By Clarence Yu
AFTER almost 45 years of wowing audiences and guitar freaks, and influencing a good generation or two of excellent guitar players, Jeff Beck has been inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Finally.
The legendary guitarist started his career playing with the Yardbirds, the band that was home to the great British “triumvirate” of guitar gods--Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page and Beck.
From then on, the guitarist went on to revolutionize guitar playing with his innovative “flash” style of playing, partnering with a wide variety of artists such as Rod Stewart, Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones, and influencing the likes of Joe Perry and countless jazz, heavy metal and rock musicians.
The guitarist was also one of the first artists to achieve commercial success in an instrumental format with the 1975 album Blow By Blow, widely regarded as one of his finest works; it also paved the way for other instrumentalists such as Joe Satriani to achieve the same success with his Surfing with the Alien.
Beck was inducted alongside other artists such as Run DMC, Metallica, and the legendary Bobby Womack (who wrote an early ‘60’s Rolling Stones hit, “It’s All Over Now”).
Beck has also won four Grammy Awards, has garnered massive critical acclaim, and is still actively touring as a solo artist. One wonders why the Hall of Fame only regarded him eligible now, but no one seems to be complaining, judging by the number of peers and guitar heroes who joined him onstage for a jam of “Train Kept A Rollin’,” a staple rock classic popularized by the Yardbirds in the ’60’s and Aerosmith in the 70’s.
Check this out, and play Name the Guitar Hero:
Recently in Awards Category
Francis Magalona receives a presidential merit.
Story from our breaking news:
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo awarded the Presidential Medal of Merit to the late music icon Francis Magalona on Wednesday. Magalona’s widow, Pia, and their eight children attended the awarding ceremonies at the Malacanang reception hall. Magalona, who pioneered rap music in the country and used the genre to promote nationalism, died of complications due to leukemia last March 6. He was 44.
TWO known and controversial women in the music scene are leading this year's MTV Europe award nominations.
Excerpt:
LONDON -- Despite their personal problems, Britney Spears and Amy Winehouse remain a favorite with fans and lead the nominations for best act at this year's MTV Europe Music Awards, it was announced Monday. Singer Beyonce is also up for an award and is expected to perform at the November 6 event in Liverpool, northwest England. The 27-year-old former member of Destiny's Child is competing against Alicia Keys, Chris Brown, Kanye West and Lil Wayne in the 'ultimate urban' category, one of 10 awards at the event voted for by music fans. In the 'best act of 2008' category, Spears will be up against soul singer Winehouse, who has struggled with drugs and alcohol, as well as Coldplay, Leona Lewis and Rihanna.
By Associated Press
LAS VEGAS, Nevada--Not only rappers fight at award shows: Kid Rock and Tommy Lee tussled in the audience at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday night.
Photo shows Tommy Lee (center) being escorted out by security.
MTV VJ Sway said on the post-show that he saw Kid Rock walk up to the Motley Crue drummer, who was sitting next to Diddy, and "deck him." The incident was confirmed by Palms Hotel and Casino public relations representative Larry Fink.
Both Lee and Kid Rock are ex-husbands of Pamela Anderson, who was a presenter at the show and delivered her lines from atop a table in the audience. Although it was not clear whether the two rockers were fighting over Anderson, it was hard to imagine another scenario.
The incident provided a lot of mock rebukes from the hip-hoppers in attendance.
"They say it's only rappers," said Sway. "I told you rockers fight too."
Diddy noted: "It's not just the hip-hop artists that sometimes have a problem."
Jamie Foxx took it still further: "Stop all this white-on-white violence."
Photo courtesy of Associated Press
LAS VEGAS, Nevada--Not only rappers fight at award shows: Kid Rock and Tommy Lee tussled in the audience at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday night.
Photo shows Tommy Lee (center) being escorted out by security.
MTV VJ Sway said on the post-show that he saw Kid Rock walk up to the Motley Crue drummer, who was sitting next to Diddy, and "deck him." The incident was confirmed by Palms Hotel and Casino public relations representative Larry Fink.
Both Lee and Kid Rock are ex-husbands of Pamela Anderson, who was a presenter at the show and delivered her lines from atop a table in the audience. Although it was not clear whether the two rockers were fighting over Anderson, it was hard to imagine another scenario.
The incident provided a lot of mock rebukes from the hip-hoppers in attendance.
"They say it's only rappers," said Sway. "I told you rockers fight too."
Diddy noted: "It's not just the hip-hop artists that sometimes have a problem."
Jamie Foxx took it still further: "Stop all this white-on-white violence."
Photo courtesy of Associated Press
By Agence France-Presse
LAS VEGAS, Nevada--Teenage R&B star Rihanna and pop sensation Justin Timberlake were the big winners at the MTV Video Music Awards Sunday, in a star-studded evening that saw Britney Spears make her stage comeback.
Rihanna picked up the most-sought-after Video of the Year award and Monster Single of the Year for her "Umbrella," notably beating R&B starlet Beyonce, Timberlake, rapper Kanye West, British soul singer Amy Winehouse.
"Wow. Video of the Year. This was definitely the most important one for me of the night... the most unexpected for me," Rihanna said, accepting the top Moonman, as the astronaut-themed statuettes are known.
Timberlake, whose "What Goes Around... Comes Around" reached number one in the US charts earlier this year, picked up the Male Artist of the Year award.
"It's just exciting to see a new generation of artists really doing it and doing it well," he said. "I think music is in a great place right now because we're all doing what we want to do. So thank you for this award MTV."
Despite not even being nominated for an award, all eyes had been on Britney Spears ahead of the 24th annual MTV Video Music Awards, being held this year at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
The pop princess looked visibly out of shape as she opened the evening, appearing on stage at a major event for the first time in three years, since when she has had two children and gone through a string of personal problems.
The pop diva marked her comeback with "Gimme More" from her upcoming fifth album, set for release in November.
Opening with the line "It's Britney, Bitch," Spears performed in a dark sequined bikini and below the knee black boots and ended her performance perhaps appropriately with the lyric: "I just want more."
Other notable appearances of the evening were a risque introduction by comedian Sarah Silverman and performances by Alicia Keys, Chris Brown, Foo Fighters, Timberlake and Kanye West.
Underground Chicago foursome Fall Out Boy picked up the Best Group Award, as expected, beating alternative metal fivesome Linkin Park, modern rockers Maroon 5, indie/hip-hop band Gym Class Heroes and Detroit rock duo The White Stripes.
"We know that a lot of people tune into these awards to see who's wearing underwear, who's not, who's going to be a train wreck, but we want to thank all the people who are real fans of music out there," the band's Pete Wentz said.
British newcomer Amy Winehouse had been tipped for the Best New Artist Award, but lost out to New York crossover band Gym Class Heroes.
Winehouse, most recently in the news for canceling a string of US and European gigs for health reasons as she reportedly tries to beat a serious drink and drug problem, was up for three gongs but failed to score.
She had been due to perform on Sunday but canceled last month.
It was also a disappointing night for Beyonce, who was nominated for seven awards but had to settle with Most Earthshattering Collaboration, which she shared with Colombian-born pop singer Shakira.
Black Eyed Peas vocalist Fergie picked up the Female Artist of the Year but failed to show up to accept the award.
The organizers had shaken up this year's ceremony with a number of new awards, hoping to win back viewers after seeing numbers slump in recent years.
Perhaps the most unusual new award was the Quadruple Threat of the Year Award, in recognition of artists' work off stage. The award went to Timberlake, who has a number of restaurants and a clothing line.
Started in 1984, the MTV awards were originally launched to challenge the more traditional Grammy awards.
Among the more controversial episodes during that time, Madonna kissed Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera live on stage during the 2003 show.
By Nekesa Mumbi Moody
Associated Press
LAS VEGAS, Nevada--This has long been a place for escape when life gets too boring. So after a spate of forgettable Video Music Awards shows and a ratings dive, MTV has planted the broadcast in Sin City.
Sunday night's show is being beamed from the Palms hotel -- home to the Playboy Club -- and will feature the much-hyped comeback performance of tabloid queen Britney Spears, who hasn't graced the MTV stage since she famously locked lips with Madonna back in 2003.
"The MTV awards have never been about the awards, it's always been about the party and the music," says Entertainment Weekly executive editor Lori Majewski. "What better place to party than Vegas?"
This year, MTV might as well rename the event to the Video Music Party instead of the Video Music Awards. There will be no host, the number of Moonman trophies doled out during the ceremony has been cut from 12 to eight, and the traditional awards-show format has been junked.
"The overall sort of feeling was, 'What can we do to blow this show up, because there are so many awards shows out there right now,'"' says executive producer Jesse Ignjatovic. "Everyone felt like it was time to take some chances and really do things differently."
Instead of a traditional audience -- which in past years has included throngs of screaming fans in a pit close to the stage -- this year's event will feature only industry invitees sitting at tables with free-flowing liquor, a la the Golden Globes.
And while some of the evening's performances will be beamed from the central stage, the main action is happening at four suites throughout the hotel -- one hosted by Justin Timberlake and Timbaland, another by Kanye West, the third by the Foo Fighters and the last by Fall Out Boy, with cameras broadcasting the performances, parties and overall revelry from those suites throughout the evening. (50 Cent, Rihanna, Nelly Furtado, Lil Wayne and Lily Allen are among the show's other performers.)
"Their suite is whatever they want to do," Ignjatovic says. "It's sort of that feeling that something can happen in there that's not planned."
All of those antics will be condensed into two hours instead of three. And if you miss the show at 9.p.m. EDT, don't expect to see repeats on continuous loop as in previous years. The show will not air in its original form again -- it will be "remixed" with other elements to give people a reason to tune in.
"What I want is for the next day, for viewers or whoever to go, 'Wow,'" Ignjatovic says.
It's been a while since the VMAs had a YouTube moment -- so long that YouTube wasn't even around then. Although it has been defined by jaw-dropping, eye-popping shenanigans -- the Britney/Madonna kiss, Eminem tussling with a puppet, Diana Ross fondling Lil Kim's pastied breast, Prince's buttocks-baring outfit -- there has been a recent lack of spontaneity and excitement.
Majewski says the MTV Awards used to be "the ultimate anti-awards show... (now) their awards show has become a regular experience."
For cutting-edge MTV, such a fate would be death itself -- thus the makeover. "I want to just get people excited about watching an awards show," says Ignjatovic, "watching music on television."
Photo courtesy of Associated Press
LAS VEGAS, Nevada--This has long been a place for escape when life gets too boring. So after a spate of forgettable Video Music Awards shows and a ratings dive, MTV has planted the broadcast in Sin City.
Sunday night's show is being beamed from the Palms hotel -- home to the Playboy Club -- and will feature the much-hyped comeback performance of tabloid queen Britney Spears, who hasn't graced the MTV stage since she famously locked lips with Madonna back in 2003.
"The MTV awards have never been about the awards, it's always been about the party and the music," says Entertainment Weekly executive editor Lori Majewski. "What better place to party than Vegas?"
This year, MTV might as well rename the event to the Video Music Party instead of the Video Music Awards. There will be no host, the number of Moonman trophies doled out during the ceremony has been cut from 12 to eight, and the traditional awards-show format has been junked.
"The overall sort of feeling was, 'What can we do to blow this show up, because there are so many awards shows out there right now,'"' says executive producer Jesse Ignjatovic. "Everyone felt like it was time to take some chances and really do things differently."
Instead of a traditional audience -- which in past years has included throngs of screaming fans in a pit close to the stage -- this year's event will feature only industry invitees sitting at tables with free-flowing liquor, a la the Golden Globes.
And while some of the evening's performances will be beamed from the central stage, the main action is happening at four suites throughout the hotel -- one hosted by Justin Timberlake and Timbaland, another by Kanye West, the third by the Foo Fighters and the last by Fall Out Boy, with cameras broadcasting the performances, parties and overall revelry from those suites throughout the evening. (50 Cent, Rihanna, Nelly Furtado, Lil Wayne and Lily Allen are among the show's other performers.)
"Their suite is whatever they want to do," Ignjatovic says. "It's sort of that feeling that something can happen in there that's not planned."
All of those antics will be condensed into two hours instead of three. And if you miss the show at 9.p.m. EDT, don't expect to see repeats on continuous loop as in previous years. The show will not air in its original form again -- it will be "remixed" with other elements to give people a reason to tune in.
"What I want is for the next day, for viewers or whoever to go, 'Wow,'" Ignjatovic says.
It's been a while since the VMAs had a YouTube moment -- so long that YouTube wasn't even around then. Although it has been defined by jaw-dropping, eye-popping shenanigans -- the Britney/Madonna kiss, Eminem tussling with a puppet, Diana Ross fondling Lil Kim's pastied breast, Prince's buttocks-baring outfit -- there has been a recent lack of spontaneity and excitement.
Majewski says the MTV Awards used to be "the ultimate anti-awards show... (now) their awards show has become a regular experience."
For cutting-edge MTV, such a fate would be death itself -- thus the makeover. "I want to just get people excited about watching an awards show," says Ignjatovic, "watching music on television."
Photo courtesy of Associated Press
By Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines--The riotous, fun-loving rock band Kamikazee emerged as the big winner in the 20th Awit Awards held Wednesday night at the NBC Tent, The Fort, Taguig.
Known for its metal-based sound and the humorous onstage antics of vocalist Jay Contreras, Kamikazee bagged five awards including Album of the Year ("Maharot"), Song of the Year ("Narda") Best Rock Recording ("Narda"), Best Performance by a Group (for "Narda") and Music Video of the Year ("Martyr Nyebera").
The band also shared the Best Selling Album award for the tribute CD "KaminAPO Muna."
Another notable winner was the R&B group Kala, which won Best Performance by a New Group Recording Artist and Best World/Alternative/Bossa Music ("Jeepney").
Gary Valenciano won two awards for Best Performance by a Male Recording Artists and Best Ballad ("In Another Lifetime").
Jimmy Marquez was also honored for placing second in the 2006 Shanghai Asia Music Festival.
The Awit Awards Night featured live performances by Francis M, Parokya ni Edgar, The Dawn, Sugarfree, Bamboo, Gary V with son Gabby, and Razorback's Kevin Roy jamming with two Pinoy rock legends, Wally Gonzales and Joey "Pepe" Smith.
The complete list of awardees:
Best Performance by a Female Recording Artist: Lani Misalucha ("I Live For Your Love")
Best Performance by a Male Recording Artist: Gary Valenciano ("In Another Lifetime")
Best Performance by a Duet: Mon David and Bituin Escalante ("Alone Together")
Best Performance by a Group: Kamikazee ("Narda")
Best Performance by a New Female Recording Artist: Amber ("Manila")
Best Performance by a New Male Recording Artist: Gian Magdangal ("Himala")
Best Performance by a New Group: Kala ("Jeepney")
Best Instrumental: Jerome Rico ("Agua de Beber")
Album of the Year: "Maharot" (Kamikazee)
Song of the Year: "Narda" (Kamikazee)
Best Selling Album: "KaminAPO Muna" (Various Artists)
Best Ballad: "In Another Lifetime" (Gary Valenciano)
Best Rock Recording: "Narda" (Kamikazee)
Best World/Alternative/Bossa Music Recording: "Jeepney" (Kala)
Best Rap Recording: "Ngayon ang Taon" (Francis M and Jungee Marcelo)
Best Jazz Recording: "Skarlet" (Skarlet)
Best R&B Recording: "A Single Soul" (Reuben Laurente and Regine Velasquez)
Best Novelty: "Kring Song" (Jose and Wally)
Best Song Written for a Movie/TV/Stage Play: "Majika" (Kitchie Nadal)
Music Video of the Year: "Martyr Nyebera" (Kamikazee)
