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A bus leaving the Isle of Wight's Bestival crashed in Surrey, England, killing the driver and two passengers and injuring 50 others, reports the London Evening Standard. The privately hired bus was on the way to Merseyside when it smashed into a tree and overturned near the Hindhead tunnel. Three people were declared dead at the scene and a fourth was airlifted to a hospital with critical injuries. All passengers were between the ages of 22 and 28.

Police say the bus may have been overstuffed, counting 53 people, including the driver, on a vehicle with a capacity of 51 passengers. No passenger escaped unharmed. Bestival featured Florence and the Machine, Stevie Wonder, New Order, the xx and more.

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Q&A: Twitter Star Rob Delaney on 'Conan,' Shakespeare and 'Slappa-Dappa-Doodle'

6:36 PM

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You know Rob Delaney, or at least you're familiar with his beefy, hairy midsection: He's the outrageous, wildly popular Twitter presence (584,000 followers and counting) with the ridiculous avatar in the green Speedo. He's got sex on the brain, and sometimes Mitt Romney.

Named the "Funniest Person on Twitter" at Comedy Central's Comedy Awards in May, the Los Angeles-based Boston native recently signed a book deal with Random House. This week, Delaney joined the growing ranks of comedians – Louis C.K., Jim Gaffigan, Aziz Ansari – making their stand-up specials available as $5 downloads. The release of his Live at the Bowery Ballroom landed him on a memorable Conan appearance this week, followed by a 24-hour takeover of Team Coco's Twitter account.

I realize I'm interrupting your @teamcoco takeover.
Oh, no sweat!

Is the pressure on, to step outside of your own Twitter feed?
No – in fact, I enjoy the challenge. For example, they asked me to not say the seven words George Carlin spoke about. Sure, I swear a lot because I'm a scumbag, but I'm also a hired gun comedy writer, so I very much enjoy writing with parameters, because then you find new areas to be funny. I love rules, believe it or not.

Did they say lay off the hardcore sex material, too?
Honestly, I think I put more restrictions on myself than they did. I mean, Conan's pretty out there. They do some wacky stuff on that show. But certainly I don't wish to alienate his audience or annoy his social media team.

Have you had the equivalent of that kind of late-night appearance before?
Absolutely not. That was the greatest show-biz moment of my life, by a very wide margin.

Also apparently the greatest moment in the history of television.
A lot of people are saying that. You want an exclusive? [Laughs] I meant to tweet that from their account! But then so many people retweeted it, so I was like, oh well. I'm totally an asshole, but I like to be a specific type of asshole – not a totally fellate-yourself monster.

You mention being a hired gun. Are you doing rewrite stuff, uncredited stuff?
Yeah. I'll do punch-up stuff. I've written speeches, acceptance speeches for famous people, for, like, awards shows – not for people of consequence.

When Twitter started, I think a lot of comedians thought, "I'm not putting my material out there, A., in unfinished form, and B., for other comics to rip off." You helped show that it's a great medium for comedy.
You can't be precious about the work. You have to put your best foot forward and absolutely squeeze out arterial blood. Once you do that, it belongs to the world, and it's time for you to get right back to the work of writing more. I mean, I think about a Delta Force operator doing a high-altitude, low-opening-parachute thing, where they burst through the roof, kill everybody and disappear. That's how I try to think of comedy: Can you go in with nothing and leave a bunch of corpses?

How's the special doing? Can you look at the analytics and say, Oh, X number of people downloaded it after Conan last night?
Uh, yeah. I don't want to get too terribly specific, other than to say the return on my investment will be positive. I'd do it again, tomorrow, definitely. I'm going to make a bold statement [laughs] – it's a good idea to go on Conan and pimp your thing.

Can you talk about the download model? It seems obvious, especially for comedy. People don't necessarily need to own the disc, they just want to hear the stuff.
Particularly for somebody like me – I think it's fair to say that 90 percent of the people who know me didn't know me before the Internet – it makes sense. That said, all the traditional models are fantastic. Having an HBO special is amazing. Having a Comedy Central special is amazing. It's a wonderful thing to aspire to. But for me, like, I'm able to sell out shows just by tweeting links to tickets. If I can do that, it would seem I could do a special [download]. Yeah, what seemed bold and risky in the beginning is proving to be wise and calculated.

What's it like to watch your own shit and critique yourself? Scrutinizing all your mannerisms and your rawest emotions – I can't imagine it's easy.
You get desensitized, in a way. Remember when we were little kids, recording your voice, and you'd go, I sound like that? Now, of course, I hear my voice all the time, whereas a normal, healthy civilian would be like, "No, thanks. Why would you watch yourself in any type of recorded media? That's disgusting!" But I'm a disgusting person, and comedy is a disgusting profession. You are your own parchment, your own ink, so you better get familiar with your own material. I try to be objective and say, hey, that worked, that didn't. It'll never all work, so you have to go back to the drawing board. And the drawing board for me is usually a stage and a microphone.

You've probably been asked to answer this 5,000 times, but why in the world does Boston develop so many awesome comedians?
There are few places in the world where you can go into a bar and see a total alcoholic – which is a thing that I am – reading a book in the bar. I think that combination of blue-collar upbringing coupled with all the universities that are there . . . so with any big, dirty Irish family, you're gonna have the one brother whose a janitor for the [MBTA] and the other brother who's, like, a senator, or the poet laureate. I think those things together draw out comedy. A Bill Burr and a Louis C.K., you'll watch them and go, Oh, rough-and-tumble guys! But the fact is, they'll try to hide it from you, but they're intellectuals, and they have powerful, sharp minds shaped by their own amazing, insatiable curiosity.

You like the sound of words, silly words, like on Conan, when you said "slappa-dappa-doodle." You seem to have a particular love for words as part of the craft.
I do. I'm crazy about Shakespeare, who was a notorious word inventor. And my wife is an English teacher, and she's hilarious. It's hard for me to get embarrassed, but the things that do embarrass me would be if anybody ever heard my wife and I talking in our robust, made-up language. Like, when I said "slappa-dappa-doodle," for us that's the equivalent of a normal person saying, like, "apple!" or "hammer!" I would go into immediate shock and have an embolism if anybody ever heard our secret communications.

Did that come from your family?
Definitely. My mom is a huge word creator, and she's very funny. And very weird – oh my God. She's wonderful, and I adore her endlessly, but weird is a fair adjective to use when you describe her. When you describe her sense of humor, I should say. She functions in society.

You do get serious sometimes. If people are paying attention, you definitely support women's issues, for instance, and you're issue-oriented in some of your tweets, and you looked good in a suit on Conan. It occurred to me that you could almost go the Al Franken route and run for office at some point.
The short answer is no – I would never want to go into politics. Because I can change my mind. It's OK to do one thing in a stand-up set and then say in the next one, "You know what? I was wrong." Politicians, it's in their job description to just lie, every day . . . A show like The Wire, its beating heart is the social-political issues the creators of the show are deeply passionate about. However, you're not beaten over the head with them – you're enraptured by the stories, and maybe a day or two later you realize you just got a civics lesson. It's entirely possible I'd be able to effect more change literally by telling jokes than by trying to explicitly change policy.

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Russian Prime Minister Says Pussy Riot Members Should Be Freed

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Yekaterina Samutsevich, Maria Alyokhina, and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova of Pussy Riot during a court hearing in MoscowAndrey Smirnov/AFP/GettyImages

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev showed sympathy for the imprisoned members of Pussy Riot at a regional meeting for the ruling United Russia party today, the Wall Street Journal reports. He maintained that their two-year prison sentence is excessive. "The term is very strong. I would even say a terrible burden," said Medvedev in his televised response. "I don't want to replace the judge... but the time they have already served is, in essence, more than enough to make them think about what happened, whether it was from their own stupidity or for other reasons."

Medvedev also said that he believes a suspended sentence, including the six-plus months the women have already served, would have been enough. "Prolonging their time in prison in connection to this case seems unproductive," he said. Still, Medvedev said he was "sickened" by the group's acts and the "hysteria" they caused.

The three imprisoned members of Pussy Riot have appealed their convictions, while other members of the group have fled Russia to escape arrest. The group recently released a video thanking Madonna, Björk, Green Day, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and other artists for their public support while they burned a poster of Russian president Vladimir Putin.

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Skrillex and Damian Marley Fight Injustice in 'Make It Bun Dem'

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Skrillex and Damian Marley Fight Injustice in 'Make It Bun Dem'Spiritual young man wards off an oppressive sheriff $(document).ready(function() { $('.socialActionsTop .pageActions .email-content').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.email').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.email').hide(); } ); $('.socialActionsTop .pageActions .print-page').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.print').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.print').hide(); } ); }); By

Skrillex and Damian Marley team up for a monster mashup of dubstep and dancehall in "Make It Bun Dem," and in their video for the track, the pair make a statement against oppressive authorities and poverty's injustice. As an overzealous sheriff leads his cops in foreclosures and evictions, a young man and his father watch police terrorize their neighborhood. To ward them off, the young man performs a raindance in his backyard, dispelling the cops with a supernatural storm. Knowing the sheriff and his cronies will soon return, father and son prepare another ritual, conjuring up a phoenix spirit. When the boss cop arrives, his underlings ditch him, leaving him at the mercy of the young man's immense power.

"Make It Bun Dem" is available now.

On the Charts: Imagine Dragons' Big Debut

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Stephen Albanese/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

WINNER OF THE WEEK: Imagine Dragons. Yes, pop-rock veterans Matchbox Twenty score their first Number One album with 95,000 copies sold, but the more interesting chart story this week is the debut of Las Vegas rockers Imagine Dragons. The four-year-old band has built buzz all year, beginning with a Valentine's Day EP release that caught MTV programmers' ears and wound up being so popular, the track "It's Time" landed a VMA nomination for Best Rock Video. For their full-length Night Visions, Imagine Dragons embraced sales on iTunes ($7.99) and Amazon MP3 ($5) and wound up selling 90 percent of the LP's 83,000 copies digitally. (Night Visions is Number One on iTunes' album chart this week, above Lecrae, One Direction and Matchbox Twenty.) We're sure the set will drop significantly by next week, but the sale prices are a smart strategy for establishing a new act.

LOSER OF THE WEEK: TobyMac. It's a little unfair to pick on the Christian singer for plunging in sales in his second week – Eye On It went from Number One to Number Eight with 26,000 in sales, a 63 percent drop. Just about everybody atop the album charts has had the same affliction in recent months, from Rick Ross to NOW 43 to 2 Chainz. And it'll probably happen to Christian rapper Lecrae, whose Gravity debuts at Number Three this week, with 72,000 copies. So here's a broad summary of genres whose artists have recently hit Number One then plunged – rock, hip-hop, Christian, pop, country. That's pretty much everybody with the exception of Adele, and, we predict, Taylor Swift.

RIDING THE INVISIBLE PONY – TO THE TOP: We at Chart Watch are making it our personal mission to keep commercial tabs on Psy, the Korean pop star whose brilliant "Gangnam Style" video is packed with deadpan non-sequitur settings like a playground, a horse stable and a parking garage containing a rival dancer dressed in eye-scorching yellow. Psy's American press crush has begun, with appearances at the MTV VMAs, Ellen (where he demonstrated his horse-riding moves to Britney Spears, who of course mastered them immediately) and Today this coming Friday. So far, the PR push is making him even bigger on YouTube, where "Gangnam Style" jumped from 105.5 million to 151.5 million views in one week – but he has yet to translate the viral buzz to U.S. music sales. "Gangnam" didn't place in iTunes' Top 10.

LAST WEEK: 'Gangnam Style' Is All the Rage

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

High and Tight: Speed Kings

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Bruce Springsteen Performs 'Atlantic City' With Eddie Vedder

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Bruce Springsteen Performs 'Atlantic City' With Eddie VedderRockers join forces at Wrigley Field $(document).ready(function() { $('.socialActionsTop .pageActions .email-content').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.email').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.email').hide(); } ); $('.socialActionsTop .pageActions .print-page').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.print').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.print').hide(); } ); }); By

Bruce Springsteen brought Eddie Vedder out onto the stage at Wrigley Field on Friday night to join in a duet of "Atlantic City" on the Chicago stop of his Wrecking Ball world tour. Vedder took the stage relatively early into the marathon three-and-a-half-hour set, and later joined Springsteen again for the encores of "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" and "Twist and Shout." Springsteen was also joined by Tom Morello for those last two, as well as on "Death to My Hometown," "Jack of All Trades" and "Ghost of Tom Joad."

Bonnaroo Announces 2013 Dates

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Bonnaroo Music and Arts festival has announced next year's iteration will take place June 13th-16th in Manchester, Tennessee. Limited ticket pre-sale information will be announced in November. Bonnaroo 2012 featured Radiohead, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, a reunited Beach Boys, D'Angelo's first U.S. live performance in over a decade and more. For more info and future updates, visit Bonnaroo's website.

Q&A: Ron Howard on Hanging With Jay-Z, 'Arrested Development' Revamp

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Ron Howard films backstage during the Budweiser Made In America Festival.

Ron Howard is one of Hollywood's biggest directors, but lately he's been delving outside of studio blockbusters to take on other kinds of projects. "My kids are grown, and I feel that I can afford the time to just be a little, you know, a little more experimental," he tells Rolling Stone. The 58-year-old recently trailed Jay-Z for an upcoming documentary he's directing about the rapper's role in the Budweiser Made in America Festival due out in 2013; he's mentoring James Murphy on his first directorial project; and he'll soon return as the narrator of the upcoming season of Arrested Development. Says Howard of the comedy series' new season, "It's hilarious and it's also really bold in terms of the approach to catching the audience up on the characters, and simultaneously sort of weaving their stories in and around a new set of predicaments."

So did you have fun hanging out with Jay-Z?
I really did. The whole thing was interesting for me. I've never interviewed anybody, first of all. I'm pretty good at the initial instincts, and the very first time that I met [Jay-Z] some months back, we met with him in his office and there was just something that I really respected about him. I think he's pretty true to himself and pretty clear about what he thinks. Kind of the opposite of mercurial, I'd say. I don't know what the opposite of mercurial is, but he's I think tremendously focused. I've been around a lot of artists who are also good at business and . . . one minute they'll sound like an artist and the next minute they'll sound like the characters in Mad Men. Jay-Z's a very good businessman and he talks about it and enjoys it, but he doesn't shift. He has a sense of what he thinks people might appreciate, because he sort of trusts that if he appreciates it, there are people out there who will as well. And that's what's interesting to me: that he's accomplished in those areas but I don't hear that sort of cynical, world-weary quality.

And when he's onstage, the confidence he has with the microphone is pretty amazing.
I got to watch in the pit, right on the edge on the stage. I understood something that I never even really had thought about before. He really communicates, whereas I think some of the other hip hop artists – they were great performers and they were dynamic and charismatic – but on a consistent basis, every idea seemed to be a communication. I always thought that about Sinatra. It's a connection. It's a story they're telling you. And I was kind of knocked out by that. I've never seen Eminem live, but in our movie, 8 Mile, I felt like that was happening.

You interviewed Odd Future. What was that like?
I like their videos. I'm laughing one minute, then my jaw drops the next. But I think they're so wild and great and I really like them. [Tyler, the Creator] and I just started talking and he just kept looking at me kind of like squinting and saying, "You're sick. You're sick." [Laughs] I kind of knew it was a compliment, but I was joking later and said, "I thought I looked fine!"

I was trying to describe them to somebody. It's kind of like there's the Marx Brothers and National Lampoon . . . this group chaos thing. It's pretty exciting to see that brand of anarchy and self expression adding up to so much. Jay Z, actually, was really interested in them. He said to me that he, you know, Roc Nation, wanted to sign them and they went down the road discussing it, but ultimately Odd Future didn't want to be signed. They wanted to be self-reliant, self -contained.

Were there any highlights from the festival?
I think getting to talk to D'Angelo.

That's a very rare interview.
Yeah, and I don't think he's done very many. I wouldn't characterize it as probing, but, because it was on the subject of the event, I was glad to be able to share with him what I was hearing from everybody – which is that everyone was so impressed with his reemergence and a kind of new level of musicianship. I heard that from several people. And I passed that along to him, so more than sort of the interview I was glad to be able to communicate that to him, and he was, I think, flattered to hear that. But you know, he's really focused and hard at it, and I think he's really glad to be out there.

It was also fun to see Run-DMC. I talked to them both and they barely rehearsed. I remembered that when Henry Winkler and I, four years ago, did this Funny or Die sketch for Obama. It was so funny, because I was wearing this hair piece, Henry was wearing kind of Fonzie wig and we fell into it and I swear to God, I honestly déja vû'ed and thought I was back in the Arnold's parking lot doing a scene. It was so easy. So when I saw those guys, they just nailed it. I just thought, "Well, yeah, you know, sometimes when a thing becomes a part of a fabric of your life, your history, that doesn't get so rusty."

When you were younger, because of Happy Days and American Graffiti, people associated you with music of the Fifties and early Sixties. What do you listen to?
I've never been much of a consumer and we didn't listen to much music in the home except kind of at Christmas time, so it was all Bing [Crosby] and Nat King Cole and the Everly Brothers. But it never became a passion. I didn't really listen to music when I was doing homework or when I when I work on a script. I tend to drift to NPR and news.

It's interesting that you're working with James Murphy, too.
Oh, yeah. My kids are grown, and I feel that I can afford the time to just be a little, you know, a little more experimental about what I do with my time away from the movies and the TV shows, which are still my main drive. James Murphy just came through this project, Canon's Imagination. This is year two of that, and last year we did it and my daughter Bryce directed the film, and people send in pictures targeting their own photographs for certain narrative categories. And then the public votes and they narrow it down to 10, and last year I chose one from each category and handed it over to Bryce and she had to direct a movie. And it was successful. It was a great creative experiment. With James Murphy, we wanted somebody from the music world, and of course he's so creative and visual and a really talented and intelligent guy. So I'm actually dying to see what he does with this exercise. I think I'm going to be inspired by him. Theoretically, I'm supposed to be offering some guidance and support, but I think he's one of the ones I'm sort of most curious about seeing work with this whole program.

Would you ever work with Jay-Z again?
I would do a documentary about Jay-Z. Yes, I would. I mean, that's not what this is particularly, but he's central to it. But if I had a chance and I thought I could do it justice, you know, I think he's a great subject. He's a great subject. Definitely.

How is it going with Arrested Development?
It's going great. There's a really good article that somebody did, an interview with Mitch Hurwitz. It's pretty funny. It's hilarious, and it's also really bold in terms of the approach to catching the audience up on the characters and simultaneously sort of weaving their stories in and around a new set of predicaments that are, you know, a brand new sort of five-alarm fires or however many alarms, whatever the maximum number of alarms is. I should remember that from Backdraft, but I don't.

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Minnesota Woman Ordered to Pay $222,000 in Music Piracy Case

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Shepard Fairey Gets Probation in Obama 'Hope' Poster Case

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Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Art of Elysium

Shepard Fairey was sentenced to two years probation and hit with a $25,000 fine in a Manhattan federal court on Friday, the New York Times reports, seven months after the artist pleaded guilty to a criminal contempt charge over his iconic Barack Obama "Hope" poster. Fairey admitted then to tampering with evidence, destroying records, and fabricating documents to cover up his use of an Associated Press photo of Obama as source material for his image, which became a symbol of the 2008 presidential election.

Fairey settled his own civil case against the AP out of court last year; in the suit, filed in 2009, Fairey had argued that his image amounted to fair use of the photograph under copyright law, but that argument was undermined when Fairey revealed that he had been wrong about which photograph he used and had tried to cover up the error.

In a statement issued after today's sentencing, Fairey said, "My wrong-headed actions, born out of a moment of fear and embarrassment, have not only been financially and psychologically costly to myself and my family, but also helped to obscure what I was fighting for in the first place – the ability of artists everywhere to be inspired and freely create art without reprisal."

The AP also had a statement, with president and chief executive Gary Pruitt saying, "After spending a great amount of time, energy and legal effort, all of us at the Associated Press are glad this matter is finally behind us. We hope this case will serve as a clear reminder to all of the importance of fair compensation for those who gather and produce original news content."

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Turbo Fruits Talk New Album, Strange Influences and Vinyl

6:33 AM

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Matt Hearn, Dave McCowen, Kingsley Brock and Jonas Stein of Turbo Fruits pose for a portrait at the 2011 Bruise Cruise Festival on February 28th, 2011 at sea.

Lil Wayne, ‘70s soul and Enya: this is the "weird shit" Jonas Stein of Turbo Fruits was listening to while writing and recording Butter, their forthcoming record and the latest release on Serpents and Snakes, the label founded and maintained by Kings of Leon.

"Rock and roll is our first love," says Stein, "but I was trying to listen to stuff that was still getting me off. I wanted to hear something that was totally unattached. It made me feel really weird, so I went back to Enya’s greatest hits with a fresh pair of ears and turned it up really loud."

Whatever it was about rap or Celtic crooning, the weirdness worked, as the wall of noise Butter delivers is a roughly 34-minute barrage of furious riffs and driving anthems that come together in a solid, straightforward body of sound. Produced by Jim Eno of Spoon and with the endorsement of the aforementioned Followill family of Kings of Leon, Butter serves as a coming out album of sorts for the Nashville rock quartet – a debut Stein’s been waiting for since the inception of the band six years ago.

"It took three years for me to find a permanent lineup, and in the three years since then we’ve really grown together," says Stein. "The dynamic solidified. I’d say this third record was a bit more of a communal writing experience than the first two – more people chimed in on this one. We were just way more prepared. I’ve never been more prepared for recording a record in my life. We had a no-mess, non-stop work ethic. The first song on the album, 'Where The Stars Don’t Shine,' was recorded live with no overdubs. We were just like, no bullshit, no fuckin’ around, this is the way we’re starting off the record."

With plans to do a run of Butter on vinyl as well – pressed on butter-colored wax, naturally – Stein’s thrilled that the album’s going to be Serpents and Snakes’ #001. "It’s an evolved type of record label – where everyone’s really in it together – and I’m just excited to be at the beginning of [the label]," he says. "I don’t care if people want to listen to it on mono, or digital, or steal it, whatever: I just want it to be pumping through their stereo system. It’s very important to me that the vinyl is there for people who do want the vinyl."

So, does he have "Orinoco Flow" on wax?

"Ohhhh. No. But I should. That has to exist."

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Stewart Copeland Documents All-Star Jams on YouTube

5:20 AM

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Since the Police's mega-successful reunion tour wrapped up in 2008, drummer Stewart Copeland has been keeping busy penning percussion pieces ("Gamelan D’Drum"), touring with others (Stanley Clarke), and even making the odd television appearance (Late Show with David Letterman and Storage Wars). But his main focus nowadays is his own YouTube channel, which features jam sessions between Copeland and some very recognizable names.

"I have this cool studio [the Sacred Grove], which if you go to YouTube and dial up the 'stewartcopelandnet' channel, you'll see that I have my buddies come over here," Copeland tells Rolling Stone. "I don't have any engineers anymore. I do all my own engineering – I live to lay wires. It's like a giant train set. Instead of setting up a little bridge, I set up a cool microphone situation for miking up my Leslie cabinet. I can do that happily for hours. So I've got my studio here all tweaked out. Every square foot is close miked. The channels are all routed. All I have to do is hit record, and the entire room is recording."

So far, Ben Harper, Matt Stone, Danny Carey, Neil Peart, Taylor Hawkins, Larry LaLonde, Les Claypool and Serj Tankian have all dropped by the Sacred Grove. Copeland also hints at another very interesting upcoming collaboration.

"Snoop Lion's management called a month or two ago and said, 'Can you do some tracks on his new record? He's doing reggae.' I told them, 'The deal is that I'm real cheap – don't pay me a dime. But it's a day for a day. I'll certainly play some tracks for Snoop, but Snoop's got to come over to one of my parties.' And unbelievably, he did! So I've got a Snoop jam over here that is unbelievable. He's on the drums, he's on the keyboards, singing on the mic. He got over here, looked at the studio, there's like every known form of instrument. I've got tubas, trombones, cello, drums of every kind, of course, guitars, amps."

Copeland explains the appeal of the studio: "I have some buddies come over, and we jam. We jam high, we jam low, we have a wonderful time, we have a lot of laughs, they leave. And then the next morning, I come in and see what I've got. And then I cut up these jams and add overdubs, and I turn these jams into tracks. But also, Brad [Sands, Stewart's road manager] brought along a camera, and I said, 'What the hell, let's make a movie here.' So now I have six cameras – stationary, locked up, live-angle shots just around the room. And when the doorbell rings, when my buddies arrive, everything goes into 'record' and stays in record until everybody leaves. I cut up these tracks, and it's completely improvised. And since I’m not in the record business, I just put them up on YouTube for all the children to enjoy."

While the jams are just for fun, the idea of issuing some of the best performances as an album has crossed the drummer's mind. "I am thinking about that, but it can only be some kind of charity thing, because everybody came over here not on the basis of making a record, but on the basis of having fun, hanging outand jamming. And for me to go and make a record would be complicated, unless we say, 'Look, I'm going to release a record just so the people can have this, and let's do a good deed somewhere.'"

It appears as though all this YouTube posting has resulted in Copeland being bitten full-on by the Internet bug. "This week, I'm going to get myself on Facebook, godammit," he says. "Because I've got to start marketing this shit, so I can get some hits. I'm not getting paid for this, but I like to see hits. That's the 'pay' that I get."

He's also willing to answer the million-dollar question: What are the chances of the Police reuniting again? "I would say, in the fullness of time, pretty good. I can't say that there's even a scintilla of discussion on that subject, but I do know that the joys definitely outweigh the miseries . . . There are a great many of both."

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Paul Simon Bounces Through 'Boy in the Bubble' at Webster Hall

4:14 AM

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Paul Simon Bounces Through 'Boy in the Bubble' at Webster HallSong comes from singer's new 'Live in New York City' set $(document).ready(function() { $('.socialActionsTop .pageActions .email-content').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.email').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.email').hide(); } ); $('.socialActionsTop .pageActions .print-page').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.print').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.print').hide(); } ); }); By

During his U.S. tour last year, Paul Simon made a triumphant homecoming, performing at New York City's Webster Hall with a 20-song, 90-minute set list. The special night was captured for Paul Simon Live in New York City, a new DVD and double-CD release (listen to the whole thing). Here, Simon delves into Graceland opener "Boy in the Bubble," bouncing along with the raucous crowd.

Paul Simon Live in New York City is out September 18th.

Update: Thom Yorke's Atoms for Peace Drop Seismic New Single, 'Default'

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Thom Yorke and Flea of Atoms for Peace

Atoms for Peace – the electro-rock supergroup that includes Thom Yorke, Nigel Godrich and Flea – released a new single on iTunes yesterday called "Default." It's a complicated track: over a drum pattern that skips and skitters, the synths swell to near-seismic levels while retaining a calm that matches Yorke's ever-haunting croon.

The group first got together a few years ago for a handful of live shows. "We got a big buzz from them and discovered loads of energy from transforming the music from electronic to live, and so afterwards, we carried on for a few days in the studio and decided to make it a loose, on-going thing," Yorke says in a statement. "Immersed in the area between the two . . . electronic and live."

You can pick up the track at iTunes or stream it over at We All Want Someone to Shout For. XL Recordings will officially release the single on September 10th. Atoms for Peace plan to release a full-length album sometime in 2013.

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Led Zeppelin's 2007 Reunion Concert to Hit Theaters in October

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Led Zeppelin performs at the O2 Arena in London.Ross Halfin/Exclusive by Getty ImagesSeptember 13, 2012 10:15 AM ET

Led Zeppelin fans hoping that the band would announce a new tour this week will have to settle for the next best thing: a theatrical release of their 2007 one-night-only reunion concert. Entitled Celebration Day, the film will be released on 1,500 screens on October 17th. The concert – taped on December 10th, 2007 at London's 02 Arena – will then be released on "multiple audio and video formats" on November 19th.

Check out a trailer for the movie below, featuring clips from "Good Times Bad Times," "Black Dog," Rock and Roll," "Stairway To Heaven" and "Whole Lotta Love."

During the triumphant concert, Led Zeppelin played "like a band renewed, not merely reunited," wrote David Fricke in 2007. "Any doubts about Robert Plant's ability to still hit the high notes, his willingness to go stratospheric, were obliterated at the right, dramatic points in 'Since I've Been Loving You' and 'Kashmir.' John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham locked in like family. And Jimmy Page was a continual shock on guitar, mostly because he has played so little in public for the past decade."

Afterward, there was intense demand for a tour, but Plant said he had no interest. "It was an amazing evening," he told Rolling Stone in 2011. "The preparations for it were fraught and intense, but the last rehearsal was really, really good, for all that it represented and all that we were trying to capture. But I've gone so far somewhere else that I almost can't relate to it."

When asked again about any possible future reunion in that same interview, Plant made his position abundantly clear. "I see there's some kind of remit about the Tibetan Hook of the Paid that we have to keep going hack to," Plant said. "It's a bit of a pain in the pisser, to be honest. Who cares? I know people care, but think about it from my angle. Soon I'm going to need help crossing the street."

It was also announced yesterday that Led Zeppelin will be one of the recipients of the 2012 Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C. on December 2nd. Honorees do not traditionally perform at the ceremony. President Obama will speak, and another band will play their music. David Letterman, Buddy Guy, Dustin Hoffman and Natalia Makarova will also be honored at the event.

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Maker of Tupac Shakur Hologram Files for Bankruptcy

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Friday, September 14, 2012

Miike Snow’s Andrew Wyatt on Solo Debut: 'It Feels Like Freedom'

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Paul McCartney Awarded French Legion of Honour

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France's president Francois Hollande shakes hands with Sir Paul McCartney after awarding him as officer of the Legion d'Honneur, the French hightest award on September 8, 2012 in Paris.

Paul McCartney became an officer of France's Legion of Honour on Saturday, the Guardian reports. In a private ceremony at the Élysée Palace in Paris, French president Francois Hollande presented the former Beatle with the award in appreciation for his contribution to music.

"It is such an honor to be awarded this," McCartney said. Hollande joked that he preferred the Beatles to the Rolling Stones, and McCartney over bandmate John Lennon.

While the Legion of Honor, France's highest public decoration, is usually reserved for French nationals who have served the country in a military or civil capacity, several other international entertainers, including Liza Minnelli, Lenny Kravitz, Laurence Olivier and Miles Davis have received the award.

The Liverpool-born singer and songwriter is no stranger to elite national honors. As a member of the Beatles, McCartney was presented with a Member of the British Empire medal in 1965; In 1997, he received a knighthood from Britain's Queen Elizabeth II.

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Calvin Harris Lands the 'Unattainable' Florence Welch

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Calvin Harris at the MTV Video Music Awards

Talk to any EDM artist and they'll tell you: artists who previously seemed unreachable are now within grasp. That should be even more so the case for Calvin Harris, who's enjoyed considerable top 40 success teaming with Rihanna, Ne-Yo and more. Yet Harris didn't think he had any chance of securing Florence Welch for their new "Sweet Nothing" single.

"I didn’t think she’d do it," he tells Rolling Stone. "She seemed a really unattainable artist to reach for."

So, why does he think she agreed? "I think she would’ve done it if the song was right and the people were right and it was all at the right time," he says, adding, "I did a remix for her and she owed me a favor – I guess part of it was that."

The track will be included on Harris' 18 Months album, which will be released on October 29th. Befitting its title, the collection will be a look back at his ascent to the top of the pops over the last year and a half. "It’s like a compilation album. It’s everything I did over the past 18 months, so [it's got] Rihanna, Kelis, Ne-Yo, Florence, Dizzee Rascal, Tinie Tempah, Ellie Goulding," he says. "It looks good."

For Harris, this is the 2012 model of the album. "If you approach every track like it’s a single, it can never really be an album in the traditional sense," he says. "So it’s very much a modern album in that you can go on iTunes, see a collection of tracks, which you may have heard, and you can just buy what you want."

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Turbo Fruits Talk New Album, Strange Influences and Vinyl

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Matt Hearn, Dave McCowen, Kingsley Brock and Jonas Stein of Turbo Fruits pose for a portrait at the 2011 Bruise Cruise Festival on February 28th, 2011 at sea.

So, does he have "Orinoco Flow" on wax?

"Ohhhh. No. But I should. That has to exist."

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Album Premiere: The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, 'Meat and Bone'

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The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, 'Meat and Bone'

Click to listen to the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion's Meat and Bone

It's been eight years since the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion's last record and, on September 18th, they'll end that silence with their speaker-scorching new effort, Meat and Bone. You can stream the album here in its entirety before it's released on Boombox/Mom+Pop Records.

Recorded on Sly Stone's own "Riot" Flickinger console at the Key Club Studio in Benton Harbor, Michigan, the crunchy new LP finds Spencer, Judah Bauer and Russel Simins returning to their scuzzy blues basics with tracks like "Bag of Bones," "Danger" and the excellently-titled "Ice Cream Killer."

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Michael Jackson Promoter Withdraws Insurance Claim Over Singer's Death

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September 12, 2012 10:40 AM ET AEG

Chief Executive Randy Phillips of AEG.

AEG Live, the concert promoters for Michael Jackson's planned 2009 comback tour, have dropped a $17.5 million insurance claim stemming from Jackson's death after leaked e-mails showed that AEG executives were concerned about Jackson's health and worried about his stability shortly before his death that June, Reuters reports.

When Jackson died before he could begin a run of concerts in London, AEG filed an insurance claim with Lloyd's of London, citing losses in up-front costs for Jackson's "This Is It" tour. Lloyd's later filed suit against AEG Live, contending that it didn't owe the money.

AEG executives had long been skeptical about whether Jackson was capable of performing, according to e-mails obtained by the Los Angeles Times that openly discussed the matter. CEO Randy Phillips sent one particularly revealing message in March 2009 while he was in London with Jackson to announce the shows. "MJ is locked in his room drunk and despondent," wrote Phillips. "I [am] trying to sober him up." Despite the suggestion that AEG Live was aware of Jackson's troubles while negotiating its insurance policy with Lloyd's, AEG attorneys maintain the company's withdrawal has "nothing to do with the recent leak" of the emails.

"We are standing by AEG's lawyers comments that the withdrawal of the claim was not related to the leaked emails, said Paul Schriffer, an attorney for Lloyd's. An attorney for AEG, Marvin Putnam, said the company informed Lloyd's in June that it was dropping the claim, citing reimbursement from the Jackson estate that covered the company's losses.

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Weekend Rock Question: What Is Bob Dylan's Best Album?

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This week Bob Dylan releases Tempest. It's the 35th album he's made during his 50-year recording career. That's a remarkable achievement, and it makes picking his single best album a huge challenge – but we think you guys are up for it.

What's your single favorite Bob Dylan album? Don't be afraid to be idiosyncratic here. There's a huge Street Legal cult out there. Let your voices be heard. Some people swear by Desire, while the religious faithful (as well as some nonbelievers) worship Slow Train Coming. The folk purists say it never got better than The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, while the politically minded love The Times They Are-A Changin'. Simply put, there's a Dylan album for almost everybody (though we don't wanna meet the guy who thinks Knocked Out Loaded speaks for him).

You can vote here in the comments, on facebook.com/rollingstone or on Twitter using the #weekendrock hashtag.

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Tom Petty 'Got Chills' When Democratic National Convention Played 'Won't Back Down'

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From Silversun Pickups to Twisted Sister, artists have been lamenting the use of their music by Republicans in the 2012 presidential campaign. Tom Petty can relate. "I've been on the wrong side where I've had to tell some candidates to stop using my music," he told Rolling Stone on the MTV VMAs red carpet.

But Petty was pleasantly surprised on Wednesday night, when his song "I Won't Back Down" played as President Obama walked onstage at the Democratic National Convention, after former President Bill Clinton's speech. "I got chills," said Petty. "They knew it would be okay. I've had a chance to meet the President and talk to him about the music he listens to."

Photos: 2012 MTV VMAs Red Carpet

Petty was on hand at the VMAs with his daughter and music video director Adria, who scored four nominations for Moonmen this year thanks to her work on Regina Spektor's "All the Rowboats" and Coldplay and Rihanna's "Princess of China."

"I've pretty much worked with most of my heroes," gushed Adria, who was joined on the red carpet by not only her dad, but Spektor. "I'm here and even got a nomination for her work," said a grateful Spektor.

Like Adria, the elder Petty established himself as a director back in the day with iconic visuals for his own tunes, "Don't Come Around Here No More" and "Mary Jane's Last Dance." Might his own daughter helm a clip for him one day? "I've pretty much retired from music videos," Petty demurred, suggesting an alternative: "Bono, if you're listening, I think you should make a music video with my daughter ."

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Jason Sudeikis Returning to 'SNL'

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Jason Sudeikis as Mitt Romney on 'Saturday Night Live.'September 12, 2012 12:35 PM ET

Jason Sudeikis will return for the 38th season of Saturday Night Live, producer Lorne Michaels confirmed to The New York Times. Sudeikis had previously expressed interest in fresh creative opportunities if he were to stay with the show, though his Mitt Romney impression appeared crucial for the upcoming presidential election season. Michaels says Sudeikis will stay at least through January, but did not write off the possibility of a full-season stint, calling Sudeikis "a fiercely loyal guy."

Andy Samberg, Kristen Wiig and Abby Elliott all departed SNL after last season. Cecily Strong, Aidy Bryant and Tim Robinson joined the cast earlier this week. Family Guy creator and Ted mastermind Seth MacFarlene hosts SNL's September 15th season premiere, with R&B star Frank Ocean as musical guest.

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Songwriter Accuses Muse of Copyright Theft

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A songwriter has accused Muse of lifting his "cinematic science-fiction rock opera" idea for the "Exogenesis" song suite on their 2009 album Resistance, Courthouse News Service reports.

In a lawsuit filed in federal court in Manhattan, Charles Bollfrass seeks $3.5 million from Warner Music. Bollfrass contends he wrote a "cinematic science-fiction rock opera" called "Exogenesis" that he pitched to Muse and two other unnamed bands in 2005.

"The claim is complete nonsense, and is categorically denied," the band said in a statement from Warner. "It appears to be based on a 'screenplay' which the band never received or saw, produced by someone the band has never heard of. It speaks volumes that the album in question was released a full three years ago, and yet this is the first that has been heard of these groundless allegations."

Bollfrass claims his rock opera told the story of humanity's quest to save itself by exploring space as Earth breaks down. Muse's "Exogenesis" trilogy on Resistance "is the story of humanity coming to an end and everyone pinning their hopes on a group of astronauts who go out to explore space and spread humanity to another planet," according to the liner notes. Muse singer Matthew Bellamy is credited with writing "Exogenesis I," Exogenesis II" and "Exogenesis III."

Bollfrass also claims that Muse derived the cover image for Resistance from storyboards for his rock opera. His lawsuit against Warner, which released Resistance, alleges copyright infringement, unfair trade practices and unfair competition. Warner will "aggressively defend" the lawsuit, and the band "exploring what remedies may be available to them in the U.S. in relation to these untrue and baseless allegations."

Muse's new album, The 2nd Law, is due October 2nd.

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Guns N' Roses, Jack White and Flaming Lips to Play Bridge School Benefit

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Axl Rose of Guns N' Roses performs on stage on June 4th, 2012 at Ahoy, Rotterdam.

This year's Bridge School Benefit will feature performances by Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Jack White, Guns N' Roses, The Flaming Lips, Sarah McLachlan, Foster The People, Lucinda Williams, Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Ranger Band, k.d. lang and the Siss Boom Bang and Gary Clark Jr. The annual two-day event will be held at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California on October 20th and 21st. Tickets go on sale Friday, September 14th at 10:00 a.m. PDT.

As always, the artists will perform completely acoustic sets. This will be the first Bridge School Benefit for Guns N' Roses, Jack White and the Flaming Lips, and it will be a unique opportunity for fans to see them do an unplugged set. Foster The People, Steve Martin, k.d. lang and Gary Clark Jr. are also Bridge School first-timers.

The Bridge School Benefit, which raises money for children with severe physical impairments, has been held almost every year since 1986. It's organized by Neil and Pegi Young and it always boasts one of the best line-ups of the festival season. Previous shows have featured stripped-down sets by David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, the Who, Pearl Jam, Simon and Garfunkel, Bob Dylan and too many others to mention.

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Song Premiere: Ben Folds Five, 'Draw a Crowd'

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Listen to Ben Folds Five's "Draw a Crowd":

Ben Folds Five have reunited to deliver their first new album in 13 years, and all that time off hasn't detracted a bit from quirky geek appeal of the band's signature piano-driven alt-rock. On "Draw a Crowd," the group's cheeky sense of humor rides strong, with Folds singing, "If you're feeling small and you can't draw a crowd/ Draw dicks on a wall," with grinning confidence. Though they're getting older, their attitude from their early days still shines through.

"Draw a Crowd" is on Ben Folds Five's upcoming album, The Sound of the Life of the Mind, out September 18th. It'll be the band's first album of new music since 1999.

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Fun. Rallying for Same-Sex Marriage With Halloween Show

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Andrew Dost, Jack Antonoff and Nate Ruess of Fun

Fun. have their Halloween plans booked. While they may come out in costume, they'll be doing it for a cause that's important to them: the band will play a benefit concert in Maine to support a bill on the November 6th ballot that would legalize same-sex marriage in the state.

"It’s specifically about a vote they have going on in their state, so not only are we behind the issue – we really intend to go and help where we can make a difference by making some noise, garnering some money and donating some money," Andrew Dost told Rolling Stone at the MTV VMAs.

Such amendments are on the ballot in four states – Washington, Maine, Maryland and Minnesota. The band hoped to also play Washington, but they haven't been able to arrange it due to a scheduling conflict. Still, they want to get involved in any way they can, hoping to encourage people to view the issue as one of human rights more than sexual preference.

"We got involved because we care in the same way we think everyone should care, and more importantly, we think it should be an issue way beyond the gay community," said Jack Antonoff. "It’s a little bit of a vibe like, 'It’s not my problem if I’m not gay.' But it should be everyone’s problem."

After watching California's Proposition 8, a ban on same-sex marriage, pass a few years ago, Fun. hope to see more voter participation. "You have a lot of young people who aren’t getting out and voting who actually are liberal," Dost said. "A lot of college kids, or even people our age, aren’t voting necessarily, and that’s a big deal, especially in this election."

Antonoff is hoping as many people are fired up by this week's Democratic National Convention as he was. "Michelle Obama’s speech was one of my favorite speeches in the history of politics or public speaking," he said. "She laid it out [and] didn’t hold anything back. I think her quote about women choosing what to do with their own bodies and same-sex marriage is really big."

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

'Reincarnated' Traces Snoop Lion's Rastafarian Awakening

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Snoop Lion filming "Reincarnated" in Jamaica.

The marijuana smoke-filled opening of Reincarnated, the documentary chronicling the personal and spiritual evolution of rapper and one-time gangbanger Snoop Dogg to reggae artist and Rasta Snoop Lion quickly cuts to shots of a bonfire and singing.

The context isn’t revealed until near the end of the film, which screened Friday at the Toronto International Film Festival.

As Snoop’s journey to find out the source, struggle and meaning behind the peaceable Rastafari ideological movement unfolds, the fire scene reappears as part of a holy groundation ceremony at the Nyabinghi Centre in Jamaica. It’s a significant moment: Snoop, who is given the name "Berhane" (which means light) during the baptism, has been embraced by true Rastas. "I feel love right now," says Snoop, beaming.

In the film, Snoop's daughter Cori B says her father comes home happier, smiling and singing Jamaican music. His forthcoming album, Reincarnated, made in Jamaica with executive producer Diplo and various producers and co-writers, is expletive-and-negativity free, something he could perform at an invitation to the White House. That wasn’t always, or ever, the case before.

The making of the reggae recording in Jamaica is the main reason Snoopadelic Films teamed with Vice Films for this documentary, directed by Andy Capper, but the context that led them to this surprising place in Snoop’s 40-year-old life is provided throughout the film. They hammer home the fact that Snoop grew up in Long Beach, CA, surrounded by violence, and the idea that this peace and love vibe was not in the cards, at least not musically.

"That was my first calling, out of the gangbanging and into the rap," Snoop says of that early stage of his life, which was reflected in his violent and misogynist lyrics.

Reincarnated reminds its audience of everything Snoop – born Calvin Broadus, Jr., and known earlier in his career as Snoop Doggy Dogg – has been through: acquitted of a murder charge; a record deal with Suge Knight’s Death Row; losing his friend 2Pac to an unsolved murder; the recent death of his best mate, rapper Nate Dogg, who died of a stroke last March.

"That’s what forced me to find a new path," Snoop says in the film, referring to Nate’s passing. A significant portion of Reincarnated is dedicated to the funeral service and procession.

But as he heads to LAX, bound for for Jamaica, Snoop plans to leave America for a month and "come back a whole new man." And he does.

The new path is shown gradually as Snoop and his entourage – as well as his family, wife Shante Broadus, and Cori B – head out on little adventures and fact-finding missions about the Rastafari movement and culture. From picking fresh herb deep in the Blue Mountain Range and visiting Trenchtown, the birthplace of the late Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer – who now, at 65, shares his wisdom with the rapper and and calls him "Snoop Lion" – to partaking in many "reasoning" ceremonies, where Rastas hang out and smoke cannabis, Snoop’s reincarnation unfolds. And in the end, he finally realizes a mission Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan gave him 11 years ago: "To be an advocate for peace," Snoop Lion says.

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Led Zeppelin, Buddy Guy, David Letterman to Receive Kennedy Center Awards

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Buddy Guy, David Letterman and Robert Plant of Led ZeppelinDonna Ward/Getty Images; Ray Tamarra/FilmMagic; Heidi Gutman/NBC NewsWire

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has announced the seven recipients of the 2012 Kennedy Center Honors. Buddy Guy, Led Zeppelin, David Letterman, Dustin Hoffman and ballerina Natalia Makarova will be honored by the Kennedy Center. Though Led Zeppelin will receive honors as a band, John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant will each receive Kennedy Center Honors.

"Buddy Guy is a titan of the blues and has been a tremendous influence on virtually everyone who has picked up an electric guitar in the last half century," said Kennedy Center Chairman David M. Rubenstein in a press release. "David Letterman is one of the most influential personalities in the history of television, entertaining an entire generation of late-night viewers with his unconventional wit and charm . . . and Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant transformed the sound of rock & roll with their lyricism and innovative song structures, infusing blues into the sound of rock & roll and laying the foundation for countless rock bands."

The Kennedy Center Honors will be presented on December 1st, with the Honors Gala on December 2nd. The gala will air December 26th on CBS.

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

'X Factor' Premiere Recap: Britney Spears Makes Her Debut

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Britney Spears on 'The X Factor.'September 13, 2012 11:00 AM ET

Greetings, X-Factoids! You can relax now, and blow out your Simon Cowell vigil candles, for your favorite $5 million talent show/freak-fest hath returned. I will be your X-Factotum again on this second season, which has already distinguished itself in the premiere, having jettisoned both previous female judges (Paula who? Nicole huh?) in favor of the potentially stark raving awesome duo of Britney Spears and Demi Lovato. Oh, and the immaculately groomed head of LA Reid is back as well, still making the crossed arm X-gesture, which nobody has yet informed him belongs to Wonder Woman.

So far, the dynamic between the new intake and the other judges is harmonious. Perhaps a little too much so: they all agree on just about everything. Demi and Britney seem on their way to intergenerational bestie-hood, and there's nary a hint of the Simon vs. LA smackdowns of yore. Simon has even oddly taken on the role of Demi's romantic consigliore, chiding her to stay away from one of the members of One Direction (the cute one, I think his name is Up.) Surely, we will eventually look back on this period as "the calm before all of those hurricanes."

A singing reality competition show is only as good as its singing reality competitors, though, so let's see what the cities of Austin, San Francisco and Providence have coughed up so far.

The Real Deal
Rihanna look-alike Paige Thomas has an adorable daughter and a hot pink shirt with epaulettes, so we like her already. "I'm Goin' Down" sounded pretty natural pouring out of her, although sometimes it's hard to distinguish oneself with a song like that on a show like this. All the judges adored her to begin with, but then her daughter made a carefully coordinated run to the stage with a little bow in her hair, and you could clearly see a quartet of melted judge-hearts.

Reed Deming has the manufactured affect and face-swept hair of a cog in the pop star machine, which means he'll do fine on this show. The 13-year-old chipmunk was a little too nervous at the start of his Bruno Mars song, "It Will Rain," and Simon stopped him less than a minute in, asking him to switch to another song – a spare, piano-driven version of "Grenade," on which he acquit himself admirably. The Bieber comparisons were non-stop, and he deflected them thus: "I don't want to fall into that Bieber stereotype. I gotta be me." OK, kid: tell that to every single thing about you.

A pleasant late-episode surprise was Jennel Garcia, a teenager who cites Pat Benatar as an influence. (God bless her.) Jennel sang Grace Potter and the Nocturnals' "Paris (Ooh La La)" like she meant business. The camera kept cutting over to her mom as Garcia was singing about being down on the floor, which was uncomfortable, but the girl just radiates confidence and swiveled hips. The judges loved her and so do you.

Demi found a kindred spirit in Jillian Jensen, a 19-year-old with a microphone tattooed on her shoulder blade, who reveals that she was bullied growing up and has a lot of feelings about it. (There's a backstory here, and we're assumed to know it, but for those who don't: Demi was bullied for being fat at age eight and had a decade-long eating disorder because of it.) Jillian has a deep, husky voice beyond her years, almost hoarse, and she breaks down in tears by the end of "Who You Are." Of course, Demi went on stage and hugged her, and of course, I felt like doing same.

Kinda Meh
With his hot pink lipstick, wedding train and booty shorts, could cake decorator Quatrele Da'an Smith have sung anything other than "Born This Way?" He didn't sound terrible, but I couldn't help feel the judges gave him a pass because they liked the fact that he exists, rather than his singing. (LA was the only one to give the sensible "no.")

Vincent Thomas didn't seem even mildly embarrassed to have been in a boy band in Europe at one point, and he kept saying the words 'boy band' over and over. He committed the cardinal sin of dispensing supposed wisdom to the guys sitting next to him before stepping onstage, so we know that he's not going to make it. His voice should have yellow lines around it, because it's the middle of the road. (Oh, snap?)

The guys Vincent was giving his ill-considered advice to were Emblem3, a trio of sun-baked high school California bros who sang a half-rapped original ode to their home state. The crowd went bonkers, and the judges seemed impressed, which seems insane to me. If you could imagine a much less dangerous Gym Class Heroes, it would be these dudes – and that's saying something.

The saddest moment of the night belonged to future stalker Don Philip, the utterly unhinged, tear-streaked Gob Bluth clone who apparently sang a duet with Spears once and never got over it. Here he sang "Halo" and it's clear that his voice is kind of shot. Britney had to be the one to discourage his dream, and it was like watching Timmy put down Lassie.

Total Jackasses
Kaci Newton was immediately set up as an over-the-top villainess. We hear the blonde Texan talking trash about Paige, but oddly not in an interview. We're meant to have overheard this. She has a Southern Mean Girls thing going on, with over the top boasting about wanting to be as big as Michael Jackson. On stage, though, she sounded like a Kristen Wiig character singing Katy Perry at the discount opera house or something. The judges unceremoniously ripped her a new one.

On his way to the stage, 50-year-old Shawn Armenta looked like he's checking for tails, which he should be, because his original song is pervy enough to sound 1,000 Amber alerts. It's called "Candy Girl," and it's about "the sweet girls you meet at a local bar." He also danced like he was guiding in a plane. Britney finally asked who let him on stage, which was a very good question, except that if there weren't a couple cartoonishly awful auditions like Shawn each year, someone would totally get fired.

We didn't hear Saane Dakunivosa sing one note before we know she's a total joke. We just intuit it from the half a bouquet of flowers on her shoulder, her very long shout out to the Bay Area and the fact that she's listed as "unemployed," rather than a student. When someone is introduced as unemployed on shows like these, unless it's part of a heartbreaking story, it's a sure sign of a fruitcake.

Finally, the vaguely Ron Jeremy-esque Charles Spangler (also unemployed) gave his age as "57 and 7" and looks every ounce of it. His face is as red as the devil's backside. When he's not barking like a dog on Soft Cell's "Tainted Love," in between "got to" and "run away," he sounds like Tom Waits' cousin who doesn't quite smoke as many cigarettes but is still a bridge troll.

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Florence Welch and Jimmy Fallon Bring Back 'Balls in Your Mouth'

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Florence Welch and Jimmy Fallon Bring Back 'Balls in Your Mouth''Late Night' host revives his oil spill protest song with Welch and Co. $(document).ready(function() { $('.socialActionsTop .pageActions .email-content').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.email').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.email').hide(); } ); $('.socialActionsTop .pageActions .print-page').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.print').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.print').hide(); } ); }); By

While they're currently trekking across the U.S., Florence and the Machine swung by Late Night With Jimmy Fallon last night for a very special performance. The band performed "Spectrum (Say My Name)" to close out the show, but the real highlight came earlier, when Florence Welch joined Fallon for a rousing rendition of "Balls in Your Mouth" – the protest song he wrote in 2010 about the tar balls washing up on the shore following the BP oil spill.

As Hurricane Isaac has caused old tar balls to reach shores again, it was an apt opportunity to bring back the track, and Welch gave the song's earworm of a refrain – "Balls in your mouth / Balls in your mouth / Don't swim in the ocean / You'll get balls in your mouth" – a full diva makeover. The studio audience and the Roots made sure to get in on the fun, too.

Premiere: Of Monsters and Men Show Playful Side on 'Mountain Sound'

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Premiere: Of Monsters and Men Show Playful Side on 'Mountain Sound'Icelandic folk band follows breakout single with endearing clip $(document).ready(function() { $('.socialActionsTop .pageActions .email-content').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.email').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.email').hide(); } ); $('.socialActionsTop .pageActions .print-page').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.print').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.print').hide(); } ); }); By

With their touching, earnest folk sound, Icelandic band Of Monsters and Men scored a breakout hit with "Little Talks" late last year, leading to a record deal with Universal and hitting chart heights unreached by any Icelander since Björk. The group offers an upbeat, barreling follow-up with "Mountain Sound." A new video for the song finds the band setting up, performing, connecting with fans and clowning around at a festival, showing their heartfelt endearing qualities aren't limited to just sound and stage.

"Mountain Sound" is on Of Monsters and Men's debut album, My Head Is an Animal.

Q&A: Michael Moore on Why Obama Needs Women, Taking Long Walks

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In the midst of an election season, you'd expect Michael Moore – whose last film, Capitalism: A Love Story, was released three years ago – to be playing his traditional role as liberal provocateur. Instead, he's been most visible as . . . a guy taking long walks. Since March, in what began as a jokey tweet urging his followers to join him on a stroll, Moore's regular #miketakesawalk Twitter outings have drawn thousands.

So how did this begin?
It was a Sunday night. I'd read earlier in the day in The New York Times that more Americans are on antidepressants than go to the movies.

That's depressing in all sorts of ways.
Exactly. I thought I'd tweet that out. This began a little bit of a firestorm. One group started tweeting that Hollywood movies are so bad, they'd make you more depressed. Then a fight broke out between people for and against antidepressants. Finally, some guy tweets to everyone, "I've found that all I need is a brisk walk." I laughed and retweeted him and wrote, "I think he's got the right idea. I'm putting my shoes on right now. Anyone who wants to join me can go." And I went on a 30-minute walk.

And it grew from there?
Yes. The next day, I thought, "I'm gonna try this again." Mind you, I'm not doing this for any reason! I wasn't planning any kind of walking routine. But I got even more responses, and I felt an obligation to keep going. People started tweeting pictures of their walks, or things like, "If you're going at 7 p.m. on the East Coast, do I have to go at 4 p.m. on the West Coast?" Europeans are weighing in: "Seven is too late! That's midnight here!" By the end of the month, I was having too much fun to stop. And I was feeling good, personally.

I think people have been surprised by the lack of a political element.
People say, "What's the cause?" The cause is putting one foot in front of the other. There's honestly no rhyme or reason behind this. I deplore exercise. Diets are a scam. I don't believe any of this stuff. I just started doing it because it was a weird thing to do, and then it became a collective thing to do with thousands of people around the world.

So what else can we look forward to?
I can't really say. There are three different projects I'm working on. They're not all films. People will become aware of them in the next year. I made the mistake of talking too much about Sicko before I finished the film, and the health-insurance lobby really came after me, so that's all I can say.

What are your thoughts on the presidential race?
I'm sure right about now Republicans are thinking, "Why the hell did we ever give women the vote?!" One of my Twitter followers wrote on my feed today, "In November, the Republicans are going to find out what a real pussy riot is." When they write the history of this election, it might come down to Todd Akin and these last few days. The gap between McCain and Obama on the women's vote was something like 14 percent. I wouldn't be surprised if it doubled this year. And that's good because Obama needs women to replace young voters.

You don't think young people will come out?
Enthusiasm is down because the person they voted for didn't come out of the gate swinging. He played "Kumbaya." I don't understand what part of "10 million vote mandate" he didn't understand. That's why I think this job is not going to be decided by independents. It's going to be about who does the best job of physically getting people out. If you could do an American Idol poll, where nobody had to get off the couch, Obama would probably still win. But that's not how we vote.

After a summer of the Romney campaign making a series of mistakes, is there a danger of overconfidence on the part of Obama supporters?
Yes. Republicans are relentless and they're smart, too – they're not all dumb – and on Election Day, they'll be up at five in the morning. The only way our side will see five in the morning is if we've stayed up all night partying. So I say don't get too cocky about Obama winning. You only have to look at what happened in Wisconsin a few months go [when Republican Gov. Scott Walker staved off a recall]. Everyone thought that was going to go the good way, and the bad guys won. The bad guys are very good at winning.

This is from the September 13th, 2012 issue of Rolling Stone.

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Wiz Khalifa and Amber Rose Expecting Their First Child

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Wiz Khalifa and Amber Rose announced last night at the MTV Video Music Awards that they're expecting their first child, Us Weekly reports. The rapper-model pair were engaged on March 1st, and Khalifa dropped the news on the red carpet. "We're expecting a beautiful little baby, me and Amber. We're so excited," he said.

"I love it, man. It's really structured and it's good because God puts everything in place how it's supposed to be," Khalifa told Rolling Stone last month when asked about his engagement to Rose. "We love each other so much."

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Premiere: Of Monsters and Men Show Playful Side on 'Mountain Sound'

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"Mountain Sound" is on Of Monsters and Men's debut album, My Head Is an Animal.

Neil Young and Crazy Horse Reveal Album Release Date, Tracklist

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Singer-Songwriter Joe South Dead at 72

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Frank Driggs Collection/Getty Images

Singer-songwriter Joe South – who penned tunes for Elvis Presley; played on landmark recordings by Bob Dylan and Aretha Franklin; and wrote hits including the Grammy-winning "Games People Play" and "(I Never Promised You) A Rose Garden" – has died at 72 after a heart attack, the BBC reports.

South was born Joseph Souter on February 28th, 1940, in Atlanta. He began playing guitar at 11, and was just 17 when he joined Nashville producer Pete Drake's band in 1957. South became a studio musician, meeting artists like Simon and Garfunkel, Dylan and Franklin, and began to seriously write songs that blended country and pop with a hint of psychedelia in the Sixties.

He recorded with Dylan on his 1966 classic Blonde on Blonde, played on Franklin's 1967 single "Chain of Fools" and saw Elvis Presley sing his "Walk a Mile in My Shoes" on Presley's' 1970 live album On Stage. South's track "Hush" later became a hit for Deep Purple, and he won two Grammys in 1969 for his single "Games People Play." South's biggest hit came in 1971 when Lynn Anderson covered "(I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden)."

South took several years off after the suicide of his brother Tommy. He made a brief return in 1975 with a new album, Midnight Rainbows, but walked away from the industry soon afterwards. Drug abuse hampered his career, and South's first marriage ended in divorce. He eventually went to rehab before marrying for a second time in 1987.

A funeral service will be held Saturday in Atlanta, Georgia.

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

'The X Factor' Returns With Hollywood Premiere

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Judges Britney Spears, Simon Cowell, Demi Lovato and L.A. Reid during the Season Two premiere event of 'The X Factor.' September 12, 2012 11:35 AM ET

When The X Factor launched last season with a Hollywood premiere, complete with red carpet, it felt grandiose and innovative. Last night, Simon Cowell's show again took over a Hollywood movie palace, the iconic Grauman's Chinese Theater, to celebrate the new season.

There was no shortage of pomp and circumstance, thanks in large part to the star power of new judges Britney Spears and Demi Lovato, who attracted legions of screaming fans on Hollywood Boulevard and inside the theater.

To underscore what a big event this was, the night started with a handprint ceremony, in which the four judges had their hands immortalized in cement alongside legends such as Marilyn Monroe and Frank Sinatra.

There was no shortage of hyperbole: the show was introduced as "the most powerful 84 minutes of television this season." Audience members sang Spears and Lovato songs to keep the crowd entertained while waiting for the judges.

Cowell was the only judge to speak prior to the screening of the premiere (which airs tonight on Fox), introducing some of the changes to this season. "We're so proud of this," Cowell said, calling Spears "the new Queen of Mean, as you're about to see."

Among the biggest changes are the lack of a host and voiceover, and contestants being recorded as they wait for their auditions. The second season starts with a "rivalry" between a 22-year-old singer named Kaci Newton and our heroine, 21-year-old mom Paige Thomas. Newton is so unlikable it gave the whole opening the effect of watching a Christopher Guest spoof of singing shows (and where is that, please?).

And then it was Britney time. The show remains Cowell's, but he's smart enough to know that it is Spears who can jump-start last year's disappointing ratings. After she ripped one horrible contestant, she was featured in a lengthy montage telling people "no" in various ways. "You sound like Alvin and the Chipmunks," she says to one contestant.

During the Q&A that followed, Spears pointed out that it wasn't just her being mean, but Lovato too. Lovato turned to Cowell and said she knew he would include footage of that in later episodes. The banter between Cowell and Lovato was played up continuously; at one point she joked that Reid told her, "Simon is so much uglier in person. Try not to laugh when you meet him." Cowell responded with a story about how when he first met Lovato she was drooling, and he had to point it out to her.

Cowell addressed the witty repartee, saying, "I'm obviously comfortable with both girls, because they can give as good as they get."

The Q&A lasted 20-30 minutes, with many of the questions being directed at Cowell. Coming from a variety of sources – Twitter, Facebook, the crowd and Fox – the questions covered a wide range of topics, including which One Direction member would make the best judge.

Spears was asked what she looks for most as a judge. "Someone who genuinely enjoys what they do," she replied. "I can totally relate to contestants – I know what it's like to have a dream and a passion," she added.

More importantly for Cowell and Fox, judging by the continuous screams, it seemed that fans can still relate to her.

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

'A Case For Vinyl' by Tim Burgess - Free MP3

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Daily Download: Tim Burgess, 'A Case For Vinyl'

Artist: Tim Burgess
Song: "A Case For Vinyl"
Album: Oh No I Love You

"'A Case for Vinyl' kind of looks at a relationship like a record collection – whatever happens, the records are kind of there as you left them but the order they're in can give away what's happening emotionally," Tim Burgess explains to Rolling Stone.

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Weekend Rock Question: What Is Bob Dylan's Best Album?

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You can vote here in the comments, on facebook.com/rollingstone or on Twitter using the #weekendrock hashtag.

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Flaming Lips Get Intimate Without Stripping Down in Big Sur

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The Flaming Lips perform at Henry Miller Library in Big Sur, California.

Bands seem to love playing music at the tiny but undeniably cool Henry Miller Library in Big Sur, California, along an undeveloped stretch of the wild west where the Pacific Ocean crashes into cliffs. Fans park their cars on the side of Route 1, just inches from such a cliff, then hike down the road to a clearing under giant redwoods, where a cottage has been converted into a kind of gift shop memorializing author Henry Miller and celebrating other local artists.

The unique space, called the Henry Miller Library, has lent its small front porch and lawn to intimate concerts with big-name artists. Acts that often play arenas, such as Arcade Fire and Band of Horses, play here with little or no production – the venue lends itself to a stripped-down approach where the redwoods themselves become the obvious, natural backdrop.

Not so for the Flaming Lips. Before their inspired and inspiring set on Tuesday, ringleader Wayne Coyne addressed the crowd, explaining the band's approach to the night and promising to do "all of the stuff . . . Initially, we said that we'll just play and we won't do the stuff, but it's so much fun to do all the stuff and just abuse you guys. So we're going to play music and we're going to sing to you guys, and that part is obviously wonderful – we have the beauty of the trees and the night and the atmosphere and all of that. But then we're going to try our best to do all the other stuff, and you're going to have to help us, because I don't know how the fuck we're going to do the space bubble. But we have to do the space bubble."

For all the talk of the importance of the pageantry, the band actually did play a show that focused on the other side of the Flaming Lips: emotional release through music. Musical group therapy.

Coyne was as loquacious between songs as ever, explaining the stunts as they came and drawing attention to the nuts-and-bolts of the spectacle like a wizard with a man-behind-the-curtain syndrome. Yet during his song introductions, you could hear a pin drop in the forest as Coyne revealed some of their deeper meanings.

For instance, in introducing "Waiting for Superman," Coyne told the small but attentive audience of 300 that he wrote the song shortly after losing a friend – singer-songwriter Elliott Smith. The band had been collaborating with him, and "like a lot of sensitive artists or people, he struggled," said Coyne. "And you got the feeling that he was waiting for something." People would ask the band why nobody could save him, and perhaps someone could have. But at the end of the day, Coyne proposes, we're all responsible for our own happiness – and we should spread that message and help people embrace that. We have to be our own superheroes. "It sounds hopeful, but I don’t actually have the answer," said Coyne. "It's maybe an answer for me. I hope it is for you."

Later, Coyne admitted that the band stole the title to their song "Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell" from an unsuspecting DJ back in 1998. The band was listening to the radio as they toured Germany in a van, and the DJ would translate the titles of the songs into English before continuing to converse in the native language. The band distinctly heard him say "Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell" following a torrent of German. When an extensive search, back home, for the actual song failed to turn up anything, they wrote their own.

Continuing with the Flaming Lips' transparent approach to their showbiz side, when Coyne did bring out the space bubble as promised, he warned the crowd that it might not have the same big bang it has at festivals and in giant amphitheaters. With just 300 people spread out on a lawn, it was difficult to envision him crowd-surfing in a giant inflatable bubble. "It's not going to be the best," he cautioned. "But when you go home, you're going to lie to people. You'll say it was the best fucking space bubble you’ve ever seen."

During the encore, Coyne tried to tack a furry tail on his rear end and had difficulty securing it. "You can lie about that too," he joked.

But in truth, as Coyne himself allowed by the encore, no lies were necessary. "This turned out to be a beautiful experience," he said. And he was right.

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Flaming Lips Get Intimate Without Stripping Down in Big Sur

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R.E.M. Issue Cease and Desist to Fox News

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R.E.M. have issued a cease and desist order against Fox News, after the right-wing cable news network played "Losing My Religion" during its coverage of the Democratic National Convention.

"We have little or no respect for their puff adder brand of reportage. Our music does not belong there," said Michael Stipe, in a statement posted on R.E.M.'s website.

The band sent the cease and desist through its publisher, Warner-Tamerlane Music, demanding that Fox News stop "its unlicensed and unauthorized use of the song."

Just last week, Stipe co-wrote a letter with writer-director Tom Gilroy slamming Republicans as part of the 90 Days, 90 Reasons project. "The current Republican platform seeks the opposite of democracy," reads the letter. "It seeks to create a permanent aristocracy – an entitled gentry that has greater access to this dream than most of the rest of America."

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Britney Spears Learns 'Gangnam Style' Dance From Psy

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On the Charts: Imagine Dragons' Big Debut

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Eric Clapton to Auction Painting Worth Up to $19 Million

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September 13, 2012 10:50 AM ET

Eric Clapton is expected to earn $14-19 million when he puts an abstract piece by the German artist Gerhard Richter up for auction at Sotheby's next month, Reuters reports. Clapton bought the paining, titled "Abstraktes Bild (809-4)," back in 2001 for $3.4 million.

Richter – whose work includes the cover of Sonic Youth's 1988 LP, Daydream Nation – has become one of the most coveted living artists, with one of his paintings fetching $21.8 million at an auction in New York in May. "Abstraktes Bild (809-4)" is one of a series of four paintings the artist made in the mid-1990s. Three of them were sold to Clapton in 2001, while the fourth is owned by the joint collection of the Tate and the National Galleries of Scotland.

Clapton will put the piece up at London's contemporary art evening auction on October 12th, which coincides with the Frieze Art Fair, one of the more significant weeks for the global art market.

Clapton has had plenty of experience on the auction floor at this point, on both the buying and selling ends. Last year, he sold more than 70 of his instruments, amplifiers, and memorabilia and raised $2.15 million for the Crossroads Center, a drug and alcohol rehab facility in Antigua he co-founded in 1998.

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Nicki Minaj: 'I Don't Know' If I'm Judging 'American Idol'

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Nicki Minaj: 'I Don't Know' If I'm Judging 'American Idol'Rapper also teases new single next week for 'Reloaded Re-Up' $(document).ready(function() { $('.socialActionsTop .pageActions .email-content').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.email').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.email').hide(); } ); $('.socialActionsTop .pageActions .print-page').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.print').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.print').hide(); } ); }); By

While on the MTV VMAs red carpet last night, a Donatella Versace-clad Nicki Minaj told E! News that she'll be releasing Pink Friday Roman Re-loaded: The Re-Up – an expanded version of her just recently released second LP – in November. The rapper promised "lots of new songs on there," and also teased a new single slated to drop next week.

"Barbz, you are gonna spazz. You are gonna love it. You are gonna go cra-zy," said Minaj.

When asked about the rumors that she'll be a judge on the next season of American Idol, though, Minaj played it more coyly – pausing, smiling, and simply replying, "You know something, I don't know yet. I really don't know. I have no comment on it." Asked whether it's her decision or the show's, she only had this to say: "Everything in my life, every opportunity is always my decision." And the rumor mill keeps churning.

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Flashback: Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones Perform 'Like a Rolling Stone'

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Flashback: Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones Perform 'Like a Rolling Stone'They played together during a 1998 South American tour $(document).ready(function() { $('.socialActionsTop .pageActions .email-content').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.email').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.email').hide(); } ); $('.socialActionsTop .pageActions .print-page').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.print').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.print').hide(); } ); }); By

In January of 1998 New York music fans faced a tough choice: Bob Dylan or the Rolling Stones? Both were doing a run of shows at Madison Square Garden over the exact same nights: Dylan was in the theater and the Stones were in the arena. In honor of Dylan, the Stones performed "Like A Rolling Stone" every single night. At one point their setlist said "with Bob Dylan," but he never showed.

Three months later, fans in South America were in a much easier position. The Stones came down for a stadium tour, with Dylan as their opening act. This time around, Dylan didn't stand them up.

"We'd like to do a song we wrote," Jagger told the crowd midway through a show in Rio de Janeiro, quickly correcting himself. "That Bob Dylan wrote for us." With that, Dylan took the stage to join the group on his 1965 classic "Like a Rolling Stone." Earlier attempts at the duet that month were a little ragged, but by this point Dylan had adjusted to the band's arrangement of his song. He even appears to be enjoying himself, and at one point he actually smiles. It was good timing, because the show was broadcast on television.

Dylan has been friends with the Stones for decades, and he's performed numerous times with Keith Richards and Ron Wood (most notably at Live Aid). But this was the only time he actually performed with the full band. At the 1988 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony he performed "Like a Rolling Stone" and "Satisfaction" with Jagger, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, John Fogerty, the Beach Boys, Little Richard, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono, Les Paul, Neil Young, Elton John, Ben E. King, Jeff Beck and about 20 other people, but that doesn't quite count, either. It was pretty cool, though just a tad sloppy. As it turns out, 15 guitar players don't actually improve a song.