MTV New show- The Chest Nuts

Technorati Tags: ChestNuts,MTV,gun's n roses,lee ritson,new show,anamation,comedy,new comedy,MTV SHOW,AUSTRALIA

With Guns 'n Roses back on the airwaves and Aussies rock icons AC/DC re-claiming their territory, there is little doubt rock 'n roll is back with a fiery vengeance.  And no one brings the beef like Aussies when it comes to livin' large and rockin' hard!  So in the spirit of tight black jeans, mullets and rockin out like there's no tomorrow, MTV are stoked to be introducing it's brand new animated series The Chest Nuts - reckless rock gods next in line for the rock 'n roll crown!  Welcome to the lives of Wiley, Crash, Fletcher, Crackers and their fat manager Droppa who are living the high life in a share mansion in L.A after their debut 'Appetite for Nuts' took the world over by storm. With the music industry as a backdrop for their exploits, everything is fair game, be it saving themselves from terrorists with a deep hatred of pop culture icons, to trawling through a cavalcade of celebrity mansions on the hunt for their missing lead guitarist. Wide-eyed and naive, Hollywood is a world away from anything The Chest Nuts have ever experienced. So strap yourself in with the lice infested power group and live a crazy day in the life of cartoon madmen The Chest Nuts! By watching MTV 4th December 8.55pm for The Chest Nuts premiere.

Click here, www.facebook.com , search for The Chest Nuts, and join the facebook group. Click here for a sneak peek of the madness, www.mtv.com.au/thechestnuts.

Quote

Below is a quote from Heath Kenny, he is the director for The Gorillaz clips Feel Good Inc. and Dirty Harry, and he’s Creative Director of one of the biggest animation companies in Europe, ‘Alphanim’

“There have been many versions of the "animated band" over the years,
arguably the most well known being the Gorillaz. However recently I
had the fortune to have a straight shot of animated rock and roll.
It was like an animated time machine straight back to my Guns 'n'
Rose's fueled adolescence. The team at MTV Australia and Karactaz
Animation have pulled no punches in there hilarious incarnation of
the rock culture of the late 80's. So its safe to say the Chestnuts
have an avid fan in me. So knock back a couple of bottles of 'night
train', chuck on your old black T shirt, throw ya horns up and laugh
your ass off with “The Chest Nuts" you know you want to.”

OPTUS ONE80PROJECT 2008

Technorati Tags: lee ritson,MTV AUSTRALIA,FILM FESTIVAL

Now in its third year, there is little doubt that OPTUS ONE80PROJECT is an impressive launch pad for greenhorn creators of television drama. 

In the notoriously fickle world of television, perhaps the most valuable prize OPTUS ONE80PROJECT offers is the unprecedented exposure and networking potentials with experienced directors, writers and producers that are sure to set your career alight; but you didn’t think we’d let you do all that hard work without a little icing on the cake didja?

We also have a scrumptious stash of tantalizing technology up for grabs including LG Plasma TVs, Mobile Phones and Mobile Notebooks from Optus. 

So what are you waiting for? Grab your friends and start creating the Next Great Australian Drama!

Full Prize info:

Winner Judge's Choice

Access to MTV Australia’s production facilities and equipment in order to produce approximately 60 minutes of multi-platform content, to be comprised of 3-5 minute segments. 

Guidance by MTV’s production experts, including an executive producer
The final production communicated on MTV Australia and available via the Optus Zoo mobile phone portal.

AUD $10,000 cash

 OPTUS ONE80PROJECT 2008

Sharon Stone Sued For One Billion!

Poor Shazza. Not only is she officially Hollywood's uncoolest celebrity thanks to certain 'Karma remarks', she has just had a lawsuit slapped on her for a head-spinning one billion smakaroonies!
Sharon Stone has been on the top of everyone's 'internationally despised' list after implying the people of China deserved their recent earthquake disaster. She was asked by a reporter on the red carpet at Cannes whether she had heard of the tragedy to hit China of late, and responded:

"Of course I have. Well you know at first I thought I'm not happy with the way the Chinese are treating the Tibetans, and I've been concerned with should we have the Olympics because they're not being nice to the Dalai Lama who's a good friend of mine.

And then all this earthquake and stuff happened and I thought, 'Is that Karma, when you're not nice and the bad things happen to you?'" (read full story here)

Oh dear. Erm, a simple 'yes' probably would have sufficed Shaz

The resulting global backlash prompted the surgically enhanced has-been to swiftly make a number of heartfelt apologies.

But now, ironically, it seems the Karma of which she speaks has come and bit her squarely on the ass, as Stoney has just been served with legal papers demanding $1billion.

The suit comes from more than 1000 Chinese earthquake victims and a New York attorney.

The documents announce attorney Ming Hai's intention to sue Stone for "harming Chinese people when she suggested the catastrophic quake last May was "karma" for the regime's occupation of Tibet."

Hai wrote, "For the families who have lost their loved ones or lost limbs or suffered severe injuries, your statement and act has caused extreme emotional distress."
Even though the comments were unquestionably daft (although funnier than a fart in a sleeping bag), we think Shaz has already had a fair slap of the salami.

Not only was she been banned from China's International Film Festival in Shanghai, she was dropped from Dior's ads, and earned the wrath of a few million Chinese nationals . Moral of the story? Political commentary and red carpets don't mix!

Look on the bright side Shaz, this is the most publicity you've had in years!

By Penelope Quinn

Sam Sparro Flying Lindsay Lohan to Chart Domination

Sam Sparro's popularity is spreading faster than salmonella in salami.

Not only did he smash the charts to pieces with his song 'Black and Gold', he's also been enlisted to help revive Lindsay Lohan's flagging pop career!

And here we were thinking that Lindsay's pop career was a passing fad. But with acting roles thin on the ground it seems that the skank-meister is super serious about cracking the pop charts so much so she has enlisted the brightest stars on the music scene, which includes the
Aussie singer and UK chart topper, to workshop a new song for her album 'Spirit In The Dark.'

Sam got the nod to work with Linds after being recommended by Mark Ronson brother of her leso-lover Samantha Ronson.

The 'Black And Gold' singer admits he was taken aback when he got a call to fly down to America to work with the 'Mean Girls' star.

"Working with Lindsay is an interesting proposition," said Sparro.

"I've always been a big fan and I think she's cool. 'I've never met Samantha Ronson but I have met her dad and her sister Charlotte when I was working with Mark at Coachella. They are a great family.

'I'll be heading over to Los Angeles and New York in a couple of weeks to start writing for Lindsay and a few other artists. I'm really excited."

He should be. Sam will be joining a galaxy of stars who have signed up to work on Lindsay's album, including Ne-Yo Akon, Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, Kanye West and Timbaland.

Mark, who helped produced Amy Winehouse's Grammy Award winning album 'Back To Black', has had nothing but good things to say about Sam since he started performing in Los Angeles back in the day.

And the man love is mutual Sam said, 'Support from people like Mark kept me going. He's a sweet, humble guy and a great person to be around. If I hear someone speak badly about him, I'll always leap to his defense.'

So while the rest of the world has been busy crafting Miss Lohan's extra curricular activities into tabloid fodder (namely her rumoured romance with gal pal Samantha Ronson), she's been head-down bum-up in the studio. By all accounts it seems the album will be a star-studded affair with a host of guest appearances and producers.

Add to the mix her recent move to Motown Records, and who knows, the album might even be good.

By Penelope Quinn

MTV Kickstart Regional Finalists Announced!

MTV is stoked to announce the 2008 MTV Kickstart Regional Finalists!

Around 700 acts from all around our fine country took part in this year's competition, and the quality of the entries was truly astounding. The judges certainly had their work cut out for them as they set about whittling the final five from hundreds of entries in each region.

Now, after much deliberation, the results are in!

Click here for all the details on the finalists, including profiles, play lists and where you can see the band perform live for their chance to be the winner of 2008 Kickstart!

Here's how it's gonna roll from here on in...

The five semi final winners from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Goldcoast, Adelaide and Perth will perform in front of a live audience where they will endure further scrutiny from our judges.

Once a winner is selected from each region, the bands will head to Sydney on 9th September where they will battle it out one last time during a televised MTV Kickstart Special.

Each city's finalist will be posted on the MTV Kickstart website and this is where you come in! You can help Kickstart your favourite bands career simply by voting online at www.mtv.com.au/kickstart from September 15 to October 10.

Make sure you stay tuned to www.mtv.com.au/kickstart on October 15 when the winner of 2008 MTV Kickstart will be announced!

Congratulations to everyone who took part in this year's Kickstart, and remember, you can still be involved by reviewing, voting and chart ranking.

Alicia Keys And Jack White 'Bond'

Since the drug sucking habits of the trash-fabulous Amy Winehouse have rendered her useless for musical exploits, it's no surprise that her rumoured commission for the new James Bond movie has been quashed without delay.

Instead, producers have wisely decided to enlist the help of more, er, reliable superstars to record the leading single to the soundtrack.

They may be a unlikely couple, but there's no doubt the soulful pipes of Alicia Keys and alt-rocker Jake White will make something unforgettable for the new movie Quantum of Solace.
The legendary R&B songstress and the other half of the White Stripes have already recorded the single, and have officially made movie history as the first ever duet for a Bond movie.

Keys recently hinted at White Stripes collaboration, revealing she'd love to work with White and his band mate Meg White in a Rolling Stone magazine article.

She said, "They're very raw, very cut and dry. It's, like, drums and guitar. It's that simple, and I love that. I think that combining that style with mine, which already has a raw feel to it, and my voice, I just think we could do something really interesting that mixes rock and soul together, the blues and emotion, and it could be really touching."

"We've had some conversations. When the time works out, and it definitely will, it will happen."
And happen it did.

The song titled `Another Way To Die` joins a list of Bond themes created over the years by artists including Paul McCartney, Madonna, Duran Duran, Chris Cornell, Shirley Bassey and Tom Jones.

White wrote and produced the song, and will also play drums on the track, according to reports.
The unlikely Alica and Jack combination beat rumored candidates Leona Lewis, Duffy and Beyonce for the privilege of recording a single for one of the most famous movie franchises in history.

So how will Alicia's silky vocals work with Jacks gravelly tones? Well, at first glance the two may have the compatibility of garlic and Vegemite, but audiences will be able to make up their own mind when the movie hits cinemas in November.

By Penelope Quinn

Chris Brown & Neyo Sell Wrigley Gum

When you hear the line "double your pleasure, double your fun" in the new Chris Brown single 'Forever', you could be forgiven for thinking the R&B hit maker swings both ways.

But in fact, the hit song is actually just an extended version of the new 30-second jingle for Wrigley's Double Mint gum.

Lost your appetite? Maybe that's why Chris decided to reveal the Wrigley's funding after the song charted.

He recorded the jingle and then extended the song with producer Polow Da Don during Wrigley-purchased studio time. The song was then released as a single, then included on the deluxe 'Exclusive' album edition.

But Chris isn't the only hit-maker star joining the Wrigley's Sell Out Club. Ne-Yo will take on Big Red's "Kiss A Little Longer" jingle while Dancing With the Stars' Julianne Hough countrified the Juicy Fruit song.

It's true that artists have been selling fans everything from phones to kicks to the kitchen sink for the past ten years; just look at any slick music video from the states for all the product placement you can handle. But listening to a catchy top ten single from a respected mainstream artist, unawares that you are being sold confectionary, is another matter. And it leaves a bad Double Minty taste in our mouths.

Artists and their labels have always been entrepreneurial in finding alternate ways to make a buck via merchandising and endorsements, but does corporate-sponsored singles suggest the music industry has finally admitted defeat in the war against free digital downloads?

The move was a very clever one on Wrigley's part. The song was released a while ago, but by the time listeners made the link that 'Forever' was actually a covert advertisement for Double Mint Gum, the Wrigley's slogan was firmly engrained into the psyche of every Chris Brown fan the world over. And that's what's we call 'synergy' in the marketing biz, kids.

God forbid any one of these artists pass up a cheque on the grounds of artistic integrity, so realistically, it was only a matter of time before corporate sponsors wheedled their way in.
It makes sense; using a proven vehicle that target markets respond to (the artist) the jingle that everyone recognizes and remembers (the chorus) all packaged in a slick 'commercial' (the music video). The company gets their ad, the muso gets their pay cheque, and we are sold a product. What multinational wouldn't want super stars vouching for their product via a top ten hit? Still, it's a sad day for music when advertisers start subconsciously selling products (especially confectionary) to the unawares-public via catchy singles.

How music fans will digest this news is still to be seen. We may be wrong, but confectionary-funded top ten hits may be a little hard to swallow. But who knows, maybe gum will be the savior of the music industry. Chew on that.

By Penny Newton

Rolling Stones Sue Lil Wayne!

Seems The Rolling Stones (or the musical publishing company that owns the rights to their songs) are none too impressed that Lil Wayne sampled their classic 'Play with Fire' on his smash hit album 'Tha Carter III' without permission. Now they are suing his Weezy ass!
The story goes that Streetrunner, the producer of Lil Wayne's track 'Playing With Fire', re-did the beat since the sample was not cleared. But it was the lyrics, not the beat that caused the hitch, as the lyrics on the Weezy track still referenced The Rolling Stone song. Doh.

The company Abkco Music Inc claims that the Lil Wayne track was clearly derived from the Stones song with the original music and lyrics altered in a 'recognisable way'. The company also says in the suit that Wayne's version uses "explicit, sexist and offensive language" and might lead the public to believe the company and the Stones approved of and authorised the new version. God forbid. Especially since they themselves are such fine exemplars of the clean living lifestyle ahem...

You'd think Weezy, who has had the biggest sales of the year thus far with his new album, would tread a little more carefully before messing with The Stones; especially after the ageing rockers tore The Verve a new asshole for using a sample on their one and only hit 'Bittersweet Symphony'.

Despite popular belief that the sample was simply nicked, The Verve had actually negotiated a licensing agreement with The Stones to use the composition rights to the sample before the album was released. But when The Verve's album 'Urban Hymns' peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Charts, a bitter (and not so sweet) legal battle ensued, with The Stones arguing that The Verve had violated the previous licensing agreement by using too much of the sample in their song. The Verve argued that The Rolling Stones got greedy when the song became successful. The Verve continue to pay The Stones one hundred percent royalties.

Closer to home, the New Zealand outfit Fast Crew were delt a severe blow a few years ago after it was found that the Auckland hip-hop crew had used an unauthorised Eagles sample from 'Victim of Love' in their track 'It's the Incredible'. The unauthorised sample all but obliterated their efforts to break into the Australian market, with retailers asked to return all copies of their debut album 'Set the Record Strait' and copies of the offending single.

It may be a trap for young players but this sampling malarkey is serious business. Moral of the story? Artists had better hope that their label have their tricks strait (and samples cleared) otherwise 'borrowing' a few notes of someone else's song becomes as costly as cavorting with an underage hooker...

Still, we wonder if 'Tha Carter III' flopped would The Stones be going after Weezy?

By Penny Newton

MTV Interview With Bliss N Eso!

New Album 'Flying Colours' Out Now

Bliss N Eso are hailed as Australia's most dynamic hip hop acts.
And it's no surprise. With an exhilarating blend of fluid rhymes and banging beats coupled with a dedication to tour every inch of our fine country, the Sydney based hip-hoppers have built an extensive and loyal fan base that turn up time and time again for impromptu freestyling and seamless turntablism.

Formed when local hip-hop was just a twinkle in the eye of the Australian music scene, the trio has successfully delivered a unique brand of music in an industry that's dominated by rock and pop.

Now, after a year of crafting tracks for their new album 'Flying Colours', the Bliss N Eso team are back to showcase their new tunesto a salivating Australian public.

We sit down with Jonathan to talk touring schedules, the state of Australian hip hop and doing good things in Africa.

MTV: You guys have had such a massive reaction in the last few years what's been the highlight for you?

Jonathan: Going to Africa were obviously a fantastic experience and a life changing one, and the recent Unified tour with True Love was fantastic There's been a lot of different highlights but it's all been good so far.

MTV: Did you find it tough in the start, since there isn't a huge urban market here?

Jonathan: Oh yeah it was totally tough. When we started the scene was so small, there wasn't even an urban section in your local CD store, let alone any local product you'd be lucky to get one or two hip hop releases. It's grown massively since. Back then we had no one to look up to ask questions, like, how do make a song, do you make the beat first or how do write rhymes or how do you construct things - there was no one to really draw from, we had to work a lot of that out for ourselves. Whereas now, the upcoming artists have at least one generation in front of them that they can look to and ask questions and learn from.

MTV: There isn't a huge urban scene in Australia why do you think that is?

Jonathan: I think its definitely growing and its a lot bigger than it was a few years ago. There's a lot more media support nowadays and a lot more awareness from the general public, it's going to be a continual climb that will just get better and better. Over the years the quality of music that artists are creating is improving in leaps and bounds. I think its pretty much there. Hip hop is at all the major festivals, it's all over the radio, all over the TV its really coming to its own right now.

MTV: Any local acts that are doing it right?

Jonathan: Anyone that's out there making good, original music and pushing it, that's doing it right for me. Especially in hip hop because it's not as big as other genres and you have to work pretty hard to maintain and grow as a band. We slogged it out for years on the road and it's basically through that we've built our following and our reputation. Anything to do with going hard on the road is defiantly doing it right!

MTV: What about on the international scene? Who do you guys admire?

Jonathan: One of the all time favourite bands is Outkast - just because they've always not done the norm and broken the boundaries and been completely original and been successful.
MTV: How was your reception in the states, where the market is flooded by urban artists?
Jonathan: The cool thing about hip hop, especially underground hip hop, is that everyone helps each other out. It was a very embracing vibe we had, we had lots of artists come to the show and lots of punters that wanted to check out hip hop from another country so we found it really welcoming.

The highlight would have been when we got to Whistler in Canada where there are so many Aussies on the slopes its just crazy, there was like eighty percent Aussies at the show and it was completely sold out.

MTV: You've done support for Cypress Hill, Xzibit, Naughty by Nature, Jurassic 5, The Roots, Black Eyed Peas and DJ Shadow, who was your favourite to do support for?
Jonathan: They're always different and always good in their own way, I think when we did Xibit and the Cypress Hill support and that's when we met Elusive. They were touring at the time and we got on as support for the whole tour, that was definitely a great experience because that was the next level of supporting - we'd mainly just done one city in a tour so we got to see a bigger scale production of how it operates and runs so it was a great learning experience.
But it's always the local smaller shows that I love more than going out and supporting a huge international artist. At the end of the day you're still there to entertain the crowd until the main act comes out, and obviously we look at every opportunity to convert their fans to our fans, but I guess when you're at a local show you know everyone is there for you and it's just that local buzz, its incredible. So we definitely prefer the local shows over the big international supports.

MTV: Have you played many rural places?

Jonathan: We'll we were the first hip hop act to go to Wagga Wagga! Smaller towns are starved for music so when a band does rock up the whole town turns up to see it.

MTV: You guys like your mammoth tours, I heard in 2006 you did over 100 shows?!

Jonathan: Yeah! it gets tough out there, especially when you've got multiple shows with no break days and obviously there is some level of partying; but you've got to get up the next day and get on that plane to go to the next show! By about the fifth day your voice starts to go

MTV: How do you keep your energy up when touring?

Jonathan: By spacing it out, and by bringing the Playstation; that keeps us out of trouble! Generally we'll tour Thursday Friday Saturday then come home to Sydney and refuel then go back at it.

MTV: You guys are also involved in the Oaktree Foundation, can you tell us about your involvement?

Jonathan: At the time we were on tour with Make Poverty History shows, and one of the guys from MPH called Hugh Evens came up to us and told us about an African Zulu Choir that he had touring and we said we would be keen to collaborate. So we ended up recording half a track with them when they were here in Sydney. Then later on in the year, The Oaktree Foundation got in contact again and said they we're doing a documentary with MTV in Africa with Evermore and that they'd like another band to join so we jumped at the opportunity. The best thing was we got to finish the song out there, and got to record it in a little mud hut and then shoot the video the next day! It was an incredible experience.

MTV: 'Flying Colours' is your new album, which landed in the Top 10 Aussie charts. Why do you think your brand of hip hop resonates with so many that perhaps aren't into that genre?

Jonathan: We are getting cross-over appeal, the album has a lot of variety in terms of different sounds and different vibes and tracks so there's lots of different things that could appeal to just about everyone. JJJ have picked up with a track we've done Angus and Julia Stone called Eye Of the Storm which has been really great and I guess it's the whole crossing over with their market and mixing that with hip hop and putting rhymes over the top and it's just been working wonders in terms of converting people into fans that wouldn't ordinarily be into hip hop.

MTV: If you could collaborate with any one live or dead who would it be?

Jonathan: Jimmy Hendrix.

MTV: How would you describe your sound to someone that hasn't popped their Bliss N Esso cherry?

Jonathan: I would describe it as a Kaleidoscope of colours in a black and white world. Like Pushing a little flower through the pavement.

By Penny Newton
To check when Bliss N Eso are playing near you click here!
To win tickets to Bliss N Eso click here!
For more information on the Oaktree Foundation click here.

MusicFIX Blog

Technorati Tags: MTV AUSTRALIA,Alicia Keys,music,gossip,celebrity gossip,MTV,NEWS

- Alicia Keys Helps Stub Out Cigarette Advertising

No Durries For Sultry Singer

Nice to know there are are still some celebs out there who have a conscience, even if it means potentially pissing off the heavies and missing out on big bucks!

Grammy Award winner and all round good-girl Alicia Keys has apologised to fans after discovering her forthcoming concert in Indonesia was part-sponsored by a cigarette manufacturer. 

The logo and slogans of A Mild cigarettes, produced by a Philip Morris affiliate, featured prominently in promotional materials for the concert. That was, until Alicia got a call from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free kids, which launched her into action faster than Paris Hilton off the celebrity wagon. 

The Washington-based Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids urged her via an open letter to her record company to pick the kids over the cancer sticks, which she did. 

"Approximately 35 percent of the population smokes, and an estimated 200,000 deaths per year in Indonesia are caused by tobacco-related illness," Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids said in its letter to the New York-born singer, which can be seen on www.tobaccofreekids.org/aliciakeys.

The group said it was particularly concerned because "an estimated 78 percent of current Indonesian smokers started before the age of 19".

And turns out, she was none the wiser that the cigarette giant was sponsoring the show.  Alicia released a statement justifying her decision which said, "I apologise for any misleading advertising initially associated with the show. I am an unyielding advocate for the well-being of children around the world and do not condone or endorse smoking. I look forward to bringing my music and message to my wonderful fans in Jakarta." '

"Whether tobacco sponsorship of music events leads to youth smoking is a matter of serious debate," Phillip Morris said in a statement. "Having considered the facts in this specific instance, we have decided to withdraw all branding associated with this concert."

The $8-billion tobacco industry also plays an important economic role in Indonesia, with tax on cigarettes accounting for about 10 percent of government income in the past, while the sector provides millions of jobs.

Subsequently, more than 30 percent of Indonesia's 220 million people smoke, making it the fifth-largest tobacco market in the world, according to the World Health Organisation.  Cigarettes in Indonesia are among the cheapest globally, priced at around $1 a pack.

The Grammy Award-winning American singer is due to perform in the Indonesian capital Jakarta later on Thursday as part of her "As I Am" world tour, promoting her chart-topping album of the same title.

Philip Morris agreed to tear down all their posters for that particular show and hopefully Alicia's forthright actions will have an impact on the Indonesian audience.  Smoke it to em, Keys!

By Penelope Quinn

Catch more goss on our daily program "MTV News" by clicking through to !Check out all the latest celebrity gossip here

MusicFIX Blog

Jessica Simpson Sucks At Country!

Poor Jess.

We wanted this to work for you, really we did, but unfortunately wearing a pair of cowboy boots and dating Tony Romo doesn't make you country!

Jessica Simpson's foray into country music may have been deemed a 'success', following the positive chart performance of her first single 'Come On Over', but a mediocre performance at a country show this past weekend may have undone all the good work of the studio auto-tuners.

In her first live appearance in three years, the 'country singer' took to the stage at the Country Thunder Festival in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin and was greeted with a warm welcome of boos. Yeowch!

"Many audience members found her attempt to crossover into country irritating and that her vocals lacked a southern sound," says one critic, with other reports stating that she was 'embarrassingly bad.'

According to showhype.com, Jess was aware of the tension, and attempted to reach out to the crowd by telling them, "I don't know what your perception is of Jessica Simpson or what tabloid you buy, but I just want you to know that I'm just a girl from Texas; I'm just like you. I'm doing what I love and dating a boy."

Unfortunately for Jess, fans were almost unanimous in their loathing.

"She doesn't fit in with country, and I'll have to drink a lot of beer to sit through her concert," said one spectator.

"I just don't hear the country in her," said another. "I don't hear the twang. She's not good enough to be here."

Performing live has never been a strong point for the Simpson sisters. The last time Jess's stage performance got this much press was when she flubbed a performance at The Kennedy Center Honors for Dolly Parton. Reportedly, Jess was so nervous over Dolly's presence she forgot the words to icon's famous hit 'Nine to Five.'

Let's hope Papa Joe goes into damage control, and fast. It's what he does best after all; lordy knows he's had enough practice.

All least Jess didn't lip sync as far as we know.

By Penelope Quinn
Catch more goss on our daily program "MTV News" by clicking through to Overdrive !

Slim Shady Is Back

He may be yesterday's news, but Eminem is far from washed up. After a four year wait and endless rumours, Eminem fans will finally get the reprieve they've been waiting for.

The seemingly retired rapper has been missing in action since his last studio album 'Encore', but according to Dr Dre's latest protege, Bishop Lamont, the white trash rap hero is back in the recording studio.

Bishop said that Eminem was "emotionally devastated" following the shooting of his close friend and D12 band member Proof back in 2006, but is now finding closure by channeling his feelings into his music.

Lamont says, "He went through what he had to go through, and now he's been able to take all the pain and stress and put it out in his music."

Even though Eminem has refrained from releasing any new material, the controversial rapper hasn't managed to avoid the spotlight altogether. During his hiatus, he has been accused of assaulting a man in the bathroom of a Michigan strip club, reportedly suffered a mild heart attack and was offered the chance to be an ambassador for weight loss product company Slim-Fast.

The news of a new album from Slim Shady comes as a welcome respite for those distraught at the current state of Hip Slop.

"Em is excited. He's been quiet too long, and he's got a lot to get off his chest," added Bishop.

That may be, but since Em has healed the demons in his personal life (he recently split from ex-wife Kim for good, made nice with his estranged mum and came to grips with the foibles of fame) we wonder what the rapper will lament about in his hardcore lyrics? Will we be seeing an all new, insightful and reflective Em? And if so, will he still have the appeal he once had?

Looks like we'll be able to judge for ourselves sometime soon. Although no official release date has been set, some are suggesting it could be as soon as December.

Come back Em! Sure, your lyrics about your ex-wife and mum were a bit unsettling, but it sure beats the current offerings of bitches, hos, cars and bling.

Let's hope it's a return to form, 'cause it's just so empty without you.

By Penelope Quinn

Catch more goss on our daily program "MTV News" by clicking through to Overdrive !

The Curse Of The Mum-agers

They have it all; bottomless bank accounts, glamorous wardrobes, famous friends and oodles of adoring fans...

There's plenty of downsides to the good life if you care to open the tabloids. Paparazzi, obsessive fans, scandals and dirty laundry aired for all to see. But if you're a former child star, the shortcomings of fame can have grim implications; especially if mum is willing to sacrifice dignity and sanity for a glimpse of the spotlight.

In the world of us mere mortals, the common presumption is that no one looks out for you like mum and dad.

But there are a few celebrity parents that missed out on that manual. For those in the spotlight that are managed by their parents or 'mum-agers', the line between caring parent and scrupulous fortune-chasing manager seems to blur. So when it all goes pear shaped for our young luminaries, should the blame rest squarely on the shoulders of the stage mums?

The all-singing all-dancing Britney Spears was on stage by the age of four, the record company was choosing the colour of her nail polish by age eight and by 16 she was dancing in a rather skant school uniform asking us to 'hit me baby'.

Mother Lynn Spears seems to be a perfect example of what happens when the children of pushy stage mums begin to make their own decisions. It appears Lynn Spears got so caught up in being a manager for her daughters that she forgot how to be a parent. It's been a career that boarders on violating child labour laws, and there's no doubt why poor old Brits is a tad twisted.

Dina Lohan's reign on daughter Lindsay's career is another illustration of mum-aging gone horribly wrong. Having feasted on the career of Lindsay since she first entered show business at the tender age of three, the fame hungry Dina is currently staring in her own reality show in which she attempts to launch siblings Ali and Cody as human piggy banks, er we mean stars. Her mother's pushy antics may give us a reasonable explanation as to why Linds has been into rehab more times than she's changed her undies.

Critics are also calling for a platter with Billy Ray's head on it. Just last month, the 'calloused old veteran of the music biz,' allowed his 15 year old daughter Miley to pose sudo-nude on the cover of Vanity Fair, sparking debate about the sexualisation of young girls.

In 2000, country singer LeAnn Rimes sued her father, Wilbur and his co-manager for embezzling $7 million from her empire. Though Leanne and dad have made up and the case was settled out of court, one might wonder if a child could ever recover from such betrayal.

Interestingly enough, it turns out that in the topsy turvy world of celebrity, scandals do wonders for the bank account (and therefore mummy and daddy's).

You could be forgiven for assuming the parents of such stars see their offspring as a meal ticket, rather than a child that need guidance and discipline. The unfortunate residue of such tactics result in a meteoric rise to fame and an equally disastrous fall from grace, with starlet's troubles receiving more press than their successes.

But there are exceptions.

R&B sensation Usher has recently re-employed his mother as his manager, because she has his best interests at heart after all. Usher gave his mum-ager Jonetta Patton an early retirement after 15 years on the job last year, allegedly because of problems between Jonetta and his now-wife Tameka Foster.

Usher solved the family feud by teaming up with Benny Patton, who also managed the careers of heavyweights Mariah Carey and Jennifer Lopez. But when Usher recently released his sixth album 'Here I Stand', it tanked. While the album made it to number one on the Billboard chart, it only sold 433, 000 copies in its first week, compared to 1.1 million copies of his fifth album 'Confessions'. Usher wasn't a happy camper.

A source says, "Usher was livid. He threatened to fire everyone. People have been telling Usher to listen to his mother. Nobody knows how to sell him better than she does. Usher can be stubborn. But he may be ready (to re-hire his mother)." See? Mother does know best Usher!

Justin Timberlake is another child star who has successfully made the transition from Mouseketeer, to boy band cohort, to one of the most successful artists of his generation with his sanity seemingly intact. And Mum has been looking over his shoulder every step of the way.

The heavy handed mangement tacktics of Beyonce's daddy have come under fire from the media, former Destiny's Child members and even the star herself, but there's no denying that daddy's influence in her talent quest days, to her bootylish girl group and into her unbelievably successful solo career has been triumphant.

Mom-agers do have their strengths, but stage-mothering their way to fame on the back of their progeny isn't one of them. Are you listening Dina and Lynn? You might have moolah in the bank, but remember, money doesn't cuddle and you only get one childhood.

By Marina Banoub

Beyonce Gets New Melons!

What do super stars start demanding when they have everything money can buy? The wonderful, weird and downright obscene!

Jay Z's imagination must have kicked into overdrive on the long flight to Nigeria for the Africa Rising festival last week.

Rumours have surfaced that Jay demanded a watermelon carved in the shape of wife Beyonce's boobies to be displayed in his hotel room where he was staying ahead of his performance at the festival.

A source told the Mirror: "One giant watermelon was split in two and ornately carved into a mould of Beyonce's boobs.

"Two cherries were used as nipples."

Say what? Wonder if the scultor got a molding of B's actual chest puppies?

Jay Z may be a little over ambitious. Cantaloupes maybe, but watermelons...um no. We're talking Beyonce, not Pamela Anderson!

Okay Jay, we get it. You're a super star and can request anything you little heart desires, but isn't this a tad disturbing?

But Jay's not alone; some celebrities may as well have a twisted competition to see who can demand the most outrageous rider (personal requests for their dressing rooms). Check these demands out; makes a bowl of green M&M's seem downright lame!

Eminem requires a PlayStation for video games, ping-pong table, basketball hoop, giant flat-screen TV, personal masseur and "whatever kind of fast-food exists on the continent."

Rod Stewart refuses to tolerate any light in the hotel room for his afternoon nap. He sends a special "darkening" team to the hotel in advance to seal all cracks. And he asks for 13 soccer balls.

Mariah Carey demands that her hotel suite be fitted with gold faucets. A new toilet seat must be installed before her arrival. Her own bed linens are delivered in advance. Both Carey and her dog bathe only in French mineral water but when the pooch can't accompany her, she requests a basket of puppies and kittens to pet.

Jennifer Lopez's suite must be painted and furnished completely in white, with white lilies and white roses, her favorite flowers. White candles prominently placed, preferably with Paris perfume, "Diptyque." Her sheets must be of Egyptian cotton with a thread count of at least 250. Room temperature set at exactly 25.5 degrees Celsius."

Marilyn Manson must always have the air-conditioning always on full. He also requests Haribo gummi bears, Doritos, Microwave popcorn, a bottle of Absinthe and a toothless bald hooker to wash it all down.

For P Diddy, hygiene is of the utmost importance. The star demands 204 towels, 20 bars of soap, a boom box, bouquets of white flowers, cheddar cheese and sour-cream chips and a $300,000 bullet-proof Maybach. Also requested are two bottles each of Hennessy Cognac, Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio, Verve Clicquot, Dom Perignon, and Grey Goose vodka. We're surprised Diddy can stand up by the time he gets on stage!

Don't vex Jay Z, you still take the cake with your watermelon ta ta's!

By Penny Newton

MTV Interview With The Skybombers

No rest for the wicked as they say.

Since Skybombers got signed fresh out of highschool, the Melbourne lads have kept the tour van engine running relentlessly. Word about these fervent young rockers lads is spreading faster than honey in a sauna the first single 'Always Complaining' off their debut album 'Take Me To Town' debuted at #1 on the AIR charts and #23 on the ARIA physical singles chart, while also gaining solid airplay on Triple J and Nova.

Right off the back of a national tour in support of their new album, the boys have barely had time to draw breathhave kept the tour van engine running with an extended bunch of dates across the East Coast and Adelaide in July.

On route to their next gig in Geelong, we catch up with Skybomber's lead vocalist/guitarist Hugh Gurney for a quick chinwag on meeting David Grohl, playing to 'out of the way' places, and how the sugar coated world of rock and roll is treating them.

MTV: So how you guys going?

Hugh: We're great! We've just been having a bit of a practice, we're on our way to our next gig in Geelong!

MTV: Yeah I see you guys aren't just doing the major cities, your visiting a lot of out of the way places.

Hugh: Yeah, there's heaps of appeal in playing smaller venues, as a band you get to play to audiences and go to places that you usually wouldn't, it breaks up the trip. The crowds are different too, if we go to Wollongong or Canberra where they don't get as many live bands coming through, the crowds go nuts which is the really cool thing that results in us going to out of the way places.

MTV: If someone wanted to get a good indication of what you do, would you tell them to go to a live set or listen to your new album 'Take Me To Town'?

Hugh: Well, we started off primarily as a live band It's a hard question because on the record we tried to capture the live essence; the energy is high up and we recorded all in the same room together I'd say come and see us live and then listen to the album! When we started off in Melbourne it was a tough scene because there are so many bands to compete with so we have to do something really special to stand out, so we have pride in being the best live band we could be. People get that and understand it, and I think that sets us apart.

MTV: Tell me a little about yourselves, you seem relatively new on the scene but have been round a while?

Hugh: We haven't been around a really long time, but we have been building up few years. It all started in high school four years ago, we never took ourselves that seriously but then we got a record deal and that's when we started building it up.

MTV: Apparently you guys are one of the hardest working rock bands in Australia? Why is that?

Hugh: I don't know about that! We work hard, and we tour a lot and when we're not touring we're always writing. We never stop for long we never have any down time there's always something happening.

MTV: Is it harder than you thought it would be?

Hugh: I don't see touring as work, when you look at jobs that 90 percent of people do. We play music, drive around see a lot of places that we wouldn't have otherwise and been to some exciting places like the States and New Zealand.
But there are sometime that are tedious and boring; when you're driving for the twentieth day in the row and have to wake up at 6am to be back on the road that's when it's not so fun It's not as glamorous as I hoped or expected but there are awesome parts! When you think rock and roll you think it's glamorous and staying in flash hotel rooms, but for us it's loading our gear into our Kia Carnival...

MTV: Is that what you guys are touring in?!

Hugh: Yeah! Its champagne coloured, very nice but always steers to the left so one day it might be the death of us (laughs)

MTV: So you've done a bit of touring oversees?

Hugh: Yeah we've been to the US and New Zealand and hopefully Japan later on the year and back to the States but that's still in the pipeline.

MTV: Do you get nervous playing to crowds you haven't played to before?
Hugh: We definately enjoy playing to people we haven't played to, we supported Foo Fighters when we toured New Zealand and that was playing to 12 000 people which is about 6 times bigger than the crowds we're used to so it was terrifying! I went to the toilet five times in 10 minutes but when we finished we were all stoked and glad to have made all these new fans. We got to meet Dave Grohl after the show and I was so scared and completely embarrassed myself

MTV: What did you do?

Hugh: I called him Mr Grohl!

MTV: That's no so bad, it could've been worse! You could have forgotton his name altogether.

Hugh: Yeah, he was cool he just started laughing.

MTV: Any Australian rock acts you really look up to and try to emulate?

Hugh: Bands like The Vines, I grew up really enjoying them But it's more about looking at bands and wanting to emulate their success, rather than wanting to sound like Powderfinger or Wolfmother we more aspire to their level of musical and touring success, I'd love to be able to do a sold out show in every place we go like Powderfinger do.

MTV: You guys supported Grinspoon, was there any advice they gave you?
Hugh: Nah, they didn't really pass on any advice, Phil may have passed on a few bad habits though! (Laughs) They were more about having a good time, although we did receive a bit of advice from Dallas Crane, they told us a few words of advice, you know starting out as a young band...

MTV: So how was the Crowd response in the US? The Australian market is dominated with rock but over there you'd be competing with so many different genres.

Hugh: Yeah the crowd response in US was great; there are a lot of musical genres that you compete with in the states but still so many people that love rock. We were on tour with X, an old punk and roll band from 70's and the response we got from their crowds was great because they loved the fact we were Aussies and it gave us point of difference. There are so many people over there, and still a lot of people that are into every sort of genre of music, so it's not like your losing a percentage of your audience.

MTV: Your first single from 'Take Me To Town' was 'Always Complaining' and it debuted at #1 on the AIR chart, were you surprised at the success?

Hugh: Yeah it was a bit of surprise! I'm a massive fan of The Presets and we beat them twice so that was pretty exciting! How that happened I don't know, but it was really cool when it did!

MTV: Where would you like to be in 5 years?

Hugh: Hopefully we'll be releasing records people enjoy and playing to full crowd whether that be 100 people or 100 000 people. That would be my definition of success, releasing albums playing to full rooms and not lying face down in my own vomit! (laughs)

Skybombers album Take Me To Town is out now on Albert Productions

Click here to see where you can catch Skybombers on tour!
www.myspace.com/skybombers

By Penny Newton

Britney Spears No Longer Tragic

Go Brit Brit Go!

Bald heads, breakdowns, and a professional reputation as threadbare as her post rehab wardrobe . Anything remotely 'controversial' Britney Spears does these days pales in comparison to the hijinks of the last year.

Besides, Brit trashing is sooo 2007.

Brit has been noticeably absent from the pages of the tabloids lately - the previously troubled star seems to be on her best behavior under the watchful eye of Daddy Spears and her record company has revealed that a new album is on the way - and it's going to be a cracker.

"Britney Spears is spending her summer in the recording studio, working on a brand new album," manager Larry Rudolph said in a statement released by Jive Records.

"She's working with a team of top-notch producers and songwriters, and we're very excited about what she's accomplished so far. No album release date has been confirmed yet."

What? Not stumbling out of clubs at 3am and flashing what your mumma gave ya at photographers? The tabloids will certainly miss you this summer Brit and the cash your column inches bring in.

Sean Garrett, one of the producers on Spears' new disc, tells EW.com, "We're trying to take her stuff to the next level. I'm going to come up with something crazy for her."

Erm, we don't think Brit needs any help in the crazy department - she's a big girl and can do crazy all by herself! Best not to encourage her Sean, she's doing so well!

All jokes aside, Britney seems to be concentrating on her work, and slowly disappearing off the top of everyone's trashing lists. Rodney Jenkins, who is one of the producers working on her new album, has even claimed that despite the singer's sometimes-chaotic personal life, Britney has been a thorough professional during their sessions so far.

"It usually takes people a long time to record songs and we just did a song," he said. "She walked in at 8:30 and was out by 10:30 - did the whole song, in and out. I was very happy to see she's working on the positive side, and she's moving toward new things now. ... I think it's about to be her time again."

Earlier this month, Jerkins told Rap-Up TV that the two songs he and Spears laid down are "very dance-y, really up-tempo, in the clubs, real aggressive, catchy and very hook-friendly.
"I'm trying to reinvent her and reinvent myself with the project," Jerkins told the site. "I think it's about to be her time again."

Last year, Spears released her fifth studio album, Blackout, which included contributions by Garrett, Pharrell, T-Pain, Danjahandz, Bloodshy & Avant and Keri Hilson. Slated as her career comeback, the album was recorded during a turbulent time in her life with a bun in the oven and divorcing rat-like Kevin Federline.

Attacking paps cars with umbrellas and other appalling behaviour didn't leave Brit much time to promote the album unfortunatly - apart from THAT performance at the VMA's and a couple of videos. Blackout sold 290 000 copies in its first week and was the worst performing studio release of her career; the first not to cross the million mark in sales.

But while Blackout didn't perform in the way of sales, online bloggers almost unanimously agree that it's Britney's best work yet. Funnily enough, holier- than-thou bubblegum pop doesn't seem to work for Brit nearly as well as no-holds-barred white-trash.

Run with it Brit! You do glamour trash so much better than virginal school-girl anyways...

By Penny Newton

MTV Interview With The Living End!

Local lads The Living End have managed to achieve what few Aussie bands accomplish - longevity, credibility and scores of unwavering fans worldwide.

The trio first rose to prominence in the late 90's after their double A-side single, 'Second Solution/Prisoner of Society' blasted the bejesus out of our stereos. Ten and a bit years later, The Living End show no signs of slowing they've scored a swag of awards, a couple of number 1 spots on the Aussie music charts and notable success in the United States and Europe.

With a national tour inked in the diary and an arsenal of new tracks from their forthcoming album 'White Noise' due out on July 19th, the boys are keener than ever to get out and show their handiwork to the nation.

We sit down with vocalist and guitarist Chris Cheney for a chat on the secret of success, writers block and advice for the young fellas.

MTV: You guys have been around about 10 years which is no mean feat in the fickle Australian music industry! What do you think has been the secret of your success?

Chris: I think it's been a few factors, but one of them is that we've played a lot of shows and built up a strong live following. I think we've always done really good gigs and always put a lot of emphasis on trying to write the best songs that we can. We've never really had gimmicks or been over publicised, and of course there's been luck involved but we've also stuck to our guns, and I feel like we've always tried to improve.

MTV: I read that you felt some pressure when writing this album, especially after the success of State Of Emergency how did you overcome these difficulties?

Chris: It's pressure I put on myself rather than from the industry I've always been of the mindset that whatever we've done previously there's always room for improvement and I didn't feel there was anything on the last record that couldn't been bettered. It wasn't something that I stressed about too much, I had writers block that went on for two months and that got pretty difficult to deal with, but it just meant that I had to remove myself and approach it in a different way than just sitting down with my acoustic guitar to unlock creativity. It was probably the biggest hurdle in making this album, but once ideas started to flow, the songs were coming out better than ever.

MTV: You just did a nine date Victorian tour to road test the set of new cuts for the album is crowd response a big part of being able to choose the songs that are going to work for you?

Chris: Usually we record first then go out in tour, but this time we thought we'd go out on the road then hopefully by the time we'd get into the studio the songs would feel worn in and we'd know how they'll transverse live. The audience reaction was huge and gave us the confidence boost that we needed. We knew we were on the right track.

MTV: You guys did this tour with MTV Kickstart winners Yves Klein Blue as a band that has had huge success in the local market, what would be the main point of advice you'd pass onto the young fellas?

Chris: Give up! (laughs) Gees I dunno, we have always been pretty hungry and ambitious to better ourselves, you have to play every gig like it's your last, and we've always been big fans of music. We've always just tried to prove ourselves and keep bettering ourselves. You have to find what you do and what your good at and stick to it, and try not to be strayed by trends or opinions. When we first started playing, we had a vision of what we wanted to be and it's the band that we still are.

MTV: 'White Noise' is an exciting new phase for you guys, what exactly did you hope to achieve with this new album?

Chris: This record was selfish in a way; it was all about pleasing Scott, Andy and myself in the rehearsal room. With our old American label we weren't forced into doing things, but certainly directed in terms of what we released and who we should work with it was a bit heavy handed for our liking and our opinion was swayed more than we liked.
We were burned out from making our last album and touring, so we thought if we're going to make another album it's going to be for ourselves, we didn't listen to anyone and did just what felt good. In that way it's slightly different direction from what we've done before, we've some very epic, emotive songs on there which is what we were trying to achieve - shivers down the spine! We were really getting a buzz from the songs that we've written and if we're happy our songs then our fans are going to be happy because they can see through the bull shit.

MTV: Do you get nervous before the launch of a new album? Is there any anxiety as to how it will be received?

Chris: No I'm not nervous at all the first single 'White Noise' had such a good reaction, it's been our most successful song on radio since our first album, and it's not even the best song on the album. We're really proud, and I can't wait for people to hear it. If you like what we've done in the past then you'll really dig it, and hopefully people who haven't heard us in the past will dig it too.

MTV: You guys are about to launch on another massive tour throughout September and October, what's the most satisfying thing about going on tour?

Chris: It's the shows! Everything else I could take it or leave it, the airports and the monotony Our shows have gotten better over the years, with bigger and bigger audiences and the novelty has never worn off and I don't think it ever will. That's what we are first and foremost, a live band rather than a studio band. I can't wait to get out there and start playing.

MTV: You've also had quite a bit of success in the states do you think this success affected your Aussie fan base at all?

Chris: We've never had any sort of backlash, when we tour in Australia we really do the hard yards. Last time we toured it was 8 weeks which is unheard of, we played every venue you could play and in areas bands don't usually play and people were genuinely appreciative. I know tall poppy syndrome exists but I've never seen it and no ones ever said it to us. I'd hate for that to happen. We do plan on getting back to the States and Europe and Japan but they'll be plenty more touring of Australia to be done because this is our number one market, this is where our biggest audiences are and people appreciate us the most.

MTV: If you hadn't found success with The Living End, any idea what you guys would be up to now?

Chris: Probably a roadie or something, pushing someone else's gear around! Maybe an artist, but maybe not. We've worked pretty hard but also had quite a lot of luck. I don't like to think what would have happened so pretty glad this has paid off!

The Living End release White Noise on July 19.

By Penny Newton

Technorati Tags: MTV,GOSSIP,NEWS,THE LIVING END,WHITE NOISE

Kanye Attending Anger Management

Always good to see there are some celebrities willing to take responsibility for their actions, even if it is under the insistence of their reps.

It's no secret Kanye West like to throw the odd tanty when things don't go his way more memorable moments include his attack on U.S President George W. Bush during a live Hurricane Katrina fund raising telethon, two separate incidents at the MTV Video Music Awards (in 2006, Kanye stormed the stage with an expletive-laden outburst after losing out for Best Video, then in 2007, West exploded after his performance of 'Good Life' was moved from the main stage of the VMAs to a suite at the Palms Las Vegas) and most recently a lengthy tirade on his official blog lashing out at all those Boonaroo "squid brains" .

And while Kanye's wobblies may be entertaining for the rest of us, the rapper's own management team are reportedly plotting to get the outspoken 'Jesus Walks' star to attend anger management classes.

West's reps hope the classes will not only help restore the rapper's psychological well-being and his relationship with friends, but also help him grab some endorsement deals after advertisers expressed concerns that he might be difficult to work with.

"Not only has Kanye estranged himself from some pretty important people in the music business, but his temper has driven away a number of longtime friends," reports a source to The Chicago's Sun-Times.

It seems the rapper might already be exercising some restraint yesterday he responded via a blog over an issue with a portrait photographed by Harpers Bizzare magazine some time ago - minus the use of expletives or caps lock.

"I was made out to be Ben Stiller's character in the movie Dodgeball with the huge pic of himself wrestling a bull in his office," West complains. Kanye simply asks the magazine to mention that he is not the character in the portrait.

Whether the classes will fix what a good nap, Prozac and some fried chicken won't is still yet to be seen, but the question remains whether its anger management classes he should be attending Ego management might be more appropriate.

By Penelope Quinn

Technorati Tags: MTV,GOSSIP,NEWS,KANYEWEST,MTV AUSTRALIA

Wyclef Jean and Scribe Collaborate!

The 2008 MTV Australia Awards was a night New Zealand rapper Scribe won't be forgetting in a hurry. Not only did he win the title of NZ Artist of the Year, he really hit it off with Grammy Award winner Wyclef Jean!

The very next day after meeting backstage at the Awards in April, the pair entered the studio and emerged a few hours later with a remix of Wyclef Jean's 'Fast Car' a track from Wyclef's latest album Carnival Vol. II Memoirs Of An Immigrant.
"Wyclef had heard Scribe's music prior to them meeting and was so impressed that he invited him to perform a guest verse on the remix," explains Dirty Records labelmate, and co-owner P Money.

"I have to be a fan," Wyclef said, "It has to be challenging. The worst thing you can tell me is it can't be done. When I'm in the studio, what I'm most interested in is creating music that truly moves people wherever they may be in the world. By collaborating with my man Scribe from New Zealand, we created a vibe on this track that can truly cross boundaries."

"It was a great honour to have the opportunity to work with Wyclef," explains Scribe. "He has been an inspiration to me since I was a teenager and quite possibly I wouldn't be MC'ing today without his musical influence. I was the biggest Fugees fan and never dreamed I'd meet him, let alone be asked to record with him."

The original version of 'Fast Car' featuring Paul Simon appears on Jean's latest album Carnival Vol II Memoirs of an Immigrant. The remix is now available digitally. Mary J. Blige, Norah Jones, Shakira and Serj Tankian of System Of A Down have all contributed to the album, which is available digitally now.

Meanwhile, you can hear the remixed 'Fast Car' on Scribe's Myspace.

By Penelope Quinn

Technorati Tags: MTV,GOSSIP,NEWS,SCRIBE,WYCLEFJEAN,MTV AUSTRALIA

Jay Z Wants To Collaborate With Noel Gallagher

In an industry that's rife with beef, squabbles and insults, it's nice to see a couple of entertainers doing away with petty name-calling and playing nice - even after publicly rubbishing each other.

Rocker Noel Gallagher had plenty to say after it was announced Jay Z would become the first rap star to headline Glastonbury Festival. One of many critics who insisted hip-hop had no place at the festival, Noel blasted, "I'm not having hip-hop at Glastonbury. It's wrong. Jay-Z's got no chance."

Well turns out no one cared what Noel wanted and the rap star did have a chance not only did he prove detractors like Gallagher horribly wrong by wooing the crowds with his performance, he also gave a rather classy retort by opening his set with Noel's own version of Oasis' 1995 hit "Wonderwall."

Jay-Z admits he was encouraged by the warm reception he received from fans. MTV.com reports "Glastonbury was a historic event for me... I'm feeling the love. Any time you can come from where I come from... (and) come so far... to come overseas and have people embrace you the way I've been embraced thus far, it's just an amazing feeling."
And now the star is keen to prove there's no ill-will about Gallagher's comments - he's interested in talking to the rocker, and insists he'd be open to collaboration between the two.

He tells MTV, "I haven't spoken to him (but) I heard he was reaching out... "
It's not known what changed Noel's mind about the rapper he once called 'wrong'. It may have been Jay Z's rendition of Wonderwall; perhaps it was rapper's attempt to make nice, maybe Noel was feeling like an ass for insulting the hit-maker, or maybe, just maybe, Noel has matured over the years.

Whatever it was, the Oasis rocker has attempted to play down his war of words, blaming the media (and not his big mouth) for stirring controversy, and by asking such questions. Noel said, "For the record, I Iike Jay-Z. That's my opinion. If it offends people, don't ask me any more questions. I should do these things and answer like every two-bit pop star."
Jay even said he's open to working with Oasis in the future should something suitable come up. "Anyone," he answered, when asked about who he'd be willing to work with. "Oasis as well - it doesn't matter to me, I don't bear any grudge, it's all good. I just believe in good music and bad music, I've always said that. You look at any interview from the beginning of time, I've always stated that I don't believe in the lines and classifications that people put music in so they can easily define it."

So maybe we should expect a guest rap or two on Oasis's forthcoming album, Dig Out Your Soul? What could possibley be more interesting than a collaboration between the two biggest egos in the biz? Watching them in the same studio - we'd pay to see those fireworks!

By Penelope Quinn

Technorati Tags: OASIS, NOELGALLEGHER, JAYZ, GLASTONBURY,MTV,GOSSIP,NEWS,MTV AUSTRALIA

Nick Cannon Pussy Whipped By Mariah!

Happy two month anniversary to Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon! Enjoy it while you can, because if your friends are right, you've won't last the year out.

Rumor has it, Nick is already over Mariah's diva ways with many of their associates forecasting it won't last longer than six months. Apparently, being Mr Mariah Carey isn't all that it's cracked up to be!

Whispers abound that the Touch My Body star is so demanding that her new hubby isn't coping with her diva-like behavior, and has such become a source of ridicule by his friends and associates.

The 38-year-old Diva wed rapper Nick Cannon in a quickie wedding after dating for one month in April this year. A source told Life and Style Weekly magazine, "Nick does whatever Mariah wants him to - he's like her puppy. It seems like he spends more time in the stores with Mariah's credit card than he does with Mariah herself.

"Mariah's assistants and friends call him 'Whipped Nick' behind his back. They have little respect for him because he won't stand up for himself."

Another source reports that Nick is playing personal assistant to his new wife, be it on the set of her music video or running countless errands around town. Mariah is also ruling Nick's career with an iron fist allowing him to only play major venues, and overseeing his career moves.

However, a friend of Nick's has fervently denied the relationship is already in strife, adamant that Nick and Mariah are perfect for each other. The pal said, "Mariah needs someone to dote on her."

Before the very public courtship and wedding to Nick, Mariah was known for keeping details of romantic liaisons under raps a lesson she learned after her marriage to record company boss

Tommoy Mottola fell apart after five miserable years back in '97.

Before shacking up with toy boy Nick, Mimi was in a four year relationship with music producer Mark Sudack up until the beginning of this year. Not surprisingly, Mark hasn't taken the news of the marriage too well. Especially since he produced Mariah's career reviving album E=MC2. Talk about getting shafted!

Hmmm sounds like the couple have a lifetime of happiness to look forward to , and if not, the tabloids will have fun watching as they uncover the awful truth about each other. Hope Mariah's got a pre-nup otherwise Nick might be getting more than just her credit cards and career advice!

By Penny Newton

Catch more goss on our daily program "MTV News" by clicking through to Overdrive

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SNOWJAM 2008

2008 MTV Snow Jam Is Coming!
First Bands Announced!

Get your frost bitten mits ready, because the line up for the annual MTV Snow Jam has just been announced!

NZ greats Opshop and Cut Off Your Hands plus our own Aussie greats The Potbelleez and The Grates have been confirmed to perform at the free open air music event in New Zealand's South Island to celebrate MTV NZ third birthday!

This year, the luxury resort Terrace Downs in the Christchurch Canterbury region will provide the incredible scenic backdrop for this year's main event on Saturday August 16.

It's the only event of its kind held in New Zealand, and will be sure to warm the cockles of thousands of local punters searching for some relief from the icy winter winds! Local production crews will be there to catch all the action, so you can enjoy all the frostbitten fun on your telly without having to don your thermals and beanies! Happy Days!

Stay posted to MTV.com.au for more announcements and make sure your locked to your box on Thursday, August 28 at 4pm for MTV SnowJam 2008 'cause you don't want to miss this one!




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Amy Winehouse Calls Kanye A C*%t!

Aren't we lucky we have incredibly trashy and debaucherous Amy Winehouse for tabloid fodder each week? God forbid what would become of news entertainment headlines if the troubled songstress didn't fail to adjust her controversial behavior Not only does she manage to raise the bar each time, but makes the larks of our old standby trash bags aka Britney, Lindsay and Paris look certifiably tame!
And never failing to disappoint, Amy's performance at Glastonbury on the weekend was marred with hostility, rambling dialogue and lots of swearing. While this sort of conduct from the songstress has become as common as muffin tops at the mall, this time Amy decided to switch it up by thumping a fan and calling Kanye West a C*&t!
As reported by The Sun, Amy took to the stage in high spirits, but the mood soon darkened. Fans started to heckle after she mentioned hubby Blake Incarcerated; the singer responded by spitting gum into the audience and retorting: "Don't boo. I'll find your phone and ring your mum and tell them about your bad manners. Manners cost you nothing."
But the most shocking moment came as Amy waded into the mosh pit for her finale, and reportedly punched a fan. According to BBC News, the singer's spokesman said a member of the audience had tried to grab her hair. We are surprised that she felt it under her towering beehive guess that proves it is her real hair after all!
In other Glastonbury news, seems American rapper Jay Z was happy to silence his detractors by performing an outstanding set that received rapturous cheers.
Jay Z's controversial billing at the festival was widely criticised - with Noel Gallagher from Oasis insisting he was a "wrong" choice for the event. The festival recruited the New Yorker in a bid to reach out to a younger audience.
By all accounts, it seems the risk payed off. Not only was the rapper well received at the festival which is usually associated with Indie rock and guitar bands, Jay Z was even able get the best revenge possible on loudmouth Noel when he kicked off the set with a rendition of Oasis's Wonderwall.
While Noel may have had a problem with Jay Z performing at Glastonbury, Amy certainly didn't. In fact during her set she told the audience how they should be grateful they weren't getting Kanye West instead.
"Imagine if it was a c*%t like Kanye West." Amy told the audience. "C*%ts Like Kanye' should be his next album title."
Now we were starting to think the old girl had finally lost it, but if she's calling Kanye West a c*&t, it shows she may still have a firm grasp on reality after all. That being said, punching people doesn't look good Amy, especially for a "celebrity", no matter how badly they might need it! We're surprised her skinny guns didn't snap on impact!
For more music gossip go to www.mtv.com.au

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MTV INTERVIEW WITH YVES KLEIN BLUE

Yves Klein Blue are truly on a golden escalator to the top! Since taking out MTV Kickstart 2007, the Brisbane lads have ticked dozens of boxes on their career clipboard.
Busting onto the indie music atlas from relative obscurity, the band have since signed to Brisbane's own Dew Process label, released their debut EP "Draw Attention to Themselves", and gained regular radio play for their single "Polka" on JJJ and other community radio stations across the country.
So how is the deborcherous world of Rock n Roll treating YKB? MTV sits down for a chat with drummer Chris Banham to find out...

MTV: You've got your new Ep out Draw Attention To Themselves, what can listeners expect?
Chris: When we chose the tracks to put on the new EP, we tried to pick songs that showed the biggest variety of what we play. It was important for us not to pigeon hole ourselves into certain genre; we choose the songs that were the most complete we were happiest with ourselves.

MTV: How did you come up for the name for the EP?

Chris: We first recorded the Ep independently in 2007 when we formed as a band. We spent ages trying to come up with a name, like two months and Michael came up with it in the end. In reality the name of the album is what we were trying to do!

MTV: You guys give a great live performance which in turn helped you win MTV's Kickstart, did you try and transfer the live performance sound to the EP?

Chris: Yeah, when we tracked it we did live recordings because we wanted it to sound natural, the songs jump around in tempo cause that's how we play them live. When I listen to other bands' albums I don't like to judge them until I see them live, so you still need to come to a live show to see what we're like!

MTV: You're signed with Dew Process, who look after Sarah Blasko, The Grates, The Panics, Expatriate, Bernard Fanning and The Living End. Since you belonging to the same label, have you been able meet many of these acts? Did you get any advice?

Chris: Yeah, we've met The Grates, and met Bernard Fanning in passing but haven't sat down for dinner with him yet! We also did an overseas trip with The Panics, and a rural tour with The Living End who were testing out their new tracks for the album. We did eight shows with them across Victoria, and it wasn't like we sat down with them and they gave us a ten point plan, but it was great seeing their professionalism and how whenever they'd go on stage, they'd try and better the performance they'd done the night before. Watching them night after night, and even performing songs they'd just written; it was great to watch them and learn from them. But also to see that they enjoy themselves and love what they do.

MTV: Is a rock and roll career all that it's cracked up to be?

Chris: It's happened so quickly; it hasn't been overnight, but I still wake up some mornings and think ugh, I've got load in a whole heap of equipment and gear night after night and that can get a bit tiring! I didn't really have many expectations either, we're all quite still young, but it's all character building and we're definatly enjoying ourselves.

MTV: Tell me about some of your influences?

Chris: We chop and change. A t the moment, Michael's listening to The Jam - an English rock pop band, I'm a big fan of The Band, Shaun's listening to The Bronx some of our all time favourite bands include Television, The Doors, Strokes, Libertines, Velvet Underground We are influenced by what we're exposed to, but we try and learn from the great bands, I don't think we consciously try to take one band and replicate them

MTV: You've just finished your first video Polka, did the video making process have any surprises for you? Was it all you expected?

Chris: We enjoyed the process of making it, because it was our first on set with heaps of cameras and people! We filmed it in Brisbane and the day we did it ended up being the hottest day of summer it was about 45 degrees we started at 5am in the morning and by 7am it was stinking hot. Whoever wasn't filming was consuming litres of water in the shade! And then we had to go play a gig that night so it was a long day!

MTV: We're you involved in the treatment at all?

Chris: The idea was actually presented to us, and we really liked their ideas. It was filmed on an 8mm camera that gave it a grainy texture, and we liked the idea of the live performance that was incorporated. We were also involved in the editing process about what worked best. We had our own ideas, but were told it would take weeks and would need to employ actors and a lot more crew, and we only had one day to film!

MTV: What's been the highlight of your career so far?

Chris: When we went overseas last year we visited LA and Austin for the South By South West Festival, then New York and London to play with The Vines we were gone about a month and it was quite surreal, especially being in city like LA. Austin was awesome, with SXSW the city just comes alive with bands everywhere and thousands of people and the streets are closed down, it was really exciting and we felt really lucky to have that experience.

MTV: What's coming up for you guys?

Chris: At the moment we've got some festivals coming up like Splendor In The Grass and Great Escape, and we're also supporting Tokyo Police Club, as well as playing some of our shows. Hopefully we'll be working on the album later on in the year, but in the meantime we're going to play as much as possible.

MTV: Do you enjoy playing festivals or prefer to do your own gigs?

Chris: Splendor is our first real festival apart from Big Day Out where we played the local stage. We'll be playing the the main stage at Spledor so that's bit of pressure! The chance to play to 20 000 people at Splendor is pretty exciting, even if we only get 10 people along to see us we'll be stoked!
We love playing our own shows, and are always stoked to see people come along who enjoy our performances and who come along just to see you. Supporting other acts is less pressure, you can hang out and have a few drinks and relax a bit more, whereas at our own performances we always have to wait till after the show to have a drink!

MTV: You guys are performing at The lair on the 3rd July, is performing for telly more nerve racking than a regular live gig?

Chris: Actually no, as mostly you're just performing to the cameras and you don't think about the fact that there's thousands of people watching you! It's not as daunting as a live performance in front of a huge crowd I think.
MTV: Kickstart is about to launch this year any advice for bands entering who want to crack the big time?
Chris: When it came down to the final stage of voting, we tried to play as many publicity gigs as we could at unis and bars We also put the word out through Myspace, emails and got all our friends to vote, we were determined to win! 'Spose our advice would be, try as hard as you can, give it your all and get your friends working for you, because it's defiantly worth it!

If you want Rock and Roll glory like Yves Klein Blue then get to the MTV Kickstart Website right now by clicking here!

Yves Klein Blue Ep Draw Attention To Themselves is out now! Get to http://www.yveskleinblue.com/ for more info, and don't forget to tune into the Lair this Thursday @ 7pm to catch them live!

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