An electric violin version of System of a Down’s “Toxicity”

If I were in SOAD, I’d be inviting these girls on stage with me.  Wow.

 

 

Hey Adam Lambert & Lady Gaga: Shouldn’t it be about the music?

What the hell happened last night at the American Music Awards? When did they become the new shock-you-silly awards show to replace the now-vanilla MTV Video Music Awards?

The new recipe for an awards show is this:

*Taylor Swift wins everything; no fewer than five statues.
*Lady Gaga performs in a weird getup after arriving in a weird getup.
*Someone does something shocking, either Lady Gaga or a surprise…like an “American Idol” channeling old Bowie/Madonna stuff.
*All hip-hop performers keep it clean and classy.
*Janet Jackson shows no skin. Ever. Again. America still hasn’t healed from the nipplegate backlash, although after Adam Lambert last night, we’ve moved on to Crotchgate.

Speaking of Crotchgate…

I understand Adam Lambert’s need to distance himself from the squeaky clean-ness of “American Idol.”  But is that really a need? I also understand the need to do something to keep his name prominent in the headlines today–the day his album “For Your Entertainment” drops.  There’s no such thing as bad press, after all.  Even if you mash a male dancer’s face into your crotch, caress a female dancer’s crotch, and make out with your male keyboard player–all after playing the sadomasochist part with two dancers on leashes–you still get press.  I get it; you’re playing both sides of the fence, trying to court both female and male fans with bisexuality and a cheesy but androgynous album cover.

But shouldn’t it be about the music?

I’m a fan of both Adam Lambert and Lady Gaga.  After last night’s AMA performances from both, I am SMH today.  Both artists can stand on talent alone.  Both can sing, both have a flare for performing.  I’m all for outrageous when it fits.  But when it becomes about being outrageous for the sake of being outrageous, that’s when it gets lame.  Contrived.  Fake.  Silly.  Annoying.

Don’t play the tortured artist bit on stage.  Gaga had gigs writing songs for others before she got her “Fame” and Lambert was doing pretty good for himself acting alongside Val Kilmer in the stage show of “The Ten Commandments.”  While either one was hardly pulling in millions, both were working artists.  I think that’s always the goal, right?  Both could have still been serving meals during their first showbiz gigs for all I know.  But hey, a gig’s a gig.

Just go on stage and perform.  Just show me your talent and remind me why I’m a fan.  Even a simple performance can be captivating.  It doesn’t always have to be outlandish.  I thought Jennifer Lopez’s performance of “Louboutins” was great.  It was creative and she pulled it off, except for the fall…  If I even think about Louboutins I fall down, so I totally understand.

You want simple?  Captivating?  Something that stands on the strength of the music alone?  Try watching Lady Antebellum’s performance at the Country Music Awards.  Has “Need You Now” not been the top single on iTunes (or near the top) every day since?

Or, from the AMAs last night, how about Whitney Houston singing “I Didn’t Know My Own Strength.”  That was amazing!  She was flawless.

Or Jay-Z and Alicia Keys who were just classy.

Look, I don’t need flames, crazy outfits, and controversy.  What I do want is music.  I’d love to have music with opulence.  Flash is OK, but just keep it in good taste.  We’re in a recession (duh).  People want less bullsh!t during a recession.  Flashiness and perky music isn’t popular during a recession.  Remember the 1990s?  It was a crap financial time that birthed Kurt Cobain and flannel shirts.  Remember the late 1990s as things turned around?  It was poppy, perky Britney Spears and N’Sync.  Glam rock?  New wave?  That was during the glory of the 1980s.  Artists should take a cue from the times we live in, maybe be inspired by…reality.

Leighton Meester talks about working with Lil Wayne

At this point, who hasn’t Weezy collaborated with? Then again, what Leighton Meester song do you know of so far that isn’t a collab? Here she is with MTV, talking about a track she did with Wayne called “Make It Rain.”

New artist: Pac Div

Check out Pac Div and their video for “Whiplash.”  If you dig the song and want to know more, XXL has posted a video about them. I’m a sucker for this kind of stuff; I like music with a message, more the backpack-style stuff than raps about bottle service.

How to feed Arizona’s homeless for Thanksgiving

Step 1: Go to TheRealGift.org.

Step 2: See?  It’s a good cause, feeding over 3,000 families (20,000 people total) who don’t have homes and therefore don’t even dream of a Thanksgiving dinner.  Now you’re convinced.

Step 3: Call this number and whip out a credit card and donate whatever you can, even it’s just a few bucks.  The folks at The Real Gift Foundation are standing by: 480-315-0600.

Step 4: For those who don’t like talking to actual people…you can donate online too.

Dierks Bentley Fundraiser Saturday @ The Tempe Marketplace, but is he into yoga?

Dierks Bentley is doing a charity concert to benefit Phoenix Children’s Hospital on Saturday.  I think everyone pretty much knows this here in town.  What I didn’t know–and still don’t–so I’m curious, is that Dierks is into yoga?  Is he?  Here’s what came in my At One Yoga email blast today:

“Country music star, At One Yoga friend, and true Spiritual Gangster Dierks Bentley is headlining a charity concert at Tempe Marketplace on Saturday. Sign up for the motorcycle ride or head straight for the concert! Concert admission is $20 and benefits the Phoenix Children’s Hospital…”

I had heard earlier this year through the grapevine that a local yoga instructor had traveled recently on the road with Sugarland as their personal teacher… It’s both nice and odd to see country artists embrace yoga.  In the very least it seems unlikely.  Then again, music is a pretty stressful industry to be in.  So it’s no wonder musicians of any genre would turn to it to relieve stress and add focus.

Can any Phoenician offer a sighting of Dierks at At One Yoga? Anyone? Leave a comment, please.

Amazon Deal of the Day: Cage The Elephant

I got my Cage The Elephant email about their download deal today with Amazon and there was only one thing to do… (Yes, I was on the mailing list before I got the album–that’s life as an entertainment news writer. I’m on every list).  I am enjoying the hunt for deals on music in this recession, no, depression whatever-you-want-to-call-it.  I guess it depends on where you live.  I’m in Arizona, so it’s a depression.

There’s just one thing: it’s actually on sale for $2.99 despite what the band’s mail says.  An even better deal!  Here’s the link to Amazon.

I just thought this was funny

Thought it was funny to see Jeff Buckely’s “Hallelujah” next to Beyonce’s “Halo” on the iTunes singles list…

Aerosmith band members spread own rumors…

So no one in Aerosmith can tell us what is wrong with Steven Tyler, but they can elude to possible drug use? How old are these guys? Oh yeah. Rock n’ roll. Kinda like high school when it comes to breakups and makeups. The remainder of the band is talkin’ trash about Tyler to Billboard. I’m not saying it’s true or false, I’m just shocked to see it at all.

A couple things…

It’s past time for this band to break up and splinter off into a variety of supergroups.  Aerosmith owes us that much.  They owe us a “New Fang.”

Like the Billboard article points out, whatever goes on without Tyler needs a new name.

Tyler needs to make a statement or remove all doubt by going to rehab.

And I thought 10,000 tuning into a Shakira webcast was good…

A few posts ago, I was talking about how cool it was to see 10,000+ people tune into UStream for the video premiere of Shakira’s “Give It To Me.” That is nothing compared to what Jo Dee Messina did on Saturday night! She was chatting live and giving fans a backstage peek at her show. Over 140,000 of her fans tuned in. That just smokes Shakira. Wow.

I think this makes interacting with fans on UStream an official trend and puts another nail in the coffin of traditional media.