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Nickelodeon Is Basically Remaking Beatles Movies Starring Their Boy Band Big Time Rush
It may sound a bit hyperbolic, but I believe that (pre)teens today love boy bands like the Jonas Brothers as much as my parents’ generation revered the Beatles, so it’s not so surprising that Nickelodeon is casting its in-house band Big Time Rush as the Beatles’ descendants. The network has decided that the band’s first TV movie, Big Time Movie, will cover several Beatles hits as well as emulate the plots of their wacky adventure movies from the ’60s. More »
Lady Gaga and 15 Other Musicians Who Have Guest Starred On ‘The Simpsons’
I suppose it was inevitable: Lady Gaga just finished recording her lines for an appearance she’ll be making on The Simpsons. Though apparently it was a little nerve-wracking for her– singing does not equal voiceovers, apparently– she seems pretty psyched about it; she told EW, “My dad’s probably going to do 80 backflips when the episode comes out.” Which, by the way, will be the spring of 2012 with the episode “Lisa Goes Gaga.” But as you may well know, The Simpsons has a long and storied history of rendering not just actors and comedians, but also musicians in animated form. Though tuest-his is by no means a comprehensive list, here’s a guide to some of the more entertaining choices of musicians who have guest-starred on The Simpsons. More »
5 Facts About Paul McCartney’s Fiancee Nancy Shevell
Your mom’s favorite Beatle, Paul McCartney, just announced that he’ll be marrying for the third time. Unlike previous wife Heather Mills, his current fiancee Nancy Shevell isn’t a public figure. So what do you need to know about her? More »
Video Gallery: The Best of LEGO Pop Culture Animations
Have any of you ever played any of the numerous LEGO video games there are? Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Batman, Harry Potter… I’m addicted to them all. Though honestly, I can’t really explain that. They’re not even particularly good games, as far as video games go. No, I suspect it’s simpler than that: There is something enormously amusing about running around a little LEGO world as a little LEGO person. Add in the fact that you get to run around a little LEGO Barnett College as a little LEGO Indiana Jones, and well… you get the picture. This might also explain my obsession with LEGO stop-motion animation: There are scores and scores of extremely clever people out there who take common pop culture icons, build them in LEGO, and then go the extra step further and MAKE THEM COME ALIVE. There have been LEGO film scenes, LEGO music videos, even LEGO recreations of classic Nintendo games… the list goes on. Here, we have assembled some of our very favorite LEGO animations for your viewing pleasure, courtesy of YouTube. Happy watching! More »
Snap This: Rebecca Black vs The Beatles
Need more proof that Rebecca Black is the voice of a generation? Look no further than this point-by-point comparison of “Friday” and “A Day in the Life.” More »
Gallery: 13 Celebrities Who Have Been Falsely Declared Dead
Last week, performer Jaden Smith was rumored dead when a report that he’d had a fatal snowboarding accident in Switzerland hit the Web. The thing is, these death hoaxes have been going on long before young Jaden was born in 1998 — check out our gallery of celebs, well-known and obscure, who are still alive and kickin’ despite all reports. More »
10 Subversive Rock Songs Used In Commercials To Sell Stuff
Remember the Lou Reed/Susan Boyle controversy-that-wasn’t-really-a-controversy? In brief, Susan wasn’t allowed to sing Lou’s song “Perfect Day” on America’s Got Talent and everyone thought it was because Lou wasn’t a fan of the reality show performer. But it turns out Lou maybe didn’t have a problem with Susan tackling his song after all, and he even ended up directing the music video for her cover of the tune.
Well, the aging punker totally never had a leg to stand on. As anyone who has seen HP’s most recent commercial now knows, Lou is totally lame! The ad, which is sort of a general survey of their products, features a version of Lou’s transsexual-and-hustler-themed 1972 classic “Walk on the Wild Side” with insanely uncool lyrics that reference HP’s products. Ridiculous, right? Pretty much. Check out our video gallery of nine other subversive tunes that were misappropriated by the advertising powers that be. More »
Kids Freak Out After Getting SAT Test Question About Reality TV
During this past weekend’s round of SAT tests, students who were already tearing their hair out were faced with a question that, surprisingly, invoked anxiety: Do we benefit from forms of entertainment that show so-called “reality,” or are such shows harmful? According to the New York Daily News, many high schoolers were sure they had flunked the essay portion. (Side note: Remember when you were terrified of blurting out even a scant detail about the SAT essay question, for fear of having your exam disregarded? Guess that’s not as big a threat these days.) Apparently they didn’t consider reality television a universal enough topic to be acceptable for this wide-ranging test of aptitude. More »
Videos: Paul Rudd and Paul McCartney On Saturday Night Live
Last night was the Saturday Night Live episode we’ve all been waiting for: hosted by two very famous people named Paul randomly picked out of a hat! Lets hear it for Paul Rudd and Paul McCartney (from The Beatles) everyone! Here are the best clips of the evening. More »
College Essays 101: Not Everyone Loves ‘Glee’ As Much As You Do
Over at The New York Times’ college blog The Choice, Jacques Steinberg has compiled a number of essays that did – and did not – work well for college admissions officers.
The most important lesson? Do not try to explain why Glee is better than The Beatles. More »
The Beatles’ Abbey Road Crosswalk, Broadcast Live For Your Entertainment
When The Beatles released Abbey Road in 1969, they introduced songs like “Something ” and “Here Comes The Sun” into the global conciousness, and they also changed an intersection forever. The album’s cover features the iconic image John, Paul, George, and Ringo crossing the crosswalk at Abbey Road in London, a sight millions of tourists and passersby have tried to imitate. Now, thanks to Abbey Road Studios, you can watch a live stream of the street at all times of… More »
25 Impossible Things Related To Pop Culture
In its August issue, a special edition dedicated to “The Impossible,” Esquire has deemed it “impossible for Lindsay Lohan to go away. She will get a role, she will make a movie, she will be good, and the world will love her again. This can’t not happen.” As an homage to their list of impossible things, we decided to spin the idea and tailor it to our site.
And so it is:
It is impossible to dislike Sandra Bullock.
It is impossible for… More »
Ke$ha Premieres New Video For ‘Your Love Is My Drug’
Ke$ha’s latest music video has it all — a sunburned desert location, an elephant, animation reminiscent of The Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine,” black light body paint and a giant snake. Oh, and a guy in a beard. Confused? We’re a little confused, too. But we kind of like it.
… More »
A Trip Through Teen Idol Hair, From The Beatles to The Biebs
Justin Bieber. The Bieb. El Bieberino. The 16-year-old pop wunderkind is en fuego. His debut album “My World” is No. 1 on the charts, he’s friends with fellow pop princes Usher and Justin Timberlake, he’s met President Barack Obama, and millions of tweenies around the world want to hold his hand. All this, and I don’t think his voice has changed yet.
However, besides his adorable grin, adequate dance moves, and catchy pop factory tunes, what’s his biggest accomplishment—the key… More »
The Best Of … Obscure Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Theories
As a third-grader at H.C. Storm Elementary School in Batavia, Illinois, I developed a theory that I still believe in: That you can tell a lot about a girl by which Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle she digs. Call me inappropriate — cartoons, really? — but don’t act like you didn’t have a crush on Aladdin or Dmitri from Anastasia for Launchpad from Duck Tales.
Now back to my theory: The Ninja Turtle you like reveals loads about your character and preference… More »
Rock And Roll Heaven: The Pope’s Playlist
What do the Holy Father and Philippine prisoners have in common? A mutual love of “Thriller”! The Vatican’s official newspaper L’Osservatore Romano has released Pope Benedict XVI’s list of top songs he’d like to have with him on the desert island. And it doesn’t contain songs you’d necessarily expect. The list includes:
The Beatles’ “Revolver”
Pink Floyd’s “The Dark Side of The Moon” (which, fun fact, is still considered “Satan’s music” on an amazing variety of Web sites)
Oasis’s… More »
Australian Stars Team Up for White Album Tribute Concerts
They say every musician has been influenced by The Beatles in one way or another. So while it seems like a strange match on paper, it may not be so surprising to hear that Chris Cheney, Tim Rogers, Phil Jamieson, and Josh Pyke will team up to perform The White Album later this year.
The shows will take place in August to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the classic album.
“I always loved the sound of The Beatles when they let loose… More »
A Sneak Peek at Katie Noonan’s “Blackbird” Album
I can’t wait to hear Blackbird, Katie Noonan’s new album featuring the songs of John Lennon and McCartney. All the right ingredients are there: superb songs, amazing musicians (including the likes of John Scofield and Joe Lovano), and Katie’s sublime voice.
We’ll have to sit tight until November 1 to get our hands on a copy, but in the meantime you can hear Katie’s versions of “Yesterday,” “Across The Universe,” and “Blackbird” on her MySpace page. Her stunning reinterpretation of “Blackbird”… More »
Michael Johns Does The Beatles on “American Idol”
Isn’t it funny? In recent weeks the American Idol judges have been so excited about Michael Johns’ mediocre performances. This week I thought he was back to his best, but the reception from the judges was less than enthusiastic.
At the end of the day it doesn’t matter what they said. Our Aussie boy is through to the top 11. I just hope he keeps delivering more performances like this, with killer vocals and plenty of genuine conviction. With that combination… More »
Music Blog Spotlight: The Beatle Invasion
I’ve got to admit, when I first heard b5media’s music channel would include a Beatles blog I was a little confused. I know, they’re arguably the most influential band of all time, but let’s face it. Half the band’s dead, and there hasn’t been any new material for years.
But funnily enough, Gilan has plenty to report in The Beatle Invasion. This is a must-see blog for any Beatles fan. It’ll keep you up-to-date with the comings and goings of the… More »