[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyaFEBI_L24] Will Smith has finally taken time out from forcing his kids to take over pop culture and is making his own path back to the box office: Columbia Pictures released the trailer to Men in Black III yesterday. Call it hyperbole, but Men in Black (1997) was the closest thing the ’90s had to Ghostbusters. A science fiction-heavy plot (based off a cult comic book series ), a comic actor poised for superstar status, a stupidly catchy theme song – it’s all there. MiB‘s retro-chic, World’s Fair style of spacemen and a story that made enough […]
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Spin Cycle: Michael Jackson’s “Immortal”
Cirque Du Soleil and the Estate of Michael Jackson have collaborated to produce the show “MJ Immortal”. Mike D. takes a listen to the soundtrack, which features some clever reimagining of the King of Pop’s biggest hits.
Duet or Don’t, Volume 1: The Wonder of Michael
Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder were Motown prodigies who went on to become Grammy-winning behemoths. Mike Duquette takes a look at their collaborations in the first volume of “Duet or Don’t”!
Achtung! U2 Super Box Set to Drain Wallets Worldwide
If you’re a music geek (and let’s face it – you probably are, if you’re reading this), you know that music labels love springing expensive collector’s packages and box sets on gift-givers as the holiday season approaches (and like it or not, Christmas is less than five months away). Nirvana’s Nevermind is being reissued with a bunch of extra content for its 20th anniversary (because duh), Sting’s getting his first multi-disc career retrospective and even underrated or forgotten acts are getting the deluxe treatment. This year marks 20 years since U2 […]
Ben Folds’ “Best Imitation” Dives Headfirst Into Vaults
If you’re the kind of music geek that I suspect you might be, there’s probably a soft spot in your heart for the music of Ben Folds. The witty singer/songwriter/pianist is one of the smartest and funniest guys to grace a major label – imagine Randy Newman and Joe Jackson thrown in a blender, with the songwriting virtuosity of a Billy Joel/Elton John-type – and, with his partners in Ben Folds Five (of which there were only two other bandmates), […]
bLISTerd: Mike D.’s Best Reissues of 2011 – In with the Old
With 2011 slightly more than half over, I’m realizing that I’ve probably bought more music in those seven months than I did in all of 2010. And I bought a lot. (Seriously, does anyone have more shelves? I need them badly.) But while I’ve enjoyed a lot of new music this year (Lady Gaga and The Cars immediately spring to mind), I’ve got to give it up for the fine folks working to provide great reissues and box […]
The Viewfinder: There’s Something Familiar About This “Footloose” Remake
MTV gleefully revealed on Tuesday the first trailer for their I-can’t-believe-this-is-actually-happening remake of Footloose, due to hit theaters October 14. Some of you may remember the early development of this remake of the bizarrely-watchable 1984 original, which was to have had Zac Efron in Kevin Bacon’s dancing shoes and his High School Musical director Kenny Ortega at the helm. Ultimately, Efron left to make a name for himself as a more serious actor ( how’s that working out? ) and replacement Chace Crawford of Gossip Girl […]
Somethin’ Stupid: An Appreciation of Ryan Dunn
The death of Jackass co-star Ryan Dunn may not have packed the kind of shock and grief that Clarence Clemons’ passing certainly did. But the news that Dunn, the guy best known for driving a golf cart into a pig statue in the first Jackass film, was killed earlier this morning after crashing his car in Pennsylvania is rather tragic. Dunn, a longtime associate of pro skater Bam Margera and a great presence on MTV’s Viva La Bam and the underrated Homewrecker, probably deserves a lot more credit […]
“NKOTBSB”: We’ll Be Loving Them (Forever)
Here’s a bit of frightening pop-culture math for you: the first record by the New Kids on the Block came out 25 years ago. The first LP by the Backstreet Boys bowed 15 years ago. Alright, quit screaming in agony. That may not be a terribly long time in human years, but in pop-cultural terms it’s an eternity. And how are those milestones being celebrated? How else? Both boy-turned-men bands are hitting the road this summer, playing surprisingly large venues […]
The Viewfinder: Steven Tyler’s “(It) Feels So Good”
In the ten years since Aerosmith had their last U.S. Top 40 hit with “ Jaded ,” the band’s mustered little more than an album of blues covers and several compilations, a few unsafe tours and an heap of backstage in-fighting between outlandish singer Steven Tyler and the rest of the band. Not content to settle things with Joe Perry and company, Tyler’s spent the past year developing a strangely lucrative side career, infusing the American Idol judges’ table with loopy energy […]