Saturday, March 5, 2011
James Franco Poses For Terry Richardson
Dimmu Borgir Release Live DVD; Plus Led Zeppelin, Brujeria, & More News That Rules, In Metal File
'It shows the intense live side of the band, as opposed to the perfection and the cleanness of how we sound on our albums,' guitarist says.
By Chris Harris
Dimmu Borgir's Silenoz
Photo: Nuclear Blast
On October 14, Dimmu Borgir — who just happen to be Demi Lovato's favorite black-metal band — will release a a three-disc DVD/CD set called "The Invaluable Darkness," the band's first visual offering since 2002's "World Misanthropy." Boasting live footage shot last year, during gigs in Norway, Germany and England, "The Invaluable Darkness" demonstrates the unbridled furor of seeing Dimmu live, guitarist Silenoz said.
"It shows the honest rawness and atmospheric darkness of our concerts," the Norwegian told Metal File last week, after dismissing recent online rumors that his band's next LP would be coming out through Roadrunner Records. "Basically, it shows the intense live side of the band, as opposed to the perfection and the cleanness of how we sound on our albums. It's just a different side to the band, basically."
Dimmu Borgir began thinking about "The Invaluable Darkness" two years ago, but didn't start capturing footage until last summer, Silenoz explained, adding that the band will use its current stint on the Blackest of the Black Tour — which got underway Thursday night in Miami Beach, Florida, and also features the tour's founder, Danzig, along with Moonspell, Winds of Plague and Skeletonwitch — to promote the DVD. Dimmu Borgir will not, however, use the tour to write material for their next LP.
"It's our first time on Blackest, but Glenn [Danzig] had wanted to bring us out before [on the tour], but we weren't available until now," Silenoz said. "We've done Ozzfest before, but we're looking forward to this tour more. We did the main stage on Ozzfest, playing in f--_ing broad daylight. This tour will let us play in bigger places, but at the same time showcase more of what the band's about, visually. We are going to concentrate on the tour for now. Some years ago, we tried putting [material] together on the road, but once we got home, we listened back to it, and were like, 'What the f--- is this?' So, we just scrapped it all. We find it's so much better to totally focus on one thing at a time, and then, when that's over, you move on to the next [thing]. We don't really feel like we need to rush things, anyway, so we'll just take our time, and it's going to be what it's going to be."
Dimmu Borgir hope to reconvene in late December to begin writing the follow-up to 2007's diabolically titled In Sorte Diaboli. "We have some ideas floating around already, but we haven't arranged any material yet," he said. "We'll start doing that once the touring for this DVD is over." The band's frontman, Shagrath, is also due to marry soon — he's engaged to actor Nicolas Cage's ex-girlfriend, Christina Fulton, so that may have an effect on when Dimmu finish their next album, which Silenoz said could be out this coming spring.
"I'm sure [Shagrath] won't let anything get in the way [of] the band — I think, I hope," the guitarist said. "We don't need a Yoko [Ono] situation."
While Dimmu have been at it going on 15 years now, Silenoz said he doesn't think their forthcoming material will be much of a departure from their previous black-metal offerings.
"And we have always been about more than just that term, 'black metal,' " he said. "Luckily for us, the older you get, the less concerned you get with the categorization and putting labels on your music. Things start getting more and more limitless with us, and we know that we operate within certain frames. But we try not to analyze things too much, because it's just going to be working against you in the end. When we write new stuff, we don't think about what we should write — we just get together, and put material together, and if we like it, we keep it. That's the formula, if we even have a formula."
Dimmu Borgir are definitely getting older — guitarist Galder will be missing Blackest because of a recent addition to his family, and Susperia's Cyrus will be filling in for him; while former Vader drummer Dariusz Brzozowski takes over for Hellhammer, who had to leave the band in 2007 after sustaining a neck injury that's now limited the use of his right arm. As Dimmu has gotten on in years, Silenoz admits they have failed to keep pace with some of the more extreme black-metal acts that have followed in their wake.
"We helped open doors for the more extreme bands out there," Silenoz said. "I'm sure we helped open doors for bands like Watain, [insomuch as] people that had maybe started listening to us first then went on to the more extreme stuff. Let's face it — we're not as extreme as Watain and other bands like that, but we're fine with that."
The Blackest of the Black Tour continues through November 10 in San Francisco.
The rest of the week's metal news:
Dimmu's tourmates on Blackest, Winds of Plague, have announced ex-Azusa drummer Art Cruz has joined their ranks — he replaced Jeff Tenney. According to the band's blog, "Art has already added a new spark to the band and has provided us with a solid backbone that will allow us to continue our rampage stronger than ever." ...
What the world really needs is another Led Zeppelin box set, so, on November 4, Rhino Records will issue the Led Zeppelin Definitive Collection Mini LP Replica CD box set. For just $200, you'll get 1969's Led Zeppelin, 1969's Led Zeppelin II, 1970's Led Zeppelin III, 1971's Led Zeppelin IV, 1973's Houses of the Holy, 1975's Physical Graffiti, 1976's Presence, 1976's The Song Remains the Same, 1979's In Through the Out Door and 1982's Coda, as mini-LP replicas, with artwork from the original U.K. LP sleeves. Now, you know what you can get your dad for Christmas. ...
Former Killswitch Engage frontman Jesse Leach and current Killswitch Engage guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz have teamed up for a new project they're calling Times of Grace, and they've already started working on material for their debut album. According to Leach, "We have two songs to go and we will be finished with all of the vocals. Adam has taken lead vocals in three songs as of yet and he is doing a great job. We also worked on a track yesterday that is so epic — we trade vocals and do two different melodies at the same time. This album went from a melodic metal album to an epic mix of metal/rock/pop/shoegaze and punk. So all of your metal expectations will be incorrect — we are pushing genre boundaries." To quote "Meet the Parents," we'll look forward to that, Greg. ...
The Funeral Pyre and Early Graves will be hitting the road together next month, starting November 7 in South Lake Tahoe, California. Dates are booked through November 21 in Hollywood. ...
The latest incarnation of Brujeria, which features Carcass frontman Jeff Walker and Napalm Death's Shane Embury, have lined up several U.S. dates for this winter. The band will begin its brief trek November 28 in Denver, and wrap things up in Dallas on December 7. ... Demiricous will be touring with the Gates of Slumber starting November 9 in Denver, for a jaunt that's scheduled to run through December 6 in Indianapolis. ...
Nearly three years after Roadrunner Records' Roadrunner United concert, which took over the Nokia Theater in New York's Times Square, the label is now releasing footage from that special night as "Roadrunner United: The Concert." The DVD, which hits stores December 9, will boast two discs and 24 live tracks, including Life of Agony's "River Runs Red," King Diamond's "Abigail," Killswitch's "My Last Serenade," Type O Negative's "Black No. 1" and Sepultura's "Refuse/Resist." ...
According to Blabbermouth, Verrot, bassist for Swedish black-metal outfit Elimi, committed suicide on October 3. In a statement, the band said, "Verrot was a very good friend, brother, an excellent bass player/musician and an important part of Elimi; we respect his decision and hope he'll find his way with the dark gods of Chaos. Let your black flame be a part of what brings forth the day of wrath."
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Kelly McGillis Comes Out as Gay
Justin Bieber's Grammy Performance Will Be 'A Crossover,' Usher Says
The 'O.M.G.' singer looks forward to sharing the stage with his protégé on Sunday night.
By James Montgomery
Usher
Photo: Amanda Edwards/ Getty Images
HOLLYWOOD — At Sunday's 53rd Grammy Awards, Usher will be pulling double duty as both a nominee and a performer. Of course, given the massive year he just completed — with the success of his smash single "O.M.G." and as a mentor to rising phenom Justin Bieber — Ush's Grammy plans seem rather fitting.
Especially since he'll be performing with Bieber (and Bieber's pal Jaden Smith), a move that's just as much about celebrating Usher's successes as it is the successes of his young protégé.
"Having been through [the Grammys] so many times, you couldn't want for anything more than for your young protégé to have the opportunity to have one, so, in support of him having his moment, I wanted to be here," Usher told MTV News on Thursday, hours before his performance at the (Belvedere) RED launch party in Hollywood. "And also to be there to perform, to kind of tell the story of how we came together. This music business has definitely been good to both of us, and this year we have a lot to be happy for."
And just how will the dynamic duo tell that story? Well, Usher wasn't about to reveal all the details, but he did say that he's hoping their performance will show another side of Bieber ... a side most tend to overlook.
"The performance will be fun," Usher explained. "We want to get up there and just do what we do. Be comfortable, and have a great time. ... This is kind of a crossover for Justin. Having performed on so many different stages, this is the way that I wanted him to be seen and an opportunity to show the industry — a lot of the industry, that didn't believe [in him] — some of his other talents. He's going to play acoustically, and also, we'll get down a little bit."
And though Ush is up for a pair of Grammy awards on Sunday — Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best Contemporary R&B Album for Raymond v. Raymond — he's most looking forward to sharing the stage with Bieber and giving fans a look at where the young artist will be heading next.
"I'm very proud, man. I definitely saw it from the beginning, but thanks to the team that we have around us, it was made to happen. And that story has only just begun," Usher said. "The story of Justin Bieber doesn't stop with screaming girls; we need screaming fans all around the world ... a cultural experience that's much more than just fanfare. And that's what this is. That's what the Grammys will be; that's what my next phase for Justin is. This is the way I found him: I found him with a guitar in his hand, so I want him to be seen that way."
Don't miss "Snooki & Sway: Live From the Grammys," a red-carpet live stream kicking off Sunday at 6 p.m. ET on MTV.com. And stick with us all Grammy night for coverage of the red carpet, the show, the afterparties and beyond!
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Quentin Tarantino's Spaghetti Western: What We Know So Far
Details are beginning to fall in place for director's 'Inglourious Basterds' follow-up.
By Eric Ditzian
Quentin Tarantino
Photo: Charles Eshelman/ FilmMagic
For years, Quentin Tarantino has been talking about the kooky idea of making a spaghetti western-esque film that explores American slavery. Now multiple reports suggest he might be moving forward with a project in a similar vein.
Nothing's confirmed yet, of course, but all this chatter does seem to indicate that Tarantino's next production following the Oscar-winning, $300 million-grossing success of 2009's "Inglourious Basterds" will, in fact, be a spaghetti western. There have been, until now, numerous projects the filmmaker was said to be considering, though he has long stated a desire to explore the western genre.
"I've been wanting to do that for a long time," Tarantino told us late in '09 of the slavery pic. "That's definitely in the garden, for lack of a better metaphor. That is definitely one of my roses."
So what do we know so far? Back in 2007, Tarantino spoke at length to Britain's Telegraph about that project, calling it the Southern equivalent of a western. "I want to do movies that deal with America's horrible past with slavery and stuff but do them like spaghetti westerns, not like big issue movies," he said. "I want to do them like they're genre films, but they deal with everything that America has never dealt with because it's ashamed of it, and other countries don't really deal with because they don't feel they have the right to."
Tarantino, instead, chose to explore an alt-history take on World War II with "Basterds." When MTV News caught up with him late last year, he confessed that he still hadn't committed to his next project, though he did say that rumors of taking on an adaptation of "The Shadow" were untrue. Only in recent days has talk of a spaghetti western, devoid of a connection to slavery, picked up steam.
Deadline reported that Tarantino said he has completed the script for the new movie and that the writing, unlike his work on "Basterds" and "Kill Bill," came together quite quickly. Meanwhile, the actor Franco Nero gave an Italian-language interview at the Los Angeles Italia festival in which he said that talent has already been coalescing around the project, including himself, Keith Carradine and Treat Williams.
"It's a movie that contains humor, lots of action, but also a great plot," Nero said.
Ain't It Cool News picked up on the news and added some intriguing details — most intriguingly that Christoph Waltz, who won an Oscar for his turn as a cold-blooded Nazi in "Basterds," would also star in the flick. According to AICN, the script is not based on any existing material but is an original script and will potentially begin production in Spain and Italy later this year.
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
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Usher - Trading Places
- Artist: Usher
- Label: Zomba/LaFace Records
- Director: Chris Robinson
- Album: Here I Stand
America Ferrera Julie Berry Samaire Armstrong Christina Ricci Cristina Dumitru
Britney Spears - Break the Ice
- Artist: Britney Spears
- Label: Jive/Zomba Label Group
- Director: Robert Hales
- Album: Blackout
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Has Charlie Sheen?s Obituary Already Been Written?
Megan Ewing Izabella Scorupco Kelly Brook Mischa Barton Talisa Soto
Usher - Moving Mountains
- Artist: Usher
- Label: LaFace Records/Zomba Label Group
- Director: The Brothers Strauss
- Album: Here I Stand
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Friday, March 4, 2011
Shanghai Restaurant Week 2011: Best places to dine
Whether you think it?s just another excuse to eat out or a way to infiltrate upper-class eating establishments, Shanghai Restaurant Week is here -- it runs March 7-13 and reservations already open -- so might as well score brownie points with your date, your boss, your parents and your friends.
Here's where to take them.
On a date
Kathleen's 5 Rooftop Restaurant (lunch/dinner)
Hilary Swank Minki van der Westhuizen Tara Reed Paula Garcés Kate Hudson
Justin Bieber's Hair Gets $40,668 At Auction
Proceeds will benefit animal-rights group the Gentle Barn Foundation.
By Jocelyn Vena
Justin Bieber
Photo: Michael Loccisano/ Getty Images
Last week, shortly after the haircut heard 'round the world, Justin Bieber gave a lock of his famous hair to Ellen DeGeneres. The talk-show host graciously took the gift and promised to auction if off and give all the proceeds to charity.
In addition to the lock of hair, Bieber also signed a plastic box in which the hair would be kept. On Wednesday (March 2), 98 bids later, the Bieber memorabilia had sold for $40,668. All the proceeds from the hair will go to the Gentle Barn Foundation, a California-based animal-rights organization.
When Bieber appeared on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" to give the talk-show host the hair, he reassured her that it was, in fact, his. "Yes, it's really my hair, but there's a perk: I wanted to do something good. I'm giving pieces of it to different people," he explained during the February 23 appearance. "The thing is, we're doing something special. We want you to donate it to whatever charity you want."
He also joked about what inspired him to cut off his signature locks. "I was inspired by yours," Bieber laughed. "Yeah [people were freaking out], but I was like, 'I don't really care.' "
Perez Hilton was also one of the lucky hair recipients. On February 22, the blogger wrote, "Not only did Justin Bieber get a haircut, but the teen phenom tells us that he is going to be divvying up his shorn locks to help raise money for different charities. And, he's giving Perez some of his hair to auction off! We're working it all out now, and we can't wait to tell you what good we hope to do with Bieber's hair!"
What do you think of the final price for Justin's hair? Let us know in the comments!
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Dave Grohl, Josh Homme, John Paul Jones Unveil Supergroup
Them Crooked Vultures make their debut with a post-Lollapalooza set.
By James Montgomery
Dave Grohl (file)
Photo: Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images
Officially, Lollapalooza ended Sunday night in Chicago's Grant Park, with dueling sets from the Killers and Jane's Addiction. Unofficially, it ended very early Monday morning, across town at venerable rock club the Metro, with a surprise show by Them Crooked Vultures.
To the unfamiliar, the Vultures might seem like an odd choice to close out Lolla weekend ... until you realize that they're made up of Foo Fighters frontman/ former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, Queens of the Stone Age mastermind Josh Homme and Led Zeppelin legend John Paul Jones. And their gig at the Metro was their world premiere.
According to some reports, the Vultures actually turned down Lollapalooza founder Perry Farrell's request to replace the Beastie Boys as headliners at the festival, opting to debut in front of some 1,100 super-psyched fans at the Metro, rather than 75,000 in Grant Park (tickets for the gig were announced via Foo Fighter/ QOTSA fan clubs). Meaning that, in a lot of ways, this was the most sought-after ticket in town.
Taking the stage just after midnight, the Vultures — Grohl on drums (of course), Homme on guitar and vocals, Jones on bass and keys and frequent QOTSA contributor Alain Johannes on guitar — ripped through 12 songs in 80 minutes, all taken from their upcoming debut, which may or may not be called Never Deserved the Future, and may or may not be hitting stores on October 23 (early "promo" videos touting both those facts were revealed over the weekend to be hoaxes perpetrated by QOTSA fans).
The songs, with appropriately Homme-ian titles like "Scumbag Blues," "Mind Eraser (No Chaser)," "Caligulove" and "Interlude w/Ludes," sounded pretty much how you'd expect, given the band's pedigree. They rocked, hard — Chicago Tribune critic Greg Kot described them as "fresh, invigorating and just plain nasty" — delving off into psychedelic, reverb-filled excursions and exploring proggy territory, "both of the old-school Yes variety, and the more modern Tool flavor," according to the Chicago Sun-Times' Jim DeRogatis.
It's not known if Monday's Metro performance was a one-off event for the Vultures — there have been whispers of a full-blown tour, but a spokesperson for Homme had not responded to MTV News' request for comment at press time. Nor was it clear whether or not they'll have an album out in October.
Early Monday, a Crooked Vultures Twitter account, which had previously posted links to the band's official-looking Web site and the Metro's online ticketing site — posted a link to what appears to be the group's first bit of official merchandise: a Deserve the Future T-shirt. Cost: $30.
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Water for Elephants Movie Trailer: Fight for Love...
Robert Pattinson leaves Edward Cullen far behind in Water for Elephants.
In this April release, based on a best-selling novel by the same name, the Twilight Saga star portrays a student who runs away from home after his parents die. In search of a new life, he stumbles upon a traveling circus a beautiful woman (Reese Witherspoon) who works there.
The problem? She's the wife of the ruthless circus owner (Christoph Waltz).
Pattinson will be acting opposite a pair of Academy Award winners (and an elephant!) in the drama, one of whom has referred to Rob as really nice and handsome. Think he can match their talent? See for yourself in the following, extended trailer:
Water for Elephants Movie Trailer
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Britney Spears - Hold It Against Me
- Artist: Britney Spears
- Label: Jive, Zomba Label Group
- Director: Jonas Akerlund
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First Listen: Britney Spears, ?Till The World Ends? & ?Criminal? (Preview Clips)
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Thursday, March 3, 2011
And the American Idol Finalists Are...
... and then were a baker's dozen.
American Idol revealed its 13 finalists tonight, with five men and five women chosen by the viewers, and the final trio of wild card spots selected by the judges. Did your favorite make it? Find out now:
- Scotty McCreery
- Lauren Alaina
- Pia Toscano (pictured)
- Karen Rodriguez
- Jacob Lusk (pictured)
- Casey Abrams
- Haley Reinhart
- James Durbin
- Thia Megia
- Paul McDonald
- Naima Adedapo
- Ashthon Jones
- Stefano Langone
Daniella Alonso Tatiana Zavialova Monica Potter Joanne Montanez Jennifer Sky