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100 Greatest Artists: Elton John

Elton John performs at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards.

"I'm not the sort of artist who'll get played on the radio," Elton John said yesterday in a studio on the west side of Los Angeles, explaining why he was hosting a small listening party for his next album, The Diving Board. While that might sound absurd coming from a man with a staggering 59 Top Forty hits in the United States, the last entry on that ledger was a LeAnn Rimes duet back in 1999. The Diving Board is unlikely to persuade radio program directors to stick him in heavy rotation, but it's John's best work in years: With the encouragement of producer T Bone Burnett, John returned to the piano/bass/drums arrangements of his earliest albums, making a stripped-down record that feels like a CinemaScope western. A beaming John said, "It's got everything I love about American music – gospel, soul, country."

He recorded most of the album in early 2012 and then put it aside for a while, busy with other projects (including the Elton John vs. Pnau remix record, Good Morning to the Night, which topped the British charts last year). Freed of the obligation to make a deadline, he was delighted to revisit the album with fresh ears after nine months. This January, he wrote a few new songs and did a second set of sessions (pushing the release date back to September, and bringing the overall studio time up to a grand total of five days). Stepping away from it meant "being able to put a little sugar on it," John said, "making it Eltonized." (It also meant having time to dither about the title: he went from The Diving Board to Voyeur and then back to The Diving Board.)

Sitting in the control room of that studio, wearing an Adidas tracksuit and Nike sneakers without socks, Sir Elton listened intently to his own record, clasping his fingers, tapping his feet, even conducting with his left hand when one of the songs was garnished with cellos. Highlights included "Oceans Away," a melancholy ballad about dead soldiers; "My Quicksand," a cabaret tale of sliding into decadence ("I went to Paris once/ I thought I had a plan/ I woke up with an accent"), the boogie-woogie "Mexican Vacation (Kids in the Candelight)," and especially the title track, about the vertiginous distance between teenage dreams and adult success, which feels like it could stop the world spinning for five minutes.

John's longtime collaborator, Bernie Taupin, wrote the lyrics for 13 songs, showing his usual facility for both evocative couplets ("You're the diner in my rear view/ A cup of coffee getting cold") and overripe verbiage (the song about Oscar Wilde getting out of jail); John also improvised three short instrumentals. "It's the most piano-orientated record I've ever made," John said, sounding mildly astonished. Raphael Saadiq played the bass, Jay Bellerose the drums. Guest musicians included Doyle Bramhall II and Burnett on guitar, and Motown legend Jack Ashford on percussion. "On 'A Town Called Jubilee,' he used the same block he played on 'What's Going On'!" John marveled.

"Home Again" was a yearning ballad that seemed to sum up the album: while piano notes fell down like baptismal waters, John sang about wanting to go back home. What made it more than cheap nostalgia is that The Diving Board did feel like a homecoming. "It's the album I should be making after The Union," John said proudly, referring to his 2010 collaboration with Leon Russell, also produced by Burnett. "It's the most adult record I can make at my age. I'm just heading toward being 80 years old and playing at the Holiday Inn."

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

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Spike Lee Previews 'Michael Jackson: Bad25' With Trailer

5:10 AM

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Spike Lee Previews 'Michael Jackson: Bad25' With TrailerDocumentary tracks the making of the 1987 album and 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

Spike Lee will debut his Michael Jackson documentary Michael Jackson: Bad25 on November 22nd on ABC, and in this new trailer, the director gives a peek into the making of the classic 1987 album, its music videos and the Bad tour. Catch studio shots, live snippets and plenty of iconic imagery, including the unforgettable anti-gravity lean in the "Smooth Criminal" video. "That's what this documentary is about – it's gonna have people return to focusing on the music, his art, which I feel is his legacy, in addition to his children," Lee said last month. "He became a prisoner of his fame."

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Alanis Morissette Previews New Album in Intimate L.A. Event

1:19 AM

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Alanis Morissette performs during her 'Havoc and Bright Lights' listening party at Sonos Studio in Los Angeles.Michael Buckner/Getty Images for Sonos

Alanis Morissette previewed her new album, Havoc and Bright Lights, for a few hundred fans last night at a sweltering, packed Sonos Studio in Los Angeles. Before a mix of industry, media and contest winners, Morissette began the two-hour event by showcasing four new songs off the album, including an exclusive track, "Big Sur," that will only appear on a special edition at Target.

Following the four songs, which also included "Celebrity," Morrisette made her way from the back of the space through the crowd to join Billboard's Phil Gallo for a 35 minute Q&A that touched on a range of topics, from the new album to social activism to her songwriting process and more.

The wide range of subjects was fitting for an event celebrating Havoc and Bright Lights. When we spoke with Morissette in the studio a few months ago she said of the new album, "All the things I care about – personal story, the spiritual side, the consciousness side, the rock side – every part of my artist came forth."

Talking last night with Gallo about her writing and recording process, she said, "I put my helmet on and hope for the best." As she added, "I don't know if I should get into . . . " a fan yelled, "Yeah, get into it!"

The space, not much bigger than a nice-sized living room, allowed for a lot of intimacy and encouragement. Among Morissette's main topics were feminism – "This is a great time to be alive as a woman, especially an alpha woman," she said – and activism. Echoing a sentiment she shared with Rolling Stone, she said, "Artists are social activists, whether we want to be or not." But she also believes that is secondary to having children.

"I think parenting is the biggest activism there is on the planet," she said.

Getting back to her songwriting process, she described "You Oughta Know" as a "desperate diary entry." And she addressed the subject of "Celebrity," a song that derides those constantly seeking fame.

"It's a composite," she said. She made sure to put herself in that group of "dancing monkeys . . . I love all the trappings," she said of fame. "I'm as shallow as you can be. I love my 16-inch heels."

With her typical blend of candor and thoughtfulness, Morissette held the room as rapt as if she were backed by a full band, rocking out. To reward the audience for their undivided attention, she closed the night with a trio of acoustic songs, starting with "Hand in My Pocket," during which she busted out the harmonica to tremendous applause.

She followed that with a lovely rendition of "Guardian," which, in its acoustic format, took on a peaceful, easy feeling. The encore wrapped with "Thank U India."

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

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Alanis Morissette Previews New Album in Intimate L.A. Event

5:52 PM

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Alanis Morissette performs during her 'Havoc and Bright Lights' listening party at Sonos Studio in Los Angeles.Michael Buckner/Getty Images for Sonos

"I think parenting is the biggest activism there is on the planet," she said.

Getting back to her songwriting process, she described "You Oughta Know" as a "desperate diary entry." And she addressed the subject of "Celebrity," a song that derides those constantly seeking fame.

She followed that with a lovely rendition of "Guardian," which, in its acoustic format, took on a peaceful, easy feeling. The encore wrapped with "Thank U India."

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

Monday, July 16, 2012

Off the Cuff: Bryan Cranston Previews the Final Season of 'Breaking Bad'

7:05 AM

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Off the Cuff: Bryan Cranston Previews the Final Season of 'Breaking Bad''Walter White has expanded beyond the cavity of his chest, so he's bursting out of his skin with pride,' the series' star tells Peter Travers $(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 the first part of the latest "Off the Cuff with Peter Travers," Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston breaks down the final season of the hit AMC show, why it's split in two and his feelings on the series' end.

"They came to the number 16 [episodes] because Vince Gilligan, the creator of the show, thought, 'That seems about right,' to be able to have the time to wrap it up and to end on his own merit, in his own way," says Cranston. "But then AMC wanted to split that up and actually, Vince wanted to split that up too, so that he had time to focus on the first eight [episodes] in season five and be able to go through it and have time to edit, have time to put that away and do the final mix and do it all, and then take a couple weeks off for a break, and then assembling the writers again in August."

"I would rather end this show in a respectful way and hopefully end it before its time," adds Cranston. "You don't want that asterisk next to the title of your series saying, 'Breaking Bad, six good seasons, three kind of mediocre ones and one clearly crappy one – and season eleven was like, 'ugh.''"

But the final season looks to be quite dark. "Walter White has expanded beyond the cavity of his chest, so he's bursting out of his skin with pride," says Cranston. "Although pride goeth before the fall."

The first half of the final season of Breaking Bad premieres on July 15th on AMC.

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Ne-Yo Previews Introspective 'R.E.D.' Album in NYC

9:10 AM

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Monday, March 19, 2012

Fiona Apple Previews New Material At SXSW Show

9:35 AM

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It takes a lot to stand out at SXSW, where any given night offers roughly 8,621 bands to see and 367 food trucks at which to refuel between sets. But a Fiona Apple show is a draw in any context. Until last night in Austin, Apple hadn't performed in five years outside of her homebase of Los Angeles, where the singer-songwriter joins her musician friends onstage every so often at the tiny Largo nightclub. Last November, she played with the composer Jon Brion and hinted that new material was in limbo, saying, "I can't remember any of my new songs because they've been done for a fucking year."

Apple's first LP in seven years is now slated for release in June (the elaborately titled The Idler Wheel is wiser than the Driver of the Screw, and Whipping Cords will serve you more than Ropes will ever do), and she's engaging in a brief tour that kicked off with a pair of appearances at SXSW, starting with an NPR-hosted showcase at Stubb's on Wednesday.

The much-ballyhooed performance all but guaranteed that a throng of festival-goers would be streaming into the venue by the time doors opened at seven. At about dusk, Apple took the stage and opened with "Fast As You Can," from her 1999 album, When the Pawn...; for those who have seen her at Largo, the slightly muddled sound and breadth of the crowd was overwhelming at times. It was overwhelming for Apple, too. At one point, she yelled at the audience, "You're not real." But the exictement for her new material outweighed logistical issues, and Apple soon settled in to a groove. She played three new tunes – "Valentine," "Every Single Night," and the sensual "Anything We Want," where she played percussion and sang ruefully, "I kept touching my neck to guide your eye to where I wanted you to kiss me when we find some time alone." Given Apple's penchant for intricate arrangements, the songs felt remarkably straightforward.

As for old fan favorites, there were several highlights, from "Criminal" and "Carrion" to "Sleep To Dream" and "Extraordinary Machine." But this show was all about the promise of what's to come, and Apple's performance only heightened the anticipation.

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

The-Dream Previews Seductive New Album

4:14 AM

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An original painting by Keith Haring covers the lobby at Germano Studios in downtown NYC, the artist's trademark exclamatory lines and dancing figures conveying a frenzied, emotive experience. On Monday night, that same feeling poured out of a cozy back room in one of the building's studios, where The-Dream, clad in head-to-toe Chicago Bulls gear and glistening diamonds, previewed his upcoming Love IV MMXII album. The singer-producer's first LP in two years (in an act of defiance against his label last summer, he released a mixtape, 1977, under his given name Terius Nash) is still missing a release date, and many of its tracks are in flux. But The-Dream was palpably eager to share the music that's been brewing.

Like its predecessors, Love IV blends braggadocio with seduction over heavily percussive, synth-driven soundscapes. The-Dream also seems to have grown as a singer since his last effort; there's more power behind his falsetto. "Roc," the album's bouncy lead single released in January, is an irresistibly bright number about, of course, rocking your body - in this instance, from "left to right, side to side." It's a springtime pleaser that serves as a fitting introduction to the rest of The-Dream's new material. Among the highlights:

"Foreplay": A nostalgic mid-tempo number with electric guitars and thumping percussion that begs for comparisons to The-Dream's freaky-R&B forebear, R. Kelly.

"Equestrian": Ginuwine's "Pony" gets a redux with pounding drums. "I love the way you ride/Equestrian," The-Dream croons, his falsetto blending effortlessly over the beat. He even toys with his lower register, a welcome distraction from the song's hackneyed "Giddy up" outro. During this listening session, The-Dream closed his eyes and began winding and shimmying by himself to the track.

"Loving You": In which The-Dream loves so hard, it becomes downright aggressive. Vocals, synths, guitars and yearning lyrics undulate together to the brink of insanity, and yet it never sounds cacophonous. "I can't take all the credit, the cocaine had a lot to do with it," The-Dream mused afterward, presumably joking.

"Slow It Down": "I know they ain't gonna play this on Top 40 radio," The-Dream dares on this strip club-ready song about rolling, grinding and myriad other forms of gyration.

"Divine," featuring Mary J. Blige: Booming theatrics lead off one of the album's most introspective cuts. "As the seats recline/This is divine," The-Dream murmurs, contemplating success. Blige provides only ancillary vocal coos over lush violins, creating an airy effect.

"Paid," featuring Gucci Mane: Kickstarted with a sample from the gangster flick New Jack City (Nino Brown's famous quote: "The fruit of our hard work/Am I my brother's keeper?"), "Paid" is a requisite hip-hop banger about balling with just $100 in your pocket. Gucci Mane delivers a formidable verse: "If I could/I'd give a hug to the money," he croaks. "I think I was doing that while I was doing crack," The-Dream laughed while playing the track.

"Katrina": A masculine counterpart to Beyoncé's "Irreplaceable," this chest-pounding, unfinished song encourages men to move on from bad relationships. "This is strictly for my niggas," The-Dream croons – though, to be fair, the women present found the song to be irresistible.

"Talk That Shit": Cue the subliminal shots! "Talk That Shit" is a veiled jab at new-generation R&B weirdos who have been heavily influenced by The-Dream's style. "Y'all niggas so disrespectful remixing my own shit," he blasts before jumping into a medley of his hits, from "Fancy" to "Shawty Is a 10." Although The-Dream wouldn't reveal any specific names, chatter during the session implied that "Bed" singer J. Holiday and The Weeknd were possible targets.

"Y'all": "If this ain't the realest thing I ever wrote," sings The-Dream on this markedly sensitive, vulnerable number, where he spills his guts about his oft-beleaguered reputation as an artist, father and man. The self-anointed "Superman" admits that, yes, even he has flaws – "Sometimes even my cape needs dry cleaning" – before making peace with himself, concluding, "Crucify me if you want, but I won't stop loving y'all."

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

Sunday, March 18, 2012

The-Dream Previews Seductive New Album

4:58 AM

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"Foreplay": A nostalgic mid-tempo number with electric guitars and thumping percussion that begs for comparisons to The-Dream's freaky-R&B forebear, R. Kelly.

"Slow It Down": "I know they ain't gonna play this on Top 40 radio," The-Dream dares on this strip club-ready song about rolling, grinding and myriad other forms of gyration.

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