Before Michael Jackson was a pop star in his own right, millions of Americans knew him as the lead vocalist on The Jackson 5’s “ABC.” The tune made history because of its title. Jackson released two other songs that made history for the exact same reason.
The Jackson 5’s ‘ABC’ is tied for the No. 1 single with the shortest title
Many companies measure the success of popular songs but Billboard is the most famous. When people say a song is “a No. 1 hit,” they are likely saying that the song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. With The Jackson 5 and as a solo artist, Jackson was no stranger to success on the Billboard Hot 100.
Several songs are tied for having the shortest title on the Billboard Hot 100. They all have three characters in their names. Those songs include The Jackson 5’s “ABC,” Frankie Avalon’s “Why,” Edwin Starr’s “War,...
The Jackson 5’s ‘ABC’ is tied for the No. 1 single with the shortest title
Many companies measure the success of popular songs but Billboard is the most famous. When people say a song is “a No. 1 hit,” they are likely saying that the song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. With The Jackson 5 and as a solo artist, Jackson was no stranger to success on the Billboard Hot 100.
Several songs are tied for having the shortest title on the Billboard Hot 100. They all have three characters in their names. Those songs include The Jackson 5’s “ABC,” Frankie Avalon’s “Why,” Edwin Starr’s “War,...
- 4/23/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Jonathan Swift published his popular fantasy-cum-political-satire "Gulliver's Travels" -- a.k.a. "Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. In Four Parts. By Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, and then a Captain of Several Ships" -- in 1726. Gulliver, in traveling to faraway and bizarre lands, finds several countries and kingdoms whose entire societies are focused on trivial matters, often to the point of ruination. In Lilliput, the citizens are six-inch-tall royals, and the country has split into factions over which side of the egg is more appropriate for cracking. Gulliver also visits the giant country of Brobdingnag, the floating island of Laputa, and several other fantastical places. To this day, Swift's novel is a provocative and pointed read, poking fun at governmental idiocy in general, and foolish obsessives in particular.
Rob Letterman's 2010 film adaptation of "Gulliver's Travels" is ... not provocative. In fact, it's downright dumb. The 2010 film...
Rob Letterman's 2010 film adaptation of "Gulliver's Travels" is ... not provocative. In fact, it's downright dumb. The 2010 film...
- 1/1/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Kai Cenat is using his YouTube channel to showcase his action chops. The streaming superstar has premiered Global Pursuit, a short film inspired by the action-comedy franchise Rush Hour.
Global Pursuit features solid production values, dozens of crew members, and cameo appearances — even though it was filmed in just three days, according to its star. Cenat met Global Pursuit co-star Ray H during a trip to Japan, and the pair became fast friends. They soon embarked on a filmmaking project together. The trailer for Global Pursuit hit Cenat’s YouTube channel on August 23, and the full 17-minute film dropped two days later.
Once the Global Pursuit trailer was released, it didn’t take long before streamers like BiigWes noticed similarities between the project and Rush Hour. Kai and Ray put a contemporary twist on Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan’s chemistry while fighting bad guys and jamming to the Edwin Starr...
Global Pursuit features solid production values, dozens of crew members, and cameo appearances — even though it was filmed in just three days, according to its star. Cenat met Global Pursuit co-star Ray H during a trip to Japan, and the pair became fast friends. They soon embarked on a filmmaking project together. The trailer for Global Pursuit hit Cenat’s YouTube channel on August 23, and the full 17-minute film dropped two days later.
Once the Global Pursuit trailer was released, it didn’t take long before streamers like BiigWes noticed similarities between the project and Rush Hour. Kai and Ray put a contemporary twist on Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan’s chemistry while fighting bad guys and jamming to the Edwin Starr...
- 8/25/2023
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Barrett Strong, one of Motown‘s founding artists and most gifted songwriters who sang lead on the company’s breakthrough single “Money (That’s What I Want)” and later collaborated with Norman Whitfield on such classics as “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” “War” and “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone,” has died. He was 81.
His death was announced Sunday on social media by the Motown Museum, which did not immediately provide further details.
“Barrett was not only a great singer and piano player, but he, along with his writing partner Norman Whitfield, created an incredible body of work,” Motown founder Berry Gordy said in a statement.
Strong had yet to turn 20 when he agreed to let his friend Gordy, in the early days of building a recording empire in Detroit, manage him and release his music. Within a year, he was a part of history as the piano player and vocalist for “Money,...
His death was announced Sunday on social media by the Motown Museum, which did not immediately provide further details.
“Barrett was not only a great singer and piano player, but he, along with his writing partner Norman Whitfield, created an incredible body of work,” Motown founder Berry Gordy said in a statement.
Strong had yet to turn 20 when he agreed to let his friend Gordy, in the early days of building a recording empire in Detroit, manage him and release his music. Within a year, he was a part of history as the piano player and vocalist for “Money,...
- 1/30/2023
- by Sarah Curran
- ET Canada
More than 73 years ago, Barrett Strong, as a singer, declared “Money (That’s What I Want)” — for the first hit single from the Motown empire.
What he actually wound up getting was musical immortality. As a songwriter.
Strong — who died Sunday, Jan. 29, at the age of 81 in Detroit — co-wrote some of Motown’s most enduring hits, with a variety of collaborators but primarily the late Norman Whitfield. Those included “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” for Marvin Gaye and Gladys Knight & the Pips, “War” for Edwin Starr, the Undisputed Truth’s “Smiling Faces Sometimes” and a wealth of material for the Temptations — “I Wish It Would Rain,” “Just My Imagination,” “Cloud Nine,” “Psychedelic Shack” and “Papa Was a Rolling Stone,” for which Strong shared a Grammy Award.
The transition from performer to songwriter suited him well. “I never felt comfortable with myself as a recording artist,” Strong told Billboard in...
What he actually wound up getting was musical immortality. As a songwriter.
Strong — who died Sunday, Jan. 29, at the age of 81 in Detroit — co-wrote some of Motown’s most enduring hits, with a variety of collaborators but primarily the late Norman Whitfield. Those included “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” for Marvin Gaye and Gladys Knight & the Pips, “War” for Edwin Starr, the Undisputed Truth’s “Smiling Faces Sometimes” and a wealth of material for the Temptations — “I Wish It Would Rain,” “Just My Imagination,” “Cloud Nine,” “Psychedelic Shack” and “Papa Was a Rolling Stone,” for which Strong shared a Grammy Award.
The transition from performer to songwriter suited him well. “I never felt comfortable with myself as a recording artist,” Strong told Billboard in...
- 1/30/2023
- by Gary Graff, Billboard
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Barrett Strong, the Motown artist who sang the label’s first major hit “Money (That’s What I Want)” and wrote songs for the Temptations and others, has died. He was 81.
“Barrett was not only a great singer and piano player, but he, along with his writing partner Norman Whitfield, created an incredible body of work, primarily with the Temptations,” Motown founder Berry Gordy said in a statement. “Their hit songs were revolutionary in sound and captured the spirit of the times like ‘Cloud Nine’ and the still relevant, ‘Ball...
“Barrett was not only a great singer and piano player, but he, along with his writing partner Norman Whitfield, created an incredible body of work, primarily with the Temptations,” Motown founder Berry Gordy said in a statement. “Their hit songs were revolutionary in sound and captured the spirit of the times like ‘Cloud Nine’ and the still relevant, ‘Ball...
- 1/30/2023
- by Althea Legaspi
- Rollingstone.com
Timmy Thomas Dies: Singer-Songwriter Of 1972 Hit Anti-War Anthem ‘Why Can’t We Live Together’ Was 77
Timmy Thomas, the singer, songwriter and keyboardist whose minimalist yet urgent 1970s hit anti-war anthem “Why Can’t We Live Together” eventually would sell more than 2 million copies, died March 11, at a hospital in Miami. He was 77.
Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2022: Photo Gallery
His family announced his death on Facebook, and wife Lillie (Brown) Thomas told The New York Times that the cause was cancer.
Accompanied only by his Lowrey organ and an early drum machine set to a staccato, bossa nova beat, Thomas delivered a fervent, melancholy vocal performance calling for an end to war as the conflict in Vietnam dragged on. In a refrain that was as catchy as it was pleading, Thomas sang, “Everybody wants to live together/Why can’t we live together?”
Released in August 1972, the reached No. 1 on R&b charts and No. 3 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart in early 1973.
Although Thomas...
Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2022: Photo Gallery
His family announced his death on Facebook, and wife Lillie (Brown) Thomas told The New York Times that the cause was cancer.
Accompanied only by his Lowrey organ and an early drum machine set to a staccato, bossa nova beat, Thomas delivered a fervent, melancholy vocal performance calling for an end to war as the conflict in Vietnam dragged on. In a refrain that was as catchy as it was pleading, Thomas sang, “Everybody wants to live together/Why can’t we live together?”
Released in August 1972, the reached No. 1 on R&b charts and No. 3 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart in early 1973.
Although Thomas...
- 3/15/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
The emotions that stampede through the 23 tracks on Stop the War should be familiar to anyone who’s heard songs objecting to the Vietnam fiasco of the Sixties and Seventies. Soldiers yearn to see their lovers or families again or beg those partners to stay faithful; protesting voices call out for troops to be brought home or simply never be sent into battle at all. Some of the voices are angry; others are dipped in anguish.
What sets this anthology apart from nearly every other collection of anti-war songs, though,...
What sets this anthology apart from nearly every other collection of anti-war songs, though,...
- 6/2/2021
- by David Browne
- Rollingstone.com
A few weeks ago, Paul Stanley texted Gene Simmons a link to a long-forgotten soul song called “The 81” after his obstinate Kiss bandmate questioned its existence.
“He said, ‘There’s no song called that.’ I said, ‘Yeah, there is!’ I sent him the song and he said, ‘It sounds just like Martha and the Vandellas,'” Stanley tells Rolling Stone, going on to relay the history of “The 81,” the band that cut it, Candy and the Kisses, and why Simmons’ comparison to Martha Reeves was an accurate one. “It was about a dance.
“He said, ‘There’s no song called that.’ I said, ‘Yeah, there is!’ I sent him the song and he said, ‘It sounds just like Martha and the Vandellas,'” Stanley tells Rolling Stone, going on to relay the history of “The 81,” the band that cut it, Candy and the Kisses, and why Simmons’ comparison to Martha Reeves was an accurate one. “It was about a dance.
- 3/17/2021
- by Joseph Hudak
- Rollingstone.com
Martha Reeves was just about to go to bed on Monday evening when she got the horrible news that her dear friend Mary Wilson had died. The two Motown stars had known each other since the earliest days of their careers more than 60 years ago, and they’d traveled the world countless times in various revue shows, playing timeless Sixties hits like “Baby Love,” “Heat Wave,” and “Stop! In The Name of Love.” In the past few years, Reeves and Wilson toured together as the Legendary Ladies of Motown, and...
- 2/9/2021
- by Andy Greene
- Rollingstone.com
By the dawn of the Seventies, the protest song was considered as much a relic of the previous decade as the word “groovy,” with notable exceptions like Edwin Starr’s “War,” Neil Young’s “Ohio,” and Bob Dylan’s “George Jackson.” As Arlo Guthrie told Rolling Stone this summer, “The music business went from figuring out how they could make some money selling protest songs to realizing, ‘Well, they don’t really sell that well, so we’ll move on to something else.’ Which they did.”
But the sight of...
But the sight of...
- 10/9/2020
- by David Browne
- Rollingstone.com
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band had been on the road for well over a year when the Born In The USA tour wrapped up with a four-night stand at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in late September 1985. Springsteen was at the absolute pinnacle of his success after seeing six straight singles from the album hit the Top Ten (with a seventh on the way) and sold out stadiums and arenas anywhere he played. A professional crew was on hand to record every night of the run for the Live 1975-85 box set,...
- 4/5/2019
- by Andy Greene
- Rollingstone.com
Larry Cohen details the typically unorthodox story behind the hurry-up production of the sequel to his sleeper hit Black Caesar. Fred Williamson’s Black Godfather is resurrected from his semi-death to avenge himself on the Mafia. James Brown’s music was dumped by Larry in favor of Edwin Starr, and ended up on Brown’s album “The Payback.”
The post Hell Up in Harlem appeared first on Trailers From Hell.
The post Hell Up in Harlem appeared first on Trailers From Hell.
- 3/29/2019
- by TFH Team
- Trailers from Hell
“People say I’m the life of the party just because I say a joke or two,” Smokey Robinson sang when the 2019 Grammy Awards came back from commercials, as he and Alica Keys duetted on his “Tracks of My Tears.” Motown founder Berry Gordy smiled from ear to ear and applauded, since the reason he was there was to commemorate Motown’s 60th anniversary. Robinson then paid tribute to Gordy and introduced a medley of Motown classics.
Jennifer Lopez kicked things off with a medley of Martha and the Vandellas...
Jennifer Lopez kicked things off with a medley of Martha and the Vandellas...
- 2/11/2019
- by Kory Grow and Ryan Reed
- Rollingstone.com
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-ny), the youngest woman elected to the House of Representatives, has been the target of several conservative smear campaigns — including attacks on her pro-working-class agenda (she dared to grow up in a single-story house!) to “Sandy,” her suspiciously Anglophone teenage nickname. (To think a Puerto Rican from the Bronx not only was allowed into a Westchester County high school, but may have fraternized with other English-speaking students! ¡Qué horror!)
The latest public smear arrived less than 24 hours before she was sworn into Congress — issued by the now-deleted...
The latest public smear arrived less than 24 hours before she was sworn into Congress — issued by the now-deleted...
- 1/4/2019
- by Suzy Exposito
- Rollingstone.com
On the heels of setting a premiere date for its TV revival of Rush Hour (March 31), CBS has rolled out the show’s first action-packed trailer, and it’s one that dances to an old tune.
Starring Justin Hires and Jon Foo as Detective James Carter and Chief Inspector Lee, respectively, fans of the dormant movie franchise will recognize many of the scenes included in today’s snippet, and while Hires plays the arrogant, cocksure detective relatively well, we’re apprehensive that the series won’t bring anything new to the table. Of course, that’s just based on one overlong trailer, and there is certainly a budding chemistry ready to blossom between the core duo of Hires and Foo. But can they possibly top that of Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan? And more importantly, will they sing Edwin Starr’s “War” out of tune? We can only hope.
With...
Starring Justin Hires and Jon Foo as Detective James Carter and Chief Inspector Lee, respectively, fans of the dormant movie franchise will recognize many of the scenes included in today’s snippet, and while Hires plays the arrogant, cocksure detective relatively well, we’re apprehensive that the series won’t bring anything new to the table. Of course, that’s just based on one overlong trailer, and there is certainly a budding chemistry ready to blossom between the core duo of Hires and Foo. But can they possibly top that of Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan? And more importantly, will they sing Edwin Starr’s “War” out of tune? We can only hope.
With...
- 1/12/2016
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
This is a reprint of our review from the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival. “What's your favorite record?” That is the key question asked in director Elaine Constantine’s “Northern Soul,” a rousing, wildly entertaining Toronto International Film Festival entry set in mid-1970s England. Here is a sonically explosive film that understands the deep connection that can exist between a genre of music and its fans, especially those who might be considered (or would consider themselves) outsiders. In this case, that genre is Northern Soul, a still-influential style of music that has never been properly documented onscreen before. While a few names will ring a bell to fans of soul music — Edwin Starr, for example — the majority are unfamiliar to even the most devoted trainspotters. What’s most important is that the predominantly African-American sung music moves, and pulsates with a triumphant feeling at odds with much of early-'70s U.
- 10/2/2015
- by Christopher Schobert
- The Playlist
“What's your favorite record?” That is the key question asked in director Elaine Constantine’s “Northern Soul,” a rousing, wildly entertaining Toronto International Film Festival entry set in mid-70s England. Here is a sonically explosive film that understands the deep connection that can exist between a genre of music and its fans, especially those who might be considered (or would consider themselves) outsiders. In this case, that genre is Northern Soul, a still-influential style of music that has never been properly documented onscreen before. While a few names will ring a bell to fans of soul music — Edwin Starr, for example — the majority are names unfamiliar to even the most devoted trainspotters. What’s most important is that the predominantly African-American sung music moves, and pulsates with a triumphant feeling at odds with much of early-'70s U.K. rock. As “Northern Soul” begins, John Clark (Elliot James Langridge) is a sullen 18-year-old whose.
- 9/13/2015
- by Christopher Schobert
- The Playlist
Columbia Pictures
Edwin Starr may well have famously grooved about war being good for absolutely nothing, but Hollywood certainly disagrees – this week sees the release of writer-director David Ayer’s Fury, starring Shia Labeouf, Logan Lerman and, of course, Brad Pitt.
Brad Pitt has certainly had an illustrious career, establishing himself as one of the hottest A-list actors of his generation and proving himself to be a versatile performer capable of a diverse range of characters. His incredible looks can sometimes overshadow his integrity as an actor, and it’s perhaps fair to say that in some of his lesser roles his visage has been used as eye candy to lure audiences in. But he’s also not afraid to play against type, and behind the looks can deliver engrossing and unforgettable performances.
Anyone with such an extensive filmography is perhaps inevitably going to star in the occasional stinker, and Pitt is clearly no exception.
Edwin Starr may well have famously grooved about war being good for absolutely nothing, but Hollywood certainly disagrees – this week sees the release of writer-director David Ayer’s Fury, starring Shia Labeouf, Logan Lerman and, of course, Brad Pitt.
Brad Pitt has certainly had an illustrious career, establishing himself as one of the hottest A-list actors of his generation and proving himself to be a versatile performer capable of a diverse range of characters. His incredible looks can sometimes overshadow his integrity as an actor, and it’s perhaps fair to say that in some of his lesser roles his visage has been used as eye candy to lure audiences in. But he’s also not afraid to play against type, and behind the looks can deliver engrossing and unforgettable performances.
Anyone with such an extensive filmography is perhaps inevitably going to star in the occasional stinker, and Pitt is clearly no exception.
- 10/24/2014
- by Andrew Dilks
- Obsessed with Film
Eddie Vedder has never been shy about the influence of John Lennon, and recent global unrest has prompted the Pearl Jam singer to tackle one of the former Beatle's best-known tunes. After playing it in concert this summer, Vedder has released a new version of Lennon's oft-covered 1971 paean to peace "Imagine," with proceeds going to Heartbeat.fm, a non-profit aiming for peace between Israel and Palestine. Vedder has expressed his grief over the ongoing Gaza conflict over the past few months. At a July 11 show in London -- where he performed a cover of Edwin Starr’s incendiary "War" -- Vedder presumably addressed the conflict. A few days later, Vedder added some thoughts to Pearl Jam’s website, saying, “With about a dozen assorted ongoing conflicts in the news everyday, and with the stories becoming more horrific, the level of sadness becomes unbearable…War hurts. It hurts no matter which...
- 10/1/2014
- by Dave Lewis
- Hitfix
Should artists express their views on the Israeli/Gaza conflict? Or on any divisive political matters at all? A number of artists have commented on recent current events and had to either back track or explain their messages. Should we be looking for them to comment at all? To catch up on two recent examples: Over the last several days, Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder has used the stage as a pulpit to express anti-war sentiments. He started during a Pearl Jam show in London on July 11 when he declared, “There are people out there who are looking for a reason to kill!,” before going into a cover of Edwin Starr’s ‘War.” They’re looking for a reason to go across borders and take over land that doesn’t belong to them. They should get the fuck out and mind their own fucking business.“ Though Vedder did not mention any countries by name,...
- 7/21/2014
- by Melinda Newman
- Hitfix
Buena Vista Pictures
“War, what is it good for? Absolutely nothin’!” sang Edwin Starr. He was probably quite right – death, destruction and the looting and pillaging of other people’s land, property and resources, few would argue that war is good for humanity.
With that said, war does make for some very good films – it’s a genre which is as old as cinema itself and is showing no sign of disappearing any time soon. Some movies strive to show war in all its horror; others prefer to entertain, or function as propaganda, tricking the audience into thinking that a cause is just. And often the filmmakers bend the truth to make their movie more appealing – it might be something innocuous like utilizing an inappropriate piece of kit which wasn’t actually used at the time, or something more notable such as changing the outcome of a battle or attributing...
“War, what is it good for? Absolutely nothin’!” sang Edwin Starr. He was probably quite right – death, destruction and the looting and pillaging of other people’s land, property and resources, few would argue that war is good for humanity.
With that said, war does make for some very good films – it’s a genre which is as old as cinema itself and is showing no sign of disappearing any time soon. Some movies strive to show war in all its horror; others prefer to entertain, or function as propaganda, tricking the audience into thinking that a cause is just. And often the filmmakers bend the truth to make their movie more appealing – it might be something innocuous like utilizing an inappropriate piece of kit which wasn’t actually used at the time, or something more notable such as changing the outcome of a battle or attributing...
- 7/12/2014
- by Andrew Dilks
- Obsessed with Film
Another dope release from Stones Throw Records brings us a feel good roller disco dance video from Myron & E. 'Do it Do it Disco' set in a real life blast-from-the-past roller rink in Cerritos, CA. The video is a straight up 70s skate party, flush with ladies and bright disco lights throughout. Keep an eye peeled for some custom roller skates in the video as well. My personal faves are the patent leather Nike’s; if they had those back when I took skating lessons (yup I took roller skating lessons), I probably would never have taken them off. After putting out a number of funk 45s with Myron & E and the Soul Investigators, the duo released their full-length record Broadway earlier this summer. Getting more and more attention for their live shows, Myron & E’s soulful dancey vibes translate perfectly into their videos and performances. For Broadway, The Soul...
- 8/14/2013
- by Arshan Sadri
- Tubefilter.com
Review Frances Roberts 15 Apr 2013 - 18:30
This week’s Mad Men sees wars fought overseas, in the boardroom, and in the bedroom. Here’s Frances’ review of The Collaborators…
This review contains spoilers.
6.3 The Collaborators
If Edwin Starr had posed his ‘War’ question to this week’s Mad Men writers, absolutely nothing would not have been their answer. What is war good for? Why, for providing a palate of parallels and metaphors through which to explore late-sixties gender and workplace relations, Mr Starr. (Uh-huh. Yeah. Say it again y’all. And so on.)
We join Don and co. a month after we left them on the cusp of 1968. The North Koreans had captured the USS Pueblo, the Vietcong had attacked the Us embassy in Saigon, and Pete Campbell had run out of toilet paper. In short, things in Mad Men were looking bleak.
Don’s workplace battle was being fought with sweaty Herb from Jaguar,...
This week’s Mad Men sees wars fought overseas, in the boardroom, and in the bedroom. Here’s Frances’ review of The Collaborators…
This review contains spoilers.
6.3 The Collaborators
If Edwin Starr had posed his ‘War’ question to this week’s Mad Men writers, absolutely nothing would not have been their answer. What is war good for? Why, for providing a palate of parallels and metaphors through which to explore late-sixties gender and workplace relations, Mr Starr. (Uh-huh. Yeah. Say it again y’all. And so on.)
We join Don and co. a month after we left them on the cusp of 1968. The North Koreans had captured the USS Pueblo, the Vietcong had attacked the Us embassy in Saigon, and Pete Campbell had run out of toilet paper. In short, things in Mad Men were looking bleak.
Don’s workplace battle was being fought with sweaty Herb from Jaguar,...
- 4/15/2013
- by louisamellor
- Den of Geek
The American Idol Season 12 Top 8 will be faced with a tricky theme this Wednesday (8/7c on Fox): Detroit: The Music of Motor City.
Yep, it’s essentially another way of saying Motown Week, and as such, I’m gritting my teeth bracing for an onslaught of songs we’ve already heard one too many times in prior Idol seasons — “(Love Is Like a) Heat Wave,” “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)” and “Let’s Get It On” to name a few.
Related | American Idol: 22 Fresh Theme Nights That Need to Happen Right Now
Still, hope springs eternal,...
Yep, it’s essentially another way of saying Motown Week, and as such, I’m gritting my teeth bracing for an onslaught of songs we’ve already heard one too many times in prior Idol seasons — “(Love Is Like a) Heat Wave,” “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)” and “Let’s Get It On” to name a few.
Related | American Idol: 22 Fresh Theme Nights That Need to Happen Right Now
Still, hope springs eternal,...
- 3/24/2013
- by Michael Slezak
- TVLine.com
* Movie about rising music stars in heyday of Motown
* Film depicts a bustling city proud of its music stars
* Residents say mostly accurate in characters, settings
By Eddie B. Allen Jr.
Detroit, Aug 23 (Reuters) - A two-story house on West Grand Boulevard was once a music-makers' paradise, but is now a monument - a museum, really - to a colorful city that, behind new movie "Sparkle", is recalling its past with renewed pride.
The home of Motown Records, which became known as Hitsville USA during the record label's 1960s heyday, looked like many others on its block. But behind its walls, business was anything but usual, and "Sparkle" seems to have captured the magic of the times, city residents told Reuters in recent interviews.
Young men and women, some barely out of their teens, wrote and recorded songs that were the driving force in building the multimillion-dollar label that launched the careers of Michael Jackson,...
* Film depicts a bustling city proud of its music stars
* Residents say mostly accurate in characters, settings
By Eddie B. Allen Jr.
Detroit, Aug 23 (Reuters) - A two-story house on West Grand Boulevard was once a music-makers' paradise, but is now a monument - a museum, really - to a colorful city that, behind new movie "Sparkle", is recalling its past with renewed pride.
The home of Motown Records, which became known as Hitsville USA during the record label's 1960s heyday, looked like many others on its block. But behind its walls, business was anything but usual, and "Sparkle" seems to have captured the magic of the times, city residents told Reuters in recent interviews.
Young men and women, some barely out of their teens, wrote and recorded songs that were the driving force in building the multimillion-dollar label that launched the careers of Michael Jackson,...
- 8/24/2012
- by Reuters
- Huffington Post
Detroit -- Prominent Motown studio musician and Funk Brothers member Bob Babbitt, whose bass playing pounded through the Temptations hit "Ball of Confusion" and Marvin Gaye's "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)," has died. He was 74.
Babbitt died Monday of complications from brain cancer in Nashville, Tenn., where he had lived for many years, his manager David Spero said in a statement released by Universal Music, the label in which Babbitt contributed to numerous hit records.
Well-known for decades among musicians, Babbitt laid down bass lines on Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered," along with "The Tears of a Clown" by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, "Inner City Blues" by Marvin Gaye, and Edwin Starr's "War."
"Bob was a teddy bear of a guy," former Motown engineer Ed Wolfrum told the Detroit Free Press. "And he was an extraordinary musician – a player's player."
After leaving Motown, he recorded with Bette Midler,...
Babbitt died Monday of complications from brain cancer in Nashville, Tenn., where he had lived for many years, his manager David Spero said in a statement released by Universal Music, the label in which Babbitt contributed to numerous hit records.
Well-known for decades among musicians, Babbitt laid down bass lines on Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered," along with "The Tears of a Clown" by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, "Inner City Blues" by Marvin Gaye, and Edwin Starr's "War."
"Bob was a teddy bear of a guy," former Motown engineer Ed Wolfrum told the Detroit Free Press. "And he was an extraordinary musician – a player's player."
After leaving Motown, he recorded with Bette Midler,...
- 7/17/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
When I first started watching the internet's latest supercut, "Keep On Walking," I didn't really think much of it. Having an actor walk away from the camera isn't really an annoying cinematic trope (like, for example, having characters say, "We've got company"), which is typically the point of these kinds of videos. But by the end of the three minutes, thanks to the perfect use of "Twenty-Five Miles" by Edwin Starr and some clever editing, I found myself loving it. Found over at Movies.com, what makes the video so much fun to watch is that it adds a special element for those that like to try and identify every movie. Because you never see the characters face, you have to rely on costume, setting, lighting and pure memory in order to name the film. Even more fun is not only figuring out the title, but looking for specific directors...
- 8/17/2011
- cinemablend.com
Welcome to No Fact Zone’s weekly roundup of cultural references on The Colbert Report. From Darcy to Danger Mouse, String Theory to Shakespeare, we’ve got the keys to this week’s obscure, oddball, and occasionally obscene cultural shout-outs (hey!).
Konnichi wa /Konbanwa Zoners! What a great week back after vacation. Stephen and the gang were in top form yet again. I don’t think I have ever been as hungry after watching a show as I was after this weeks episodes – candy bars, pistachio ice cream, shawarmas – I was practically chomping at the bit to run for a midnight treat, but I refrained…this time. I was moved by the attention to the needs of the Japanese with his donation reminders. With everything going on right now, it’s easy for us to lose focus. Oh and Jimmy Fallon – what can I say? He found a devoted fan...
Konnichi wa /Konbanwa Zoners! What a great week back after vacation. Stephen and the gang were in top form yet again. I don’t think I have ever been as hungry after watching a show as I was after this weeks episodes – candy bars, pistachio ice cream, shawarmas – I was practically chomping at the bit to run for a midnight treat, but I refrained…this time. I was moved by the attention to the needs of the Japanese with his donation reminders. With everything going on right now, it’s easy for us to lose focus. Oh and Jimmy Fallon – what can I say? He found a devoted fan...
- 3/28/2011
- by Toad
- No Fact Zone
"DJ Hero 2" has entered the last leg of its path toward an October 19 release date, and though they've revealed 105 tracks that will appear featuring talent like DJ Qbert and DJ Shadow, FreeStyleGames had not yet named what the sequel's mix list would include. That's all changed now, however, and they've even grouped the combos and re-styled singles by producer.
"Whether it's Pussycat Dolls Mixed With Pitbull, 2Pac Mixed With B.o.B., or a all-new remix of a Daft Punk anthem, in 'DJ Hero 2' we have created 83 mixes that are not only incredibly fun to play, but will allow everyone to experience the music they know and love in an all-new way," FreeStyleGames music director Dan Neil said in a press release. "The amazing soundtrack, coupled with the new social gameplay modes and all-new levels of creative freedom, make 'DJ Hero 2' the ultimate interactive music experience."
Here's what...
"Whether it's Pussycat Dolls Mixed With Pitbull, 2Pac Mixed With B.o.B., or a all-new remix of a Daft Punk anthem, in 'DJ Hero 2' we have created 83 mixes that are not only incredibly fun to play, but will allow everyone to experience the music they know and love in an all-new way," FreeStyleGames music director Dan Neil said in a press release. "The amazing soundtrack, coupled with the new social gameplay modes and all-new levels of creative freedom, make 'DJ Hero 2' the ultimate interactive music experience."
Here's what...
- 9/22/2010
- by Brian Warmoth
- MTV Multiplayer
HollywoodNews.com: Lady Gaga already has some of the biggest hits of the past year and so it would only make sense for three of them to be included in the new DJ Hero 2 video game that is slated to hit stores on October 19.
A follow up to DJ Hero, the new game will feature over 100 of the biggest tracks from the hottest artists, remixed exclusively for the game. From Eminem’s “Not Afraid,” Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance,” David Guetta’s “Memories” feat. Kid Cudi, and Lil’ Wayne’s “Lollipop” feat. Static Major music fans will find more than a handful of songs to entertain themselves.
“The individual songs that have been mixed into the DJ Hero 2 soundtrack have been viewed online more than 1.5 billion times, which really speaks volumes to both the size and scope of our music,” said Dan Neil, Music Director, FreeStyleGames. “Working with some of...
A follow up to DJ Hero, the new game will feature over 100 of the biggest tracks from the hottest artists, remixed exclusively for the game. From Eminem’s “Not Afraid,” Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance,” David Guetta’s “Memories” feat. Kid Cudi, and Lil’ Wayne’s “Lollipop” feat. Static Major music fans will find more than a handful of songs to entertain themselves.
“The individual songs that have been mixed into the DJ Hero 2 soundtrack have been viewed online more than 1.5 billion times, which really speaks volumes to both the size and scope of our music,” said Dan Neil, Music Director, FreeStyleGames. “Working with some of...
- 8/26/2010
- by Linny Lum
- Hollywoodnews.com
All of that "DJ Hero 2" chatter about DJ Qbert, David Guetta, DJ Shadow and RZA turned out to be based on facts, as Activision has released the names of 105 tracks from the new game, and they all appear on it. So do 2Pac, 50 Cent, Justice, Eminem, Rihanna, Lady Gaga and lots of other artists you should recognize. You can peruse the whole rundown after the jump.
"The individual songs that have been mixed into the DJ Hero 2 soundtrack have been viewed online more than 1.5 billion times, which really speaks volumes to both the size and scope of our music," FreeStyleGames music director Dan Neil said in a press release. "Working with some of the best DJs in the world, we were able to take this amazing collection of the biggest pop, hip-hop and dance hits, and with some turntable magic, craft the best soundtrack in entertainment."
• 2Pac feat. Dr. Dre...
"The individual songs that have been mixed into the DJ Hero 2 soundtrack have been viewed online more than 1.5 billion times, which really speaks volumes to both the size and scope of our music," FreeStyleGames music director Dan Neil said in a press release. "Working with some of the best DJs in the world, we were able to take this amazing collection of the biggest pop, hip-hop and dance hits, and with some turntable magic, craft the best soundtrack in entertainment."
• 2Pac feat. Dr. Dre...
- 8/26/2010
- by Brian Warmoth
- MTV Multiplayer
Allen was able to tap into his emotional side with the Marvin Gaye classic on 'American Idol.'
By Gil Kaufman
Kris Allen performs "What's Going On" on "Idol" Tuesday night
Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Fox
"American Idol" is not known for having its pulse on the headlines of the day. In fact, short of its on-hiatus "Idol Gives Back" charity franchise, the show has typically been blissfully oblivious to the world at large as it dinosaur-stomps its way through the ratings every spring.
But on Tuesday night's (May 19) final performance episode, producer Simon Fuller seemed to want to make a statement about the turbulent times we are living in by choosing Marvin Gaye's landmark protest song "What's Going On" for Kris Allen to sing. He chose Sam Cooke's equally heavy "A Change Is Gonna Come" for rival Adam Lambert, creating a powerful moment for the show. The...
By Gil Kaufman
Kris Allen performs "What's Going On" on "Idol" Tuesday night
Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Fox
"American Idol" is not known for having its pulse on the headlines of the day. In fact, short of its on-hiatus "Idol Gives Back" charity franchise, the show has typically been blissfully oblivious to the world at large as it dinosaur-stomps its way through the ratings every spring.
But on Tuesday night's (May 19) final performance episode, producer Simon Fuller seemed to want to make a statement about the turbulent times we are living in by choosing Marvin Gaye's landmark protest song "What's Going On" for Kris Allen to sing. He chose Sam Cooke's equally heavy "A Change Is Gonna Come" for rival Adam Lambert, creating a powerful moment for the show. The...
- 5/19/2009
- MTV Music News
From "The Bachelor" heroine Melissa Rycroft to Denise Richards and Lawrence Taylor, Steve Wozniak, Belinda Carlisle, Lil' Kim and Steve-o, athletes, actors, singers, an inventor and one legitimate "Jackass" came together for the exciting premiere of the eighth season of "Dancing with the Stars" on ABC Monday night in Hollywood. Read on for the not-so-quick-step recap! The first dance of the season was delivered by Grammy winner/rapper Lil' Kim and her partner Derek Hough. "I'm dedicating this first dance to all my girls in the federal detention center," said Kim before they did the cha-cha-cha to Janet Jackson's "Nasty." After their first whirl, Judge Len Goodman declared, "Overall I thought it was first class. It does need a little more refining. Good job, well done." Bruno Tonioli said, "Nasty, but tasty. You could work wonders with that tushy. I can't wait to see next week." And Carrie Ann Inaba added,...
- 3/10/2009
- by TheInsider
- TheInsider.com
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