Adam Lambert's 'Whole Lotta Love': The Story Behind The Cover

Glam rocker tackled the legendary 1970 Led Zeppelin song for 'American Idol' rock night.
By Gil Kaufman


Adam Lambert performs "Whole Lotta Love" on "American Idol" on Tuesday
Photo: R. Mickshaw/Getty Images/ Fox

Imagine a freight train speeding toward you at midnight. Or a rockslide barreling down a hill as you try to outrace it. That's the feeling of the ominous, chugging Jimmy Page riff that kicks off Led Zeppelin's 1970 Stonehenge of rock, "Whole Lotta Love." And that's before singer Robert Plant leans into one of the nastiest, ecstatic rock screams this side of the Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again."

That's the song Adam Lambert chose to sing on "American Idol" rock night Tuesday (May 5), and, needless to say, it was a challenge that the eyeliner-loving Los Angeles stage veteran was more than up for, hitting a series of high notes and rock screams that would have made Plant proud. It was a risky maneuver that paid off for Lambert, who chose a tune that came in at #75 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" in 2004.

The legendary British rock act recorded the tribute to Chicago blues icon Willie Dixon during their second U.S. tour after working it out in their live show, including it on their 1969 classic album Led Zeppelin II. Like many of the songs Zeppelin performed early in their career, "Love" was a blues standard turned on its head with a heavy dose of crunching psychedelic guitar and thundering drums, courtesy of late drummer John Bonham. The song was based on a 1962 tune by another blues forefather, Muddy Waters, called "You Need Love," which was penned by Dixon.

For Zeppelin's version, Plant customized the lyrics by adding some lyrical quotes from a few other songs Dixon wrote for Howlin' Wolf, "Back Door Man" and "Shake For Me," nailing the tricky vocal in a single take. It was also inspired by 1966's "You Need Loving" from the British rock group the Small Faces, for whom Zeppelin had great affection, but they also did not credit Dixon for his part in writing the original lyrics. The song became Zeppelin's first U.S. single and their only U.S. top 10 hit. Though their manager would not let them release singles in the U.K. because he thought it cannibalized album sales, the song was finally released as the band's only British single in 1997.

Dixon sued Zeppelin over the song in 1985, claiming it borrowed too heavily from his "You Need Love," and Zeppelin reached an agreement with him, with Dixon using the money he received to set up a program that provided musical instruments for schools. A cornerstone of heavy rock, the tune -- which was the theme song for the long-running British countdown show "Top of the Pops" in the 1970s and '80s -- has been covered by dozens of artists over the years, from Tina Turner and Ben Harper to Prince, Slash, Leona Lewis, Train's Pat Monahan, the London Symphony Orchestra and Jane's Addiction.

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1610709/adam-lamberts-whole-lotta-love-story-behind-cover.jhtml

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Ke$ha Is Channeling 'Sexiness' Of '70s Rock For New Album

Glitter-heavy pop star tells MTV News she's going for 'balls-out, irreverent rock and roll.'
By James Montgomery, with reporting by Matt Elias


Ke$ha
Photo: MTV News

Ke$ha's already got the face paint down pat, and, during recent live sets, she's even taken to guzzling blood out of a human heart, so it should come as no surprise that, on her upcoming album, the pop star is taking things back to the most theatrical era of rock: the prop-heavy, arena-spanning heyday of the 1970s.

Ke$h revealed her plans over the weekend in Los Angeles, on the red carpet of KIIS FM's annual Wango Tango concert, where she told MTV News that the follow-up to her breakout Animal album (and, we suppose, Cannibal too) would be heavy on hard riffs and light on pretty much everything else.

"The next album ... I've been working on writing on the road, but as far as a sound, I just know it's gonna be balls-out, irreverent rock and roll," she said. "I've been pretty much in this '70s rock and roll kick and I just want to capture some of the true essence of what rock and roll is, and that's just irreverence and sexiness and fun and not giving a f---, so we'll definitely put a bit of rock and roll in it."

So, does that mean that fans can expect the likes of Alice Cooper or Peter Frampton to show up on her new album? Perhaps. Because while Ke$ha's new album is still a ways off, she's already begun calling in favors, hoping to line up a killer collabo for the new disc.

"I'm trying, trust me," she laughed. "I really would love to connect with one of my idols, I mean, that's my dream. I'm working on it."

What do you think of Ke$ha going rock for her next album? Tell us in the comments!

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1663946/kesha-new-album.jhtml

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'Twilight' Director Weighs In On Kristen Stewart's MTV Movie Awards Nods

Catherine Hardwicke says a tie would be 'safest solution' for Stewart's dual nominations in Best Kiss category.
By Jocelyn Vena


Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart in "Eclipse"
Photo: Summit

Earlier this month, we asked whether "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" would rule the 2011 MTV Movie Awards. Well, that question will finally be answered on Sunday night when the show goes live from the Gibson Amphitheatre in Los Angeles with "SNL" star Jason Sudeikis serving as host.

The third "Twilight" flick is up for eight Golden Popcorn statues this year, and given the series' past record, Twilighters probably don't have to worry too much about its chances. The director of the first "Twilight" flick, Catherine Hardwicke, says she is not surprised that people are still as frenzied about the movies as they were back in 2008.

"Well, I think it's great. I love it that people are so passionate about it and that people are really into it and following the characters," she told MTV News when we chatted with her about the June 14 DVD release of "Red Riding Hood," which she also directed. "I think it's a great tribute, obviously, to what [author] Stephenie Meyer created. ... Rob and Kristen and everybody's been able to just keep it going and keep people loving it all this time, and, of course, all the directors, everybody. I think it's awesome. It's great."

Stewart is nominated in the Best Kiss category for locking lips with both Taylor Lautner and Robert Pattinson. So which kiss does the director think she should win for? "Maybe it can be a tie? That would be perfect! I think [that's] the safest solution to this problem," she laughed.

Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse."

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

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Hangover Part II' Stars Call Bangkok A 'Tropical Metropolis

'It's just so colorful and eclectic and stimulating and overwhelming,' Ed Helms tells MTV News.
By Kara Warner


Zach Galifianakis in "The Hangover Part II"
Photo: Warner Bros

For those getting ready to see "The Hangover Part II" this weekend, there are a few things we'd like you to know about the film before settling into your seat with your popcorn.

First, check out our handy cheat sheet on the film. Next, we have a few fun details straight from the stars themselves — Ed Helms, Bradley Cooper and Zach Galifianakis — who have discussed Cooper's head-shaving skills and promised "a lot more comedy" in the second installment.

There is also the new-and-improved setting of Bangkok, Thailand. When we caught up with the actors recently, we asked them to describe filming on location in Bangkok.

"Bangkok is a tropical metropolis," Helms said. "It is very hot and steamy, incredibly urban, [there are] huge skyscrapers mixed in with abject poverty right tucked around it. It's totally mind-blowing."

"[It's a] Buddhist culture," Cooper jumped in. "Buddhist/Muslim."

"It's just an unbelievably dense place," Helms continued. "And it's just so colorful and eclectic and stimulating and overwhelming that even as a tourist with nothing to do but have fun, it's overwhelming. When you're trying to work there, it's brutal."

The boys then briefly debated how many people live in the city: 9 million, according to Helms, 12 million, according to Galifianakis (according to the U.N., it's 9.3 million).

"It also sounds like a 13-year-old tourist named everything," Galifianakis added with a grin, before naming a few familiar Bangkok-ian colloquialisms. "Bangkok, ladyboy, pu pu platter," he listed, trailing off into a few giggles.

Check out everything we've got on "The Hangover Part II."

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/1664712/hangover-part-2-ed-helms.jhtml

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Justin Bieber Vintage Video: His First Meeting With Usher

Justin Timberlake also wanted to sign Bieber, 'Never Say Never' star said in 2009.
By Jocelyn Vena


Justin Bieber
Photo: Brian Phares/MTV News

Just as the world was learning who Justin Bieber was, MTV News caught up with the shaggy-haired singer in September 2009. He was gearing up to release his debut album, My World, and plotting his pop-world domination. In the year and a half since that interview, Bieber has done the nearly impossible, launching himself into the pop mega-sphere.

In the chat, Bieber recalled how he and his manager, Scooter Braun, met and eventually got big names interested in signing the teen.

"My manager found me on YouTube. He flew me out to Atlanta for the first time — I'd never actually been on a plane before. He flew me to Atlanta where i was going to the studio to meet some people," he recalled.

"And Usher happened to roll up in his Range Rover. I ran up to him, and I was like, 'Usher, I love your songs. Want me to sing you one?' The politest possible way he could say no, he did. ... I took the hint. I didn't get to sing for him: He had to run into a studio session."

But later, Usher was beckoning the teen back to the ATL. "He actually watched my videos — after my manager got to talking to him — and was like, 'I should have let this kid sing,' and flew me back to Atlanta where I got to sing for him in a proper setting. A week later, I had a meeting with Justin Timberlake, who also wanted to sign me, so they both kind of wanted me."

As the story goes, Bieber went with Usher, and the two never looked back.

"As far as Usher being my mentor, he's definitely given me words of wisdom. I hear it from everybody, but definitely to hear it from Usher is great, just to stay humble and grounded is very important," he explained.

"There's a lot of people, especially young stars, that have gone down the wrong path, and I definitely plan to stay humble and stay grounded and keep my family first, because that stuff really is important in life."

On Friday, Justin Bieber's 3-D documentary, "Never Say Never," opens. The film takes a look at how the teen star worked to hit it big. MTV News has been chatting with him along the way, from the time he first burst on the scene in 2009 until now, as he embarks on a huge 2011 that will include a tour and more new music.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1657425/justin-bieber-usher-video.jhtml

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'Twilight' Vs. 'Harry Potter' At MTV Movie Awards: Celebs Weigh In!

'That's hard, because I love both of them,' Elle Fanning says leading up to the big show Sunday at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
By Kara Warner


Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart
Photo: Warner Bros./ Summit

Given the fact that the latest installments in the blockbuster "Twilight" and "Harry Potter" film franchises are the first and third most-nominated films leading into Sunday's MTV Movie Awards — with eight nominations for "Eclipse" and six nominations for "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1" — we figured it would be fun to ask a few of our favorite celebs the most polarizing of all questions: Team Potter or Team Twilight?

"Wow, that's hard, because I love both of them," Elle Fanning told us of her divided devotion, made especially difficult because of the fact that Fanning's older sister Dakota appears in "The Twilight Saga."

"There's something really sexual about 'Twilight,' " superstar figure skater Johnny Weir pointed out. "And as an older gentleman, I enjoy that."

"Who doesn't want to be a witch or wizard and go to school at Hogwarts?" "Pretty Little Liars" star Troian Bellisario asked rhetorically.

"I'm going to have to remain neutral on that," "X-Men: First Class" star Michael Fassbender said diplomatically.

"You said you cried watching 'Twilight,' after 30 seconds," Fassbender's co-star James McAvoy pointed out.

"Dammit, James!" Fassbender exclaimed sarcastically, pretending to be embarrassed by some big secret he was trying to keep.

" 'Harry Potter' is more my generation," Camilla Belle said. "I remember I was in elementary school when 'Harry Potter' came out."

"I'd have to say [Team] Twilight," "Glee" star Chord Overstreet added.

"I'm a 'Potter' person, because 'Potter' got me reading," revealed "Friday Night Lights" and "Prom" actress Aimee Teegarden.

"[There's] something about vampires and werewolves that do it for me," Hilary Duff weighed in, bringing the unofficial poll count to three Team Potter members vs. four for Team Twilight.

At this year's Movie Awards, "Eclipse" (eight nominations) will be facing off against "Inception" (seven noms) and "Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part 1" (six noms). Voting in all the categories, from Best Kiss to Best Fight to Best Scared-as-S**t Performance and beyond, is currently under way over at MovieAwards.MTV.com. Voting is set to close June 4. But voting for Best Movie will stay open through the show itself, meaning you have a chance to affect the night's biggest winner up until the very last minute.

The 20th annual MTV Movie Awards air live Sunday, June 5, at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

Will vampires and werewolves own the 2011 MTV Movie Awards? Can wizards or dream thieves steal the Golden Popcorn? Find out June 5, when the 20th annual show airs live at 9 p.m. ET/PT. To get into the magical movie mood, we have Sneak Peek Week — five days of exclusives and interviews with the casts of "Fright Night," "Horrible Bosses" and more. Check out everything there is to know about Sneak Peek Week and the Movie Awards at MovieAwards.MTV.com!

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1664830/twilight-vs-harry-potter-at-mtv-movie-awards-celebs-weigh.jhtml

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