Song Casting

Smashing Pumpkins have issued a statement saying that they are seeking a drummer to replace Jimmy Chamberlin, who left the band last week.

Billy Corgan and company will hold auditions next Friday (April 10) in Los Angeles. They have asked that potential candidates send their background info, photos, and performance web links via email to pumpkinsdrummer@gmail.com.

Chamberlin, who joined the band when it was originally formed in 1988 and played on all of the Smashing Pumpkins’ albums except 1998′s Adore, said last week that he decided to quit because he is no longer able to give the band all of his energy. “I can’t just, ‘Cash the check,’ so to speak,” he said.

After the drummer’s departure, frontman Corgan issued a statement saying he intends to continue performing and recording under the Smashing Pumpkins name, despite the fact that he is the band’s only remaining original member.

Dave Grohl is in baby nirvana right about now.

The former Nirvana drummer-turned-Foo Fighters frontman and wife Jordyn are celebrating the birth of their second child.

Daughter Harper Willow was born Friday in New York, weighing in at a healthy 7 pounds, 8 ounces. She’s 20 inches long and apparently takes after her dad.

“She’s as loud as hell,” says Grohl.
The Grohls, who tied the knot in 2003, named Harper after the musician’s great uncle. She joins 3-year-old big sister Violet in the couple’s brood.

Grohl’s currently on a break with the Foos since touring last year in support of their sixth studio album, Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace.

David Hasselhoff’s teenage daughters have announced they’re launching a pop career.

Taylor Ann, 18, and Hayley Amber, 16, are planning to follow in their dad’s footsteps by forming a band.

The group, which will which apparently take the same musical style of Miley Cyrus, have already started recording their debut single.

The duo currently have no stage name confirmed, although The Hoff Drops is a possibility, reports The Sun.

Despite saying he will help his daughters’ career, Hasselhoff has said he does not want to become their full-time manager.

The song title “Cry Me A River” brings Justin Timberlake to mind for Generation Y. But that is likely to change thanks to Susan Boyle, the Scottish singing sensation whose Britain’s Got Talent appearance wooed millions of broadcast and online viewers.

Boyle’s moving rendition of “Cry Me A River” was uploaded to YouTube Thursday night, sparking further interest and frenzy over the extremely talented singer.

Boyle’s “Cry Me A River” is a remake of the blues standard, not Timberlake’s pop ballad. Boyle’s track went virtually unnoticed when it was independently released 10 years ago on a charity CD reported Times Online. The Whitburn Community Council in West Lothian only pressed 1,000 copies of The Millennium Celebration compilation.

The singer, who said she has never been kissed, now has an offer on the table from Britain’s Got Talent judge Piers Morgan who has said he would take her on a romantic date. Still, Boyle isn’t eager to abandon her more homely looks for an extreme makeover just because she is on the television show.

“I wouldn’t want to change myself too much because that would really make things a bit false,” she told CNN’s American Morning on Friday. “I want to receive people as the real me, a real person.”

It’s not just Boyle’s singing that has fans searching the internet for related information. Web searches for the term “gobsmacked” spiked after Boyle used the British slang meaning utterly astonished when describing her reaction to newfound widespread acclaim.

The humble 48-year-old unemployed singer who began performing in school productions when she was 12 credits her late mother as the inspiration to audition for the competition show. Boyle’s story has already won her talk show circuit interviews on CNN and Larry King Live. An appearance on Oprah is said to be in the works.

After weeks of “American Idol” running long and wrecking havoc with our DVRs and TiVos, we’ve come up with a plan to condense the entire show down — way down. We’re talking 15-minute performance nights and five-minute results nights. And if we can do it, there’s no reason Fox can’t, too.

Performance Nights:

Minute 1: Obligatory introductions of judges and Seacrest so they can show off their outfits and smile.

Minute 2: The mentor of the week gives one big gushing speech about how everyone was wonderful. No footage of them standing lamely by a piano, or a history of their accomplishments gets shown.

Minutes 3 & 4: Adam Lambert blows away all convention again with whatever this week’s theme is.

Minute 5: Simon’s comments. None of the other judges get to talk; they just have to nod or shoot angry looks at Simon for calling it either wonderful or too theatrical.

Minutes 6 & 7: Danny Gokey does his predictable Danny Gokey thing.

Minute 8: Simon says it was a bit boring, but that he understands why America loves Danny. Audience booing.

Minutes 9-12: Highlights from the rehearsal footage of the other remaining contestants. It’s pretty much a foregone conclusion that Gokey and Lambert will be the finalists, so why even pretend anymore? Just do a snippets reel and the audience can vote on who the worst person of the night was.

Minute 13: The non-Gokey/Lambert contestants stand on stage while Simon gives his thoughts on who sounded the most cabaret or karaoke and who was surprisingly passable.

Minute 14: Ryan gives out all of the dial-in numbers. Cautions that these are 866 numbers and that standard text messaging rates apply.

Minute 15: Seacrest wishes everyone a good night. Kara says “artistry,” Randy says “dawg” and Paula babbles randomly, but her speech gets cut off by the start of the next show on Fox.

Results Nights:

Minute 1: Introductions of Seacrest and the judges, so Ryan can make some snarky comment about Simon and the audience applause gives him his weekly dose of validation for having an opinion.

Minute 2: Seacrest calls all the contestants who aren’t Gokey and Lambert down to the center stage and they look sad/surprised.

Minute 3: Ryan asks Simon who should go home. Simon tosses out the name of his chosen punching bag of the week. Audience booing ensues.

Minute 4: Ryan sends most of the remaining contestants back to the couch, then tells the bottom two who America hated the most.

Minute 5: The eliminee gets to sing their song, until it is cut off by a Ford commercial.

UPDATE: The charges were dropped April 15, with prosecutors saying that the alleged victim, Nate Dogg’s estranged wife, never contaced them.

At arraignment, the rapper had pleaded not guilty on all counts.

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Nate Dogg is in some deep doo-doo.

Los Angeles prosecutors have slapped the hip-hopster with felony stalking charges stemming from his arrest last month for threatening his estranged wife.

The 38-year-old Grammy-nominated performer, born Nathaniel Dwayne Hale, was collared on June 23 after California Highway Patrol received a 911 call from his missus, identified only as Latoya C. in court documents, claiming he threatened her life and was chasing her on Interstate 405.
Dogg is set to be arraigned on July 16 on two felony counts of making criminal threats, one felony count of stalking and one misdemeanor charge of driving with a suspended license from a previous DUI.

“[Hale made a] credible threat with the intent that she be placed in reasonable fear for her safety and the safety of her immediate family,” the complaint reads.

His attorney, Mark Geragos, was not immediately available for comment.

Dogg, who’s best known for his guest appearances on hit albums by the likes of 50 Cent, Eminem and his cousin Snoop Dogg, has had run-ins with the law before. He was sentenced to probation in March for attacking an ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend two years ago.

LeAnn Rimes’ new book, “What I Cannot Change,” offers her take on the serenity prayer. And these days, she’s practicing what she’s been preaching.
The singer and actress can’t change the recent past — tabloid reports alleging a romance with Eddie Cibrian, with whom she starred in the recent Lifetime movie “Northern Lights.” Both Rimes and Cibrian are married to other people; a March Us Weekly cover story plastered photos of the two holding hands and kissing at a restaurant.

Cibrian has denied a romance. Rimes acknowledged “difficult time for me and my loved ones” on her Web site but did not directly address the allegations.
When asked how she was dealing with scrutiny, Rimes replied, “You know? I’m actually really great.

“It’s something that I’m not going to back and forth in the press about, because it does hurt me and my loved ones, and I’m really not going to address tabloid rumors and I’m sticking to that,” she continued, with a small laugh.

Ironically, much of “What I Cannot Change” is about coming clean. About half of the book is based on anonymous confessions posted to Rimes’ Web site of the same name, inspired by fan reactions to the song “What I Cannot Change” from her 2007 album “Family.”

“Well, the song was basically written by myself and my very good friend Darrell Brown on a very tough day I was having, and I kind of poured my heart and soul out into these verses,” Rimes said.

Many of the entries, both on the site and in the book, are nothing short of harrowing: a parent mourning the loss of her son to schizophrenia, a child watching a mother dying of cancer, a woman who had six miscarriages.

“It makes you realize that there’s not much that separates us as human beings,” Rimes said. “It kind of makes you feel the human race is one connected unit.”

The other half of the book is autobiographical, as the Grammy winner recounts her rise to stardom at just 12 with the song “Blue.”

The book also touches on her painful battle with the autoimmune disease psoriasis, and writes about her complicated relationship with her parents, who divorced when she was 14.

“You know, I think a lot of people, because I did grow up so fast, thought, ‘Easy. She’ll be able to handle it. No big deal.’ And I was able to handle it fine. But not until a few years ago did I realize how much it affected me.”

Rimes, 26, also discusses her husband, Dean Sheremet, The two met when she was hosting the Academy of Country Music Awards, and he was a backup dancer at the event in Los Angeles in 2001. They were married in February 2002.

“There’s people that you meet in your life that shape and change your life — and Dean has been (that), for me,” Rimes said. “He’s been absolutely amazing and helped me grow into the woman that I am. And I love him dearly.”

While “What I Cannot Change” has proven to be a gift to Rimes’ fans, it’s also been rewarding for Rimes, inspiring the singer to not fret about things you cannot control — the list of which clearly includes those tabloid reports.

“You really realize these small things that we obsess over are really small,” Rimes said. “We could look in the negative way or choose to look at things in a positive light. But I’m trying to rewire my brain to look at positive things every day of my life.”

Britain’s Got Talent hopeful Susan Boyle became an overnight sensation last week with her moving performance of “I Dream A Dream” from the Broadway musical Les Miserables. Her back story of being a 48-year-old plain Jane who had never been kissed and lives with her cat helped her rack up tens of millions of YouTube video plays in days.

But 12-year-old Shaheen Jafargholi from Mount Pleasant, Swansea appears to have the goods to eclipse Boyle.

Jafargholi’s performance Saturday night on the competition show has given the Internet yet another new buzz.

Initially, Jafargholi’s fate did not look so promising when he began singing Amy Winehouse’s “Valerie.” Though his pure vocals were evident, judge Simon Cowell stopped him just seconds into the song to tell him that he was headed in the wrong direction and asked him what else he sang.

Instead of being crushed, the savvy preteen immediately responded with The Jackson 5′s “Who’s Loving You?”

From the first note of the track, Jafargholi won over Cowell, the other judges and audience.

Susan Boyle is incredible, but personality plays a big part on these shows. It is going to be tough for a humble, middle aged woman who is hesitant to get a makeover to pose stiff competition for a cute kid who is quick on his feet and able to tackle a Michael Jackson song.

While Jafargholi’s skill is undeniable the Jackson song was not spontaneous or much of a risk for him. Last year, he toured the UK for six weeks performing Jackson music for an elaborate pop concert-style show Wales reports.

Additionally, he already has an impressive resume that includes attending The Mark Jermin Stage School in Swansea since the age of five, appearing in the BBC’s Torchwood And Casualty and an ad for Comic Relief.

And if that is not enough competition for Susan Boyle, Jafargholi also offers humility to match.

When asked how he felt when Cowell interrupted his performance and asked him to sing a different song, Jafargholi said he was grateful. “I couldn’t believe Simon Cowell had given me a second chance,” Jarargholi told Wales. “He’s basically God in the music industry.”

You might say The Edge is having boundary issues.

The U2 guitarist’s plans to build five mountaintop mansions in Malibu with fantastic oceanside views is facing fierce opposition from some famous NIMBYs concerned the homes will be an environmental catastrophe.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the proposed project would be built above homes belonging to the likes of Dick Van Dyke, Kelsey Grammer and James Cameron and would require some extensive and tricky engineering, including extension of a road down a rugged elevation, grading 70,000 cubic yards of hillside and installing water lines.

“The downside of this is a permanently scarred mountainside for the benefit of a very few that for many years all will view,” Jefferson Wagner, a Malibu councilman, told the newspaper. “For somebody so revered even to be orchestrating this type of development in such a sensitive area is hypocritical.”

The Edge, whose real name is David Evans, promises development on the properties will address those concerns with care.

“My family and I love Malibu, having maintained a residence here for more than a decade,” he told the Times. “These homes will be some of the most environmentally sensitive ever designed in Malibu—or anywhere in the world. I’m disappointed that certain critics either don’t have the facts or have ulterior motives.”

The Grammy-winning Rock and Roll Hall of Famer has “certificates of compliance” from Los Angeles County establishing that the land he owns meets all legal requirements.

Edge added that he and Irish real estate investor Derek Quinlan plan to take up residence in two of the homes and most likely flip the other three, which has rankled some neighbors whose peace and quiet will be rattled by all the building.

The California Coastal Commission is expected to review the environmental impact of the project in June.

This is not the first fight Evans has found himself in with neighbors.

He and the rest of U2 came under fire in their hometown of Dublin for now defunct plans to build the so-called U2 Tower, a proposed skyscraper in the heart of the city that would’ve been the tallest in Ireland. Preservationists claimed the $220 million project would have resulted in the tearing down of four adjacent historic buildings.

All right, it’s Monday and time to check your pop culture IQ again. I graded the ’80s quiz last week and decided that you deserve more questions this time around so we can grade on a curve. Some of you need all the help you can get. I hope you’ve been studying since last time.

This week we’re jumping to the ’90s. You remember the ’90s, right? Ripped jeans, dirty hair, and lots of flannel. Ready? Here we go.

1. Which 1995 Alanis Morissette song was inspired by a bad breakup?
a. “You Learn”
b. “You Oughta Know”
c. “Hand in My Pocket”

2. What was the name of Pearl Jam’s 1991 debut album?
a. “Vs.”
b. “Nevermind”
c. “Ten”

3. Drummer Bill Berry left which group in 1997 to become a farmer?
a. R.E.M.
b. Smashing Pumpkins
c. The Rolling Stones

4. What 1991 Nirvana video was inspired in part by the Ramones’ “Rock ‘n’ Roll High School”?
a. “Lithium”
b. “Come As You Are”
c. “Smells Like Teen Spirit”

5. The rhythm track of which Notorious B.I.G. song is based on Herb Alpert’s 1979 hit “Rise?”
a. “Hypnotize”
b. “Mo Money Mo Problems”
c. “Going Back to Cali”

6. The Gallagher brothers are members of which band?
a. The Black Crowes
b. Crowded House
c. Oasis

7. Icelandic singer Bjork was originally a member of which band?
a. Bow Wow Wow
b. UB40
c. The Sugarcubes

8. Which singer ripped up a picture of the Pope on “Saturday Night Live” in 1992?
a. Elvis Costello
b. Kurt Cobain
c. Sinead O’Connor

9. What 1991 single was Guns N’ Roses’ last Top 10 hit?
a. “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”
b. “November Rain”
c. “Hair of the Dog”

10. Which Nine Inch Nails song was famously covered by Johnny Cash?
a. “Gave Up”
b. “Hurt”
c. “Closer”

11. Which TLC song won a Grammy in 1996?
a. “Waterfalls”
b. “Creep”
c. “Diggin’ on You”

12. Which 1993 Radiohead album contains the song “Creep”?
a. “Pablo Honey”
b. “OK Computer”
c. “The Bends”

13. Which Aerosmith video was directed by “Fight Club” director David Fincher?
a. “Love in an Elevator”
b. “Cryin’”
c. “Janie’s Got a Gun”

14. What 1990 single was the last Top 10 hit for New Kids on the Block?
a. “Tonight”
b. “Hangin’ Tough”
c. “Step by Step”

15. Which 1990 Bryan Adams song was featured in the film “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves”?
a. “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You”
b. “Thought I’d Died and Gone to Heaven”
c. “It’s Only Love”

16. Natalie Merchant left which band in 1993 to start a solo career?
a. “The Cranberries”
b. “10,000 Maniacs”
c. “The Bangles”

17. Geri Halliwell was a member of which group?
a. West End Girls
b. Seduction
c. Spice Girls

18. “1979″ was the 1996 single from which Chicago-based alternative band?
a. Wilco
b. Smashing Pumpkins
c. Urge Overkill

19. What was the name of Jeff Buckley’s debut 1994 album?
a. “Grace”
b. “New York”
c. “My Sweetheart the Drunk”

20. Which one of these albums is NOT by Public Enemy?
a. “Fear of a Black Planet”
b. “Poison”
c. “Greatest Misses”

ANSWERS:

1. b 2. c 3. a 4. c 5. a 6. c 7. c 8. c 9. b 10. b 11. b 12. a 13. c 14. a 15. a 16. b 17. c 18. b 19. a 20. b

0 CORRECT
You are Profoundly Challenged.

1-5 CORRECT
You are Challenged.

6-10 CORRECT
You are Bright.

11-15 CORRECT
You are Gifted.

16-19 CORRECT
You are Exceptionally Gifted.

20 CORRECT
You’re a Pop Culture Genius!