Boys Noize Is 'Really Excited' About Spank Rock's New Music

'He's really a true artist,' DJ/producer tells MTV News of rapper.
By Akshay Bhansali


Boyz Noize
Photo: Getty

After a massive showing at Coachella this month, German electro house and techno producer Boys Noize rocked New York's Webster Hall this past weekend before settling into a more private role for the remainder of his week in the city: Alexander Ridha is producing MC Spank Rock's next album.

For the unaware, Boys Noize is a staple of the global dance-music touring circuit, a sophisticated, analog-happy producer who founded Boysnoize Records back in 2005. Lately, his thumping brand of sledgehammer productions have garnered him industry accolades, winning dance/electronica Independent Music Awards. And even Beatport.com has named him Best Electronic Artist three years in a row.

Ridha's project with Spank Rock isn't Boys Noize's first foray into album production. In fact, last year he co-wrote and produced Chilly Gonzales' album Ivory Tower. After a remix of Daft Punk's operatic "End of the Line" on the recently released Tron: Legacy R3CONF1GUR3D album, Ridha is pumped for his upcoming project with Spank Rock.

"We are both really excited about the songs," Ridha told MTV News. "It's all over the place, musically. We're doing some extra recordings with some live bands. And then there's this other song we did with Santigold, so she's gonna come in."

"There's definitely going to be those club bangers Spank Rock is known for, like the Baltimore influence. There's two or three of them. But really, I think in the last two or three years, he's really discovered his voice more. And we've actually done some, like, '60s-influenced, almost 'count rock.' We have this other song where he sounds just like Prince.

"It's so exciting to work with him," Ridha continued. "He's the bomb. He's really a true artist and the best rapper, live, as well. Like once you see him live, he'll blow you away."

Boys Noize and Spank Rock are about 95 percent done with the project and plan to drop their first single in a month. As for future plans with Santigold, Ridha told MTV News he had an extra day booked with the singer and that they may come up with material for her album as well.

Additionally, Boys Noize has plans to collaborate with Scissor Sisters as well, following up his remix of "Invisible Light" and the recently released Scissor Sisters vs. Boys Noize mixtape.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1662723/spank-rock-boys-noize-album.jhtml

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Cameron Diaz Talks "Bad Teacher"

As one of Hollywood?s top actresses, Cameron Diaz busted out her fabulous big screen skills for the upcoming comedy ?Bad Teacher.?

Sitting down with MTV News, the ?Charlie?s Angels? babe explained a little bit about her character in the film, saying, "She's not a good teacher. She is the opposite of good. She is a bad teacher. She is bad at teaching. ... She just really doesn't care. She doesn't want to be a good teacher, and so therefore, being a bad teacher really doesn't mean anything to her either."

She added, "She's miserable. She's not happy with her world, and she doesn't pretend that she is. Her pain is real. She's living a very painful existence, so there's no humor to her in this."

Recalling a bad teacher of her own, Cameron went on to say, "I had a really, really bad teacher. I'm not naming names. That teacher knows who that teacher is, and that's about it. I think that this person actually cared about being a good teacher, but just happened to be terrible," she added with a laugh. "We've all had those teachers. Teaching is not everybody's calling."

Source: http://celebrity-gossip.net/cameron-diaz/cameron-diaz-talks-bad-teacher-500475

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Kings Of Leon's 'Talihina Sky': All Roads Lead Home

Documentary peels back the lore to reveal a band unquestionably shaped by its roots.
By James Montgomery


Kings of Leon's Caleb Followill in "Talihina Sky"
Photo: Phear Creative

There is perhaps no band whose backstory has garnered as much attention as the Kings of Leon, and with good reason. They are, after all, the prodigal preacher's sons (and nephew) who tapped into the rebellious power of rock and roll and rose from the backwoods to the big stage, a journey that — aside from all the sex and drugs and mustaches — is practically ripped from American folklore.

So it would seem almost inevitable that their rise would someday be chronicled in a feature film, one that imbues their career with the spirit of the Holy Ghost and doesn't skimp on the particulars of all that sex and drugs (and 'staches). And here it is: "Talihina Sky: The Story of Kings of Leon," a far-reaching documentary that premiered Thursday night at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York.

Directed by longtime Kings friend Stephen Mitchell, produced by Casey McGrath and Phear Creative (and executive-produced by the band itself), "Talihina" is a rock doc in the purest sense of the phrase: full of unedited, unwinding (and frequently un-sober) interviews with the Followill boys (frontman Caleb's bleary-eyed, Jameson-and-marijuana soaked sitdown is a real doozy); tour-bus shouting matches; honest, teary conversations with their family members and friends and, of course, a whole lot of grainy, slightly embarrassing VHS footage of the Kings as kids. It certainly doesn't hold anything back.

And while, at times, it strays a little too close to deifying the band (or at least their voyage to the top of the charts), it strips away everything you've probably read about them, and, in the process, provides the clearest glimpse to date into what makes them tick. In that regard, the film is not only a success, but one of the most compelling music documentaries you'll ever see.

Because no matter how hard the media tries to romanticize their early years, "Talihina" doesn't. We learn that brothers Caleb, Nathan and Jared grew up poor, the children of a preacher for whom money was an afterthought and a mother who believed in nothing more than the power of religion. We learn that the boys hated all of those facts, that they suffered when their parents divorced and that they felt betrayed when they learned that their father — the man they viewed as an infallible totem of morality — was just another man, one who had demons of his own.

To combat that, they turned to their extensive family — no less than six uncles are interviewed in the film, some of whom may not even be their uncles at all — and the solace of annual retreats in Talihina, Oklahoma ... long, boozy weekends filled with horseshoe games and crawfish grabbing in ruddy creeks. In the grand American tradition, this is where they learned to be men, or at least learned to approximate what they felt a man should be.

Of course, they also found solace in recreational drug use and Pixies records and, from there, the roots of the band took hold. We learn very little about their formation, instead, we're quickly whisked away to England, where the Kings became overnight sensations (and media curio cases), partying hard, sleeping around and, really, also learning how to be men.

That duality makes up the core of not just the film, but the band itself. On one hand, the Kings have never left their roots behind, as evidenced by footage of them attending later Talihina weekends, mixing it up with shirtless cousins and sagging uncles, but on the other, they seem driven to distance themselves from their past. Watching footage of the band recording their breakthrough Only By the Night album, you can't help but notice just how hard they're trying to become the hugest rock band on the planet, and in interviews throughout the film, the Kings talk about their past in reverent, yet weary, tones.

And yet, they can never escape their history, no matter how hard they try. In a lot of ways, that struggle is what ultimately makes the film so compelling ... and what makes you understand the Kings of Leon just a little bit more. They're down-home boys who are seemingly never home, rock stars whose sentiments have moved millions, despite the fact those sentiments are derived from a place whose population is just 1,200. They have toured the world and lived the life and yet, whether they want to or not, they are eternally drawn back to Talihina. So, really, they're not folk heroes (or, as Caleb jokes, "I'm not Captain America"), they're just small-town kids who inexplicably made it big, boys forced to become men because life conspired to make them so, brothers eternally trying to escape the shadow of their parents. They're just like you or I, if you think about it.

Did you check out the Kings' documentary? Share your reviews in the comments!

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1662542/kings-of-leon-talihina-sky.jhtml

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Around the Web?

Happy Monday! Here are some links to kick off your week: Tina Fey gives her fans another (funny!) glimpse into her new book — Babble.com Enjoy breakfast in bed with these kid-friendly recipes — lilSugar.com Young moms exercise less and have poorer diets, study finds — New York Times Nightmares and night terrors: What’s the [...]

Source: http://feeds.celebritybabies.com/~r/celebrity-babies/~3/DoU9NNjaBk4/

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Does 'Water For Elephants' Prove Robert Pattinson's Box-Office Draw?

Experts discuss what film's $17.5 million debut means for the 'Twilight' star.
By Eric Ditzian


Robert Pattinson
Photo: Steve Granitz/ WireImage

After the "Twilight" franchise made him a household name (at least among families' more junior members), Robert Pattinson's first cinematic outing outside the vampire franchise didn't go so well. "Remember Me" received largely negative reviews last year and stumbled at the box office, ultimately grossing less than $20 million domestically.

"Water for Elephants," by contrast, largely performed up to expectations this week, reeling in $17.5 million. The sweeping romantic drama was a big test for Pattinson — a major studio flick aimed not at his teen base, but an adult audience. Would this be the project that launched the 24-year-old Brit from Twi-hunk to broadly accepted Hollywood leading man? Perhaps not yet, owing to the respectable but not astounding debut, though industry insiders are calling "Water for Elephants" a much-needed step toward that goal.

"Pattinson has yet to prove he is an evergreen box-office draw, outside of vamping it up in the 'Twilight' series," said Jeff Bock, box-office analyst for Exhibitor Relations. " 'WFE' was the right choice as it wasn't too much of a stretch and is in the general wheelhouse of his core fanbase: women. A lot of times, up-and-coming actors turn 180 degrees and play a drug dealer or pathological killer just to shed their public persona, and oftentimes that backfires, as they turn their back on their true fans."

"WFE" certainly succeeded at targeting older female moviegoers. According to Fox, the film's audience was 70 percent female and 70 percent over the age of 25. That age demographic gives us a good clue why "WFE" didn't cross the $20 million mark. Channing Tatum's "Dear John," for example, targeted a teen audience and debuted with $30.5 million domestically on its way to an $80 million total. The takeaway is not that Tatum is a bigger box-office draw than Pattinson, but that teens come out early for films that interest them. As Phil Contrino, editor of BoxOffice.com explained, "The key thing to understand is that this type of film has a large appeal among moviegoers aged 35 and up, and that group doesn't feel the need to rush out opening weekend. It will hold up quite well in the weeks to come."

But the question remains whether Pattinson will be able to capitalize on his "Twilight" celebrity and become one of those ever-more-rare actors who can drive ticket sales. Some experts aren't convinced he ever will. "There is no reason to believe that Robert Pattinson or anyone from the 'Twilight' franchise can open a movie," said Movie City News' David Poland. "Some of those actors are very talented. Some not. But Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, etc., are the natural template. But what of Harrison Ford? I don't see any of that swashbuckler in the gentle actor in Pattinson."

Perhaps, though action blockbusters like "Indiana Jones" aren't the projects that Pattinson will be pursuing in the future. Many insiders suggest his best bet is to follow the path of other young heartthrobs before him.

"Take a page from Tom Cruise's book and only work with great directors," Contrino suggested. "After skyrocketing to fame, Cruise wisely worked with the likes of Oliver Stone, Martin Scorsese and Barry Levinson."

At least with his next project, Pattinson is making those kinds of decisions, signing up for David Cronenberg's adaptation of "Cosmopolis." Where he goes from there, however — and whether he's able to bridge the divide between teen idol and Hollywood icon — is anybody's guess.

"If Pattinson's films can consistently make money at the box office, major studios will continue to take a chance on him," Bock said. "In the near future, expect him to be attached to high-profile directors in smaller, meaty roles. That way he can diversify and not lose the core audience that follows his every move. And, if that doesn't work out, there are about a zillion Harlequin novels ripe for adaptation that he and Fabio can star in."

Check out everything we've got on "Water for Elephants."

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1662617/robert-pattinson-water-for-elephants-twilight.jhtml

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