everywhere thrilled to hear him hit those falsetto eruptions at the end, especially since his voice was muffled for most of the song. We didn’t get to hear much of his vocal exuberance — but given the technical glitches that riddled the whole show, there was no way Adam was going to get his high notes heard in the detail they deserve. So he was smart to go for spectacle rather than subtlety on an occasion like this. And when he took an apparently unplanned tumble halfway through the performance, he just kept moving without missing a note, like the trooper he is. Good Lord, it was filthy, not to mention one of the most awesomely outrageous rock & roll moments to show up on prime-time network TV lately. It’s already hard to remember what the world was like before Adam Lambert showed up, less than a year ago — but we can be sure it was a colder, drearier, and less pervy place, and moments like this epitomize why we’re glad to have this lady-stardust guy in our lives. Don’t trip off his glitz, America!