MTV New Media teams up with "Hustle & Flow" director Craig Brewer to
add viewers an online music drama serial dedicated to the Memphis music
fit
NEW YORK, Aug. 22 -- From Elvis Presley and Isaac Hayes to
Three 6 Mafia and Justin Timberlake, Memphis has a long history of
nurturing diverse musical acts. MTV New Media, a division of Viacom's MTV
Networks (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B) is set to explore the modern-day incarnation of
Memphis, Tennessee's legendary music scenery with a groundbreaking,
music-driven episodic serial created by "Hustle & Flow" theatre director and
Memphis-based film maker Craig Brewer. The series, "$5 Cover," glimpses into
the lives of young modern-day artists working to make their mark on the
historied musical landscape those legends created -- all the while creating
drama of their have over 15 digital episodes as they fight for love,
inspiration and economic rent money.
Set in the clubs, all-nite cafes, no-tell motels and woolly
neighborhoods of present-day Memphis, the series is about music discovery
and raw subject matter. The characters play themselves and perform their possess
music, with each episode incorporating an exciting carrying into action or recording
session. "$5 Cover" allows viewers to follow reliable characters as they
hustle to hone their trade and pull through the heat of the South. "$5 Cover"
will be available on multiple screens, including online at
hTTP://www.fivedollarcover.com, mobile and gambling devices and MP3 players.
"'$5 Cover' allows a talented film producer like Craig to use technologies
that change the way audiences consume and engage in content," said David
Gale, Executive Vice President of MTV New Media, who previously ran MTV
Films for its first 11 years, where he oversaw the handout of "Hustle and
Flow." "Rather than using all the new screens as simply additional
distribution platforms, we are building an exclusively new interactional
experience that makes connections between the audience and content more
meaningful."
More than an introduction to underground artists, "$5 Cover" gives
tV audience a behindhand the scenes look at what's heating up Memphis. Viewers buttocks
take a virtual tour of duty of the local music scene, explore some of the cast's
favorite hangouts, and commence an inside look at Memphis hotspots.
Additionally, MTV will share social networking applications and other
digital tools with fans to build anticipation in between episodes and stoke
their excitation for new content. MySpace and Facebook widgets created for
"$5 Cover" will continuously feed related depicted object, including exclusive
music performances, video blogs and television tours of popular Memphis juke
joints.
"Content is now a click away and distribution platforms canful fit in the
palm tree of your hand. Everyone in amusement is stressful to figure out what
to make for the online 'snacking' culture and how to craft a successful
patronage model," aforementioned Brewer. "I think the best whatsoever filmmaker or producer
stool do in this fresh medium is embrace a frontier disembodied spirit, charge in head
first-class honours degree, and celebrate what you love. For me it's always been Memphis music
and musicians. And now people from around the world, at any time of the
day, on a pack of devices, will be able to click and snack in my have
backyard with some of the coolest cats this side of the Mississippi River."
Memphis has been home to deep cultural exchanges as well as painful
culture clashes, simply the place of birth of the blues, gospel and rock candy 'n' roll
has incessantly been a town with a flourishing music scene, where hoi polloi from every
walk of life embracing every music genre of music. "$5 Cover" is a uniquely rich
experience for viewers and tells a compelling untold story of struggle and
ambition.
Meet the Cast
These ar the artists and stories that make up the heart and soul of
"$5 Cover":
Amy LaVere as Amy -- Rock/Indie/Americana
Southern songstress whose petite frame is smaller than the pedestal up
bass she plays. Sassy and talented, her voice is innocent and bewitching.
She is ambitious, but when she gets romantically involved with band match,
her expectations fall poor, creating yet another sad song.
Clare Grant -- Actress/Former Playboy "Babe of the Month"
She is the garage-band poster girl -- the drinking, terpsichore muse of all
the rockers in Memphis. When Clare can't find love she goes to extremes.
She has been known to party as well hard and go house with the guys in the band,
putting her friendships in jeopardy.
Ben Nichols as Ben -- Rock/Southern Rock
Sexy as hell defective boy, and front human being of Lucero. Ben is an old flame of
Clare's (amongst many others). He is invariably touring with his band, but
is in townspeople long enough to turn Clare's earth upside down. The kind of guy wire
you wouldn't bring home base to mummy, covered in tattoos, all the women swoon
over him.
Al Kapone -- Rap/Crunk
Al is one of the originators of the Memphis underground pat explosion
and a pioneer of the Dirty South Crunk/Buck trend of Hip-Hop. He is a true
performer and loves to work an audience. He mentors his son AJ, on the
music game and records his menstruation between bringing jobs.
Kate Crowder of Two Way Radio -- Indie Pop
Sweet and sincere, Kate is a mother and musician. Her voice is angelic
and evokes a world filled with cotton candy, bubblegum and carnivals. Her
lyrics, sometimes deep, are all nigh love.
Muck Sticky -- Rap/Comedy/Alternative
He is known as Muck, Muck Sticky, the Sticky Muck, or the Nifty Mervous
Thrifty. He is a tireless self-promoter and sincere ambassador of peace,
friendly relationship and personal empowerment. Muck has a crush on Kate but is ineffective
to press out his feelings for her.
Brad Postlethwaite as Brad -- Indie/Pop
Slender with glasses and a byssus, Brad is a musical genius; he seems to
play with everyone in town and fronts a band called Snowglobe. Brad is
secure and knows his mode around Packy's studio.
Valerie June -- Folk/Rock
Valerie is a singer-songwriter, whose mysterious, melodic voice and
eclectic, neo-hippie style transcends her down home southerly charm and
wholesome beauty. She lives in the same menage as Amy, Clare and Wally and
works at the local coffee bar, Java Cabana.
Alicja Trout as Alicja -- Garage/Punk/Rock
Rock star topology and mother, Alicja is a bad ass, thug rock musical powerhouse
and the subject of one of Wally's many documentaries. She demands
everyone's attention when she is rocking out with her ring River City
Tanlines.
Harlan T Bobo -- Rock/Indie
Harlan T Bobo's ironic, tortured lamentations experience established him as
i of Memphis's top singer-songwriters. At once humorous and sincere,
Bobo's voice is practically the soundtrack for a packed Saturday-night show as it
is the Sunday-morning hangover that follows -- a love-weary, public diary
of romance and loss.
Jack Oblivian of Jack O and the Tennessee Tearjerkers -- Rock/Indie
The patron angel of many a Memphis musician, Jack "Oblivian" Yarber has
spread his hard-driving punk sway anthems around the existence with ill-affected
charm. When he's home, the city's musicians come together for his shows --
both as fans and as students.
"$5 Cover" was created by Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow, Black Snake
Moan). Van Toffler, (President, MTV Networks Music & Logo Group), and David
Gale, (EVP, MTV New Media) will Executive Produce. Scott Bomar, Erin Hagee,
and David Harris will serve as producers, along with Jen Ringel as
co-producer.
The format of the "$5 Cover" allows for the know to be
developed in other cities around the country and the orb, exploring music
and culture from the point of view of filmmakers wHO are as knowledgeable
and passionate almost their local scenes as Craig is about Memphis.
The William Morris Agency brokered the deal on behalf of Craig Brewer.
Brewer is managed by Brad Gross and is delineate by attorney Carlos
Goodman of Bloom Hergott Diemer Rosenthal LaViolette & Feldman, LLP.
About MTV
MTV is the dynamic, vibrant experimentation at the intersection of music,
creativity and youth culture. For over 26 years, MTV has evolved,
challenged the norm, and detonated boundaries -- gift each new generation
a creative way out and vocalization that entertains, informs and unites on every
platform and screen. On-air, MTV has been the identification number one rated 24 time of day
ad-supported transmission line network P12-24 for 16 straight long time. Online, MTV.com
scored double-digit growth in 2007 and MTV launched 15 dynamic online
communities and eight novel virtual worlds. On the go, MTV Mobile is the #1
music brand in the wireless space -- delivering 90% more streams than in
2006. And MTV's successful sibling networks MTV2, mtvU and MTV Tr3s each
drive home unprecedented customized content, super-serving music fans, college
students and whitney Moore Young Jr. American Latinos like no one else. MTV is part of MTV
Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), one of the world's leading
creators of programing and content across all media platforms. Wanna know
more? Come on in... http://www.mtvpress.com.
More info
Tuesday 26 August 2008
Thursday 7 August 2008
LaBeouf booked for DUI after late-night wreck
LOS ANGELES �
Shia LaBeouf was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving Sunday after an former morning shipwreck in which the "Indiana Jones"
Friday 27 June 2008
Tuesday 24 June 2008
Coldplay Deny Claims Of Plagiarism
British band Coldplay are fighting off claims that they ripped off a song by another group, after Brooklyn-based band Creaky Boards claimed that they borrowed the melody of one of their tracks - and they’ve put together a video comparing the two to prove it. Click ‘read more’ to check out the video.
In a post titled “God Damn Coldplay”, written by the Creaky Boards on their MySpace page on June 1, the band draw comparisons between the current Coldplay hit ‘Viva La Vida’ and their own composition, ‘The Songs I Didn’t Write.’
“I wrote a strikingly similar song over a year before the Coldplay song was released,” band-member Andrew says in a YouTube video, in which he also claims that the band thought they saw Chris Martin in the audience at one of their shows.
However, a spokesperson for the British chart-toppers has refuted the claims, saying that ‘Viva La Vida’ was written and demoed in March last year, and that Martin was in London at the time the band claims they saw him.
Watch the video comparing the two songs below.
Photo courtesy of Capitol.
In a post titled “God Damn Coldplay”, written by the Creaky Boards on their MySpace page on June 1, the band draw comparisons between the current Coldplay hit ‘Viva La Vida’ and their own composition, ‘The Songs I Didn’t Write.’
“I wrote a strikingly similar song over a year before the Coldplay song was released,” band-member Andrew says in a YouTube video, in which he also claims that the band thought they saw Chris Martin in the audience at one of their shows.
However, a spokesperson for the British chart-toppers has refuted the claims, saying that ‘Viva La Vida’ was written and demoed in March last year, and that Martin was in London at the time the band claims they saw him.
Watch the video comparing the two songs below.
Photo courtesy of Capitol.
Saturday 21 June 2008
Stifler Studies Mayer 101
Seann William Scott has a man crush on John Mayer. Honestly, who doesn't?
The "American Pie" alum chatted up our photog in NYC yesterday, trying to learn what makes Mayer so cool. But take note, learning Mayer's charm is a lot harder than bagging Stifler's mom.
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The "American Pie" alum chatted up our photog in NYC yesterday, trying to learn what makes Mayer so cool. But take note, learning Mayer's charm is a lot harder than bagging Stifler's mom.
See Also
Pharao
Artist: Pharao
Genre(s):
Dance
Discography:
Pharao - The Return (1997)
Year: 1997
Tracks: 16
Pharao
Year: 1994
Tracks: 13
The German duo Pharao consisting of Indian descent singer Kyra Pharao (innate 1971) and American rapper Deon Blue (innate Marcus Deon Thomas in 1970) debuted with a unmarried called "I Show You Secrets," followed by a self-titled album produced in 1994 by Alexander Hawking and DJ Stevie Steve. Waliser Eric Martin (innate 1971) replaced Deon Blue before issue Pharao's 1998 album The Return.
Friday 20 June 2008
Joe Henry
Artist: Joe Henry
Genre(s):
Rock
Discography:
Civilians
Year: 2007
Tracks: 12
Tiny Voices
Year: 2003
Tracks: 12
Scar
Year: 2001
Tracks: 10
Short Man's Room
Year: 1999
Tracks: 11
Trampoline
Year: 1996
Tracks: 9
Joe Henry is topper known for his deuce country-influenced albums, 1992's Short Man's Room and 1993's Kindness of the World, both of which feature article members of the country-rock set the Jayhawks, simply his melodic focus has actually changed several multiplication over the course of action of his recording career, reflecting his restless, adventurous spirit.
H was natural in North Carolina, grew up in Michigan, exhausted the early part of his music vocation in New York City, and last settled in Los Angeles in 1990 with his wife and word. After his little-heard 1986 debut, Speak of Heaven, Henry debuted on A&M in 1989 with the rock & roll album Mangle of Crows, which was produced by Anton Fier and featured Mick Taylor on guitar.
From in that respect he pared down in the mouth to the quiet, completely acoustic moods of Shuffletown (1990) before shifting into the state and folk-influenced soil of Short Man's Room and Kindness of the World. The latter two albums earned him an fantabulous report among fans of alternative rock and country as a superb isaac Bashevis Singer and songwriter. He followed Kindness with the five-song EP Fireman's Wedding a year later.
Henry's lyrics are a central centering of his songwriting, just level though he oftentimes writes in the start person, his songs are not "personal" in the manner of musicians wHO ar often called singer/songwriters (a genre he doesn't wish to be associated with). He's recorded some excellent area covers, only he's equally concerned in soul, blue funk, and stone & roll.
On Trampoline, released in 1996, Henry veered his music in an edgier, more rhythm-oriented focus. While he placid employs acoustic instruments and even a pedal-steel guitar on several songs, Trampoline (much of which Henry recorded at a studio he typeset up in his garage) is more than understandably defined by its metal drum loops, loud galvanic guitars, cryptic voices, and curious sonic textures. For this album Henry recruited guitarist Page Hamilton from the band Helmet and drummer Carla Azar from the band Edna Swap.
Mix -- mixed with the aid of Daniel Lanois and T-Bone Burnett -- followed in 1999. Two days later, Henry returned with the enigmatic stunner Scar. This especial button marked his final with Mammoth. He opted for a conduct with Epitaph's Anti and entered the studio in December 2002 to record his ninth album, Tiny Voices, his about intricate to date. A second base album on Anti, Civilians, followed in 2007.
Tila Tequila Hearts Christina Ricci
Liv Tyler - The Things They Say 8411
"He has no idea what my dad does, or that he's famous but I can tell that he thinks there's something special about him. He gets this little extra twinkle in his eye when he's around him." LIV TYLER on her son's relationship with his AEROSMITH rocker grandfather STEVEN TYLER.
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SAG tries to mend fences
Urging message of unity as talks reopen Monday
The clock is ticking.
With 15 days left before SAG's contract with the producers expires, the guild's national negotiating committee pushed a message of unity on Friday in an effort to salvage the divisiveness that has erupted in its battle against AFTRA and its newly brokered primetime/TV contract.
"We are united and committed to working together in achieving the best possible contract for the benefit of all actors," the committee stated. "We pledge to stand together, united, not allowing ourselves to be distracted from our crucial and singular mission by anyone. No matter what the distraction or from where it may come, this committee will continue to stand firm to achieve the best contract possible."
The message outlines the priorities in their bargaining, including increases for middle class actors and more DVD residuals, and came one day after SAG's New York board, as well as members of both SAG and AFTRA in Chicago, publicly rejected the union's campaign against the AFTRA contract.
"I'm assuming that they're finally saying, 'We hear you and there will be no more anti-AFTRA, no more anti-anything and we're going to work on a SAG contract,' " said New York board member and former 2nd national vp Paul Christie. "If the idea of the statement is, unfortunately, some kind of 'New York, Chicago and anybody in Hollywood that doesn't agree with us' paranoid statement, then it does more harm than good.
"(New York members) choose to believe that come Monday, they will sit down at the table and focus solely on what we're trying to get for guild members," he added.
SAG will resume negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers Monday morning at 10 a.m.
AFTRA has started its own "Vote Yes" campaign, posting over the weekend a video of AFTRA leaders discussing the terms of the new contract. The performers union also sent members an e-mail that included a broad outline of the new deal and featured photos of members, including Sally Field, Jane Curtin and James Cromwell, indicating, "We're voting yes on the AFTRA primetime TV contract!"
AFTRA and the AMPTP reached a deal on May 28. Members are expected to receive details of the contract and a ratification ballot sometime this week. The union expects to have the results of the vote by July 7.
SAG has 120,000 members while AFTRA has 70,000. The unions share 44,000 members.
Friday marked SAG's 30th day of negotiations with the AMPTP. During those 30 days, talks between the two entities were suspended while the AMPTP negotiated with AFTRA. SAG came back to the bargaining table on May 28 and since then has publicly attacked AFTRA's deal, promising its dual cardholders that SAG can get a better contract than their sister actor union.
The AMPTP has kept out of the fray until last Thursday, when it publicly issued an update of the negotiations to its members.
In it, the AMPTP called SAG's campaign against AFTRA a "distraction" from the negotiations at hand. The studios also took issue with SAG's contentions that a deal won't be done until after the contract's June 30 deadline.
"We remain committed to making a fair and reasonable agreement before the June 30th deadline and are pushing ahead despite the rallies, meetings and events to which SAG's Hollywood leadership has recently devoted considerable time and energy (often during hours that are usually reserved for negotiations)," the AMPTP stated. "Unfortunately, these side-shows -- distractions which SAG's Hollywood leaders appear committed to perpetuating -- will not help our industry reach our fifth 2008 labor agreement by June 30."
SAG represents 90% of the scripted primetime network and pay TV series and 100% of films.
In response to the AMPTP, the union said it has made "significant moves in the AMPTP's direction on a number of proposals. The limited progress the AMPTP referred to in its recent statement is largely because management has not made an equally dedicated effort to achieving progress.
"Negotiations are about give and take and thus far it has primarily been SAG's negotiating committee giving," SAG stated.
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Sarah Jessica Parker - Parkers Son Hates Her Designer Dresses
SARAH JESSICA PARKER has fallen out of favour with one fashion critic - her five-year-old son JAMES hates her designer outfits.
The 43-year-old's young tot hates to see the star dressed in glamorous gowns, because he connects Parker's designer wares with her leaving the house to go to work.
And James gets so upset his mum has to leave him to fulfil her duties as a style icon, he demands she gets changed into something more conservative.
She explains, "He associates me a big dress with me having to leave the house, and he associates my hair being up with me being at work. And he is verbal.
"Sometimes he will see me with a dress on and he will ask me to take it off because he thinks that will somehow keep me in the house."
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Coldplay, With Brian Eno, Revolt Against Piano-Dudeness
Chris Martin’s dude-crooning-at-piano routine threatens to overwhelm this disc only once — on “Death and All His Friends.” Producer Brian Eno and Coldplay the band otherwise command a marvelously unexpected collection of cinema-rock tunes that reach the band’s trademark soaring melodic heights but with clever instrumentation, experimental production, and teamwork. “Lovers in Japan/Reign of Love” stocks a two-movement opus with cloud-high guitar licks, jazzy drumming, and bass melodies that make you wish the band had overthrown Martin three albums ago.
Corrie's Liam set for dramatic exit?
'Coronation Street' heartthrob Rob James-Collier is reportedly set to quit the show when his current contract expires at the end of this year.
According to Digital Spy, the 31-year-old actor, who plays factory boss Liam Connor in the show, is leaving because of "typecast" fears.
A show source reportedly told the News of the World: "Nobody was expecting this and it's bad news because Liam has become hugely popular with fans."
"He won Sexiest Male at the British Soap Awards and they had big things planned for him."
"They wanted the Carla-Liam-Maria thing to really step up in pace, with him finally cheating on his girl with his sister-in-law. It would have given them a brilliant storyline which could have bubbled away until Christmas."
According to the report, a 'Coronation Street' spokesperson late confirmed the actor's planned departure, saying: "We've known for some time that Rob would be leaving at the end of his current contract."
"It's given the writers time to pen a really good exit storyline for his character, Liam."
"Rob will remain filming with us until around October and he will bow out on screen at the end of the year."
According to Digital Spy, the 31-year-old actor, who plays factory boss Liam Connor in the show, is leaving because of "typecast" fears.
A show source reportedly told the News of the World: "Nobody was expecting this and it's bad news because Liam has become hugely popular with fans."
"He won Sexiest Male at the British Soap Awards and they had big things planned for him."
"They wanted the Carla-Liam-Maria thing to really step up in pace, with him finally cheating on his girl with his sister-in-law. It would have given them a brilliant storyline which could have bubbled away until Christmas."
According to the report, a 'Coronation Street' spokesperson late confirmed the actor's planned departure, saying: "We've known for some time that Rob would be leaving at the end of his current contract."
"It's given the writers time to pen a really good exit storyline for his character, Liam."
"Rob will remain filming with us until around October and he will bow out on screen at the end of the year."
John Adams + Steve Reich
Artist: John Adams + Steve Reich
Genre(s):
Classical
Classical
Discography:
Variations for Winds, Strings and Keyboards, Shaker Loops
Year: 1984
Tracks: 5
The New Pornographers
Artist: The New Pornographers
Genre(s):
Rock
Indie
Discography:
Challengers
Year: 2007
Tracks: 12
Twin Cinema
Year:
Tracks: 14
Joan Rivers - Rivers Mourns Dogs Death
Comedienne JOAN RIVERS tried to save her dying dog by taking inspiration from the BURT LANCASTER movie ELMER GANTRY.
Rivers was convinced she could save her beloved pet pooch, LuLu, after watching the 1960 movie, where Lancaster plays a salesmen trying to sell religion to America in the 1920s.
But her efforts were to no avail.
She explains, "When we were alone in the apartment I spent 10 minutes laying on hands the way healers do. I would touch LuLu and say 'heal' and 'feel the heat'.
"I must have looked like a total loony toon but I just watched the movie Elmer Gantry and I figured that if Burt Lancaster could do it, so could I."
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