Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz has broken his foot. And will not cancel any of his shows. This impresses me. When I recently broke my foot, all I wanted to do was lay in bed all day. But I guess that's why I'm not a rockstar. My motivation is definitely lacking. Translation: I'm lazy.
Pete writes on his blog: "ive got good news and bad news, which do you want to hear first? for anyone who was at the voodoo fest in new orleans- you got to see me jump around. ended up breaking the bone that connects my shin to my foot. no shows will be cancelled. i am currently trying to get a 'rocker' boot so i can have a walking cast. currently my foot is the size of a small car. if you see me at a show come sign my cast."
So wanna see something gruesome, just in time for Halloween...?
This is a pic of Pete's foot. Mine didn't go purple like this.
Let's start by talking about how much I felt like an idiot last week when Leah pretended to faint...Matte was surprised at first and so was I. We were the only two not told. I get down on my knees ready to start barking out orders and start first aid. I was trained in EMS when I was in school for firefighting (not full EMS like a paramedic though). Anyway, I was fooled!
But it's Halloween today and I am excited! I'm not even doing anything for Halloween but I'm still excited about it. I did get to go to Wonderland for a Halloween shoot though. I was dressed up with crazy makeup and was scaring kids for hours! Some of them knew it was me because they knew I was in that maze and were looking for me. But I got some really good scares in there! I even made a grown man drop two F-bombs in front of his kids!
If you can't go trick or treating you can always hand out candy and scare people...just be safe about it! Hope you all have a happy Halloween!
I stayed up until midnight carving pumpkins last night ..
They weren't very scary looking.. I carved hearts & initials into them!! hahaha! I'm gonna roast the seeds tonight - they are so yummy :)
I also watched Beetlejuice last night..it's such a good movie!
My favourite thing to do on Halloween is eat lots of chocolate & watch scary movies! So that's exactly what I'm going to do tonight!!
My mom & sister are coming over to help me hand out candy.. actually I don't have any candy - only chocolate!! :)
I always hated when I used to go trick or treating & people would hand out apples - why? why? why? I will never do that!!
Britney's back - and I oddly like it. The first time I heard Blackout, I was almost instantly poo-pooing it. I mean, how can one listen to this album objectively? It's almost impossible to separate her much-publicized personal downward spiral from this latest musical effort. But upon another listen or two, it becomes apparent that this album is a "grower, not a show-er."
With its 80s-inspired synth-heavy beats, Blackout is so utterly dance-able and (dare I say) Euro. Definitely taking a cue from Kylie Minoque and Madonna's latest Confessions album, Britney just wants to have fun. And going out and partying is much more important than meeting with your court-appointed parenting coach, right? Right? Obviously I'm just being facetious, however, in all honesty, Blackout succeeds purely due to its simple party mentality. This is the Britney that we have loved all along: all production, no substance.
And the production on Blackout is top-notch. Stand out tracks include Get Naked (I Got A Plan), Toy Soldier and Ooh Ooh Baby. As predicted, everything sounds so clean, so interesting, and so toe-tappin' - so much so that the production actually over-shadows Britney herself! I mean, with the playing-it-safe range and multi-layered vocals, this could be anyone. And we learned last year that all one needs is a good producer to release a decent dance album (Paris Hilton, anyone?).
And therein lies the album's flaw: Blackout does not showcase Britney's talent. Now don't laugh - the girl can actually sing (even though she rarely does) and sadly if she wasn't such a mess lately and had her act together, this album could have been great. See, Britney's albums usually don't stand-up based on their musical merits alone; they must be accompanied by knockout spectacle performances (thumbs down, MTV VMAs) and crazy over-the-top dance videos (thumbs down, Gimme More vid). With Blackout, she has so far only delivered the danceable hits. Here's hoping she's in the right mind to bring the rest.
MuchMusic is holding open auditions for principal roles on a hot new reality series. If you're 18 years of age or over and think you have what it takes to be on TV, come and prove it at MuchMusic on Sunday, November 11 @ 11am ET!
No experience necessary.
Auditions will be filmed so you could be on TV just for showing up. Show us why you should be the next big reality star.
MuchMusic, 299 Queen Street West, Toronto
Date: Sunday, November 11
Time: 11am - 5pm ET
Please arrive early to ensure you will get an audition time!
I ain't gonna lie, I've def. got a big ol' soft spot for some good ol' fashioned R&B. We ain't talking about Otis or Marvin - though those two guys happen to be on heavy rotation on my ipod - we're talking about the new generation of R&B singers, the Chris Browns, the Ushers and the Ne-Yos, that have got 14-year-old girls in hysterics ... Ah yes, their sweet soulful harmonies, their infectious hooks, and their overproduced beats is like a drug that I can't kick - I just want more, more, more! For once in my life, I can empathize with LiLo.
Now this brings me to Chris Brown's latest release Exclusive which we're currently spinning a week in advance of its release date (yeah, shameless plug). Do I like it? NO, I LOVE IT! CB's collaboration with Big Boi on the track Hold Up is quite simply off the hook. I can't help but bounce a little when I listen to it .. And what about the Ne-Yo inspired track With You? Le sigh. I'm actually curious about whether or not Ne-Yo contributed any of his songs to this record .. Does anyone know?
Other standout tracks include:
Down - Mr.Brown's collaboration with the ridiculously talented Kanye West. Kiss Kiss - His second single is da bomba.
But seriously folks, I can't deny the love that I've got for overproduced R&B and I really think you guys should give it a listen... Just give it a try and tell me if you think I'm completely whack...
P.S. If you think I'm completely insane for professing my love for Chris Brown then perhaps you should watch his killer performance at this year's VMAs. He may not be everyone's cup of tea but he's sure got talent - Hell, even JT thinks so and anything that JT says goes, right? Heh.
Every once in a while I fall in love with television again.
The last time it happened I was in my dingy flat in London and my uncle turned me on to The Office. One of the most perfect British comedies since Fawlty Towers. Since the show ended I have had a few flings with a couple different shows, but nothing serious.
Then this weekend, with nothing to do, I fell upon season one of 30 Rock at my video store. I am happy to say I am madly in love again. Tina Fey, like my boy Ricky, is genius. Pure unpretentious genius.
So if you need to fill a television void in your life and you are serious for a serious sitcom love affair, pick it up. Sheer brilliance.
The Greatest Show On Earth continues to entertain - and I'm talking about, of course, My So-Called Life, that mid-90s show that truly explored the awkwardness that is the High School experience with refreshing honesty. And even more than 10 years later, it's still damn refreshing.
The complete series (all 19 episodes) is now available on DVD with seven commentary tracks, an interview with Claire Danes, and a book with notes on the show from Joss Whedon, Janeane Garofalo and creator Winnie Holzman, and more.
The DVD set I bought a few years ago had none of this stuff and it cost me an arm and a leg. And you know what? I'll probably go out and buy this one as well. 'Cuz I'm a super fan. I even took this quiz and SHOCKINGLY only scored 75%. I was furious... but at myself. I haven't spent enough time with Angela & Rayanne & Rickie lately. Hopefully with this new DVD set, I can get myself back up to 100%.
Oh - and this is just in time for Christmas, which is fitting since their holiday episode was, like, the most heartbreaking thing ever.
F**K! I LOVE THIS SHOW!!! (So does Entertainment Weekly apparently - their review rocks.)
Mondays generally suck. Actually, it's a known fact that productivity on Mondays is relatively low compared to the other days of the week. OK, I don't know if that's true but I think you guys get my drift...Anyways, starting on Mondays you can look forward to my weekly Video Roundup... Every week I'll be giving you the 411 on all the new videos on MuchAXS. I'll tell if a video is a piece of crap or righteously awesome, and you tell me if you agree or disagree. Cool? Cool.
Now let's begin.
Warning: This is my opinion. The only opinion that matters. Heh.
This is Celine's big comeback video and it's a....SNOOZE...Is it just me or is this video stylized like it was from the late 90s/early millenium? Remember the time when everyone was obsessed with making 'futuristic' videos (please see Jennifer Lopez' If You Had My Love or even Say You'll Be There by the Spice Girls), well apparently no one told Celine that, that trend is ovah. I'll give Celine props for recording another A/C hit that'll be on heavy rotation on office hold systems across North America...
Grade: D for Disappointment.
Fergie - Clumsy
There are some people on our team that are absolutely in LOVE with this video. What do I think? I think it's great that Fergie decided to recycle other peoples' ideas (see HP commercials) and make it her own. Oh wait, Fergie's is infamous for being this century's creative thief(see Gwen Stefani's career/ M.I.A's music). I would love to say I hate it but I do enjoy the fact that a big named artist has decided to push the boundaries (even though the ideas are stolen)in a world of lack lustre music videos...
Grade: B for Bright and Bodacious (it pains me to think that Fergie is deserving of a B rating)
Video Of The Week:
Marie-Mai - Qui Prendra Ma Place
When I was in Montreal this video was EVERYWHERE. Seriously, I couldn't get away from Marie-Mai even if I tried...What's sooo shocking is the fact that Ms.Mai is a direct rip off of Pop-Punk Princess Avril Lavigne. I kid you not.
It's about time they set a US date (and by default, Canadian) for Swedish popstar, Robyn's CD release... So when's the big day? Sometime in 2008.. Ok, that's not so much a date as it is a year but at least it's something to look forward to! A three year wait is nothing when there's word that she maybe touring!!!! Mmmhmm... pitchforkmedia.com is reporting that Robyn will be making a few U.S. pitstops in the new year.. Wohoo! I'm sure she'll slip a few Canadian dates in there because she ain't cruel like Morrissey.
So you ready to show Robyn some love? We sure are.
Alright, douches. The guys from Hedley are coming to Much on Friday for a Live@, but BEFORE that, they're gonna stop by MOD for a wee chat. And that, yes THAT is the most important time of day for you, the potential meeter of band-men.
So, what you gotta do is:
* Come down to Much HQ for 4PM this Friday!
* Bring your most insanest, loudest, obsessiveyist homemade Hedley posters/insignia (yes, I just made some words up. What?)
* Have some questions in the back of your brain or better yet, written down.
* A weiner will be chosen, and that lucky jerk will get to meet and interview Hedley backstage! And later, we'll post the video!
Got it? Good. We want to see you here on Friday!
PS: This is for anybody - whether you have wristbands or not!
So far the tour is going great! Thank you to all who have come out to hang with us. Tonight we play in Toronto and we are really excited. We've got two bands out with us right now which are the Starting Line and Set Your Goals. We are good friends with both bands and are honored to share the stage with them.
With Halloween coming up, we need to find something awesome to wear. So if you have any new and amazing ideas for what we should wear, write us either on our myspace or on our livejournal community. Its coming up soon so, hurry, hurry!! See you at the show!!!
I had SO much fun on MOD today. I always have a great time whenever I'm on.
Canada has always been very good to me. I love love love you guys!
And I'm super duper thrilled that you all will be able to watch my new "What Perez Sez" specials on MuchMusic from now on. You guys are gonna L-O-V-E them.
The Britney boycott is over. Check out PerezHilton.com for the latest on Miz Spears.
See y'all back in Canada soon!
xoxo
Perez
P.S. I think I'm heading to Vancouver in December for the Spice Girls kickoff show.
So Radiohead self-released their album as a pay what you want (as you all know by now), Madonna has left Warner and signed with a concert promotions company (Live Nation), Nine Inch Nails are without a label after leaving Interscope, Pearl Jam also have no ties to a record label and Wilco sold their album to Volkswagen. Over their careers these artists (combined) have sold well over 200 million albums...if we thought record labels were worried about revenue before, they must be crapping themselves now!
Music is commerce; it's sad but it's true, so let's look at it as a job for a moment, because it IS a job for most of the artists whose music you buy. At the core of it (leaving aside the conversation of the art of music being reduced to a product), musicians have the same rights as anyone else to demand fair pay for their work...don't they? Even if it's the type of money we can only dream of that might not seem 'fair' (cough cough Madonna)...but everything is relative.
iTunes and online music stores are all making big money as alternatives to the iron fist of the major label...but let me tell you something; the person who comes up with the model that can unanimously join the artists in a collective sigh of "finally, a fair way to get our music to the people" is the person who will not ONLY put the last nail in the major label coffin AND perhaps put an end to the unfair treatment of music makers AND music buyers, but also (since we ARE talking music and commerce here) would make a SHITload of money. I'm just sayin...
FYI: having sold over 40 million albums, Blondie who are STILL playing shows and possibly making a new album, are also without a record label. I know this because Debbie Harry told me last week when I chatted with her...check out my interview with her on MuchMoreMusic this Saturday at 11am ET and 11pm ET Sunday on The Loop Weekend.
Soooo, illScarlett were here yesterday, and they performed, and we took some pics. We'll give you a tasty sample, and you can see the rest here ... or soon you can watch the interview and performances on AXS!
Anglo-French discotheque worthy group The Teenagers are having their first ever North American tour! There are only nine shows, but luckily they are stopping by Toronto's The Social on January 27 (the day before my b-day!), 2008.
If you don't already know the saucy, Scarlett Johansson-obsessed troupe, give them a listen. I was able to watch a short set of theirs this summer at the Underage festival in London. It was wild!
Toronto's L'Oreal Fashion week is in full swing and one of the standout lines was Toronto's Common Cloth (1233 Queen Street West). The line had an unusual juxtaposition of "Queen Street Hipster" and "'70s Conservative", which means that you can wear to the office or on a night out - or better yet: office, then a night out!
It was a standout performance and that's why the organizers used the show as the anchor of Wednesday Fashion Week.
I was originally given a great seat, but when I was shown my seat a heavily pregnant lady had occupied it and refused to move. I was then given the Holt Renfrew seat, but then ran into a friend that worked there and was upgraded from Media Pass to VIP Media Pass and put in my third seat of the night and probably the best one. All in all, the Sofia Lauren Spring/Summer collection of Common Cloth was a huge hit and am sure will be used as a highlight of the Fashion Week for all the monthly glossies.
In the span of one week, this song has assaulted all my senses. I hear it everywhere. I swear it's always on the radio when my alarm goes off every morning, I've heard it in various restaurants, friends have forwarded the video to me from various online sites, and thus it has been stuck in my head non-stop.
The song is decent, but what I don't understand is what Timbaland has to do with it. His "remix" version is not much different than the original, except it maybe sounds a bit cleaner. But in this vid, all he does is sit there not unlike Jabba the Hut and does the same heard-it-before "hey!" that he did for Nelly Furtado. Has Timbaland finally run out of ideas?
I love Young Love and I'm glad to see him getting some play. He's just so damn cool and this video proves it. Look at the hot sweaty mess that is that concert. I want to be there. Now.
Just when I had given up all hope on new Aqua material, I hear news that the band is reuniting!!!
To put this into perspective, one of the first Facebook groups I ever joined was "Aqua Should Get Back Together For the Sake of Dance Parties - EVERYWHERE!!" Granted, there are only 5 members who belong to said group, and I realize I am forever shamed to loserdom, but I'm OK with that!
I mean, this is almost better than the Spice Girls reunion (sorry, Wendy - but it's true). Now don't start scoffing at me, people! Who doesn't love the gloriously poppy, dancy, cheesy, fresh hit album Aquarium? Ok ok, yes, Barbie Girl is irritating as all hell, but do NOT discount the joyous sing-a-long power of Dr. Jones, Happy Boys & Girls, My Oh My, Roses Are Red and Heat Of The Night.
Now, the site that announced this splendid news is all in Danish, so an online translator was needed - and unfortunately, from what I gather, they will only be doing a European tour. But apparently there will be a Greatest Hits album with some brand spankin' new tracks - and even if it's just an import album, I'll be forkin' over the dough. The solo dance party in my bedroom is in desperate need of a new playlist.
So come on, Barbie - let's go party!
PS: Ace of Base is also apparently jumping on the reuniting bandwagon, but aren't they always "reuniting"? I feel every few months there's some faint "Ace of Base is back in the studio" rumour. I don't think they ever actually went away... they just fizzled. BUT I do own their music video collection on VHS, so I can't be hatin' on them - I once was a loyal fan.
(Ok, I am now slowly backing away from the computer before I get fired for my painful, musically abused past... I feel I've already revealed too much in one pathetic blog post... Ah!)
Usually Soja's on the Britney beat but this story is just too freaking hilarious. It's being reported, that our barefoot Pop Princess will appear on the children's educational program Sesame Street... And yes, it gets better... Britney will be practicing her lip-synching skills with the furry green guy, Oscar The Grouch.
Mmmhmm, that's right, Oscar and Trashney will DUET to a G-rated version of Toxic!!!! Britney's known for her love of trash, so if I were Oscar I'd clean things up before the popstar makes her move...
Seriously though, there really couldn't be a better person she could have a duet with...Think about it..
Why is Tim Deegan so mad?! 'Cuz Johnny McQueen is on the scene - stealin' his thund-ah!
That's right, folks - there's a new kid in town. Johnny McQueen is here for all your MuchMusic needs, and the only way to reach him is through good ol' Facebook. Add him as a friend! He'll keep you abreast (teehee) of all the hottest First Spins, the Contests, the Ticket Giveaways, the MOD guests, you name it! If it's on Much, then Johnny McQueen knows about it and will be sharing the wealth.
So got a Much related question? ASK JOHNNY McQUEEN!
That seems to be the question I'm constantly asking myself. All right, "constantly" is a bit of a stretch, but certainly I spend at least 6% of my time (which is a significant amount considering how much I'm always doing) thinking about what, if anything, I am going to be for Halloween.
To you (the reader) this may seem either stupid, amazing, silly, pretentious, selfish, pompous, amazing, conceited, amazing, endearing, or finally, amazing. All of which could potentially apply in this context. (Keep the adjective you would apply to me in this situation in your head, you're going to need it later on in this blog)
To be honest, Halloween has never been my favourite holiday or celebration or whatever it is you want to call it for the purpose of this blog. In fact, Halloween has always been an afterthought, like "What am I going to have for breakfast this coming Sunday" (despite the fact that it's Wednesday afternoon) or "How exactly is CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta apparently an expert on everything?" (seriously)
In other words, I've always just assumed I'd cross the Halloween bridge when I came to it (in this case tomorrow). I don't have an outfit yet, I don't really care either, but I have a work party to attend tomorrow and as the (insert above adjective here) person that I am, I want to find a costume that both boggles the mind and prompts laughter (either at myself or my costume, either one will suffice).
So, to you, loyal MuchMusic blog reader, what do you think of my costume idea?
I think I may have developed somewhat of an obsessive preoccupation with Sinead O'Connor at this point. I don't really remember spending many of my thoughts on her growing up especially since at the time Nothing Compares 2 U came out, my music collection consisted of The Bodyguard Soundtrack, my father's CCR and Beatles albums and Rap Trax 5. Sadness. Anyway, her music and bio landed back on my desk and in my head recently in preparation of an interview in promotion of the Irish Grammy award winning artist's latest release called Theology.
It can be a little unnerving to prepare to sit down and talk to someone about their life for many reasons - including the fact that you don't know them and in certain cases that life can be unquestionably iconic. Sinead O'Connor's is definitely that. In case you need a refresher she landed in the music scene during the eighties as a seventeen year old kid with angst, passion, a shaved head and a voice for the angels. Literally as it turns out. She grew up in a very troubled, religious family in Dublin and would later use her pop beginnings to explore many different music styles from traditional Irish songs to reggae classics spanning 12 albums, all the while being ordained as a minister, having four children and back in October 1992 ripping up a photo of the Pope live on Saturday Night Live (in protest over the headlines of sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic Church.)
Whoa...when you think about all of this and closely examine O'Connor's life, controversies, accomplishments and for lack of words essence, I guess, it becomes a little intimidating, right?? For instance, just 13 days after the infamous SNL performance she was slated to take part in a Bob Dylan Tribute concert and was greeted onstage with such an emotional combination of loving cheers and hateful jeers that she abandoned the original scheduled song, cut the band, turned up her microphone and screamed back at the audience that same song she had sang on SNL, an acapella cover of Bob Marley's War. If you haven't seen this you HAVE TO.
It's insane and made me cry. OK, I'm a crybaby, I know. I just couldn't believe how incredible this woman must be, with not only one of the most beautiful, powerful, soulful voices in music but also such passion, determination and defiance.
Recently she made an appearance on Oprah where she spoke about her lifelong struggle with depression, bi-polar diagnosis, suicide attemps and currently medicated and healthy state. If you or someone you love has suffered from mental illness or depression, it's definitely an inspirational interview to view.
When I asked her if she considered herself brave she looked as me with her giant doe eyes, took a drag from her cigarette and said, "Yes, but that doesn't mean I'm not afraid. Being brave doesn't mean you're not scared - it just means you do it anyway."
Toronto's L'Oreal Fashion Week is well underway and I was lucky enough to catch one of the shows yesterday afternoon. It was for Ginch Gonch, the uber-popular Canadian underwear brand.
Being a massive fan of ANTM, CNTM, and the various incarnations of Project Runway, I was excited to finally experience a professional Fashion Show firsthand. Walking past security with my fancy media pass was a breeze, the hoity-toity all white media lounge was lovely, and then walking into the runway tent was awesome. I was thrilled to see the professional photographers all huddled at the end of the runway, the journalists and self-important audience members mingling with each other, and all the chairs with VIP labels. To quote Iman and Tyra respectively, it was all "measuring up" to be "fierce."
The Ginch Gonch show was one of the first of the afternoon, so luckily it wasn't very busy - I got to snag a front row seat with gift bags! Woohoo! Although it mostly contained women's products (Quatro razor, lubricant, fashion mag) it was still fun to root through.
The show itself dragged on a bit (like, over 20 mins of underwear can get a bit tiresome) but it offered me a lot of insight to the teachings of Reality TV - I could actually see which models made the grade and which would "no longer be in the running. to become. Canada's Next. Top. Model."
There definitely was some serious eye-candy though, but man-oh-man, I was oddly glad when it ended - before my self-worth was completely squashed. But there are a few days left, so maybe I can weasel my way into another show or two.
For more Fashion Week pictures and updates check out the Fashion Television site - meanwhile, I'm going to go renew my gym membership.
DJ/Producer extraordinaire Diplo (who you'll recall once dated the lovely M.I.A., and also produced a bunch of tracks on Kala) has posted a 'clean' version of her incredible song Paper Planes that omits the (somewhat controversial) gunshots & cash cha-chings in the chorus...so now you've got a version 'you can play at elementary schools'. Which, of course, you'd want to! Go listen. (via gorilla vs. bear)
Also: If you're 19+ and live in Toronto, do NOT miss LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy & Diplo's DJ set put on by Bacardi B-Live on November 3. It's free, you just have to RSVP. Facebook event here.
I'm not arguing with Nas, and especially not with 'Kast, but I don't think they're looking at it the right way.
For every Crank Dat there's a The People. Don't forget Common debuted at number one in the U.S. and Kanyebeat 50 Cent. The simpler dance-style Hip-Hop is everywhere, but so is the intelligent Hip-Hop.
The reason people are saying Hip-Hop is dead is because it's bigger than it's ever been. Hip-Hop brought us the Black Eyed Peas and Timbaland, and the Backstreet Boys of the 90s have become the Shop Boyz of '07.
The Killers cover Joy Division on this track from their upcoming B-Sides disc Sawdust. Thankfully they stay true to the synthy-darkness of Joy Division and leave the meandering guitars at home. Reminds me of something The Smashing Pumpkins would have recorded for a Batman film 10 years ago...
Being a Jully fan and supporter for years its fantastic to see her put out this album with so much fanfare. Reviews have been great, she's been all over TV, and this looks like it might be her year. Jully has been keeping an extremely personal and poignant online journal for years. Take a few minutes to read some entries and you will see that she is eternally thankful for the support she's been getting.
Neil has the dubious honour of holding the title of 'Best Canadian Album of All Time' with 'Harvest'. People have been rediscovering his music lately with the recent popularity of classic rock. He's an example of a truly great songwriter that tells stories with his songs and pulls you in to a different world. This is a sequel to an outtakes album from the 80's and Neil has released it due to the lack of pressure to release coherent 'albums' in today's music climate. One of my favourite Much memories was watching one of the first I&I's with Neil and an entire minature train set occupying the Much environment.
An oldie but goodie Much Board thread: here!
Serj has always been an outspoken artist and commentator, from bringing attention to the Armenian genocide, to sparking debate amongst 9/11 conspirators. He's placed himself in the pit of current rock royalty with the likes of Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age. This solo album has him stepping out on his own from his band System Of A Down. Hopefully you had a chance to peep his record when it First Spun last week.
We've waited for 7 long and bland years for this day to arrive...Today, the new Spice Girls single 'Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)' dropped online at mtv.ca and well...I was wrong to think that there'd be a little more spice in my life when I listened to this song. Posh's flotation devices have more personality than this doozy.
Suddenly, I feel better about not getting tickets to the show.. OK, I'm exaggerating the song isn't THAT bad and yes I still REALLY REALLY want to go the show...
Anyways, here's what other members of the muchmusic.com team had to say about the new single:
When it first started off, I was scared. But then when it kind of built up to its chorus and going forward, it's very "them." (sorta Viva Forever and Goodbye)…. But still not great. In the 90s it would have been decent at best. Now it's just kind of "meh".
- Jonathan
I could only tell Baby's voice. The rest sounded like old women.
Even Mel C I couldn't really hear and normally her voice stands out more.
- Kyle
Lame! It's reminiscent of "Mama" and other ballads but it just sounds like they rushed it too much so it doesn't have the emotion or punch behind it.
- Emma
I don't want the legacy of the Spice Girls spoiled by lackluster new material, so I refuse to listen.
- Wendy
Speaking of scared - Mel C scares the crappola outta me.
- Emma (a few moments later)
Tupac was a force of nature. He spoke with intensity and passion and never got a chance to become bigger than some petty beef. Instead we have this video of Pac screaming at the east coast while Suge stands back and enjoys the spectacle he created.
This was Tupac's last stand and it's a textbook tragedy. Tupac's tragic flaw was his loyalty - he stayed loyal to Suge til the end - and it didn't end well. For everyone who claims Tupac is still alive, I'm sad to say it's not true.
Watch this video and tell me he wouldn't be coming out of hiding to do right a second time around. The Tupac in this video wouldn't let things play out the way they have since he's been gone, he'd be running the world!
Some people you just have to see live. For ages I have been told that Sinead O'Connor was someone I had to see perform. To be honest, I was a little meh about the whole thing. Of course I have a soft spot in my Grade 9 heart for "Nothing Compares 2 U" (sidenote: love that the title is MSN talk way before its time). But other than that, why bother?
Saturday night, through the grace of Craig, I scored a couple tickets to her show at Massey Hall. And I was blown away. It is so overwhelming to see such an iconic woman stand and sing with such strength, power and purpose. A woman with four children who has declared that her mission is to save God from religion. If you look at her life it is full or controversy, pain and an incredible amount of will to rise above it all. Everyone in the audience gave her their full attention because there was no other choice. She owned that room. She sang of politics, and war and heartbreak with such ferocity and vulnerability. If you ever get the chance to see Sinead, go go go.
If you want to hear an example of how she broke a man's heart, listen to the song "I Could Have Lied". Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers wrote it about her after they broke up. Kills me.
The answer is no. Unless he has some secret passages, Marilyn's old house, which is now for sale, is extremely lovely. In fact, I would totally live there. But maybe that's why he's selling it - to buy the torture chamber of doom he's always wanted. Boy, I'd really love to see a "Take This House And Sell It" or "House Hunters" with Marilyn!
One of my all-time favourite bands is the Montreal-based Stars. Unfortunately I have NEVER seen them in concert. I had a ticket to one of their shows a year ago, however I got the flu the night of. Then I was going to see them at VFest this year in Toronto, however I fractured my heel a few days before. Now I catch wind that they will have a 3-night engagement at Toronto's Phoenix Nightclub at the end of November! Knock on wood that from now until then, I remain completely unscathed.
To pass the time, I am joyfully listening to their recent concert for NPR which is posted online. Feel free to join me in this glorious listening party, and hopefully soon I will be one of those cheering audience members you hear in the background.
Oh - and they better play "Heart" - my favourite Stars song ever.
A little while ago, we had a contest where you could submit a video explaining your wildest hope for meeting Mandy Moore. We couldn't help but pick Ryan as the winner, what with his quirky "cooking show". We shoulda known he would be a trickster - upon sitting down for his backstage interview with Mandy, he flipped the switch and asked her to interview him instead! Now, watch how she handled it!
Lauren Conrad is boring. She relies on bad boys (see Jason Wahler) and bad girls (see Heidi Montag) to compensate for what she's lacking. So what happens when she meets someone that is like herself? Absolutely nothing and that pretty much sums up last night's episode.
LC + The New Guy: Lauren meets a male model at a Teen Vogue casting shoot. What was his name? Oh right, I don't remember because I was too busy watching paint dry. But seriously, does anyone care to know what happened on their date? Pass.
I Want Heidi To Myself:Spencer is pissed off that Heidi's not making an effort to celebrate their anniversary... that happened three weeks ago! Here we go again with the same arguments...Heidi's not focusing on me, me, me... Surprisingly, the blonde fembot doesn't take Spence's bullshit. At the end of the episode Heidi shows a little less robot and a little more feist when she walks away from Spencer. Now we're talking!
Lau-Bro:Seriously, why don't they just get it on already? I'm bored with their games. Moving on.
Closing Thoughts: Snooze fest. Where's the drama? Where's Justin Bobby? Where's Elodie (I want her back)?
If there's one good thing that came from this episode, it's the following:
Paris Hilton was at The Guvernment D'Luxe Lounge on Saturday night promoting...well, herself. She was in the VIP with Verne Troyer (aka Mini Me from the Austin Powers movies) with about 200 hundred Paris fans overlooking thousands of party goers.
The area with Paris was overwhelmingly crowded with about five Paris Hilton lookalikes, making it difficult to tell which one was the real deal. Why would someone come to a Paris party looking exactly like Paris? She has been in Toronto for roughly the last two months filming the horror musical Repo! The Genetic Opera! with Paul Sorvino. She should be done by end of month to cause havoc in other cities. Until then keep your eyes open for Paris!
I was super stoked the day I bought tix to see M.I.A. (with Datarock, The Carps and Holy F**k). I was even more super stoked when Klye told me that we had a photo pass!! Front row? YES PLEASE! *pant, pant, hyperventilate, pass out*
Kat's gonna fill you in on Datarock, so I'm gonna get straight into the meat of this - M.I.A. is A-M.I.A.-ZING. (Sorry, I had to do it). Her V-Fest set was superb, and I was expecting only awesomeness on Saturday. Mostly, I got it.
Let's get the bad news over with first: sound at the Kool Haus SUCKS BALLS. It sounds like a hot pile of ass. If you weren't very familiar with M.I.A. and you went to this show, I can see you having reservations simply based on the sound quality. I called my friend during "Sunshowers" and I'm pretty sure it sounded like a butchered robot. I just used the word "sound" like seven times.
But it doesn't matter, cause I love M.I.A. and I'm sure 99% of the audience were there to dance and admire. Before her set, the DJ teased the audience with a loop of "XR2", and they went mental. When the beat for "Bamboo Banger" kicked in and M.I.A. appeared onstage in a silhouette, the energy was so thick, I could snack on it with some nacho chips.
After three songs, I ventured back into the masses and joined the dance party. Seriously, I've never seen a Toronto audience so dance crazy - it was awesome. And the air was so hot that a pipe on the ceiling formed condensation and was LEAKING on the crowd!
M.I.A. knows how to captivate. With just a DJ, a dancer and her presence, she turns out a sick, sick show. She crowd surfs, she sings from atop the speakers, she even invites the audience to come up on stage during "Bird Flu" (funniest moment of the night - the DJ ordering people to leave the stage immediately with gun shot SFX, and the people not listening, but instead taking as many photos of themselves as possible). AND she sang all my faves: "Bamboo Banger", "10 Dollar", "Pull Up The People", "Hussel", & "Paper Planes". I think tho, based on the excitement of the crowd that the best moments may have been "Bucky Done Gun" and show closer "Galang" (with the beat from Lil Mama's "Lip Gloss" thrown in for fun)!
