Remember that time Johnny Depp came to your elementary school dressed as a pirate? Or when Larry David made fun of that annoying dude who sits behind you in lecture? Yeah, we don’t either, but sometimes these things actually happen. Recently, Matt Stone and Trey Parker shocked some NYU freshmen with a guest lecture on South Park‘s storytelling strategies — on the first day of class, no less. Watch videos of these celebrities, and many more, crashing classes (and football practice) after the jump.
Our post earlier this month about songs that should never be covered again got us thinking about the other great source of musical clichédom — overused samples. Unlike some old-school curmudgeonly types, we have nothing against sampling per se; indeed, the rise of sample-based music has arguably been the most important musical development of the past three decades or so. But here’s the thing — the inherently creative thing about using a sample is how you use it. If you’d been the first person to spot the potential of the Amen break or the synth melody from “Trans-Europe Express,” and the first to use it in an interesting and creative manner, then you’d have deserved all the acclaim that came your way. If, however, you’re the 57835532th producer to use the same “idea,” then there’s a problem. With that in mind, ten samples we’re sick of hearing are after the jump.
We read with interest this morning that Prince had pronounced – via Fox news, no less – that in his opinion, cover songs should be banned. Specifically, he railed at the fact that “there’s this thing called compulsory licensing law that allows artists through the record companies to take your music at will without your permission.” This is true, from what we can gather – provided that by “the record companies” he means the companies who hold publishing rights, which isn’t always the same thing – although the law does also specify that licensing fees must be paid to the songwriter. It’s an interesting point, as very few musicians own their own publishing rights. But equally, it’d be a shame if he’d had his way all along, because there have been some cracking Prince covers recorded over the years. Check out our favorites, and suggest yours, after the jump.
1. The 2011 Golden Globes nominations have been announced, and Black Swan, Glee, The Social Network, and The Kids Are All Right all scored multiple nods, while The King’s Speech leads the pack with seven. View the full list here.
2. Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter — who play a brother and sister on Showtime’s Dexter, which has always kind of creeped us out — are filing for divorce after nearly two years of marriage. [via EW]
3. George Clinton says that his signature was forged to clear a sample for two tracks by the Black Eyed Peas, and is now seeking millions in damages for copyright infringement. [via Guardian]
4. Ethan Hawke is in talks to star in a new show on FOX. “Described as a high octane procedural, Exit Strategy centers on a team of five experts associated with the CIA who are deployed when a CIA operation goes bad to extract the ones involved before it’s too late. Hawke would play the team leader, the architect of exit strategy who also empathizes with the people they extract and would rather die than let them get hurt. Each episode would tackle a different crisis in a different country.” [via Deadline]
5. After an attempt to make a grand entrance via harness went bad, a bleeding Hugh Jackman was removed from the set of Oprah in Australia earlier today. But he’s OK! He later returned and carried on with his scheduled interview segment. [via THR]
Three years in the making, Sir Lucious Leftfoot: The Son of Chico Dusty is a debut solo album that makes Outkast’s less flamboyant half the one worth watching.
Label issues prevented Big Boi’s partner in rhyme, André 3000, from making any vocal appearances on the album, but they didn’t keep away other A-listers like T.I., B.o.B, George Clinton, and Janelle Monáe. Even with all that talent on board, though, Big Boi lives up to the moniker of album track “General Patton,” leading the pack and commanding every beat with authority, finesse, and charm.
Yes, there were actually music videos this week other than the crammed-full-of-crazy video for “Telephone” that Lady Gaga finally released last night after weeks of anticipation. (And if you haven’t already seen it, follow along with our in-depth coverage here). While “Telephone” might rival “Thriller” in terms of fanfare, there were plenty of other music videos released this week that deserve your attention. After the jump, you can go graveyard-dancing with Morrissey, stumble through the gravity-defying world of Kid Cudi, and discover how much better flying would be if the airlines all employed Kate Nash. It might even make you forget about that telephone currently ringing off the hook.
Copyright Criminals looks at the creative and monetary debates over musical sampling, mashing up music videos, studio visits, history, and talking heads including George Clinton and De La Soul.
The documentary on beat mining rounds up more issues than a town hall meeting, poring over everything from the best props for a sampled artist, to the basic merits and methods of the omnivorous art. The tone leans toward pro, with persuasive soundbites that liken sampling to archeology (the listener digs through the aural layers) and the democratic fact that “all these legendary musicians are in my band.” As Picasso once said: good artists borrow, great artists steal.
