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

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.

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 !