Archive for August, 2010

Footage shot by Kenny Howell

The big headline of the just-released 2010 MTV Video Music Awards nominations is the fact that Lady Gaga is all over the place. The clips for “Bad Romance” and “Telephone” are both nominated (including a Video of the Year nod for each), and Beyoncé’s “Video Phone (Extended Remix)” — which prominently features Gaga — also scored some nods. Considering how much she has done for the music video world in the past year, it’s no surprise that she would figure so prominently in this year’s version of the show, which promises — as always — to be one of the biggest, loudest, most memorable parties of the year. In fact, get to work voting for the winners now.

But Gaga isn’t the only artist multi-tasking this year. B.o.B has two clips nominated (both “Nothin’ on You” and “Airplanes” scored nods), and Paramore frontwoman Hayley Williams is also in two different places on the nominations board. Her band’s “Ignorance” is nominated for Best Rock Video (a solid category that also features 30 Seconds to Mars, Muse, MGMT and Florence and the Machine) and she is also part of the nominations that B.o.B received for “Airplanes” (including a bid for Video of the Year).

To read the complete article visit MTV NEWS

(HarperCollins/It Books; $25.99; August 3, 2010)

Dave Mustaine is the first to admit that he’s bottomed out a few times in his dark and twisted speed metal version of a Dickensian life.

Impoverished, transient childhood? Check.

Abusive, alcoholic parent? Check.

Mind-fucking religious weirdness (in his case the extremes of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and Satanism)? Check.

Alcoholism, drug addiction, homelessness? Check, check, check.

Soul-crushing professional and artistic setbacks? Check.

Rehab? Check (seventeen times, give or take).

Near-death experience? Check that one, too.

James Hetfield, with whom many years ago Mustaine founded a band known as Metallica, once observed, with some incredulity, that Mustaine must have been born with a horseshoe up his ass. That’s how lucky he’s been, how fortunate he is to be pulling breath after so many close calls. And Hetfield is right. Mustaine has been lucky. He has been blessed. But here’s the thing about having a horseshoe lodged in your rectum: It also hurts like hell. And you never forget it’s there.

Mustaine has battled through it all to achieve dizzying heights. From the early, heady days of Metallica, being unceremoniously let go only to become a world-famous rock star—founder, front man, singer, songwriter, and guitarist (and de facto CEO) for Megadeth, one of the most popular bands in heavy metal—Mustaine’s is a story that will inspire, stun, and terrify.

About the Author

Dave Mustaine, widely regarded as the “founding father” of Thrash Metal, almost singlehandedly created the enduring multiplatinum style that launched both Megadeth and Metallica into the public’s consciousness. From 1985’s Killing Is My Business . . . and Business Is Good to the most recent Endgame, with more than twelve album releases with Megadeth, Mustaine has left a legacy of music that has been described as everything from “poignant” to “insightful” to “angry” to “ironic.” Megadeth earned eight Grammy nominations and six platinum certifications. Mustaine lives in San Diego County, California.

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Soundgarden are returning to the live stage in a big way at this weekend’s Lollapalooza, but they’ve also got a new career retrospective on the way: Telephantasm will feature hits, rarities, videos, and “Black Rain,” a previously unreleased song.

The collection arrives September 28, but in an unconventional format: The single-disc, 12-song version of Telephantasm — packed with 11 of the band’s biggest hits including “Black Hole Sun,” “Spoonman,” and “Outshined,” plus “Black Rain” — will be bundled with 1 million copies of the new videogame, Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, which goes onsale that day. After a week, on October 5, the single-disc version will be available at conventional retailers, by itself.

Fans who purchase the video game/album bundle will have instant access to downloadable Soundgarden content for Guitar Hero.

As for “Black Rain,” it’s an outtake from the sessions for 1991’s Badmotorfinger, and singer Chris Cornell recently recorded some new vocals that were mixed into the original song. “What’s amazing,” producer-engineer Adam Kasper tells SPIN, “is Chris recorded new vocal bits, and his voice still hits all those notes. You can’t tell which vocals are from 20 years ago and which are from today.”

For the non-gamers, two deluxe versions of Telephantasm will hit stores on September 28: A three-disc, CD/DVD combo that includes two albums of hits, b-sides, and rarities, plus a DVD with every Soundgarden music video, including some rare edits and foreign versions; and a “super deluxe edition” that bundles the CD/DVD combo with three discs of heavy vinyl and special collector’s packaging.

To read the complete article visit SPIN