- published: 09 Nov 2012
- views: 2324108
- author: bfirenzi
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Canada
Canada (
/ˈkænədə/) is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean. Spanning over 9,900,000 km2 (3,800,000 sq mi), Canada is the world's second-largest country by total area, and its common border with the United States is the longest land border in the world.
The land that is now Canada has been inhabited for millennia by various Aboriginal peoples. Beginning in the late 15th century, British and French colonial expeditions explored, and later settled, along the region's Atlantic coast. France ceded nearly all of its colonies in North America in 1763 after the Seven Years' War. In 1867, with the union of three British North American colonies through Confederation, Canada was formed as a federal dominion of four provinces. This began an accretion of provinces and territories and a process of increasing autonomy; the Canada Act 1982 severed the vestiges of legal dependence on Britain.
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Ethiopia
Ethiopia (
/ˌiːθiˈoʊpiə/) (Ge'ez: ኢትዮጵያ ʾĪtyōṗṗyā), officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2. Ethiopia is bordered by Eritrea to the north, Djibouti and Somalia to the east, Sudan and South Sudan to the west, and Kenya to the south. With its capital at Addis Ababa, it is also the most populous landlocked nation in the world.
Ethiopia was a monarchy for most of its history, and the Ethiopian dynasty traces its roots to the 2nd century BC. Ethiopia is also one of the oldest sites of human existence known to scientists today, having yielded some of humanity's oldest traces. It may be the region from which Homo sapiens first set out for the Middle East and points beyond. Alongside Rome, Persia, China and India, the Ethiopian Aksum Empire was considered one of the great world powers of the 3rd century. During the Scramble for Africa, Ethiopia was the only African country beside Liberia that retained its sovereignty as a recognized independent country, and was one of only four African members of the League of Nations. After a brief period of Italian occupation, Ethiopia became a charter member of the United Nations. When other African nations received their independence following World War II, many of them adopted the colors of Ethiopia's flag, and Addis Ababa became the location of several international organizations focused on Africa.
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London
London
i/ˈlʌndən/ is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its founding by the Romans, who named it Londinium. London's ancient core, the City of London, largely retains its square-mile mediaeval boundaries. Since at least the 19th century, the name London has also referred to the metropolis developed around this core. The bulk of this conurbation forms the London region and the Greater London administrative area, governed by the elected Mayor of London and the London Assembly.
London is a leading global city, with strengths in the arts, commerce, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, healthcare, media, professional services, research and development, tourism and transport all contributing to its prominence. It is the world's leading financial centre alongside New York City and has the fifth-largest city GDP in the world (and the largest in Europe). London has been described as a world cultural capital. It was the world's most visited city during 2011 and London Heathrow is the world's busiest airport by number of international passengers. London's 43 universities form the largest concentration of higher education in Europe. In 2012 London will become the first city to host the modern Summer Olympic Games three times.
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Los Angeles
Los Angeles (
i/lɒs ˈændʒələs/ loss-AN-jə-ləs; Spanish: [los ˈaŋxeles], which is written Los Ángeles; British pronounciation /lɒs ˈændʒəliːz/ loss-AN-jə-leez) with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in the state of California, and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of 468.67 square miles (1,213.8 km2), and is located in Southern California. Often known by its initials L.A., the city is the focal point of the larger Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana metropolitan statistical area and Greater Los Angeles Area region, which contain 12,828,837 and nearly 18 million people respectively as of 2010, making it one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world and the second largest in the United States. Los Angeles is also the seat of Los Angeles County, the most populated and one of the most ethnically diverse counties in the United States, while the entire Los Angeles area itself has been recognized as the most diverse of the nation's largest cities. The city's inhabitants are referred to as "Angelenos".
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New Zealand
New Zealand (Māori: Aotearoa) is an island country located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. The country geographically comprises two main landmasses ‒ that of the North and South Islands ‒ as well as numerous smaller islands. New Zealand is situated some 1,500 kilometres (900 mi) east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and roughly 1,000 kilometres (600 mi) south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga. Because of its remoteness, it was one of the last lands to be settled by humans.
During its long isolation, New Zealand developed a distinctive biodiversity of both animal and plant life. Most notable are the large number of unique bird species, many of which became extinct after the arrival of humans and introduced mammals. With a mild maritime climate, the land was mostly covered in forest. The country's varied topography and its sharp mountain peaks owe much to the tectonic uplift of land and volcanic eruptions caused by the Pacific and Indo-Australian Plates clashing beneath the earth's surface.
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One Astor Plaza
One Astor Plaza is a 745 ft (227 m) high skyscraper in Times Square in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Completed in 1972, the building is 54 stories tall and was designed by Der Scutt of Ely J. Kahn & Jacobs. Originally known as the W. T. Grant Building as headquarters of the eponymous, now-defunct retailer, it is currently the headquarters for Viacom and houses the MTV Studios, Minskoff Theatre, Best Buy Theater, and some retail outlets. It is located at 1515 Broadway between West 44th & 45th Streets. Previously, the Astor Hotel occupied this location. It was built in 1904 and closed in 1967. Construction of the W. T. Grant Building began in 1968 and was completed in 1972.
It is owned and managed by SL Green Realty Corp. The building engineers are Shmerykowsky Consulting Engineers.
The first floor includes an Oakley, Billabong, Element Skateboards, and an Aéropostale store.
Astor Plaza houses the MTV Studios, which is owned by Viacom, the building's primary tenant. The studios are located on the mezzanine second story of the building. MTV acquired it in 1997. It is split into three major studios all located by the floor-to-ceiling windows and iconic window shades. The three studios are named after the three sections of Manhattan: the Uptown Studio, the Midtown Studio, and the Downtown Studio. They are named so because they are proportional to the real sections of Manhattan. The Uptown Studio was home to MTV's former flagship program, Total Request Live, during the show's run from 1998 to 2008 along with MTV & VH1. The Midtown Studio is used by MTV News, the Nickelodeon networks and Comedy Central. The smallest studio, the Downtown Studio, is occasionally used for other countdown shows, such as Direct Effect and Big Ten, and the other MTV networks. It is occasionally used as a temporary green room if the actual green room is occupied. The MTV Studios also include dressing rooms, control rooms, a cafeteria, and some offices.
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Philadelphia
Philadelphia ( /ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə/) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States, with a population of 1,526,006 as of the 2010 U.S. Census. Philadelphia is also the commercial, cultural, and educational center of the Delaware Valley, home to 6 million people and the country's fifth-largest metropolitan area. The Philadelphia metropolitan division consists of five counties in Pennsylvania and has a population of 4,008,994. Popular nicknames for Philadelphia are Philly and The City of Brotherly Love, the latter of which comes from the literal meaning of the city's name in Greek (Greek: Φιλαδέλφεια ([pʰilaˈdelpʰeːa], Modern Greek: [filaˈðelfia]) "brotherly love", compounded from philos (φίλος) "loving", and adelphos (ἀδελφός) "brother").
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Republic of Ireland
Ireland (/ˈaɪərlənd/ or /ˈɑrlənd/; Irish: Éire, pronounced [ˈeːɾʲə] (
listen)) is a sovereign state in Europe occupying about five-sixths of the island of Ireland. Its capital is Dublin. The population of the state was 4.59 million in 2011. It is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy, with an elected president serving as head of state. In the 1937 constitution, the name of the state is given as simply "Ireland". The Constitution of Ireland (Article 4) and the Republic of Ireland Act 1948 provides that the "Republic of Ireland" (Irish: Poblacht na hÉireann) is "the description of the state".
Ireland is a member of the European Union, the Council of Europe, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the World Trade Organisation and the United Nations. A developed country with the seventh highest Human Development Index, Ireland is also highly ranked for press freedom, economic freedom and democracy and political freedom.
The modern Irish state was established in 1922 as the Irish Free State, a dominion within the British Empire, following the Anglo-Irish Treaty which brought an end to the Irish War of Independence. The partition of Ireland had already been provided for in previous British legislation in 1921 in response to opposition to Irish Home Rule or independence by Unionists, who formed a majority in the north-eastern part of the country. Six of the nine counties in the northern province of Ulster were established under that legislation as Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom, with which the Irish state shares its only land border. The state is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, with the Celtic Sea to the south, St George's Channel to the south east, and the Irish Sea to the east.
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RTÉ
Raidió Teilifís Éireann (Irish pronunciation: [ˈradʲo ˈtʲɛlʲəfʲiːʃ ˈeːrʲən] ( listen); English: Radio [and] Television of Ireland; abbreviated as RTÉ) is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making it one of the oldest continuously operating public service broadcasters in the world.
RTÉ is financed by a television licence fee and through advertising. Some RTÉ services are only funded by advertising, while other RTÉ services are only funded by the licence fee. RTÉ is a statutory body, run by a board appointed by the Government of Ireland. General management of the organisation is in the hands of the Executive Board headed by the Director-General. RTÉ is regulated by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. Radio Éireann, RTÉ's predecessor and at the time a section of the Department of Posts and Telegraphs, was one of 23 founding organisations of the European Broadcasting Union in 1950.
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South Africa
Coordinates: 30°S 25°E / 30°S 25°E / -30; 25
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa, is a country located at the southern tip of Africa. It is divided into nine provinces and has 2,798 kilometres (1,739 mi) of coastline. To the north of the country lie the neighbouring territories of Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe; to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland; while Lesotho is an enclave surrounded by South African territory.
South Africa is multi-ethnic and has diverse cultures and languages. Eleven official languages are recognised in the constitution. Two of these languages are of European origin: South African English and Afrikaans, a language which originated mainly from Dutch that is spoken by the majority of white and Coloured South Africans. Though English is commonly used in public and commercial life, it is only the fifth most-spoken home language. All ethnic and language groups have political representation in the country's constitutional democracy comprising a parliamentary republic; unlike most parliamentary republics, the positions of head of state and head of government are merged in a parliament-dependent President.
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Times Square
Coordinates: 40°45′28″N 73°59′09″W / 40.75773°N 73.985708°W / 40.75773; -73.985708
"The Crossroads of the World"
Times Square is a major commercial intersection in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, United States, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets. Times Square, iconified as "The Crossroads of the World" and the "The Great White Way", is the brightly illuminated hub of the Broadway theater district, one of the world's busiest pedestrian intersections, and a major center of the world's entertainment industry. According to Travel + Leisure magazine's October 2011 survey, Times Square is the world's most visited tourist attraction, bringing in over 39 million visitors annually.
Formerly named Longacre Square, Times Square was renamed in April 1904 after The New York Times moved its headquarters to the newly erected Times Building, which is now called One Times Square and is the site of the annual ball drop on New Year's Eve.
The northern triangle of Times Square is technically Duffy Square, dedicated in 1937 to Chaplain Francis P. Duffy of New York City's "Fighting 69th" Infantry Regiment; a memorial to Duffy is located there, along with a statue of George M. Cohan, and the TKTS discount theatre tickets booth. The stepped red roof of the TKTS booth also provides seating for various events. The Duffy Statue and the square were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.
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United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK, or Britain) is a sovereign state located off the north-western coast of continental Europe. The country includes the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands. Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK that shares a land border with another sovereign state—the Republic of Ireland. Apart from this land border the UK is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the English Channel and the Irish Sea.
The United Kingdom is a unitary state governed under a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary system, with its seat of government in the capital city of London. It is a country in its own right and consists of four countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. There are three devolved administrations, each with varying powers, based in Belfast, Edinburgh and Cardiff, the capitals of Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Associated with the UK, but not constitutionally part of it, are three Crown Dependencies. The United Kingdom has fourteen overseas territories. These are remnants of the British Empire which, at its height in 1922, encompassed almost a quarter of the world's land surface and was the largest empire in history. British influence can still be observed in the language, culture and legal systems of many of its former territories.
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United States
The United States of America (commonly abbreviated to the United States, the U.S., the USA, America, and the States) is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its forty-eight contiguous states and Washington, D.C., the capital district, lie between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, bordered by Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. The state of Alaska is in the northwest of the continent, with Canada to the east and Russia to the west, across the Bering Strait. The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific. The country also possesses several territories in the Pacific and Caribbean.
At 3.79 million square miles (9.83 million km2) and with over 312 million people, the United States is the third or fourth largest country by total area, and the third largest by both land area and population. It is one of the world's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, the product of large-scale immigration from many countries. The U.S. economy is the world's largest national economy, with an estimated 2011 GDP of $15.1 trillion (22% of nominal global GDP and over 19% of global GDP at purchasing-power parity). Per capita income is the world's sixth-highest.
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World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 in the September 11 attacks. The site is being rebuilt with five new skyscrapers and a memorial to the casualties of the attacks. As of November 2011[update], only one skyscraper has been completed; the other four are expected to be completed before 2020. One World Trade Center will be the lead building for the new complex, reaching more than 100 stories at its completion. It became the tallest building in New York City on April 30, 2012, and is expected to be finished by 2013. A sixth tower is awaiting confirmation.
At the time of their completion, the original 1 World Trade Center (the North Tower) and 2 World Trade Center (the South Tower), known collectively as the Twin Towers, were the tallest buildings in the world. The other buildings included 3 WTC (the Marriott World Trade Center), 4 WTC, 5 WTC, 6 WTC (which housed United States Customs), and 7 WTC. All of these buildings were built between 1975 and 1985.
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"Weird Al" Yankovic
Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic (pronunciation: /ˈjæŋkəvɪk/; born October 23, 1959) is an American singer-songwriter, music producer, accordionist, actor, comedian, writer, satirist, and parodist. Yankovic is known for his humorous songs that make light of popular culture and that often parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts. Since his first-aired comedy song in 1976, he has sold more than 12 million albums (as of 2007), recorded more than 150 parody and original songs, and has performed more than 1,000 live shows. His works have earned him three Grammy Awards among nine nominations, four gold records, and six platinum records in the United States. Yankovic's first top ten Billboard album (Straight Outta Lynwood) and single ("White & Nerdy") were both released in 2006, nearly three decades into his career.
Yankovic's success comes in part from his effective use of music video to further parody popular culture, the song's original artist, and the original music videos themselves, scene-for-scene in some cases. He directed later videos himself and went on to direct for other artists including Ben Folds, Hanson, Black Crowes, and The Presidents of the United States of America. In addition to recording his albums, Yankovic wrote and starred in the film, UHF, and television show, The Weird Al Show. He has also made guest appearances on many television shows, in addition to starring in Al TV specials on MTV.
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Adele (singer)
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (born 5 May 1988), better known simply as Adele, is an English singer-songwriter and musician. Adele was offered a recording contract from XL Recordings after a friend posted her demo on MySpace in 2006. The next year she received the Brit Awards "Critics' Choice" award and won the BBC Sound of 2008. Her debut album, 19, was released in 2008 to much commercial and critical success. The album is certified four times platinum in the UK, and double platinum in the US. Her career in the US was boosted by a Saturday Night Live appearance in late 2008. At the 2009 Grammy Awards, Adele received the awards for Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
Adele released her second album, 21, in early 2011. The album was well received critically and surpassed the success of her debut.21 helped Adele earn six Grammy Awards in 2012 including Album of the Year, equalling the record for most Grammy Awards won by a female artist in one night. The album has also helped her receive numerous other awards, including two Brit Awards and three American Music Awards. The album has been certified 16 times platinum in the UK; in the US the album has held the top position longer than any other album since 1985.
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Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1970. Guitarist Joe Perry and bassist Tom Hamilton, originally in a band together called the Jam Band, met up with singer Steven Tyler, drummer Joey Kramer, and guitarist Ray Tabano, and formed Aerosmith. In 1971, Tabano was replaced by Brad Whitford, and the band began developing a following in Boston. Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop,heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many subsequent rock artists.
They were signed to Columbia Records in 1972, and released a string of multi-platinum albums, beginning with their 1973 eponymous debut album, followed by their 1974 album Get Your Wings. In 1975, the band broke into the mainstream with the album Toys in the Attic, and their 1976 follow-up Rocks cemented their status as hard rock superstars. The band released two more albums, toured extensively, and charted a string of Hot 100 singles. By the end of the 1970s, they were among the most popular hard rock bands in the world and developed a loyal following of fans, often referred to as the "Blue Army". However, drug addiction and internal conflict took their toll on the band, which resulted in the departures of Perry and Whitford in 1979 and 1981, respectively; they were replaced by Jimmy Crespo and Rick Dufay. The band did not fare well between 1980 and 1984, releasing a lone album, Rock in a Hard Place, which went gold but failed to match their previous successes.
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African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans or Afro-Americans, and formerly as American Negroes) are citizens or residents of the United States that have ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa.
African Americans make up the single largest racial minority in the United States. Most African Americans are of West and Central African descent and are descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States. However, some immigrants from African, Caribbean, Central American or South American nations, or their descendants, may be identified or self-identify with the term.
African-American history starts in the 16th century with African slaves who quickly rose up against the Spanish explorer Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón and progresses to the present day, with Barack Obama as the 44th and current President of the United States. Between those landmarks there have been events and issues, both resolved and ongoing, including slavery, racism, Reconstruction, development of the African-American community, participation in the great military conflicts of the United States, racial segregation, and the Civil Rights Movement.
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Alanis Morissette
Alanis Nadine Morissette (born June 1, 1974) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, guitarist, record producer, and actress. She has won 16 Juno Awards and seven Grammy Awards, was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards and also shortlisted for an Academy Award nomination. Morissette began her career in Canada, and as a teenager recorded two dance-pop albums, Alanis and Now Is the Time, under MCA Records Canada.
Her first international album was the rock-influenced Jagged Little Pill, released in 1995. Jagged has sold more than 33 million units globally. Her following album, Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, was released in 1998 and was a success as well. Morissette took up producing duties for her subsequent albums, which include Under Rug Swept, So-Called Chaos and Flavors of Entanglement. Morissette has sold more than 60 million albums worldwide. Morissette is also known for her powerful and emotive mezzo-soprano voice.
Morissette acquired United States citizenship in 2005.
Morissette was born June 1, 1974 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, the daughter of Georgia Mary Ann (née Feuerstein), a teacher of Hungarian descent, and Alan Richard Morissette, a French-Canadian high school principal. She has a twin brother, Wade Morissette, (also a musician) who was born 12 minutes after her. Morissette was raised Catholic. She attended Glebe Collegiate Institute (Ottawa, Canada) for high school.
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Alexa Chung
Alexa Chung (born 5 November 1983) is a British television presenter, model and contributing editor at British Vogue. She is currently the host of 24 Hour Catwalk on the Lifetime channel in the U.S. Previously, Chung was the host of MTV's It's On with Alexa Chung. She is the face of Lacoste's "Joy of Pink" fragrance and Superga's Italian sneakers.
Alexa Chung was born in Privett, Hampshire, England to a Eurasian father, Philip, a graphic designer, and her English mother, Gillian (née Burgess), a housewife. She has two older brothers, Jamie and Dominic, and one older sister, Natalie. She attended secondary school at the local Perins School and spent sixth form at Peter Symonds College, Winchester. She was accepted at King’s College London to read English, but was scouted by a modelling agency before attending, and chose to pursue modelling for a while instead.
Chung was approached in the comedy tent at Reading Festival at the age of 16 and was taken on by the London-based Storm Model Management. She modelled for teen magazines such as Elle Girl and CosmoGIRL! and worked for companies including Fanta, Sony Ericsson, Sunsilk, Urban Outfitters and Tampax. She appeared in music videos for artists including The Streets, Westlife, Delta Goodrem, Reuben and Holly Valance and starred as Jake in a scripted reality show called Shoot Me, broadcast on Fashion TV in 2005. After four years, Chung quit modelling with the intention of beginning an art foundation or fashion journalism course, having become disillusioned. She had developed a “distorted body image” and “low self-esteem” through modelling.
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America Online
AOL Inc. (NYSE: AOL, previously known as America Online, written as "AOL" and stylized as "Aol." but commonly pronounced as an initialism) is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services. AOL is headquartered in New York City, but has many offices throughout cities in North America, such as Atlanta, Baltimore, Beverly Hills, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Dulles, Mountain View, Orlando, San Francisco, and Toronto. London and Tokyo are its foreign offices. As of December 2011, it serves 3.3 million paid subscribers.[citation needed]
AOL is best known for its online software suite, also called AOL, that allowed customers to access the world's largest "walled garden" online community and eventually reach out to the Internet as a whole. At its prime, AOL's membership was over 30 million members worldwide, most of whom accessed the AOL service through the AOL software suite. The company has claimed that it had 34 million subscribers at its peak, although an undisclosed portion were using free hours.
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Anton Corbijn
Anton Corbijn (Dutch pronunciation: [kɔrˈbɛin]; born 20 May 1955) is a Dutch photographer, music video and film director. He is the creative director behind the visual output of Depeche Mode and U2, having handled the principal promotion and sleeve photography for both for almost 3 decades. Some of his works include music videos for Depeche Mode's "Enjoy the Silence" (1990) and Nirvana's "Heart-Shaped Box" (1993), as well as the Ian Curtis biopic Control (2007),George Clooney's The American (2010), and A Most Wanted Man (2012) based on John le Carré's 2008 novel of the same name.
Corbijn was born in Strijen, the Netherlands. He started his career of music photographer when he saw the Dutch musician Herman Brood playing at a cafe in Groningen (the Netherlands) around 1975. He took a lot of photos of the 'rising star' Herman Brood & His Wild Romance. Because of the pictures taken by Corbijn, Brood's fame rose quickly, and as a result Corbijn's own exposure increased.
Corbijn has photographed Joy Division, Depeche Mode, U2, Prāta Vētra, David Bowie, Peter Hammill, Miles Davis, Björk, Captain Beefheart, Kim Wilde, Robert De Niro, Stephen Hawking, Elvis Costello, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Morrissey, Clint Eastwood, Roxette and Herbert Grönemeyer, amongst others. He is famous for his work in black and white. In May 1989, he began taking pictures in color using filters: his first try was done for Siouxsie Sioux.
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Aphex Twin
Richard David James (born 18 August 1971), best known under the pseudonym Aphex Twin, is a British electronic musician and composer. He founded the record label Rephlex Records in 1991 with Grant Wilson-Claridge. He was described by The Guardian as "the most inventive and influential figure in contemporary electronic music."
Aphex Twin has also recorded music under the aliases AFX, Blue Calx, Bradley Strider, Caustic Window, DJ Smojphace, GAK, Martin Tressider, Polygon Window, Power-Pill, Prichard D. Jams, Q-Chastic, Tahnaiya Russell, The Dice Man, Soit-P.P., and speculatively The Tuss.
Aphex Twin has released recordings on Rephlex, Warp, R&S, Sire, Mighty Force, Rabbit City, and Men Records.
Richard David James was born to Welsh parents Lorna and Derek James in St. Munchin's Limerick Regional Maternity Hospital, Ireland. He grew up in Lanner, Cornwall, enjoying, along with two older sisters, a "very happy" childhood during which they, according to James, "were pretty much left to do what [they] wanted." He "liked growing up there, being cut off from the city and the rest of the world". James attended Redruth School, located in Redruth, Cornwall.
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Ashlee Simpson
Ashlee Nicole Simpson (born October 3, 1984) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. She rose to prominence in 2004 with the success of her number-one debut album Autobiography. Her reality series, The Ashlee Simpson Show, aired for two seasons. Following a North American concert tour and a film appearance, Simpson released her second number-one album, I Am Me (2005). Simpson assumed creative control over her third album, Bittersweet World (2008).
Simpson was born in Waco, Texas and raised in the Richardson area of Texas. She is the daughter of Tina Ann (née Drew), a homemaker, and Joe Truett Simpson, a former psychologist and Baptist youth minister who works as Simpson's agent. Simpson has an older sister, Jessica, who is also a singer and actress. She attended the same schools as her sister, Prairie Creek Elementary and Richardson North Junior High.
In 1987, when Simpson was three years old, she began studying classical ballet. Simpson enrolled at the School of American Ballet in New York City in 1995, a year in advance. During this time, Simpson suffered from an eating disorder for about six months but received treatment from her parents. Tina and Joe Simpson made the decision to relocate to Los Angeles, California for Jessica's singing career in 1999. Subsequently, Ashlee was cast in television commercials.
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Ashton Kutcher
Christopher Ashton Kutcher (/ˈkʊtʃər/; born February 7, 1978), best known as Ashton Kutcher, is an American actor, producer, former fashion model, and comedian, known for his portrayal of Michael Kelso in the Fox sitcom That '70s Show. He also created, produced and hosted Punk'd, and played lead roles in the Hollywood films Dude, Where's My Car?, Just Married, The Butterfly Effect, The Guardian, and What Happens in Vegas. He is also the producer and co-creator of the supernatural TV show Room 401 and the reality TV show Beauty and the Geek. Kutcher currently co-stars in the hit CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men as the character Walden Schmidt.
Kutcher was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He is the son of Diane (née Finnegan), a Procter & Gamble employee, and Larry M. Kutcher, a factory worker. His father is of Bohemian (Czech) descent and his mother is of Irish, German, and Bohemian ancestry. Kutcher was raised in a conservative Roman Catholic family, with an older sister, Tausha, and a fraternal twin, Michael, who had a heart transplant when the brothers were young children. Kutcher's twin brother also has cerebral palsy and is a spokesperson for the advocacy organization Reaching for the Stars.
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Asian Americans
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent. It includes people who indicated their race(s) as "Asian" or reported entries such as "Asian Indian," "Chinese," "Filipino," "Korean," "Japanese," "Vietnamese," and "Other Asian" or provided other detailed Asian responses. They comprise 4.8% of the U.S. population alone, while people who are Asian combined with at least one other race make up 5.6%.
The term Asian American was used informally by activists in the 1960s who sought an alternative to the term Oriental, arguing that the latter was derogatory and colonialist. Formal usage was introduced by academics in the early 1970s, notably by historian Yuji Ichioka, who is credited with popularizing the term. Today, Asian American is the accepted term for most formal purposes, such as government and academic research, although it is often shortened to Asian in common usage.
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Bam Margera
Brandon Cole "Bam" Margera (pronounced /mɑrˈdʒɛərə/ mar-JAIR-ə; born September 28, 1979) is an American professional skateboarder, television and radio personality, actor and daredevil. He released a series of videos under the CKY banner and came to prominence after being drafted into MTV's Jackass crew. He has since appeared in MTV's Viva La Bam and Bam's Unholy Union, all three Jackass movies, and Haggard and Minghags, both of which he co-wrote and directed.
Margera was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania, to Phil and April Margera. He is the younger brother of Jess Margera and nephew of Vincent Margera. His grandfather nicknamed him "Bam" at the age of three after his habit of running into walls. He attended East High School and cites friend Chris Raab as his only reason for attending high school.
Margera began shooting videos of himself and his friends skateboarding and doing stunts, which eventually turned into the CKY video series. He independently released CKY. CKY2K, CKY3 and CKY4 have also been released. CKY stands for "Camp Kill Yourself", a reference to the film Sleepaway Camp. These early videos feature many of Margera's friends, including Ryan Dunn, Brandon DiCamillo, Rake Yohn, Chris Raab, Brandon Novak and others who form a loose collective known as the CKY Crew. CKY is also the name of a rock band featuring his brother Jess, and the history and relationship between the video and band projects is heavily interlinked.
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Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II (i/bəˈrɑːk huːˈseɪn oʊˈbɑːmə/; born August 4, 1961) is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. In January 2005, Obama was sworn in as a U.S. Senator in the state of Illinois. He would hold this office until November 2008, when he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.
Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Obama is a graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School, where he was the president of the Harvard Law Review. He was a community organizer in Chicago before earning his law degree. He worked as a civil rights attorney in Chicago and taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School from 1992 to 2004. He served three terms representing the 13th District in the Illinois Senate from 1997 to 2004.
Following an unsuccessful bid against the Democratic incumbent for a seat in the United States House of Representatives in 2000, Obama ran for the United States Senate in 2004. Several events brought him to national attention during the campaign, including his victory in the March 2004 Illinois Democratic primary for the Senate election and his keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in July 2004. He won election to the U.S. Senate in Illinois in November 2004. His presidential campaign began in February 2007, and after a close campaign in the 2008 Democratic Party presidential primaries against Hillary Rodham Clinton, he won his party's nomination. In the 2008 presidential election, he defeated Republican nominee John McCain, and was inaugurated as president on January 20, 2009. Nine months later, Obama was named the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. In April 2011, he announced that he would be running for re-election in 2012.
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Beck
Beck Hansen (born Bek David Campbell, July 8, 1970) is an American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known by the stage name Beck.
The four-time platinum artist rose to underground popularity with his early works, which combined social criticism (as in "MTV Makes Me Want to Smoke Crack" and "Deep Fried Love") with musical and lyrical experimentation. He first earned wider public attention for his breakthrough single "Loser", a 1994 hit. Beck is known for creating musical collages of different styles.
Two of Beck's most popular and acclaimed recordings are Odelay (1996) and Sea Change (2002).Odelay was awarded Album of the Year by the American magazine Rolling Stone and by UK publications NME and Mojo. Odelay also received a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year. Both Odelay and Sea Change appeared on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
Beck was born in Los Angeles, California, to David Campbell, a Canadian musician, and Bibbe Hansen, a visual artist and former Warhol "star". His father is of Scottish heritage and his mother is half Norwegian, a quarter Jewish and a quarter Swedish. His maternal grandfather is Al Hansen, a visual collage artist of the Fluxus school of art. Beck's paternal grandfather was a Presbyterian minister. When his parents separated, Beck stayed with his mother and brother in Los Angeles, where he was influenced by the city's diverse musical offerings—everything from hip hop to Latin music and his mother's art scene—all of which would later reappear in his recorded and published work.
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Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III; August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation. Clinton has been described as a New Democrat. Many of his policies have been attributed to a centrist Third Way philosophy of governance.
Born and raised in Arkansas, Clinton became both a student leader and a skilled musician. He is an alumnus of Georgetown University where he was Phi Beta Kappa and earned a Rhodes Scholarship to attend the University of Oxford. He is married to Hillary Rodham Clinton, who has served as the United States Secretary of State since 2009 and was a Senator from New York from 2001 to 2009. Both Clintons received law degrees from Yale Law School, where they met and began dating. As Governor of Arkansas, Clinton overhauled the state's education system, and served as Chair of the National Governors Association.
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Billy Idol
William Michael Albert Broad (born 30 November 1955), better known by his stage name Billy Idol, is an English rock musician. A member of the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols fans, Idol first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X. He then embarked on a successful solo career, aided by a series of stylish[citation needed]music videos, making him one of the first MTV stars. Idol continues to tour with guitarist Steve Stevens and has a worldwide fan base.[citation needed]
Idol was born in Stanmore, Middlesex, the son of a salesman.. The name Billy Idol was inspired by a schoolteacher's description of Broad as "idle".
In 1958, when Idol was two years old, his parents moved to Patchogue, New York, on Long Island. The family returned to England four years later with Idol and a younger child Jane (who had been born in the US), settling in Dorking, Surrey. In 1971 the family moved to Bromley, southeastern London, where Idol attended Ravensbourne School for Boys. Idol (rather William Broad) also attended Worthing High School for Boys (later becoming Worthing College), in West Sussex. In October 1975, Idol went to the University of Sussex, near Brighton, to pursue an English degree and lived on campus (East Slope) but left after year one (1976). He then went on to join the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols fans, a loose gang that travelled into town when the band played.
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Billy Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American pianist, singer-songwriter, and composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man," in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to the RIAA.
Joel had Top 40 hits in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, achieving 33 Top 40 hits in the United States, all of which he wrote himself. He is also a six-time Grammy Award winner, a 23-time Grammy nominee and has sold over 150 million records worldwide. He was inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame (1992), the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1999), the Long Island Music Hall of Fame (2006), and the Hit Parade Hall of Fame (2009). In 2008, Billboard magazine released a list of the Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists to celebrate the US singles chart's 50th anniversary, with Billy Joel positioned at No. 23. With the exception of the 2007 songs "All My Life" and "Christmas in Fallujah," Joel stopped recording pop/rock material after 1993's River of Dreams, but he continued to tour extensively until 2010.
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Billy Squier
William Haislip "Billy" Squier (born May 12, 1950) is an American rock musician. Squier had a string of arena rock hits in the 1980s. He is best known for the song "The Stroke" on his 1981 album release Don't Say No. Other hits include "In the Dark", "Rock Me Tonite", "Lonely Is the Night", "My Kinda Lover", "Everybody Wants You", "All Night Long" and "Emotions in Motion".
Squier was born in Wellesley, Massachusetts. He is a 1968 graduate of Wellesley High School. While growing up, he began playing piano and guitar, but did not become serious with music until discovering Eric Clapton. When Squier was nine, his grandfather taught him how to play the piano. He took lessons from his grandfather for two years. After he stopped taking piano lessons, he became interested in guitar and bought one from a neighbor for $95. Squier took guitar lessons for a couple of months until he decided to teach himself.[citation needed] He later attended Berklee College of Music.
Billy Squier's first public performance was at a Boston nightclub in Kenmore Square called the Psychedelic Supermarket in 1968 which is where he saw Eric Clapton and the band Cream perform. Squier originally performed with the band Magic Terry & The Universe, which also included Klaus Flouride, who went on to play with the Dead Kennedys. In the early 1970s, he joined The Sidewinders, and played with members including Mike Reed, Alex Phillips, Henry Stern, and Bryan Chase. Squier left the group to form the band Piper, which released two albums in the mid '70s, Piper and Can't Wait, but left soon after. Bruce Kulick of KISS fame played with him during this period also. Upon reviewing the debut Piper, Circus Magazine touted it as the greatest debut album ever produced by an American rock band. Piper was managed by the same management company as KISS, and opened for KISS during their 1977 tour, including the second and third nights of a three-night, sold-out run at New York's Madison Square Garden.
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Björk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir ( /ˈbjɜrk/; [ˈpjœr̥k ˈkvʏðmʏntsˌtoʊhtɪr] ( listen); born 21 November 1965), known as Björk, is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her musical style is eclectic and she has achieved recognition in rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical, and folk.
Björk's 1990s singles "It's Oh So Quiet", "Army of Me" and "Hyperballad" charted in the UK Top 10.[citation needed] Her record label, One Little Indian, reported that by 2003 she had sold more than 15 million albums worldwide. She has acquired a high level of critical acclaim. She has won four BRIT Awards, four MTV Video Music Awards, one MOJO Award, three UK Music Video Awards, and, in 2010, the Polar Music Prize from the Royal Swedish Academy of Music, in recognition for her "deeply personal music and lyrics, her precise arrangements and her unique voice".
Björk has also been nominated for twelve Grammy Awards, one Academy Award and two Golden Globe Awards. She won the Best Actress Award at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival for her performance in Dancer in the Dark. She was ranked thirty-sixth in VH1's "The 100 Greatest Women in Rock and Roll", eighth in MTV's "22 Greatest Voices in Music", and sixtieth in Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Singers of All Time".
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Black (people)
The term black people is used in some socially-based systems of racial classification for humans of a dark-skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups represented in a particular social context. Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class and socio-economic status also play a role, so that relatively dark-skinned people can be classified as white if they fulfill other social criteria of "whiteness" and relatively light-skinned people can be classified as black if they fulfill the social criteria for "blackness" in a particular setting.
As a biological phenotype being "black" is often associated with the very dark skin colors of some people who are classified as "black". But, particularly in the United States, the racial or ethnic classification also refers to people with all possible kinds of skin pigmentation from the darkest through to the very lightest skin colors, including albinos, if they are believed by others to have African ancestry, or to exhibit cultural traits associated with being "African-American". As a result, in the United States the term "black people" is not an indicator of skin color but of socially based racial classification.
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Brandy Norwood
Brandy Rayana Norwood (born February 11, 1979), known professionally as Brandy, is an American R&B singer, songwriter, producer, model, actress, and dancer. In 2009, she introduced her rap alter-ego Bran'Nu.
Born into a musical family in McComb, Mississippi and raised in Carson, California, Norwood first appeared in a supporting role on the short-lived ABC sitcom Thea in 1993. Her engagement led to her own star vehicle, successful UPN sitcom Moesha in 1996, and resulted in roles in the 1998 horror sequel I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, and the TV films Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella (1997) and Double Platinum (1999), two of television's best-rated special programs.
In 1993, she signed a recording contract with Atlantic, releasing her self-titled debut album a year after. Following a major success with Grammy Award-winning "The Boy Is Mine", a duet with singer Monica, and her second album Never Say Never in 1998, a series of successful records established her as one of the most successful of the new breed of urban R&B female vocalists to emerge during the mid-to late 1990s. Her latest studio album, Human (2008), was her first effort to be released on the Epic label after a label change in 2005.
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Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album ...Baby One More Time in 1999, which became the best-selling album by a teenage solo artist. During her first decade in the music industry, she became a prominent figure in mainstream popular music and popular culture, followed by a much-publicized personal life. Her first two albums established her as a pop icon and broke sales records, while title tracks "...Baby One More Time" and "Oops!... I Did It Again" became international number-one hits. Spears was credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s, and became the 'best-selling teen aged artist of all time' before she turned 20, garnering her the honorific title of "Princess of Pop".
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Busta Rhymes
Trevor Tahiem Smith, Jr., (born May 20, 1972), better known by his stage name Busta Rhymes, is an American rapper, producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the alias Busta Rhymes after NFL wide receiver George "Buster" Rhymes. Early in his career, he was known for his wild style and fashion, and today is best known for his intricate rapping technique, which involves rapping at a fast rate with lots of internal rhyme and half rhyme, and to date has received eleven Grammy nominations for his musical work. About.com included him on its list of the 50 Greatest MCs of Our Time (1987–2007), while Steve Huey of Allmusic called him one of the best and most prolific rappers of the '90s.
Busta was born in Red Hook, Brooklyn, New York, and grew up in Flatbush, Brooklyn, to Jamaican parents Geraldine Green and Trevor Smith, Sr. in 1972. Smith attended George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School, alongside Jay-Z, DMX and The Notorious B.I.G. He went to Uniondale High School on Long Island, graduating in 1990.
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Carson Daly
Carson Jones Daly (born June 22, 1973) is an American television host, radio personality, and television personality. He is the host of NBC's Last Call with Carson Daly, a late-night talk show that began airing on January 7, 2002. Before his role as host of that program, Daly was a VJ on MTV's TRL, and a DJ for the Southern California based radio station KROQ-FM. He has also hosted several notable specials including "Macy's 4th of July Spectacular" on NBC and "NBC's New Years Eve with Carson Daly". He also co-founded an independent record label named 456 Entertainment. As of 2012, he is a DJ/talk show host on KAMP-FM radio in Southern California. He is the host of the American version of The Voice, on NBC. The Voice has gone on to become one of the highest rated shows on the entire NBC network and in 2012 received the coveted timeslot premiering after the Superbowl.
Daly was born in Santa Monica, California, the son of Coachella Valley TV personality Pattie Daly Caruso, and actor J. D. Daly. Daly attended Santa Monica High School and was a member of the school's golf team before graduating in 1991. He attended Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. He is of Irish descent and has worked with Guinness on local "Proposition 3-17" to make Saint Patrick's Day an official holiday. Carson Daly hosted MTV'S TRL from 1998-2002.
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Charlamagne
Charlemagne ( /ˈʃɑrlɨmeɪn/ or /ˈʃɑrləmeɪn/; French pronunciation: [ʃaʁ.lə.maɲ]; c. 742 – 28 January 814), also known as Charles the Great (Latin: Carolus Magnus or Karolus Magnus), was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans (Imperator Romanorum) from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned Imperator Augustus by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800 in Rome.
His rule is also associated with the Carolingian Renaissance, a revival of art, religion, and culture through the medium of the Catholic Church. Through his foreign conquests and internal reforms, Charlemagne helped define both Western Europe and the European Middle Ages. He is numbered as Charles I in the regnal lists of Germany, the Holy Roman Empire, and France.
The son of King Pepin the Short and Bertrada of Laon, a Frankish queen, he succeeded his father in 768 and was initially co-ruler with his brother Carloman I. It has often been suggested that the relationship between Charlemagne and Carloman was not good, but it has also been argued that tensions were exaggerated by Carolingian chroniclers.
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Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera (born December 18, 1980) is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993 to 1994. Aguilera signed to RCA Records after recording "Reflection", the theme song for the animated film Mulan (1998).
In 1999, Aguilera came to prominence following her debut album Christina Aguilera, which was a commercial success spawning three number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100—"Genie in a Bottle", "What a Girl Wants", and "Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)." Her sophomore and her debut Latin-pop album, Mi Reflejo (2000), a Christmas third studio album, My Kind of Christmas (2000), and several collaborations followed which garnered Aguilera worldwide success, though she was displeased with her lack of input in her music and image. After parting from her management, Aguilera took creative control over her fourth studio album, Stripped (2002). The album's second single, "Beautiful", was a commercial success and helped the album's commercial performance amidst controversy over Aguilera's image. Aguilera followed up Stripped with the soul, jazz and blues inspired, Back to Basics (2006), released to positive critical acclaim. The album produced three singles "Ain't No Other Man", "Hurt" and "Candyman". Four years later Aguilera released her sixth studio album, Bionic (2010), which incorporated aspects of R&B, electropop, and synthpop and was met with mixed reviews and low sales. Aguilera's seventh studio album is set to be released in 2012.
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Cyndi Lauper
Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper (born June 22, 1953 in Queens, New York) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and LGBT rights activist.
She achieved success in the mid-1980s with the release of the debut solo album She's So Unusual in 1983, which spawned four Billboard Hot 100 top-five songs—"Girls Just Wanna Have Fun", "Time After Time", "She Bop" and "All Through the Night"—She's So Unusual was the first album in history to have four top five singles by a female. The album earned Lauper Best New Artist at the 27th Grammy Awards in 1985.
Her success continued with the follow-up, True Colors in 1986, which spawned two Billboard Hot 100 top-ten songs—"True Colors" and "Change of Heart", and earned two nominations at the 29th Grammy Awards.
Since 1989 released from a nine studio albums acclaimed critical, A Night to Remember (1989), Hat Full of Stars (1993), Sisters of Avalon (1996), Merry Christmas... Have a Nice Life (1998),Shine (2001), At Last (2003), The Body Acoustic (2005), Bring Ya to the Brink (2008).
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Dan Aykroyd
Daniel Edward "Dan" Aykroyd, CM (born July 1, 1952) is a Canadian comedian, singer, actor and screenwriter. He was an original cast member of Saturday Night Live, an originator of The Blues Brothers (with John Belushi) and Ghostbusters and has had a long career as a film actor and screenwriter.
Aykroyd was born on July 1, 1952, at the Ottawa General Hospital in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He grew up in the Canadian capital, where his father, Samuel Peter Aykroyd, a civil engineer, worked as a policy adviser to Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. His mother, Lorraine Hélène (née Gougeon), is a secretary, of French Canadian descent. His brother, Peter, also became a comedy actor. Aykroyd was born with syndactyly (webbed toes), which was revealed in the movie Mr. Mike's Mondo Video and in a short film on Saturday Night Live (Don't Look Back In Anger). He was also born with heterochromia (a condition of having two differently coloured eyes). His right eye is green and his left eye is brown.
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David Bowie
David Bowie ( /ˈboʊ.i/ BOH-ee; born David Robert Jones on 8 January 1947) is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s. He is known for his distinctive voice and the intellectual depth and eclecticism of his work.
Bowie first caught the eye and ear of the public in July 1969, when his song "Space Oddity" reached the top five of the UK Singles Chart. After a three-year period of experimentation he re-emerged in 1972 during the glam rock era with the flamboyant, androgynous alter ego Ziggy Stardust, spearheaded by the hit single "Starman" and the album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. Bowie's impact at that time, as described by biographer David Buckley, "challenged the core belief of the rock music of its day" and "created perhaps the biggest cult in popular culture." The relatively short-lived Ziggy persona proved merely one facet of a career marked by continual reinvention, musical innovation and striking visual presentation.
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David Fincher
David Andrew Leo Fincher (born August 28, 1962) is an American film and music video director who is known for his dark and stylish thrillers, such as Seven (1995), The Game (1997), Fight Club (1999), Panic Room (2002), and Zodiac (2007). Fincher received Academy Award nominations for Best Director for his 2008 film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and his 2010 film The Social Network, which also won him the Golden Globe and the BAFTA for Best Director. His most recent film is 2011's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, an English-language adaptation of Stieg Larsson's novel of the same name.
Fincher was born on August 28, 1962 in Denver, Colorado, the son of Claire Mae (née Boettcher), a mental health nurse who worked in drug addiction programs, and Howard Kelly Fincher, who worked as a bureau chief for Life under the name Jack Fincher. When Fincher was two years old, the family moved to San Anselmo in Marin County, California. Fincher moved to Ashland, Oregon in his teens, where he graduated from Ashland High School. Inspired by Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Fincher began making movies at age eight with an 8 mm camera. Fincher eschewed the film school route, getting a job loading cameras and doing other hands-on work for John Korty’s Korty Films. He was later hired by Industrial Light & Magic in 1983, where he worked on productions for Twice Upon a Time, Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi, and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. In 1984, he left ILM to direct a commercial for the American Cancer Society, that would show a fetus smoking a cigarette. This quickly brought Fincher to the attention of producers in Los Angeles and he was given the chance to direct the documentary The Beat of the Live Drum featuring Rick Springfield in 1985. Though he would continue to direct spots for companies like Revlon, Converse, Nike, Pepsi, Sony, and Levi's, Fincher soon discovered music videos and went on to direct many promos.
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David Lee Roth
David Lee Roth (born October 10, 1954) is an American rock vocalist, songwriter, actor, author, and former radio personality. Roth is one of few vocalists with a larger than 4 octave range in full voice (from G1 to G♯5).
Roth is best known as the original and current lead singer of the Southern California-based hard rock outfit Van Halen. After departing Van Halen in 1985 Roth first enjoyed a successful career as a solo artist, which originated while still a member of that band and yielded several RIAA-certified Gold and Platinum records. After more than two decades apart, Roth rejoined Van Halen in 2006 for a North American tour that became the most successful in the band's history and one of the highest grossing of that year. Roth has remained the lead singer of Van Halen since his 2006 return and has recently completed recording new material with the band for their first album together since 1984.
Roth was born on October 10, 1954, in Bloomington, Indiana. He is the son of ophthalmologist Nathan Roth and Sibyl Roth and the brother of Allison and Lisa Roth. Dr. Nathan Roth was a renowned eye surgeon, who made millions via his practice and in real estate. Dr. Roth was even featured on the TV show, "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous", in 1984. On that program, Dr. Roth claims that he was Van Halen's first manager helping the group obtain gigs in the early days. Nathan owned a 14,000-square-foot home in Pasadena named "Rothwood" and a chateau named "Bradbury". He was a writer, an actor, and a surgeon.
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Donna Summer
LaDonna Adrian Gaines (December 31, 1948 – May 17, 2012), known by the stage name Donna Summer, was an American singer and songwriter who gained prominence during the disco era of the late 1970s. She had a mezzo-soprano vocal range, and was a five-time Grammy Award winner. Summer was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach number one on the United States Billboard chart, and she also charted four number-one singles in the United States within a 13-month period.
Born into a devoutly Christian lower middle class African American family in Boston, Massachusetts, Summer first became involved with singing through church choir groups before joining a number of bands influenced by the Motown Sound. Influenced by the counterculture of the 1960s, she became the front singer of a psychedelic rock band named Crow and moved to New York City. Joining a touring version of the musical Hair, she spent several years living in West Germany, where she married Helmut Sommer, whose surname she adopted as her stage name.
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Dr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), better known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American rapper, record producer, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records. He has produced albums for and overseen the careers of many rappers, including Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 50 Cent and Game. As a producer he is credited as a key figure in the popularization of West Coast G-funk, a style of rap music characterized as synthesizer-based with slow, heavy beats. As of 2011, Dr. Dre is ranked as the third richest figure in the American hip hop scene by Forbes with a net worth of $250 million.
Dre began his career in music as a member of the World Class Wreckin' Cru and he later found fame with the influential gangsta rap group N.W.A with Eazy-E, Ice Cube, MC Ren, and DJ Yella which popularized the use of explicit lyrics in rap to detail the violence of street life. His 1992 solo debut, The Chronic, released under Death Row Records, led him to become one of the best-selling American performing artists of 1993 and to win a Grammy Award for the single "Let Me Ride". In 1996, he left Death Row to establish his own label, Aftermath Entertainment. Under that label, he produced a compilation album titled Dr. Dre Presents the Aftermath in 1996, and released a solo album titled 2001 in 1999, for which he won the Grammy producer's award the next year.
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Eddie Murphy
Edward Regan "Eddie" Murphy (born April 3, 1961) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, singer, director, and musician.
Box office takes from Murphy's films make him the second-highest grossing actor in the United States. He was a regular cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1980 to 1984 and has worked as a stand-up comedian. He was ranked #10 on Comedy Central's list of the 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time.
He has received Golden Globe Award nominations for his performances in 48 Hrs, Beverly Hills Cop series, Trading Places, and The Nutty Professor. In 2007, he won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor and received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of soul singer James "Thunder" Early in Dreamgirls.
Eddie Murphy's work as a voice actor includes Thurgood Stubbs in The PJs, Donkey in the Shrek series and the dragon Mushu in Disney's Mulan. In some of his films, he plays multiple roles in addition to his main character, intended as a tribute to one of his idols Peter Sellers, who played multiple roles in Dr. Strangelove and elsewhere. Murphy has played multiple roles in Coming to America, Wes Craven's Vampire In Brooklyn, the Nutty Professor films (where he played the title role in two incarnations, plus his father, brother, mother, and grandmother), Bowfinger, Norbit, and Meet Dave.
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Eddy Grant
Edmond Montague "Eddy" Grant (born 5 March 1948) is a musician, born in Plaisance, Guyana.
When he was still a young boy, his parents emigrated to London, UK, where he settled. He lived in Kentish Town and went to school at the Acland Burghley Secondary Modern at Tufnell Park. He had his first number one hit in 1968, when he was the lead guitarist and main songwriter of the group The Equals, with his self-penned song "Baby Come Back". The tune also later topped the UK Singles Chart again when covered by Pato Banton. Notably, he openly used his songwriting for political purposes, especially against the then-current apartheid regime of South Africa. The Clash recorded a version of "Police On My Back" for their Sandinista! set.
Grant set up his own recording company, Ice Records and the Coach House studio, but more recently has returned to the West Indies from London, choosing Barbados as a more realistic venue for a recording company, rather than his country of origin. He has also produced for the likes of Sting, Mick Jagger and Elvis Costello.
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Ellen V. Futter
Ellen V. Futter (born September 21, 1949) is president of the American Museum of Natural History. She previously served as president of Barnard College for 13 years.
Futter was born in New York City and attended high school in Port Washington, New York. She spent two years at the University of Wisconsin–Madison before transferring to Barnard College, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa magna cum laude in 1971. She was elected as a student representative to the Barnard's board of trustees in 1971 and was subsequently elected to full membership to complete the term of Arthur Goldberg, former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Futter earned her J.D. from Columbia Law School in 1974.
Futter began her career as an associate at the Wall Street law firm of Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy, where she practiced corporate law. In 1980, Futter took a leave of absence from Milbank, Tweed to serve as Barnard's acting president for one year. At the end of that period, she was appointed president of the college; at the time, she was the youngest president of any college in the United States. She served as president until 1993, when she joined the American Museum of Natural History.
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Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), better known by his stage name Eminem (often stylized as EMINƎM) and by his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group, D12, to mainstream recognition. As well as being a member of D12, Eminem is also one half of the hip hop duo Bad Meets Evil, with Royce da 5'9". Eminem is one of the best-selling artists in the world and is the best selling artist of the 2000s. He has been listed and ranked as one of the greatest artists of all time by many magazines including the Rolling Stone magazine which has ranked him 82nd on its list of The 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. The same magazine has declared him The King of Hip Hop. Including his work with D12 and Bad Meets Evil, Eminem has achieved ten number-one albums on the Billboard 200. He has sold more than 42 million tracks and 41 million albums in the United States, and nearly 90 million albums worldwide.
Eminem quickly gained popularity in 1999 with his major-label debut album, The Slim Shady LP. That first album, The Marshall Mathers LP and his third major album, The Eminem Show, all won Grammy Awards, making Eminem the first artist to win Best Rap Album for three consecutive LPs. The Marshall Mathers LP is also considered one of Eminem's best and most successful albums. Eminem then went on hiatus after touring in 2005. He released his first album since 2004's Encore, titled Relapse, on May 15, 2009. In 2010, Eminem released his seventh studio album Recovery, which was an international success. Recovery was also named the best selling album worldwide of 2010 joining The Eminem Show, which was the best seller of 2002. Eminem won Grammy Awards for both Relapse and Recovery, giving him a total of 13 Grammys in his career. Eminem has named Masta Ace, Big Daddy Kane, Newcleus, the Beastie Boys, Dr. Dre, Tupac Shakur, AZ, Nas, and Ice-T amongst others as his influences.
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F. Gary Gray
Felix Gary Gray (born July 17, 1969) is an American music video and film director. He directed cult classics Friday and Set It Off, the critically acclaimed thriller drama The Negotiator as well as the hit action thriller The Italian Job.
Gray began his career in 1989 when he appeared uncredited in the satire comedy film Major League. Three years later, he directed the music video for Ice Cube's "It Was a Good Day." The video, a literal adaptation of the lyrics, was critically well received. He would go on to direct subsequent videos for Ice Cube, as well as celebrated artists such as Cypress Hill, Outkast, Dr. Dre, and Queen Latifah.
At 24, Gray directed his first film, the urban comedy Friday with rapper-producer Ice Cube and Chris Tucker. Next he directed the heist picture, Set It Off, with Jada Pinkett and Queen Latifah. He then went on to direct The Negotiator, which was budgeted at $50 million dollar budget, the highest ever given to an African-American director at that time. The film starred Academy Award winner Kevin Spacey and Oscar nominee Samuel L. Jackson, and earned Gray both Best Film and Best Director awards at the 1998 Acapulco Film Festival.
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Fatboy Slim
Norman Quentin Cook (born Quentin Leo Cook on 31 July 1963 in Bromley, England), also known by his stage name Fatboy Slim, is a British DJ, electronic dance music musician, and record producer. He is a pioneer of the big beat genre that achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s. Cook has achieved considerable success in the UK charts, performing as Fatboy Slim and with The Housemartins, Beats International, and Freak Power. As Fatboy Slim, he has won ten MTV Video Music Awards and two Brit Awards, and his best known tracks include "Weapon of Choice", "Praise You", "The Rockafeller Skank" and "Right Here Right Now". He currently performs as the Brighton Port Authority.
Quentin Leo Cook was raised in Reigate, Surrey, England, and was educated at Reigate Grammar School. He played drums in Disque Attack (a British new wave-influenced rock band). When frontman Charlie Alcock was told by his parents that he had to give up the band to concentrate on his O levels, Cook took over as lead vocalist. At Reigate College he also met Paul Heaton with whom he formed the Stomping Pondfrogs. At 18, he went to the Brighton Polytechnic to study a BA in English, politics, and sociology. Although he had begun DJing some years before, it was at this time that he began to develop his skills on the thriving Brighton club scene.
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Fiona Apple
Fiona Apple McAfee Maggart (born September 13, 1977) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. Apple met international acclaim for her 1996 debut album, Tidal, which was a critical and commercial success. At the age of nineteen she received a Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance for the single "Criminal" from that album in 1998.
After Tidal, Apple released the critically acclaimed, though less commercially successful albums, When the Pawn... (1999) and Extraordinary Machine (2005). A perceived shelving of Extraordinary Machine was met with vocal protests from her fans, who campaigned against her record label in 2005. Apple's musical style contains elements of jazz and alternative rock.
Born in New York City, Apple is the daughter of singer Diane McAfee and actor Brandon Maggart. Her older sister, Amber, sings cabaret under the stage name Maude Maggart. Her half brother Spencer is a director and directed the video for her single "Parting Gift." Her half brother Garett Maggart starred in the TV series The Sentinel. In addition, her maternal grandparents were Millicent Green, a dancer with the George White's Scandals, a series of 1920s musical revues similar to the Ziegfeld Follies, and Johnny McAfee, a multireedist and vocalist of the big band era; her grandparents met while touring with Johnny Hamp and his orchestra. Apple was raped at the age of twelve, a trauma she would later allude to in songs such as "Sullen Girl."
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Fonzworth Bentley
Derrick Watkins, (born 13 February 1974) in Atlanta, Georgia and popularly known as Fonzworth Bentley or Farnsworth Bentley, is a musician and author. He is perhaps best known for being Sean Combs' former personal valet and assistant, as first seen in Making the Band 2, and is currently the host of MTV's From G's to Gents. His first single, "Everybody", features Kanye West and Andre 3000.
He first appeared rapping on Da Band's 2002 album Too Hot for TV, in the track "Cheers to Me, Mr. Bentley (Interlude)". In 2003, Bentley was featured on the "Good Day, Good Sir" skit on OutKast's Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. In 2004, he had a part on the music video of Kanye West's "The New Workout Plan".
Bentley has appeared in several music videos, such as Usher's "Yeah", P. Diddy's "D.I.D.D.Y." and "I Need A Girl (Part Two)", Slum Village's "Selfish", OutKast's "The Way You Move" and "Roses", as well as UGK and Outkast's "International Player's Anthem". He made a brief appearance in the music video for "Grammy Family", by West, DJ Khaled, John Legend and Consequence.
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Fred Seibert
Frederick "Fred" Seibert (born September 15, 1951, in Manhattan, New York) is a television and film producer and entertainment entrepreneur who owns Frederator Studios, and who has held leading positions with MTV Networks, Hanna-Barbera, and Next New Networks. Working in media innovation for thirty years (his official biography says he's had "five lives,") he has directed breakthroughs in cable television, animation, and the internet.
Seibert was MTV's first creative director and guided its original voice and visual identity, creating hundreds of promotions, advertisements, and station IDs for the channel, and responsible for a rethinking of how television channels promoted themselves as "brands." He also commissioned and approved the mutating MTV logo, despite network executives objections to a logo that did not remain constant. He led the team that developed one of the most famous advertising campaigns of the late 20th century, "I Want My MTV!"
In 1985, with partner Alan Goodman at Fred/Alan Inc., Seibert successfully overhauled the then-floundering children's cable channel Nickelodeon, moving it from worst to first in the ratings in six months; and conceived and executed the Nick-at-Nite concept. Fred/Alan became the first branding company in television, working closely with Showtime, The Movie Channel, VH-1, Lifetime, TV Heaven 41, Playboy, and Comedy Central. They are also credited with inventing the television marathon.
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Frederic Salerno
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George Michael
George Michael (born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou (Greek: Γεώργιος Κυριάκος Παναγιώτου); 25 June 1963) is an English musician, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. Michael rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley. His first solo single, "Careless Whisper", was released when he was still in the duo and sold about six million copies worldwide.
As one of the world's best-selling music artists, Michael has sold more than 100 million records worldwide as of 2010. His 1987 debut solo album, Faith, has sold more than 20 million copies worldwide and made several records and achievements in the United States. Michael has garnered seven number one singles in the UK and eight number one hits on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US. In 2008, Billboard magazine ranked Michael the 40th most successful artist on the Billboard Hot 100 Top All-Time Artists list.
Michael has won numerous music awards throughout his 30-year career, including three Brit Awards—winning Best British Male twice, four MTV Video Music Awards, four Ivor Novello Awards, three American Music Awards, and two Grammy Awards from eight nominations.
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Grace Jones
Grace Jones (born May 19, 1948) is a Jamaican singer, actress and model.
Jones started out as a model and became a muse to Andy Warhol, who photographed her extensively. During that era she regularly went to the New York City nightclub Studio 54. Jones secured a record deal with Island Records in 1977, which resulted in a string of dance-club hits. In the late 1970s, she adapted the emerging electronic music style and adopted a severe, androgynous look with square-cut hair and angular, padded clothes. Many of her singles were hits on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play and Hot Dance Airplay charts, for example 1981 "Pull Up to the Bumper", which spent seven weeks at #2 on the U.S. dance chart. Jones was able to find mainstream success in Europe, particularly the United Kingdom, scoring a number of Top 40 entries on the UK Singles Chart. Her most notable albums are Warm Leatherette, Nightclubbing and Slave to the Rhythm, while her biggest hits (other than "Pull Up to the Bumper") are "I've Seen That Face Before (Libertango)", "Private Life", "Slave to the Rhythm" and "I'm Not Perfect (But I'm Perfect for You)".
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Henry Selick
Henry Selick (born November 30, 1952) is an American stop motion director, producer and writer who is best known for directing The Nightmare Before Christmas, James and the Giant Peach and Coraline. He studied at the Program in Experimental Animation at California Institute of the Arts, under the guidance of Jules Engel.
Born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey and raised in nearby Rumson, Selick did little but draw from ages 3 to 12. Selick's fascination with animation came at a young age, when he first saw both Lotte Reiniger's stop-motion movie The Adventures of Prince Achmed, and the animated creatures of The 7th Voyage of Sinbad by Ray Harryhausen.
After studying science at Rutgers University and art at Syracuse University and Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London, Selick eventually enrolled at CalArts to study animation. While a student at CalArts, his two student films, Phases and Tube Tales, were nominated for Student Academy Awards.
After his academic studies, he went to work for Walt Disney Studios as an "in-betweener" and animator trainee on such films as Pete's Dragon and The Small One. He became a full-fledged animator under Glen Keane on The Fox and the Hound. During his time at Disney, he met and worked around the likes of Tim Burton, Rick Heinrichs, Jorgen Klubien, Brad Bird, John Musker, Dan Haskett, Sue and Bill Kroyer, Ed Gombert, and Andy Gaskill. Years later, he claimed he learned a lot to improve his drawing, animation, and storytelling skills from Disney legend Eric Larson.
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Herbie Hancock
Herbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American pianist, keyboardist, bandleader and composer. As part of Miles Davis's Second Great Quintet, Hancock helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the "post-bop" sound. He was one of the first jazz musicians to embrace music synthesizers and funk music (characterized by syncopated drum beats). Hancock's music is often melodic and accessible; he has had many songs "cross over" and achieved success among pop audiences. His music embraces elements of funk and soul while adopting freer stylistic elements from jazz. In his jazz improvisation, he possesses a unique creative blend of jazz, blues, and modern classical music, with harmonic stylings much like the styles of Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel.
Hancock's best-known solo works include "Cantaloupe Island", "Watermelon Man" (later performed by dozens of musicians, including bandleader Mongo Santamaría), "Maiden Voyage", "Chameleon", and the singles "I Thought It Was You" and "Rockit". His 2007 tribute album River: The Joni Letters won the 2008 Grammy Award for Album of the Year, only the second jazz album ever to win the award after Getz/Gilberto in 1965.
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Hype Williams
Harold "Hype" Williams (born 1970; Queens, New York), previously known as HYPE, is an American music video and film director of African and Honduran descent.
Williams first displayed his work by tagging local billboards, storefronts, and playgrounds using HYPE as his graffiti tag. "That's probably what stimulated my interests in color," he says. "I wanted to be Basquiat or Keith Haring of the streets."
Williams' nickname "Hype" comes from his hyperactive nature as a child. He graduated from Andrew Jackson High School of Art and Music in 1987. He later attended Adelphi University. Williams' big break came when he began working with Classic Concepts Video Productions. Lionel "Vid Kid" Martin & VJ Ralph McDaniels created Williams' first opportunity with the "Filmmakers With Attitude" moniker (FWA), which was Williams' first video company.
Williams has created a number of music videos for artists such as 2Pac ("California Love"), The Notorious B.I.G. ("Warning") & ("One More Chance"), Craig Mack ("Flava in Ya Ear" (Remix)), LL Cool J ("Doin It"), Nas ("If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)", "Street Dreams", "Hate Me Now"), Missy Elliott ("The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly))", "She's a Bitch"), Busta Rhymes ("Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See"), TLC ("No Scrubs"), Kelis ("Caught Out There"), Jay-Z ("Big Pimpin'"), Kanye West ("Gold Digger", "All of the Lights", "Diamonds from Sierra Leone"), Aaliyah ("Rock the Boat"), Christina Aguilera ("Not Myself Tonight"), Coldplay ("Viva La Vida"), Hoobastank ("If I Were You"), Left Eye (The Block Party), t.A.T.u. ("Gomenasai") and Nicki Minaj ("Stupid Hoe").
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Ice Cube
O'Shea Jackson (born June 15, 1969), better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper, record producer, actor, screenwriter, film producer, and director. He began his career as a member of the C.I.A. and later joined the rap group N.W.A. After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer, director, actor and producer in cinema. Additionally, he has served as one of the producers of the Showtime television series Barbershop and the TBS series Are We There Yet?, both of which are based upon films in which he portrayed the lead character.
He was ranked #8 on MTV's list of the 10 Greatest MCs of All Time, while Snoop Dogg himself ranked Ice Cube as the greatest MC of all time.About.com ranked him #11 on its list of the "Top 50 Greatest MCs of Our Time."Allmusic has called him one of hip-hop's best and most controversial artists, as well as "one of rap's greatest storytellers."
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Ja Rule
Jeffrey Atkins (born February 29, 1976), better known by his stage name Ja Rule or Mockaveli, is an American rapper, singer, and actor from Queens, New York City.
Born in Hollis, Queens, he began his career in the group Cash Money Click and debuted in 1999 with Venni Vetti Vecci and its single "Holla Holla". From 2000 to 2004, Ja Rule had several hits that made the top 20 of the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, including "Between Me and You" with Christina Milian, "I'm Real (Murder Remix)" with Jennifer Lopez, "Always on Time" with Ashanti, "Mesmerize" also with Ashanti, and "Wonderful" with R. Kelly and Ashanti. During the 2000s, Ja Rule was signed to The Inc. Records, which was formerly known as Murder Inc. and was led by Irv Gotti. Ja Rule has sold over 30 million records worldwide and was the fastest selling rapper in 2001[citation needed]. He is also known for some well-publicized feuds with other rappers (in-particular 50 Cent and Eminem).
Atkins was born in the Queens borough of New York City. He was raised as a Jehovah's Witness by his mother, health care worker Debra Atkins, and grandparents. At the age of five his sister died from breathing complications, leaving him as an only child. He attended Public School 134 in Hollis, a school he has described as having a predominantly black student body. He has said got into many fights at the school because of his small size, so his mother transferred him to Middle School 172 in Glen Oaks, which he has described as a "white school".
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Jack Osbourne
Jack Joseph Osbourne (born 8 November 1985) is an English media personality, best known as the son of musician Ozzy Osbourne and music manager Sharon Osbourne, and brother of Aimee and Kelly Osbourne.
Osbourne was born in St John's Wood, London. He has two older sisters, Aimee Osbourne and Kelly Osbourne, and also two elder half-siblings; Jessica Hobbs and Louis Jon Osbourne, both of whom are from Ozzy's previous marriage to Thelma Riley. The Osbournes have many pets, and Jack had a female bulldog named Lola, she died on February 21 in 2012. Jack says that his childhood years were "perfectly happy and contented". For the first six years of his life he lived in the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire. When he was six, Sharon and Ozzy decided to move the family to Los Angeles, but a year later the family moved back to Buckinghamshire. When Jack was eleven, the family moved back to Southern California, but this time to Beverly Hills. In spite of moving so many times at a young age, Jack claims "he didn't find it too disruptive".
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Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years. The youngest child of the Jackson family, she began her career with the variety television series The Jacksons in 1976 and went on to appear in other television shows throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, including Good Times and Fame.
After signing a recording contract with A&M in 1982, she came to prominence following the release of her third studio album Control (1986). Her collaborations with record producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis incorporated elements of rhythm and blues, funk, disco, rap, and industrial beats, which led to crossover appeal in popular music. In addition to receiving recognition for the innovation in her records, choreography, music videos, and prominence on radio airplay and MTV, she was acknowledged as a role model for her socially conscious lyrics.
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Jello Biafra
Jello Biafra (born Eric Reed Boucher; June 17, 1958, Boulder, Colorado) is an American musician, spoken word artist and leading figure of the Green Party of the United States. Biafra first gained attention as the lead singer and songwriter for San Francisco punk rock band Dead Kennedys. After he left the band, he took over the influential independent record label Alternative Tentacles, which he had co-founded in 1979 with Dead Kennedys bandmate East Bay Ray. Although now focused primarily on spoken word, he has continued as a musician in numerous collaborations.
Politically, Biafra is a member of the Green Party of the United States and actively supports various political causes. He ran for the party's Presidential nomination in 2000, finishing second to Ralph Nader. He is a staunch believer in free society, which is not to be confused with libertarianism or voluntary society (voluntaryism), who utilizes shock value and advocates direct action and pranksterism in the name of political causes. Biafra is known to use absurdist media tactics, in the leftist tradition of the Yippies, to highlight issues of civil rights and social justice.
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Jessica Simpson
Jessica Ann Simpson (born July 10, 1980) is an American recording artist, actress, television personality and fashion designer whose rise to fame began in 1999. Since that time, Simpson has achieved many recording milestones, starred in several television shows, movies and commercials, launched a line of hair and beauty products and designed fragrances, shoes and handbags for women. She has devoted time to philanthropic efforts including Operation Smile and a USO-hosted tour for troops stationed overseas. She started the Jessica Simpson Collection in 2005.
She has achieved seven Billboard Top 40 hits, three gold and two multi-platinum Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified studio albums, four of which have reached the top 10 on the US Billboard 200. She has sold 30 million albums worldwide. Simpson starred with her then-husband Nick Lachey in the MTV reality show Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica. She ventured into the country music market in 2008 and released Do You Know.
During the first part of 2010, Simpson released her second reality show on VH1 "The Price of Beauty." In October 2010 she released her first compilation album and last album under the label of Epic Records , with the name Playlist: The Very Best of Jessica Simpson. A month later she released her second Christmas album Happy Christmas under the label Primary Wave Records, owned by EMI.
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Joe Elliot
Joseph Thomas "Joe" Elliott Jr (born 1 August 1959) is an English singer-songwriter, and musician, best known as the lead vocalist and occasional rhythm guitarist of the British rock band Def Leppard. He has also been the lead singer of David Bowie cover band, the Cybernauts and the Mott the Hoople cover band, Down 'n' Outz. He is one of the two original members of Def Leppard and one of the three to perform on every Def Leppard album.
Elliott was born in Sheffield, South Yorkshire and was educated at King Edward VII School. Elliott met Pete Willis, a member of a local band called Atomic Mass, in November 1977 when he missed a bus. After finding out that they were both musicians, Elliott met the rest of the band members in Elliott's bedroom. The band spent hours talking and listening to records. The band had not heard Elliott sing, but they were impressed by, "his attitude and his ideas about being in a band," and became the band's vocalist. The other members even took Elliott's suggestion to change their name to "Deaf Leopard." Elliott had invented the name for the band in youth. Tony Kenning suggested they change the name to "Def Leppard" to distinguish them from contemporary punk bands like The Flying Lizards and Boomtown Rats. The band claims that the similar-looking spelling of Led Zeppelin to Def Leppard was unintentional. Elliott soon became an integral part of the band while also contributing his songwriting skills.
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John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior United States Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to then President George W. Bush.
The son of an Army Air Corps serviceman, Kerry was born in Aurora, Colorado. He attended boarding school in Massachusetts and New Hampshire and went on to graduate from Yale University class of 1966, where he majored in political science. He enlisted in the Naval Reserve in 1966 and, during 1968-1969, served a four-month tour of duty in South Vietnam as officer-in-charge (OIC) of a Swift Boat. For that service he was awarded several combat medals that include the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and three Purple Hearts. After returning to the United States, Kerry joined the Vietnam Veterans Against the War in which he served as a nationally recognized spokesperson and as an outspoken opponent of the Vietnam war. During that period, he appeared before the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs where he deemed United States war policy in Vietnam to be the cause of "war crimes".
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Jonah Goldberg
Jonah Jacob Goldberg (born March 21, 1969) is an American conservative syndicated columnist and author. Goldberg is known for his contributions on politics and culture to National Review Online, of which he is editor-at-large. He is the author of Liberal Fascism (2008), which reached #1 on the New York Times Best Seller list.
He appears on such television programs as Special Report with Bret Baier, Good Morning America, Nightline, Hardball with Chris Matthews, Real Time with Bill Maher, Larry King Live, Your World with Neil Cavuto and most recently the Glenn Beck Program and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. From 2006 to 2010 he was a frequent participant on bloggingheads.tv.
Goldberg graduated from Goucher College in 1991. His was the second class at Goucher to admit men. He was active in student politics at Goucher and was the co-editor of the school newspaper,The Quindecim, for two years. He and Andreas Benno Kollegger were the first men to run the paper. He later interned for Scripps Howard News Service, United Press International, and other news organizations.[when?] He also worked for Delilah Communications, a publishing house in New York.[when?]
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Jonathan Elias
Jonathan Elias (born 1956) is a U.S. composer and record producer, known for his movie soundtracks, production for several pop and rock acts, and his award-winning advertising music including the PBS logo instrumental from October 1, 1984 to October 1, 1989.
Elias was born in New York City in 1956. He started playing piano at the age of six, and was composing his own music by twelve, inspired in part by Broadway musicals. He liked rock music, but also admired Béla Bartók, Igor Stravinsky, and Sergei Rachmaninoff.
He attended the Eastman School of Music with aspirations of becoming a classical composer and conductor, and then Bennington College in Vermont in 1976. While still in school, he cut his teeth doing the music for movie trailers, most notably Alien, and later scored the trailers for Blade Runner, Gandhi, and Back to the Future. He went on to work on numerous movie soundtracks, starting with Children of the Corn and including Tuff Turf, Parents, Chaplin, and more.
He and his brother Scott Elias founded the music and advertising firm Elias Associates in 1980; it later became Elias Arts. The company had several notable successes, including the crunching "Moon Landing" theme used in the top-of-the-hour branding of MTV, the Columbia Pictures logo theme, and the famous Yahoo! yodel.
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Jonathan Glazer
Jonathan Glazer (born March 1966 in London) is an English director of commercials and music videos, sometimes of films.
After studying theatre design at Nottingham Trent University, Glazer started out directing theatre and making film and television trailers, including award-winning work for the BBC. In 1993 he wrote and directed three short films of his own ("Mad", "Pool" and "Commission"), and joined Academy Commercials. He has directed popular campaigns for Guinness (Swimblack and Surfer) and Stella Artois (Devils Island). Since the mid-1990s he has directed a number of music videos, and was named MTV Director of the Year 1997. His work in these areas is often noted for its originality.
In 2000, he directed the gangster film Sexy Beast, starring Ray Winstone and Ben Kingsley.
In 2001 Glazer directed the "Odyssey" spot for Levi Strauss Jeans.
In 2006 Glazer directed the second Sony BRAVIA TV advertisement, which took 10 days and 250 people to film. It was filmed at an estate in Glasgow, and featured paint exploding all over the tower blocks. Later the same year he was commissioned to make a television advert for the new Motorola Red phone. The advertisement, showing two naked black bodies emerging from a lump of flesh rotating on a potter's wheel, was due to air in September 2006 but was shelved by Motorola. The advertisement was to benefit several charities in Africa.
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Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, actor, and businessman. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez. Timberlake became famous in the late 1990s as the lead singer and youngest member of the boy band 'N Sync, whose launch was financed by Lou Pearlman.
In 2002, he released his debut solo album, Justified, which sold more than seven million copies worldwide. The album was a commercial success, spawning the hits "Cry Me a River" and "Rock Your Body". Timberlake continued his success with his second solo album, FutureSex/LoveSounds (2006), debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, and produced the US number-one hit singles "SexyBack", "My Love", and "What Goes Around... Comes Around".
Timberlake has won six Grammy Awards and four Emmy Awards. His first two albums made him one of the most commercially successful singers in the world, each selling in excess of 7 million copies. He also has an acting career, having starred in films such as The Social Network, Bad Teacher and Friends with Benefits. His other ventures include record label Tennman Records, fashion label William Rast, and the restaurants Destino and Southern Hospitality.
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Katy Perry
Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known by her stage name Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Perry grew up with gospel music, and during her first year of high school she pursued a music career as Katy Hudson, releasing her first studio album called Katy Hudson which failed to chart. She recorded a solo album later, which was never released. After signing with Capitol Music Group in 2007, her fourth record label in seven years, she adopted the stage name Katy Perry.
She first gained recognition with the release of her first mainstream album, One of the Boys in 2008, which spawned three Billboard Hot 100 top-ten songs—"I Kissed A Girl", "Hot n Cold" and "Waking Up In Vegas". Perry supported the album with her Hello Katy Tour. In 2010, her third studio album, Teenage Dream (2010), which topped the Billboard 200 chart, and spawned five number one singles—"California Gurls", "Teenage Dream", "Firework", "E.T." and "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)"—Teenage Dream was the only album (after Michael Jackson's Bad)—to do so, and the first female in history to achieve this milestone. She embarked on the California Dreams Tour, which grossed nearly $60 million worldwide. Perry re-released the album under the name of Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection on March 26, 2012, and the re-release has already spawned the number-one single "Part of Me".
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Kelly Osbourne
Kelly Michelle Lee Osbourne (born 27 October 1984) is an English media personality, television personality, host, fashion designer, singer and actress, best known for being the daughter of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne. She was thrust into the limelight after appearing on the reality series The Osbournes with her family, for which they won a 2002 Emmy Award for Outstanding Reality Programme. She has also appeared on Dancing with the Stars, in which she and professional dance partner Louis van Amstel took third place, and has made forays into music, acting, theatre, writing, columnist and broadcast presenting.
Osbourne was born in Westminster, London. She has an elder sister, Aimee, and a younger brother, Jack. She has two half-siblings: Jessica Hobbs and Louis John Osbourne from Ozzy's first marriage. She had an unofficially "adopted" brother, Robert Marcato, whom Sharon and Ozzy took in after Marcato's mother died. Kelly grew up travelling with her father as he went on tour, and lived in more than 20 homes between the UK and the US.
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Kid Rock
Robert James "Bob" Ritchie (born January 17, 1971), known by his stage name Kid Rock, is an American singer-songwriter, musician, multi-instrumentalist and rapper with five Grammy Awards nominations. Kid Rock released several studio albums that mostly went unnoticed before his 1998 record Devil Without a Cause, released with Atlantic Records, sold 11 million albums behind the hits, "Bawitdaba", "Cowboy", and "Only God Knows Why". In 2000, he released The History of Rock, a compilation of remixed and remastered versions of songs from previous albums as well as the hit single, "American Bad Ass" and the previously unreleased "Abortion".
Kid Rock released the follow-up in 2001, Cocky. After a slow start, his country-flavored hit "Picture" with Sheryl Crow resurrected the album and it went gold as a single and pushed the album's sales over 5 million. It was followed by 2003's self-titled release, which went platinum in the USA and reached No. 8 on the Billboard charts. In 2006 he released Live Trucker, a greatest hits live album that went mostly unnoticed.
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Kurt Cobain
Kurt Donald Cobain (February 20, 1967 – April 5, 1994) was an American singer-songwriter, musician and artist, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the grunge band Nirvana. Cobain formed Nirvana with Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1985 and established it as part of the Seattle music scene, having its debut album Bleach released on the independent record label Sub Pop in 1989.
After signing with major label DGC Records, the band found breakthrough success with "Smells Like Teen Spirit" from its second album Nevermind (1991). Following the success of Nevermind, Nirvana was labeled "the flagship band" of Generation X, and Cobain hailed as "the spokesman of a generation". Cobain, however, was often uncomfortable and frustrated, believing his message and artistic vision to have been misinterpreted by the public, with his personal issues often subject to media attention. He challenged Nirvana's audience with its final studio album In Utero (1993).
During the last years of his life, Cobain struggled with heroin addiction, illness and depression. He also had difficulty coping with his fame and public image, and the professional and lifelong personal pressures surrounding himself and his wife, musician Courtney Love. On April 8, 1994, Cobain was found dead at his home in Seattle, the victim of what was officially ruled a suicide by a self-inflicted shotgun wound to the head. The circumstances of his death at age 27 have become a topic of public fascination and debate. Since their debut, Nirvana, with Cobain as a songwriter, has sold over 25 million albums in the U.S. alone, and over 50 million worldwide.
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L. Brent Bozell III
Leo Brent Bozell III (born July 14, 1955) is an American conservative writer and activist. Bozell is the founder and president of the Media Research Center, the Conservative Communications Center, and the Cybercast News Service. Bozell served as president of the Parents Television Council from 1995 to 2006, after which he was succeeded by Timothy F. Winter. In addition, currently, Bozell serves on the board for the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights and has served on the board of directors in the American Conservative Union. Bozell is also nationally syndicated by Creator's Syndicate where his work appears in publications such as the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Washington Times, New York Post, Los Angeles Times and National Review.
The Media Research Center operates on a self-reported $10 million annual budget, using what it calls "the most comprehensive media monitoring operation in the world" to track major televised broadcasts and print news with the goal of "documenting, exposing and neutralizing liberal media bias."
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Mandy Moore
Amanda Leigh "Mandy" Moore (born April 10, 1984) is an American singer-songwriter, actress and fashion designer. Moore became famous as a teenager in the late 1990s, after the release of her teen pop albums So Real, I Wanna Be with You, and Mandy Moore. In 2007, she took an adult pop-folk direction with the release of Wild Hope. Her most recent album, Amanda Leigh, was released on May 26, 2009. Moore has sold more than 10 million records worldwide. Moore subsequently branched out into film, starring in 2002's A Walk to Remember and later in other movies, such as Chasing Liberty, Saved! and License to Wed. Most recently Moore provided the voice of Rapunzel in Tangled. In April 2011, she ranked 5th in People's annual Most Beautiful issue.
Moore was born in Nashua, New Hampshire. Her mother, Stacy (née Friedman), is a former news reporter who once worked for the Orlando Sentinel, and her father, Donald "Don" Moore, is a pilot for American Airlines. Moore's father is of Irish and Cherokee descent, and her mother is of half-English and half-Jewish ancestry. Moore, who has an older brother Scott and a younger brother Kyle, grew up in Longwood, Florida, outside of Orlando, where the family moved shortly after her birth because of her father's job as an airline pilot. She was raised Catholic (though she is no longer practicing), and attended Bishop Moore High School, in Orlando, as well as Lake Brantley High School in Altamonte Springs.
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Marcus Nispel
Marcus Nispel (born 26 May 1963) is a German–American feature film director and producer, and formerly a director of television commercials and music videos. Many of his films have been remakes, some of which have met with a negative critical reception.
Nispel was born in Frankfurt am Main, West Germany. He started his career in advertising as an art director for Young & Rubicam in Frankfurt. He came to America on a Fulbright scholarship in 1984 at the age of 20 and made his directing debut in 1989 with a series of music videos for C&C Music Factory.
While living in New York, Nispel founded and operated his own production company, Portfolio Artists Network, before merging with RSA-USA, and then joining MJZ in 2000.
To date, Nispel has directed over 1000 commercials and music videos. His commercial clients include: AT&T, Audi, Canon, Chase, Coca-Cola, Dr Pepper, Fidelity, Kodak, Levi's, L'Oréal, Marlboro, Mercedes-Benz, Motorola, Nike, Panasonic, Pepsi, RCA, Showtime, Sprint, Sprite, Unisys, UPS, US Postal Service, VISA Gold as well as MTV, ABC, CBS and NBC.
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Mark Goodman
Mark Goodman (born October 11, 1952, New York, NY) is a radio DJ, TV personality, and actor. He is best known as one of the original five VJs on MTV, from 1981-1987. He was supposed to be the first of the five to be broadcast at MTV's premier on August 1, 1981. However, due to errors sequencing the clips, he was the last of the VJs to introduce themselves after "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles and "You Better Run" by Pat Benatar.
Goodman has been in the music business for 30 years. He started in radio in his hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at WMMR and in 1978, became the music director of the station. In 1980, he moved to New York City to work at WPLJ, the number one rock station in New York.
In 1981, Goodman left WPLJ to join the as yet unknown music video channel called MTV.
As one of the 5 original VJs Goodman interviewed a variety of music and entertainment stars including Paul McCartney, Sting, Bruce Springsteen, Brian De Palma, Heart, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Madonna, Billy Idol, Patty Smythe, Nick Lowe, Roy Orbison, Carlene Carter, Mark Knopfler, Journey, Scorpions, Pointer Sisters, Richard Marx, Rick Springfield, Duran Duran, Prince, Pee-Wee Herman, Lea Thompson, Mary Stuart Masterson, Andrew McCarthy, Howie Mandell, Robin Williams, Tracy Ullman, Billy Squier, Asia, Jerry Harrison, Hall and Oates, The Hooters, David Lee Roth, Sammy Hagar, Eddie Van Halen, Ozzy Osbourne, Bono, Bette Midler, Depeche Mode, Night Ranger, Pete Townshend, Dee Snyder, Robert Plant, John Mellencamp, Chrissie Hynde, Brian Wilson, Jack Nicholson, Paul Schaeffer, Phil Collins, Genesis, Bryan Adams, Huey Lewis, Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, David Bowie, Tom Petty,The Boogie Man, and many others.
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Mark Pellington
Mark Pellington (born March 17, 1962) is an American film director.
Pellington was born in Baltimore, Maryland. He directed The Mothman Prophecies, a 2002 film starring Richard Gere dealing with mysterious deaths foretold by a strange red-eyed flying creature, Mothman, as well as Arlington Road in 1999 starring Tim Robbins and Jeff Bridges. Pellington's father, Bill was a football player with the Baltimore Colts for 12 seasons. He died of complications from Alzheimer's in 1994.
Pellington has also worked with such musical artists as Alice In Chains, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, Nine Inch Nails, U2, Demi Lovato, and Bruce Springsteen. He has also made cameo appearances in The Mothman Prophecies, Almost Famous, and Jerry Maguire. He directed the landmark mini-series The United States of Poetry for PBS in 1995. It won the INPUT (International Public Television) Award in 1996. In January 2010, he was named to direct The Orphanage remake, which is produced by Guillermo Del Toro.
Pellington's wife, Jennifer Barrett Pellington, died in 2004 at the age of 42. They had one child.
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Mark Romanek
Mark Romanek (born September 18, 1959) is an American filmmaker, whose directing work includes feature films, music videos and commercials.
He wrote and directed the critically acclaimed 2002 film One Hour Photo starring Robin Williams. His most notable music videos include "Hurt" (Johnny Cash), "Closer" (Nine Inch Nails), "Criminal" (Fiona Apple), and "Scream" (Michael & Janet Jackson). His music videos have garnered 20 MTV Video Music Awards, including Best Direction for Jay-Z's "99 Problems" in 2004. He has also won three Grammy Awards for Best Short Form Music Video — more than any other director.
Romanek was born in Chicago, Illinois. He credits seeing Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey in 1968, at the age of nine, and again during its re-release in 1973, with inspiring him to become a film director. Romanek experimented with Super 8 and 16mm film as a teenager while attending New Trier East, a progressive public high school north of Chicago that offered a four-year film production and theory program. At New Trier, Romanek studied first with Kevin Dole, a local filmmaker who was already creating a form of music video on his own in the mid-1970s; and then with Peter Kingsbury, a filmmaker who had studied with experimentalists Owen Land, John Luther Schofill and Stan Brakhage at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Both teachers had studied at SAIC and they exposed students to works by significant figures of the American avant-garde cinema such as Maya Deren, Kenneth Anger, Stan Brakhage, Owen Land and Paul Sharits. Romanek subsequently attended Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York, and graduated from its Roy H. Park School of Communications with a degree in cinema and photography.
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Martha Quinn
Martha Quinn (born May 11, 1959) is best known as one of the original video jockeys on MTV (along with Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter, and J.J. Jackson).
Quinn was born in Albany, New York, the daughter of Nina Pattison, a retirement counselor, and David Quinn, an attorney. Prior to joining MTV, Quinn graduated from Ossining High School in 1977 and NYU in 1981.
On July 13, 1981, Quinn was working at NYU's Weinstein Dormitory where she answered phones and gave students their toilet paper, mail, and lightbulbs. At the end of her day she decided to stop at WNBC Music Radio, where she'd just finished up interning for her senior year.
Coincidentally, California record company executive Burt Stein was also visiting WNBC. He asked out loud if anyone knew what Bob Pittman was doing. Pittman had been the program director of WNBC a year or so earlier, but had left to start a new venture: a cable channel called MTV (Music Television).
WNBC assistant program director Buzz Brindle overheard Stein’s question and remembered the new venture. He turned to Quinn and suggested that she should try out for a role at the new network as a “VJ.”
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Martin Short
Martin Hayter Short, CM (born March 26, 1950) is a Canadian-American actor, comedian, writer, singer and producer. He is best known for his comedy work, particularly on the TV programs SCTV and Saturday Night Live. He starred in such comedic films as Three Amigos, Innerspace, Pure Luck, Jungle 2 Jungle, Mars Attacks!, Father of the Bride and Father of the Bride Part II and created the characters of Jiminy Glick and Ed Grimley.
Short, the youngest of five children, was born in Hamilton, Ontario, the son of Olive (née Hayter), a violinist, and Charles Patrick Short, a corporate executive with Stelco, a Canadian steel company. He and his siblings were raised Catholic. He had three older brothers, David (now deceased), Michael, and Brian, and one older sister, Nora.
Short's father was a Catholic from Crossmaglen, South Armagh (present-day Northern Ireland), who came to North America as a stowaway during the Irish War of Independence. Short's mother, who was the concertmaster of the Hamilton Symphony Orchestra, encouraged Martin's early creative endeavours. His eldest brother, David, was killed in a car accident in 1962, when Short was 12. His mother died of cancer when he was 17; and, two years later in 1969, his father died of complications from a stroke.
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Marty Callner
Marty Callner is a director. His primary work is with music videos. Marty has directed work from such popular artists as Cher, The Rolling Stones and Aerosmith and has work recorded back as far as 1977 and as recent as 2009. He has been nominated for 7 Emmys, 3 DGAs, and 1 CableACE Award. His son is writer/actor Dax Callner.
Callner directed Bette Midler's HBO concert special Diva Las Vegas which first aired in 1997. Diva Las Vegas is now available on DVD.
Aerosmith
Bon Jovi
Chaka Khan
Cher
Dio
Heart
Jazz Callner
Jimmy Page
Kiss
Lita Ford
Neurotic Outsiders
Pat Benetar
Poison
Ratt
Sam Kinison
Scorpions
Stephanie Mills
Stevie Nicks
The Cult
The Zoo
Twisted Sisters
Whitesnake
Zebra
ZZ Top
Bette Midler
Britney Spears
Fleetwood Mac
Garth Brooks
Gladys Knight
Gloria Estefan
Justin Timberlake
Marc Anthony
Paul Simon
Rolling Stones
Stevie Nicks
Whitney Houston
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Mason Williams
Mason Williams (born August 24, 1938) is an American guitarist and composer, best known for his guitar instrumental "Classical Gas". He is also a comedy writer, known for his writing on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, and Saturday Night Live. He is also an eclectic poet and lyricist who has published several books.
Mason Douglas Williams was born in Abilene, Texas; son of Jackson Eugene (a tile setter) and Kathlyn (Nations) Williams; married Sheila Ann Massey, April 22, 1961 (divorced); children: Kathryn Michelle.
He grew up dividing his time between living with his father in Oklahoma and his mother in Oakridge, Oregon. He graduated from Northwest Classen High School in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1956. It was in Oklahoma that he began his lifelong friendship with artist Edward Ruscha.
He attended Oklahoma City University, 1957–60, and North Texas State University, one semester. Military Service: U.S. Navy, 1961-63.
Married Katherine Elizabeth Kahn in February, 1994, after first planning to marry in 1971; divorced after ten years.
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Matt Mahurin
Matt Mahurin (born January 31, 1959, Santa Cruz, California) is an American illustrator, photographer and film director. Mahurin's illustrations appear in Time, Newsweek, Mother Jones, Rolling Stone, Esquire, Forbes, and The New York Times.
Mahurin's work as a photo essayist has dealt with subjects such as homelessness, people with AIDS, the Texas prison system, abortion clinics, Nicaragua, Haiti, and Belfast. His extensive work directing music videos since 1986 have resulted in working with U2, Queensrÿche, Metallica, Dreams So Real, Jaye Muller (J.), Tracy Chapman, Alice In Chains and many other popular music performers.
Photographs by Mahurin, including Clemmons Prison, Texas (1985), Texas Prison (1988), Woman's Face in Darkness (1989) and Paris (1984), are included in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Mahurin has a reputation for photographing himself and manipulating his own likeness in his commercial photo-illustration work. Examples of his own image appearing on magazine covers are the November 29, 2003 cover of Time, with Mahurin as Sigmund Freud, the March 14, 1994 cover of Time, with himself as a caveman and the May 17, 2004 Time cover where Mahurin posed and photographed himself as an Abu Ghraib prisoner.
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Matt Pinfield
Matt Pinfield (born May 28, 1966) is a music personality and TV host, best known for being a video deejay on MTV and VH1. He currently lives in Harrison, New Jersey having previously resided in East Brunswick Township. He is currently the host of the MTV2 monthly alternative music program 120 Minutes, which he had previously hosted from 1995 to 1999.
Early in his career, Matt worked as an on-air host and Music Director at WRSU-FM, the official radio station of Rutgers University. In 1984, Pinfield became a radio DJ on the Jersey shore alternative rock radio station WHTG-FM 106.3, and was the main DJ at a New Brunswick, New Jersey club called The Melody Bar. During Matt's tenure, the Melody Bar became a respected alternative music club in the New York City area. Matt developed a close personal relationship with a number of British alternative rock bands such as Ned's Atomic Dustbin, Pop Will Eat Itself, and The Wonder Stuff.
During his 10 years at WHTG, Matt was the recipient of the Gavin Award (1992 and 1993) for National Commercial Alternative Music Director of the Year.
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Matthew Shepard
Matthew Wayne Shepard (December 1, 1976 – October 12, 1998) was a student at the University of Wyoming who was tortured and murdered near Laramie, Wyoming, US, in October 1998. He was attacked on the night of October 6–7, and died at Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado, on October 12 from severe head injuries.
During a pre-trial hearing, a Laramie police officer testified that the violence against Shepard was due to how the attacker "[felt] about gays," per an interview of the attacker's girlfriend who said she received that explanation. Shepard's murder brought national and international attention to the contention of hate crime legislation at the state and federal levels.
In 2009, his mother Judy Shepard authored a book The Meaning of Matthew: My Son's Murder in Laramie, and a World Transformed. On October 22, 2009, the United States Congress passed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act (Matthew Shepard Act for short), and on October 28, 2009, President Barack Obama signed the legislation into law.
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Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Often referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records. His contribution to music, dance, and fashion, along with a much-publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades. The seventh child of the Jackson family, he debuted on the professional music scene along with his brothers as a member of The Jackson 5 in 1964, and began his solo career in 1971.
In the early 1980s, Jackson became a dominant figure in popular music. The music videos for his songs, including those of "Beat It", "Billie Jean", and "Thriller", were credited with transforming the medium into an art form and a promotional tool, and the popularity of these videos helped to bring the relatively new television channel MTV to fame. Videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" made him a staple on MTV in the 1990s. Through stage performances and music videos, Jackson popularized a number of complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk, to which he gave the name. His distinctive musical sound and vocal style influenced numerous hip hop, post-disco, contemporary R&B, pop and rock artists.
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Michael Nesmith
Robert Michael Nesmith (born December 30, 1942) is an American musician, songwriter, actor, producer, novelist, businessman, and philanthropist, best known as a member of the musical group The Monkees and star of the TV series of the same name. Nesmith is notable as a songwriter, including "Different Drum" sung by Linda Ronstadt with the Stone Poneys, and as executive producer of the cult film Repo Man. In 1981, Nesmith won the first Grammy Award given for Video of the Year for his hour-long Elephant Parts.
Nesmith was born at St. Joseph's Hospital in Houston, in 1942. He was an only child; his parents, Warren Audrey Nesmith and Bette Nesmith Graham, divorced when their son was four. He and his mother moved to Dallas, to be closer to her parents, sister, aunts and grandmother. Bette took temporary jobs ranging from clerical work to graphics design, and developed very good secretarial skills, including shorthand, and, auspiciously, touch typing. When Nesmith was 13 his mother invented a typewriter correction fluid later known commercially as Liquid Paper. Over the next 25 years she built the Liquid Paper Corporation into a multimillion dollar international company which she finally sold to Gillette in 1980 for US$48 million. She died a few months later at age 56.
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Michael Stanley Band
Michael Stanley (born March 25, 1948 as Michael Stanley Gee in Cleveland, Ohio) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and disc jockey. Both as a solo artist and with the Michael Stanley Band, his brand of heartland rock was popular in Cleveland and around the American Midwest in the 1970s and 1980s.
Michael Stanley Gee graduated from Rocky River High School in 1966. He attended Hiram College on a baseball scholarship and graduated with a bachelor's degree in 1970. During this time he was in the band Silk which released one album, Smooth As Raw Silk, on ABC Records in 1969.
While working as a regional manager for a record store chain, Stanley released his first solo album, Michael Stanley, in 1973. The album, and its follow-up Friends & Legends were produced by Bill Szymczyk and featured contributions from Joe Walsh, Todd Rundgren and David Sanborn.
The Michael Stanley Band was formed by Stanley in 1974 with singer-songwriter–lead guitarist Jonah Koslen, former Glass Harp bassist Daniel Pecchio and drummer Tommy Dobeck from the band Circus. There were several personnel changes over the years and by 1982 the group had evolved into a seven-piece band.
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Michel Gondry
Michel Gondry (born May 8, 1963 in Versailles, France) is an Academy Award-winning filmmaker, whose works include being a commercial director, music video director, and a screenwriter. He is noted for his inventive visual style and manipulation of mise en scène.[citation needed]
Gondry was born in Versailles, France. He is the grandson of inventor Constant Martin. He has a teenage son named Paul, who is also an artist.
Gondry's vision and career began with his emphasis on emotion, according to Gondry himself in an interview for The Film That Changed My Life by journalist Robert K. Elder. Much of his inspiration, he says, came from the film Le voyage en ballon.
When I watch this movie, I dream I’m flying and then I do stories where people are flying. I think it’s directly influencing.
His career as a filmmaker began with creating music videos for the French rock band Oui Oui, in which he also served as a drummer. The style of his videos for Oui Oui caught the attention of music artist Björk, who asked him to direct the video for her song "Human Behaviour". The collaboration proved long-lasting, with Gondry directing a total of seven music videos for Björk. Other artists who have collaborated with Gondry on more than one occasion include Daft Punk, The White Stripes, The Chemical Brothers, The Vines, Steriogram, Radiohead, and Beck. Gondry has also created numerous television commercials. He pioneered the "bullet time" technique later adapted in The Matrix,[citation needed] in a 1998 commercial for Smirnoff vodka, as well as directing a trio of inventive holiday-themed advertisements for clothing retailer Gap, Incorporated.
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Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger, (born 26 July 1943) is an English musician, singer, songwriter and actor, best known as the lead vocalist and a founder member of The Rolling Stones.
Jagger's career has spanned over fifty years. Allmusic has described Jagger as "one of the most popular and influential frontmen in the history of rock & roll". His distinctive voice and performance, along with Keith Richards' guitar style, have been the trademark of The Rolling Stones throughout the career of the band. In 1989, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with The Rolling Stones.
Jagger gained much press notoriety for admitted drug use and romantic involvements, and was often portrayed as a counterculture figure. In the late 1960s Jagger began acting in films (starting with Performance and Ned Kelly), to mixed reception. In 1985, Jagger released his first solo album, She's the Boss, and was knighted in 2003. In early 2009, he joined the eclectic supergroup SuperHeavy.
Jagger was born into a middle class family at Livingstone Hospital, in Dartford, Kent, England. His father, Basil Fanshawe ("Joe") Jagger (13 April 1913 – 11 November 2006), and his grandfather David Ernest Jagger were both teachers. His mother, Eva Ensley Mary (née Scutts; 6 April 1913 – 18 May 2000), born in New South Wales, Australia, was a hairdresser and an active member of the Conservative Party. Jagger is the elder of two sons (his brother Chris Jagger was born on 19 December 1947) and was raised to follow in his father's career path.
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Midge Ure
James "Midge" Ure, OBE (born 10 October 1953, Cambuslang, Lanarkshire, Scotland) is a Scottish guitarist, singer, keyboard player, and songwriter. His stage name, Midge, is a phonetic reversal of Jim, the diminutive form of his real name.
Ure enjoyed particular success in the 1970s and 1980s in bands including Slik, Thin Lizzy, The Rich Kids, Visage, and most notably as frontman of Ultravox. Ure co-wrote and produced the charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?", whose reissue won an Ivor Novello Award in 2005 for Best Selling UK Single. Ure co-organised Band Aid, Live Aid and Live 8 with Bob Geldof. Ure acts as trustee for the charity, and serves as ambassador for Save the Children.
Born to a working-class family in Cambuslang, he attended Cambuslang Primary School and Rutherglen Academy in Glasgow until he was 15 years old. After leaving school Ure attended Technical College and then began to work as an engineer, training at the National Engineering Laboratory, (NEL), in nearby East Kilbride. He started playing music in a Glasgow band called Stumble (c. 1969 – c. 1971), that included a girl-singing duet, Christine and Agnes. The band's line-up included lead guitar John McMenemy, Alan Wright on harmonica, Fraser Spiers on bass, Kenny Ireland on drums, Alec Baird on vocals Gordon Appacellie.
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Mike Judge
Michael Craig Judge (born October 17, 1962) is an American animator, film director, writer and voice actor, best known as the creator and star of the animated television series Beavis and Butt-head (1993–1997, 2011–present), King of the Hill (1997–2010), and The Goode Family (2009).
He also wrote, directed and in some instances produced the films Beavis and Butt-head Do America (1996), Office Space (1999), Idiocracy (2006) and Extract (2009). Judge is also known for his role in the Spy Kids movie franchise.
Born in Guayaquil,[citation needed]Ecuador, where his father worked for a nonprofit organization promoting agricultural development, Mike Judge was raised from age 7 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States, the second of three children of archaeologist Jim Judge and librarian Margaret Blue. He graduated in 1980 from St. Pius X High School in Albuquerque.[citation needed] He was a trombonist in the Albuquerque Youth Symphony Program.[citation needed] Judge graduated with a Bachelor of Science in physics in 1986 from the University of California, San Diego.
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Moby
Richard Melville Hall (born September 11, 1965), better known by his stage name Moby, is an American musician, DJ, and photographer. He is known mainly for his sample-based electronic music and his liberal political views, including his support of veganism and animal rights.
Moby gained attention in the early 1990s with his electronic dance music work, which dabbled in the techno and breakbeat hardcore (also known as "rave") genres. With his fifth studio album, the electronica and house-influenced Play, he gained international success. Originally released in mid-1999 to an unflattering response, it re-entered the charts in early 2000 and slowly became an unexpected hit, producing eight singles and eventually selling over 10 million copies worldwide.
Moby followed the album in 2002 with 18, which was also successful, selling over 5 million copies worldwide and receiving mostly positive reviews, though some criticizing it for being too similar to Play. His next offer, 2005's mostly upbeat Hotel was a stylistic departure, incorporating more alternative rock elements than previous albums, and received mixed reviews. However, it still sold around 2 million copies worldwide. After 2008's dance-influenced Last Night (2008), he returned to the downtempo electronica of Play and 18 with 2009's mostly-ambient Wait for Me, finding higher critical acclaim and moderate sales. Moby's latest album, Destroyed., was released on May 13, 2011.
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Naughty By Nature
Naughty by Nature are a Grammy Award-winning American hip hop trio from East Orange, New Jersey that at the time of its formation in 1989 consisted of Treach, Vin Rock, and the DJ Kay Gee. They are known for being one of the few rap acts who were able to balance success on the pop charts with hardcore rap credibility.
The group formed in East Orange, New Jersey (colloquially referred to as "Illtown" in the 1980s) in 1988. They first appeared on the music scene in 1989, releasing an album called Independent Leaders under their then name the New Style. The album generated the minor hit "Scuffin' Those Knees". After the release of their first album, the group was mentored by fellow New Jersey native Queen Latifah, and subsequently changed its name.
Their first hit as Naughty by Nature was a track called "O.P.P.," which sampled the Jackson 5's hit "ABC" and was released in 1991 on their self-titled album Naughty by Nature. The song peaked at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it one of the most successful crossover songs in rap history. The song has become well known in pop culture, being mentioned in TV shows and films such as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Malibu's Most Wanted, Monk, and The Office. "O.P.P." also gained critical acclaim, being named one of the top 100 rap singles of all time in 1998 by The Source magazine, and being ranked the 20th best single of the '90s by Spin magazine
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Neil Armstrong
Neil Alden Armstrong (born August 5, 1930) is an American former astronaut, test pilot, aerospace engineer, university professor, United States Naval Aviator, and the first person to set foot upon the Moon.
Before becoming an astronaut, Armstrong was in the United States Navy and served in the Korean War. After the war, he served as a test pilot at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) High-Speed Flight Station, now known as the Dryden Flight Research Center, where he flew over 900 flights in a variety of aircraft. As a research pilot, Armstrong served as project pilot on the F-100 Super Sabre A and C variants, F-101 Voodoo, and the Lockheed F-104A Starfighter. He also flew the Bell X-1B, Bell X-5, North American X-15, F-105 Thunderchief, F-106 Delta Dart, B-47 Stratojet, KC-135 Stratotanker, and was one of eight elite pilots involved in the paraglider research vehicle program (Paresev). He graduated from Purdue University and the University of Southern California.
A participant in the U.S. Air Force's Man In Space Soonest and X-20 Dyna-Soar human spaceflight programs, Armstrong joined the NASA Astronaut Corps in 1962. His first spaceflight was the NASA Gemini 8 mission in 1966, for which he was the command pilot, becoming one of the first U.S. civilians to fly in space.[citation needed] On this mission, he performed the first manned docking of two spacecraft with pilot David Scott. Armstrong's second and last spaceflight was as mission commander of the Apollo 11 moon landing mission on July 20, 1969. On this mission, Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin descended to the lunar surface and spent 2½ hours exploring while Michael Collins remained in orbit in the Command Module. Armstrong was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Richard Nixon along with Collins and Aldrin, the Congressional Space Medal of Honor by President Jimmy Carter in 1978, and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2009.
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Nick Lachey
Nicholas Scott "Nick" Lachey ( /ləˈʃeɪ/ lə-SHAY; born November 9, 1973) is an American singer, songwriter, actor, producer and television personality. Lachey rose to fame as a member of the boy band 98 Degrees. He later starred in the reality television series Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica with his then-wife, Jessica Simpson. He has released two solo albums, SoulO and What's Left of Me. As a solo artist Nick Lachey sold over 600,000 records and with 98 Degrees, over 10 million records worldwide. He had a recurring role on the television series Charmed.
Lachey was born near the border of Kentucky and Virginia in Harlan, Kentucky to Cate Fopma-Leimbach and John Lachey. He has a brother, Drew, a stepsister, Josie, a half brother, Isaac, and two adopted siblings, Zach and Caitlin Leimbach. Growing up in Ohio, he attended Cincinnati Public Schools-School for Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA), developing his vocal talent while excelling in sports and academics. After graduation he attended the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, California. After a year at USC, he wanted to be closer to his family and transferred to Miami University, in Oxford, Ohio, where he studied sports medicine and became a brother in the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.
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Nick Rhodes
Nick Rhodes (born Nicholas James Bates, 8 June 1962) is an English musician, is best known as the keyboardist of the pop rock band Duran Duran. Rhodes is the youngest band member.
He has also released albums with Arcadia in 1985 (a Duran Duran side-project), as well as The Devils in 2002 with Stephen Duffy.
Bates was the only child of well-off parents, the owners of a Birmingham toyshop. In 1978, Bates left school at the age of sixteen, and founded Duran Duran with his art school friends Stephen Duffy and John Taylor. At about the same time as the name Duran Duran was chosen for the band, he decided to change his name, which was given to him by John Taylor before the first interview they had together for their band.http://www.duranduran.com/wordpress/page/2/?s=rhodes&cat=12
While in Woodrush, he and John Taylor formed a band called 'RAF' with other classmates.
As the band coalesced into its final lineup in 1979-80, Duran Duran started playing at a local Birmingham club called "The Rum Runner". The club owners became the band's managers, and Rhodes began working at the club as a disc jockey.
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Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English heavy metal vocalist and songwriter, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English band Black Sabbath, whose dark and hard sound helped spawn the heavy metal genre. Due to Sabbath's dark style, Osbourne became known as the "Prince of Darkness". Osbourne is also known as the "Godfather of Heavy Metal".
In the early 2000s, Osbourne's career expanded when he became a star in his own reality show The Osbournes, alongside wife/manager Sharon and two of their three children, Kelly and Jack. A documentary about his life and career, God Bless Ozzy Osbourne, premiered in April 2011 at the Tribeca Film Festival and was released on DVD in November 2011. Osbourne has achieved multi-platinum status as a solo artist and with Black Sabbath and has sold over 100 million albums worldwide.
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne was born in Aston, Birmingham, England, on 3 December 1948. His father Jack worked shifts as a toolmaker at GEC. His mother Lillian worked for the car components firm Lucas. John was the fourth of six children. Ozzy had two brothers (Paul and Tony) and three sisters (Jean, Iris and Gillian); they lived in a small two bedroom home at 14 Lodge Road in Aston. The nickname "Ozzy" was first used when he was in primary school. Although called "John" by his first wife Thelma, Osbourne states that it has been a long time since he's recognised himself when called by his formal name.
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P. Diddy
Sean John Combs (born November 4, 1969), also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He was originally known as Puff Daddy and then as P. Diddy (Puff and Puffy have been used as nicknames, but never as recording names). In August 2005, he changed his stage name to simply "Diddy", but continues to use the name P. Diddy in the UK as the result of a lawsuit. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He formed and recorded with the group Diddy – Dirty Money.
Combs was born in Harlem and grew up in Mount Vernon, New York. He worked as a talent director at Uptown Records and then founded Bad Boy Records in 1993. His business interests—under the umbrella of Bad Boy Entertainment Worldwide—include Bad Boy Records, the clothing lines Sean John and "Sean by Sean Combs", a movie production company, and two restaurants. He has taken the roles of recording executive, performer, producer of MTV's Making the Band, writer, arranger, clothing designer, and Broadway actor. In 2011, Forbes estimated his net worth at $500 million, making him the richest figure in hip hop.
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Paris Hilton
Paris Whitney Hilton (born February 17, 1981) is an American businesswoman, potential future heiress, producer and socialite. She is a great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton (founder of Hilton Hotels). Born in New York City and raised in both California and New York, Hilton began a modeling career as a teenager when she was with Donald Trump's modeling agency, T Management. Her hard-partying lifestyle and rumoured short-lived relationships with Leonardo DiCaprio and Oscar de la Hoya led her to earn a position as a daily fixture in entertainment news — gossip-section Page Six, of the New York Post often includes articles about Hilton. Being known as a socialite, Hilton was hailed by the media as "New York's leading It Girl" in 2001. She went on to make cameo appeareances in Zoolander (2001), Wonderland and The Cat in the Hat (both 2003).
Hilton gained significant notoriety for her participation in a sex tape, which was released in November 2003, shortly before the premiere of the television reality series The Simple Life alongside fellow socialite and childhood best friend Nicole Richie. The show was a massive hit for the FOX network, premiering with 13 million viewers, and brought Hilton and co-star Richie to an international recognition. She then released her 2004 tongue-in-cheek autobiography called Confessions of an Heiress: A Tongue-in-Chic Peek Behind the Pose, she landed a supporting role in the 2005 horror film House of Wax, and recorded the 2006 music album Paris. She starred in the reality show Paris Hilton's My New BFF which was filmed in 2008 and also resulted in a second season. The show proved to be a success and was branched out to 2009's Paris Hilton's British Best Friend and Paris Hilton’s Dubai BFF. Hilton was in 2008's Repo! The Genetic Opera, where her work gained critical acclaim.
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Pat Benatar
Pat Benatar (born Patricia Mae Andrzejewski; January 10, 1953) is an American singer and four-time Grammy winner. She had considerable commercial success, particularly in the United States. During the 1980s, Benatar had two RIAA-certified Multi-Platinum albums, five RIAA-certified Platinum albums, three RIAA-certified Gold albums and 19 Top 40 singles, including "Love Is a Battlefield", "Hit Me With Your Best Shot", and "We Belong". Benatar was one of the most heavily played artists in the early days of MTV.
Patricia Mae Andrzejewski was born in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York City. Her Polish father, Andrew, was a sheet-metal worker, and her Irish mother, Mildred, a beautician. Her family later moved to North Hamilton Avenue in Lindenhurst, New York, a village within the Long Island town of Babylon.
Patti (as she was known)[citation needed] became interested in theater and began voice lessons, singing her first solo at age eight, at Daniel Street Elementary School, a song called "It Must Be Spring".[citation needed] At Lindenhurst Senior High School (1967–71),[citation needed] Benatar participated in musical theater, playing Queen Guinevere in the school production of Camelot, marching in the homecoming parade, singing at the annual Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony, and performing a solo of "The Christmas Song" on a holiday recording of the Lindenhurst High School Choir her senior year.[citation needed]
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Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM (born 18 June 1942) is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of the Beatles (1960–1970) and Wings (1971–1981), he has been described by Guinness World Records as "The Most Successful Composer and Recording Artist of All Time", with 60 gold discs and sales of over 100 million albums and 100 million singles. With John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, he gained worldwide fame as a member of the Beatles, and with Lennon formed one of the most celebrated songwriting partnerships of the 20th century. After leaving the Beatles, he began a solo career and later formed the band Wings with his first wife, Linda Eastman, and singer-songwriter Denny Laine.
According to the BBC, his Beatles song "Yesterday" has been covered by over 2,200 artists—more than any other song. Wings' 1977 release, "Mull of Kintyre", became one of the best-selling singles ever in the UK, and he is "the most successful songwriter" in UK chart history, according to Guinness. As a songwriter or co-writer, he is included on thirty-one number one titles on the Billboard Hot 100, and as of 2012 he has sold over 15.5 million RIAA certified units in the United States.
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Pete Townshend
Peter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend (born 19 May 1945) is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for the rock group The Who, as well as for his own solo career. His career with The Who spans more than 40 years, during which time the band grew to be considered one of the most influential bands of the 1960s and 1970s, and, according to Eddie Vedder, "possibly the greatest live band ever."
Townshend is the primary songwriter for The Who, having written well over 100 songs for the band's 11 studio albums, including concept albums and the rock operas Tommy and Quadrophenia, plus popular rock and roll radio staples like Who's Next, and dozens more that appeared as non-album singles, bonus tracks on reissues, and tracks on rarities compilations like Odds & Sods. He has also written over 100 songs that have appeared on his solo albums, as well as radio jingles and television theme songs. Although known primarily as a guitarist, he also plays other instruments such as keyboards, banjo, accordion, synthesiser, bass guitar and drums, on his own solo albums, several Who albums, and as a guest contributor to a wide array of other artists' recordings. Townshend has never had formal lessons in any of the instruments he plays.
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Pete Wentz
Peter Lewis Kingston Wentz III (born June 5, 1979), better known as Pete Wentz, is an American musician best known for being the bassist and primary lyricist for the American rock band Fall Out Boy. Since the announcement of Fall Out Boy's indefinite hiatus, Wentz has formed the experimental electropop group Black Cards. He owns a record label, Decaydance Records, which has signed bands such as Panic! at the Disco and Gym Class Heroes.
Wentz has also ventured into other non-musical projects, including writing, acting, and fashion; in 2005 he founded a clothing company called Clandestine Industries. He also runs a film production company called Bartskull Films, as well as a bar called Angels & Kings. His philanthropic activities include collaborations with Invisible Children, Inc. and UNICEF's Tap Project, a fundraising project that helps bring clean drinking water to people worldwide.
Wentz was born Peter Lewis Kingston Wentz III, in Wilmette, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, Illinois. He is the son of Dale, a high school admissions counselor, and Pete Wentz II, an attorney. His parents met while campaigning for now-Vice President Joe Biden in the 1970s. Wentz recalled in a Rolling Stone interview that his earliest musical memory was listening to The Foundations' song "Build Me Up Buttercup" in the back of his father's car. Wentz attended New Trier High School and North Shore Country Day School, where he was an all-state soccer player. He considered pursuing a professional career in the sport, but decided that music was a more fulfilling choice; he says that he "always had a magical connection to the ball. But it didn't feel like an adventure. Music was more of a challenge and, in the end, felt more interesting."
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Peter Wolf
Peter Wolf (born Peter W. Blankfield; March 7, 1946) is an American Rhythm and Blues, Soul and Rock and Roll musician, best known as the lead vocalist for the J. Geils Band from 1967 to 1983; and for a successful musical solo career to date with writing partner Will Jennings.
Wolf was born in the Bronx, New York. He planned a career as an artist, but he got a job in the late 1960s as a disc jockey on Boston FM radio station WBCN and began exploring his interest in blues and rhythm and blues music, giving himself the nickname "the Wolfa Goofa", sometimes expanded to "the Wolfa Goofa with the Green Teeth" (as mentioned in the intro to "Must of Got Lost" on the Blow Your Face Out album). Later as solo artist he called himself Woofa Goofa Mama Toofa. He, Paul Shapiro, Stephen Bladd, Doug Slade and Joe Clark formed a group called the Hallucinations who performed with The Velvet Underground, Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Van Morrison, John Lee Hooker, and Sun Ra. He then saw the J. Geils Blues Band in concert and quickly joined. He was the vocalist and frontman, and often acted as a sort of manager. Wolf was known for his charismatic stage antics of fast-talking quips and "pole-vaulting" with the microphone stand. He and keyboard player Seth Justman were responsible for most of the songwriting. Creative differences followed their Freeze-Frame album, causing the J. Geils Band and Peter Wolf to part ways in 1983.
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Phil Collins
Philip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO (born 30 January 1951) is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist.
Collins sang the lead vocals on several chart hits in the United Kingdom and the United States between 1975 and 2010, either as a solo artist or with Genesis. His singles, sometimes dealing with lost love, ranged from the drum-heavy "In the Air Tonight", dance pop of "Sussudio", piano-driven "Against All Odds", to the political statements of "Another Day in Paradise".
Collins's professional music career began as a drummer, originally in a band called The Real Thing with Andrea Bertorelli, who later became his first wife. Collins played drums and shared lead vocals (with Brian Chatton) in Flaming Youth which recorded one album, (Ark II). In 1970, he took over drums for Genesis, which had already recorded two albums. In Genesis, Collins originally supplied backing vocals for front man Peter Gabriel, singing lead on only two songs: "For Absent Friends" from 1971's Nursery Cryme album and "More Fool Me" from Selling England by the Pound, which was released in 1973. Following Gabriel's departure in 1975, Collins became the group's lead singer.
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Philippe Dauman
Philippe Dauman is the President and CEO of Viacom. He has served at this post since September 2006. Dauman is a longtime associate of the company's chairman Sumner Redstone. Dauman served from 1994 to 2000 as a member of Viacom's executive committee and as executive vice president in charge of strategic transactions, legal and government affairs, human resources and administration, supervising Paramount Pictures Entertainment, Showtime Networks and Simon & Schuster. Dauman was also a director at Redstone-owned CBS Corporation until September 2006.
From 1993 to 1998, he also was Viacom's general counsel.
In 2009, Dauman and Viacom launched the Get Schooled education initiative with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation - an effort to raise awareness of the crisis in America's public schools. He also hosted the Get Schooled education conference on September 8, 2009.
Dauman is a director of Lafarge, and on the Board of Directors of the KIPP Foundation, a national network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public schools in underserved communities. He is also a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, a member of the Business Roundtable and serves on the Executive Committee of the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, the Board of Trustees for The Paley Center for Media, the Board of Trustees of the North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System Foundation, the Executive Committee of the Lenox Hill Hospital and the Board of Trustees and Dean’s Council of Columbia University School of Law.
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Prince (musician)
Prince (born Prince Rogers Nelson; June 7, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of the instruments on his recordings. In addition, Prince has been a "talent promoter" for the careers of Sheila E., Carmen Electra, The Time and Vanity 6, and his songs have been recorded by these artists and others (including Chaka Khan, The Bangles, Sinéad O'Connor, and even Kim Basinger). He also has several hundred unreleased songs in his "vault".
Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Prince developed an interest in music at an early age, writing his first song at age seven. After recording songs with his cousin's band 94 East, seventeen-year-old Prince recorded several unsuccessful demo tapes before releasing his debut album, For You, in 1978. His 1979 album, Prince, went platinum due to the success of the singles "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?" and "I Wanna Be Your Lover". His next three records, Dirty Mind (1980), Controversy (1981), and 1999 (1982) continued his success, showcasing Prince's trademark of prominently sexual lyrics and incorporation of elements of funk, dance and rock music. In 1984, he began referring to his backup band as The Revolution and released the album Purple Rain, which served as the soundtrack to his film debut of the same name.
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Puff Daddy
Sean John Combs (born November 4, 1969), also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He was originally known as Puff Daddy and then as P. Diddy (Puff and Puffy have been used as nicknames, but never as recording names). In August 2005, he changed his stage name to simply "Diddy", but continues to use the name P. Diddy in the UK as the result of a lawsuit. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He formed and recorded with the group Diddy – Dirty Money.
Combs was born in Harlem and grew up in Mount Vernon, New York. He worked as a talent director at Uptown Records and then founded Bad Boy Records in 1993. His business interests—under the umbrella of Bad Boy Entertainment Worldwide—include Bad Boy Records, the clothing lines Sean John and "Sean by Sean Combs", a movie production company, and two restaurants. He has taken the roles of recording executive, performer, producer of MTV's Making the Band, writer, arranger, clothing designer, and Broadway actor. In 2011, Forbes estimated his net worth at $500 million, making him the richest figure in hip hop.
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Ric Ocasek
Ric Ocasek (born Richard T. Otcasek; March 23, 1949 in Baltimore, Maryland) is an American musician and music producer. He is best known as lead vocalist (along with Benjamin Orr) and rhythm guitarist for the rock band, The Cars. He is also the cousin of Joseph Ocasek. His surname can be created from Otčenášek meaning the little Lord's Prayer.
When Ocasek was 16, his father, a computer analyst for NASA, was transferred to Cleveland, Ohio. After graduating from high school in Cleveland, Ocasek then attended Bowling Green State University near Toledo, Ohio. He is married to model Pavlína Pořízková.
In the early 1970s, Ric Ocasek played in the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young-influenced folk band Milkwood with friend Ben Orzechowski (Ben Orr). The band released one album in 1972 called How's the Weather under the Paramount record label. The album had no success and quickly disappeared shortly after release, and Milkwood split up. It was then that Ric Ocasek and Ben Orr formed up their new band Rick & the Rabbits. In 1974 Ric and Ben played as a duo at a south shore Boston Ground Round Restaurant; until a company V.P. stopped in one night and said they were not family-friendly entertainment, and had to let them go .
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Rick James
James Ambrose Johnson, Jr. (February 1, 1948 – August 6, 2004), better known by his stage name Rick James, was an American singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. James was a popular performer in the late 1970s and 1980s, scoring four number-one hits on the U.S. R&B charts performing in the genres of funk and R&B. Among his well known songs are "Super Freak", "Mary Jane" and "You and I".
In addition to his music, James gained notoriety for his wild lifestyle, which led to widely publicized legal problems, and which was famously satirized by Chappelle's Show in 2004.
Rick James was born James Ambrose Johnson, Jr. in Buffalo, New York. He attended Orchard Park High School and Bennett High School before dropping out at the age of 15. One of eight children, his father, an autoworker, abandoned him and his siblings when Rick was a child. His mother, a former vaudeville dancer, later reportedly ran errands for a Mafia family to make ends meet.[citation needed]
James grew up singing on street corners with fellow neighborhood boys. James' early idols included Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and The Temptations (particularly his uncle, Melvin Franklin). After briefly being involved in street crime, James dropped out of high school at 15 to avoid a possible draft and joined the U.S. Naval Reserve. A year later, James left the Reserve after he began to miss weekend training, because it interfered with his music career.[not in citation given]
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Riki Rachtman
David Alan "Riki" Rachtman (born June 15, 1965) is an American television and radio personality.
At the age of 16, Rachtman auditioned to sing in the band the Angry Samoans, and the next year he was in a band called the Fairlanes. In the late 1980s, Rachtman was lead vocalist of the L.A. Metal Act "Virgin". In the 1990s, he spent over a year in a band called Battery Club, which toured with The Offspring.
From 1990-1995, Rachtman hosted MTV's heavy metal show Headbangers Ball (replacing Adam Curry). His friend at the time, Axl Rose of Guns N' Roses, reportedly was instrumental in him getting the job at MTV. Rachtman had a brief appearance as a wedding guest in Guns N' Roses' music video "November Rain".
From August 1993 - April 1996, he was the co-host of the radio advice program Loveline.
In 1999 and 2000, Rachtman worked for World Championship Wrestling as a backstage interviewer. During one episode, he was almost powerbombed by wrestler Kevin Nash. He also hosted Nitro, WCW's flagship program, parties across the country. Seven years prior to his stint with WCW, Rachtman hosted another wrestling-themed show.
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Rob Zombie
Rob Zombie (born Robert Bartleh Cummings; January 12, 1965) is an American musician, film director, screenwriter and film producer. He founded the heavy metal band White Zombie and has been nominated three times as a solo artist for the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance. Zombie's lyrics are noted for their horror and sci-fi themes, and his live shows for their elaborate shock rock theatricality.
Zombie has also established a career as a film director, creating the movies House of 1000 Corpses, The Devil's Rejects, the 2007 remake of Halloween, its sequel, and The Haunted World of El Superbeasto. His next film will be the upcoming The Lords of Salem which is scheduled to premiere in theaters sometime in 2012.
Born in Haverhill, Massachusetts, he was the first of two brothers. His younger brother Michael David Cummings was born on August 25, 1968 and is better known as Spider One, the frontman of alternative metal group Powerman 5000.
Based in New York, White Zombie was originally a noise rock band in the vein of fellow New York band Sonic Youth and Texas experimental punk band Butthole Surfers. White Zombie was known for combining heavy-metal music with driving guitar riffs (as on "Super-Charger Heaven"), overlayed with lyrics heavily influenced by horror films and pseudo-Satanic imagery.
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Robert Kraft
Robert K. Kraft (born June 5, 1941) is an American business magnate. He is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Kraft Group, a diversified holding company with assets in paper and packaging, sports and entertainment, real estate development and a private equity portfolio. His holdings include the National Football League's New England Patriots and Major League Soccer's New England Revolution, and Gillette Stadium.
Kraft attended Brookline High School in his hometown, graduating in 1959.
He is a 1963 graduate of Columbia University, which he attended on scholarship, and received an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1965. While at Columbia, Kraft played on the school's lightweight football team. He was married to the former Myra Hiatt, a 1964 graduate of Brandeis University and the daughter of the late Worcester, Massachusetts philanthropist Jacob Hiatt. She died from cancer, aged 68, on July 20, 2011.
He began his professional career with the Rand-Whitney Group, a Worcester-based packaging company owned by Hiatt. He still serves as this company's chairman. In 1972, he founded International Forest Products, a trader of physical paper commodities. The two combined companies make up the largest privately held paper and packaging companies in the United States. International Forest Products is consistently among the top 100 US exporters/importers and in 2005 was No. 45 on the Journal of Commerce's list in that category.[citation needed]
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Robert Plant
Robert Anthony Plant, CBE (born 20 August 1948) is an English singer and songwriter best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the iconic rock band Led Zeppelin. He has also had a successful solo career. In 2007, Plant released Raising Sand, an album produced by T-Bone Burnett with American bluegrass soprano Alison Krauss, which won the 2009 Grammy Award for Album of the Year at the 51st Grammy Awards.
With a career spanning more than 40 years, Plant is regarded as one of the most significant singers in the history of rock music, and has influenced contemporaries and later singers such as Freddie Mercury and Axl Rose. In 2006, heavy metal magazine Hit Parader named Plant the "Greatest Metal Vocalist of All-Time". In 2009, Plant was voted "the greatest voice in rock" in a poll conducted by Planet Rock. In 2011, a Rolling Stone readers' pick placed Plant in first place of the magazine's "Best Lead Singers of All Time".
Plant was born in the Black Country town of West Bromwich (then in Staffordshire now in West Midlands) to parents Robert C. who worked as a civil engineer and Annie C. (Cain) Plant, but grew up in Kidderminster, in Worcestershire. Plant gained an interest in singing and rock and roll music at an early age.
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Robert W. Pittman
Robert Warren "Bob" Pittman (born 28 December 1953), is an American businessman and the founder of MTV. On October 2, 2011, Pittman was named CEO of Clear Channel Communications. Pittman has also been the CEO of MTV Networks, AOL, Six Flags Theme Parks, Quantum Media, Century 21 Real Estate and Time Warner Enterprises, and COO of America Online, Inc. and AOL Time Warner.
He has also been a radio and TV programmer, marketer, media entrepreneur and investor who has had multiple careers in a number of consumer-focused industries.
Son of a Methodist minister, Pittman was born in Jackson, Mississippi, but raised in Brookhaven and became a radio announcer at the age of 15 to earn money for flying lessons. He was an announcer in a number of cities and then successfully programmed radio stations in Pittsburgh, Chicago and finally at the NBC flagship station, WNBC, in New York when he was 23 years old. He also produced and co-hosted a music video and news show in 1978 that ran on NBC's O&O television stations. He did learn to fly, and has been a pilot for almost 40 years: He now has over 5,000 flight hours; currently holds an Airline Transport Pilot's license for airplanes; and is rated for helicopters and 3 types of jets.
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Rod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE (born 10 January 1945) is a British singer-songwriter, born and raised in North London, England, and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry.
With his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart came to prominence in the late 1960s and early 1970s with The Jeff Beck Group and then Faces. He launched his solo career in 1969 with his debut album An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down (US: The Rod Stewart Album). His work with The Jeff Beck Group and Faces influenced heavy metal genres.
With his career in its fifth decade, Stewart has sold over 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the best selling artists of all time. In the UK, he has had six consecutive number one albums, and his tally of 62 hit singles include 31 that reached the top 10, six of which gained the number one position. He has had 16 top ten singles in the U.S, with four of these reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2008, Billboard magazine ranked him the 17th most successful artist on the "The Billboard Hot 100 Top All-Time Artists". He was voted at #33 in Q Magazine's list of the top 100 Greatest Singers of all time, and #59 on Rolling Stone 100 Greatest Singers of all time. As a solo artist, Stewart was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, and was inducted a second time, as a member of Faces, in April 2012.
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Run DMC
Run–D.M.C. was an American hip hop group from Hollis, Queens, New York, founded by Joseph "Run" Simmons, Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels, and Jason "Jam-Master Jay" Mizell. The group is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential acts in the history of hip hop culture.
Run–D.M.C. were one of the most well-known hip hop acts in the 1980s who, along with LL Cool J, signified the advent of the new school of hip hop music. They were the first group in the genre to have a gold album (Run–D.M.C., 1984) and be nominated for a Grammy Award. They were the first to earn a platinum record (King of Rock, 1985), the first to earn a multi-platinum certification (Raising Hell, 1986) the first to have videos on MTV, the first to appear on American Bandstand and the cover of Rolling Stone. The group was among the first to highlight the importance of the MC and DJ relationship. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked them number 48 in their list of the greatest musical artists of all time.
In 2007, Run–D.M.C. was named "The Greatest Hip Hop Group of All Time" by MTV.com and "Greatest Hip Hop Artist of All Time" by VH1. On April 4, 2009, rapper Eminem inducted them into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In doing so, Run–D.M.C. became only the second hip hop group in history to be inducted, after Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five.
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Russell Mulcahy
Russell Mulcahy (born 23 June 1953 in Melbourne, Australia) is an Australian film director. Mulcahy's work is recognizable by the use of fast cuts, tracking shots and use of glowing lights.
Russell Mulcahy's career began with making early music videos while he was working for the Seven Network in Sydney, Australia. In early 1974, former radio DJ Graham Webb launched a weekly teen-oriented TV music show which screened on Sydney's ATN-7 on Saturday mornings; this was subsequently renamed Sounds Unlimited in 1975 and later shortened simply to Sounds.
In need of material for the show, Webb approached Mulcahy (who was then employed in the Seven newsroom) and asked him to shoot film footage to accompany popular songs for which there were no purpose-made clips (e.g. Harry Nilsson's "Everybody's Talkin'"). Using this method, Webb and Mulcahy assembled a collection of about 25 clips for the show. The success of his early efforts encouraged Mulcahy to quit his TV job and become a freelance director, and during this period he made clips for several popular Australian acts including Stylus, Marcia Hines, Hush and AC/DC.
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Ryan Kahn
Ryan Kahn (born November 10, 1977), known as a Career Coach and television personality. Ryan Kahn is a professional Recruiter, Career Coach, and Internship Coordinator for Dream Careers, Inc. He is the star of MTV Hired, a reality show on MTV Networks.
Kahn, a Southern California native from Newport Coast, graduated with an undergraduate degree from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. He continued his education with a focus degree in Music Business from UCLA’s Entertainment Studies program.
While attending UCLA, Ryan interned for such entertainment powerhouses as The Firm, Inc., DC Management, and the Warner Music Group, at which he was hired to work with some of music’s greats.
His success in garnering internships and passion for helping others led him to guest speaking spots at UCLA’s entertainment courses to discuss “How to Break into the Business.” Kahn continued advising young professionals by utilizing his extensive network to place hundreds of students in "dream opportunities".
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Samuel Bayer
Samuel David Bayer (born February 17, 1965) is an American commercial, music video and film director, and cinematographer.
Bayer was born in Syracuse, New York. A graduate of New York City’s School of Visual Arts in 1987 with a degree in Fine Arts, he moved to Los Angeles in 1991, and became a popular director during the alternative rock era.
He has shot and directed videos for The Strokes, Nirvana, Hole and Green Day. Bayer claims that the reason he was chosen to direct "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was because his test reel was so bad. Bayer won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Direction in 2005 and 2007.
Several of Bayer's commercials have won the Clio. Clients include Coca-Cola, Toyota, Intel, Cadillac, Acura, Nissan, Mercedes-Benz, Pepsi Cola, Lincoln Aviator, Sony, The U.S. Army and Jeep. His Nike spot won an Association of Independent Commercial Producers Award for Best Direction in 1997.
New Line Cinema and Platinum Dunes selected Bayer to helm their remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street. In March 2010, he announced this will be his only NOES film. He announced his follow-up project will either be the original film Fiasco Heights or an unannounced comic book adaptation.
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Sarah McLachlan
Sarah Ann McLachlan, OC, OBC (born January 28, 1968) is a Canadian musician, singer and songwriter. Known for her emotional ballads and mezzo-soprano vocal range, as of 2009, she has sold over 40 million albums worldwide. McLachlan's best-selling album to date is Surfacing, for which she won two Grammy Awards (out of four nominations) and four Juno Awards. In addition to her personal artistic efforts, she founded the Lilith Fair tour, which showcased female musicians. The Lilith Fair concert tours took place from 1997 to 1999, and resumed in the summer of 2010. Since 2006 she has also been known as a highly visible supporter of the ASPCA, as well as various other charities.
Sarah McLachlan was born on January 28, 1968, and adopted in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. As a child, she took voice lessons, along with studies in classical piano and guitar. When she was 17 years old and still a student at Queen Elizabeth High School, she fronted a short-lived rock band called The October Game. One of the band's songs, "Grind", credited as a group composition, can be found on the independent Flamingo Records release Out of the Fog and the CD Out of the Fog Too. It has yet to be released elsewhere. Her high school yearbook predicted that she was "destined to become a famous rock star."
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Sean Combs
Sean John Combs (born November 4, 1969), also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He was originally known as Puff Daddy and then as P. Diddy (Puff and Puffy have been used as nicknames, but never as recording names). In August 2005, he changed his stage name to simply "Diddy", but continues to use the name P. Diddy in the UK as the result of a lawsuit. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He formed and recorded with the group Diddy – Dirty Money.
Combs was born in Harlem and grew up in Mount Vernon, New York. He worked as a talent director at Uptown Records and then founded Bad Boy Records in 1993. His business interests—under the umbrella of Bad Boy Entertainment Worldwide—include Bad Boy Records, the clothing lines Sean John and "Sean by Sean Combs", a movie production company, and two restaurants. He has taken the roles of recording executive, performer, producer of MTV's Making the Band, writer, arranger, clothing designer, and Broadway actor. In 2011, Forbes estimated his net worth at $500 million, making him the richest figure in hip hop.
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Shari Redstone
Shari Ellin Redstone (born April 14, 1954) is an American businesswoman. She is the president of National Amusements, vice-chairman of CBS Corporation and Viacom, and on December 21, 2007 became chairman of Midway Games (a position she subsequently relinquished in December 2008 when her father Sumner Redstone sold all his stock in the company). Through National Amusements, Shari Redstone and her family are majority owners of CBS Corporation, Viacom, et al.
She is the daughter of Sumner Redstone and Phyllis Gloria Raphael, sister of Brent Redstone, granddaughter of Michael Redstone (who changed his name from Michael Rothstein), and a 1975 Bachelor of Science graduate of Tufts University. She also received her law degrees at Boston University School of Law in 1978 (LLB) and in 1980 (LLM).
Ms. Redstone and her father have feuded publicly over issues of corporate governance and the future of the cinema chain. Documents have been made public which verify that, as part of a settlement from Sumner's first divorce, all of Sumner's stock is in irrevocable trusts that will be left to his grandchildren. The trusts are said to make it clear that Shari Redstone, Vice-Chairwoman of the Board of Viacom and CBS, is to assume her father's role upon his death.
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Shoes (band)
Shoes are an American power pop band, formed in Zion, Illinois, in 1974 by brothers John and Jeff Murphy, and Gary Klebe and incorporating several different drummers over the years including Skip Meyer, Barry Shumaker, Ric Menck, John Richardson, and Jeff Hunter. The Murphy brothers and Klebe were high school friends and decided to form a band following graduation. At the time none of the members knew how to play an instrument so each member picked an instrument to learn and promised to reunite within one year. Within the first year the three got back together to rehearse and eventually record their first album.
In 1977 Shoes recorded the album Black Vinyl Shoes in Jeff Murphy's living room and pressed 1,000 copies on their own label, Black Vinyl Records. The album was sold at local record stores and by mail order through Bomp! magazine. Shoes then released a single "Tomorrow Night" on Bomp! Records in June 1978. Soon after that Black Vinyl Shoes was licensed to PVC Records which released the album in November 1978. The group signed to Elektra Records in April 1979 and released their first major label album, Present Tense, that September. The album peaked at number 50 on the Billboard 200 and yielded the minor hit single "Too Late" which reached number 75 on the Billboard Hot 100.
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Simon LeBon
Simon John Charles Le Bon (born 27 October 1958) is an English musician, best known as the lead singer, lyricist and musician of the band Duran Duran and its offshoot, Arcadia.
Simon John Charles Le Bon was the first born son of John Le Bon and Ann-Marie, followed by two further sons, David and Jonathan. He is descended from exiled French Huguenot stock. His mother encouraged his artistic talent when he was six years old by entering him in a screen test for a Persil washing powder TV advert; he won and starred as the little boy with the off-white shirt, but had no spoken lines.
He was a member of the local church choir from a young age, but was also trained as an actor. Simon went to Pinner County Grammar School, the same school that Elton John attended some years earlier. He worked as a theatre porter at Northwick Park Hospital Accident and Casualty, and also auditioned for a punk band at Harrow College. He appeared in a few television commercials and also in several theatre productions including Tom Brown's Schooldays in the West End of London. He worked on a kibbutz – an Israeli collective community – in the Negev desert in Israel in 1978, and then returned to England to study drama at the University of Birmingham before meeting the fledgling band Duran Duran in 1980.
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Sir-Mix-A-Lot
Anthony Ray (born August 12, 1963), better known by his stage name Sir Mix-a-Lot, is an emcee and producer based in Seattle, Washington. The founder of the Nastymix record label, he debuted in 1988 with Swass. Sir Mix-a-Lot is best known for his 1992 album Mack Daddy and its Grammy Award-winning single "Baby Got Back."
In 1986, Sir Mix-a-Lot and his DJ, Nasty Nes founded the Nastymix record label. His first hit, released in 1987, was the single "Posse on Broadway," whose title referred to a street in Seattle's Capitol Hill district. The Godzilla remix of "Posse on Broadway" contained a sample from David Bowie's 1975 hit "Fame," but neither the album version nor the original seven-inch edit version (which was used for the video) used the Bowie sample. Swass, his debut album, was released in 1988, with two other singles: "Square-Dance Rap" and a hip hop cover of the Black Sabbath song "Iron Man" backed by the band Metal Church. In 1990, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified Swass platinum for selling a million copies.
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Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. (born October 20, 1971), better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg (formerly known as Snoop Doggy Dogg), is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school. Shortly after graduation, he was arrested for cocaine possession and spent six months in Wayside County Jail. His music career began in 1992 after his release when he was discovered by Dr. Dre. He collaborated on several tracks on Dre's solo debut, The Chronic and on the titular theme song to the film Deep Cover.
Snoop's debut album Doggystyle, was released in 1993 under Death Row Records making a debut at No.1 on both the Billboard 200 and R&B charts. Selling almost a million copies in the first week of its release, Doggystyle quickly became certified 4× platinum in 1994 and spawned several hit singles, including "What's My Name" and "Gin & Juice". In 1994, Snoop released a soundtrack on Death Row Records for the short film Murder Was The Case, starring himself. In early 1996, Snoop Dogg was cleared of charges over his bodyguard's 1993 murder of Philip Woldemariam. His second album, late 1996's Tha Doggfather, also debuted at No.1 on both charts with "Snoop's Upside Ya Head" as the lead single. The album sold only half as well, being certified double platinum in 1997.
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Spike Jonze
Spike Jonze (born Adam Spiegel; October 22, 1969) is an American director, producer and actor, whose work includes music videos, commercials, film and television. He is best known for his collaborations with writer Charlie Kaufman, which include the 1999 film Being John Malkovich (that gave him an Academy Award for Best Director nomination) and the 2002 film Adaptation, and as the co-writer/director of the 2009 film Where the Wild Things Are.
He is well known also for his music video collaborations with Weezer, Beastie Boys, and Björk. He was also a co-creator and executive producer of MTV's Jackass. He is currently the creative director of VBS.tv. He is also part owner of skateboard company Girl Skateboards with riders Rick Howard and Mike Carroll.
He also co-founded Directors Label with filmmakers Chris Cunningham and Michel Gondry.
Spiegel was born in Rockville, Maryland, and raised in Bethesda, Maryland and in Gulph Mills, Pennsylvania. His father, Arthur Spiegel III, was a distant relation of the Spiegel catalog family and founded APM Management Consultants. His mother, Sandy Granzow, is a writer, communications consultant in developing countries, and artist. His brother Sam (aka Squeak E. Clean) is a producer and DJ. Jonze attended SFAI in San Francisco, California.
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Staind
Staind ( /ˈsteɪnd/ STAYND) is an American rock band that was formed in 1995 in Springfield, Massachusetts. For 16 years, the band consisted of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Aaron Lewis, lead guitarist Mike Mushok, bassist Johnny April, and drummer Jon Wysocki (who left in May 2011). To date, the band has recorded seven studio albums: Tormented (1996), Dysfunction (1999), Break the Cycle (2001), 14 Shades of Grey (2003), Chapter V (2005), The Illusion of Progress (2008), and their self-titled album (2011). The band has had five chart-topping singles and sold over 15 million records worldwide.
Staind formed on September 23, 1995 in Springfield, Massachusetts. The band met through friends and started covering KoRn, Rage Against the Machine, Pearl Jam, Tool, and Alice in Chains, among others, and played at local clubs (most commonly playing at Club Infinity) for a year and a half. Staind self-released their debut album, Tormented, in November 1996, citing influences Pantera and Machine Head. Until recently, the album was difficult to obtain, as only four thousand copies were originally sold.
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Steve Barron
Steven "Steve" Barron (born 4 May 1956) is an Irish director and producer, best known for directing the films Coneheads (1993), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) and the innovative music videos for a-ha's "Take on Me" and Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean".
He was born in Dublin, Ireland, the son of filmmaker Zelda Barron. He attended St Marylebone Grammar School. He appeared in the film if.... very briefly. He made his directorial debut in 1979 and directed many of the 1980s' most memorable music videos, including "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson, "Money for Nothing" by Dire Straits, and "Take on Me" by a-ha. Barron only made eight music videos in the early 90s and made his last music video in 1993 for David Bowie's "As the World Falls Down". In 1984, he directed the science fiction comedy Electric Dreams, and then went on to direct several episodes of the television series The Storyteller before returning to the big screen, directing films such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in 1990, The Adventures of Pinocchio in 1996, Rat in 2000 and Mike Bassett: England Manager in 2001.
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Steve Fiorilla
Steve Fiorilla (January 12, 1961 – July 29, 2009) was an American artist born in Paterson, New Jersey, who lived and worked in Buffalo, New York. Throughout his career, Fiorilla emphasized the grotesque and surreal in illustrations, sculpture and fine art. As a sculptor, he produced a variety of bizarre, malformed creatures. His film reviews appeared under the pseudonym Jacques Corédor.
Fiorilla illustrated for books and magazines (Heavy Metal, Video Games and Computer Entertainment, High Times), T-shirts, small press journals (Eegah!, Magick Theatre, Moody Street Irregulars), catalog covers (Gregg Press), fanzines (Horror from the Crypt of Fear) and mini-comics (City Scenes). One of his 1985 sculptures was featured 12 years later on a cover for the magazine Bloodsongs (1997).
He created numerous drawings and product designs for Ed "Big Daddy" Roth, including a belt buckle, T-shirts, caps, ads and catalog illustrations. Fiorilla sometimes worked in tandem with illustrator Jim McDermott, such as their collaboration for Stephen J. Spignesi's The Complete Stephen King Encyclopedia (1991).
wn.com/Steve_Fiorilla -
Steven Wright
Steven Alexander Wright (born December 6, 1955) is an American comedian, actor and writer. He is known for his distinctly lethargic voice and slow, deadpan delivery of ironic, philosophical and sometimes nonsensical jokes, paraprosdokians, and one-liners with contrived situations.
Wright was born in Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and grew up in Burlington, Massachusetts, one of four children of Lucille “Dolly” (née Lomano) and Alexander K. Wright. He was raised Catholic. His mother was Italian American and his father was of Scottish descent. Wright's father, an electronics technician who "tested a lot of stuff for the Apollo space program," became a truck driver after that program ended.
Wright spent two years obtaining an associate's degree from Middlesex Community College in Bedford, Massachusetts, before enrolling at Emerson College. He graduated from the latter in 1978 and began performing stand-up comedy in 1979 at the Boston comedy club the Comedy Connection. He cites George Carlin and Woody Allen among his influences.
wn.com/Steven_Wright -
Stevie Nicks
Stephanie Lynn "Stevie" Nicks (born May 26, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter, best known for her work with Fleetwood Mac and an extensive solo career, which collectively have produced over forty Top 50 hits and sold over 140 million albums. She has been noted for her ethereal visual style and symbolic lyrics. Nicks joined Fleetwood Mac on December 31, 1974, along with her then-boyfriend Lindsey Buckingham. Fleetwood Mac's second album after the incorporation of Nicks and Buckingham, 1977's Rumours, produced four US Top 10 singles (including Nicks's song "Dreams", which was the band's first and only US number one) and remained at No.1 on the American albums chart for 31 weeks, as well as reaching the top spot in various countries around the world. To date the album has sold over 40 million copies worldwide, making it the eighth best-selling album of all time.
Nicks began her solo career in 1981 with the 8 million selling album Bella Donna, and she has produced six more solo studio albums to date. Her seventh solo studio album entitled In Your Dreams, and her first in ten years, was produced largely by Dave Stewart of Eurythmics fame and Glen Ballard and was released on May 3, 2011. After the release of her first solo album, Rolling Stone deemed her "The Reigning Queen of Rock and Roll". Having overcome cocaine addiction, and dependency on tranquilizers, Nicks remains a popular solo performer. As a solo artist, she has garnered eight Grammy Award nominations and, with Fleetwood Mac, a further five, of which one was the 1978 award for Album of the Year for Rumours, which they won. As a member of Fleetwood Mac, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. Nicks is known for her distintive voice, mystical visual style and symbolic lyrics as well as the famous (sometimes tense) chemistry between herself and former boyfriend and guitarist/vocalist in Fleetwood Mac, Lindsey Buckingham.
wn.com/Stevie_Nicks -
Sting (musician)
Gordon Matthew Thomas SumnerCBE (born October 2, 1951), known by his stage name Sting, is an English musician, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, activist, actor and philanthropist, born on 2 October 1951. Prior to starting his solo career, he was the principal songwriter, lead singer and bassist of the New Wave band The Police.
Sting has varied his musical style throughout his career, incorporating distinct elements of jazz, reggae, classical, New Age, and worldbeat into his music. As a solo musician and member of The Police, Sting has received sixteen Grammy Awards for his work, receiving his first Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental Performance in 1981, three Brit Awards — winning Best British Male in 1994, a Golden Globe, an Emmy Award, and several Oscar nominations for Best Original Song. He is a member of both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Sting was born in Wallsend, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, the eldest of four children born to Audrey (née Cowell), a hairdresser, and Ernest Matthew Sumner, a milkman and engineer. His siblings were Philip, Angela and Anita. Young Gordon would often assist his father with the early-morning milk-delivery rounds, and by age 10 he became obsessed with an old Spanish guitar that had been left behind by an emigrating friend of his father.
wn.com/Sting_(musician) -
Ted Turner
Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III (born November 19, 1938) is an American media mogul and philanthropist. As a businessman, he is known as founder of the cable news network CNN, the first dedicated 24-hour cable news channel. In addition, he founded WTBS, which pioneered the superstation concept in cable television. As a philanthropist, he is known for his $1 billion gift to support UN causes, which created the United Nations Foundation, a public charity to broaden support for the UN. Turner serves as Chairman of the United Nations Foundation board of directors.
Turner's media empire began with his father's billboard business, which he took over at 24 after his father's suicide. The business, Turner Outdoor Advertising, was worth $1 million when Turner took it over in 1963. Purchase of an Atlanta UHF station in 1970 began the Turner Broadcasting System. Cable News Network revolutionized news media, covering the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster in 1986 and the Persian Gulf War in 1991. Turner turned the Atlanta Braves baseball team into a nationally popular franchise and launched the charitable Goodwill Games. He helped reinvent interest in professional wrestling when he owned one of the most popular wrestling companies of the middle to late 1990s known as World Championship Wrestling (WCW). The Monday night show that it put on was the highest rated on cable and helped boost Turner's channels of TNT and WTBS.
wn.com/Ted_Turner -
The Crystal Method
The Crystal Method is an American electronic music duo that was created in Las Vegas, Nevada by Ken Jordan and Scott Kirkland in the early 1990s. The Crystal Method's music has appeared in numerous TV shows, films, video games, and advertisements. Their best-selling album, Vegas, was certified platinum in 2007.
The Crystal Method is made up of two members, Ken Jordan and Scott Kirkland. Before The Crystal Method was formed, Ken and Scott started working on music while working at the grocery store and while Ken was a local DJ in Las Vegas as well as the college radio program director at UNLV. Ken taught Scott how to DJ, and when Ken moved to L.A. to work for a producer, Scott took over his job DJ'ing at the local club. Scott would follow Ken out to L.A., and they formed The Crystal Method in 1993.
By the early '90s, both Ken and Scott had moved from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. Ken Jordan and Scott Kirkland bought a house together, in Glendale, California, which had a small underground shelter beneath the front lawn. Originally intending to turn the shelter into a studio, it proved to be an unrealistic idea and the duo set up a studio in their house (which was located under a Los Angeles Overpass. They subsequently named their studio The Bomb Shelter.The Crystal Method (interview) (1999). Better Living Through Circuitry (Motion picture). United States: Cleopatra Pictures. http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0207998/.
wn.com/The_Crystal_Method -
The Cure
The Cure are an English alternative rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member. The Cure first began releasing music in the late 1970s with its debut album Three Imaginary Boys (1979); this, along with several early singles, placed the band as part of the post-punk and New Wave movements that had sprung up in the wake of the punk rock revolution in the United Kingdom. During the early 1980s, the band's increasingly dark and tormented music helped form the gothic rock genre.
After the release of Pornography (1982), the band's future was uncertain and Smith was keen to move past the gloomy reputation his band had acquired. With the 1982 single "Let's Go to Bed" Smith began to place a pop sensibility into the band's music (as well as a unique stage look). The Cure's popularity increased as the decade wore on, especially in the United States where the songs "Just Like Heaven", "Lovesong" and "Friday I'm in Love" entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart. By the start of the 1990s, The Cure were one of the most popular alternative rock bands in the world. The band is estimated to have sold 27 million albums as of 2004. The Cure have released thirteen studio albums, 10 EPs and over thirty singles during the course of their career. Since 2010, they have been working on a fourteenth studio album.
wn.com/The_Cure -
Thomas E. Dooley
Thomas E. Dooley is chief operating officer of Viacom. He was named COO in May 2010. He had previously held the position of senior executive vice president, chief financial officer and chief administrative officer.
Dooley received a Bachelor of Science degree from St. John's University in New York City in 1978 and an Master of Business Administration from the New York University Stern School of Business in 1984.
Dooley joined Viacom Inc., a predecessor of the current Viacom, in 1980. He held various divisional and corporate positions, including Senior Vice President, Corporate Development; President, Interactive Television; and Vice President, Finance, and Treasurer, as well as Deputy Chairman. He was also a member of Viacom's Executive Committee, holding the title of Executive Vice President, Finance, Corporate Development and Communications. He also served as a member of the former Viacom Inc. board from 1996 to 2000.
Dooley was co-chairman and chief executive officer of DND Capital Partners, a private equity firm specializing in media and telecommunications investments, from May 2000 until September 2006. He returned to Viacom in 2006, serving on Viacom's board of directors at the start of that year.
wn.com/Thomas_E._Dooley -
Tila Tequila
Tila Nguyen (born October 24, 1981), better known by her stage names Tila Tequila and Miss Tila, is an American model and television personality. She is known for her appearances in the men's magazines Stuff, Maxim, Penthouse, her role as host of the Fuse TV show featuring performance striptease, Pants-Off Dance-Off and her position as the most popular artist on MySpace (according to page views) circa April 2006, along with Jeffree Star. She was raised in Houston, Texas, and now lives in Los Angeles, California. Her MTV reality show A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila aired for two seasons.
Nguyen was born in Singapore, where her family emigrated from Vietnam after the Vietnam War. Her mother is of half French descent, while her father is full Vietnamese. Her siblings are Daniel and Terri. When she was one year old, the family relocated to a neighborhood in Houston, Texas and were eventually admitted to a gated community run by a strict Buddhist temple. The family left the community when Nguyen was eight.
wn.com/Tila_Tequila -
Tina Turner
Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939) is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards. Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. Success followed with a string of hits including "River Deep, Mountain High" and the 1971 hit "Proud Mary". With the publication of her autobiography I, Tina (1986), Turner revealed severe instances of spousal abuse against her by Ike Turner prior to their 1976 split and subsequent 1978 divorce. After virtually disappearing from the music scene for several years following her divorce from Ike Turner, she rebuilt her career, launching a string of hits beginning in 1983 with the single "Let's Stay Together" and the 1984 release of her fifth solo album Private Dancer.
Her musical career led to film roles, beginning with a prominent role as The Acid Queen in the 1975 film Tommy, and an appearance in Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. She starred opposite Mel Gibson as Aunty Entity in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome for which she received the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture, and her version of the film's theme, "We Don't Need Another Hero", was a hit single. She appeared in the 1993 film Last Action Hero.
wn.com/Tina_Turner -
Tom Petty
Thomas Earl "Tom" Petty (born October 20, 1950) is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is the frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and was a founding member of the late 1980s supergroup Traveling Wilburys and Mudcrutch. He has also performed under the pseudonyms of Charlie T. Wilbury, Jr. and Muddy Wilbury.
He has recorded a number of hit singles with the Heartbreakers and as a solo artist, many of which remain heavily played on adult contemporary and classic rock radio. His music, and notably his hits, have become popular among younger generations as he continues to host sold-out shows. Throughout his career, Petty and his collaborators have sold 60 million albums.
Tom Petty was born and raised in Gainesville, Florida, and attended Gainesville High School. His interest in rock and roll music began at age 10 when he met Elvis Presley. In the summer of 1961, his uncle was working on the set of Presley's film Follow That Dream in nearby Ocala, Florida and invited Petty to come down and watch the shoot. He instantly became an Elvis Presley fan and soon traded his Wham-O slingshot for a box of Elvis 45s. In a 2006 interview on the National Public Radio program Fresh Air, Petty said that he knew he wanted to be in a band the moment he saw The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show. One of his first guitar teachers was Don Felder, a fellow Gainesville resident, who would later join the Eagles. As a young man, Petty worked briefly on the grounds crew for the University of Florida, but never attended as a student. An Ogeechee lime tree that he planted while employed at the University is now called the Tom Petty tree.
wn.com/Tom_Petty -
Tori Amos
Tori Amos (born Myra Ellen Amos; August 22, 1963) is an American pianist, singer-songwriter and composer. Amos originally served as the lead singer of 1980s synthpop group Y Kant Tori Read, and as a solo artist was at the forefront of a number of female singer-songwriters in the early 1990s. She was also noteworthy early in her solo career as one of the few alternative rock performers to use a piano as her primary instrument. Some of her charting singles include "Crucify", "Silent All These Years", "God", "Cornflake Girl", "Caught a Lite Sneeze", "Professional Widow", "Spark", "1000 Oceans", and "A Sorta Fairytale", her most commercially successful single in the U.S. to date.
As of 2005, Amos had sold 12 million albums worldwide. She has been nominated for 8 Grammy Awards. Amos was also named one of People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People in 1996.
Amos was born in Newton, North Carolina. When she was two, her family moved to Baltimore, Maryland, where she began to play the piano. By age five, she had begun composing instrumental pieces on piano and, while living in Rockville, Maryland, she won a full scholarship to the Preparatory Division of the Peabody Conservatory of Music. Her scholarship was discontinued at age 11 and she was asked to leave. Amos has asserted that she lost the scholarship because of her interest in rock and popular music, coupled with her dislike for reading from sheet music. In 1972, The Amos family moved to Silver Spring, Maryland, where her father, Reverend Edison Amos, became pastor of the Good Shepherd United Methodist church. At the age of 13 she began playing at gay bars and piano bars, chaperoned by her father.
wn.com/Tori_Amos -
Tupac Shakur
Tupac Amaru Shakur (June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), known by his stage names 2Pac, Pac, and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. Shakur has sold over 75 million records worldwide as of 2010, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world. Rolling Stone Magazine named him the 86th Greatest Artist of All Time. The themes of most of Tupac's songs are the violence and hardship in inner cities, racism, social problems, and conflicts with other rappers during the East Coast–West Coast hip hop rivalry. Shakur began his career as a roadie, backup dancer, and MC for the alternative hip hop group Digital Underground.
Both of his parents and several other family members were members of the Black Panthers, and Tupac made reference to the organization in the song "Changes". Shakur was involved in a West-coast East-coast rivalry after a major feud with East-coast rappers, producers and record-label members of staff.
On September 7, 1996, Shakur was shot four times in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was taken to the University Medical Center, where he died six days later.
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Ultravox
Ultravox are a British New Wave rock band. They were one of the primary exponents of the British electronic pop music movement of the late 1970s/early 1980s. The band was particularly associated with the New Romantic and New Wave movements.
The band have been led by two different frontmen who never played together in the band at the same time. From 1974 until 1979, John Foxx was frontman and main driving force behind Ultravox. Foxx left the band to embark on a solo career. Following Foxx's departure, with the three remaining members in hiatus, Midge Ure took over as lead singer, guitarist, and frontman. Ure revitalised the band and drove it to commercial success lasting until the middle 1980s when the New Romantic and New Wave music scenes waned. Ure left the band in 1987 after establishing a solo career and the group disbanded for a while. A new line-up, led by sole original band member keyboard player/violinist Billy Currie, were formed in 1992, but achieved little success. The band's best-known line-up of Currie, bassist Chris Cross, drummer Warren Cann and Ure reformed in 2008 and have toured together since.
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Walter Yetnikoff
Walter Yetnikoff (Born August 11, 1933, Brooklyn, New York) is a former music executive, CEO and lawyer.
Yetnikoff has retired and gone on to write his memoirs, Howling at the Moon (published in 2004). During his career at CBS, he influenced the careers of Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen and Barbra Streisand.
Yetnikoff was born in Brooklyn and graduated magna cum laude from Brooklyn College in 1953, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. After earning his law degree at Columbia University, he joined the Rosenman & Colin law firm, which represented CBS Records. He then joined the CBS/Columbia Records law department in 1962 and rose to become head of the department. When Clive Davis was sacked by CBS for minor financial impropriety in 1973, and the legendary CBS executive Goddard Lieberson retired in 1975 , Yetnikoff was promoted to President of CBS Records Group and a vice president of CBS Inc., a position he held until September 1990. During his time as President of CBS Records, Yetnikoff oversaw the creation of the most profitable and prestigious stable of artists in music history such as Michael Jackson, George Michael, Barbra Streisand, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Cyndi Lauper, Meat Loaf, Boston, Living Colour and Public Enemy. .
wn.com/Walter_Yetnikoff -
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American recording artist, actress, producer, and model. In 2009, the Guinness World Records cited her as the most-awarded female act of all-time. Houston was one of the world's best-selling music artists, having sold over 170 million albums, singles and videos worldwide. She released seven studio albums and three movie soundtrack albums, all of which have diamond, multi-platinum, platinum or gold certification. Houston's crossover appeal on the popular music charts, as well as her prominence on MTV, starting with her video for "How Will I Know", influenced several African American female artists to follow in her footsteps.
Houston is the only artist to chart seven consecutive No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hits. She is the second artist behind Elton John and the only female artist to have two number-one Billboard 200 Album awards (formerly "Top Pop Album") on the Billboard magazine year-end charts. Houston's 1985 debut album Whitney Houston became the best-selling debut album by a female act at the time of its release. The album was named Rolling Stone's best album of 1986, and was ranked at number 254 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Her second studio album Whitney (1987) became the first album by a female artist to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 albums chart.
wn.com/Whitney_Houston
karaoke
I was driving through the night
Into an endless tunnel of fog
When it dawned on me something was wrong
I was in a trance, hypnotized
Bored beyond belief, I was listening to the same old song
I know every lick, every word every nuance
I'm on first name terms with the crew
But I'd better get used to this poop du jour
Sure as hell they won't play anything new
Oh yes, I love you really
Classic Rock Radio
Oh, my dear it's time for bed
Time for you to go
Everyone is asleep
The pirates took to the water stole the charts
But sadly that didn't go down well with those upstairs
Who require loyalty, the establishment considered
That the uncontrolled appreciation of music
Was a danger to royalty, the mighty empire roared
As Cash 'n' Everitt on the high seas
Looked like they'd get blown out of the water
They did of course eventually come ashore
As meek as mice or to be more accurate as lambs to the slaughter
Oh yes, I love you really
I stand to attention
Oh, Fanny, I love you dearly
Something else I should mention?
You sweet thing
Let's not talk about MTV
I don't even want to start
I want to take a look at Classic Rock Radio
We're talking about the state of the art
Mr Grover 'n' Mr Gillian
You musta made a million
The night that Frank Zappa caught on fire
Could you tell us all about it
Keep it short and use my version
Or everyone out there'll think I'm a liar
We can speak about bananas for one second
Just because I understand
You have to get them off your chest
But in the meantime while you're talking
Could you do some more of these here ID's
And then this station might maintain some interest
Oh yes, I love you dearly
But why do you exist?
Oh yes, I love you really
RELEASE
ALBUMS
- Chào buổi sáng
- Và cũng như yêu
- Chờ em
- Đê mê
- Con hạc giấy
- Tình yêu bắt đầu
- Hãy sống vì hòa bình
- Chàng hát rong
- Vô tình
- Ảo ảnh
- Uớc mơ trong đời
- Rock Sài Gòn
- Tình xa
- Hát với chú ve con
- Em sẽ quay về
- Yêu đời
- Ước mơ cho ngày mai
- Thiên thần nhỏ bé
- Hãy quên
- Sóng tình
- Trái tim mồ côi
- Tôi muốn biết vì sao?
- Vòng tay bình yên
- Hoài xuân
- Có em bên đời
- Ký ức
- Nhạt phai (feat. Tiến Đạt)
- Tại sao? (feat. Tiến Đạt)
- Can't Help Falling in Love
- Tôi muốn nhìn mưa rơi
- Lời trái tim hát
- Football No.1
- Thiên đường tìm đâu
- Phía trước là con đường
- Ước mơ cho ngày mai
- Phiên khúc số 2
- Hãy đến với anh
- Chuyện nhỏ
- In the Still of the Night
- Người con gái khóc (DJ Phat P remix version)
- Chim câu ngực gầy
- Phiên khúc số 2
- Huyền thoại
- Đàn trăng
- Football No.1
- Phiên khúc số 1
- Sóng tình
- Vẫn nhớ cuộc đời
- Rêu phong
- Hẹn lòng đi nhé
- Ngôi sao nhỏ nhoi
- Người con gái khóc
- Xin đừng quên tôi
- Áo xanh
- Buồn ơi ngủ yên
- Giọt đàn thạch sanh
- Căn phòng trống
- Nụ hoa trắng
- Như là tình yêu
- Thị trấn mùa đông
- Trống cơm
- Người ra đi
Born: 2000-02-10
Died: 2007-08-31
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Why Doesn't MTV Play Music Videos Anymore?
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:43
- Updated: 04 Dec 2012
In this installment of "Ask A Network Head," Natalie asks the head of programming at MTV why they stopped playing music videos. And gets a fun answer! Yay!
http://wn.com/Why_Doesn't_MTV_Play_Music_Videos_Anymore?
In this installment of "Ask A Network Head," Natalie asks the head of programming at MTV why they stopped playing music videos. And gets a fun answer! Yay!
Kevin Hart, Kanye West Kim Kardashians MTV VMA Commercial
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:01
- Updated: 04 Dec 2012
SUBSCRIBE & You will see NEW FUNNY Exclusive FOOTAGE! tinyurl.com Follow me on Twitter for NEW Videos : twitter.com Don't forget to send in youre vids to Omaidnadi@gmail.com "VMAs' Hottest New Couple: Kevin, Kanye & Kim" - MTV Kevin Hart, Kanye West & Kim Kardashian's MTV VMA Commercial
http://wn.com/Kevin_Hart,_Kanye_West_Kim_Kardashians_MTV_VMA_Commercial
SUBSCRIBE & You will see NEW FUNNY Exclusive FOOTAGE! tinyurl.com Follow me on Twitter for NEW Videos : twitter.com Don't forget to send in youre vids to Omaidnadi@gmail.com "VMAs' Hottest New Couple: Kevin, Kanye & Kim" - MTV Kevin Hart, Kanye West & Kim Kardashian's MTV VMA Commercial
- published: 08 Aug 2012
- views: 1036320
- author: TheGoldenMasta
Michael Jackson - 1995 - MTV Video Music Awards Performance 1. - HQ
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 10:42
- Updated: 04 Dec 2012
Don't stop till you get enough; The way you make me feel; Scream; Beat it; Black or White; Billie Jean; Dangerous; Smooth Criminal
http://wn.com/Michael_Jackson_1995_MTV_Video_Music_Awards_Performance_1_HQ
Don't stop till you get enough; The way you make me feel; Scream; Beat it; Black or White; Billie Jean; Dangerous; Smooth Criminal
- published: 27 Jul 2009
- views: 690109
- author: dori horvath
Matrix Reloaded MTV Parody
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 9:41
- Updated: 04 Dec 2012
parody of the matrix reloaded
http://wn.com/Matrix_Reloaded_MTV_Parody
parody of the matrix reloaded
- published: 24 Sep 2007
- views: 4116311
- author: duffman423
MTV EMA 2011 Promo
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:42
- Updated: 04 Dec 2012
Tune in Sunday, November 6 to watch Selena Gomez host the 2011 MTV EMA from Belfast, Northern Ireland!
http://wn.com/MTV_EMA_2011_Promo
Tune in Sunday, November 6 to watch Selena Gomez host the 2011 MTV EMA from Belfast, Northern Ireland!
- published: 19 Oct 2011
- views: 9017496
- author: SelGomez
MTV Cribs Manny Pacquiao
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:07
- Updated: 04 Dec 2012
The Greatest Boxer of all time. Manny "PacMan" Pacquiao. Live on his home in Cali with MTV CRIBS. PHILIPPINES!!!
http://wn.com/MTV_Cribs_Manny_Pacquiao
The Greatest Boxer of all time. Manny "PacMan" Pacquiao. Live on his home in Cali with MTV CRIBS. PHILIPPINES!!!
- published: 06 Feb 2011
- views: 251960
- author: ChrizMatik
Eric Clapton - MTV Unplugged FULL concert - HQ
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 64:42
- Updated: 04 Dec 2012
16 January 1992 at Bray Film Studios in Windsor, England for MTV Unplugged "Signe" (Clapton) -- 0:0 "Before You Accuse Me" (McDaniel) -- 3:14 "Hey Hey" (Broonzy) -- 7:12 "Tears in Heaven" (Clapton/Jennings) -- 10:41 "Lonely Stranger" (Clapton) -- 15:55 "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out" (Cox) -- 21:20 "Layla" (Clapton/Gordon) -- 25:10 "Running on Faith" (Williams) -- 29:39 "Walkin' Blues" (Johnson) -- 36:05 "Alberta" (Traditional) -- 40:00 "San Francisco Bay Blues" (Fuller) -- 44:55 "Malted Milk" (Johnson) -- 48:20 "Old Love" (Clapton/Cray) -- 52:00 "Rollin' and Tumblin'" (Waters) -- 59:35
http://wn.com/Eric_Clapton_MTV_Unplugged_FULL_concert_HQ
16 January 1992 at Bray Film Studios in Windsor, England for MTV Unplugged "Signe" (Clapton) -- 0:0 "Before You Accuse Me" (McDaniel) -- 3:14 "Hey Hey" (Broonzy) -- 7:12 "Tears in Heaven" (Clapton/Jennings) -- 10:41 "Lonely Stranger" (Clapton) -- 15:55 "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out" (Cox) -- 21:20 "Layla" (Clapton/Gordon) -- 25:10 "Running on Faith" (Williams) -- 29:39 "Walkin' Blues" (Johnson) -- 36:05 "Alberta" (Traditional) -- 40:00 "San Francisco Bay Blues" (Fuller) -- 44:55 "Malted Milk" (Johnson) -- 48:20 "Old Love" (Clapton/Cray) -- 52:00 "Rollin' and Tumblin'" (Waters) -- 59:35
- published: 10 Jun 2012
- views: 1272538
- author: manyacapo12
Ludacris - Act A Fool (MTV Version)
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:36
- Updated: 04 Dec 2012
Music video by Ludacris performing Act A Fool. (C) 2003 The Island Def Jam Music Group
http://wn.com/Ludacris_Act_A_Fool_MTV_Version
Music video by Ludacris performing Act A Fool. (C) 2003 The Island Def Jam Music Group
- published: 21 Nov 2009
- views: 14677124
- author: LudacrisVEVO
Nirvana MTV Unplugged REHEARSAL - Full
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 22:35
- Updated: 04 Dec 2012
11/18/93 - Sony Music Studios (MTV Unplugged rehearsal), New York, NY Set: Come As You Are • Come As You Are • About A Girl • About A Girl • The Man Who Sold The World • The Man Who Sold The World • The Man Who Sold The World • Polly • Dumb • Pennyroyal Tea • Pennyroyal Tea (part of) • Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam • Plateau • Lake Of Fire • Oh, Me • Oh, Me • Plateau • All Apologies The rehearsal was reportedly about three hours long, a large portion of which was spent checking sound and tuning. Curt and Cris Kirkwood from the Meat Puppets joined the band onstage for the three Meat Puppets songs ("Plateau," "Lake Of Fire," and "Oh, Me"). Curt played guitar, and Cris played bass and sang backup vocals. Two versions of "Oh, Me" were rehearsed. - NLG Includes only "Come As You Are" (first take), "Polly," "Plateau" (second take), "Pennyroyal Tea" (both takes), and "The Man Who Sold The World" (one take). "Pennyroyal Tea" (second take) cuts in.
http://wn.com/Nirvana_MTV_Unplugged_REHEARSAL_Full
11/18/93 - Sony Music Studios (MTV Unplugged rehearsal), New York, NY Set: Come As You Are • Come As You Are • About A Girl • About A Girl • The Man Who Sold The World • The Man Who Sold The World • The Man Who Sold The World • Polly • Dumb • Pennyroyal Tea • Pennyroyal Tea (part of) • Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam • Plateau • Lake Of Fire • Oh, Me • Oh, Me • Plateau • All Apologies The rehearsal was reportedly about three hours long, a large portion of which was spent checking sound and tuning. Curt and Cris Kirkwood from the Meat Puppets joined the band onstage for the three Meat Puppets songs ("Plateau," "Lake Of Fire," and "Oh, Me"). Curt played guitar, and Cris played bass and sang backup vocals. Two versions of "Oh, Me" were rehearsed. - NLG Includes only "Come As You Are" (first take), "Polly," "Plateau" (second take), "Pennyroyal Tea" (both takes), and "The Man Who Sold The World" (one take). "Pennyroyal Tea" (second take) cuts in.
- published: 24 Jul 2011
- views: 1300747
- author: Thijs3FM
Jabawockeez - Devastating Stereo - ABDC6 Finale @ The 2011 MTV Movie Awards
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 6:52
- Updated: 04 Dec 2012
jabawockeez perform on the abd6 finale on 2011 mtv movie awards
http://wn.com/Jabawockeez_Devastating_Stereo_ABDC6_Finale_@_The_2011_MTV_Movie_Awards
jabawockeez perform on the abd6 finale on 2011 mtv movie awards
- published: 06 Jun 2011
- views: 788847
- author: CDplayABDC6
PSY brings "Gangnam Style" to MTV VMAs 2012
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:10
- Updated: 03 Dec 2012
Psy is hitting the US by signing with Scooter Braun's Schoolboy Records and appearing at the Video Music Awards. Subscribe to Fuse: bit.ly And don't forget to follow Fuse on... Website: www.fuse.tv Twitter twitter.com Facebook: www.facebook.com
http://wn.com/PSY_brings_Gangnam_Style_to_MTV_VMAs_2012
Psy is hitting the US by signing with Scooter Braun's Schoolboy Records and appearing at the Video Music Awards. Subscribe to Fuse: bit.ly And don't forget to follow Fuse on... Website: www.fuse.tv Twitter twitter.com Facebook: www.facebook.com
- published: 05 Sep 2012
- views: 462092
- author: fuse
Madonna - Vogue - MTV Awards 1990
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 6:25
- Updated: 04 Dec 2012
Madonna performs Vogue at the MTV Awards - 1990
http://wn.com/Madonna_Vogue_MTV_Awards_1990
Madonna performs Vogue at the MTV Awards - 1990
- published: 18 Nov 2010
- views: 2187123
- author: madonna
One Direction win three awards at the MTV VMAs in LA and perform One Thing
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:26
- Updated: 04 Dec 2012
One Direction ruled the night at the MTV VMAs winning Best New Act, Best Pop Video and Most Share-Worthy Video and kisses from Katy Perry. Report by Jonathan Pascoe. Subscribe to ITN! www.youtube.com More amazing video of One Direction: One Direction comic book released: youtu.be One Direction and Little Mix lead new X Factor promo video: youtu.be One Direction turning 3D: youtu.be One Drection's acting debut on iCarly: youtu.be Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com
http://wn.com/One_Direction_win_three_awards_at_the_MTV_VMAs_in_LA_and_perform_One_Thing
One Direction ruled the night at the MTV VMAs winning Best New Act, Best Pop Video and Most Share-Worthy Video and kisses from Katy Perry. Report by Jonathan Pascoe. Subscribe to ITN! www.youtube.com More amazing video of One Direction: One Direction comic book released: youtu.be One Direction and Little Mix lead new X Factor promo video: youtu.be One Direction turning 3D: youtu.be One Drection's acting debut on iCarly: youtu.be Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com
- published: 07 Sep 2012
- views: 486506
- author: itn
Nicki Minaj - Moment 4 Life (MTV Version) ft. Drake
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:42
- Updated: 04 Dec 2012
Nicki Minaj's new album 'Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded' is out now! Buy it here: smarturl.it/Pinkfridayexplicit
http://wn.com/Nicki_Minaj_Moment_4_Life_MTV_Version_ft_Drake
Nicki Minaj's new album 'Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded' is out now! Buy it here: smarturl.it/Pinkfridayexplicit
- published: 10 Feb 2011
- views: 7500817
- author: NickiMinajAtVEVO
2011 MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS: BEYONCE, KATY PERRY, BRITNEY SPEARS, LADY GAGA, ADELE RULE
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:09
- Updated: 24 Nov 2012
Despite the performance by Kanye West and Jay-Z and Lady Gaga dressed as her male alter-ego, Joe, the 2011 MTV VMAs were all about the females. It was a big night for Britney Spears, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Adele, Nicki Minaj, and Beyonce -- who announced she was pregnant.
http://wn.com/2011_MTV_VIDEO_MUSIC_AWARDS_BEYONCE,_KATY_PERRY,_BRITNEY_SPEARS,_LADY_GAGA,_ADELE_RULE
Despite the performance by Kanye West and Jay-Z and Lady Gaga dressed as her male alter-ego, Joe, the 2011 MTV VMAs were all about the females. It was a big night for Britney Spears, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Adele, Nicki Minaj, and Beyonce -- who announced she was pregnant.
- published: 29 Aug 2011
- views: 4613929
- author: ArtisanNewsService
P Diddy & Usher & Ginuwine & Busta Rhymes & Pharrel Mtv Video Music Awards 2002
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:17
- Updated: 04 Dec 2012
Vma best perfomance !! HIGH QUALITY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄMMMMMMMMM
http://wn.com/P_Diddy_Usher_Ginuwine_Busta_Rhymes_Pharrel_Mtv_Video_Music_Awards_2002
Vma best perfomance !! HIGH QUALITY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄMMMMMMMMM
- published: 27 Jul 2009
- views: 827421
- author: ZorLuuo6
MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS 2012 WRAP - ONE DIRECTION, RIHANNA WIN BIG
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:16
- Updated: 03 Dec 2012
In what in hindsight seems to be a santized version of the MTV Video Music Awards, there were no sparks even between Chris Brown and Drake, while Green Day was in playing shape after sickness, One Direction wins big and Rihanna wins Video Of The Year.
http://wn.com/MTV_VIDEO_MUSIC_AWARDS_2012_WRAP_ONE_DIRECTION,_RIHANNA_WIN_BIG
In what in hindsight seems to be a santized version of the MTV Video Music Awards, there were no sparks even between Chris Brown and Drake, while Green Day was in playing shape after sickness, One Direction wins big and Rihanna wins Video Of The Year.
- published: 07 Sep 2012
- views: 269101
- author: ArtisanNewsService
2012 MTV VMA Performances: Taylor Swift, Demi Lovato, Pink, Rihanna
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:53
- Updated: 02 Dec 2012
bit.ly - See full list of winners & photos! Bit.ly - Click to Subscribe! Facebook.com - Become a Fan! www.teen.com - For more VMA coverage! Dana Ward, Misty Kingma and Joslyn Davis chat all about the peformance highlights from the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards including Taylor Swift, Demi Lovato, and Pink.
http://wn.com/2012_MTV_VMA_Performances_Taylor_Swift,_Demi_Lovato,_Pink,_Rihanna
bit.ly - See full list of winners & photos! Bit.ly - Click to Subscribe! Facebook.com - Become a Fan! www.teen.com - For more VMA coverage! Dana Ward, Misty Kingma and Joslyn Davis chat all about the peformance highlights from the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards including Taylor Swift, Demi Lovato, and Pink.
- published: 07 Sep 2012
- views: 1289739
- author: clevverTV
Kristen Stewart Makeout- 2012 MTV Movie Awards Highlights
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 6:33
- Updated: 03 Dec 2012
We bring you the Top 2012 MTV Movie Awards highlights from the show! The new Perks of Being a Wallflower trailer premiere, Kristen Stewart accepting 'Best Kiss' solo, and big wins for The Hunger Games! Hosted by: Dana Ward & Joslyn Davis
http://wn.com/Kristen_Stewart_Makeout_2012_MTV_Movie_Awards_Highlights
We bring you the Top 2012 MTV Movie Awards highlights from the show! The new Perks of Being a Wallflower trailer premiere, Kristen Stewart accepting 'Best Kiss' solo, and big wins for The Hunger Games! Hosted by: Dana Ward & Joslyn Davis
- published: 04 Jun 2012
- views: 479396
- author: clevverTV
OFFICIAL Breaking Dawn Trailer On MTV Movie Awards (HD) 05.06.2011
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:59
- Updated: 04 Dec 2012
"Breaking Dawn Trailer Official 2011" "The first Official Breaking Dawn (Part 1) Trailer shown 5th June 2011 at the MTV Movie Awards. This clip (and the film it represents) remains the copyright property of Summit Entertainment, LLC. All rights remain with Summit, for more information please visit: www.summit-ent.com/ . To visit the Official "Breaking Dawn" Movie website visit: www.BreakingDawn-TheMovie.com . To watch the trailer again please visit The Internet Movie Database Webpage here: www.imdb.com/breakingdawn ." I - the author of the YouTube channel "/sweetassugarcandy" - accept that I own no rights or property to this video. The above text is constructed by myself (the author) and applies to the video shown on this page (youtu.be only, and no other page. Sgnd: MH110806.
http://wn.com/OFFICIAL_Breaking_Dawn_Trailer_On_MTV_Movie_Awards_HD_05062011
"Breaking Dawn Trailer Official 2011" "The first Official Breaking Dawn (Part 1) Trailer shown 5th June 2011 at the MTV Movie Awards. This clip (and the film it represents) remains the copyright property of Summit Entertainment, LLC. All rights remain with Summit, for more information please visit: www.summit-ent.com/ . To visit the Official "Breaking Dawn" Movie website visit: www.BreakingDawn-TheMovie.com . To watch the trailer again please visit The Internet Movie Database Webpage here: www.imdb.com/breakingdawn ." I - the author of the YouTube channel "/sweetassugarcandy" - accept that I own no rights or property to this video. The above text is constructed by myself (the author) and applies to the video shown on this page (youtu.be only, and no other page. Sgnd: MH110806.
- published: 05 Jun 2011
- views: 11365061
- author: sweetassugarcandy
MTV Bakra - Episode 1
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:18
- Updated: 18 Nov 2012
Aspiring model Sasha does the 'cat walk' at a restaurant. www.mtvindia.com
http://wn.com/MTV_Bakra_Episode_1
Aspiring model Sasha does the 'cat walk' at a restaurant. www.mtvindia.com
- published: 01 Jun 2011
- views: 19098
- author: mtvindia
![[MTV Live HD] W0rld Stage Big Bang part 1](http://web.archive.org./web/20121204232752im_/http://i.ytimg.com/vi/yLO__A5dZEs/default.jpg "[MTV Live HD] W0rld Stage Big Bang part 1")
[MTV Live HD] W0rld Stage Big Bang part 1
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 12:52
- Updated: 04 Dec 2012
part 2 - vk.com part 2 - www.dailymotion.com «World Stage» - is a program dedicated to live performances of artists world-class. Transfer with Big Bang includes shooting performances of the songs fifth mini-album, ALIVE, as well as the cutting of old guys performances. At the beginning of the song between the Fantastic Baby and Bad Boy those are small. problems ^ ^ There was a remote connection, I had to paste the clip: ( Yesterday (04.05.2012) was broadcast on cable television - MTV Live HD at 1:00 Moscow time. @kimint (KpucTuHka89) www.vipbigbang.ru Copyright in the movie belong to the inserted: www.youtube.com
http://wn.com/_MTV_Live_HD_W0rld_Stage_Big_Bang_part_1
part 2 - vk.com part 2 - www.dailymotion.com «World Stage» - is a program dedicated to live performances of artists world-class. Transfer with Big Bang includes shooting performances of the songs fifth mini-album, ALIVE, as well as the cutting of old guys performances. At the beginning of the song between the Fantastic Baby and Bad Boy those are small. problems ^ ^ There was a remote connection, I had to paste the clip: ( Yesterday (04.05.2012) was broadcast on cable television - MTV Live HD at 1:00 Moscow time. @kimint (KpucTuHka89) www.vipbigbang.ru Copyright in the movie belong to the inserted: www.youtube.com
- published: 05 May 2012
- views: 242652
- author: KpucTuHka89
2012 MTV VMA Prediction Show: Best Female & Male Video
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 7:04
- Updated: 21 Nov 2012
Bit.ly - Click to Subscribe! Facebook.com - Become a Fan! Twitter.com - Follow Us! Dana Ward & Joslyn Davis sit down to discuss the nominees for the Best Male & Female Video categories for the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards. Will Katy Perry, Rihanna, Beyonce, Nicki Minaj or Selena Gomez win a moon man? Or how about Chris Brown, Drake, Usher, Justin Bieber or Frank Ocean? The 2012 MTV VMA's are September 6, 2012.
http://wn.com/2012_MTV_VMA_Prediction_Show_Best_Female_Male_Video
Bit.ly - Click to Subscribe! Facebook.com - Become a Fan! Twitter.com - Follow Us! Dana Ward & Joslyn Davis sit down to discuss the nominees for the Best Male & Female Video categories for the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards. Will Katy Perry, Rihanna, Beyonce, Nicki Minaj or Selena Gomez win a moon man? Or how about Chris Brown, Drake, Usher, Justin Bieber or Frank Ocean? The 2012 MTV VMA's are September 6, 2012.
- published: 01 Sep 2012
- views: 34461
- author: clevverTV
photo: UN / Shareef Sarhan
02 Dec 2012
Article by WN.com Guest Writer Gilad Atzmon. Israel suffered a humiliating defeat at The UN recently. The nations of the world stood up and said NO to the Jewish state - NO to Israeli occupation, NO to Israeli human rights abuse, NO to Jewish racism. In effect, they stood up and confessed to serious Zio-fatigue ... This is a very good news indeed. But interestingly, this united opposition to Israel is not in response to Israeli strength ... ....(size: 2.6Kb)
photo: AP / Bassem Tellawi
04 Dec 2012
WASHINGTON (AP) â President Barack Obama warned Syria on Monday that the use of chemical weapons would be "totally unacceptable" and that the country's leaders would be held accountable ... Obama stopped short of detailing those consequences....(size: 6.7Kb)
photo: USAF / Senior Airman Patrice Clarke
02 Dec 2012
There have been "multiple explosions" near an airfield at a US base in eastern Afghanistan, Nato has said. Afghan intelligence officials told the BBC seven suicide attackers targeted the base in Jalalabad, and witnesses said that gunfire was heard ... Counter claims ... There were no Nato casualties in the attack, officials said ... ....(size: 1.7Kb)
photo: AP / Patrick Semansky
02 Dec 2012
Article by WN.com Correspondent Dallas Darling. Much like the United States, the Vikings were a paradoxical and duplicitous civilization. Not only were they highly skilled shipbuilders and tremendous explorers, not to mention their expertise in the fishing, farming and trading industries, but they helped establish and contribute to the nation-states of France, England, Ireland, Germany, Russia, and Iceland ... This came to mind when Pfc....(size: 5.5Kb)
photo: AP / Anja Niedringhaus
03 Dec 2012
UNITED NATIONS. UN leader Ban Ki-moon warned Sunday that if Israel implemented its latest plan for new settlements it would deal an “almost fatal blow” to any prospects for peace with the Palestinians. Israel’s announcement about the 3,000 Jewish settler homes, whose planned location was not revealed, came in the wake of a historic vote by the United Nations General Assembly to upgrade Palestine’s diplomatic status ... ....(size: 4.2Kb)
PR Newswire
04 Dec 2012
4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- To aid the ongoing Hurricane Sandy relief efforts the four original MTV VJs (Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, Alan ... It was an era when stars like Madonna, Van Halen, and Michael Jackson were still routinely shocking and dazzling audiences and fans clung to every word that these culture makers broadcast from the MTV studios....(size: 4.8Kb)
Business Insider
04 Dec 2012
OK! magazine
04 Dec 2012
As we all know, Jersey Shore is coming to an end on Dec. 20. As you prepare to say goodbye to the Shore clan, we thought we'd introduce some new friends, the West Virginians of Buckwild, which will premiere on Jan 3. in Jersey Shore's old timeslot (Thursday at 10 p.m.). OK! NEWS. SNOOKI POSTS MAKEUP-FREE PIC ON TWITTER WITH BABY LORENZO ... We saw relationships blossom, friendships form and deteriorate ... OK! GALLERY ... (Ugh.) ... Get More....(size: 2.2Kb)
IMDb
04 Dec 2012
Days of Future Past" role last week, and in an interview with MTV News, the actor came right out and admitted it....(size: 0.6Kb)
PR Newswire
04 Dec 2012
MTV's "The Pauly D Project" Star Will Extend His Position as Atlantic City Hotspot's Resident DJ Throughout 2013, Officially Kicking off on New Year's Eve ... The incredibly popular MTV Jersey Shore reality TV star, Pauly D, will bring his distinguished music talent to as a resident DJ for the second year in a row....(size: 6.3Kb)
Huffington Post
04 Dec 2012
Actress Lindsay Lohan arrives to the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards at Radio City Music Hall on August 28, 2003 in New York City ... Actress Lindsay Lohan appears on stage during taping for MTV Spring Break 2004 on the beach deck at 'The City' March 12, 2004 in Cancun, Mexico ... Singer Lindsay Lohan attends the MTV's Iced Out New Years Eve celebration on December 31, 2004 in New York City....(size: 17.0Kb)
The Times of India
04 Dec 2012
A fairly new face in modelling, Siddhant Bhutani first got noticed after participating in popular reality shows like MTV Grind and UTV Bindass SuperStud ... Vital Stats . 41-32-36 ... Hughes University, NIIT, Levis, Denizen, The Man Magazine, Great Magazine and reality shows like MTV Grind and UTV Bindass Super Stud ... ....(size: 1.4Kb)
The Hollywood Reporter
04 Dec 2012
And rival Canadian producer Entertainment One is expanding beyond dramas by adding former MTV exec Jeff Hevert to its reality division ... Over at eOne, Hevert, most recently a development executive on MTV's west coast reality team under Lauren Dolgen and Colin Nash, becomes vp of current programming and development at eOne Reality, based in Los ......(size: 2.4Kb)
The Examiner
04 Dec 2012
Kate Middleton got some well wishes and new motherly advice today (Tuesday) from someone who knows just how she feels ... "It's hard, but don't stress out!" Snooki said in an interview with MTV News. "Enjoy your pregnancy and be excited." ... Is Kate Middleton pregnant with twins? Health scare fuels heir and spare talk ... "Enjoy your time at home — or the castle, in her case —with the baby," Snooki tells Kate (via MTV) ... Photos ... ....(size: 2.6Kb)
Billboard
04 Dec 2012
Randy Jackson is gearing up for a busy 2013 that will see him return for an eleventh season as the longest continuous judge of "American Idol" as well as the release of an album from new "Idol" judge Mariah Carey, whom he also managed. But before his 2012 wraps up, Jackson is taking to HSN on Dec ... ... ... ... Your other show, "America's Best Dance Crew," was just discontinued by MTV after seven seasons ... But keep dancing, MTV!....(size: 5.9Kb)
The Times of India
04 Dec 2012
The singer became popular for a meat dress she wore during the MTV Video Music Awards in 2010 ... ....(size: 0.6Kb)
photo: UN / Evan Schneider
04 Dec 2012
Mani Ratnam's much-anticipated movie Kadal's audio album is ready to hit the stands ... Recently A R Rahman performed the song on MTV Unplugged season 2 ... ....(size: 1.0Kb)
This article is about the television channel. For other uses, see MTV (disambiguation).
| MTV (Music Television) | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| The current MTV logo, in use since 2008. | |
| Launched | August 1, 1981 |
| Owned by | MTV Networks (Viacom) |
| Picture format | 480i (SDTV) 1080i (HDTV) |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Broadcast area | United States, Canada |
| Headquarters | New York City |
| Formerly called | Music Television (August 1, 1981 – November 16, 2008) |
| Sister channel(s) | MTV2, Tr3s, MTV Hits, MTV Jams |
| Website | mtv.com |
| Availability | |
| Satellite | |
| DirecTV | Channel 331 (SD/HD) Channel 1331 (VOD) |
| Dish Network | Channel 160 (SD/HD) |
| Cable | |
| Available on most cable systems | Check local listings for channels |
| Part of a series on MTV MTV channels |
MTV, an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981.[1] The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs.[2]
MTV has had a profound impact on the music industry and popular culture. Slogans such as "I want my MTV" and "MTV is here" were embedded in public thought, the concept of the VJ was popularized, the idea of a dedicated video-based outlet for music was introduced, and both artists and fans found a central location for concert music events, news, and promotion. MTV has also been referenced countless times in popular culture by musicians, other TV channels and television program, films, and books.
MTV has spawned numerous sister channels in the U.S. and affiliated channels internationally, some of which, like the former MTV Tempo now known as TEMPO Networks, have gone independent. MTV's moral influence on young people, including issues related to censorship and social activism, has been a subject of intense debate for years. MTV's choice to focus on non-music programming has also been contested relentlessly since the 1990s, demonstrating the channel's previous impact on popular culture. MTV has since largely departed from music programming and is now known for producing mostly teen-oriented programs.
The launch of MTV[link]
Previous concepts[link]
The original programming format of MTV was created by media executive Robert W. Pittman, who later became president and chief executive officer (CEO) of MTV Networks.[3] Pittman had test-driven the music format by producing and hosting a 15-minute show, Album Tracks, on WNBC in the late 1970s.
Pittman's boss, WASEC Executive Vice President John Lack, had shepherded PopClips, a TV series created by former Monkee-turned solo artist Michael Nesmith, whose attention had turned to the music video format by the late 1970s.[4] The inspiration for PopClips came from a similar program on New Zealand's TVNZ network, Radio with Pictures, which premiered in 1976. The concept itself had been in the works since 1966, when major record companies began supplying the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation with promotional music clips to play on the air at no charge. (Few artists made the long trip to New Zealand to appear live.)
Additionally, in the book The Mason Williams FCC Rapport, author Mason Williams states that he pitched an idea to CBS for a television program that featured "video-radio," where disc jockeys would play avant-garde art pieces set to music on the air. CBS cancelled the idea, but Williams premiered his own musical composition, "Classical Gas", on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, where he was head writer. The book in which this claim is made was first published in 1971, ten years before MTV first came on the air.
The Beatles had utilized music videos since the mid 1960s and their debut movie "A Hard Day's Night" from 1964 is often claimed to be the true inspiration for the network.[citation needed]
Music Television debuts[link]
File:Mtvmoon.png
The first images shown on MTV were a montage of the Apollo 11 moon landing
Further information: First music videos aired on MTV
On August 1, 1981, at 12:01 a.m., MTV launched with the words "Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll," spoken by John Lack, and played over footage of the first Space Shuttle launch countdown of Columbia (which took place earlier that year) and of the launch of Apollo 11. Those words were immediately followed by the original MTV theme song, a crunching classical tune composed by Jonathan Elias and John Petersen, playing over photos of the Apollo 11 moon landing, with the flag featuring MTV's logo changing various colors, textures, and designs. MTV producers Alan Goodman and Fred Seibert used this public domain footage as a conceit, associating MTV with the most famous moment in world television history.[5] Seibert said they had originally planned to use Neil Armstrong's "One small step" quote, but lawyers said Armstrong owns his name and likeness, and Armstrong had refused, so the quote was replaced with a beeping sound.[6] At the moment of its launch, only a few thousand people on a single cable system in northern New Jersey could see it. Kenneth M. Miller is credited as being the first Technical Director to officially launch MTV from its New York-based Network Operations facility.[7]
The first music video shown on MTV was The Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star". The second video shown was Pat Benatar's "You Better Run". Sporadically, the screen would go black when an employee at MTV inserted a tape into a VCR.[8] Video of the launch of MTV was uploaded onto YouTube in 2009, with the original commercials, and the "black screens" between videos. The "MTV lettering" differed on its first day, and included record label information like year and label name. The first 24 hours of programming was uploaded to YouTube in July 2010 ahead of the network's 30th anniversary.[9][10]
"Carouselambra" by Led Zeppelin was played as the closing credits rolled when MTV was first broadcast.
As programming chief, Robert W. Pittman recruited and managed a team for the launch that included Tom Freston (who succeeded Pittman as CEO of MTV networks), Fred Seibert, John Sykes, Carolyn Baker (original head of talent and acquisition),[11] Marshall Cohen (original head of research),[12] Gail Sparrow (of talent and acquisition), Sue Steinberg (executive producer),[13] Julian Goldberg, Studio producers/MTV News Writers Liz Nealon, Brian Diamond and Robin Zorn, Steve Casey (creator of the name MTV and its first program director),[14] Marcy Brahman, Ronald E. "Buzz" Brindle, and Robert Morton.[14]
MTV's effect was immediate in areas where the new music video channel could be picked up. Within a matter of just a couple of months, record shops in areas where MTV was available found themselves selling music that the local radio stations were not playing, such as Men at Work, Bow Wow Wow, and Human League.[15]
Following concepts[link]
HBO also had a 30 minute program of music videos, called Video Jukebox, that first aired around the time of MTV's launch and would last until late 1986. Also around this time, HBO would occasionally play one or a few music videos between movies.[citation needed]
SuperStation WTBS launched Night Tracks on June 3, 1983, with up to 14 hours of music video airplay each late night weekend by 1985. Its most noticeable difference was that black artists received airplay that MTV initially ignored. The program ran until the end of May 1992. A few markets also launched music-only channels; most notably Las Vegas' KVMY Channel 21, which debuted in the summer of 1984 as KRLR-TV Vusic 21. The first video played on that channel was Video Killed the Radio Star, following in the footsteps of MTV.[citation needed]
Shortly after TBS began Night Tracks, NBC launched its music video program called Friday Night Videos which was considered network television's answer to MTV. Later renamed simply Friday Night, the program ran from 1983 to sometime in the late 80s. ABC's contribution to the music video program genre in 1984, ABC Rocks, was far less successful, lasting only a year.[16]
TBS founder Ted Turner started the Cable Music Channel in 1984, designed to play a broader mix of music videos than MTV's rock format allowed. But after one month as a money-losing venture, Turner sold it to MTV, who redeveloped the channel into VH1.[17]
Music videos on MTV[link]
The original purpose of MTV was to be "Music Television," playing music videos 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, guided by on-air personalities known as VJs, or video jockeys. The original taglines of the channel were "You'll never look at music the same way again," and "On cable. In stereo." Although the original MTV channel no longer plays music videos 24/7, several spinoff channels do so, including MTV Hits and MTV Jams. In addition, videos can be played on-demand at their website.
Internationally, the station continues to support a broad selection of music including 4 channels in the UK that broadcast 23 hours of music video per day.
Original VJs and format[link]
Further information: List of MTV VJs
MTV's early format was modeled after AOR (album oriented rock) radio. It would become a full top 40 station in 1984. Fresh-faced young men and women were hired to host the network's programming and to introduce videos that were being played. The term VJ (video jockey) was coined, a play on the initialism DJ (disc jockey). Many VJs eventually became celebrities in their own right. The original five MTV VJs in 1981 were Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter, J.J. Jackson and Martha Quinn.[18]
The early music videos that made up the bulk of MTV's programming in the 1980s were promotional videos [called "promos" in the U.K.] that record companies had commissioned for international use or concert clips from whatever sources could be found.
A large number of rock bands and performers of the 1980s were made popular by MTV. Such acts ranged from new wave to hard rock or heavy metal bands[19] such as Adam Ant, Eurythmics,[20] Culture Club,[21] Motley Crue, Split Enz, Prince, Ultravox, Duran Duran,[22] Van Halen,[23] Bon Jovi, RATT,[24] Def Leppard,[25] The Police, and The Cars. The network also rotated the videos of "Weird Al" Yankovic, who made a career out of parodying other artists' videos.[26]
MTV also played some classic rock acts from the 1980s and earlier decades, including David Bowie, Dire Straits (whose 1985 song and video "Money for Nothing" both referenced MTV and also included the slogan "I want my MTV" in its lyrics), Journey, Rush, Aerosmith, John Mellencamp, Billy Joel, Genesis, Billy Squier, Robert Palmer, Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart, The Who and ZZ Top; newly solo acts such as Robert Plant, Phil Collins, Paul McCartney, David Lee Roth, and Pete Townshend; supergroup acts such as Asia, Power Station, The Firm, and Traveling Wilburys as well as forgotten acts such as Michael Stanley Band, Shoes, Blotto and Taxxi. The hard rock band Kiss publicly appeared without their trademark makeup for the first time on MTV in 1983.
Also during the early days of the channel, the VJs would let other stars take over the channel within an hour as "Guest VJs" from musicians (Adam Ant, Billy Idol, Phil Collins, Simon LeBon and Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran, Tina Turner) to comedians (Eddie Murphy, Martin Short, Dan Aykroyd, Steven Wright) as they pick their favorite videos.
Breaking the "color barrier"[link]
During MTV's first few years on the air, very few black artists were included in rotation on the channel. Those who were in MTV's rotation included Eddy Grant, Tina Turner, Donna Summer, Musical Youth, Herbie Hancock, Grace Jones, and Prince. The very first non-white act played on MTV in the US was UK band The Specials, which featured an integrated line-up of white and black musicians and vocalists. The Specials' video "Rat Race" was played as the 58th video on the station's first day of broadcasting.[27]
MTV rejected other black artists' videos, such as Rick James' "Super Freak", because they didn't fit the channel's carefully selected AOR format at the time. The exclusion enraged James; he publicly advocated the addition of more black artists' videos on the channel. Rock legend David Bowie also questioned MTV's lack of black artists during an on-air interview with VJ Mark Goodman in 1983.[28] MTV's original head of talent and acquisition, Carolyn B. Baker, who was black, had questioned why the definition of music had to be so narrow, as had a few others outside the network.
Before 1983, Michael Jackson also struggled to receive airtime on MTV.[29] To resolve the struggle and finally "break the color barrier," the president of CBS Records at the time, Walter Yetnikoff, denounced MTV in a strong, profane statement, threatening to take away MTV's ability to play any of the record label's music videos.[29][30] However, Les Garland, then acquisitions head, said he decided to air Jackson's "Billie Jean" video without pressure from CBS.[28] This was contradicted by CBS head of Business Affairs David Benjamin in Vanity Fair.[6] In any case, MTV began showing the "Billie Jean" video in regular rotation in 1983, forming a lengthy partnership with Jackson and helping other black music artists.[31]
According to The Austin Chronicle, Jackson's video for the song "Billie Jean" was "the video that broke the color barrier, even though the channel itself was responsible for erecting that barrier in the first place."[32] After Jackson's music videos aired, Jackson became even more popular. This move helped other black artists such as Prince, Whitney Houston, and Jackson's younger sister, Janet Jackson break into heavy rotation on the channel. Jonathan Cohen of Billboard magazine commented Janet Jackson's "accessible sound and spectacularly choreographed videos were irresistible to MTV, and helped the channel evolve from rock programming to a broader, beat-driven musical mix."[33]
About the same time Michael Jackson was noted for making inroads - this also paved the way for rap/hip-hop music videos which was an evolving music genre. A majority of the rap artists e.g. Run DMC, The Fat Boys, Whodini, L.L. Cool J which had their music videos played on MTV were from the East Coast.
Other early criticism[link]
As early as 1983, because of MTV's visibility as a promotional tool for the recording industry, the channel was accused of devaluing the importance of music, replacing quality with a purely visual aesthetic and shunning equally popular but less image-centric or single-based acts. That year, Rolling Stone's Steven Levy wrote, "MTV's greatest achievement has been to coax rock & roll into the video arena where you can't distinguish between entertainment and the sales pitch."[34] One musician that also criticized MTV for these reasons was Jello Biafra of the Dead Kennedys; the band released a song in 1985 titled "MTV, Get Off The Air". Various groups and individuals since then have criticized MTV for similar reasons, insisting that the channel has a responsibility as "Music Television" to play more music videos and uphold better critical standards for the music videos that they choose to feature in rotation.
Music video series[link]
Further information: List of programs broadcast by MTV
MTV introduced 120 Minutes in 1986, a show that would feature low-rotation, alternative rock and other "underground" videos for the next 14 years on MTV and three additional years on sister channel MTV2. The program then became known as Subterranean on MTV2. Then on July 31, 2011, 120 Minutes was resurrected with Matt Pinfield taking over hosting duties once again and airing monthly on MTV2.
Another after hours show was added in 1987, Headbangers Ball. This popular show featured heavy metal music and news. Before its abrupt cancellation in 1995, it featured several hosts, notably Riki Rachtman and Adam Curry. Headbangers Ball remains an iconic identifier of heavy metal music. A weekly block of music videos with the name Headbangers Ball has aired since 2003 on sister channel MTV2.
In 1988, MTV debuted Yo! MTV Raps, a hip-hop/rap formatted program. The program continued until August 1995. It was renamed to simply Yo! and played for one hour from 1995 until 1999. The concept was reintroduced as Direct Effect in 2000, which became Sucker Free in 2006 and was cancelled in 2008, after briefly celebrating the 20th anniversary of Yo! MTV Raps throughout the months of April and May 2008. Despite its cancellation on MTV, a weekly countdown of hip-hop videos known as Sucker Free still airs on MTV2.
By the beginning of the 1990s, the channel debuted Dial MTV, a daily top ten music video countdown show for which viewers could call the toll-free telephone number 1-800-DIAL-MTV to request a music video. Although Dial MTV was short-lived, the phone number remained in use for video requests until 2006.
Live concerts[link]
Throughout its history, MTV has covered global benefit concert series live. For most of July 13, 1985, MTV showed the Live Aid concerts, held in London and Philadelphia and organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia. While the ABC network showed only selected highlights during primetime, MTV broadcast 16 hours of coverage.[35]
In 1989, MTV began to premiere music-based specials such as MTV Unplugged, an acoustic performance show, which has featured dozens of acts as its guests and has remained active in numerous iterations on various platforms for over 20 years.
Along with VH1, MTV broadcast the Live 8 concerts, a series of concerts set in the G8 states and South Africa, on July 2, 2005.[36] Live 8 preceded the 31st G8 summit and 20th anniversary of Live Aid. MTV drew heavy criticism for its coverage of Live 8. The network cut to commercials, VJ commentary, or other performances during performances. Complaints surfaced on the Internet over MTV interrupting the reunion of Pink Floyd.[37] In response, MTV president Van Toeffler stated that he wanted to broadcast highlights from every venue of Live 8 on MTV and VH1 and clarified that network hosts talked over performances only in transition to commercials, informative segments, or other musical performances.[38] Toeffler acknowledged that "MTV should not have placed such a high priority on showing so many acts, at the expense of airing complete sets by key artists."[37] He also blamed the Pink Floyd interruption on a mandatory cable affiliate break.[38] MTV averaged 1.4 million viewers for its original July 2 broadcast of Live 8.[37] Consequently, MTV and VH1 aired five hours of uninterrupted Live 8 coverage on July 9, with each channel airing different blocks of artists.[39]
Rise of the directors[link]
By the early 1990s, MTV was playing a combination of pop-friendly hard rock acts, chart-topping metal and hard rock acts such as Metallica, Nirvana and Guns N' Roses, pop singers such as Michael Jackson, Madonna, 2 Unlimited and New Kids on the Block, and R&B quartets such as New Edition, Bell Biv Devoe, Tony Toni Tone, and Boyz II Men, while introducing hit rappers Vanilla Ice and MC Hammer. MTV progressively increased its airing of hip hop acts, such as LL Cool J, Naughty By Nature, Onyx and Sir-Mix-A-Lot, and by 1993, the channel added West Coast rappers previously associated with gangsta rap, with a less pop-friendly sound, such as Tupac Shakur, Ice Cube, Warren G, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg.
To accompany the new sounds, a new form of music videos came about: more creative, funny, artistic, experimental, and technically accomplished than those in the 1980s.[citation needed] Several noted film directors got their start creating music videos. After pressure from the MVPA (Music Video Producers Association – later changed to Music Video Production Association) MTV began listing the names of the videos' directors at the bottom of the credits by December 1992. As a result, MTV's viewers became familiar with the names of Spike Jonze, Michel Gondry, David Fincher, Samuel Bayer, Matt Mahurin, Mark Romanek, Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, Anton Corbijn, Mark Pellington, Tarsem, Hype Williams, Jake Scott, Jonathan Glazer, Marcus Nispel, F. Gary Gray, Jim Yukich, Russell Mulcahy, Steve Barron and Marty Callner, among others.
As the PBS series Frontline explored, MTV was a driving force that catapulted music videos to a mainstream audience, turning music videos into an art form as well as a marketing machine that became beneficial to artists. Danny Goldberg, chairman and CEO of Artemis Records, said the following about the art of music videos: "I know when I worked with Nirvana, Kurt Cobain cared as much about the videos as he did about the records. He wrote the scripts for them, he was in the editing room, and they were part of his art. And I think they stand up as part of his art, and I think that's true of the great artists today. Not every artist is a great artist and not every video is a good video, but in general having it available as a tool, to me, adds to the business. And I wish there had been music videos in the heyday of the Beatles, and the Rolling Stones. I think they would've added to their creative contribution, not subtracted from it."[40] The Beatles did produce music videos specifically for television broadcast once their massive popularity made it less practical for them to appear in person.
Alternative is mainstream[link]
Nirvana led a sweeping transition into the rise of alternative rock music on MTV in 1991 with their popular video for "Smells Like Teen Spirit". By late 1991 going into 1992, MTV began frequently airing videos from their heavily promoted "Buzz Bin", such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, Nine Inch Nails, Tori Amos, PM Dawn, Arrested Development, Björk, and Gin Blossoms. MTV increased rotation of its weekly alternative music program 120 Minutes and added the daily Alternative Nation to play videos of these and other underground music acts. Subsequently, grunge and alternative rock had a rise in mainstream tastes, while 1980s style hair bands and traditional rockers were phased out, with some exceptions such as Aerosmith and Tom Petty. Older acts such as R.E.M. and U2 remained relevant by making their music more experimental or unexpected.
In 1993, more hit alternative rock acts were on heavy rotation, such as Stone Temple Pilots, Soul Asylum, Rage Against the Machine, Tool, Beck, Therapy?, Radiohead, and The Smashing Pumpkins. Other hit acts such as Weezer, Collective Soul, Blind Melon, The Cranberries, Bush, and Silverchair would follow in the next couple of years. Alternative bands that appeared on Beavis and Butthead also rose to fame, most notably White Zombie.
By the next few years, 1994 through 1997, MTV began promoting new power pop acts, most successfully Green Day and The Offspring, and ska-rock acts such as No Doubt, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and Sublime. Pop singers were added to the rotation with success as long as they were considered "alternative," such as Alanis Morissette, Jewel, Fiona Apple, and Sarah McLachlan.
Electronica and pop[link]
By 1997, MTV focused heavily on introducing electronica acts into the mainstream, adding them to its musical rotation. Some of the more popular musicians of this group were The Prodigy, The Chemical Brothers, Moby, Aphex Twin, Daft Punk, The Crystal Method, and Fatboy Slim. Some other established musicians proceeded to experiment with electronica and be played on MTV, most notably Madonna, U2, David Bowie, Radiohead and Smashing Pumpkins. That year MTV also attempted to introduce neo-swing bands, but they did not meet with much success.
However, in late 1997, MTV began shifting more progressively towards pop music, inspired by the success of the Spice Girls and the rise of boy bands in Europe. Between 1998 and 1999, MTV's musical content consisted heavily of videos of boy bands such as Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync as well as teen pop "princesses" such as Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Mandy Moore, and Jessica Simpson. Airplay of rock, electronica, and alternative acts was reduced. Hip-hop music continued in heavy rotation, through the likes of Puff Daddy, Master P, DMX, Busta Rhymes, Jay Z, Missy Elliott, Eminem, Ja Rule and their associates. R&B was also heavily represented with acts such as Destiny's Child and Brandy.
[edit] Total Request Live
Main article: Total Request Live
Also by 1997, MTV was criticized heavily for not playing as many music videos as it had in the past. In response, MTV created four shows that centered around music videos: MTV Live, Total Request, Say What?, and 12 Angry Viewers. Also at this time, MTV introduced its new studios in Times Square. A year later, in 1998, MTV merged Total Request and MTV Live into a live daily top ten countdown show, Total Request Live, which would become known as TRL and secure its place as the channel's unofficial flagship program.
The original host of TRL, Carson Daly, brought popularity to the show. TRL spent its first year developing a cult-type following, and every weekday, hundreds of fans would stand in Times Square outside the TRL studios. In the fall of 1999, a live studio audience was added to the show. By spring 2000, the countdown reached its peak, becoming a recognizable icon of popular culture in its first two years of existence. The program enjoyed success playing the top ten pop, rock, R&B, and hip-hop music videos.
During the September 11 attacks, on the World Trade Center and The Pentagon, MTV suspended all of its programming along with its sister cable channel VH1, and it began simulcasting the CBS News coverage from its sister network until about 11:00 p.m. that night. The channels then played a looped set of music videos without commercial interruption until an MTV News special edition of TRL aired on September 14, 2001.
In 2002, Carson Daly left MTV and TRL to pursue a late-night talk show on NBC; after his departure, the relevance and impact of Total Request Live slowly diminished. TRL ultimately remained a part of MTV's regular program schedule for ten years. The series came to an end with a special finale episode, Total Finale Live, which aired November 16, 2008, and featured many special guests from the history of the show and playing its last music video, "...Baby One More Time" by Britney Spears.[43]
[edit] Return of the Rock
Beginning in late 1997, MTV progressively reduced its airing of rock music videos, leading to the slogan among skeptics, "Rock is dead."[44] The fact that at the time rock music fans were less materialistic and bought less music based on television suggestion were cited as reasons that MTV abandoned its once staple music. MTV instead devoted its musical airtime mostly to pop and hip-hop/R&B music. All rock-centric shows were eliminated and the rock-related categories of the Video Music Awards were pared down to one.
From this time until 2004, MTV made some periodic efforts to reintroduce pop rock music videos to the channel. By 1998 through 1999, the punk-rock band Blink-182 received regular airtime on MTV due in large part to their "All the Small Things" video that made fun of the boy bands that MTV was airing at the time. Meanwhile, some rock bands that were not receiving MTV support, such as Korn and Creed, continued to sell albums. Then, upon the release of Korn's rock/rap hybrid album Follow the Leader, MTV began playing Korn's videos "Got the Life" and "Freak on a Leash", which became popular.
A band sponsored by Korn, Limp Bizkit, received airtime for its cover of George Michael's "Faith", which became a hit. Subsequently, MTV began airing more rap/rock hybrid acts, such as Limp Bizkit and Kid Rock. Some rock acts with more comical videos, such as Rob Zombie, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Foo Fighters, also received airtime.
In the fall of 1999, MTV announced a special Return of the Rock weekend,[45] in which new rock acts received airtime, after which a compilation album was released. System of a Down, Staind, Godsmack, Green Day, Incubus, Papa Roach, P.O.D., Sevendust, Powerman 5000, Slipknot, Kittie, and Static X were among the featured bands. These bands received some airtime on MTV and more so on MTV2, though both channels gave emphasis to the rock/rap acts.
By 2000, Sum 41, Linkin Park, Jimmy Eat World, Mudvayne, Cold, At the Drive-In, Alien Ant Farm, and other acts were added to the musical rotation. MTV also launched digital cable channel MTVX to play rock music videos exclusively, an experiment that lasted until 2002.[46] A daily music video program on MTV that carried the name Return of the Rock ran through early 2001, replaced by a successor, All Things Rock, from 2002 until 2004.
Milestones and specials[link]
Around 1999 through 2001, as MTV aired fewer music videos throughout the day, it regularly aired compilation specials from its then 20-year history to look back on its roots. An all-encompassing special, MTV Uncensored, premiered in 1999 and was later released as a book.[47][48]
MTV celebrated its 20th anniversary on August 1, 2001, beginning with a 12-hour retrospective called MTV20: Buggles to Bizkit, which featured over 100 classic videos played chronologically, hosted by various VJs in reproductions of MTV's old studios. The day of programming culminated in a 3-hour celebratory live event called MTV20: Live and Almost Legal, which was hosted by Carson Daly and featured numerous guests from MTV's history, including the original VJs from 1981. Various other related MTV20 specials aired in the months surrounding the event.
Janet Jackson became the inaugural honoree of the "mtvICON" award, "an annual recognition of artists who have made significant contributions to music, music video and pop culture while tremendously impacting the MTV generation."[49] Subsequent recipients included Aerosmith, Metallica, and The Cure.
Five years later, on August 1, 2006, MTV celebrated its 25th anniversary. On their website, MTV.com, visitors could watch the very first hour of MTV, including airing the original promos and commercials from Mountain Dew, Atari, Chewels gum, and Jovan. Videos were also shown from The Buggles, Pat Benatar, Rod Stewart, and others. The introduction of the first five VJs was also shown. Additionally, MTV.com put together a "yearbook" consisting of the greatest videos of each year from 1981 to 2006. MTV itself only mentioned the anniversary once on TRL.
Fewer music videos[link]
Despite targeted efforts to play certain types of music videos in limited rotation, MTV greatly reduced its overall rotation of music videos by the mid 2000s.[50] While music videos were featured on MTV up to eight hours per day in 2000, 2008 saw an average of just three hours of music videos per day on MTV. The rise of the Internet as a convenient outlet for the promotion and viewing of music videos signaled this reduction.[51]
As the decade progressed, MTV continued to play some music videos instead of relegating them exclusively to its sister channels, but around this time, the channel began to air music videos only in the early morning hours or in a condensed form on Total Request Live. As a result of these programming changes, Justin Timberlake challenged MTV to "play more damn videos!" while giving an acceptance speech at the 2007 Video Music Awards.[52]
Despite the challenge from Timberlake, MTV continued to decrease its total rotation time for music videos in 2007, and the channel eliminated its long-running special tags for music videos such as "Buzzworthy" (for under-represented artists), "Breakthrough" (for visually stunning videos), and "Spankin' New" (for brand new videos). Additionally, the historic Kabel typeface, which MTV displayed at the beginning and end of all music videos since 1981, was phased out in favor of larger text and less information about the video's record label and director. The classic font can still be seen in "prechyroned" versions of old videos on sister network VH1 Classic, which had their title information recorded onto the same tape as the video itself.
For most of 2008, MTV's main source of music video programming was still Total Request Live, airing four times per week, featuring short clips of music videos along with VJs and guests. TRL aired its last episode in November 2008.[53] A hip-hop music video show, Sucker Free, also ended earlier in 2008.
[edit] FNMTV Premieres
In the summer of 2008, MTV premiered new music video programming blocks called FNMTV and a weekly special event called FNMTV Premieres, hosted from Los Angeles by Pete Wentz of the band Fall Out Boy, which was designed to premiere new music videos and have viewers provide instantaneous feedback.[54]
The FNMTV Premieres event ended before the 2008 Video Music Awards in September. With the exception of a holiday themed episode in December 2008 and an unrelated Spring Break special in March 2009 with the same title, FNMTV Premieres never returned, leaving MTV without any VJ-hosted music video programs for the first time in its history.
On most weekdays during the rest of 2008, a music video block called FNMTV aired in the early morning hours. It consisted of abbreviated clips of music videos, approximately 60 seconds each. MTV cancelled the early morning FNMTV block in January 2009, replacing it with encore airings of other programs.
[edit] AMTV and late 2000s - early 2010s trends
Music video programming returned to MTV in March 2009 as AMTV, an early morning block of music videos that originally aired from 3 a.m. to 9 a.m. on most weekdays; see AMTV for current schedule).[55] Unlike the FNMTV block that preceded it, AMTV features many full-length music videos, including some older videos that have been out of regular rotation for many years on MTV. It also features music news updates, interviews, and performances.[55]
During the rest of the day, MTV also plays excerpts from music videos, usually the hook, in split screen format during the closing credits of most programs, along with the address of a website to encourage the viewer to watch the full video online. MTV has positioned its website, MTV.com, as one of its primary destinations for music videos (see Beyond MTV, below, for more information about MTV.com and the channel's related Internet ventures).
MTV launched a live talk show, It's On with Alexa Chung, on June 15, 2009. The host of the program, Alexa Chung, has been described as a "younger, more Web 2.0" version of Jimmy Fallon.[56] Although it is filmed in the same Times Square studio where TRL used to be located, the network stated that "the only thing the two shows have in common is the studio location."[57] It's On was cancelled in December of the same year, which again eliminated the only live in-studio programming from MTV's schedule, just one year after TRL was also cancelled.
Shortly after music and pop culture icon Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009, MTV briefly returned to its original music video format to celebrate his work.[58] The channel aired many hours of Jackson's music videos, accompanied by live news specials featuring reactions from MTV personalities and other celebrities. The temporary shift in MTV's programming culminated the following week with the channel's live coverage of Jackson's memorial service.[59]
MTV again resurrected the long-running series MTV Unplugged in 2009 with performances from acts such as Adele, Katy Perry, and Paramore.[60] However, unlike past Unplugged specials, these new recordings usually only air in their entirety on MTV's website, MTV.com. Nevertheless, short clips of the specials are shown on MTV during the AMTV block of music videos in the early morning hours.
In May 2010, MTV launched 10 on Top, a weekly program that counts down the top 10 most trending and talked about topics of the week. MTV's web site describes the program as, "a half-hour countdown of the top 10 most texted and talked about young celebs at the moment. Their ranking will be influenced by the audience - based on the chatter they elicit, and the headlines they create each week, as well as the amount of buzz about their upcoming projects and events." The show went on hiatus in mid-June 2011. According to host Lenay Dunn's Twitter feed, the show will return August 20, 2011 with new shows.
In September 2010, MTV tried its hand again at a live half hour program called The Seven. The Seven counted down the top seven things you should know about, having aired weekdays at 5 p.m. with a weekend wrap-up at 10 a.m. The show was slightly retooled as it dropped host Julia Alexander and kept host Kevin Manno. The Saturday show was eliminated as well. Like its predecessor, "The Seven" saw its cancellation on June 13, 2011. Manno, per The Seven's Twitter feed, said he is still with MTV. Manno's only MTV assignment post-Seven was conducting an interview with a band which only aired on MTV.com. Today, Manno is no longer employed with MTV, has since married and is pursuing other work.
On June 12, 2011, MTV did a traditional TV premiere of a new installment of MTV Unplugged instead of a web debut. The featured artist was rapper Lil Wayne and the show debuted both on MTV and MTV2.
Although MTV was in their 30th year of broadcasting in 2011, the network apparently ignored this milestone in favor of its current programming schedule. They've outsourced all of their 30th Anniversary Celebrations to its sister networks MTV2 and VH1 Classic. Nathaniel Brown, senior vice president of communications for MTV, confirmed that there were no plans for an on-air MTV celebration like what they did 10 years ago when MTV celebrated its 20th Anniversary. Brown explained, "MTV as a brand doesn't age with our viewers. We are really focused on our current viewers, and our feeling was that our anniversary wasn't something that would be meaningful to them, many of whom weren't even alive in 1981."[61]
In October 2011, Beavis and Butt-Head returned to MTV with new episodes.[62]
Throughout 2011 and still to today, MTV has an unofficial show called MTV First. The MTV News-produced piece typically airs every few weeks on any given weekday and typically starts at 7:56PM ET on-air to start the interview with the featured artist or actor premiering a video or movie trailer. After 8PM, MTV starts its next scheduled program, while the interview and fan chat continues on MTV.com only. MTV has made no official statement about MTV First, nor does First have a dedicated Show page online, but where once TRL, Chung and Seven facilitated such segments, it is clear MTV uses First as its new approach to bait viewers to its web site to finish the show after starting it on TV.
On April 12, 2012 at 12:02AM ET, MTV launched a new hip hop-based show[63] called Hip Hop POV, hosted by Amanda Seales, Bu Thiam, Charlamagne, Devi Dev and Sowmya Krishnamurthy. The show features said hosts who give commentary on the news making headlines in hip-hop culture, provide their opinions on new music, grant insider access to the biggest events and engage in artist interviews.
In Summer 2012, MTV will launch a music discovery web site called Artists.MTV. MTV says, "While technology has made it way easier for artists to produce and distribute their own music on their own terms, it hasn't made it any simpler to find a way to cut through all the Internet noise and speak directly to all of their potential fans. The summer launch of Artists.MTV is an attempt to help music junkies and musicians close the gap by providing a one-stop place where fans can listen to and buy music and purchase concert tickets and merchandise."
Censorship[link]
Main article: Censorship on MTV
MTV has edited a number of music videos to remove references to drugs,[64] sex, violence, weapons, racism, homophobia, or advertising.[65] Many music videos aired on the channel were censored, moved to late-night rotation, or banned entirely from the channel.
In the 1980s, parent-media watchdog groups such as the Parents Music Resource Center criticized MTV over certain music videos that were claimed to have explicit imagery of satanism. MTV has developed a strict policy on refusal to air videos that may depict devil worship or anti-religious themes.[66] This policy led MTV to ban music videos such as "Jesus Christ Pose" by Soundgarden in 1991[67] and "Megalomaniac" by Incubus in 2004.[68]
Other programs on MTV[link]
As MTV expanded, music videos were no longer the centerpiece of its programming. Conventional TV shows came to replace the VJ-guided music video programming. Today, MTV presents a wide variety of non-music-related television shows aimed primarily at the 12 to 18 year old demographic.
Award shows[link]
Further information: List of MTV award shows
In 1984, the network produced its first MTV Video Music Awards show, or VMAs. Perceived by some as a fit of self-indulgence by a fledgling network at the time, the VMAs developed into a music-industry showcase marketed as a more relevant youth-targeted antidote to the Grammy awards. The first award show, in 1984, was punctuated by a live performance by Madonna of "Like A Virgin". The statuettes that were handed out were of the MTV moonman, their logo at the time. The award was called "The Elvis".
In 2011, MTV Video Music Awards feature some of the biggest and most memorable, unforgettable performances in VMA history, and left it to the viewers to decide their all-time favorite MTV Video Music Awards moments from the show's past 28 years. Some 15 million people voted in the poll and, MTV gave "Good Morning America" an exclusive sneak peek at the results:
Most Iconic VMA Performance ever For MTV voters, it was all about the King of Pop. Voters singled out Michael Jackson as their "Most Iconic" for the medley of songs he sang in 1995. Jackson singing and dancing to "The Way You Make Me Feel," "Scream", "Beat It" and "Smooth Criminal" picked up 57 percent of the vote, beating the likes of Madonna with "Like a Virgin" in 1984 and Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi" from 2009.
Wildest VMA Outfit The flashy purple pantsuit worn by rapper Lil Kim in 1999 beat out even Lady Gaga's meat dress and a cleavage-defying dress worn by JLo to take the wildest outfit title. Lil Kim's ensemble, which left one breast exposed except for a pasty over her nipple, was picked by 39 percent of voters as the wildest outfit ever worn to the VMAs, also beating Britney Spear's black leather biker ensemble from 2002.
Most Outrageous VMA Moment It was the kiss heard around the world in 2003 when Madonna leaned in for a quick smooch with Christina Aguilera and then an even-steamier kiss with Britney Spears during a show opening, wedding-themed performance of Madonna's "Like a Virgin." Spears herself told MTV News that her favorite VMA memory was that infamous lip-lock with Madonna. "My greatest experience — probably being with Madonna," she told the network. "The kiss was amazing. ... Being onstage with someone of that caliber is just iconic."
Best VMA Hip-Hop Performance Eminem, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg onstage together was all it took for them to walk away with the Hip-Hop trophy. The trio's performance of "My Name Is," "Guilty Conscience" and "Nuthin' But a G Thang" in 1999 beat out everything from a 1980s performance by Run DMC and Aerosmith to Outkast, the Beastie Boys and Jay-Z with Alicia Keys.
Best VMA Pop Performance Fittingly, viewers gave the Best Pop Performance crown to the artist known as the "King of Pop." Michael Jackson, got the nod for best pop performance with the same medley of hits that won him the "Most Iconic Performance" crown from viewers. Britney Spears, Justin Bieber, TLC and even his own sister, Janet Jackson, who performed a tribute to Michael the year he died, all came in far behind the "King of Pop" in this category too.
MTV added the MTV Movie Awards in 1992 with similar success. MTV also created an award show for Europe after the success of the VMAs. The MTV Europe Music Awards, or the EMAs, were created in 1994, ten years after the debut of the VMAs.
First format evolution[link]
Further information: List of programs broadcast by MTV
In 1985, Viacom bought Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment, which owned MTV and Nickelodeon, renaming the company MTV Networks and beginning this expansion. Before 1987, MTV featured almost exclusively music videos, but as time passed, they introduced a variety of other shows, including some that were originally intended for other channels.
Non-music video programming began in the late 1980s with the introduction of a music news show The Week in Rock, which was also the beginning of MTV's news division, MTV News. Around this time, MTV also introduced a dance show, Club MTV, and a game show, Remote Control.
These new shows would be just the beginning of new genres of shows to impact MTV. As the format of the network continued to evolve, more genres of shows began to appear. In the early 1990s, MTV debuted its first reality shows, The Real World and Road Rules.
Animated shows[link]
File:Mtvfiorilla.jpg
Steve Fiorilla's sculpture for Olive Jar Studios' MTV ID "Guillotine"
Further information: List of MTV animated shows
In a continuing bid to become a more diverse network, focusing on youth and culture, as well as music, MTV introduced animated shows to its line-up in the early 1990s. The animation showcase Liquid Television (a BBC/MTV co-production produced in San Francisco by Colossal Pictures) was one of the networks first programs to focus on the medium. In addition to airing original shows created specifically for MTV, the network also occasionally aired episodes of original cartoon series created by sister-station Nickelodeon (Nicktoons) in the early 1990s.
MTV has a history of cartoons with mature themes, notably Beavis and Butthead, Æon Flux, Grimmy, Celebrity Deathmatch, Undergrads, Clone High and Daria. Although the channel has gone on to debut many other animated shows, few of MTV's other cartoon series have been renewed for additional seasons, regardless of their reception.
In the wake of controversy that followed a child burning down his house after allegedly watching Beavis and Butthead, "producers moved the show from its original 7 p.m. time slot to a late-night, 11 p.m. slot. Also, Beavis' tendency to flick a lighter and scream the word "fire" was removed from new episodes, and controversial scenes were removed from existing episodes before rebroadcast.[69] Some of the edits were so extensive that when series creator Mike Judge compiled his Collection DVDs he found out that "some of those episodes may not even exist actually in their original form."[70]
In September 2009, the channel aired Popzilla, which showcased and imitated celebrities in an animated form.
Reality shows[link]
Further information: List of programs broadcast by MTV#Reality
File:MTV-FEAR PILOT.GIF
Christina, a contestant on the pilot episode of MTV's Fear
In the mid- to late 1990s and early 2000s, MTV placed a stronger focus on reality shows and related series, building on the success of The Real World and Road Rules in the 1990s. The first round of these shows came in the mid-1990s, with game shows such as Singled Out, and talk shows such as Loveline and The Jon Stewart Show.
The next round of these shows came in approximately the late 1990s, as MTV shifted its focus to prank/comedic shows such as The Tom Green Show and Jackass, soap operas such as Undressed, and game shows such as Real World/Road Rules Challenge, The Blame Game, webRIOT, and Say What? Karaoke. A year later, in 2000, MTV's Fear became one of the first scare-based reality shows and the first reality show in which contestants filmed themselves.
Some of the reality shows on the network also followed the lives of musicians. The Osbournes, a reality show based on the everyday life of Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne, his wife Sharon, and two of their children, Jack and Kelly, premiered on MTV in 2002. The show went on to become one of the network's biggest-ever success stories and was also recognized for the Osbourne family members' heavy use of profanity, which MTV bleeped for broadcast.[71] It also kick-started a musical career for Kelly Osbourne,[72] while Sharon Osbourne went on to host her own self-titled talk show on U.S. television.[73] Ozzy Osbourne announced that production for his show would cease in November 2004.[74] In the fall of 2004, Ozzy Osbourne's reality show Battle for Ozzfest aired; the show hosted competitions between bands vying to play as part of Ozzfest, a yearly heavy metal music tour across the United States hosted by Osbourne.
In 2003, MTV added Punk'd, a project by Ashton Kutcher to play pranks on various celebrities, and Pimp My Ride, a show about adding aesthetic and functional modifications to cars and other vehicles. Another popular show was Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica, a reality TV show that followed the lives of pop singers Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey, a music celebrity couple. It began in 2003, ran for four seasons. and ended in early 2005. The couple later divorced. The success of Newlyweds was followed in June 2004 by The Ashlee Simpson Show, which documented the beginnings of the music career of Ashlee Simpson, Jessica Simpson's younger sister.
In 2005 and 2006, MTV continued its focus on reality shows, with the debuts of popular shows such as 8th & Ocean, Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County, NEXT, The Hills, Two-A-Days, My Super Sweet 16, and Parental Control. Another popular show was Viva La Bam, featuring Bam Margera.
MTV shifted its focus back to Real World-style reality programming in late 2009 with the premiere of Jersey Shore, which brought unprecedented ratings success to the channel and also caused controversy due to some of its content (see Jersey Shore controversy, below).[75] MTV also aired a new show around this time called 16 and Pregnant, which documented the lives of teenagers expecting to have babies. This had a follow up show after the first season called Teen Mom.
MTV Hired follows the interviewing process, candidates meet with career coach Ryan Kahn from University of Dreams and at the end of each episode one candidate lands the job of their dreams.[76][77]
Rebroadcast programs and movies[link]
In recent years, MTV has re-aired other programs from Viacom-owned TV networks, such as BET's College Hill and VH1 programs I Love New York and Flavor of Love.[78] Other programs from non-Viacom networks include reruns of the shows Fastlane (from Fox),[79] Life As We Know It (from ABC),[80] Scrubs (from ABC and NBC), and CW programs America's Next Top Model, Beauty and the Geek,[81] and Hidden Palms. MTV also began showing movies targeted toward the young adult demographic, including 8 Mile,[82] My Boss's Daughter, Shaun of the Dead, and Napoleon Dynamite (the latter of which the network had a hand in producing). The channel has also broadcast several of its own productions of its film-producing division MTV Films, such as Crossroads and Jackass: The Movie,[83] and airs original made-for-television movies from MTV Studios such as Super Sweet 16: The Movie.
In 2007, MTV aired the reality show A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila, chronicling MySpace sensation Tila Tequila's journey to find a companion. Her bisexuality played into the series—both male and female contestants were vying for love—and was the subject of criticism.[84] It was the second-most popular show at that time, behind The Hills.[85] A spin-off series from Shot of Love, That's Amoré!, followed a similar pursuit from previous Shot at Love contestant Domenico Nesci. MTV also welcomed Paris Hilton to their lineup in October 2008 with the launch of her new reality series, Paris Hilton's My New BFF.[86] In 2009, MTV aired Snoop Dogg's second reality show with the channel, Dogg After Dark, and the show College Life, based at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Scripted programming[link]
MTV expanded its programming focus in 2009 to include scripted comedy programs. The channel was reported to be developing a number of scripted half-hour projects, including an animated series and five additional pilots.[87] With backlash towards what some consider too much superficial content on the network, a recent New York Times article also stated the intention of MTV to shift its focus towards more socially conscious media, which the article labels "MTV for the Obama era."[88] Shows in that vein included T.I.'s Road to Redemption and Fonzworth Bentley's finishing school show From G's to Gents. Western Europa programs such as Deutschland Liebt Günther and (separately based tagging them) series Das ist so Togo became a big hit in Europe in 2004 and 2006. There was more success for MTV when another (reality) show entitled The Buried Life was a great success for the station. It's about four friends traveling across the country to check off a list of "100 things to do before I die" and help others along the way, was another example of MTV's revised programming focus.
Image and branding[link]
MTV is widely considered the first television network to develop itself as a "brand," with a unified vocabulary, voice, and visual identity. Senior management, including John Lack, Bob Pittman, and Fred Seibert, all started their careers in radio, which had developed station brands as a critical audience development tool for decades, and Seibert led the teams that became directly responsible for the brand's creation.
MTV's logo, the large block letter "M" with graffiti-style letters "TV" superimposed and the words "Music Television" underneath, quickly became ubiquitous and instantly recognizable in popular culture. The last three decades have brought some change and evolution to MTV's iconic image and branding.
Original logos and IDs[link]
File:Mtvstationid.gif
An early MTV station ID by Henry Selick
The MTV logo was designed in 1981 by Manhattan Design, a collective formed by Frank Olinsky,[89] Pat Gorman, and Patty Rogoff, under the guidance of MTV's original creative director, Fred Seibert. The 'M' was sketched by Rogoff, with the 'TV' spray painted by Olinksky.[90]
Throughout MTV's early days, the channel's main logo was a large yellow "M" with red letters "TV," but unlike most networks' logos, the MTV logo constantly morphed and adapted with different colors, patterns, and images filling in the large block letter. The very first moments of MTV featured an adaptation of the first landing on the moon, directly from NASA still images (a concept of Seibert's, executed by Buzz Potamkin and Perpetual Motion Pictures).[91] After the "moon landing," as well as the top of every hour until at least the mid-1980s (which ran "more than 15,000" times each year, according to Seibert),[91] featured a rapidly changing station ID logo that changed its appearance several times per second. The only constant aspects of MTV's logo at the time were its general shape and proportions; everything else was dynamic.[92]
The channel's most popular image and branding campaign, "I want my MTV!," was launched in 1982. The media strategy and creative executions were developed by George Lois, based on a cereal commercial from the 1950s, "I want my Maypo!" that George created.[93] Over the years the campaign featured known artists and celebrities including Pete Townshend, Pat Benatar, Adam Ant, David Bowie, The Police, Kiss, Culture Club, Billy Idol, Hall & Oates, Cyndi Lauper, Madonna, Lionel Richie, Ric Ocasek, John Mellencamp, Peter Wolf, Joe Elliot, Stevie Nicks, Rick Springfield and Mick Jagger interacting with the MTV logo on-air, encouraging viewers to call their cable or satellite providers and request that MTV be added to their local channel lineups.[92] Eventually, the slogan became so ubiquitous it became incorporated as a sung (by Sting) lyric in the Mark Knofler penned Dire Straits' record "Money for Nothing."
1990s and 2000s updates[link]
File:MTV Logo Refresh.png
MTV's original 1981 and revised 2009 logos both feature dynamic patterns and images
Once MTV's original morphing logo had run its course, the channel began to use a solid color white logo that was otherwise the same as the original. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, MTV updated its on-air appearance at the beginning of every year and again each summer, creating a consistent brand across all of its music-related shows. This style of channel-wide branding came to an end as MTV drastically reduced its number of music-related shows in the early to mid-2000s. At this time, MTV introduced a static, single-color digital on-screen graphic during all of its other programming.
2010 rebranding[link]
Since the premiere of the short-lived FNMTV in 2008, MTV has used a revised, chopped version of its traditional logo during most of its on-air programming. The revised logo is largely the same as MTV's original logo, but it excludes the "Music Television" caption, the bottom section of the "M" block letter, and the trailing letter "V" that branched off to the side of the original logo.[94] However, much like the ever-changing patterns that filled MTV's original 1981 logo, the new 2010 logo is designed to be filled in with an unlimited variety of pictures and images. This new logo formally became MTV's official brand mark on February 8, 2010, when it debuted on MTV's website.[95] The channel's long-running official tagline "Music Television" was officially dropped at this time.[94] It is used worldwide, except for several countries, as of July 1, 2011. It was first adopted for MTV Films with the 2010 release Jackass 3D.
MTV's rebranding was overseen by Popkern.[96]
Moral influence and controversies[link]
MTV's near-ubiquitous presence in popular culture for 30 years has led the channel to be in the center of the ongoing debate over the cultural and moral influence of music and television on young people and society. The channel has thus found itself a target of criticism by various groups about programming choices, social issues, political correctness, sensitivity, censorship, and a perceived negative moral influence on young people.[97]
In 2005, the Parents Television Council released a study titled MTV Smut Peddlers, which sought to expose what PTC believed was excessive sexual, profane, and violent content on the channel, based on MTV's Spring Break programming from 2004.[98] Jeanette Kedas, an MTV network executive, called the PTC report "unfair and inaccurate" and "underestimating young people's intellect and level of sophistication," while L. Brent Bozell III, then-president of the PTC, stated that "the incessant sleaze on MTV presents the most compelling case yet for consumer cable choice," referring to the practice of cable and satellite companies to allow consumers to pay for channels à la carte.[99]
The Christian right organization American Family Association has also criticized MTV from perceptions of negative moral influence,[100] even going as far as to describe MTV as promoting a "pro-sex, anti-family, pro-choice, drug culture."[101]
In April 2008, PTC released The Rap on Rap, a study covering hip-hop and R&B music videos rotated on programs 106 & Park and Rap City, both shown on BET, and Sucker Free on MTV. PTC urged advertisers to withdraw sponsorship of those programs, whose videos PTC stated targeted children and teenagers "with adult content...once every 38 seconds."[102][103]
Super Bowl controversy[link]
Main article: Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy
On the heels of parent company Viacom's purchase of CBS, MTV was selected to produce the halftime show at Super Bowl XXXV, airing on CBS and featuring Britney Spears, 'N Sync and Aerosmith.[104] Due to its success, MTV was invited back to produce another Super Bowl halftime show, which would spark a moral influence debate and lead to sweeping changes in Super Bowl halftime shows, MTV's own programming, and even music played on the radio.
When CBS aired Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004, its sister network was again chosen to produce the halftime show, with performances by such artists as Nelly, Diddy, Janet Jackson, and Justin Timberlake. The show became controversial after Timberlake tore off part of Jackson's outfit while performing his hit song "Rock Your Body" with her, revealing her right breast. All involved parties apologized for the incident, and Timberlake referred to the incident as a "wardrobe malfunction".[105]
Michael Powell, then-chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, ordered an investigation of the show the day after its broadcast.[105] In the weeks following the controversial halftime show, MTV censored much of its programming. Several music videos, including "This Love" by Maroon 5 and "I Miss You" by Blink-182, were edited for sexual content.[68] In September 2004, the FCC ruled that the halftime show was indecent and fined CBS $550,000.[106] The FCC upheld its decision in 2006,[107] but federal judges reversed the fine in 2008.[108]
The Super Bowl itself would not feature another modern act for its halftime show until The Black Eyed Peas performed at Super Bowl XLV in 2011.
[edit] Jersey Shore controversy
Main article: Controversies of Jersey Shore
MTV received a significant amount of criticism from Italian American organizations for the show Jersey Shore, which premiered in December 2009.[109] The controversy was due in large part to the manner in which MTV marketed the show, as it liberally used the word Guido to describe the cast members. The word Guido is generally regarded as an ethnic slur when referring to Italians and Italian Americans. One promotion stated that the show was to follow, "eight of the hottest, tannest, craziest Guidos,"[110] while yet another advertisement stated, "[the show] exposes one of the tri-state area's most misunderstood species... the GUIDO. Yes, they really do exist! Our Guidos and Guidettes will move into the ultimate beach house rental and indulge in everything the Seaside Heights, New Jersey scene has to offer.Includes Nicole/Snooki. "[111]
Prior to the series debut, UNICO National (which is the largest Italian American organization) formally requested that MTV cancel the show.[112] In a letter to the network, UNICO called the show a "...direct, deliberate and disgraceful attack on Italian Americans..."[113] UNICO National President Andre DiMino said in a statement "MTV has festooned the 'bordello-like' house set with Italian flags and red, white and green maps of New Jersey while every other cutaway shot is of Italian signs and symbols. They are blatantly as well as subliminally bashing Italian-Americans with every technique possible..."[114] Around this time, other Italian organizations joined the fight, including the NIAF,[115] the Order Sons of Italy in America and the internet watch-dog.[116][117]
MTV responded to the controversy by issuing a press release which stated in part, "the Italian-American cast takes pride in their ethnicity. We understand that this show is not intended for every audience and depicts just one aspect of youth culture."[109] Since the calls for the show's removal, several sponsors have requested that their ads not be aired during the show. These sponsors include Dell, Domino's and American Family Insurance.[118] Despite the loss of certain advertisers, MTV has not canceled the show. Moreover, the show has seen its audience gradually increase from its premiere in December 2009.
[edit] Dude, This Sucks stunt
A pilot for a show called Dude, This Sucks was canceled after teens attending a taping at the Snow Summit Ski Resort in January 2001 were sprayed with liquid fecal matter by the group The Shower Rangers. The teens later sued.[119] MTV later apologized and said that the segment would not air.[120][121]
Andrew Dice Clay[link]
During the September 6, 1989 MTV Video Music Awards ceremony, comedian Andrew Dice Clay did his usual 'adult nursery rhymes' routine (which he had done in his stand-up acts) where the network executives imposed a lifetime ban. Billy Idol's music video for the song Cradle of Love originally had scenes from Clay's film The Adventures of Ford Fairlane when it was originally aired - scenes from the film were later excised. During the September 1, 2011 MTV Music Awards, Clay was in attendance where it has been confirmed that the network lifted the ban.[122]
[edit] Beavis and Butt-head "Fire" controversy
Social activism[link]
In addition to its regular programming, MTV has a long history of promoting social, political, and environmental activism in young people. The channel's vehicles for this activism have been Choose or Lose, encompassing political causes and encouraging viewers to vote in elections; Fight For Your Rights, encompassing anti-violence and anti-discrimination causes; and think MTV, the newest umbrella for all of MTV's social activism.
[edit] Choose or Lose
File:Chooselose.jpg
MTV Choose or Lose logo
In 1992, MTV started a pro-democracy campaign called Choose or Lose, to encourage up to 20 million people to register to vote, and the channel hosted a town hall forum for then-candidate Bill Clinton.[123]
In recent years, other politically diverse programs on MTV have included True Life, which documents people's lives and problems, and MTV News specials, which center on very current events in both the music industry and the world. One special show covered the 2004 U.S. Presidential election, airing programs focused on the issues and opinions of young people, including a program where viewers could ask questions of Senator John Kerry.[124] MTV worked with P. Diddy's "Vote or Die" campaign, designed to encourage young people to vote.[125]
Additionally, MTV aired a documentary covering a trip by the musical group Sum 41 to the Democratic Republic of Congo, documenting the conflict there. The group ended up being caught in the midst of an attack outside of the hotel and were subsequently flown out of the country.[126]
The channel also began showing presidential campaign commercials for the first time during the 2008 US presidential election.[127] This has led to criticism from the right, with Jonah Goldberg opining that "MTV serves as the Democrats' main youth outreach program."[128]
[edit] Fight For Your Rights
In the 1990s and early 2000s, MTV promoted annual campaigns known as Fight For Your Rights, with the slogan "Speak Out/Stand Up Against Violence," to bring forth awareness on America's crime, drugs and violence issues.
On April 6, 2001, MTV voluntarily ceased regular programming for 24 hours as part of the year's hate crimes awareness campaign. On that night, MTV aired a made-for-TV movie Anatomy of a Hate Crime, based on a true story of the 1998 murder of 21-year old Matthew Shepard, a gay college student. After the film and a discussion, MTV went dark and showed names of hate crime victims.
[edit] think MTV
MTV's most recent activism campaign is think MTV, which discusses current political issues such as same-sex marriage, U.S. elections, and war in other countries. The slogan of the program is "Reflect. Decide. Do." As part of think MTV, the channel also airs a series of pro-conservation ads called Break The Addiction, as a way of encouraging their viewers to find ways to use less fossil fuels and energy.
think MTV addresses twelve major issue areas: discrimination, environment, politics, health & self, crime & violence, poverty & disease, human rights, war & peace, relationships & sex, faith, substance abuse, and education. Young people are encouraged to choose the issues that resonate most and take action to make a positive change. The motto is, "Your cause. Your effect." think MTV is also integrated in MTV's current programming.
Beyond MTV[link]
Since its launch in 1981, the brand "MTV" has expanded to include many additional properties beyond the original MTV channel, including a variety of sister channels in the U.S., dozens of affiliated channels around the world, and an Internet presence through MTV.com and related websites.
Sister channels in the U.S.[link]
Further information: MTV Networks
MTV operates a group of channels under the name MTV Networks, a division of its corporate parent, Viacom. In 1985, MTV saw the introduction of its first true sister channel, VH1, which was originally an acronym for "Video Hits One" and was designed to play adult contemporary music videos. Today, VH1 is aimed at celebrity and popular culture programming. Another sister channel, CMT, targets the country music and southern culture market.
The advent of satellite television and digital cable brought MTV greater channel diversity, including its current sister channels MTV2 and MTV Tr3s (now Tr3s), which initially played music videos exclusively but now focus on other programming. Music videos still occupy most of the schedule on two additional channels, MTV Hits and MTV Jams. MTV also broadcasts mtvU, a college-oriented channel on campus at various universities.
Recently, MTV began broadcasting with MTV HD, a 1080i high definition simulcast of MTV. However only the network's original series after 2010 (with some pre-2010 content) are aired in high definition, while music videos, despite being filmed for high definition presentation, are still presented in 4:3 standard definition, forcing them into a windowboxing type of presentation. Jersey Shore, despite being shot with widescreen HD cameras, is also presented with SD windowboxing, DirecTV, Dish Network, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, U-verse, & Verizon FiOS carry the HD channel.
MTV Networks also operates Palladia, a high-definition channel that features original HD programming and HD versions of programs from MTV, VH1, and CMT. The station was launched in January 2006 as MHD (Music: High Definition). The channel was officially rebranded as Palladia on September 1, 2008 to coincide with the shift to more exclusive HD programming.[129]
In 2005 and 2006, MTV launched a series of channels for Asian Americans. The first channel was MTV Desi, launched in July 2005, dedicated toward South-Asian Americans. Next was MTV Chi, in December 2005, which catered to Chinese Americans. The third was MTV K, launched in June 2006 and targeted toward Korean Americans. Each of these channels featured music videos and shows from MTV's international affiliates as well as original U.S. programming, promos, and packaging. All three of these channels ceased broadcasting on April 30, 2007.
The Internet[link]
File:Mtvcom.png
MTV.com in 2008
In the late 1980s, before the World Wide Web, in the days of the Gopher protocol, MTV VJ Adam Curry began experimenting on the Internet. He registered the then-unclaimed domain name "MTV.com" in 1993 with the idea of being MTV's unofficial new voice on the Internet. Although this move was sanctioned by his supervisors at MTV Networks at the time, when Curry left to start his own web-portal design and hosting company, MTV subsequently sued him for the domain name, which led to an out-of-court settlement.[130]
The service hosted at the domain name was originally branded "MTV Online" during MTV's first few years of control over it in the mid-1990s. It served as a counterpart to the America Online portal for MTV content, which existed at AOL keyword MTV until approximately the end of the 1990s. After this time, the website became known as simply "MTV.com" and served as the Internet home base for all MTV and MTV News content.
MTV.com experimented with entirely video-based layouts between 2005 and 2007. The experiment began in April 2005 as MTV Overdrive, a streaming video service that supplemented the regular MTV.com website.[131] Shortly after the 2006 Video Music Awards, which were streamed on MTV.com and heavily utilized the MTV Overdrive features, MTV introduced a massive change for MTV.com, transforming the entire site into a Flash video-based entity.[132] Much of users' feedback about the Flash-based site was negative, demonstrating a dissatisfaction with videos that played automatically, commercials that could not be skipped or stopped, and the slower speed of the entire website. The experiment ended in February 2006 as MTV.com reverted to a traditional HTML-based website design with embedded video clips, in the style of YouTube and other popular video-based websites.[133]
Today, MTV.com is still the official website of MTV, and it expands on the channel's broadcasts by bringing additional content to its viewers. The site's notable features include an online version of MTV News, podcasts, and a video streaming service supported by commercials. There are also movie features, profiles and interviews with recording artists and from MTV's television programs.
The channel responded to the rise of the Internet as the new central place to watch music videos in October 2008 by launching MTV Music, a website that features thousands of music videos from MTV and VH1's video libraries, dating back to the earliest videos from 1981.
A newly created division of the company, MTV New Media, announced in 2008 that it would produce its own original web series, in an attempt to create a bridge between old and new media.[134] The programming is available to viewers via personal computers, cell phones, iPods, and other digital devices.[135]
MTV around the world[link]
Further information: List of MTV channels
MTV Networks has also launched numerous native-language regional variants of MTV-branded channels to countries around the world.
Regional variants include, but are not limited to:
Europe[link]
- MTV UK & Ireland - operates 16 channels solely in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
- MTV Europe
- MTV Belgium
- MTV Turkey
- MTV Netherlands
- MTV Greece
- MTV Russia
- MTV Poland
- MTV Hungary
- MTV Spain
- MTV France (serving Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Monaco, Morocco and Switzerland)
- MTV Germany
- MTV Portugal
- MTV Austria
- MTV Denmark
- MTV Finland
- MTV Italy
- MTV Norway
- MTV Poland
- MTV Czech
- MTV Romania
- MTV Lithuania
- MTV Latvia
- MTV Estonia
- MTV Sweden
- MTV Norway
- MTV Poland
- MTV Czech Republic
- MTV Romania
- MTV Lithuania
- MTV Latvia
- MTV Estonia
- MTV Sweden
- MTV Ukraine
- MTV Adria (serving Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia)
Asia & the Middle East[link]
- MTV Israel
- MTV Asia
- MTV Taiwan
- MTV Japan
- MTV Thailand
- MTV Indonesia
- MTV India
- MTV Vietnam
- MTV Pakistan
- MTV Middle East
Americas, Africa & Australasia[link]
- MTV Brazil
- MTV Canada
- MTV Latin America
- MTV Australia
- MTV New Zealand
- MTV Base - South Africa
Closed MTV regional variants[link]
- MTV International - Was available online from 2006 to 2007.
- MTV Networks Baltic (served Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia) - Closed on 18 November, 2009.
- MTV Philippines - Closed 16 February, 2010.
Recognition[link]
In 2010, a study by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation found that of the 207.5 hours of prime time programming, 42% included content reflecting the lives of gay, bisexual and transgendered people. This was the highest in the industry and the highest percentage ever.[136]
See also[link]
- Censorship on MTV
- First music videos aired on MTV
- Flashdance (1983), film that established MTV as an important marketing tool[137]
- List of MTV award shows
- List of MTV channels
- List of MTV VJs
- List of programs broadcast by MTV
- MTV generation
- MTV Networks
- MTV News
References[link]
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- ^ Serge Denisoff, R (1988-01-01). Inside MTV, p. 43. Transaction Publishers. ISBN 978-0-88738-864-4. http://books.google.com/?id=GlAecBkObiEC&lpg=PA43&dq=MARSHALL%20COHEN%20MTV&pg=PA43#v=onepage&q=MARSHALL%20COHEN%20MTV.
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- ^ Williams 2005, p. 8 In this case, a reference to crack cocaine was removed from the video for "My Band" by D12.
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- ^ "MTV.com – On-Air – MTV Week at a Glance". Archived from the original on 2007-05-16. http://web.archive.org/web/20070516214550/http://www.mtv.com/onair/schedule/mtv/weekly.jhtml.
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- ^ "MTV Schedule for July 18, 2007". http://www.mtv.com/onair/schedule/mtv/daily.jhtml?day=07%2F18%2F07.
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- ^ Brown, Jennifer (2007-12-20). "Tila Tequila Goes for the Guy". Reality TV Magazine. http://www.realitytvmagazine.com/blog/2007/12/20/tila-tequila-goes-for-the-guy/. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
- ^ "Hilton searching for new best friend". RTÉ. 2008-03-14. http://www.rte.ie/arts/2008/0314/hiltonp.html. Retrieved 2008-04-16.
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- ^ Arango, Tim (2009-04-18). "Make Room, Cynics; MTV Wants to Do Some Good". The New York Times (The New York Times Online). http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/19/business/media/19mtv.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=the%20buried%20life&st=cse. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
- ^ ""MTV Logo Story"". Frankolinsky.com. http://frankolinsky.com/mtvstory1.html. Retrieved 2012-05-23.
- ^ Peter Vidani (1980-05-05). "MTV Logo @ Fred Seibert dot com". Fredseibert.com. http://fredseibert.com/tagged/MTV_logo. Retrieved 2012-05-23.
- ^ a b Peter Vidani. ""More Than 75,000 Times"". Fredseibert.com. http://fredseibert.com/post/184137950/more-than-75-000-times. Retrieved 2012-05-23.
- ^ a b "The Creation of an Icon: MTV". Animation World Magazine. 1998-01-01. http://www.awn.com/mag/issue2.10/2.10pages/2.10mtv.html.
- ^ Peter Vidani. ""I Want My MTV!" Fred Seibert dot com". Fredseibert.com. http://fredseibert.com/tagged/IWMM. Retrieved 2012-05-23.
- ^ a b "There's No Music Television in MTV's New Logo". Flavorwire. 2010-02-08. http://flavorwire.com/68793/theres-no-music-television-in-mtvs-new-logo.
- ^ "After 30 Years, MTV Changing its Logo!". Om Malik. 2010-02-06. http://omis.me/2010/02/06/mtv-new-logo/.
- ^ http://popkern.tv/#301872/MTV-REDESIGN-2010
- ^ Lane, Frederick S. (2006). The Decency Wars: The Campaign to Cleanse American Culture. Amherst, New York: Prometheus Books. ISBN 1-59102-427-7
- ^ Williams, Casey (2005-02-01). "MTV Smut Peddlers: Targeting Kids with Sex, Drugs, and Alcohol". ParentsTV.org. Parents Television Council. http://www.parentstv.org/PTC/publications/reports/mtv2005/MTV_Report.pdf. Retrieved 2007-05-19.
- ^ "Study: MTV delivers a diet of sleaze". USA Today. Associated Press. 2005-02-02. http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2005-02-02-mtv-watchdog-study_x.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
- ^ "Boycott MTV". American Family Association. http://www.afa.net/mtvboycott.asp.
- ^ Fancher, Bill (2004-06-14). "Rock For Life Vows to Expose MTV's Anti-Family Agenda". afa.net. American Family Association. Archived from the original on 2007-02-11. http://web.archive.org/web/20070211092916/http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/6/afa/162004f.asp. Retrieved 2007-07-21.
- ^ Moss, Linda; Umstead, R. Thomas (2008-04-10). "PTC Puts a Bad 'Rap' On BET, MTV". Multichannel news. http://www.multichannel.com/article/132804-PTC_Puts_A_Bad_Rap_On_BET_MTV.php. Retrieved 2008-08-26.
- ^ Crupi, Anthony (2008-04-10). "PTC Blasts MTV, BET". Mediaweek. Archived from the original on April 22, 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080422053803/http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/media_agencies/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003788641. Retrieved 2008-08-26.
- ^ "Aerosmith, N'Sync add spice to MTV-driven halftime show". Sports Illustrated. Associated Press. 2001-01-28. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/2001/playoffs/news/2001/01/28/superbowl_halftimeshow_ap/. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
- ^ a b "Apologetic Jackson says 'costume reveal' went awry". CNN.com. Associated Press. 2004-02-02. http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/02/02/superbowl.jackson/. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
- ^ "CBS hit with $550K Super Bowl fine". CNN/Money. 2004-09-22. http://money.cnn.com/2004/09/22/news/fortune500/viacom_fcc/. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
- ^ "FCC sticks by Janet Jackson Super Bowl fine". MSNBC. Associated Press. 2006-02-22.
- ^ "Court Drops FCC Fine For Janet Jackson's Super Bowl Wardrobe Malfunction". http://newsroom.mtv.com/2008/07/21/court-drops-fcc-fine-for-janet-jacksons-super-bowl-wardrobe-malfunction/.
- ^ a b "FoxNews.com". FoxNews.com. 2010-04-07. http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2009/11/25/italian-american-group-asks-mtv-cancel-jersey-shore/?utm_source=feedburner. Retrieved 2010-08-07.
- ^ Kaufman, Gil (2009-12-01). "'Jersey Shore' Castmember Defends Show Against Detractors". MTV.com. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1627353/20091201/story.jhtml. Retrieved 2010-08-07.
- ^ "MTV.ca". MTV.ca. http://www.mtv.ca/tvshows/show.jhtml?id=22413. Retrieved 2012-05-23.
- ^ Unico.org[dead link]
- ^ Raymond, Adam K. (2009-11-24). "Italian Group Asks MTV to Yank Jersey Shore". NYmag.com. http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2009/11/italian_group_asks_mtv_to_yank.html. Retrieved 2010-08-07.
- ^ "Italian-Americans slam 'Jersey Shore'". UPI.com. 2009-12-04. http://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/TV/2009/12/04/Italian-Americans-slam-Jersey-Shore/UPI-85771259960979/. Retrieved 2010-08-07.
- ^ "NIAF.org" (PDF). https://www.niaf.org/public_policy/images/NIAF_Letter_Viacom-JerseyShore11-09.pdf. Retrieved 2012-05-23.
- ^ "ItalianAware.com". ItalianAware.com. http://www.italianaware.com. Retrieved 2010-08-07.
- ^ Vincent Jackson (2009-12-04). "Italian groups target MTV". PressOfAtlanticCity.com. http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/life/article_08fbfbbc-e122-11de-8a9f-001cc4c002e0.html. Retrieved 2010-08-07.
- ^ Salamone, Gina (2009-12-22). "Dell pulls ads from 'Jersey Shore'; MTV show loses another sponsor over claims of 'ethnic bashing'". New York: NYdailyNews.com. http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2009/12/22/2009-12-22_dell_pulls_ads_from_jersey_shore.html. Retrieved 2010-08-07.
- ^ "MTV Sorry for Poop-Flinging". ABC News. April 6, 2001. http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=107141. Retrieved September 25, 2011.
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- ^ MTV's traveling "Choose or Lose" vehicle brings politics. Salon. http://www.salon.com/media/media960923.html
- ^ Sherman, Tom, "The Real Story of the Youth Vote in the 2004 Election." Underscorebleach.net, 2004-11-04. Retrieved on 2006-04-14.
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- ^ Very Different Visions by Jonah Goldberg
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- ^ Litwak, Mark (1986). Reel Power: The Struggle for Influence and Success in the New Hollywood. New York: William Morrow & Co.. p. 245. ISBN 0-688-04889-7.
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http://wn.com/MTV
Related pages:
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http://cs.wn.com/MTV
http://id.wn.com/MTV
http://es.wn.com/MTV
http://ru.wn.com/MTV
http://nl.wn.com/MTV (televisiezender)
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http://fr.wn.com/Music Television
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This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTV
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This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
| Kanye West | |
|---|---|
.jpg) West at the SWU Music & Arts Festival, 2011 |
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Kanye Omari West |
| Born | (1977-06-08) June 8, 1977 (age 35) Atlanta, Georgia, United States |
| Origin | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupations | rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, music video director, film director, fashion designer |
| Instruments | Vocals, keyboards, sampler, percussion, synthesizer |
| Years active | 1996–present |
| Labels | GOOD Music, Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam |
| Associated acts | Go Getters, Child Rebel Soldier, Jay-Z, The Throne, Common, John Legend, Kid Cudi, Rihanna, Jeff Bhasker, Pusha T, Mos Def, Mr Hudson, Talib Kweli, Big Sean, A-Trak, Pharrell, Lupe Fiasco, RZA |
| Website | kanyewest.com |
Kanye Omari West ( /ˈkɑːnjeɪ/; born June 8, 1977)[1] is an American musician, film director and fashion designer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and Janet Jackson. His style of production originally used pitched-up vocal samples from soul songs incorporated with his own drums and instruments. However, subsequent productions saw him broadening his musical palette and expressing influences encompassing '70s R&B, baroque pop, trip hop, arena rock, folk, alternative, electronica, synthpop, and classical music.[2]
West released his debut album The College Dropout in 2004, his second album Late Registration in 2005, his third album Graduation in 2007, his fourth album 808s & Heartbreak in 2008, and his fifth album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy in 2010. West released a collaborative album, Watch the Throne with Jay-Z in 2011, which is the duo's first collaborative album. His five solo albums, all of which have gone platinum, have received numerous awards and critical acclaim.[3] As of 2012, West has won a total of eighteen Grammy Awards, making him one of the most awarded artists of all-time.[4] All albums have been very commercially successful, with My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy becoming his fourth consecutive No. 1 album in the U.S. upon release.[5] West has had 5 songs exceed 3 million in digital sales as of July 2011, with "Gold Digger" selling 3,086,000, "Stronger" selling 4,402,000, "Heartless" selling 3,742,000, "E.T." selling over 4,000,000 and "Love Lockdown" selling over 3,000,000[6][7] placing him third in overall digital sales of the past decade.[8][9] He has sold over 30 million digital songs in the United States making him one of the best-selling digital artists of all-time.[10]
West also runs his own record label GOOD Music, home to artists such as John Legend, Common and Kid Cudi.[11] West's mascot and trademark is "Dropout Bear," a teddy bear which has appeared on the covers of three of his five solo albums as well as various single covers and in his music videos.[12] About.com ranked Kanye West No. 8 on their "Top 50 Hip-Hop Producers" list.[13] On May 16, 2008, Kanye West was crowned by MTV as the year's No. 1 "Hottest MC in the Game."[14] On December 17, 2010, Kanye West was voted as the MTV Man of the Year by MTV.[15] Billboard ranked Kanye West No. 3 on their list of Top 10 Producers of the Decade.[16] West has also been included in the Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world as well as being listed in a number of Forbes' annual lists.[17]
Kanye will release the full-length album entitled Cruel Summer with GOOD Music signed artists sometime in 2012.
Contents |
Early life[link]
Kanye West was born in Atlanta, Georgia,[18] where he lived with his parents. When he was three years old, his parents divorced, and he and his mother moved to Chicago, Illinois.[19] His father was Ray West, a former Black Panther who was one of the first black photojournalists at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and is now a Christian counselor.[19] West's mother, Dr. Donda West, was a Professor of English at Clark Atlanta University, and the Chair of the English Department at Chicago State University before retiring to serve as West's manager. He was raised in a middle-class background, attending Polaris High School[20] in suburban Oak Lawn, Illinois after living in Chicago.[21] When asked about his grades in high school, West replied, "I got A's and B's. And I'm not even frontin'".[22]
West attended art classes at the American Academy of Art in Chicago, and also enrolled at Chicago State University, but dropped out to focus on his music career.[23] While attending school, West produced for local artists. He later gained fame by producing hit singles for major hip hop/R&B artists, including Jay-Z, Talib Kweli, Cam'ron, Paul Wall, Common, Mobb Deep, Jermaine Dupri, Scarface, The Game, Alicia Keys, Janet Jackson, John Legend among others. He also "ghost-produced" for his mentor Deric Angelettie, according to his song "Last Call" and the credits of Nas' "Poppa Was a Playa".[23]
Music career[link]
1996–2003: Career beginnings[link]
Kanye West's first career productions came on Chicago rapper Grav's 1996 debut album Down to Earth. West produced eight tracks on the album. While the album did not attract much attention and would be the only album released by Grav, West would soon be producing for higher profile artists. In 1998–1999 he produced for well-known artists such as Jermaine Dupri, Foxy Brown, Goodie Mob, and the group Harlem World.
West got his big break in the year 2000, when he began to produce for artists on Roc-a-Fella Records. He produced the well-received Jay-Z song "This Can't Be Life" off of the album The Dynasty: Roc La Familia. West would later state that to create the beat for "This Can't Be Life", he sped up the drum beat from Dr. Dre's song "Xxplosive".[24]
After producing for Jay-Z earlier, West’s sound was featured heavily on Jay-Z's critically acclaimed album The Blueprint, released September 11, 2001.[25] His work was featured on the lead single "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)", "Heart of the City (Ain't No Love)" and a diss track against Nas and Mobb Deep named "Takeover"; West has worked with Mobb Deep and Nas since the track's release.[25]
After meeting great commercial success and critical acclaim for his productions on The Blueprint, West became a sought after producer in the hip-hop industry, even before he became known as a rapper and solo artist. In the years 2002–2003 he would produce for artists such as Nas, Scarface, Talib Kweli, Mos Def, T.I., Ludacris, DMX, and Monica. He also continued producing for Roc-a-Fella Records artists and contribued four tracks to Jay-Z's follow up album to The Blueprint, The Blueprint²: The Gift & the Curse.
After great successes as a producer, West now looked to pursue a career as a rapper and solo artist, but struggled to get a record deal. Chris Anokute, then A&R at Def Jam, said that when West regularly dropped by the office to pick up his producer checks he would play demos of solo material to Anokute in his cubicle and bemoan the fact that no one was taking him seriously as a rapper.[26] Jay-Z admitted that Roc-A-Fella was initially reluctant to support West as a rapper, claiming that he saw him as a producer first and foremost.[27] Multiple record companies felt he was not as marketable as rappers who portray the "street image" prominent in hip hop culture.[24] Beginning his career as a rapper, Kanye West recorded the third verse on the song "The Bounce" off of Jay-Z's The Blueprint²: The Gift & the Curse, an album he produced for, from the same label he was signed to as a rapper.
[edit] 2004–05: The College Dropout and Late Registration
On October 23, 2002, West was involved in a near fatal car crash while driving home from the recording studio.[28] The crash provided inspiration for West's first single, "Through the Wire".[29] West's faith is apparent in many of his songs, such as "Jesus Walks", which became a staple at his benefit performances, such as the Live 8 concert. These songs were featured on West's debut album, The College Dropout, which was released on Roc-A-Fella Records in February 2004, and went on to receive critical acclaim. The album also defined the style for which West would become known, including wordplay and sampling.[29] The album was eventually certified triple platinum. Guest appearances included Jay-Z, Ludacris, GLC, Consequence, Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Common, and Syleena Johnson. The album also featured the singles, "All Falls Down" and "The New Workout Plan", as well as Twista's number one single, "Slow Jamz".[30] During 2003 West also co-produced songs for British singer Javine Hylton, even appearing in the music video to Real Things playing the love interest of Javine.
West was involved in a financial dispute over Royce Da 5'9"'s song "Heartbeat", produced by West and released on Build & Destroy: The Lost Sessions. West maintains that Royce never paid for the beat, but recorded to it and released it; hearing him on the beat, the original customers decided not to buy it from West. After the disagreement, West vowed to never work with Royce again.[31] Other Kanye West-produced hit singles during the period The College Dropout was released included "I Changed My Mind" by Keyshia Cole, "Overnight Celebrity" by Twista and "Talk About Our Love" by Brandy.[29]
Taking a more eclectic route, West collaborated with American film score composer Jon Brion to construct his second album, Late Registration, which was released on August 30, 2005.[32] Like its predecessor, the sophomore effort garnered universal acclaim from music critics.[33] Late Registration topped countless critic polls and was revered as the best album of the year by numerous publications, including USA Today, Spin, and Time.[34][35] Rolling Stone awarded the album the highest position on their end of the year record list and hailed it as a "sweepingly generous, absurdly virtuosic hip-hop classic."[36] The record earned the number one spot on the Village Voice's Pazz & Jop critics' poll of 2005 for the second consecutive year.[37] Late Registration was also a commercial success, selling over 860,000 copies in its first week alone and topping the Billboard 200.[38] Grossing over 2.3 million units sold in the United States alone by year's end, Late Registration was considered by industry observers as the sole majorly successful album release of the fall of 2005, a season that was plagued by steadily declining CD sales.[39] The second album earned eight Grammy Award nominations including Album of the Year and Record of the Year for the song "Gold Digger".[40] The album is certified triple platinum.[41]
On August 22, 2005, the MTV special All Eyes On Kanye West aired, in which West spoke out against homophobia in hip-hop. He claimed that hip-hop has always been about "speaking your mind and about breaking down barriers, but everyone in hip-hop discriminates against gay people."[42] He then reflected on a personal experience. He said that he had a "turning point" when he realized one of his cousins was gay. He said regarding this experience: "This is my cousin. I love him and I've been discriminating against gays." He drew comparison between African Americans' struggle for civil rights and today's gay rights movement. The following year, in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, West further expounded his experiences with and views on the relationship between the black and gay communities.[43]
In September 2005, West announced that he would release his Pastelle Clothing line in spring 2006:[44] "Now that I have a Grammy under my belt and Late Registration is finished, I am ready to launch my clothing line next spring." In that year, West produced the hit singles "Go" by Common and "Dreams" by The Game.[45]
[edit] 2007–09: Graduation and 808s & Heartbreak
In 2007, it was announced that West would be starring in a series directed by Larry Charles. He has been working on the pilot episode for the past two years with Larry Charles and Rick Rubin. He also had this to say on January 14: "I wouldn't do something as cliché as a reality show. At least give me the credit for being more creative than that. It's a situational half-hour comedy. It's fictional, and loosely based on my life.[46] " West also collaborated with Japanese hip-hop group Teriyaki Boyz to produce the single "I Still Love H.E.R.", a reference to Common's 1994 single "I Used to Love H.E.R.". Further to this, during a radio appearance in early 2007, West, like many of his peers, recorded an impromptu freestyle to the popular song "Throw Some D's." The song that to all other rappers was about automobile rims, was used by West to comically refer to D-cup breasts. Because of the unexpected success of the song, West went on to make a video for the freestyle, in which he is seen playing his 'Old Ass Cousin'.[47]
West was also featured in a new song called "Classic (Better Than I've Ever Been)". It was believed to be a single for, Graduation, because he is featured on the track, but Nike quickly explained that it was for the Nike Air Force 1's anniversary. It was meant only to be an exclusive track for the company.[48]
On March 25, 2007, he and his father Ray West supported World Water Day by having a "Walk for Water" rally.[49] After a two-year break, West has returned to being a fashion columnist in lifestyle magazine Complex.[50] On July 7, 2007, West performed with The Police and John Mayer at the American leg of Live Earth.[51] West hosted the August 17 edition of British comedy- variety show The Friday Night Project.[52]
In July 2007, West changed the release date of Graduation, his third album, from September 18, 2007, to the same release date as 50 Cent's album Curtis, September 11, 2007.[53] 50 Cent later claimed that if Graduation were to sell more records than Curtis, he would stop releasing solo albums. However, 50 Cent would later dispel his comments.[54] The album has been certified double platinum. Guest appearances included T-Pain, Mos Def, and Lil Wayne.[55]
| “ | When I heard that thing about the debate, I thought that was the stupidest thing. When my albums drops and 50's album drops, you're gonna get a lot of good music at the same time.[56] | ” |
On August 26, 2007, West appeared as himself on the HBO television show Entourage which he used as a platform to premier his new single "Good Life" during the end credits. On September 9, 2007, West performed at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards, losing in every category he was nominated for; he gave an angry speech immediately afterward. (see "Controversies" section)
Following the MTV stint, West was nominated in eight Grammy Award categories for the 50th annual Grammy Awards.[57] He won four of them,[58] including Best Rap Album for Graduation and Best Rap Solo Performance for "Stronger" from Graduation. During the four-hour televised Grammy Awards ceremony, West also performed two songs: "Stronger" (with Daft Punk) and "Hey Mama" (in honor of his recently deceased mother).[59]
File:Kanye West Chicago Tour 2008.jpg
West performing at the United Center in Chicago
West kicked off the Glow in the Dark Tour in Seattle at the Key Arena on April 16. The tour was originally scheduled to end in June in Cincinnati but was extended into August. Over the course of the tour West was joined by a varying group of opening acts, including Lupe Fiasco, Rihanna, N.E.R.D., DJ Craze, and Gnarls Barkley. On June 15, West was scheduled to perform a late night set at the Bonnaroo Music Festival. His performance started almost two hours late and ran for half of its alloted time, angering many fans in the audience. West later wrote an outraged entry on his blog, blaming the festival organizers as well as Pearl Jam's preceding set, which ran longer than expected.
On September 7, West debuted a new song "Love Lockdown" at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards. "Love Lockdown" features no rapping and only singing using an auto-tune device. This song appears on West's fourth studio album, 808s & Heartbreak. The new album was expected to be released on December 16, but West announced on his blog on September 24, 2008, that he had finished the album and would be releasing it sometime in November, earlier than previously scheduled. In early October, West made a surprise appearance at a T.I. concert in Los Angeles, where he stated that 808s & Heartbreak was scheduled to be released on November 25, though it was actually released on the 24th, and that the second single is "Heartless". The album was another number one album for West, even though the first week numbers fell well short of Graduation with 450,145 sold.[60]
West performed at the American Music Awards ceremony on November 23.[61] That same night he won two AMA awards, including Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album for Graduation and Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Male Artist. West performed at the Democratic National Convention in Denver in August 2008, along with Wyclef Jean and N.E.R.D. in support of Barack Obama. On January 20, 2009, Kanye West performed at the Youth Inaugural Ball hosted by MTV for Obama's inauguration.
On February 17, 2009, West was named one of Top 10 Most Stylish Men in America by GQ.[62] The next day, February 18, 2009, West won International Male Solo Artist at The Brit Awards 2009. West was not in attendance but accepted his award with a video speech, saying "Barack is the 'Best Interracial Male' but I'm proud to be the Best International Male in the world.[63]
In April 2009, Kanye West recorded a song called "Hurricane" with 30 Seconds to Mars to appear on their album This Is War, but was not released due to legal issues with both record companies. The song was eventually released on the deluxe version of This Is War, titled "Hurricane 2.0".[64][65][66]
[edit] 2010–present: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and Watch the Throne
In May 2010, West made an animated television guest appearance on Fox's animated television series The Cleveland Show (a spin-off of Family Guy) as the voice behind "Kenny West", a rival of Cleveland Brown's son.[67] In his first episode he performed in a rap battle with Cleveland's son. The producers stated working with West was a very good experience and a reason they chose him was because they knew he was a fan of Family Guy.[68] Kenny West re-appeared in the season 2 premiere of The Cleveland Show.
West spent the first half of 2010 in Honolulu, Hawaii, working on his new album with the working title "Good Ass Job", later named My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, released on November 22, 2010.[69] West has cited Maya Angelou, Gil Scott-Heron and Nina Simone as his musical inspirations for this album. Outside production is said to come from RZA, Q-Tip, Pete Rock, and DJ Premier.[70][71] West also had Justin Vernon flown into his studio on Oahu after seemingly expressing interest in sampling one of Bon Iver's songs; Vernon proceeded to feature on a number of new tracks, including "Lost In The World," which features Vernon's vocal line from Woods.[72]
On May 28, the Dwele-assisted first single from the album, entitled "Power", leaked to the Internet. On June 30, the track was officially released via iTunes. The upcoming music video was quoted as being "apocalyptic, in a very personal way" by the director Marco Brambilla.[73]
On September 12, 2010, West performed a new song, "Runaway" featuring Pusha T, at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards.[74] Shortly after the performance, Kanye revealed he was working on a 35 minute short film based around the song. The movie is said to be influenced by film noir and concerns a fallen phoenix whom Kanye falls in love with.[75] On October 15, 2010, Kanye West was ranked 3rd in BET's "Top Ten Rappers of the 21st Century" list.[76]
Watch the Throne, a collaborative studio album by West and Jay-Z,[77] was released by Def Jam Recordings on August 8, 2011.[78] It has been under production since August 2010 as part of West's GOOD Friday initiative of releasing new songs every Friday between August 20 and Christmas 2010.[79] West said through a recent interview with MTV that the album is "going to be very dark and sexy, like couture hip hop."[79][80][81] He appeared at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, performing the track "Lost in the World" from My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.[82] On January 6, 2011, Kanye announced via Twitter that the first official single from Watch the Throne would be a song called "H•A•M" produced by Lex Luger. The song was released on January 11, 2011.[83]
On April 17, 2011, West closed the Coachella Festival with a headlining set that received glowing praise from fans and critics alike.[84][85] On July 20, a track titled "Otis" from the album was released in the iTunes Store. It samples "Try a Little Tenderness" by Otis Redding.[86] On October 19, 2011, via his Twitter, West announced plans for a Spring 2012 GOOD Music album release.[87] On April 6, 2012, "Mercy", the lead single from the GOOD Music compilation album, Cruel Summer, was released.[88] The song, produced by newly signed in-house producer Lifted, features West along with Big Sean, Pusha T and southern rapper 2 Chainz.[89]
Other ventures[link]
Business ventures[link]
In August 2008, West revealed plans to open 10 Fatburger restaurants in the Chicago area; the first was set to open in September 2008 in Orland Park. The second followed in January 2009, while a third location is yet to be revealed, although the process is being finalized. His company, KW Foods LLC, bought the rights to the chain in Chicago.[90] Additionally, West planned to launch his fashion career, and applied for internships with major European fashion houses.[91] He was due to release his own clothing line called Past Tell in 2009. He also collaborated with Nike to release his own shoe, Air Yeezys.
On January 22, 2009, during Paris Fashion Week, West introduced his first shoe line designed for Louis Vuitton. The line was released in summer 2009.
On October 1, 2011, Kanye West premiered his women's fashion label, DW Kanye West[92] at Paris Fashion Week. He received support from DSquared2 duo Dean and Dan Caten, Olivier Theyskens, Jeremy Scott, Azzedine Alaïa, and the Olsen twins, who were also in attendance during his show. His debut fashion show received mixed-to-negative reviews,[93][94] ranging from reserved observations by Style.com[95] to excoriating commentary by The Wall Street Journal,[96] the New York Times,[97] the International Herald Tribune, Elleuk.com, The Daily Telegraph, Harper's Bazaar and many others.[98][99][100]
Philanthropy[link]
West started the "Kanye West Foundation" in Chicago in 2003. On August 24, 2007, West hosted the inaugural benefit concert to launch the foundation's partnership with Strong American Schools. It is focused on helping Latino and African American children stay in school and continue education through grade school, high school, and college. The foundation also helps children pursue music in school. West has contributed over $500,000 to his foundation. The foundation has also been called the "Donda West Foundation".
Kanye West has appeared and participated in many fundraisers, benefit concerts, and has done community work for Hurricane Katrina relief, the Kanye West Foundation, the Millions More Movement, 100 Black Men of America, a Live Earth concert benefit, World Water Day rally and march, Nike runs, and a MTV special helping young Iraq War veterans who struggle through debt and PTSD a second chance after returning home.[101]
Musical style and influences[link]
At the start of his career, Kanye West's production style often used pitched-up vocal samples, usually from soul songs, with his own drums and instruments.[25] His first major release featuring his trademark vocal sampling style was "This Can't Be Life", a track from Jay-Z’s The Dynasty: Roc La Familia. West said he sped up the drum beat of Dr. Dre's "Xxplosive" to use as a replacement for his drums on "This Can't Be Life".[24]
West has said that Wu-Tang Clan producer RZA influenced him in his style,[21][102] and has said on numerous occasions that Wu-Tang rappers Ghostface Killah and Ol' Dirty Bastard were some of his all-time favorites, "Wu-Tang? Me and my friends talk about this all the time... We think Wu-Tang had one of the biggest impacts as far as a movement. From slang to style of dress, skits, the samples. Similar to the [production] style I use, RZA has been doing that."[103] RZA himself has spoken quite positively of the comparisons, stating in an interview for Rolling Stone, "All good. I got super respect for Kanye. He came up to me about a year or two ago. He gave me mad praising and blessings... For people to say Wu-Tang inspire Kanye, Kanye is one of the biggest artists in the world. That goes back to what we say: 'Wu-Tang is forever.' Kanye is going to inspire people to be like him."[104] After hearing his work on The Blueprint, RZA claimed that a torch-passing had occurred between him and West, saying, "The shoes gotta be filled. If you ain't gonna do it, somebody else is gonna do it. That's how I feel about rap today."[104]
While his use of sampling has lessened over time, West's production continues to feature distinctive and intricate string arrangements. This characteristic arose from him listening to the English trip hop group Portishead, whose 1998 live album Roseland NYC Live, with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra inspired him to incorporate string sections into his hip hop production.[2] Though he was unable to afford live instruments beyond violin riffs provided by Israeli violinist Miri Ben-Ari around the time of his debut album, its subsequent commercial success allowed him to hire his very own eleven-piece string orchestra. For a time, West stood as the sole current pop star to tour with a string section.[2]
West has stated on several occasions that outside of work, he favors listening to rock music over hip-hop. He cites Franz Ferdinand, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and The Killers as some of his favorite musical groups. Additionally, on Graduation, West drew inspiration from arena rock bands such as U2, The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin for melody and chord progression.[105] Both a fan and supporter of indie culture, West uses his official website to promote obscure indie rock bands, posting up music videos and mp3s on a daily basis.[106] This musical affinity is mutual, as West has collaborated with indie artists such as Santigold, Peter Bjorn and John, and Lykke Li while his songs have gone on to be covered countless times by myriad rock bands.[107]
Personal life[link]
Relationships[link]
Kanye West and designer Alexis Phifer ended their 18-month engagement in 2008. The couple had been dating on and off since 2002, with West eventually proposing in August 2006. According to a friend, the couple's relationship had become increasingly strained, burdened by the sheer amount of time and attention West was dedicating to his current concert tour. "It's always sad when things like this end, and we remain friends," Phifer told People.[108]
West was also in a high profile on/off relationship with Amber Rose from 2008 until the summer of 2010. He is now reportedly dating reality star Kim Kardashian.[109]
Mother's death[link]
On November 10, 2007, West's mother, Donda West, died of complications from cosmetic surgery involving abdominoplasty and breast reduction.[110] TMZ reported that Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Andre Aboolian refused to do the surgery because Donda West had a health condition that placed her at risk for a heart attack.[110] Aboolian referred her to an internist to investigate her cardiac issue.[110] Donda never met with the doctor recommended by Aboolian and had the procedures performed by a third doctor, Jan Adams.[110] She was 58 years old (1949–2007).
Adams sent condolences to Donda West's family but declined to publicly discuss the procedure because of confidentiality.[111] He had previously been under scrutiny by the medical board.[112][113][114] Adams appeared on Larry King Live on November 20, 2007 but left before speaking. Two days later, he appeared again, with his attorney, stating he was there to "defend himself." He said that the recently released autopsy results "spoke for themselves".[115] The final coroner's report January 10, 2008 concluded that Donda West died of "coronary artery disease and multiple post-operative factors due to or as a consequence of liposuction and mammoplasty."[116]
The funeral and burial for Donda West was held in Oklahoma City on November 20, 2007.[117] West held his first concert following the funeral at The O2 in London on November 22. He dedicated a performance of "Hey Mama", as well as a cover of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'", to his mother, and did so on all other dates of his Glow in the Dark tour.[118]
At a December 2008 press conference in New Zealand, West spoke about his mother's death for the first time. "It was like losing an arm and a leg and trying to walk through that," he told reporters.[119]
California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger passed the "Donda West Law," a legislation which makes it mandatory for patients to provide medical clearance for elective cosmetic surgery.[120]
Legal issues[link]
In December 2006, Robert "Evel" Knievel sued West for trademark infringement in West's video for "Touch the Sky." Knievel took issue with a "sexually charged video" in which West takes on the persona of "Evel Kanyevel" and attempts flying a rocket over a canyon. The suit filed in federal court claims infringement on his trademarked name and likeness. Knievel also claims the "vulgar and offensive" images depicted in the video damage his reputation. The suit seeks damages and to stop distribution of the video.[121] West's attorneys argued that the music video amounted to satire and therefore was covered under the First Amendment. Just days before his death in November 2007, Knievel amicably settled the suit after being paid a visit from West, saying, "I thought he was a wonderful guy and quite a gentleman."[122]
On September 11, 2008, West and his road manager/bodyguard Don "Don C." Crowley were arrested at Los Angeles International Airport and booked on charges of felony vandalism after an altercation with the paparazzi in which West and Crowley broke the photographers' cameras.[123][124] West was later released from the Los Angeles Police Department's Pacific Division station in Culver City on $20,000 bail bond. On September 26, 2008 the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said it would not file felony counts against West over the incident. Instead the case file was forwarded to the city attorney's office, which charged West with one count of misdemeanor vandalism, one count of grand theft and one count of battery and his manager with three counts of each on March 18, 2009.[125] West's and Crowley's arraignment was delayed from an original date of April 14, 2009.[126]
West was arrested again on November 14, 2008 at the Hilton hotel near Gateshead after another scuffle involving a photographer outside the famous Tup Tup Palace nightclub in Newcastle Upon Tyne. He was later released "with no further action", according to a police spokesperson.[127]
Controversies[link]
General media[link]
West has had several controversies throughout his career. On September 2, 2005, during a benefit concert for Hurricane Katrina relief on NBC, A Concert for Hurricane Relief, West was a featured speaker. When West was presenting alongside actor Mike Myers, he deviated from the prepared script. Myers spoke next and continued to read the script. Once it was West's turn to speak again, he said "George Bush doesn't care about black people." At this point, telethon producer Rick Kaplan cut off the microphone and then cut away to Chris Tucker, who was unaware of the cut for a few seconds. Still, West's comment reached much of the United States.[128][129] Bush stated in an interview that the comment was "one of the most disgusting moments” of his presidency.[130]
In January 2006, West again sparked controversy when he appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone in the image of Jesus wearing a crown of thorns.[131]
In November, 2010, in a taped interview with Matt Lauer for the Today Show, West expressed regret for his criticism of Bush. "I would tell George Bush in my moment of frustration, I didn't have the grounds to call him a racist," he told Lauer. "I believe that in a situation of high emotion like that we as human beings don't always choose the right words." The following day, Bush reacted to the apology in a live interview with Lauer saying he appreciated the rapper's remorse. "I'm not a hater," Bush said. "I don't hate Kanye West. I was talking about an environment in which people were willing to say things that hurt. Nobody wants to be called a racist if in your heart you believe in equality of races."
Reactions were mixed, but some felt that West had no need to apologize. "It was not the particulars of your words that mattered, it was the essence of a feeling of the insensitivity towards our communities that many of us have felt for far too long," noted Def Jam co-founder Russell Simmons.[132] Dr. Boyce Watkins said that West was, "now part of the establishment, where waffling on your principles is fully expected. Bush deserved no apology, for you don’t apologize to a criminal after repudiating him for an egregious crime.[133] " Bush himself was receptive to the apology, saying, "I appreciate that. It wasn't just Kanye West who was talking like that during Katrina, I cited him as an example, I cited others as an example as well. You know, I appreciate that."[134]
Award shows[link]
In 2004, West had his first of a number of incidents involving music award events. At the American Music Awards of 2004, West stormed out of the auditorium after losing Best New Artist to country singer Gretchen Wilson. He later commented, "I felt like I was definitely robbed [...] I was the best new artist this year."[135] After the 2006 Grammy nominations were released, West said he would "really have a problem" if he did not win the Album of the Year, saying, "I don't care what I do, I don't care how much I stunt – you can never take away from the amount of work I put into it. I don't want to hear all of that politically correct stuff."[136] On November 2, 2006, when his "Touch the Sky" failed to win Best Video at the MTV Europe Music Awards, West went onto the stage as the award was being presented to Justice and Simian for "We Are Your Friends" and argued that he should have won the award instead.[137][138] Hundreds of news outlets worldwide criticized the outburst. On November 7, 2006, West apologized for this outburst publicly during his performance as support act for U2 for their Vertigo concert in Brisbane.[139] He later spoofed the incident in the season premiere of Saturday Night Live.
On September 9, 2007, West suggested that his race had to do with his being overlooked for opening the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) in favor of Britney Spears; he claimed, "Maybe my skin’s not right."[140] West was performing at the event; that night, he lost all 5 awards that he was nominated for, including Best Male Artist and Video of the Year. After the show, he was visibly upset that he had lost at the VMAs two years in a row, stating that he would not come back to MTV ever again. He also appeared on several radio stations saying that when he made the song "Stronger" that it was his dream to open the VMAs with it. He has also stated that Spears has not had a hit in a long period of time and that MTV exploited her for ratings.[141]
On September 13, 2009, during the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards while Taylor Swift was accepting her award for Best Female Video for "You Belong with Me", West went on stage and grabbed the microphone to proclaim that Beyoncé's video for "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", nominated for the same award, was "one of the best videos of all time". He was subsequently removed from the remainder of the show for his actions.[142][143][144] When Beyoncé later won the award for Best Video of the Year for "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", she called Swift up on stage so that she could finish her acceptance speech.[142] West was criticized by various celebrities for the outburst,[143][145][146][147][148] and by President Barack Obama, who called West a "jackass".[149][150][151][152][153] In addition, West's VMA disruption sparked a large influx of Internet photo memes with blogs, forums and "tweets" with the "Let you finish" photo-jokes.[154] Subsequently, West posted two apologies for the outburst on his personal blog; one on the night of the incident and the other the same day he appeared on The Jay Leno Show, on September 14, 2009, where he apologized again.[146][155] After Swift appeared on The View two days after the outburst, partly to discuss the matter, West called her to apologize personally. Swift said she accepted his apology.[156][157][158] In September 2010, West wrote a series of apologetic tweets addressed to Swift including "Beyonce didn't need that. MTV didn't need that and Taylor and her family friends and fans definitely didn't want or need that" and concluding with "I'm sorry Taylor." West also revealed he had written a song for Swift and if she did not accept the song, he would perform it himself.[159] However, on November 8, 2010, in an interview with a Minnesota radio station, West seemed to recant a bit of his past apologies by attempting to describe the act at the 2009 awards show as "selfless" and downgrade the perception of disrespect it created.[160][161]
Discography[link]
Main articles: Kanye West discography and Kanye West production discography
Solo Albums
- The College Dropout (2004)
- Late Registration (2005)
- Graduation (2007)
- 808s & Heartbreak (2008)
- My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010)
Collaborations
- Watch the Throne (2011) – with Jay-Z
- Cruel Summer (2012) – with GOOD Music artists[87]
Filmography[link]
- We Were Once a Fairytale (2009)
- Runaway (2010)
- Cruel Summer (2012)
Awards and nominations[link]
Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Kanye West
References[link]
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- ^ Crosley, Hillary (September 15, 2007). "Graduation". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 14, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20071014192400/http://billboard.com/bbcom/content_display/reviews/albums/e3ibe8ec7c980d6765c46225c438690a813. Retrieved September 15, 2007.
- ^ West, Kanye (July 1, 2009). "Dirty Projectors "Stillness is the Move"". Kanye West Blog. Kanye West/Mascotte Holdings, LLC. http://www.kanyeuniversecity.com/blog/?em3106=235958_-1__0_~-1_-1_05_2008_0_0&em3298=&em3282=&em3281=&em3161=. Retrieved July 1, 2009.
- ^ West, Kanye (August 15, 2009). "The Fray – "Heartless"". Kanye West Blog. Kanye West/Mascotte Holdings, LLC. http://www.kanyeuniversecity.com/blog/?em3106=238431_-1__0_~0_-1_8_2009_0_0&em3298=&em3282=&em3281=&em3161=. Retrieved August 15, 2009.
- ^ "Kanye West's Ex-Fiancee Alexis Phifer Talks About Breakup". MTV News. April 21, 2008. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1585980/20080421/west_kanye.jhtml. Retrieved September 18, 2009.
- ^ Garcia, Jennifer (April 5, 2012). "Kim Kardashian, Kanye West Dating". People. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20584651,00.html. Retrieved April 29, 2012.
- ^ a b c d "Fire Dept. Called to Donda West's Home". TMZ.com. http://www.tmz.com/2007/11/12/911-responded-in-donda-west-case/. Retrieved April 24, 2008.
- ^ "Donda West's Doctor Expresses 'Condolences'". People. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20159928,00.html?xid=rss-fullcontentcnn. Retrieved April 24, 2008.
- ^ "Donda West's surgeon faced malpractice suits, records show". CNN. November 13, 2007. http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/11/13/west.surgeon/index.html#cnnSTCText. Retrieved April 24, 2008.
- ^ "Focus of Kanye West Mom's Death Shifts to Doctor". People. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20159824,00.html?xid=rss-fullcontentcnn. Retrieved April 24, 2008.
- ^ "CELEBTV.COM DOCUMENT: WEST DOC’S MEDICAL LICENSE QUESTIONED". Celeb TV. http://www.celebtv.com/Headlines.aspx?NewsGuid=8b002218-ccc7-4d27-9c7d-8009628c79a4. Retrieved April 24, 2008.
- ^ "Amy Winehouse's Alleged Crack Video Under Investigation; Plus Pink, Paris Hilton, 'American Idol' & More, In For The Record". MTV. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1580109/20080123/winehouse_amy.jhtml. Retrieved April 24, 2008.
- ^ "Donda West, Kanye's Mother, Died Of Heart Attack: Coroner's Report". MTV News. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1579429/20080110/west_kanye.jhtml. Retrieved April 24, 2008.
- ^ "Kanye West's tearful goodbye at mother's funeral". The New Zealand Herald. November 22, 2007. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=1501135&objectid=10477686. Retrieved April 24, 2008.
- ^ "VIDEO: Kanye West Dedicates Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" to His Mom". Us Weekly. Archived from the original on April 27, 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080427090443/http://www.usmagazine.com/kanye_west_at_second_show_since_mothers_death_he_had_a_powerful_energy_inside_him. Retrieved April 24, 2008.
- ^ HipHopDX.com – Kanye West Speaks Candidly About Mother, Religion, Rap. HipHopDX.com. Retrieved December 2, 2008.
- ^ "Kanye West: Mom Honored With New Plastic Surgery Law". The Plastic Surgery Channel. http://www.theplasticsurgerychannel.com/kanye-west-mom-honored-with-new-plastic-surgery-law/. Retrieved October 14, 2009.
- ^ "Evel Knievel Sues Kanye West". The Smoking Gun. http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/1212061evel1.html. Retrieved June 7, 2007.
- ^ "Evel Knievel, Kanye West settle lawsuit". USA Today (Gannett Co. Inc). November 27, 2007. http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2007-11-27-kanye-knievel_N.htm. Retrieved November 27, 2007.
- ^ "Kanye West arrested after skirmish at airport". CNN. September 11, 2008. http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Music/09/11/kanye.west.arrested/index.html. Retrieved March 19, 2009.
- ^ "Kanye West, Bodyguard Arrested At LAX". Access Hollywood. September 11, 2008. http://www.accesshollywood.com/arrests/kanye-west-bodyguard-arrested-at-los-angeles-international-airport_article_11207. Retrieved March 19, 2009.
- ^ "West escapes charge over scuffle". BBC News. September 27, 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7639307.stm. Retrieved September 18, 2009.
- ^ Kaufman, Gil (April 14, 2009). "Kanye West's Arraignment In Paparazzi Case Delayed". MTV News. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1609170/20090414/west_kanye.jhtml. Retrieved September 18, 2009.
- ^ "Kanye West Arrested After Alleged Tussle With Photographer, Then Cleared". November 14, 2008. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1599323/20081114/west_kanye.jhtml. Retrieved November 14, 2008.
- ^ Byrne, Bridget (October 4, 2005). "NBC KO's Kanye's Bush Bashing". E! News. E! Online. http://www.eonline.com/news/article/index.jsp?uuid=44415a2b-7481-45f8-91a3-630b0b5510de&entry=index. Retrieved January 12, 2008. [dead link]
- ^ Moraes, Lisa de (September 3, 2005). "Kanye West's Torrent of Criticism, Live on NBC". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/03/AR2005090300165.html. Retrieved May 3, 2010.
- ^ Itzkoff, Dave, "UPDATED: Kanye West Criticizes ‘Today’ Show for ‘Brutal’ Interview", The New York Times Arts Beat blog, November 10, 2010, 2:25 pm. Retrieved November 10, 2010.
- ^ "Kanye West poses as Jesus on cover of 'Rolling Stone'". Gleaner. January 26, 2006. http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20060126/ent/ent3.html. Retrieved April 27, 2008.
- ^ Simmons, Russell (November 12, 2010). "Dear Kanye West...". Huffington Post (USA). http://www.huffingtonpost.com/russell-simmons/dear-kanye-west_b_782932.html. Retrieved February 9, 2011.
- ^ Boyce Watkins (November 12, 2010). "No, Kanye Should Not Have Apologized to Bush". boycewatkins.net. http://drboycespeaks.blogspot.com/2010/11/no-kanye-should-not-have-apologized-to.html. Retrieved February 9, 2011.
- ^ "George W. Bush Cares About Kanye West's Apology". E! Online. E! Entertainment Television, Inc. November 11, 2011. http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b210484_george_w_bush_cares_about_kanye_wests.html. Retrieved November 11, 2010.
- ^ "Kanye West's Bad Behavior: A Short History". People. September 14, 2009. http://www.people.com/people/package/article/0,,20302940_20304330,00.html. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
- ^ "Kanye Has His Sights on Best Album". San Francisco Chronicle. December 9, 2005. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=7&entry_id=2120. Retrieved April 26, 2008.
- ^ "Kanye West Unleashes Tirade After Losing at MTV Europe Music Awards". Fox News. November 3, 2006. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,227304,00.html. Retrieved April 24, 2008.
- ^ "EMAs Shocker: Kanye Stage Invasion!". MTV. Archived from the original on June 3, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070603120826/http://www.mtv.co.uk/channel/mtvuk/news/02112006/emas_shocker_kanye_stage_invasion. Retrieved June 7, 2007.
- ^ Olsen, Jan M. (November 3, 2006). "Kanye West Upset at MTV Video Award Loss". Fox News. http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2006Nov03/0,4670,MTVAwardsKanye,00.html. Retrieved April 24, 2008.
- ^ "Kanye West Jealous Of Britney Opening The VMAs". Britney Spy. Archived from the original on April 24, 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080424051758/http://www.britneyspy.com/2007/09/09/kanye-west-jealous-of-britney-opening-the-vmas/. Retrieved April 24, 2008.
- ^ "Kanye West Loses It Again, Says He'll 'Never Return To MTV': Report". MTV News. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1569313/20070910/west_kanye.jhtml. Retrieved April 24, 2008.
- ^ a b "Kanye West Storms the VMAs Stage During Taylor Swift's Speech". Rolling Stone. September 13, 2009. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/kanye-west-storms-the-vmas-stage-during-taylor-swifts-speech-20090913?rand=84857. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
- ^ a b Respers, Lisa (September 14, 2009). "Anger over West's disruption at MTV awards". CNN. http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/09/14/kanye.west.reaction/index.html. Retrieved September 15, 2009.
- ^ Vozick, Simon (September 13, 2009). "Kanye West interrupts Taylor Swift's VMAs moment: What was he thinking? by Simon Vozick-Levinson". Entertainment Weekly. http://music-mix.ew.com/2009/09/13/kanye-west-taylor-swift/. Retrieved September 5, 2010.
- ^ "2009 MTV Video Music Awards – Best Female Video". MTV. http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/2009/best-female-video/. Retrieved September 15, 2009.
- ^ a b Martens, Todd; Villarreal, Yvonne (September 15, 2009). "Kanye West expresses Swift regret on blog and 'The Jay Leno Show'". Los Angeles Times. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/music/la-et-kanye-fallout15-2009sep15,0,4346169.story. Retrieved September 15, 2009.
- ^ "Adam Lambert, Donald Trump, Joe Jackson Slam Kanye West's VMA Stunt". MTV. September 13, 2009. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1621475/.../swift__taylor.jhtml. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
- ^ Shaheem Reid and Rahman Dukes (September 15, 2009). "50 Cent Slams Kanye West For VMA Outburst". MTV. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1621544/20090915/50_cent.jhtml. Retrieved September 15, 2009.
- ^ "Obama calls Kanye West a jackass". BBC News. September 16, 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8258330.stm. Retrieved September 16, 2009.
- ^ Gavin, Patrick (September 15, 2009). "Obama calls Kanye 'jackass'". The Politico. http://www.politico.com/click/stories/0909/did_obama_call_kanye_a_jackass.html. Retrieved September 15, 2009.
- ^ "Audio: President Obama Calls Kanye West a 'Jackass'". People. September 15, 2009. http://www.people.com/package/article/0,,20302940_20304704,00.html. Retrieved September 16, 2009.
- ^ "Obama Calls Kanye West a 'Jackass'". Fox News. September 15, 2009. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/09/15/obama-calls-kanye-west-jackass/. Retrieved September 16, 2009.
- ^ "Obama Calls Kanye a 'Jackass' – The Audio". TMZ. September 15, 2009. http://www.tmz.com/2009/09/15/obama-calls-kanye-a-jackass/. Retrieved September 15, 2009.
- ^ Anderson, Kyle (September 16, 2009). "Kanye West's VMA Interruption Gives Birth To Internet Photo Meme". MTV. http://newsroom.mtv.com/2009/09/16/kanye-wests-vma-interruption-photos/. Retrieved October 3, 2009.
- ^ Booth, Jenny (September 14, 2009). "Kanye West spoils the show at MTV awards". The Times (London). http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article6833664.ece. Retrieved September 14, 2009.
- ^ Vena, Jocelyn (September 15, 2009). "Taylor Swift Tells 'The View' Kanye West Hasn't Contacted Her. The country star discusses her reaction to the VMA incident.". MTV. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1621550/2009915/swift__taylor.jhtml. Retrieved September 15, 2009.
- ^ "Taylor Swift visits 'The View,' accepts Kanye apology". New York Post. May 15, 2009. http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/tvblogs/taylor_swift_visits_the_view_accepts_iW7OOuj6BQpLe1oX8TVFNM. Retrieved September 15, 2009.
- ^ "Kanye calls Taylor Swift after ‘View’ appearance". The Associated Press/MSNBC. September 15, 2009. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32861800/ns/entertainment-music/. Retrieved September 16, 2009.
- ^ Devon Thomas (September 7, 2010). "Kanye West Writes Song In Honor of Taylor Swift". CBS News. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31749_162-20015747-10391698.html. Retrieved September 7, 2010.
- ^ "VIDEO: Kanye West Backtracks On Taylor Swift Apology". http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2010/11/video-kanye-west-backtracks-taylor-swift-apology.
- ^ "Kanye West Backtracks On Taylor Swift Apology". http://dimewars.com/Blog/ViewBlogArticle.aspx?vn=Kanye+West+Backtracks+On+Taylor+Swift+Apology&BlogID=487b238f-9fac-4228-b9ba-7c29bdfe8528.
External links[link]
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- Official website
- Kanye West at Allmusic
- Kanye West at Beatbuggy
- Kanye West at the Internet Movie Database
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | West, Kanye Omari |
| Alternative names | |
| Short description | Rapper, record producer |
| Date of birth | June 8, 1977 |
| Place of birth | Atlanta, Georgia |
| Date of death | |
| Place of death | |
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This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanye_West
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
For other people named Michael Jackson, see Michael Jackson (disambiguation).
| Michael Jackson | |
|---|---|
 Jackson at the White House in 1984 |
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Michael Joseph Jackson[1] |
| Also known as | King of Pop, MJ |
| Born | (1958-08-29)August 29, 1958 Gary, Indiana, U.S. |
| Died | June 25, 2009(2009-06-25) (aged 50) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Genres | R&B, pop, rock, soul, dance, funk, disco, new jack swing |
| Occupations | Singer-songwriter, musician, composer, dancer, choreographer, record producer, actor, businessman, philanthropist |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1964–2009 |
| Labels | Motown, Epic, Legacy, MJJ Productions |
| Associated acts |
 Michael Jackson's Signature |
| Website | www.michaeljackson.com |
Michael Joseph Jackson[1] (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Often referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ,[2] Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records. His contribution to music, dance, and fashion, along with a much-publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades. The seventh child of the Jackson family, he debuted on the professional music scene along with his brothers as a member of The Jackson 5 in 1964, and began his solo career in 1971.
In the early 1980s, Jackson became a dominant figure in popular music. The music videos for his songs, including those of "Beat It", "Billie Jean", and "Thriller", were credited with transforming the medium into an art form and a promotional tool, and the popularity of these videos helped to bring the relatively new television channel MTV to fame. Videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" made him a staple on MTV in the 1990s. Through stage performances and music videos, Jackson popularized a number of complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk, to which he gave the name. His distinctive musical sound and vocal style influenced numerous hip hop, post-disco, contemporary R&B, pop and rock artists.
Jackson's 1982 album Thriller is the best-selling album of all time. His other records, including Off the Wall (1979), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991), and HIStory (1995), also rank among the world's best-selling. Jackson is one of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. He was also inducted into the Dance Hall of Fame as the first (and currently only) dancer from the world of pop and rock 'n' roll. Some of his other achievements include multiple Guinness World Records; 13 Grammy Awards (as well as the Grammy Legend Award and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award); 26 American Music Awards (more than any other artist, including the "Artist of the Century"); 13 number-one singles in the United States in his solo career (more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era); and the estimated sale of over 750 million records worldwide. Jackson won hundreds of awards, which made him the most-awarded recording artist in the history of popular music.[3] He was also one of the world's most prominent humanitarians and philanthropists; personally, and through his Heal the World Foundation, he donated more than $300 million in charity, and held the Guinness World Record for having supported the most charities out of any pop star.[4][5]
Aspects of Jackson's personal life, including his changing appearance, personal relationships, and behavior, generated controversy. In 1993, he was accused of child sexual abuse, but the case was settled out of court and no formal charges were brought. In 2005, he was tried and acquitted of further child sexual abuse allegations and several other charges after the jury found him not guilty on all counts. While preparing for his concert series titled This Is It, Jackson died of acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication on June 25, 2009, after suffering from cardiac arrest. The Los Angeles County Coroner ruled his death a homicide, and his personal physician was convicted of involuntary manslaughter. Jackson's death triggered a global outpouring of grief, and as many as one billion people around the world reportedly watched his public memorial service on live television. In March 2010, Sony Music Entertainment signed a $250 million deal with Jackson's estate to retain distribution rights to his recordings until 2017, and to release seven posthumous albums over the decade following his death.[6]
Contents
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Life and career[link]
Early life and The Jackson 5 (1958–1975)[link]
Michael Jackson was born on August 29, 1958, the eighth of ten children in an African American working-class family who lived in a small 3-room house in Gary, Indiana,[7] an industrial city near Chicago. His mother, Katherine Esther Scruse, was a devout Jehovah's Witness, and his father, Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson, was a steel mill worker who performed with an R&B band called The Falcons. Jackson had three sisters: Rebbie, La Toya, and Janet, and five brothers: Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Randy.[8] A sixth brother, Brandon, died shortly after birth.[9]
Jackson had a troubled relationship with his father, Joe.[10][11][12] Joseph acknowledged in 2003 that he regularly whipped Jackson as a boy.[12] Jackson stated that he was physically and emotionally abused during incessant rehearsals, though he also credited his father's strict discipline with playing a large role in his success.[10] Jackson first spoke openly about his childhood abuse in an interview with Oprah Winfrey, broadcast in February 1993. He admitted that he had often cried from loneliness and he would vomit on the sight of his father. Jackson's father was also said to have verbally abused Jackson, saying that he had a fat nose on numerous occasions.[13] In fact, Michael Jackson's deep dissatisfaction with his appearance, his nightmares and chronic sleep problems, his tendency to remain hyper-compliant especially with his father, and to remain child-like throughout his adult life are in many ways consistent with the effects of this chronic maltreatment he endured as a young child.[14]
In an interview with Martin Bashir, later included in the 2003 broadcast of Living with Michael Jackson, Jackson acknowledged that his father hurt him when he was a child, but was nonetheless a "genius", as he admitted his father's strict discipline played a huge role in his success. When Bashir dismissed the positive remark and continued asking about beatings, Jackson put his hand over his face and objected to the questions. He recalled that Joseph sat in a chair with a belt in his hand as he and his siblings rehearsed, and that "if you didn't do it the right way, he would tear you up, really get you".[15][16]
In 1964, Michael and Marlon joined the Jackson Brothers—a band formed by brothers Jackie, Tito, and Jermaine—as backup musicians playing congas and tambourine. Jackson later began performing backup vocals and dancing. When he was eight, Jackson began sharing the lead vocals with his older brother Jermaine, and the group's name was changed to The Jackson 5.[8] The band toured the Midwest extensively from 1966 to 1968, frequently performing at a string of black clubs known as the "chitlin' circuit", where they often opened stripteases and other adult acts. In 1966, they won a major local talent show with renditions of Motown hits and James Brown's "I Got You (I Feel Good)", led by Michael.[17]
The Jackson 5 recorded several songs, including "Big Boy", for the local record label Steeltown in 1967, before signing with Motown Records in 1968.[8] Rolling Stone magazine later described the young Michael as "a prodigy" with "overwhelming musical gifts," writing that he "quickly emerged as the main draw and lead singer."[18] The group set a chart record when its first four singles ("I Want You Back", "ABC", "The Love You Save", and "I'll Be There") peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.[8] Between 1972 and 1975, Michael released four solo studio albums with Motown, among them Got to Be There and Ben, released as part of the Jackson 5 franchise, and producing successful singles such as "Got to Be There", "Ben", and a remake of Bobby Day's "Rockin' Robin".
The Jackson 5 "became a cutting-edge example of black crossover artists... five working-class black boys with afros and bell bottoms, and they really didn't have to trade any of that stuff in order to become mainstream stars."[19]
The group's sales began declining in 1973, and the band members chafed under Motown's strict refusal to allow them creative control or input. Although they scored several top 40 hits, including the top 5 disco single "Dancing Machine" and the top 20 hit "I Am Love", the Jackson 5 left Motown in 1975.[20]
[edit] Move to Epic and Off the Wall (1975–81)
In June 1975, the Jackson 5 signed with Epic Records, a subsidiary of CBS Records[20] and renamed themselves the Jacksons. Younger brother Randy formally joined the band around this time, while Jermaine left to pursue a solo career.[21] They continued to tour internationally, releasing six more albums between 1976 and 1984, during which Michael was the lead songwriter, writing hits such as "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)", "This Place Hotel", and "Can You Feel It".[17] In 1978, he starred as the scarecrow in the musical, The Wiz, a box-office disaster. It was here that he teamed up with Quincy Jones, who was arranging the film's musical score. Jones agreed to produce Jackson's next solo album, Off the Wall.[22] In 1979, Jackson broke his nose during a complex dance routine. His subsequent rhinoplasty was not a complete success; he complained of breathing difficulties that would affect his career. He was referred to Dr. Steven Hoefflin, who performed Jackson's second rhinoplasty and subsequent operations.[23]
Jones and Jackson produced the Off the Wall album together. Songwriters for the album included Jackson, Rod Temperton, Stevie Wonder, and Paul McCartney. Released in 1979, it was the first solo album to generate four U.S. top 10 hits, including the chart-topping singles "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You".[24][25] It reached number three on the Billboard 200 and eventually sold over 20 million copies worldwide.[26] In 1980, Jackson won three awards at the American Music Awards for his solo efforts: Favorite Soul/R&B Album, Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist, and Favorite Soul/R&B Single for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough".[27][28] That year, he also won Billboard Year-End for Top Black Artist and Top Black Album and a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, also for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough".[24] Jackson again won at the American Music Awards in 1981 for Favorite Soul/R&B Album and Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist.[29] Despite its commercial success, Jackson felt Off the Wall should have made a much bigger impact, and was determined to exceed expectations with his next release.[30] In 1980, he secured the highest royalty rate in the music industry: 37 percent of wholesale album profit.[31]
[edit] Thriller and Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever (1982–83)
In 1982, Jackson contributed the song "Someone In the Dark" to the storybook for the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial; the record won a Grammy for Best Recording for Children in 1984. In the same year he won another seven Grammys and eight American Music Awards (including the Award of Merit, the youngest artist to win it), making him the most awarded in one night for both award shows.[32][33] These awards were thanks to the Thriller album, released in late 1982, which was 1983's best-selling album worldwide[34][35] and became the best-selling album of all time in the United States,[36] as well as the best-selling album of all time worldwide, selling an estimated 110 million copies so far.[37] The album topped the Billboard 200 chart for 37 weeks and was in the top 10 of the 200 for 80 consecutive weeks. It was the first album to have seven Billboard Hot 100 top 10 singles, including "Billie Jean", "Beat It", and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'".[38] Thriller was certified for 29 million shipments by the RIAA, giving it Double Diamond status in the United States. The album won also another Grammy for Best Engineered Recording – Non Classical in 1984, awarding Bruce Swedien for his work.[39] Jackson's attorney John Branca noted that Jackson had the highest royalty rate in the music industry at that point: approximately $2 for every album sold. He was also making record-breaking profits from sales of his recordings. The videocassette of the documentary The Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller sold over 350,000 copies in a few months. The era saw the arrival of novelties like dolls modeled after Michael Jackson, which appeared in stores in May 1984 at a price of $12.[40] Biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli writes that, "Thriller stopped selling like a leisure item—like a magazine, a toy, tickets to a hit movie—and started selling like a household staple."[41] In 1985, The Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Longform.[32] In December 2009, the music video for "Thriller" was selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress, "Thriller" is the first music video ever to be inducted.[42][43][44]
Time described Jackson's influence at that point as "Star of records, radio, rock video. A one-man rescue team for the music business. A songwriter who sets the beat for a decade. A dancer with the fanciest feet on the street. A singer who cuts across all boundaries of taste and style and color too".[40] The New York Times wrote that, "in the world of pop music, there is Michael Jackson and there is everybody else".[45]
On March 25th 1983, Michael Jackson reunited with his brothers for a legendary live performance which was taped for a Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever television special. The show aired on May 16, 1983, to an audience of 47 million viewers, and featured the Jacksons and a number of other Motown stars. It is best remembered for Jackson's solo performance of "Billie Jean". Wearing a distinctive black sequin jacket and golf glove decorated with rhinestones, he debuted his signature dance move, the moonwalk, which former Soul Train dancer and Shalamar member Jeffrey Daniel had taught him three years before. The Jacksons' performance drew comparisons to Elvis Presley's and The Beatles' appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show.[46] Anna Kisselgoff of The New York Times later wrote, "The moonwalk that he made famous is an apt metaphor for his dance style. How does he do it? As a technician, he is a great illusionist, a genuine mime. His ability to keep one leg straight as he glides while the other bends and seems to walk requires perfect timing."[47]
Pepsi, "We Are the World" and business career (1984–85)[link]
On January 27, 1984, Michael and other members of the Jacksons filmed a Pepsi Cola commercial, overseen by executive Phil Dusenberry,[48] from ad agency BBDO and Pepsi's Worldwide Creative Director, Alan Pottasch at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. In front of a full house of fans during a simulated concert, pyrotechnics accidentally set Jackson's hair on fire. He suffered second-degree burns to his scalp. Jackson underwent treatment to hide the scars on his scalp, and he also had his third rhinoplasty shortly thereafter.[23] Jackson never recovered from this injury. Pepsi settled out of court, and Jackson donated his $1.5 million settlement to the Brotman Medical Center in Culver City, California, which now has a "Michael Jackson Burn Center" in honor of his donation.[49] Dusenberry later recounted the episode in his memoir, Then We Set His Hair on Fire: Insights and Accidents from a Hall of Fame Career in Advertising.
On May 14, 1984, Jackson was invited to the White House to receive an award from President Ronald Reagan for his support of charities that helped people overcome alcohol and drug abuse.[50] Jackson won eight awards during the Grammys that year. Unlike later albums, Thriller did not have an official tour to promote it, but the 1984 Victory Tour, headlined by The Jacksons, showcased much of Jackson's new solo material to more than two million Americans. He donated all the funds (around $8 million) raised from the Victory Tour to charity.[51] He also co-wrote the charity single "We Are the World" in 1985 with Lionel Richie, which was released worldwide to aid the poor in the U.S. and Africa. It became one of the best-selling singles of all time, with nearly 30 million copies sold and millions of dollars donated to famine relief. In 1986, "We Are the World" won four Grammys (one for Jackson for Song of the Year). American Music Award directors removed the charity song from the competition because they felt it would be inappropriate, but recognized it with two special honors (one for the creation of the song and one for the USA for Africa idea). They are the only AMAs that Jackson won as non-solo artist.[52][53][54][55]
In 1984, ATV Music Publishing, which had the copyrights to nearly 4000 songs, including the Northern Songs catalog that contained the majority of the Lennon–McCartney compositions recorded by The Beatles, was put up for sale by Robert Holmes à Court.[56] Jackson had become interested in owning music catalogs after working with Paul McCartney in the early 1980s: Jackson had learned McCartney made approximately $40 million a year from other people's songs.[57] In 1981,[58] McCartney was offered the ATV music catalog for £20 million ($40 million).[57][59] According to McCartney, he contacted Yoko Ono about making a joint purchase by splitting the cost equally at £10 million each, but Ono thought they could buy it for £5 million each.[57][59] When they were unable to make the joint purchase, McCartney let the offer fall through, not wanting to be the sole owner of the Beatles' songs.[58][59]
According to a negotiator for Holmes à Court in the 1984 sale, "We had given Paul McCartney first right of refusal but Paul didn't want it at that time."[60] Also, an attorney for McCartney assured Jackson's attorney, John Branca, that McCartney was not interested in bidding: McCartney reportedly said "It's too pricey".[57][58] But there were several other companies and investors bidding. In September 1984, Jackson was first informed about the sale by Branca and sent a bid of $46 million on November 20, 1984.[56] Jackson's agents thought they had a deal several times, but encountered new bidders or new areas of debate.[56] In May 1985, Jackson's team walked away from talks after having spent over $1 million on four months of due diligence and on the negotiations.[56]
In June 1985, Jackson and Branca learned that Charles Koppelman's and Marty Bandier's The Entertainment Co. had made a tentative agreement with Holmes à Court to buy ATV Music for $50 million.[56] But in early August, Holmes à Court's team contacted Jackson and talks resumed. Jackson raised his bid to $47.5 million and it was accepted because he could close the deal more quickly, having already completed due diligence of ATV Music.[56] He also agreed to visit Holmes à Court in Australia, where he would appear on the Channel Seven Perth Telethon.[56][60] Jackson's purchase of ATV Music was finalized August 10, 1985.[56]
[edit] Appearance, tabloids, Bad, films, autobiography and Neverland (1986–90)
See also: Michael Jackson's health and appearance
File:Michael Jackson King of Pop 1988.jpg
Jackson two years after he was diagnosed with vitiligo, here in the early stages of the disease
Jackson's skin had been a medium-brown color for the entire duration of his youth, but starting in the mid 1980s, it gradually grew paler. The change gained widespread media coverage, including rumors that he might be bleaching his skin.[61] According to J. Randy Taraborrelli's biography, in 1986, Jackson was diagnosed with vitiligo and lupus; the vitiligo partially lightened his skin, and the lupus was in remission; both illnesses made him sensitive to sunlight. The treatments he used for his condition further lightened his skin tone, and, with the application of pancake makeup to even out blotches, he could appear very pale.[62] Jackson was also diagnosed with vitiligo in his autopsy.[63] By the mid 1990s several surgeons speculated that he had undergone various nasal surgeries, a forehead lift, thinned lips, and cheekbone surgery—although Jackson denied this and insisted that he only had surgery on his nose.[64] Jackson claimed that he had only two rhinoplasties and no other surgery on his face, although at one point he mentioned having a dimple created in his chin.[65] Jackson lost weight in the early 1980s because of a change in diet and a desire for "a dancer's body".[65] Witnesses reported that he was often dizzy and speculated that he was suffering from anorexia nervosa; periods of weight loss would become a recurring problem later in life.[66]
During the course of his treatment, Jackson made two close friends: his dermatologist, Dr. Arnold Klein, and Klein's nurse Debbie Rowe. Rowe eventually became Jackson's second wife and the mother of his two eldest children. Long before becoming romantically involved with her, Jackson relied heavily on Rowe for emotional support. He also relied heavily on Klein, for medical and business advice.[67]
Jackson became the subject of increasingly sensational reports. In 1986, the tabloids ran a story claiming that Jackson slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to slow the aging process; he was pictured lying down in a glass box. Although the claim was untrue, according to tabloid reports that are widely cited, Jackson had disseminated the fabricated story himself.[68][69] When Jackson bought a chimpanzee called Bubbles from a laboratory, he was reported to be increasingly detached from reality.[70] It was reported that Jackson had offered to buy the bones of Joseph Merrick (the "elephant man") and although untrue, Jackson did not deny the story.[68][69] Although initially he saw these stories as opportunities for publicity, he stopped leaking untruths to the press as they became more sensational. Consequently the media began making up their own stories.[69][71][72] These reports became embedded in the public consciousness, inspiring the nickname "Wacko Jacko", which Jackson came to despise.[73] Responding to the gossip, Jackson remarked to Taraborrelli:
Why not just tell people I'm an alien from Mars? Tell them I eat live chickens and do a voodoo dance at midnight. They'll believe anything you say, because you're a reporter. But if I, Michael Jackson, were to say, "I'm an alien from Mars and I eat live chickens and do a voodoo dance at midnight," people would say, "Oh, man, that Michael Jackson is nuts. He's cracked up. You can't believe a single word that comes out of his mouth."[74]
Jackson collaborated with George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola on the 17-minute 3-D film Captain EO, which debuted in September 1986 at both the original Disneyland and at EPCOT in Florida, and in March 1987 at Tokyo Disneyland. The $30 million movie was a popular attraction at all three parks. A Captain EO attraction was later featured at Euro Disneyland after that park opened in 1992. All four parks' Captain EO installations stayed open well into the 1990s: Paris' installation was the last one to close, in 1998.[75] The attraction would later return to Disneyland in 2010 after Jackson's death.[76]
In 1987, Jackson disassociated himself from the Jehovah's Witnesses, in response to their disapproval of the Thriller video.[77] With the industry expecting another major hit, Jackson's first album in five years, Bad (1987), was highly anticipated.[78] It did not top Thriller as a commercial or artistic triumph, but Bad was still a substantial success in its own right.
The Bad album spawned seven hit singles in the U.S., five of which ("I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror" and "Dirty Diana") reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. This was a record for most number one Hot 100 singles from any one album, including Thriller.[79] Although the title track's video was arguably derivative of the video for the earlier single "Beat It", the "Bad" video still proved to be one of Jackson's iconic moments. It was a gritty but colorful epic set against the backdrop of the New York City Subway system, with costuming and choreography inspired by West Side Story. As of 2012, the album sold between 30 and 45 million copies worldwide.[80][81][82][83][84][85][86] Thanks to the Bad album, Bruce Swedien and Humberto Gatica won one Grammy in 1988 for Best Engineered Recording – Non Classical and Michael Jackson won one Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form for "Leave Me Alone" in 1989.[32][39] In the same year, Jackson won an Award of Achievement at the American Music Awards because Bad is the first album ever to generate five number one singles in the US, the first album to top in 25 countries and the best-selling album worldwide in 1987 and in 1988.[87][88][89][90] In 1988, "Bad" won an American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Single.[91]
The Bad World Tour began on September 12 that year, finishing on January 14, 1989.[92] In Japan alone, the tour had 14 sellouts and drew 570,000 people, nearly tripling the previous record of 200,000 in a single tour.[93] Jackson broke a Guinness World Record when 504,000 people attended seven sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium. He performed a total of 123 concerts to an audience of 4.4 million people. The Bad Tour turned out to be the last of Jackson's concert tours to include shows in the continental United States, although later tours did make it to Hawaii.
In 1988, Jackson released his first and only autobiography, Moonwalk, which took four years to complete and sold 200,000 copies.[94] Jackson wrote about his childhood, The Jackson 5, and the abuse he had suffered.[95] He also wrote about his facial appearance, saying he had had two rhinoplastic surgeries and a dimple created in his chin.[65] He attributed much of the change in the structure of his face to puberty, weight loss, a strict vegetarian diet, a change in hair style, and stage lighting.[65] Moonwalk reached the top position on The New York Times best sellers' list.[96] The musician then released a film called Moonwalker, which featured live footage and short films that starred Jackson and Joe Pesci. The film was originally intended to be released to theaters but due to financial issues, the film was released direct-to-video. It saw a theatrical release in Germany, though. It debuted atop the Billboard Top Music Video Cassette chart, staying there for 22 weeks. It was eventually knocked off the top spot by Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues.[97]
In March 1988, Jackson purchased land near Santa Ynez, California, to build Neverland Ranch at a cost of $17 million. He installed Ferris wheels, a menagerie, and a movie theater on the 2,700-acre (11 km2) property. A security staff of 40 patrolled the grounds. In 2003, it was valued at approximately $100 million.[18][98] In 1989, his annual earnings from album sales, endorsements, and concerts was estimated at $125 million for that year alone.[99] Shortly afterwards, he became the first Westerner to appear in a television ad in the Soviet Union.[97]
His success resulted in his being dubbed the "King of Pop".[100][101][102][103] The nickname was popularized by Elizabeth Taylor when she presented him with the Soul Train Heritage Award in 1989, proclaiming him "the true king of pop, rock and soul."[104] President George H. W. Bush designated him the White House's "Artist of the Decade".[105] From 1985 to 1990, he donated $500,000 to the United Negro College Fund, and all of the profits from his single "Man in the Mirror" went to charity.[106][107] Jackson's live rendition of "You Were There" at Sammy Davis Jr.'s 60th birthday celebration received an Emmy nomination.[97]
[edit] Dangerous, Heal the World Foundation and Super Bowl XXVII (1991–93)
In March 1991, Jackson renewed his contract with Sony for $65 million, a record-breaking deal at the time,[108] displacing Neil Diamond's renewal contract with Columbia Records.[109] He released his eighth album Dangerous in 1991. As of 2008, Dangerous had shipped seven million copies in the U.S. and had sold 32 million copies worldwide. The Dangerous album was co-produced by Teddy Riley, one of the pioneers of "new jack swing" which convinced Michael to feature a rapper on his album for the first time, the act worked and it turned out to be the best-selling album associated with that movement.[110][111][112] In the United States, the album's first single "Black or White" was its biggest hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and remaining there for seven weeks, with similar chart performances worldwide.[113] The album's second single "Remember the Time" spent eight weeks in the top five in the United States, peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.[114] At the end of 1992, Dangerous was awarded 1992's best-selling album worldwide and "Black or White" was awarded 1992's best-selling single worldwide at the Billboard Music Awards. Additionally, he won an award as best-selling artist of the '80s.[115] In 1993, Jackson performed the song at the Soul Train Music Awards in a chair, saying he had suffered an injury in rehearsals.[116] In the UK and other parts of Europe, "Heal the World" was the biggest hit from the album; it sold 450,000 copies in the UK and spent five weeks at number two in 1992.[114]
Jackson founded the Heal the World Foundation in 1992. The charity organization brought underprivileged children to Jackson's ranch to enjoy theme park rides that Jackson had built on the property. The foundation also sent millions of dollars around the globe to help children threatened by war, poverty, and disease. In the same year Jackson published his second book, the bestselling collection of poetry, Dancing the Dream. While it was a commercial success and revealed a more intimate side to Jackson's nature, the collection was mostly critically unacclaimed at the time of release. In 2009, the book was republished by Doubleday and was more positively received by some critics in the wake of Jackson's untimely death. The Dangerous World Tour grossed $100 million. The tour began on June 27, 1992, and finished on November 11, 1993. Jackson performed to 3.5 million people in 67 concerts.[114][117] He sold the broadcast rights to his Dangerous world tour to HBO for $20 million, a record-breaking deal that still stands.[118]
Following the illness and death of Ryan White, Jackson helped draw public attention to HIV/AIDS, something that was still controversial at the time. He publicly pleaded with the Clinton Administration at Bill Clinton's Inaugural Gala to give more money to HIV/AIDS charities and research.[119][120] In a high-profile visit to Africa, Jackson visited several countries, among them Gabon and Egypt.[121] His first stop to Gabon was greeted with a sizable and enthusiastic reception of more than 100,000 people, some of them carrying signs that read, "Welcome Home Michael."[121] In his trip to Côte d'Ivoire, Jackson was crowned "King Sani" by a tribal chief.[121] He then thanked the dignitaries in French and English, signed official documents formalizing his kingship and sat on a golden throne while presiding over ceremonial dances.[121]
In January 1993, Jackson made a memorable appearance at the halftime show at Super Bowl XXVII. The performance began with Jackson catapulting onto the stage as fireworks went off behind him. As he landed on the canvas, he maintained a motionless "clenched fist, standing statue stance", dressed in a gold and black military outfit and sunglasses; he remained completely motionless for a minute and a half while the crowd cheered. He then slowly removed his sunglasses, threw them away and sang four songs: "Jam", "Billie Jean", "Black or White" and "Heal the World". It was the first Super Bowl where the audience figures increased during the half-time show, and was viewed by 135 million Americans alone; Jackson's Dangerous album rose 90 places up the album chart.[61] Jackson was given the "Living Legend Award" at the 35th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. "Black or White" was Grammy-nominated for best vocal performance. "Jam" gained two nominations: Best R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song.[114] The Dangerous album won a Grammy for Best Engineered – Non Classical, awarding the work of Bruce Swedien and Teddy Riley. In the same year, Michael Jackson won three American Music Awards for Favorite Pop/Rock Album (Dangerous), Favorite Soul/R&B Single ("Remember the Time") and was the first to win the International Artist Award, for his global performances and humanitarian concerns. This award will bear his name in the future.[32][39][122]
First child sexual abuse allegations and first marriage (1993–94)[link]
Jackson gave a 90-minute interview to Oprah Winfrey on February 10, 1993, his second television interview since 1979. He grimaced when speaking of his childhood abuse at the hands of his father; he believed he had missed out on much of his childhood years, admitting that he often cried from loneliness. He denied tabloid rumors that he had bought the bones of the Elephant Man, slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, or bleached his skin, stating for the first time that he had vitiligo. The interview was watched by an American audience of 90 million. Dangerous re-entered the album chart in the top 10, more than a year after its original release.[16][61][114]
In the summer of 1993, Jackson was accused of child sexual abuse by a 13-year-old boy named Jordan Chandler and his father, Dr. Evan Chandler, a dentist.[123][124][125] The Chandler family demanded payment from Jackson, and the singer initially refused. Jordan Chandler eventually told the police that Jackson had sexually abused him.[126] Dr. Chandler was tape-recorded discussing his intention to pursue charges, saying, "If I go through with this, I win big-time. There's no way I lose. I will get everything I want and they will be destroyed forever ... Michael's career will be over". Jordan's mother was, however, adamant that there had been no wrongdoing on Jackson's part.[125] Jackson later used the recording to argue that he was the victim of a jealous father whose only goal was to extort money from the singer.[125]
Later that year, on December 20, Jackson's home was raided by the police, and Jackson submitted to a 25-minute strip search.[127] Jordan Chandler had reportedly given police a description of Jackson's intimate parts, notably claiming that his bleach-damaged penis was circumcised; the strip search revealed, to the contrary, that Jackson was actually uncircumcised,[128] a fact confirmed in his autopsy.[129] His friends said he never recovered from the humiliation of the strip search. The investigation was inconclusive and no charges were ever filed.[130][131] Jackson described the search in an emotional public statement, and proclaimed his innocence.[123][127][132] On January 1, 1994, Jackson's insurance carrier settled with the Chandlers out of court for $22 million. A Santa Barbara County grand jury and a Los Angeles County grand jury disbanded on May 2, 1994 without indicting Jackson.[133] After which time the Chandlers stopped co-operating with the criminal investigation around July 6, 1994.[134][135][136] The out-of-court settlement's documentation specifically stated Jackson admitted no wrongdoing and no liability; the Chandlers and their family lawyer Larry Feldman signed it without contest.[137] The Chandlers' lawyer Mr. Feldman also explicitly stated "nobody bought anybody's silence".[138] A decade after the fact, during the second round of child abuse allegations, Jackson's lawyers would file a memo stating that the 1994 settlement was done without his consent.[135]
In May 1994, Jackson married the daughter of Elvis Presley, Lisa Marie Presley. They had first met in 1975, when a seven-year-old Presley attended one of Jackson's family engagements at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, and were reconnected through a mutual friend.[139] According to a friend of Presley's, "their adult friendship began in November 1992 in L.A."[140] They stayed in contact every day over the telephone. As the child molestation accusations became public, Jackson became dependent on Presley for emotional support; she was concerned about his faltering health and addiction to drugs.[141] Presley explained, "I believed he didn't do anything wrong and that he was wrongly accused and yes I started falling for him. I wanted to save him. I felt that I could do it."[142] She eventually persuaded him to settle the allegations out of court and go into rehabilitation to recover.[141]
Jackson proposed to Presley over the telephone towards the fall of 1993, saying, "If I asked you to marry me, would you do it?"[141] They married in the Dominican Republic in secrecy, denying it for nearly two months afterwards.[143] The marriage was, in her words, "a married couple's life ... that was sexually active".[144] At the time, the tabloid media speculated that the wedding was a ploy to prop up Jackson's public image.[143] The marriage lasted less than two years and ended with an amicable divorce settlement.[145] In a 2010 interview with Oprah, Presley admitted that they spent four more years after the divorce "getting back together and breaking up", until she decided to stop.[146]
[edit] HIStory, second marriage and fatherhood (1995–99)
In 1995, Jackson merged his ATV Music catalog with Sony's music publishing division creating Sony/ATV Music Publishing. Jackson retained half-ownership of the company, earned $95 million upfront as well as the rights to even more songs.[147][148] He then released the double album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I. The first disc, HIStory Begins, was a 15-track greatest hits album, and was later reissued as Greatest Hits: HIStory, Volume I in 2001, while the second disc, HIStory Continues, contained 15 new songs. The album debuted at number one on the charts and has been certified for seven million shipments in the US.[149] It is the best-selling multiple-disc album of all-time, with 20 million copies (40 million units) sold worldwide.[113][150] HIStory received a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year.[151]
The first single released from the album was the double A-side "Scream/Childhood". "Scream" was a duet, performed with Jackson's youngest sister Janet. The song fights against the media, mainly for what the media made him out to be during his 1993 child abuse allegations. The single had the highest debut on the Billboard Hot 100 at number five, and received a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals".[151] "You Are Not Alone" was the second single released from HIStory; it holds the Guinness World Record for the first song ever to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[99] It was seen as a major artistic and commercial success, receiving a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Vocal Performance".[151] In late 1995, Jackson was rushed to a hospital after collapsing during rehearsals for a televised performance; the incident was caused by a stress-related panic attack.[152] "Earth Song" was the third single released from HIStory, and topped the UK Singles Chart for six weeks over Christmas 1995; it sold a million copies, making it Jackson's most successful single in the UK.[151] The track "They Don't Care About Us" became controversial when the Anti-Defamation League and other groups criticized its allegedly antisemitic lyrics. Jackson quickly put out a revised version of the song without the offending lyrics.[153] In 1996, Jackson won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form for "Scream" and an American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist.[32][154]
The album was promoted with the successful HIStory World Tour. The tour began on September 7, 1996, and finished on October 15, 1997. Jackson performed 82 concerts in 58 cities to over 4.5 million fans, and grossed up a total of $165 million. The show, which visited five continents and 35 countries, became Jackson's most successful in terms of audience figures.[92] During the tour, Jackson married his longtime friend Deborah Jeanne Rowe, a dermatology nurse, in an impromptu ceremony in Sydney, Australia. Rowe was approximately six months pregnant with the couple's first child at the time. Originally, Rowe and Jackson had no plans to marry, but Jackson's mother Katherine persuaded them to do so.[155] Michael Joseph Jackson Jr (commonly known as Prince) was born on February 13, 1997; his sister Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson was born a year later on April 3, 1998.[145][156] The couple divorced in 1999, and Jackson got full custody of the children. The divorce was relatively amicable, but a subsequent custody suit was not settled until 2006.[157][158]
In 1997, Jackson released Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix, which contained remixes of hit singles from HIStory and five new songs. Worldwide sales stand at 6 million copies as of 2007, it is the best selling remix album ever released.[159] It reached number one in the UK, as did the title track.[159][160] In the US, the album was certified platinum, but only reached number 24.[110][151] Forbes placed his annual income at $35 million in 1996 and $20 million in 1997.[98] Throughout June 1999, Jackson was involved in a number of charitable events. He joined Luciano Pavarotti for a benefit concert in Modena, Italy. The show was in support of the nonprofit organization War Child, and raised a million dollars for the refugees of Kosovo, FR Yugoslavia, as well as additional funds for the children of Guatemala.[161] Later that month, Jackson organized a set of "Michael Jackson & Friends" benefit concerts in Germany and Korea. Other artists involved included Slash, The Scorpions, Boyz II Men, Luther Vandross, Mariah Carey, A. R. Rahman, Prabhu Deva Sundaram, Shobana, Andrea Bocelli and Luciano Pavarotti. The proceeds went to the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, the Red Cross and UNESCO.[162]
[edit] Label dispute, Invincible and third child (2000–03)
At the turn of the century, the American Music Awards honored Jackson as Artist of the '80s.[163] Throughout 2000 and 2001, Jackson worked in the studio with Teddy Riley and Rodney Jerkins, as well as other collaborators. These sessions would result in the album Invincible, released in October 2001. Invincible was Jackson's first full-length album in six years, and it would be the last album of new material he released while still alive. The release of the album was preceded by a dispute between Jackson and his record label, Sony Music Entertainment. Jackson had expected the licenses to the masters of his albums to revert to him sometime in the early 2000s. Once he had the licenses, he would be able to promote the material however he pleased and he would also be able to keep all the profits. However, due to various clauses in the contract, the revert date turned out to be many years away. Jackson discovered that the attorney who represented him in the deal was also representing Sony.[160] Jackson was also concerned about the fact that for a number of years, Sony had been pressuring him to sell his share in their music catalog venture. Jackson feared that Sony might have a conflict of interest, since if Jackson's career failed he would have to sell his share of the catalog at a low price.[164] Jackson sought an early exit from his contract.[160] Just before the release of Invincible, Jackson informed the head of Sony Music Entertainment, Tommy Mottola, that he was leaving Sony.[160] As a result, all singles releases, video shootings and promotions concerning the Invincible album were suspended.
In September 2001, two 30th Anniversary concerts were held at Madison Square Garden to mark the singer's 30th year as a solo artist. Jackson appeared onstage alongside his brothers for the first time since 1984. The show also featured performances by Mýa, Usher, Whitney Houston, 'N Sync, Destiny's Child, Monica, Luther Vandross, and Slash, among other artists.[165] The second of the two shows took place the night before the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.[166] After 9/11, Jackson helped organize the United We Stand: What More Can I Give benefit concert at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. The concert took place on October 21, 2001, and included performances from dozens of major artists, including Jackson, who performed his song "What More Can I Give" as the finale.[164] Jackson's solo performances were omitted from the televised version of the benefit concert, although he could still be seen singing background vocals. This omission happened because of contractual issues related to the earlier 30th Anniversary concerts: those concerts were boiled down into a two-hour TV special titled Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration: The Solo Years which debuted in November 2001.
In spite of the events preceding its release, Invincible came out in October 2001 to much anticipation. Invincible proved to be a hit, debuting atop the charts in 13 countries and going on to sell approximately 13 million copies worldwide. It received double-platinum certification in the US.[110][113][167] However, the sales for Invincible were lower than those of his previous releases, due in part to a lack of promotion, no supporting world tour and the label dispute. The album also came out at a bad time for the music industry in general.[164] The album cost $30 million to record, not including promotional expenditures.[168] Invincible spawned three singles, "You Rock My World", "Cry" and "Butterflies", the latter without a music video. Jackson alleged in July 2002 that Mottola was a "devil" and a "racist" who did not support his African-American artists, using them merely for his own personal gain.[164] He charged that Mottola had called his colleague Irv Gotti a "fat nigger".[169] Sony refused to renew Jackson's contract, and claimed that a $25 million promotional campaign had failed because Jackson refused to tour in the United States.[168]
In 2002, Michael Jackson won his 22nd American Music Award for Artist of the Century.[170] In the same year, Jackson's third child, Prince Michael Jackson II (nicknamed "Blanket") was born.[171] The mother's identity is unknown, but Jackson has said the child was the result of artificial insemination from a surrogate mother and his own sperm.[157] On November 20 of that year, Jackson brought his newborn son onto the balcony of his room at the Hotel Adlon in Berlin, as fans stood below, holding him in his right arm, with a cloth loosely draped over the baby's face. The baby was briefly extended over a railing, four stories above ground level, causing widespread criticism in the media. Jackson later apologized for the incident, calling it "a terrible mistake".[172] Sony released Number Ones, a compilation of Jackson's hits on CD and DVD. In the US, the album was certified triple platinum by the RIAA; in the UK it was certified six times platinum for shipments of at least 1.2 million units.[110][173]
Second child sexual abuse allegations and acquittal (2003–05)[link]
Further information: Living with Michael Jackson and People v. Jackson
Beginning in May 2002, Jackson allowed a documentary film crew, led by British TV personality Martin Bashir, to follow him around just about everywhere he went. Bashir's film crew was with Jackson during the "baby-dangling incident" in Berlin. The program was broadcast in March 2003 as Living with Michael Jackson, and painted an extraordinarily unflattering portrait of the singer.
In a particularly controversial scene, Jackson was seen holding hands and discussing sleeping arrangements with a young boy.[174] As soon as the documentary aired, the Santa Barbara county attorney's office began a criminal investigation. Jackson was arrested in November 2003, and was charged with seven counts of child molestation and two counts of administering an intoxicating agent in relation to the 13 year old boy shown in the film.[174] Jackson denied the allegations, saying the sleepovers were not sexual in nature. The People v. Jackson trial began on January 31, 2005, in Santa Maria, California, and lasted five months, until the end of May. On June 13, 2005, Jackson was acquitted on all counts.[175][176][177] After the trial, in a highly publicized relocation he moved to the Persian Gulf island of Bahrain, as a guest of Sheikh Abdullah.[178] Bahrain was also where the family intended to send Jackson if he was convicted (though Jackson did not know about the plan), according to a statement by Jermaine Jackson printed in The Times of London in September 2011.[179]
[edit] Closure of Neverland, final years and This Is It (2006–09)
In March 2006, the main house at the Neverland Ranch was closed as a cost-cutting measure.[180] There were numerous reports around that time that Jackson was having financial problems. Jackson had been delinquent on his repayments of a $270 million loan secured against his music publishing holdings, even though those holdings were reportedly making him as much as $75 million a year.[181] Bank of America sold the debt to Fortress Investments. Sony reportedly proposed a restructuring deal which would give them a future option to buy half of Jackson's stake in their jointly owned publishing company (leaving Jackson with a 25% stake).[148] Jackson agreed to a Sony-backed refinancing deal in April 2006, although the exact details were not made public.[182] Jackson did not have a recording contract in place with Sony or any other major record label at the time.
In early 2006, there was an announcement that Jackson had signed a contract with a Bahrain-based startup called Two Seas Records. However, nothing ever came of that deal, and the CEO of Two Seas, Guy Holmes, later stated that the deal had never been finalized.[183][184] Throughout 2006, Sony repackaged 20 singles from the 1980s and 1990s as the Michael Jackson: Visionary series, which subsequently became a box set. Most of those singles returned to the charts as a result. In September 2006, Jackson and his ex-wife Debbie Rowe confirmed reports that they had settled their long-running child custody suit. The terms were never made public. Jackson continued to be the custodial parent of the couple's two children.[158] In October 2006, Fox News entertainment reporter Roger Friedman said that Jackson had been recording at a studio in rural Westmeath, Ireland. It was not known at the time what Jackson might be working on, or who might be paying for the sessions, since his publicist had recently issued a statement claiming that he had left Two Seas.[184][185]
In November 2006, Jackson invited an Access Hollywood camera crew into the studio in Westmeath, and MSNBC broke the story that he was working on a new album, produced by will.i.am of The Black Eyed Peas.[113] Jackson performed at the World Music Awards, in London on November 15, 2006, and accepted a Diamond Award for selling over 100 million records.[113][186] Jackson returned to the United States after Christmas 2006 to attend James Brown's funeral in Augusta, Georgia. He gave one of the eulogies, saying that "James Brown is my greatest inspiration."[187] In the spring of 2007, Jackson and Sony teamed up to buy yet another music publishing company: Famous Music LLC, formerly owned by Viacom. This deal gave him the rights to songs by Eminem, Shakira and Beck, among others.[188] Jackson recorded extensively during this period in New York with songwriter and producer will.i.am and also in Las Vegas with producers Akon and RedOne.[189][190] In March 2007, Jackson gave a brief interview to the Associated Press in Tokyo, where he said, "I've been in the entertainment industry since I was 6 years old, and as Charles Dickens would say, 'It's been the best of times, the worst of times.' But I would not change my career ... While some have made deliberate attempts to hurt me, I take it in stride because I have a loving family, a strong faith and wonderful friends and fans who have, and continue, to support me."[191]
In September 2007, Jackson was reportedly still working with will.i.am, but the album was apparently never completed.[192] However, in 2008, Jackson and Sony released Thriller 25 to mark the 25th anniversary of the original Thriller. This album featured the previously unreleased song "For All Time" (an outtake from the original sessions) as well as remixes, where Jackson collaborated with younger artists who had been inspired by his work.[193] Two of the remixes were released as singles with only modest success: "The Girl Is Mine 2008" (with will.i.am) and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008" (with Akon). The first single was based on an early demo version, without Paul McCartney. The album itself was a hit, however.[193][194][195][196] In anticipation of Jackson's 50th birthday, Sony BMG released a series of greatest-hits albums called King of Pop. Slightly different versions were released in various countries, based on polls of local fans.[197] King of Pop reached the top 10 in most countries where it was issued, and also sold well as an import in other countries (such as the United States.)[198][199]
In the fall of 2008, Fortress Investments threatened to foreclose on Neverland Ranch, which Jackson used as collateral for loans running into many tens of millions of dollars. However, Fortress opted to sell Jackson's debts to Colony Capital LLC. In November, Jackson transferred Neverland Ranch's title to Sycamore Valley Ranch Company LLC, which was a joint venture between Jackson and Colony Capital LLC. This deal cleared Jackson's debt, and he reportedly even gained an extra $35 million from the venture. At the time of his death, Jackson still owned a stake in Neverland/Sycamore Valley, but it is unknown how large that stake was.[200][201][202] In September 2008, Jackson entered negotiations with Julien's Auction House to display and auction a large collection of memorabilia amounting to approximately 1,390 lots. The auction was scheduled to take place between April 22 and April 25.[203] An exhibition of the lots opened as scheduled on April 14, but the actual auction was eventually cancelled at Jackson's request.[204]
In March 2009, Jackson held a press conference at London's O2 Arena and announced a series of comeback concerts titled This Is It. The shows would be Jackson's first major series of concerts since the HIStory World Tour finished in 1997. Jackson suggested possible retirement after the shows; he said it would be his "final curtain call". The initial plan was for 10 concerts in London, followed by shows in Paris, New York City and Mumbai. Randy Phillips, president and chief executive of AEG Live, stated that the first 10 dates alone would earn the singer approximately £50 million.[205] The London residency was increased to 50 dates after record breaking ticket sales: over one million were sold in less than two hours.[206] Jackson rehearsed in Los Angeles in the weeks leading up to the tour under the direction of choreographer Kenny Ortega. Most of these rehearsals took place at the Staples Center, which was owned by AEG.[207] The concerts would have commenced on July 13, 2009, and finished on March 6, 2010. Less than three weeks before the first show was due to begin in London and with all concerts being sold out, Jackson died after suffering cardiac arrest.[208] Some time before his death, it was widely stated that he was starting a clothing line with Christian Audigier; due to his death, the current status of the label remains unknown.[209][210]
Jackson's first posthumous single was a song titled "This Is It" which Jackson cowrote in the 1980s with Paul Anka. It was not on the set lists for the concerts, and the recording was based on an old demo tape. The surviving brothers reunited in the studio for the first time since 1989 to record backing vocals. On October 28, 2009, a documentary film about the rehearsals titled Michael Jackson's This Is It was released.[211] Even though it ran for a limited two-week engagement, it became the highest grossing documentary or concert movie of all time, with earnings of more than $260 million worldwide.[212] Jackson's estate received 90% of the profits.[213] The film was accompanied by a compilation album of the same name. Two versions of the new song appear on the album, which also featured original masters of Jackson's hits in the order in which they appear in the movie, along with a bonus disc with previously unreleased versions of more Jackson hits as well as a spoken-word poem titled "Planet Earth".[214] At the 2009 American Music Awards Jackson won four posthumous awards, two for him and two for his album Number Ones, bringing his total American Music Awards to 26.[215][216]
Death and memorial[link]
Main articles: Death of Michael Jackson and Michael Jackson memorial service
File:MJ's tomb.jpg
Michael Jackson's Tomb in the Great Mausoleum at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale
On June 25, 2009, Jackson died while in his bed at his rented mansion at 100 North Carolwood Drive in the Holmby Hills district of Los Angeles. Attempts at resuscitating him by Conrad Murray, his personal physician, were unsuccessful.[217] Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics received a 911 call at 12:22 (PDT, 19:22 UTC), arriving three minutes later at Jackson's location.[218][219] He was reportedly not breathing and CPR was performed.[220] Resuscitation efforts continued en route to the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, and for more than an hour after arriving there at 1:13 (20:13 UTC). He was pronounced dead at 2:26 local time (21:26 UTC).[221][222] Jackson's death triggered a global outpouring of grief.[217]
The news spread quickly online, causing websites to slow down and crash from user overload. Both TMZ and the Los Angeles Times suffered outages.[223] Google initially believed that the input from millions of people searching for "Michael Jackson" meant that the search engine was under DDoS attack, and blocked searches related to Michael Jackson for 30 minutes. Twitter reported a crash, as did Wikipedia at 3:15 p.m. PDT (22:15 UTC).[224] The Wikimedia Foundation reported nearly a million visitors to Jackson's biography within one hour, probably the most visitors in a one-hour period to any article in Wikipedia's history.[225] AOL Instant Messenger collapsed for 40 minutes. AOL called it a "seminal moment in Internet history", adding, "We've never seen anything like it in terms of scope or depth."[226]
Around 15% of Twitter posts—or 5,000 tweets per minute—reportedly mentioned Jackson after the news broke,[227][228] compared to the 5% recalled as having mentioned the Iranian elections or the flu pandemic that had made headlines earlier in the year.[228] Overall, web traffic ranged from 11% to at least 20% higher than normal.[227][229] MTV and Black Entertainment Television (BET) aired marathons of Jackson's music videos.[230] Jackson specials aired on multiple television stations around the world. The British soap opera EastEnders added a last-minute scene, in which one character tells another about the news, to the June 26 episode.[231] Jackson was the topic of every front-page headline in the daily British tabloid The Sun for about two weeks following his death.[232] During the same period, the three major U.S. networks' evening newscasts—ABC World News, CBS Evening News, and NBC Nightly News—devoted 34% of their broadcast time to him.[233] Magazines including Time published commemorative editions.[234] A scene that had featured Jackson's sister La Toya was cut from the film Brüno out of respect toward Jackson's family.[235]
Jackson's memorial was held on July 7, 2009, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, preceded by a private family service at Forest Lawn Memorial Park's Hall of Liberty. Jackson's casket was present during the memorial but no information was released about the final disposition of the body. While some unofficial reports claimed a worldwide audience as high as one billion people,[236][237] the U.S. audience was estimated by Nielsen to be 31.1 million, an amount comparable to the estimated 35.1 million that watched the 2004 burial of former president Ronald Reagan, and the estimated 33.1 million Americans who watched the 1997 funeral for Princess Diana.[238]
Mariah Carey, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, John Mayer, Jennifer Hudson, Usher, Jermaine Jackson, and Shaheen Jafargholi performed at the event. Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson gave eulogies, while Queen Latifah read "We had him", a poem written for the occasion by Maya Angelou.[239] The Reverend Al Sharpton received a standing ovation with cheers when he told Jackson's children, "Wasn't nothing strange about your daddy. It was strange what your daddy had to deal with. But he dealt with it anyway."[240] Jackson's 11-year-old daughter, Paris Katherine, cried as she told the crowd, "Ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine ... I just wanted to say I love him ... so much."[166] Reverend Lucious Smith provided a closing prayer.[241] On August 24, several news outlets quoted anonymous sources as stating that the Los Angeles coroner had decided to treat Jackson's death as a homicide; this was later confirmed by the coroner on August 28.[242][243] At the time of death, Jackson had been administered propofol, lorazepam and midazolam.[244] Law enforcement officials conducted a manslaughter investigation of his personal physician, Conrad Murray.[245] On February 8, 2010, Murray was charged with involuntary manslaughter by prosecutors in Los Angeles.[246] Jackson was entombed on September 3, 2009, at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.[247]
On June 25, 2010, the first anniversary of Jackson's death, fans traveled to Los Angeles to pay their tribute to him. They visited Jackson’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and his family’s home, as well as Forest Lawn Memorial Park. Many of the fans were carrying sunflowers and other tribute items to drop off at the sites. Members of the Jackson family and close friends arrived to pay their respects.[248][249] Katherine returned to Gary, Indiana to unveil a granite monument constructed in the front yard of the family home. The memorial continued with a candlelight vigil and a special performance of "We Are the World".[250][251] On June 26, there was a protest march in front of the Los Angeles Police Department's Robbery-Homicide Division at the old Parker Center building and a petition with thousands of signatures demanding justice was delivered.[252][253] The Jackson Family Foundation in conjunction with Voiceplate presented "Forever Michael", an event bringing together Jackson family members, celebrities, fans, supporters and the community to celebrate and honor his legacy. A portion of the proceeds were presented to some of Jackson's favorite charities. Katherine also introduced her new book "Never Can Say Goodbye".[254][255][256]
Death aftermath[link]
After his death, Jackson became the best-selling albums artist of 2009. In the United States selling over 8.2 million albums and a total of 35 million albums worldwide in the 12 months that followed his death.[257][258] Following this surge in sales, Sony announced that they had extended their relationship with his material. The distribution rights held by Sony Music were due to expire in 2015.[259] On March 16, 2010, Sony Music Entertainment, in a move spearheaded by its Columbia/Epic Label Group division, signed a new deal with the Jackson estate to extend their distribution rights to his back catalogue until at least 2017, as well as to obtain permission to release ten new albums with previously unreleased material and new collections of released work. On November 4, 2010 Sony announced the release of Michael, the first posthumous album set to be released on December 14, with the promotional single released to the radios on November 8, titled "Breaking News".[260] The deal was unprecedented in the music industry as it is the most expensive music contract pertaining to a single artist in history; it reportedly involved Sony Music paying $250 million for the deal, with the Jackson estate getting the full sum as well as its share of royalties for all works released.[259][261] Video game developer Ubisoft announced it would release a new dancing-and-singing game featuring Michael Jackson for the 2010 holiday season. The game titled Michael Jackson: The Experience will be among the first to use Kinect and PlayStation Move, the respective motion-detecting camera systems for Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3 due out later that year.[262]
On November 3, 2010, the theatrical performing company Cirque du Soleil announced that it would launch "Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour" in October 2011 in Montreal, while a permanent show will reside in Las Vegas.[263] The 90-minute US$57M production will combine Jackson's iconic musical oeuvre and choreography with the Cirque's signature artistry, dance and aerial displays involving 65 artists.[264] The tour was written and directed by Jamie King[265] and centers on Jackson's "inspirational Giving Tree – the wellspring of creativity where his love of music and dance, fairy tale and magic, and the fragile beauty of nature are unlocked."[266] On October 3, 2011, the accompanying compilation soundtrack album Immortal was announced to have over 40 Jackson’s original recordings re-produced by Kevin Antunes.[267]
In April 2011, Jackson's longtime friend and billionaire businessman Mohamed Al-Fayed, chairman of Fulham F.C., unveiled a statue of Jackson outside the club's stadium, Craven Cottage.[268] Fulham fans were however bemused by the statue and failed to understand the relevance of Jackson to the club.[269] Al Fayed however defended the statue and told the fans to 'go to hell' if they didn't appreciate the statue.[270]
Artistry[link]
Influences[link]
Jackson's music took root in R&B, pop and soul. He had been influenced by the work of contemporary musicians such as Little Richard, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, Diana Ross, David Ruffin, Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Sammy Davis, Jr., The Isley Brothers, the Bee Gees and the West Side Story dancers, to whom he made a tribute in "Beat It" and in the "Bad" video.[271] According to David Winters, who met and befriended Jackson while choreographing the 1971 Diana Ross TV Special "Diana!", (which was also Jackson's first solo debut outside of The Jackson 5), Jackson watched West Side Story almost every week and it was his favorite film.[272][273][274] While Little Richard had a substantial influence on Jackson,[275][276] James Brown was Jackson's greatest inspiration. In reference to Brown, Jackson declared: "Ever since I was a small child, no more than like six years old, my mother would wake me no matter what time it was, if I was sleeping, no matter what I was doing, to watch the television to see the master at work. And when I saw him move, I was mesmerized. I had never seen a performer perform like James Brown, and right then and there I knew that was exactly what I wanted to do for the rest of my life because of James Brown."[277]
The young Michael Jackson owed his vocal technique in large part to Diana Ross. Not only a mother figure to him, she was often observed in rehearsal as an accomplished performer. He later expressed: "I got to know her well. She taught me so much. I used to just sit in the corner and watch the way she moved. She was art in motion. I studied the way she moved, the way she sang – just the way she was." He told her: "I want to be just like you, Diana." She said: "You just be yourself."[278] But Jackson owed part of his enduring style—especially his use of the oooh interjection—to Ross. From a young age, Jackson often punctuated his verses with a sudden exclamation of oooh. Diana Ross had used this effect on many of the songs recorded with The Supremes.[279]
Musical themes and genres[link]
Unlike many artists, Jackson did not write his songs on paper. Instead he would dictate into a sound recorder, and when recording he would sing the lyrics from memory.[280] In most of his songs, such as "Billie Jean", "Who Is It", and "Tabloid Junkie", he would beatbox and imitate the instruments using his voice instead of playing the actual instruments, along with other sounds. Jackson noted that it is easier to sing a drum line, or sing a bass, instead of playing a drum line or a bass with an instrument. Several critics have said that Jackson's distinct voice was able to replace any instrument convincingly. Steve Huey of Allmusic said that, throughout his solo career, Jackson's versatility allowed him to experiment with various themes and genres.[281] As a musician, he ranged from Motown's dance fare and ballads to techno and house-edged new jack swing to work that incorporates both funk rhythms and hard rock guitar.[18][282][283]
According to Huey, Thriller refined the strengths of Off the Wall; the dance and rock tracks were more aggressive, while the pop tunes and ballads were softer and more soulful.[281] Notable tracks included the ballads "The Lady in My Life", "Human Nature" and "The Girl Is Mine"; the funk pieces "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"; and the post-disco set "Baby Be Mine" and "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)".[281][282][283][284][285] With Thriller, Christopher Connelly of Rolling Stone commented that Jackson developed his long association with the subliminal theme of paranoia and darker imagery.[285] Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted this is evident on the songs "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'".[283] In "Billie Jean", Jackson sings about an obsessive fan who alleges he has fathered a child of hers.[281] In "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" he argues against gossip and the media.[285] "Beat It" decried gang violence in an homage to West Side Story, and was Jackson's first successful rock cross-over piece, according to Huey.[18][281] He also observed that the title track "Thriller" began Jackson's interest with the theme of the supernatural, a topic he revisited in subsequent years.[281] In 1985, Jackson co-wrote the charity anthem "We Are the World"; humanitarian themes later became a recurring theme in his lyrics and public persona.[281]
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One of Jackson's signature pieces, "Thriller", released as a single in 1984, utilizes cinematic sound effects, horror film motifs and vocal trickery to convey a sense of danger.[22]
A single from the album Bad, released 1988, "Smooth Criminal" features digital drum sounds, keyboard-created bass lines and other percussion elements designed to give the impression of a pulsing heart.[286]
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In Bad, Jackson's concept of the predatory lover can be seen on the rock song "Dirty Diana".[290] The lead single "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" is a traditional love ballad, while "Man in the Mirror" is an anthemic ballad of confession and resolution.[78] "Smooth Criminal" was an evocation of bloody assault, rape and likely murder.[78] Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine states that Dangerous presents Jackson as a very paradoxical individual.[291] He comments the album is more diverse than his previous Bad, as it appeals to an urban audience while also attracting the middle class with anthems like "Heal the World".[291] The first half of the record is dedicated to new jack swing, including songs like "Jam" and "Remember the Time".[292] The album is Jackson's first where social ills become a primary theme; "Why You Wanna Trip on Me", for example, protests against world hunger, AIDS, homelessness and drugs.[292] Dangerous contains sexually charged efforts such as the multifaceted love song, "In the Closet".[292] The title track continues the theme of the predatory lover and compulsive desire.[292] The second half includes introspective, pop-gospel anthems such as "Will You Be There", "Heal the World" and "Keep the Faith"; these songs show Jackson opening up about various personal struggles and worries.[292] In the ballad "Gone Too Soon", Jackson gives tribute to his friend Ryan White and the plight of those with AIDS.[293]
HIStory creates an atmosphere of paranoia.[294] Its content focuses on the hardships and public struggles Jackson went through just prior to its production. In the new jack swing-funk-rock efforts "Scream" and "Tabloid Junkie", along with the R&B ballad "You Are Not Alone", Jackson retaliates against the injustice and isolation he feels, and directs much of his anger at the media.[295] In the introspective ballad "Stranger in Moscow", Jackson laments over his "fall from grace", while songs like "Earth Song", "Childhood", "Little Susie" and "Smile" are all operatic pop pieces.[294][295] In the track "D.S.", Jackson launched a verbal attack against Tom Sneddon. He describes Sneddon as an antisocial, white supremacist who wanted to "get my ass, dead or alive". Of the song, Sneddon said, "I have not—shall we say—done him the honor of listening to it, but I've been told that it ends with the sound of a gunshot".[296] Invincible found Jackson working heavily with producer Rodney Jerkins.[281] It is a record made up of urban soul like "Cry" and "The Lost Children", ballads such as "Speechless", "Break of Dawn" and "Butterflies" and mixes hip-hop, pop and R&B in "2000 Watts", "Heartbreaker" and "Invincible".[297][298]
Vocal style[link]
Jackson sang from childhood, and over time his voice and vocal style changed noticeably. Between 1971 and 1975, Jackson's voice descended from boy soprano to high tenor.[299] His vocal range as an adult was F2-E♭6. Jackson first used a technique called the "vocal hiccup" in 1973, starting with the song "It's Too Late to Change the Time" from The Jackson 5's G.I.T.: Get It Together album.[300] Jackson did not use the hiccup technique— somewhat like a gulping for air or gasping— fully until the recording of Off the Wall: it can be seen in full force in the "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" promotional video.[20] With the arrival of Off the Wall in the late 1970s, Jackson's abilities as a vocalist were well regarded. At the time, Rolling Stone compared his vocals to the "breathless, dreamy stutter" of Stevie Wonder. Their analysis was also that "Jackson's feathery-timbred tenor is extraordinarily beautiful. It slides smoothly into a startling falsetto that's used very daringly".[301][302] 1982 saw the release of Thriller, and Rolling Stone was of the opinion that Jackson was then singing in a "fully adult voice" that was "tinged by sadness".[285]
A distinctive deliberate mispronunciation of "come on", used frequently by Jackson, occasionally spelled "cha'mone" or "shamone", is also a staple in impressions and caricatures of him.[303] The turn of the 1990s saw the release of the introspective album Dangerous. The New York Times noted that on some tracks, "he gulps for breath, his voice quivers with anxiety or drops to a desperate whisper, hissing through clenched teeth" and he had a "wretched tone".[292] When singing of brotherhood or self-esteem the musician would return to "smooth" vocals.[292] When commenting on Invincible, Rolling Stone were of the opinion that—at the age of 43—Jackson still performed "exquisitely voiced rhythm tracks and vibrating vocal harmonies".[304] Nelson George summed up Jackson's vocals by stating "The grace, the aggression, the growling, the natural boyishness, the falsetto, the smoothness—that combination of elements mark him as a major vocalist".[286]
Music videos and choreography[link]
Jackson has also been referred to as the King of Music Videos,[305] Steve Huey of Allmusic observed how Jackson transformed the music video into an art form and a promotional tool through complex story lines, dance routines, special effects and famous cameo appearances; simultaneously breaking down racial barriers.[281] Before Thriller, Jackson struggled to receive coverage on MTV, allegedly because he was African American.[306] Pressure from CBS Records persuaded MTV to start showing "Billie Jean" and later "Beat It", leading to a lengthy partnership with Jackson, also helping other black music artists gain recognition.[307] MTV employees deny any racism in their coverage, or pressure to change their stance. MTV maintains that they played rock music, regardless of race.[308] The popularity of his videos on MTV helped to put the relatively young channel "on the map"; MTV's focus shifted in favor of pop and R&B.[309][307] His performance on Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever changed the scope of live stage show; "That Jackson lip-synced 'Billie Jean' is, in itself, not extraordinary, but the fact that it did not change the impact of the performance is extraordinary; whether the performance was live or lip-synced made no difference to the audience" thus creating an era in which artists re-create the spectacle of music video imagery on stage.[310] Short films like Thriller largely remained unique to Jackson, while the group dance sequence in "Beat It" has frequently been imitated.[311] The choreography in Thriller has become a part of global pop culture, replicated everywhere from Indian films to prisons in the Philippines.[312] The Thriller short film marked an increase in scale for music videos, and has been named the most successful music video ever by the Guinness World Records.[99]
In the 19-minute music video for "Bad"—directed by Martin Scorsese—Jackson began using sexual imagery and choreography not previously seen in his work. He occasionally grabbed or touched his chest, torso and crotch. When asked by Oprah in the 1993 interview about why he grabbed his crotch, he replied, "I think it happens subliminally" and he described it as something that was not planned, but rather, as something that was compelled by the music. "Bad" garnered a mixed reception from both fans and critics; Time magazine described it as "infamous". The video also featured Wesley Snipes; in the future Jackson's videos would often feature famous cameo roles.[71][313] For "Smooth Criminal", Jackson experimented with an innovative "anti-gravity lean" in his performances. The maneuver required special shoes for which he was granted U.S. Patent No. 5,255,452.[314] Although the music video for "Leave Me Alone" was not officially released in the US, in 1989, it was nominated for three Billboard Music Video Awards;[315] the same year it won a Golden Lion Award for the quality of the special effects used in its production. In 1990, "Leave Me Alone" won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form.[97]
He received the MTV Video Vanguard Award in 1988 and the MTV Video Vanguard Artist of the Decade Award in 1990 to celebrate his accomplishments in the art form in the 1980s; in 1991 the first award was renamed in his honor.[114] "Black or White" was accompanied by a controversial music video, which, on November 14, 1991, simultaneously premiered in 27 countries with an estimated audience of 500 million people, the largest viewing ever for a music video.[113] It featured scenes construed as having a sexual nature as well as depictions of violence. The offending scenes in the final half of the 14-minute version were edited out to prevent the video from being banned, and Jackson apologized.[316] Along with Jackson, it featured Macaulay Culkin, Peggy Lipton and George Wendt. It helped usher in morphing as an important technology in music videos.[317]
"Remember the Time" was an elaborate production, and became one of his longest videos at over nine minutes. Set in ancient Egypt, it featured groundbreaking visual effects and appearances by Eddie Murphy, Iman and Magic Johnson, along with a distinct complex dance routine.[318] The video for "In the Closet" was Jackson's most sexually provocative piece. It featured supermodel Naomi Campbell in a courtship dance with Jackson. The video was banned in South Africa because of its imagery.[114]
The music video for "Scream", directed by Mark Romanek and production designer Tom Foden, is one of Jackson's most critically acclaimed. In 1995, it gained 11 MTV Video Music Award Nominations—more than any other music video—and won "Best Dance Video", "Best Choreography", and "Best Art Direction".[319] The song and its accompanying video are a response to the backlash Jackson received from the media after being accused of child molestation in 1993.[320] A year later, it won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form; shortly afterwards Guinness World Records listed it as the most expensive music video ever made at a cost of $7 million.[151][321]
"Earth Song" was accompanied by an expensive and well-received music video that gained a Grammy nomination for Best Music Video, Short Form in 1997. The video had an environmental theme, showing images of animal cruelty, deforestation, pollution and war. Using special effects, time is reversed so that life returns, wars end, and the forests re-grow.[151][322] Released in 1997 and premiering at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival, Michael Jackson's Ghosts was a short film written by Jackson and Stephen King and directed by Stan Winston. The video for Ghosts is over 38 minutes long and holds the Guinness World Record as the world's longest music video.[151][160][323][324]
Legacy and influence[link]
Jackson throughout his career transformed the art of the music video and paved the way for modern pop music. Daily Telegraph writer Tom Utley described Jackson in 2003 as "extremely important" and a "genius".[239] For much of his career, he had an "unparalleled" level of worldwide influence over the younger generation through his musical and humanitarian contributions.[153] Jackson's music and videos, such as Thriller, fostered racial diversity in MTV's roster, helped to put the relatively new channel into public awareness, and steered the channel's focus from rock to pop music and R&B, shaping the channel into a form that proved enduring. Jackson's work continues to influence numerous hip hop, rock, pop and R&B artists, including Patrick Stump,[325] Jennifer Lopez,[326] Beyoncé,[327] Mariah Carey,[328] Mýa,[329] Usher,[330] Adam Lambert,[331] Green Day,[332] Justin Timberlake,[333] Britney Spears,[334] Madonna,[335] Alien Ant Farm[164] and Ludacris, among others.[336]
Allmusic's Steve Huey describes Jackson as "an unstoppable juggernaut, possessed of all the skills to dominate the charts seemingly at will: an instantly identifiable voice, eye-popping dance moves, stunning musical versatility and loads of sheer star power".[281] In the mid-1980s, Time magazine's pop music critic, Jay Cocks, noted "Jackson is the biggest thing since The Beatles. He is the hottest single phenomenon since Elvis Presley. He just may be the most popular black singer ever".[40] In 1990, Vanity Fair cited Jackson as the most popular artist in the history of show business.[97] In 2007, Jackson said, "Music has been my outlet, my gift to all of the lovers in this world. Through it, my music, I know I will live forever."[337]
Shortly after Jackson's death, on June 25, 2009, MTV briefly returned to its original music video format to celebrate and pay tribute to his work.[338] The channel aired many hours of Jackson's music videos, accompanied by live news specials featuring reactions from MTV personalities and other celebrities. The temporary shift in MTV's programming culminated the following week in the channel's live coverage of Jackson's memorial service.[339] At the memorial service on July 7, 2009, founder of Motown Records Berry Gordy proclaimed Jackson as "the greatest entertainer that ever lived".[340][341][342]
In 2010, two university librarians found that Jackson's influence extended into academia, and was detectable in scholarly literature pertaining to a range of subject matter.[343][344] The two researchers combed through various scholars' writings, and compiled an annotated bibliography of those writings that appeared to meet at least one of several criteria. Among these criteria were appearance in a peer-reviewed journal, and the provision of insight into the nature of "popular icons including Jackson".[345] The bibliography located references to Jackson in research reports concerning music, popular culture, and an array of other topics. The bibliographers identified as their most peculiar finding an argument that certain aspects of chemistry can be effectively taught by altering and imitating elements of Jackson's singing.[346] One of the research librarians later reflected that "the fact that someone would take a Michael Jackson song and co-opt it as a means to convey chemistry concepts just shows the pervasiveness of Jackson's influence".[343]
Honors and awards[link]
Michael Jackson was inducted onto the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1980 as member of The Jacksons and in 1984 as solo artist. Throughout his career he received numerous honors and awards, including the World Music Awards' Best-Selling Pop Male Artist of the Millennium, the American Music Award's Artist of the Century Award and the Bambi Pop Artist of the Millennium Award.[165][347] He was a double-inductee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, once as a member of The Jackson 5 in 1997 and later as a solo artist in 2001. Jackson was also inducted in several other hall of fames, including Vocal Group Hall of Fame (as The Jackson 5 member) in 1999, Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2002 and Hit Parade Hall of Fame (with his brothers) in 2009.[165][348] In 2010, Jackson was inducted into the Dance Hall of Fame as the first (and currently only) dancer from the world of pop and rock 'n' roll.[349] His awards include many Guinness World Records (eight in 2006 alone),[350] 13 Grammy Awards (as well as the Grammy Legend Award and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award), 26 American Music Awards (24 only as a solo artist, including the "Artist of the Century", but not the poll of "Artist of the '80s")—more than any artist—, 13 number one singles in the US in his solo career—more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era[351]—and estimated sales of up to 750 million records worldwide, making him the world's best selling male solo pop artist.[32][99][113][163][215][216][352][353][354][355][356] On December 29, 2009, the American Film Institute recognized Jackson's death as a "moment of significance" saying, "Michael Jackson's sudden death in June at age 50 was notable for the worldwide outpouring of grief and the unprecedented global eulogy of his posthumous concert rehearsal movie This Is It."[357] Michael Jackson also received a Doctor of Humane Letters Degree from the United Negro College Fund[358] and also an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Fisk University.[359]
Lifetime earnings[link]
His total lifetime earnings from royalties on his solo recordings and music videos, revenue from concerts and endorsements have been estimated at US$500 million; some analysts have speculated that his music catalog holdings could be worth billions of dollars.[98][360] This speculation however is contradicted by financial documents obtained by the Associated Press, which showed that as of March 31, 2007, Jackson's 50 percent stake in the Sony/ATV Music Publishing catalog (his most prized asset) was worth $390.6 million and Michael Jackson's net worth was $236 million.[361] Billboard has estimated that Jackson has generated at least $1 billion in revenue in the year following his death.[362]
Discography[link]
Main articles: Michael Jackson albums discography, Michael Jackson singles discography, and Michael Jackson videography
See also: Jackson 5 discography
- Got to Be There (1972)
- Ben (1972)
- Music & Me (1973)
- Forever, Michael (1975)
- Off the Wall (1979)
- Thriller (1982)
- Bad (1987)
- Dangerous (1991)
- HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995)
- Invincible (2001)
Filmography[link]
Main article: Michael Jackson videography
| Year | Film | Role | Director |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | The Wiz[363] | Scarecrow | Lumet, SidneySidney Lumet |
| 1986 | Captain EO[364] | Captain EO | Coppola, Francis FordFrancis Ford Coppola |
| 1988 | Moonwalker[365] | Himself | Kramer, JerryJerry Kramer |
| 1997 | Michael Jackson's Ghosts[366] | Maestro/Mayor/Ghoul/Skeleton | Winston, StanStan Winston |
| 2002 | Men in Black II[367] | Agent M (cameo) | Sonnenfeld, BarryBarry Sonnenfeld |
| 2004 | Miss Cast Away and the Island Girls[368] | Agent MJ (cameo) | Stoller, Bryan MichaelBryan Michael Stoller |
| 2009 | Michael Jackson's This Is It[369] | Himself | Ortega, KennyKenny Ortega |
Tours[link]
- Bad World Tour (1987–89)
- Dangerous World Tour (1992–93)
- HIStory World Tour (1996–97)
- This Is It (2009–10) (cancelled)
See also[link]
 |
Book: Michael Jackson |
| Wikipedia books are collections of articles that can be downloaded or ordered in print. | |
- Honorific nicknames in popular music
- Michael Jackson-related games
- List of awards received by Michael Jackson
- List of best-selling albums
- List of best-selling music artists
- List of best-selling music artists in the United States
- List of most expensive music videos
- List of unreleased Michael Jackson material
- List of cover versions of Michael Jackson songs
References[link]
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- ^ a b c "Paul McCartney refused an offer to buy the ATV Catalog for £20 million". Audio & transcript of McCartney at a 1990 press conference. November 13, 2010. http://mjjinfo.blogspot.com/2010/11/paul-mccartney-refused-to-buy-atv.html.
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- ^ a b c Campbell (1995), pp. 14–16
- ^ Taraborrelli, pp. 434–436
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- ^ "Captain EO is Back to Change the World – Movies News at IGN". Movies.ign.com. February 23, 2010. http://movies.ign.com/articles/107/1071393p1.html?RSSwhen2010-02-23_111800&RSSid=1071393. Retrieved August 22, 2010.
- ^ Ebony, Vol. 42, No. 11, September 1987, and Vol. 45, No. 12, October 1990.
- ^ a b c Cocks, Jay. The Badder They Come, Time, September 14, 1987.
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- ^ Piya Sinha-Roy (2012). "Michael Jackson is still "Bad," 25 years after". Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/21/entertainment-us-michaeljackson-bad-idUSBRE84K0Z120120521. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
- ^ Piya Sinha-Roy (2012). "Michael Jackson is still "Bad", 25 years after album". Chicagotribune. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-05-22/entertainment/sns-rt-us-michaeljackson-bad25bre84l17s-20120522_1_conrad-murray-dirty-diana-grammy-winning-album. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
- ^ "25th Anniversary Of Michael Jackson’s Landmark Album Bad Celebrated With September 18 Release Of New Bad 25 Packages". Yahoo. 2012. http://news.yahoo.com/25th-anniversary-michael-jackson-landmark-album-bad-celebrated-140242006.html. Retrieved May 24, 2012.
- ^ contactmusic (2012). "Michael Jackson - Michael Jackson's Bad To Get 25Th Anniversary Release". contactmusic. http://www.contactmusic.com/news/michael-jacksons-bad-to-get-25th-anniversary-release_1330641. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
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- ^ Lisa D. Campbell (1993). Michael Jackson: the King of Pop. Branden Books. p. 251. ISBN 978-0-8283-1957-7. http://books.google.com/?id=BVC9zltjf-EC&pg=PA251&dq=Michael+Jackson+Moonwalker+251&q=Michael%20Jackson%20Moonwalker%20251. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
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- ^ a b Lewis, pp. 95–96
- ^ Harrington, Richard.Jackson to Make First Solo U.S. Tour, The Washington Post, January 12, 1988.
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- ^ Jackson, pp. 29–31
- ^ George, p. 42
- ^ a b c d e George, pp. 43–44
- ^ a b c Gunderson,, Edna (February 19, 2007). "For Jackson, scandal could spell financial ruin". USA Today (Gannett Co. Inc). http://www.usatoday.com/life/2003-11-24-jackson-finances_x.htm. Retrieved March 14, 2010.
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- ^ Press references to Jackson as a music "king" appeared as early as 1984 after he swept the Grammy Awards, and "king of pop" appeared as early as 1987. MTV and Fox used the title in joint press releases and ads for the "Black or White" video at Jackson's request, but MTV denied a report that VJs were required to use it on-camera. Writers described the title as self-proclaimed from then on.
- ^ Arar, Yardena (February 29, 1984). "Michael Jackson coronated latest king of rock 'n' roll". Boca Raton News: p. 7A.
- ^ Staff writer (July 27, 1987). "Is the thrill gone for singer Michael Jackson?". Sacramento Bee: p. B3.
- ^ Browne, David (November 29, 1991). "Michael Jackson's Black or White Blues". Entertainment Weekly.
- ^ Campbell (1993) pp. 260–263
- ^ Remarks on the Upcoming Summit With President Mikhail Gorbachev of the Soviet Union, April 5, 1990.
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- ^ Taraborrelli, p. 382
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- ^ a b c d e f g "The return of the King of Pop". MSNBC. (November 2, 2006). http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15529981/. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f g George, pp. 45–46
- ^ "Garth Brooks ropes in most Billboard awards". Allegheny Times. December 10, 1992. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=w7QiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=DbUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3124,2012493&dq=best+selling+album+1992+worldwide&hl=en. Retrieved July 4, 2010.
- ^ Taraborrelli, p. 459
- ^ Harrington, Richard (February 5, 1992). "Jackson to Tour Overseas". The Washington Post.
- ^ Taraborrelli, pp. 452–454
- ^ "Stars line up for Clinton celebration". Daily News of Los Angeles. (January 19, 1993).
- ^ Smith, Patricia (January 20, 1992). "Facing the music and the masses at the presidential gala". The Boston Globe.
- ^ a b c d Johnson, Robert (May 1992). "Michael Jackson: crowned in Africa". Ebony. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1077/is_n7_v47/ai_12288831. Retrieved July 23, 2008.
- ^ "Cyrus, Bolton please the fans". Toledo Blade. (January 27, 1993). http://news.google.co.uk/newspapers?id=mBIVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=TQMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6811,6756235&dq=american+music+awards&hl=en. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
- ^ a b "1993: Michael Jackson accused of child abuse". BBC. (February 8, 2003). http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/august/24/newsid_2512000/2512077.stm. Retrieved November 11, 2006.
- ^ Taraborrelli, pp. 485–486
- ^ a b c Taraborrelli, pp. 477–478
- ^ Taraborrelli, pp. 496–498
- ^ a b Taraborrelli, pp. 534–540
- ^ "Michael Jackson Never Recovered from 1993 Police Strip Search". Blogspot.com. July 2, 2009. http://wendyista.blogspot.com/2009/07/michael-jackson-never-recovered-from.html.
- ^ "Autopsy of Jackson, Michael Joseph" (PDF). http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/02/09/mj_autopsy.pdf.
- ^ "Photos May Contradict Michael's Accuser USA Today (pre-1997 Fulltext) – McLean, Va. Date: Jan 28, 1994" (PDF). http://site2.mjeol.com/pdf/important-article/photos-may-contradict-michael-s-accuser-1994.pdf. Retrieved June 25, 2010.
- ^ "Photos May Contradict Michael's Accuser USA Today (pre-1997 Fulltext) – McLean, Va. Date: Jan 28, 1994". Pqasb.pqarchiver.com. January 28, 1994. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/access/55226686.html?did=55226686&FMT=ABS&FMTS=FT&desc=Photos+may+contradict+Michael%27s+accuser1. Retrieved June 25, 2010.
- ^ Campbell (1995), pp. 47–50
- ^ "Jackson Grand Jury Disbanded – 1994. May 2, 1994" (PDF). http://site2.mjeol.com/pdf/important-article/jackson-grand-jury-disbanded-1994.pdf. Retrieved October 26, 2010.
- ^ "STATEMENT OF DECLINATION ISSUED JOINTLY BY THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICES OF LOS ANGELES AND SANTA BARABARA COUNTIES. September 21, 1994". Web.archive.org. Archived from the original on December 25, 2005. http://web.archive.org/web/20051225151006/http://atgbook.net/abcfinal.html. Retrieved October 26, 2010.
- ^ a b Attorneys for Michael Jackson (March 22, 2005). "Objection to Subpoena of Settlement Document". Superior Court of California. http://www.sbscpublicaccess.org/docs/ctdocs/032205mjmemospprtobj.pdf.
- ^ Taraborrelli, pp. 540–545
- ^ "Michael Jackson's Big Payoff. Agreed to pay $15 million to settle boy's 1993 sex abuse claim. The Smoking Gun, June 16". Thesmokinggun.com. http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0616041jacko5.html. Retrieved June 25, 2010.
- ^ "Grand Jury to convene in Jackson Case Law: Sources close to the investigation say a panel in Santa Barbara will hear testimony next week about alleged molestation of boy. February 5, 1994|Jim Newton, Times Staff Writer". latimes.com. February 5, 1994. http://articles.latimes.com/1994-02-05/local/me-19273_1_santa-barbara/2. Retrieved June 25, 2010.
- ^ Taraborrelli, pp. 500–507
- ^ Gliatto, Tom (August 15, 1994). "Neverland Meets Graceland". People. http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20103653,00.html.
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- ^ Sony Music (2001). "Michael Jackson Dangerous Review". Sony Music Entertainment. Archived from the original on December 4, 2005. http://web.archive.org/web/20051204230345/http://www.sonybmg.com.au/cd/releaseDetails.do?catalogueNo=5044242000. Retrieved August 27, 2008.
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- ^ Ramage, John D.; Bean, John C.; Johnson, June (2001). Writing arguments: a rhetoric with readings. Allyn and Bacon. p. 491. ISBN 0-205-31745-6. http://books.google.com/?id=nDnUQkn28lUC&q=%22black+or+white%22+%22rock+'n'+roll+dance+song%22+%22michael+jackson%22&dq=%22black+or+white%22+%22rock+'n'+roll+dance+song%22+%22michael+jackson%22. Retrieved July 14, 2009. "'Black or White', described by the record company as 'a rock 'n' roll dance song about racial harmony'"
- ^ Pareles, Jon (September 3, 1987). "How good is Jackson's Bad?". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE1DC1F38F930A3575AC0A961948260&scp=5&sq=Michael+Jackson+Bad+review&st=nyt. Retrieved July 23, 2008.
- ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Dangerous Overview". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r10095. Retrieved June 15, 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f g Pareles, Jon (November 24, 1991). "Michael Jackson in the Electronic Wilderness". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE2D6143DF937A15752C1A967958260&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fPeople%2fJ%2fJackson%2c%20Michael. Retrieved July 23, 2008.
- ^ Harrington, Richard (November 24, 1991). "Jackson's `Dangerous' Departures; Stylistic Shifts Mar His First Album in 4 Years". The Washington Post.
- ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Michael Jackson HIStory Overview". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r216079. Retrieved June 15, 2008.
- ^ a b Hunter, James (August 10, 1995). "Michael Jackson HIStory". Rolling Stone.
- ^ "Thomas W. (Tom) Sneddon, Jr". ndaa.org. Archived from the original on January 2, 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080102103101/http://www.ndaa.org/ndaa/profile/tom_sneddon_jan_feb_2003.html. Retrieved July 12, 2008.
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Michael Jackson:Invincible". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r553140/review. Retrieved September 9, 2007.
- ^ Beaumont, Mark (November 30, 2001). "Michael Jackson: Invincible". NME. http://www.nme.com/reviews/michael-jackson/5780. Retrieved July 23, 2008.
- ^ Brackett, pp. 414
- ^ The Complete Guide To The Music of Michael Jackson & The Jackson Family by Geoff Brown. 164 pages, Omnibus Press
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Off the Wall Overview". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r10088/review. Retrieved June 15, 2008.
- ^ Holden, Stephen (November 1, 1979). "Off the Wall: Michael Jackson". Rolling Stone.
- ^ Lewarne, Rory (July 26, 2004). "Pink Grease". Music News. http://www.music-news.com/ShowReview.asp?nReviewID=363&nType=4. Retrieved August 10, 2008.
- ^ Hunter, James (December 6, 2001). "Michael Jackson: Invincible". Rolling Stone.
- ^ Chery, Carl: XXL: Michael Jackson Special Collecters Edition, page 95. American Press.
- ^ "Michael Jackson, "Billie Jean," directed by Steve Barron, produced by Simon Fields & Paul Flattery,". Blender. October 2005.
- ^ a b Gundersen, Edna (August 25, 2005). "Music videos changing places". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2005-08-25-mtv_x.htm. Retrieved July 23, 2008.
- ^ "Why it took MTV so long to play black music videos | Jet | Find Articles at BNET". Findarticles.com. October 9, 2006. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1355/is_14_110/ai_n16807343/. Retrieved September 2, 2009.
- ^ Robinson, Bryan (February 23, 2005). "Why Are Michael Jackson's Fans So Devoted?". ABC News. http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/LegalCenter/story?id=464753&page=1. Retrieved April 6, 2007.
- ^ Inglis, Ian (2006). Performance and popular music: history, place and time. Ashgate Publishing. pp. 119, 127. ISBN 978-0-7546-4057-8.
- ^ Jackson, Michael. Thriller Special Edition Audio.
- ^ "Philippine jailhouse rocks to Thriller". BBC. (July 27, 2007). http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6917318.stm. Retrieved April 11, 2009.
- ^ Corliss, Richard (September 6, 1993). "Who's Bad?". Time. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,979177,00.html?internalid=ACA. Retrieved April 23, 2008.
- ^ US Michael J. Jackson, Michael L. Bush, Dennis Tompkins: "Method and means for creating anti-gravity illusion", filed June 29, 1992, issued Oct 26, 1993 5255452
- ^ Lisa D. Campbell, Michael Jackson: The King of Pop, p. 273.
- ^ Michael Jackson Dangerous on Film VHS/DVD
- ^ Campbell (1993), p. 303
- ^ Campbell (1993), pp. 313–314
- ^ Boepple, Leanne (November 1, 1995). Scream: Space Odyssey, Jackson-Style.(video production; Michael and Janet Jackson video). 29. Theatre Crafts International. p. 52. ISSN 1063-9497.
- ^ Bark, Ed (June 26, 1995). Michael Jackson Interview Raises Questions, Answers. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 06E.
- ^ Guinness World Records 2006
- ^ Michael Jackson HIStory on Film volume II VHS/DVD
- ^ Lewis, pp. 125–126
- ^ Guinness World Records 2004
- ^ "Justin Timberlake, Usher, Ne-Yo Talk About Michael Jackson's Influence". MTV.com. July 1, 2009. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1615102/justin-timberlake-usher-talk-about-michael-jacksons-influence.jhtml. Retrieved June 25, 2011.
- ^ "Free Services for PR :: News :: Press Releases". Pr-inside.com. http://www.pr-inside.com/lopez-amp-anthony-honoured-in-new-r1951409.htm. Retrieved 2012-04-16.
- ^ "Beyoncé, Top Stars Tip Their Hats to Michael Jackson". People. June 27, 2009. http://www.people.com/people/package/article/0,,20287787_20288067,00.html. Retrieved June 27, 2009.
- ^ "Mariah Carey - Artists influenced by Michael Jackson - Pictures - Music". Virgin Media. http://www.virginmedia.com/music/pictures/profiles/michael-jackson-influence.php?ssid=8. Retrieved 2012-04-16.
- ^ "mya performance at michael jackson 30th anniversary - Mýa video". Fanpop. http://www.fanpop.com/spots/mya/videos/22390177/title/mya-performance-michael-jackson-30th-anniversary. Retrieved 2012-04-16.
- ^ Jean-Louis, Rosemary (November 1, 2004). "Usher, Usher, Usher: The new 'King of Pop'?". CNN. http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Music/11/01/usher/. Retrieved March 6, 2007.
- ^ Hicklin, Aaron (2011-12-07). "Adam Revisited". http://www.out.com/out-exclusives/out100/2011/11/07/adam-revisited?page=0%2c1. Retrieved 2012-02-24.
- ^ "Green Day Look Forward To Janet Jackson's VMA Tribute To Michael". MTV. September 13, 2009. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1621362/20090913/green_day.jhtml. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
- ^ "Justin Timberlake: ‘Michael Jackson Will Always Will be The King of Pop’ « Showbiz Spy – celebrity news, rumors & gossip". Showbizspy.com. 2009-07-01. http://www.showbizspy.com/article/188706/justin-timberlake-michael-jackson-will-always-will-be-the-king-of-pop.html. Retrieved 2012-04-16.
- ^ Reid, Antonio. "Michael Jackson". Rolling Stone (Jann Wenner LLC).
- ^ "Michael Jackson Is The Reason". AZcentral. July 4, 2009. http://www.azcentral.com/ent/celeb/articles/2009/07/04/20090704madonna-inspired-by-jackson.html. Retrieved July 4, 2009.
- ^ "Ludacris Says Michael Jackson Inspired Him to 'Shoot for the Sky'". MTV. June 27, 2009. http://www.spinner.com/2009/06/27/ludacris-says-michael-jackson-inspired-him-to-shoot-for-the-sky/. Retrieved June 27, 2009.
- ^ Monroe, Bryan (December 2007). "Michael Jackson in His Own Words" (Print/Magazine). Ebony.
- ^ Barnes, Brokes (June 25, 2009). "A Star Idolized and Haunted, Michael Jackson Dies at 50". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/26/arts/music/26jackson.html?ref=obituaries. Retrieved July 12, 2009.
- ^ "More adds, loose ends, and lament". The 120 Minutes Archive. July 25, 2009. http://altmusictv.blogspot.com/2009/07/more-adds-loose-ends-and-lament.html. Retrieved July 26, 2009.
- ^ "Farewell to a King". People. July 20, 2009.
- ^ "Berry Gordy-Brings Mourners To Their Feet With Jackson Tribute". Contact Music. July 7, 2009. http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/story/gordy-brings-mourners-to-their-feet-with-jackson-tribute_1108973. Retrieved November 26, 2009.
- ^ "Michael Jackson hailed as greatest entertainer, best dad". Reuters UK. July 8, 2009. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE5615KN20090708. Retrieved November 26, 2009.
- ^ a b Chandler, Cory. "Librarians Prove Michael Jackson Was a Rock Star in Academic Literature". Texas Tech University. http://today.ttu.edu/2010/05/librarians-prove-michael-jackson-was-a-rock-star-in-academic-literature/. Retrieved June 6, 2010.
- ^ Hidalgo, Susan and Weiner, Robert G. (2010). "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin': MJ in the Scholarly Literature: A Selected Bibliographic Guide". The Journal of Pan African Studies 3 (7): 14–28. http://www.jpanafrican.com/docs/vol3no7/3.7MJ-Wanna-3.pdf.
- ^ Hidalgo and Weiner (2010), p. 15.
- ^ Hidalgo and Weiner (2010), p. 25.
- ^ "Michael Jackson and Halle Berry Pick Up Bambi Awards in Berlin". Hello!. (November 22, 2002). http://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/2002/11/22/michaeljackson/. Retrieved July 23, 2008.
- ^ "Jackson 5 with Michael Jackson". Hit Parade Hall of Fame. http://www.hitparadehalloffame.com/Inductees_all/Jackson5withMichaelJackson.html. Retrieved September 11, 2010.
- ^ "Photos: Michael Jackson induction ceremony". NewsTimes. August 15, 2010. http://www.newstimes.com/local/article/Photos-Michael-Jackson-induction-ceremony-617034.php. Retrieved September 10, 2010.
- ^ "Michael Jackson Named Most Successful Entertainer Of All Time". CityNews. Rogers Broadcasting Limited. November 15, 2006. http://www.citytv.com/toronto/citynews/entertainment/music/article/24523--michael-jackson-named-most-successful-entertainer-of-all-time. Retrieved March 19, 2010.
- ^ "Most No. 1s By Artist (All-Time)". Billboard.com. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. http://www.billboard.com/specials/hot100/charts/most-no1s-overall.shtml. Retrieved March 3, 2010.
- ^ "Michael Jackson to add concerts after sellout". Reuters. March 11, 2009. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE52A44W20090311. Retrieved November 10, 2010.
- ^ "GRAMMY Legend Award". Grammy. http://www.grammy.org/recording-academy/awards/legends. Retrieved September 5, 2011.
- ^ "Lifetime Achievement Award". Grammy. http://www.grammy.org/recording-academy/awards/lifetime-awards. Retrieved September 5, 2011.
- ^ "List of American Music Awards winners". Sun Journal. (January 18, 2000). http://news.google.co.uk/newspapers?id=ZMwgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tmoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3529,2860414&dq=american+music+awards&hl=en. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
- ^ "Santana wins top album honors at American Music Awards". Times Daily. (January 18, 2000). http://news.google.co.uk/newspapers?id=essyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=bskEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3817,2301247&dq=american+music+awards&hl=en. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
- ^ Serjeant, Jill (December 29, 2009). "Michael Jackson's Death Among 2009's Major Moments". ABC News (The Walt Disney Company).
- ^ "Michael Jackson Achievements". Michael Jackson. http://www.michaeljackson.com/us/node/985184. Retrieved January 4, 2011.
- ^ "Pop Star Michael Jackson Influenced Academics, Received PhD". Discovery.com. June 23, 2010. http://news.discovery.com/human/pop-star-michael-jackson-influenced-academics-received-phd.html. Retrieved January 4, 2011.
- ^ "Witness: Jacko Lived Way Above Means". Fox News Channel. (May 3, 2005). http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,155356,00.html. Retrieved May 30, 2007.
- ^ "Family: Michael Jackson Had A Will" CBS News (June 30, 2009). Retrieved on July 12, 2009.
- ^ Christman, Ed, Ann Donahue, Gail Mitchell, Glenn Peoples and Ray Waddell (June 21, 2010). "How Michael Jackson Made $1 Billion Since His Death". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. http://www.billboard.com/news/how-michael-jackson-made-1-billion-since-1004099450.story#/news/how-michael-jackson-made-1-billion-since-1004099450.story. Retrieved June 23, 2010.
- ^ Jones, pp. 229, 259
- ^ Taraborrelli, pp. 355–356
- ^ Taraborrelli, pp. 413–414
- ^ Taraborrelli, p. 610
- ^ Scott, A. O (July 3, 2002). "Defending Earth, With Worms and a Talking Pug". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/03/movies/03BLAC.html?ex=1234155600&en=1e9c4a5a1eafc54f&ei=5070. Retrieved February 7, 2009.
- ^ Chaney, Jen (July 19, 2005). "'Miss Cast Away': You Know It's Bad". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/18/AR2005071800641_pf.html. Retrieved February 7, 2009.
- ^ Le, Danny (August 11, 2009). "'Michael Jackson's "This Is It," to be Presented In Theaters Around The World". MichaelJackson.com. http://www.michaeljackson.com/us/news/michael-jacksons-it-be-presented-theaters-around-world. Retrieved August 11, 2009.
- Bibliography
- Brackett, Nathan; Christian Hoard (2004). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Fireside. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
- Campbell, Lisa (1993). Michael Jackson: The King of Pop. Branden. ISBN 0-8283-1957-X.
- Campbell, Lisa (1995). Michael Jackson: The King of Pop's Darkest Hour. Branden. ISBN 0-8283-2003-9. http://books.google.ca/books?id=BVC9zltjf-EC&lpg=PP1&dq=michael%20jackson&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=true.
- George, Nelson (2004). Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection booklet. Sony BMG.
- Guinness World Records (2003). Guinness World Records 2004. Guinness. ISBN 1-892051-20-6.
- Guinness World Records (2005). Guinness World Records 2006. Guinness. ISBN 1-904994-02-4.
- Jackson, Michael (2009) [First published 1988]. Moonwalk. Random House. ISBN 978-0-307-71698-9. http://books.google.ca/books?id=E9sGl5P8vQMC&lpg=PP1&dq=Moonwalk&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=true.
- Ramage, John D.; Bean, John C.; Johnson, June (2001). Writing arguments: a rhetoric with readings. Allyn and Bacon. ISBN 0-205-31745-6.
- Taraborrelli, J. Randy (2009). Michael Jackson: The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Story, 1958–2009. Terra Alta, WV: Grand Central Publishing, 2009. ISBN 0-446-56474-5, 9780446564748.
Further reading[link]
- Dineen, Catherine (1993). Michael Jackson: In His Own Words. Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-7119-3216-6. http://books.google.ca/books?id=DEspWj_IN_UC&lpg=PP1&dq=Michael%20Jackson%3A%20In%20His%20Own%20Words&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=true.
- Grant, Adrian (1994, 1997, 2002 and 2005). Michael Jackson: The Visual Documentary. Omnibus Press. ISBN 1-84449-432-2.
- Jackson, Michael (2006). My World, The Official Photobook, Vol. 1. Triumph International. ISBN 0-9768891-1-0.
- Jones, Bob (2005). Michael Jackson: The Man Behind the Mask. Select Books Inc. ISBN 1-59079-072-3. http://books.google.ca/books?id=8j4ILUllObsC&lpg=PP1&dq=Michael%20Jackson%3A%20The%20Man%20Behind%20the%20Mask&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=true.
- Jefferson, Margo; Brown (2007). On Michael Jackson. Vintage Books. ISBN 978-0-307-27765-7. http://books.google.com/?id=WJiPk-3oPGkC&lpg=PP1&dq=Michael%20Jackson&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=true.
- Noonan, Damien (1994) (Audio book). Michael Jackson. Carlton Books. ISBN 1-85797-587-1.
External links[link]
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| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Jackson, Michael Joseph |
| Alternative names | Jackson, Michael Joe; Jackson, Michael J. |
| Short description | Singer |
| Date of birth | August 29, 1958 |
| Place of birth | Gary, Indiana, United States |
| Date of death | June 25, 2009 |
| Place of death | Los Angeles, California, United States |
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This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Jackson
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
"Pacquiao" redirects here. For Manny Pacquiao's brother, see Bobby Pacquiao.
| Manny Pacquiao | |
|---|---|
 Pacquiao during the ceremonial first pitch at a baseball game |
|
| Statistics | |
| Real name | Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao |
| Nickname(s) | Pac-Man, Ang Pambansang Kamao (The Nation's Fist), The Destroyer, Fighting Pride of the Philippines, Pambansang Ninong (National Godfather),[1] The Fighting Congressman[citation needed] |
| Rated at | Flyweight Super Bantamweight Featherweight Super Featherweight Lightweight Light Welterweight Welterweight Light Middleweight |
| Height | 5 ft 6 1⁄2 in (1.69 m)[2] |
| Reach | 67 in (170 cm) |
| Nationality | Filipino |
| Born | (1978-12-17) December 17, 1978 (age 33) Kibawe, Bukidnon, Philippines |
| Stance | Southpaw[3] |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 59 |
| Wins | 54 |
| Wins by KO | 38 |
| Losses | 3 |
| Draws | 2 |
| No contests |
0 Official Site |
Emmanuel "Manny" Dapidran Pacquiao, PLH (English pronunciation: /ˈpæki.aʊ/ PAK-ee-ow; Tagalog: [pɐkˈjaʊ];[4] born December 17, 1978) is a Filipino professional boxer and politician. He is the first eight-division world champion; having won six world titles,[5] as well as the first to win the lineal championship in four different weight classes.[6] He was named "Fighter of the Decade" for the 2000s (decade) by the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA). He is also a three-time The Ring and BWAA "Fighter of the Year," winning the award in 2006, 2008 and 2009.[7]
As of 2012, Pacquiao is the WBO Welterweight Champion. He was long rated as the best pound for pound boxer in the world by some sporting news and boxing websites, including BoxRec.com, Sporting Life and The Ring.[8][9] However, in April 2012, Pacquiao dropped to number two in the rankings, behind Floyd Mayweather Jr.[10] In their ratings ending May 7, 2012, Ring Magazine declared the top position vacant and jointly ranked Pacquiao and Mayweather in the number two spot.[11]
Aside from boxing, Pacquiao has participated in acting, music recording and politics. In May 2010, Pacquiao was elected to the House of Representatives in the 15th Congress of the Philippines, representing the province of Sarangani.[12]
Contents
|
Personal life[link]
Pacquiao was born on December 17, 1978, in Kibawe, Bukidnon, Philippines. He is the son of Rosalio Pacquiao and Dionesia Dapidran-Pacquiao.[13] His parents separated when he was in sixth grade, after his mother discovered that his father was living with another woman.[13] He is the fourth among six siblings: Liza Silvestre-Onding and Domingo Silvestre (from first husband of his mother) and Isidra Pacquiao-Paglinawan, Alberto "Bobby" Pacquiao and Rogelio Pacquiao.
Pacquiao is married to Maria Geraldine "Jinkee" Jamora,[14] and they have four children: Emmanuel Jr. "Jimuel", Michael, Princess, and Queen Elizabeth "Queenie." He resides in his hometown General Santos City, South Cotabato, Philippines.[15] However, as a congressman of lone district of Sarangani, he is officially residing in Kiamba, Sarangani, the hometown of his wife.
Pacquiao is a devout Roman Catholic.[16] Within the ring, he frequently makes the sign of the cross and every time he comes back from a successful fight abroad, he attends a thanksgiving Mass in Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila to kneel and pray.
Pacquiao is also a military reservist with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Reserve Force of the Philippine Army.[17]
Education[link]
Pacquiao completed his elementary education at Saavedra Saway Elementary School in General Santos City, but dropped out of high school due to extreme poverty.[18] He left his home at age 14 because his mother, who had six children, was not making enough money to support her family.[18]
In February 2007 he took, and passed, a high school equivalency exam making him eligible for college education.[19] He was awarded with a high school diploma by the Department of Education. Pacquiao enrolled for a college degree in business management at Notre Dame of Dadiangas University (NDDU) in his hometown in General Santos City.
On February 18, 2009, Pacquiao was conferred the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humanities (Honoris Causa) by Southwestern University (SWU) at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino in Lahug, Cebu City in recognition of his boxing achievements and humanitarian work.[20]
In preparation for his career as a lawmaker in the House of Representatives, Pacquiao enrolled in the Certificate Course in Development, Legislation and Governance at the Development Academy of the Philippines – Graduate School of Public and Development Management (DAP-GSPDM).[21]
Amateur boxing career[link]
At the age of 14, Pacquiao moved to Manila and lived, for a time, on the streets. He started boxing and made the Philippine national amateur boxing team where his room and board were paid for by the government. Pacquiao reportedly had an amateur record of 64 fights (60–4).[22]
Professional boxing career[link]
Light Flyweight[link]
In 1995, the death of a young aspiring boxer and close friend, Eugene Barutag, spurred the young Pacquiao to pursue a professional boxing career.[23] Pacquiao started his professional boxing career when he was just 16 years of age, stood at 4'11'' and weighed 98 pounds (7 pounds under the minimumweight division). He admitted before American media that he put weights in his pockets to make the 105-pound weight limit.[24] His early light flyweight division fights took place in small local venues and were shown on Vintage Sports' Blow by Blow, an evening boxing show. His professional debut was a four-round bout against Edmund "Enting" Ignacio, on January 22, 1995, which Pacquiao won via decision, becoming an instant star of the program.
Pacquiao's weight increased from 106 to 113 pounds before losing in his 12th bout against Rustico Torrecampo via a third-round knockout. Pacquiao failed to make the required weight, so he was forced to use heavier gloves than Torrecampo, thereby putting him at a disadvantage.[25]
Flyweight[link]
Following the Torrecampo fight, Pacquiao continued undefeated for his next 15 fights. He went on another unbeaten run that saw him take on the vastly more experienced Chokchai Chockvivat in flyweight division. Pacquiao knocked out Chockvivat in the fifth round and took the OPBF Flyweight title.[26] After one official defense and two non-title bouts, Pacquiao got his first opportunity to fight for a world title.
Pacquiao vs. Sasakul[link]
Pacquiao captured the Lineal and WBC Flyweight titles (his first major boxing world title) over Chatchai Sasakul by way of knockout in the eighth round. He defended the titles successfully against Mexican Gabriel Mira via a fourth-round technical knockout. However, Pacquiao lost the Lineal title in his second defense against Medgoen Singsurat, also known as Medgoen 3K Battery, via a third-round knockout. The bout was held in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand. Singsurat got Pacquiao on the ropes and landed a flush straight right to the body, coiling Pacquiao over and keeping him there. Pacquiao lost the WBC title at the scales, as he surpassed the weight limit of 112 pounds.
Super Bantamweight[link]
Following his loss to Singsurat, Pacquiao gained weight and skipped the super flyweight and bantamweight divisions. This time, Pacquiao went to super bantamweight, or junior featherweight, division of 122 pounds, where he picked up the WBC International Super Bantamweight title. He defended this title five times before his chance for a world title fight came. Pacquiao's big break came on June 23, 2001, against IBF Super Bantamweight title holder Lehlohonolo Ledwaba. Pacquiao stepped into the fight as a late replacement on two weeks' notice but won the fight by technical knockout to win the title, his second major boxing world title. The bout was held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pacquiao went on to defend this title four times under head trainer Freddie Roach, owner of the famous Wild Card Gym in West Hollywood.
Featherweight[link]
Pacquiao vs. Barrera I[link]
On November 15, 2003, Pacquiao faced Marco Antonio Barrera at the Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas, in a fight that many consider to have defined his career. Pacquiao, who was fighting at featherweight for the first time, brought his power with him and defeated Barrera via technical knockout in the eleventh round, the only knockout loss in Barrera's career, and won the Lineal & The Ring Featherweight Championship, making him the first Filipino and Asian to become a three-division world champion, a fighter who won world titles in three different weight divisions. He defended the title twice before relinquishing it in 2005.[27]
On November 24, 2003, the then Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo conferred on Pacquiao the Presidential Medal of Merit at the Ceremonial Hall of Malacañang Palace for his knockout victory over the best featherweight boxer of the world. The following day, the members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines presented the House Resolution No. 765, authored by the then House Speaker Jose De Venecia and Bukidnon Representative Juan Miguel Zubiri, which honored Pacquiao the Congressional Medal of Achievement for his exceptional achievements. Pacquiao is the first sportsman to receive such an honor from the House of Representatives.[28][29]
Pacquiao vs. Marquez I[link]
Six months after the fight with Barrera, Pacquiao went on to challenge Juan Manuel Márquez, who at the time held both the WBA and IBF Featherweight titles. The fight took place at the MGM Grand Arena, Las Vegas, on May 8, 2004. After twelve rounds, the bout was scored a draw, which proved to be a controversial decision that outraged both camps.[30]
In the first round, Márquez was caught cold, as he was knocked down three times by Pacquiao. However, Márquez showed great heart to recover from the early knockdowns and went on to win the majority of rounds thereafter. This was largely due to Márquez's counterpunch style, which he managed to effectively utilize against the aggressive style of Pacquiao. At the end of a very close fight, both boxers felt they had done enough to win the fight. The final scores were 115–110 for Márquez, 115–110 for Pacquiao and 113–113.[30] One of the judges (who scored the bout 113–113) later admitted to making an error on the scorecards, having scored the first round as 10–7 in favor of Pacquiao instead of the standard 10–6 for a three-knockdown round. If he had scored the round 10–6 for Pacquiao (as the other two judges did), the result would have been a split decision in favor of Pacquiao.[30]
Super Featherweight[link]
Pacquiao vs. Morales I[link]
On March 19, 2005, Pacquiao moved up in super featherweight, or junior lightweight, division of 130 pounds, in order to fight another Mexican legend and three-division world champion Érik Morales for the vacant WBC International and vacant IBA Super Featherweight titled. The fight took place at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas. In this fight, Pacquiao sustained a cut over his right eye from an accidental clash of heads in the fifth round. He lost the twelve-round match by a unanimous decision from the judges. All three scorecards read 115–113 for Morales.[31]
Pacquiao vs. Velázquez[link]
On September 10, 2005, Manny Pacquiao knocked out in six rounds Héctor Velázquez at Staples Center in Los Angeles to capture the WBC International Super Featherweight title, which he went on to defend five times. On the same day, his rival, Érik Morales, fought Zahir Raheem and lost via unanimous decision.
Pacquiao vs. Morales II[link]
Despite Morales's loss to Raheem, Pacquiao got matched up against Morales in a rematch which took place on January 21, 2006 at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas. During the fight, Morales escaped being knocked down twice, once in the second round by holding onto the ropes and once in the sixth by falling on the referee. Pacquiao eventually knocked Morales out in the tenth, the first time Morales was knocked out in his boxing career.[32]
Pacquiao vs. Larios[link]
On July 2, 2006, Pacquiao defended his WBC International title against Óscar Larios, a two-time Super Bantamweight Champion who had moved up two weight divisions to fight Pacquiao. Pacquiao won the fight via unanimous decision, knocking down Larios two times in the 12-round bout at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, Philippines. The three judges scored the fight 117–110, 118–108 and 120–106 all for Pacquiao.[33]
On July 3, 2006, the day after winning the fight against Larios, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo personally bestowed the Order of Lakandula with the rank of "Champion for Life" (Kampeon Habambuhay) and the plaque of appreciation to Pacquiao in a simple ceremony at the Rizal Hall of Malacañang Palace.[34]
Pacquiao vs. Morales III[link]
Pacquiao and Morales fought a third time (with the series tied 1–1) on November 18, 2006. Witnessed by a near record crowd of 18,276, the match saw Pacquiao defeat Morales via a third-round knockout at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.[35] Morales' knockout losses to Pacquiao are the only knockout losses in his professional career. After the Pacquiao–Morales rubber match, Bob Arum, Pacquiao's main promoter, announced that Manny had returned his signing bonus back to Golden Boy Promotions, signaling intentions to stay with Top Rank. This prompted Golden Boy Promotions to sue Pacquiao over breach of contract.[36]
Pacquiao vs. Solis[link]
After a failed promotional negotiation with Marco Antonio Barrera's camp, Bob Arum chose Jorge Solís as Pacquiao's next opponent among several fighters Arum offered as replacements. The bout was held in San Antonio, Texas, on April 14, 2007. In the sixth round, an accidental headbutt occurred, giving Pacquiao a cut under his left eyebrow. The fight ended in the eighth when Pacquiao knocked Solis down twice. Solis barely beat the count after the second knockdown, causing the referee to stop the fight and award Pacquiao a knockout win. The victory raised Pacquiao's win–loss–draw record to 44–3–2 with 34 knockouts. This also marked the end of Solis's undefeated streak.
Pacquiao vs. Barrera II[link]
On June 29, 2007, Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions announced that they agreed to settle their lawsuit, meaning the long-awaited rematch with Marco Antonio Barrera would occur despite Pacquiao being the top-ranked contender for Juan Manuel Márquez's WBC Super Featherweight title. On October 6, 2007, Pacquiao defeated Barrera in their rematch via an easy unanimous decision. In the eleventh round, Pacquiao's punch caused a deep cut below Barrera's right eye. Barrera retaliated with an illegal punch on the break that dazed Pacquiao, but also resulted in a point deduction for Barrera. Two judges scored the bout 118–109, whereas the third scored it 115–112.[37]
In The Ring Magazine, Pacquiao (45–3–2) remained at the top of the super featherweight division (130 pounds). He had been in the ratings for 108 weeks.[38][39] On November 13, 2007, he was honored by the World Boxing Council as Emeritus Champion during its 45th Annual World Convention held at the Manila Hotel.[40]
On November 20, 2007, José Nuñez, manager of WBO Super Featherweight Champion Joan Guzmán, accused Pacquiao's handler Bob Arum of evading a match between the two boxers to protect Pacquiao.[41] Guzmán went as far as to directly call out Pacquiao at the postfight press conference of the Pacquiao–Barrera rematch in front of the crowd at the Mandalay Bay Events Center's media room in Las Vegas.[42]
Pacquiao vs. Marquez II[link]
On March 15, 2008, in a rematch against Juan Manuel Márquez, called "Unfinished Business," Pacquiao won via split decision. The fight was held at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. With the victory, Pacquiao won the WBC Super Featherweight and The Ring Super Featherweight titles, making him the first Filipino and Asian to become a four-division world champion, a fighter who won world titles in four different weight divisions. The fight was a close hard fought battle, during which both fighters received cuts.[43] Throughout the fight, Márquez landed the most punches at a higher percentage; however, the decisive factor proved to be a third-round knockdown, wherein Márquez was floored by a Pacquiao left hook.[43] At the end of the fight, the judges' scores were 115–112 for Pacquiao, 115–112 for Márquez and 114–113 for Pacquiao.[43]
In the post-fight news conference, Márquez’s camp called for an immediate rematch. In addition, Richard Schaefer, Golden Boy Promotions CEO, offered a $6 million guarantee to Pacquiao for a rematch.[44] However, Pacquiao ruled out a third clash with Márquez, saying, "I don't think so. This business is over."[43] The reason that Pacquiao did not want a rematch was because he intended to move up to the lightweight division to challenge David Díaz, the reigning WBC Lightweight title holder at that time.[43] Díaz won a majority decision over Ramón Montano that night as an undercard of the "Unfinished Business" fight.
Lightweight[link]
Pacquiao vs. Díaz[link]
On June 28, 2008, at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Pacquiao defeated David Díaz in lightweight division via ninth-round knockout and won the WBC Lightweight title. With the victory, Pacquiao became the first and only Filipino and Asian to become a five-division world champion, a fighter who won world titles in five different weight divisions,[45] and also became the first Filipino fighter to ever win a world title at lightweight.[46] During the fight, which Pacquiao dominated, Díaz was cut badly on his right eye in the fourth round.[47] After the bout, Díaz acknowledged Pacquiao's superior hand speed, stating "It was his speed. It was all his speed. I could see the punches perfectly, but he was just too fast."[48]
Bob Arum reported that the fight had made 12.5 million dollars, earning Díaz his best payday of 850,000 dollars, whilst Pacquiao earned at least 3 million dollars.[45] Official records revealed an attendance of 8,362 (out of a maximum capacity of 12,000).[49]
Holding both the WBC Super Featherweight and Lightweight titles following the win, Pacquiao decided to vacate his super featherweight title in July 2008.[50]
On August 7, 2008, the members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines issued a House Resolution, sponsored by South Cotabato Congresswoman Darlene Antonino-Custodio, which recognized Pacquiao as a "People’s Champ" — "for his achievements and in appreciation of the honor and inspiration he has been bringing... to the Filipino people." He received a plaque from the then House Speaker Prospero Nograles.[51]
Welterweight[link]
Pacquiao vs. De La Hoya[link]
See also: Oscar De La Hoya vs. Manny Pacquiao
On December 6, 2008, Pacquiao moved up to the welterweight division in order to face the six-division world champion Oscar De La Hoya at the MGM Grand, in a fight called "The Dream Match." Presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank, the bout was scheduled as a twelve-round, non-title fight contested at the 147-pound welterweight limit. Although Pacquiao went into the fight widely recognized as the leading pound-for-pound boxer in the world, some boxing pundits had speculated that 147 pounds could be too far above his natural weight against the larger De La Hoya.[52] However, due to rehydration after the weigh in, De La Hoya came into the fight actually weighing less than Pacquiao and close to 20 pounds under his usual fighting weight. Pacquiao dominated the fight and, after eight rounds, De La Hoya's corner was forced to throw in the towel, awarding Pacquiao the win via technical knockout.[53]
Pacquiao was ahead on all three judges' scorecards before the stoppage, with two judges scoring the fight at 80–71 and one scoring it at 79–72.[54] Moreover, Pacquiao landed 224 out of 585 punches, whilst De La Hoya landed only 83 out of 402 punches.[54] After the bout, trainer Freddie Roach stated, "We knew we had him after the first round. He had no legs, he was hesitant and he was shot."[55] The fight would be De La Hoya's last, as he announced his retirement from boxing shortly after.[56]
Pacquiao received 15 to 30 million dollars (share of the pay-per-view), plus a guaranteed amount.[57] Tickets reportedly sold out just hours after they went on sale. Moreover, the total gate revenue for the fight was said to be nearly 17 million dollars, making it the second largest gate revenue in boxing history.[58]
On December 22, 2008, Pacquiao has been decorated with the Philippine Legion of Honor with the rank of "Officer" (Pinuno) in a ceremony marking the 73rd founding anniversary of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. As an army reservist, he was given recognition for bringing pride and honor to the country through his remarkable achievements in the ring.[59]
Light Welterweight[link]
Pacquiao vs. Hatton[link]
See also: Ricky Hatton vs. Manny Pacquiao
On May 2, 2009, Pacquiao fought at light welterweight, or super lightweight, division for the first time against Ricky Hatton at the MGM Grand Las Vegas, in a fight billed as "The Battle of the East and West." Pacquiao won the bout via knockout to claim Hatton's The Ring and IBO Light Welterweight titles. In doing so, Pacquiao became the second man in boxing history to become a six-division world champion, a fighter who won world titles in six different weight divisions and the first man ever to win lineal world titles in four different weight classes.[60]
The fight was originally placed in jeopardy due to disputes with both camps over the fight purse money.[61] Eventually, the money issue was settled and the fight went on as scheduled. HBO aired the contest.[62]
Pacquiao started the fight strong, knocking down Hatton twice in the first round.[63] A somewhat shaken Hatton beat the count, only to be saved by the bell seconds later. In the second round, Hatton seemed to have recovered, as he stalked Pacquiao for most of the round. However, with less than ten seconds remaining in the second round, Hatton was knocked out cold by a sharp left hook, prompting the referee to award Pacquiao the win by knockout (at 2:59 of the round).[64] The knockout won him the The Ring Magazine "Knockout of the Year" for 2009.
Return to welterweight[link]
Pacquiao vs. Cotto[link]
See also: Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto
On November 14, 2009, Pacquiao defeated Miguel Cotto via technical knockout in the twelfth round at the MGM Grand Las Vegas in a fight billed as "Firepower." Although the bout was sanctioned as a world title fight in the welterweight division, where the weight limit is 147 pounds, Cotto agreed to fight at a catchweight of 145 pounds.[65]
Pacquiao dominated the fight, knocking Cotto down in round three and round four, before the referee stopped the fight at 0:55 of round twelve.[66] With this victory, Pacquiao took the WBO Welterweight title, was awarded the WBO Super Championship title and became the first seven-division world champion, the first fighter in boxing history to win world titles in seven different weight divisions.[67] Pacquiao also won the first and special WBC Diamond Championship belt.[68] This belt was created as an honorary championship exclusively to award the winner of a historic fight between two high-profile boxers.[69] After the fight, promoter Bob Arum stated "Pacquiao is the greatest boxer I've ever seen, and I've seen them all, including Ali, Hagler and Sugar Ray Leonard."[70] Miguel Cotto said in a post fight interview: "Miguel Cotto comes to boxing to fight the biggest names, and Manny is one of the best boxers we have of all time."
The fight generated 1.25 million buys and $70 million in domestic pay-per-view revenue, making it the most watched boxing event of 2009.[71] Pacquiao earned around $22 million for his part in the fight, whilst Cotto earned around $12 million.[71] Pacquiao–Cotto also generated a live gate of $8,847,550 from an official crowd of 15,930.[71]
On November 20, 2009, in a simple rites at the Quirino Grandstand, President Macapagal-Arroyo conferred Pacquiao the Order of Sikatuna with the rank of Datu (Grand Cross) with Gold distinction (Katangiang Ginto) which usually bestowed to foreign diplomats and heads of state. It was awarded to Pacquiao for winning his historical seventh weight division world title.[72]
Following the victory against Cotto, there was much public demand for a fight between the seven-division world champion Manny Pacquiao (the number-one pound-for-pound boxer) and the five-division world champion Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (the number-two and former number-one pound-for-pound boxer). Pacquiao reportedly agreed to fight Mayweather on March 13, 2010 for a split of $50 million up front.[73] And it was later agreed that the venue for the fight would be the MGM Grand Las Vegas. However, the bout was put in jeopardy due to disagreements about Olympic-style drug testing. The Mayweather camp wanted random blood testing by the United States Anti-Doping Agency,[74] whereas Pacquiao refused to have any blood testing within 30 days from the fight, because he thought it would weaken him, but he was willing to have blood taken from him before the 30-day window as well as immediately after the fight.[75] Freddie Roach, on the other hand, commented that he would not allow blood to be taken from Pacquiao one week before the fight.[76][77] In an attempt to resolve their differences, the two camps went through a process of mediation before a retired judge. After the mediation process Mayweather agreed to a 14-day no blood testing window. However, Pacquiao refused and instead only agreed to a 24-day no blood testing window.[78] Consequently, on January 7, 2010, Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum declared that the fight was officially off.[79]
Because of Pacquiao's reluctance to submit to random blood testing to the extent requested by Mayweather, despite lack of evidence, the Mayweather camp repeated their suggestion that Pacquiao was using banned substances, which resulted in Pacquiao filing a lawsuit for defamation, seeking damages in excess of 75,000 dollars.[80] The lawsuit cited accusations made by Floyd Mayweather, Jr., Floyd Mayweather Sr., Roger Mayweather, Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer.[80][81]
After negotiations for the Mayweather fight fell through, other boxers were considered to replace Mayweather as Pacquiao's next opponent, including former Light Welterweight Champion Paul Malignaggi,[82] and WBA Light Middleweight title holder Yuri Foreman.[83] However, Pacquiao chose to fight former IBF Welterweight title holder Joshua Clottey instead.
Pacquiao vs. Clottey[link]
See also: Manny Pacquiao vs. Joshua Clottey
On March 13, 2010, at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Pacquiao defeated Clottey via unanimous decision to retain his WBO Welterweight title. The judges scored the fight 120–108, 119–109 and 119–109, all in favor of Pacquiao.[84] During the fight, Pacquiao threw a total of 1231 punches (a career high), but landed just 246, as most were blocked by Clottey's tight defense. On the other hand, Clottey threw a total of 399 punches, landing 108.[85]
The fight was rewarded with a paid crowd of 36,371 and a gate of $6,359,985, according to post-fight tax reports filed with Texas boxing regulators.[86] Counting complimentary tickets delivered to sponsors, media outlets and others, the Dallas fight attracted 41,843,[86] well short of the 50,994 that was previously announced,[87] but still an epic number for boxing. In addition, the bout drew 700,000 pay-per-view buys and earned $35.3 million in domestic revenue.[88]
Manny Pacquiao was named as the Fighter of the Decade for years 2000–2009 by the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA). This award was presented by legendary boxer Joe Frazier, who was also a recipient of the award himself back in 1978 for defeating Muhammad Ali. Aside from this prestigious recognition, he was also named as the Sugar Ray Robinson Fighter of the Year for 2009, having received the same honor in 2006 and 2008. The awards ceremony was held at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City on June 4, 2010.[7]
After his victory over Clottey, Pacquiao was expected to return to boxing in late 2010 with a possible matchup against Floyd Mayweather, Jr.. It was later reported that Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer and Top Rank Chief Bob Arum worked out a '"Super Fight" between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, Jr.. However, complications arose when Mayweather requested Pacquiao undergo random blood and urine testing up until the fight day. Pacquiao responded that he would agree to undergo blood and urine testing up until 14 days before the fight (as requested by Mayweather in the first round of negotiations), stating that giving blood too close to the fight day would weaken him. On May 13, 2010, Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum announced that he had penciled in November 13, 2010 as the date of Manny Pacquiao's next fight, possibly against Mayweather. However, the stumbling block over demands that Pacquiao submit to Olympic-level random drug testing put the fight in jeopardy.[89]
On June 12, 2010, the President of Golden Boy Promotions, Oscar De La Hoya, stated during an interview with a Spanish network that the deal for the fight was very close and the negotiation process has been very difficult.[90] On June 30, 2010, Arum announced that the management of both sides had agreed to terms, that all points had been settled (including Pacquiao agreeing to submit to both blood and urine testing) and only the signature of Floyd Mayweather, Jr. was needed to seal the deal that could have earned both fighters at least $40 million each. Mayweather was then given a two-week deadline for the fight contract to be signed.[91] Arum also announced that Pacquiao accepted the terms of the random drug testing, blood and urine, leading up to the fight.[92]
On July 15, 2010, Bob Arum announced that Pacquiao's camp would give Mayweather until Friday midnight to sign the fight. The next day, the Top Rank website embedded a countdown clock on their website with the heading "Money" Time: Mayweather's Decision.[93] On July 17, 2010, Arum announced that there was no word from Mayweather's camp and the deal for a November 13, 2010 fight with Mayweather was not reached.
On July 19, 2010, Leonard Ellerbe, one of Floyd Mayweather, Jr.'s closest advisers, denied that negotiations for a super fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao had ever taken place. Ellerbe stated that Bob Arum was not telling the truth.[94] Bob Arum responded, questioning that if there was no negotiation, then who imposed the gag order (referring to a gag order about the negotiation allegedly imposed on both camps) and who could there be a gag order from if there were no negotiations. He also criticized Oscar De La Hoya and his Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer for denying that negotiations took place, when De La Hoya himself had previously stated that they were "very, very close in finalizing the contracts."[95] Arum revealed that HBO Sports President Ross Greenburg acted as the mediator between Mayweather’s handlers and those of Pacquiao’s from Top Rank Promotions.[96] On July 26, 2010, Ross Greenburg said in a statement that he has been negotiating with a representative from each side since May 2, 2010, carefully trying to put the fight together and he did in fact act as a go-between in negotiations with the two sides, but they were unable to come to an agreement, contradicting what Arum and the Pacquiao camp had said.[97][98] Floyd Mayweather, Jr., after the second negotiation had been officially declared off, told the Associated Press that he had fought sixty days ago and that he was not interested in rushing into anything and was not really thinking about boxing at the moment.[99] Almost a year later, on July 8, 2011, Manny Pacquiao's top adviser Michael Koncz confirmed that Pacquiao had in fact never agreed to testing up until fight day, which contradicted what Bob Arum and the Pacquiao camp had been saying for well over a year.[100]
Light Middleweight[link]
Pacquiao vs. Margarito[link]
See also: Manny Pacquiao vs. Antonio Margarito
On July 23, 2010, Bob Arum announced that Pacquiao would fight Antonio Margarito on November 13, 2010. The fight for the vacant WBC Light Middleweight title gave Pacquiao the chance to win a world title in his eighth weight class, the light middleweight, or super welterweight, division.[101] A catchweight of 150 pounds was established for the fight, although the weight limit for the light middleweight division is 154 pounds. During the pre-fight, Pacquiao weighed in at a low 144.6 pounds, while Margarito weighed in at the limit of 150 pounds. Pacquiao said he was pleased with his weight because he loses too much speed when he gains pounds. During the fight itself, Pacquiao weighed 148 lbs, 17 pounds lighter than Margarito's 165.[102]
Prior to the fight, Pacquiao's team demanded to the Texas officials to test Margarito for banned substances after a weight loss supplement, reportedly Hydroxycut, was found in his locker. It was stated that the officials would undergo testing for both boxers after the fight.[103] In the fight, Pacquiao defeated Margarito via unanimous decision, using his superior handspeed and movement to win his 8th world title in as many divisions. In the penultimate round, Pacquiao implored referee Laurence Cole several times to stop the fight as Margarito had a swollen face and a large cut beneath the right eye, but the referee let the fight continue.[104] Margarito had to be taken directly to the hospital after the fight, where it was discovered his orbital bone had been fractured; he had to undergo surgery.[105]
On November 22, 2010, after winning world title in his eighth weight division, Pacquiao was awarded with another Congressional Medal of Distinction from his fellow congressmen led by House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte during the ceremony at the Philippine House of Representatives.[106]
Because Pacquiao had no plans to defend the WBC Light Middleweight title that he won against Margarito, the WBC Board of Governors voted to declare the title vacant.[107]
Second return to welterweight[link]
Pacquiao vs. Mosley[link]
See also: Manny Pacquiao vs. Shane Mosley
On May 7, 2011, Pacquiao successfully defended his WBO Welterweight title against three-division world champion Shane Mosley via lopsided unanimous decision at the MGM Grand Arena. Rapper LL Cool J performed as Mosley entered first the arena, while vocalist Jimi Jamison of the rock band Survivor sang "Eye of the Tiger" as Pacquiao approached the ring. Pacquiao knocked Mosley down in the third round using a one-two capped with a left straight. Mosley was left dazed by the knockdown but managed to stand up.[108] Mosley floored Pacquiao in the tenth round with a push, but referee Kenny Bayless inexplicably ruled it a knockdown. None of the judges seemed to have bought it judging from the scores. Replays showed that Pacquiao was throwing a punch off balance, had his right foot stepped on by Mosley's left foot and went down with a little help from Mosley's right hand. Bayless apologized to Pacquiao after the fight for the mistake. Pacquiao gained one-sided verdicts from all three judges – 119–108, 120–108 and 120–107.[109] Pacquiao reported that the only thing preventing him from knocking out Mosley was a cramp in his legs. Freddie Roach said that Pacquiao had problems with cramping before but usually in training sessions and not in the middle of bouts.[110] After the fight, there was much controversy over Shane Mosley reportedly telling Floyd Mayweather that he should have made Pacquiao "take the test."[111]
Bob Arum talked about having Pacquiao's next bout at the MGM Grand on November 5, 2011 or across town at the Thomas and Mack Center on November 12, 2011. Arum listed Juan Manuel Marquez as the first choice and then mentioned Timothy Bradley and Zab Judah as other options.[112]
Pacquiao vs. Marquez III[link]
Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum stated that a third meeting with Márquez could happen in November 2011, providing Pacquiao defeated his next opponent Shane Mosley on May 7.[113] On May 10, Márquez accepted an offer from Top Rank to fight Pacquiao for his WBO Welterweight title at a catchweight of 144 pounds.[114] On May 18, Márquez signed the deal to fight Pacquiao for the third time on November 12 at Las Vegas.
On November 12, Marquez lost to Pacquiao via majority decision by garnering scores 114–114, 115–113 & 116–112 from scorecards of three judges. Upon the results being announced, the crowd reaction was largely negative with thousands continuing to boo[115] as Pacquiao spoke with Max Kellerman. Tim Smith of New York's Daily News wrote that Márquez "was robbed of a decision by judges who were either blind or corrupt."[116] However, ringside punch stats showed Pacquiao landing more strikes, 176 to 138, and landing more power punches, 117 to 100.[117] Michael Woods of ESPN stated that Marquez was not robbed noting the Compubox stats, all of which favored Pacquiao.[118]
Pacquiao vs. Bradley[link]
See also: Manny Pacquiao vs. Timothy Bradley
Bob Arum announced that Pacquiao is having his next bout on June 9, 2012, following another failed negotiations for a showdown with the now WBC titleholder Floyd Mayweather, Jr. on Cinco De Mayo. Timothy Bradley, Miguel Cotto, Juan Manuel Marquez and Lamont Peterson were the names on Arum's list of his next possible opponents.
On February 5, Timothy Bradley was announced as Pacquiao's next opponent on June 9 for his WBO Welterweight title.[119][120]
Professional boxing record[link]
| 54 Wins (38 knockouts, 16 decisions), 3 Losses (2 knockouts, 1 decision), 2 Draws[121] | |||||||
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, Time | Date | Location | Notes |
| N/A | N/A |  Timothy Bradley |
- | ? (12) | 2012-06-09 | MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada |
Defends WBO Welterweight title. |
| Win | 54-3-2 |  Juan Manuel Márquez |
MD | 12 | 2011-11-12 | MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada |
Retained WBO Welterweight title. Fight at 144-pound catch weight. |
| Win | 53-3-2 | Shane Mosley |
UD | 12 | 2011-05-07 | MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada |
Retained WBO Welterweight title. |
| Win | 52-3-2 | Antonio Margarito |
UD | 12 | 2010-11-13 | Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas |
Won vacant WBC Light Middleweight title. Fight at 150-pound catch weight. |
| Win | 51-3-2 |  Joshua Clottey |
UD | 12 | 2010-03-13 | Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas |
Retained WBO Welterweight title. |
| Win | 50-3-2 |  Miguel Ángel Cotto |
TKO | 12 (12), 0:55 | 2009-11-14 | MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada |
Won WBO Welterweight title. Awarded WBC Diamond belt. Fight at 145-pound catch weight. |
| Win | 49-3-2 |  Ricky Hatton |
KO | 2 (12), 2:59 | 2009-05-02 | MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada |
Won The Ring & IBO Light Welterweight titles. |
| Win | 48-3-2 | Oscar De La Hoya |
RTD | 8 (12), 3:00 | 2008-12-06 | MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada |
A non-title welterweight bout. |
| Win | 47-3-2 | David Díaz |
TKO | 9 (12), 2:24 | 2008-06-28 | Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, Nevada |
Won WBC Lightweight title. |
| Win | 46-3-2 | Juan Manuel Márquez |
SD | 12 | 2008-03-15 | Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, Nevada |
Won WBC & vacant The Ring Super Featherweight titles. |
| Win | 45-3-2 | Marco Antonio Barrera |
UD | 12 | 2007-10-06 | Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, Nevada |
Retained WBC International Super Featherweight title. |
| Win | 44-3-2 | Jorge Solís |
KO | 8 (12), 1:16 | 2007-04-14 | Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas |
Retained WBC International Super Featherweight title. |
| Win | 43-3-2 | Érik Morales |
KO | 3 (12), 2:57 | 2006-11-18 | Thomas and Mack Center, Las Vegas, Nevada |
Retained WBC International Super Featherweight title. |
| Win | 42-3-2 | Óscar Larios |
UD | 12 | 2006-07-02 |  Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City, Metro Manila |
Retained WBC International Super Featherweight title. |
| Win | 41-3-2 | Érik Morales |
TKO | 10 (12), 2:33 | 2006-01-21 | Thomas and Mack Center, Las Vegas, Nevada |
Retained WBC International Super Featherweight title. WBC Super Featherweight Title Eliminator. |
| Win | 40-3-2 | Héctor Velázquez |
TKO | 6 (12), 2:59 | 2005-09-10 | Staples Center, Los Angeles, California |
Won vacant WBC International Super Featherweight title. |
| Loss | 39-3-2 | Érik Morales |
UD | 12 | 2005-03-19 | MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada |
For vacant WBC International & vacant IBA Super Featherweight titles. |
| Win | 39-2-2 |  Fahsan Por Thawatchai |
TKO | 4 (12), 1:26 | 2004-12-11 | Fort Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, Metro Manila |
Retained The Ring Featherweight title. IBF Featherweight Eliminator for the #2 Spot. |
| Draw | 38-2-2 | Juan Manuel Márquez |
SD | 12 | 2004-05-08 | MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada |
Retained The Ring Featherweight title. For WBA (Super) and IBF Featherweight titles. |
| Win | 38-2-1 | Marco Antonio Barrera |
TKO | 11 (12), 2:56 | 2003-11-15 | Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas |
Won Lineal & The Ring Featherweight titles. |
| Win | 37-2-1 | Emmanuel Lucero |
KO | 3 (12), 0:48 | 2003-07-26 | Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California |
Retained IBF Super Bantamweight title. |
| Win | 36-2-1 |  Serikzhan Yeshmagambetov |
TKO | 5 (10), 1:52 | 2003-03-15 | Rizal Park, Manila, Metro Manila |
A non-title featherweight bout. |
| Win | 35-2-1 | Fahprakorb Rakkiatgym |
KO | 1 (12), 2:46 | 2002-10-26 | Rizal Memorial College Gym, Davao City |
Retained IBF Super Bantamweight title. |
| Win | 34-2-1 |  Jorge Eliecer Julio |
TKO | 2 (12), 1:09 | 2002-06-08 | The Pyramid, Memphis, Memphis |
Retained IBF Super Bantamweight title. |
| Draw | 33-2-1 |  Agapito Sánchez |
TD | 6 (12), 1:12 | 2001-11-10 | Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, California |
Retained IBF Super Bantamweight title. For WBO Super Bantamweight title. Bout stopped due to cut on Pacquiao's eye caused by headbutt. |
| Win | 33–2 |  Lehlohonolo Ledwaba |
TKO | 6 (12), 0:59 | 2001-06-23 | MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada |
Won IBF Super Bantamweight title. |
| Win | 32–2 | Wethya Sakmuangklang |
KO | 6 (12), 2:40 | 2001-04-28 | Kidapawan City, Cotabato |
Retained WBC International Super Bantamweight title. |
| Win | 31–2 |  Tetsutora Senrima |
TKO | 5 (12) | 2001-02-24 | Ynares Center, Antipolo City, Rizal |
Retained WBC International Super Bantamweight title. |
| Win | 30–2 |  Nedal Hussein |
TKO | 10 (12), 1:48 | 2000-10-14 | Ynares Center, Antipolo City, Rizal |
Retained WBC International Super Bantamweight title. |
| Win | 29–2 |  Seung-Kon Chae |
TKO | 1 (12), 1:42 | 2000-06-28 | Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City, Metro Manila |
Retained WBC International Super Bantamweight title. |
| Win | 28–2 | Arnel Barotillo |
KO | 4 (12) | 2000-03-04 | Ninoy Aquino Stadium, Manila, Metro Manila |
Retained WBC International Super Bantamweight title. |
| Win | 27–2 | Reynante Jamili |
KO | 2 (12) | 1999-12-18 | Elorde Sports Complex, Parañaque City, Metro Manila |
Won WBC International Super Bantamweight title. |
| Loss | 26–2 | Medgoen Singsurat |
KO | 3 (12), 1:32 | 1999-09-17 | Pakpanag Metropolitan Stadium, Nakhon Si Thammarat |
Lost Lineal Flyweight title. Pacquiao was overweight at weigh-in and stripped of WBC Flyweight title. |
| Win | 26–1 | Gabriel Mira |
TKO | 4 (12), 2:45 | 1999-04-24 | Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City, Metro Manila |
Retained Lineal & WBC Flyweight titles. |
| Win | 25–1 | Todd Makelim |
TKO | 3 (10), 2:52 | 1999-02-20 | Kidapawan City, Cotabato |
|
| Win | 24–1 | Chatchai Sasakul |
KO | 8 (12) | 1998-12-04 | Tonsuk College Ground, Phutthamonthon |
Won Lineal & WBC Flyweight titles. |
| Win | 23–1 |  Shin Terao |
TKO | 1 (10), 2:59 | 1998-05-18 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo |
|
| Win | 22–1 | Panomdej Ohyuthanakorn |
KO | 1 (12), 1:38 | 1997-12-06 | South Cotabato Stadium, Koronadal City, South Cotabato |
Retained OPBF Flyweight title. |
| Win | 21–1 | Melvin Magramo |
UD | (10) | 1997-09-13 | Cebu Coliseum Cebu City, Cebu |
|
| Win | 20–1 | Chokchai Chockvivat |
KO | 5 (12), 2:46 | 1997-06-26 | Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila |
Won OPBF Flyweight title. |
| Win | 19–1 | Ariel Austria |
TKO | 6 (10) | 1997-05-30 | Almendras Gym, Davao City |
|
| Win | 18–1 | Wook-Ki Lee |
KO | 1 (10), 1:04 | 1997-04-24 | Ritsy's, Makati City, Metro Manila |
|
| Win | 17–1 | Mike Luna |
KO | 1 (10), 1:56 | 1997-03-03 | Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila |
|
| Win | 16–1 | Sung-Yul Lee |
TKO | 2 (10) | 1996-12-28 | Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila |
|
| Win | 15–1 |  Ippo Gala |
TKO | 2 (10) | 1996-07-27 | Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila |
|
| Win | 14–1 | Bert Batiller |
TKO | 4 (10) | 1996-06-15 | General Santos City, South Cotabato |
|
| Win | 13–1 | John Medina |
TKO | 4 (10) | 1996-05-05 | Malabon City, Metro Manila |
|
| Win | 12–1 | Marlon Carillo |
UD | (10) | 1996-04-27 | Ramada Hotel, Manila, Metro Manila |
|
| Loss | 11–1 | Rustico Torrecampo |
KO | 3 (10), 0:29 | 1996-02-09 | Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila |
Pacquiao was one pound over the specified catch weight of 111 lbs. He was penalized by wearing heavier gloves. |
| Win | 11–0 | Lito Torrejos |
TD | 5 (10) | 1996-01-13 | Parañaque City, Metro Manila |
|
| Win | 10–0 | Rolando Toyogon |
UD | 10 | 1995-12-09 | Sampaloc Metro Manila |
|
| Win | 9–0 | Rudolfo Fernandez |
TKO | 3 (10) | 1995-11-11 | Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila |
|
| Win | 8–0 | Renato Mendones |
TKO | 2 (8) | 1995-10-21 | Puerto Princesa City, Palawan |
|
| Win | 7–0 | Lolito Laroa |
UD | 8 | 1995-10-07 | Makati City, Metro Manila |
|
| Win | 6–0 | Armando Rocil |
KO | 3 (8) | 1995-09-16 | Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila |
|
| Win | 5–0 | Acasio Simbajon |
UD | 6 | 1995-08-03 | Mandaluyong Sports Complex, Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila |
|
| Win | 4–0 | Dele Decierto |
TKO | 2 (6) | 1995-07-01 | Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila |
|
| Win | 3–0 | Rocky Palma |
UD | 6 | 1995-05-01 | Montano Hall, Cavite City, Cavite |
|
| Win | 2–0 | Pinoy Montejo |
UD | 4 | 1995-03-18 | Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro |
|
| Win | 1–0 | Edmund Enting Ignacio |
UD | 4 | 1995-01-22 | Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro |
Professional boxing debut at light flyweight. |
Titles in boxing[link]
Major World Titles:
- WBC Flyweight Champion (112 lbs)
- IBF Super Bantamweight Champion (122 lbs)
- WBC Super Featherweight Champion (130 lbs)
- WBC Lightweight Champion (135 lbs)
- WBO Welterweight Champion (147 lbs)
- WBC Light Middleweight Champion (154 lbs)
Minor World Titles:
- IBO Light Welterweight Champion (140 lbs)
The Ring/Lineal Championship Titles:
- Lineal Flyweight Champion (112 lbs)
- The Ring Featherweight Champion (126 lbs)
- The Ring Super Featherweight Champion (130 lbs)
- The Ring Light Welterweight Champion (140 lbs)
Regional/International Titles:
- OPBF Flyweight Champion (112 lbs)
- WBC International Super Bantamweight Champion (122 lbs)
- WBC International Super Featherweight Champion (130 lbs)
Special Titles:
- WBC Emeritus Super Featherweight Champion (130 lbs)
- WBC Diamond Welterweight Champion (147 lbs)
- WBO Welterweight Super Champion (147 lbs)
Acting career[link]
| Manny Pacquiao | |
|---|---|
| Born | Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao |
| Other names | Manny, Pacman |
| Occupation | Professional Boxer, Actor, Politician |
| Years active | 2000 – Present |
Pacquiao started his acting career as an extra in some local films and guest appearances on ABS-CBN shows.
In December 2005 Pacquiao took his first lead role in Violett Films' Lisensyadong Kamao (Licensed Fist).[122] The movie is titled so because (according to director Tony Bernal), being a Boxer, Pacquiao is licensed to use his hands.[citation needed]
In 2008, Pacquiao starred with Ara Mina and Valerie Concepcion in Anak ng Kumander (Son of Commander). The movie was not a commercial success and was panned by critics.[citation needed]
Pacquiao starred in the superhero/comedy film entitled Wapakman, which was released on December 25, 2009 as an entry to the 2009 Metro Manila Film Festival.[123] Like his previous films, Wapakman was not commercially successful.[124]
Upon the expiration of his contract with ABS-CBN, Pacquiao signed with GMA Network as an actor in September 2007. On December 17, 2007, he taped his first episode of the networks infotainment show Pinoy Records.[125] His other projects with the network included Totoy Bato and the sitcom Show Me Da Manny in which his mother, Dionesia, also appeared.
In 2012, American actor Sylvester Stallone was reportedly in talks with Pacquiao over co-starring in one of Stallone's future films, which is in the planning stages. The project did not push through as no further updates were given after the initial report.[126]
In 2011, Pacquiao appeared on Tosh.0 in which he was paired in a fight with Daniel Tosh. It resulted in Pacquiao winning in one punch.
On May 18, 2012 it was reported that Pacquiao will shoot his first Hollywood film after his June 9 fight with Tim Bradley. He will play a gangster in this movie that will also feature other fighters and martial artists such as Hector Echavarria, Lyoto Machida, Anderson Silva and Frank Mir. Filipino-American Rob Schneider also confirmed the report in an interview that he'll be workign with Pacquiao in a movie. The working title is Brass Knuckles and will be directed by Erick Geisler.[127][128]
Political career[link]
| Emmanuel D. Pacquiao | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Member of the Philippine House of Representatives from Sarangani's Lone District | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office June 30, 2010 |
|
| Preceded by | Erwin L. Chiongbian |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | PDP-LABAN (2012–) Liberal Party (2007, 2010–12) Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (2008) Nacionalista Party (2009–10) People's Champ Movement (2010–) |
| Residence | Kiamba, Sarangani |
| Alma mater | Notre Dame of Dadiangas University |
| Profession | Professional Boxer, Actor |
| Religion | Evangelical Roman Catholic |
| Website | www.congress.gov.ph |
2007 Election[link]
On February 12, 2007, Pacquiao officially announced that he would be running for a seat in the House of Representatives in the May 2007 legislative election as a candidate of the Liberal Party, aiming to represent the 1st District of South Cotabato.[129] Pacquiao, who has been known to be supportive of the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, said that he was persuaded to run by local officials of General Santos City, who hoped he would act as a bridge between their interests and the national government.[129] Pacquiao was defeated in the election by incumbent Rep. Darlene Antonino-Custodio, who said, "More than anything, I think, people weren't prepared to lose him as their boxing icon."[130]
| 2007 Philippine House of Representatives election at South Cotabato's 1st district | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | |
| NPC | Darlene Antonino-Custodio | 139,061 | 64.49% | |
| Liberal | Manny Pacquiao | 75,908 | 35.51% | |
| Valid votes | 214,969 | 100.00% | ||
| NPC hold | ||||
In September 2008, Pacquiao was sworn in as member of Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (KAMPI), a pro-administration political party.
2010 Election[link]
On November 21, 2009, Pacquiao confirmed that he would run again for the congressional seat, but this time in Sarangani province, the hometown of his wife Jinkee.[131] He originally planned to run for congress under his own party, the People's Champ Movement, but has since joined the Nacionalista Party headed by Manny Villar. Villar said arrangements were made to accommodate Pacquiao’s People’s Champ Movement in a coalition with the Nacionalista Party for the May 2010 elections in Sarangani.[132]
On May 13, 2010, Pacquiao was officially proclaimed congressman of the lone district of Sarangani. He scored a landslide victory over the wealthy and politically well-entrenched Chiongbian clan that had been in power in the province for more than thirty years. Pacquiao got 120,052 votes while his opponent for the seat, Roy Chiongbian, got 60,899 votes.[133]
| 2010 Philippine House of Representatives election at Sarangani | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | |||
| PCM | Manny Pacquiao | 120,052 | 66.35% | |||
| SARRO | Roy Chiongbian | 60,899 | 33.65% | |||
| Valid votes | 180,591 | 97.57% | ||||
| Invalid or blank votes | 4,499 | 2.43% | ||||
| Totals | 180,951 | 100.00% | ||||
| PCM gain from SARRO | ||||||
On June 28, 2010, Pacquiao took his oath of office as congressman before Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio in the Provincial Capitol of Sarangani in Municipality of Alabel. He announced that he will transfer to President-elect Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III's Liberal Party from Nacionalista Party as he wants to ensure the entry of more projects to his province.[134]
Pacquiao later moved to the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) led by Vice-President Jejomar Binay. He took his oath on April 16, 2012 in front of PDP-LABAN President and Senator Aquilino Pimentel III and Secretary-General Joey de Venecia in preparation for the upcoming 2013 elections.[135]
In popular culture[link]
A film based on Pacquiao's life, Pacquiao: The Movie, was released on June 21, 2006, featuring Filipino actor Jericho Rosales as Manny Pacquiao and was directed by Joel Lamangan.[136] The film flopped at the box office, grossing a total of only P4,812,191 (approximately US$99,322), as confirmed by Lamangan.
Pacquiao is featured in the boxing video games Fight Night Round 2, Fight Night Round 3, Fight Night Round 4 and Fight Night Champion. EA Sports released a limited edition demo of Fight Night Round 4, featuring Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton prior to their May 2 fight.[137]
Pacquiao became the first Filipino athlete to appear on a postage stamp.[138]
Pacquiao became the first Filipino Olympic non-participant to be Team Philippines’ flag-bearer during the August 8 opening ceremonies of the 2008 Summer Olympics at the Beijing National Stadium. Swimmer Miguel Molina, 2005 Southeast Asian Games’ Best Male Athlete, yielded the honor to Pacquiao, upon the request of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to the national sports officials on the Philippines at the 2008 Summer Olympics.[139]
Pacquiao plays basketball as a cross-training to keep himself in shape. He is playing in the semi-professional basketball league, Liga Pilipinas, with the team he owns, the MP-Gensan Warriors. He made his debut in the Smart-Liga Pilipinas Conference II in January 16, 2009. He wears jersey number 17.[140]
Pacquiao became an honorary member of the Boston Celtics. The honorary membership was bestowed on him in a brief ceremony and he was presented with a replica of a green and white Celtics jersey bearing his name and number 1.[141] As a measure of gratitude, Pacquiao delivered a stockpile of red autographed boxing gloves to TD Garden. On March 10, 2010, prior to the night's game with Memphis Grizzlies, many of the Celtics had a special motivational gift waiting for them in their lockers.[142]
With his popularity, various business sectors have solicited Manny Pacquiao's help in endorsing their products through commercial advertisements in print and in broadcast media. These include detergents, medicines, foods, beverage, garments, telecommunications and even a political ad for politicians during the 2007 and 2010 Philippine elections. His most acclaimed commercials yet were for Nike's "Fast Forward" campaign (alongside Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant, Maria Sharapova, Roger Federer, Cristiano Ronaldo and Liu Xiang)[143] and San Miguel Beer with Jet Li[144] and Érik Morales.[145]
Pacquiao has been included by Time Magazine as one of the world's most influential people for the year 2009, for his exploits in boxing and his influence among the Filipino people.[146] Pacquiao was also included by Forbes Magazine in its annual Celebrity 100 list for the year 2009, joining Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie and fellow athletes Tiger Woods and Bryant.[147] Forbes also listed Pacquiao as the World's 6th Highest Paid Athlete, with a total of 40 Million Dollars ($40,000,000.00) or 2 Billion Pesos (₱2,000,000,000.00) from the second half of 2008 to the first half of 2009. Tied with him on the sixth spot was the NBA player LeBron James and golfer Phil Mickelson.[148] Pacquiao was again included in Forbes' list of Highest Paid Athletes from the second half of 2009 to the first half of 2010; he was ranked 8th with an income of $42 million.[149] Pacquiao had also won the 2009 ESPY Awards for the Best Fighter category, beating fellow boxer Shane Mosley and Brazilian mixed martial arts fighters Lyoto Machida and Anderson Silva.[150] More recently, ESPN Magazine reported that Pacquiao is one of the two top earning athletes for 2010, alongside American Major League baseball player Alex Rodriguez. According to the magazine's annual salary report of athletes, Pacquiao earned $32 million (approximately PhP 1.38 billion) for his two 2010 boxing matches against Clottey and Margarito.[151]
Pacquiao has also graced the cover of Time Magazine Asia for their November 16, 2009 issue. According to their five-page feature story, "(Pacquiao is) a fighter with enough charisma, intelligence and backstory to help rescue a sport lost in the labyrinth of pay-per-view. Global brands like Nike want him in their ads." They also added, "Pacquiao has a myth of origin equal to that of any Greek or Roman hero. He leaves the Philippines to make it even bigger, conquering the world again and again to bring back riches to his family and friends."[150][152] He became the eighth Filipino to grace the cover of the prestigious magazine, after former Philippine presidents Manuel L. Quezon, Ramon Magsaysay, Ferdinand Marcos, Corazon Aquino, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Benigno Aquino III and Filipino actress and environmentalist Chin Chin Gutierrez. Pacquiao was also featured on the cover of Reader’s Digest Asia, where a seven-page story was written about the Filipino boxing superstar. The issue came out before Pacquiao’s epic match against De La Hoya on November 2008.
Recognitions[link]
International:
- 2000–09 Boxing Writers Association of America Fighter of the Decade[153]
- 2000–09 HBO Fighter of the Decade[154]
- 2006, 2008 and 2009 Boxing Writers Association Fighter of the Year[153][155]
- 2006, 2008 and 2009 ESPN Fighter of the Year[156]
- 2006, 2008 and 2009 The Ring Fighter of the Year
- 2001–2010 World Boxing Council Boxer of the Decade [157]
- 2008 Sports Illustrated Boxer of the Year[158]
- 2008 Yahoo! Sports Fighter of the Year[159]
- 2008 and 2009 ESPN Star's Champion of Champions[160]
- 2008 and 2009 World Boxing Council Boxer of the Year[161][162]
- 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 The Ring No.1 Pound-for-Pound (year-end)
- 2009 Ask Men Most Influential Men (ranked 24th)[163]
- 2009 ESPN Knockout of the Year (in Round 2 against Ricky Hatton)[164]
- 2009 and 2011 ESPY Awards Best Fighter[165]
- 2009 Forbes Magazine World's Highest-Paid Athletes (ranked 6th)[166]
- 2009 Sports Illustrated Fighter of the Year[167]
- 2009 The Ring Knockout of the Year (in Round 2 against Ricky Hatton)
- 2009 TIME 100 Most Influential People (Heroes and Icons Category)[168]
- 2009, 2010 and 2012 Forbes Magazine Celebrity 100 (The World's Most Powerful Celebrity) (ranked 57th, 55th and 33rd)[169]
- 2010 Bleacher Report Most Exciting Athletes of All Time (ranked 85th)[170]
- 2010 World Boxing Organization Fighter of the Year[171]
- 2010 Yahoo! Sports Boxing's Most Influential (ranked 25th) [172]
National:
- 2000–09 Philippine Sportswriters Association Athlete of the Decade[173]
- 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2008 PSA Sportsman of the Year
- 2003 Presidential Medal of Merit
- 2003 and 2010 Congressional Medal of Achievement / Distinction / Honor
- 2006 Order of Lakandula with the rank of "Champion for Life" (Kampeon Habambuhay)[72]
- 2008 Philippine Legion of Honor with the rank of "Officer" (Pinuno)[174]
- 2008 University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Honorary Award for Sports Excellence[175]
- 2009 Order of Sikatuna with the rank of Datu (Grand Cross with Gold Distinction)[72]
- 2011 Gabriel "Flash" Elorde Memorial "Quintessential Athlete" Award
Filmography[link]
| Year | Film | Role | Other Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Di Ko Kayang Tanggapin | Dong | |
| 2001 | Mahal Kita... Kahit Sino Ka Pa! | ||
| 2001 | Basagan ng Mukha | Dodong | |
| 2005 | Lisensyadong Kamao | Ambrosio "Bruce" Lerio | |
| 2008 | Anak ng Kumander | Kumander Idel | Writer/Producer |
| 2008 | Brown Soup Thing | Cousin Manny | |
| 2008 | Pangarap Kong Jackpot | Abel | segment "Sa Ngalan ng Busabos" |
| 2009 | Wapakman | Magno Meneses/Wapakman | |
| Year | Television Shows | Role | Other Notes |
| 2004 | Walang Bakas | Himself (uncredited) | |
| 2004 | No Fear: The Manny Pacquiao Story | Himself | Video documentary |
| 2004 | The People's Champion | Himself | Video documentary |
| 2005 | Kamao: Matira Ang Matibay | Himself – Host | |
| 2005 | Ok Fine Whatever | Himself – Guest | |
| 2006 | Ako ang Simula | Himself | TV documentary |
| 2007 | The Battle of Cebu: Moment of Truth | Himself – Crowd | |
| 2009 | Kababayan LA: Manny Pacquiao Specials | Himself | |
| 2009 | Pinoy Records | Himself – Host | |
| 2009 | Totoy Bato | Emmanuel | |
| 2009 | Show Me Da Manny | Manny Santos | |
| 2009 | Rome is Burning | Himself – Correspondent | Episode dated May 1 |
| 2009 | Jimmy Kimmel Live | Himself – Guest | Episode dated November 3 |
| 2009 | MMA H.E.A.T. | Himself | Episode dated November 12 |
| 2010 | Jimmy Kimmel Live | Himself – Guest | Episode dated March 3 |
| 2010 | HBO Boxing After Dark | Himself – Audience Member | Episode dated June 18 |
| 2010 | ESPN Friday Night Fights | Himself | Episode dated July 2 |
| 2010 | Jimmy Kimmel Live | Himself – Guest | Episode dated November 1 |
| 2010 | 60 Minutes | Himself – Guest [176] | |
| 2011 | Manny Many Prizes | Himself – Host |
Discography[link]
| Manny Pacquiao | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Emmanuel D. Pacquiao |
| Origin | General Santos City |
| Occupations | Boxer, Actor, Singer, Politician |
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Labels | Star Records MCA Records GMA Records |
| Associated acts | Lito Camo Francis Magalona |
Most of the Tagalog songs of Pacquiao were composed by Lito Camo. The following are the songs from Manny Pacquiao's albums:
- Laban Nating Lahat Ito (2006) – under Star Records
- "Bilog" (Circle)
- "Para Sa'Yo Ang Laban Na 'To" (This Fight is for You)
- "Pagsubok Lamang Yan" (It's Just a Challenge)
- "Byaheng Pag-asa" (Voyage of Hope)
- "Ipakita Mo" (Show Them)
- "Ikaw at Ako" (You and Me)
- "Hindi Ko Kaya" (I Can't Do It)
- "Kanta Tayo" (Let's Sing)
- "Champion Sa Kantahan" (Champion in Singing)
- "Laban Nating Lahat Ito" (This is Our Fight) (feat Francis M.)
- Pac-Man Punch (2007) – under MCA Records
- "Pac-Man Punch" – Willie Wilcox feat. Nemesis Yankee and Manny Pacquiao
- "Pac-Man Punch (R U Ready?)" – Willie Wilcox feat. Nemesis Yankee
- "Pac-Man Punch (Knockout Remix)" – Willie Wilcox feat. Nemesis Yankee and Manny Pacquiao
- "Pac-Man Punch (Minus One)"
- 2009 Single under GMA Records
- "Lahing Pinoy"
- 2011 Single
- Remake of Dan Hill's Sometimes When We Touch [177]
See also[link]
- List of current world boxing champions
- List of Filipino boxing world champions
- List of The Ring world champions
- List of WBC world champions
- List of IBF world champions
- List of WBO world champions
- List of IBO world champions
- List of flyweight boxing champions
- List of super bantamweight boxing champions
- List of super featherweight boxing champions
- List of lightweight boxing champions
- List of welterweight boxing champions
- List of super welterweight boxing champions
- List of boxing triple champions
- List of boxing quadruple champions
- List of boxing quintuple champions
- List of boxing sextuple champions
- List of boxing septuple champions
- List of left-handed boxers
- The Ring pound for pound
References[link]
- ^ "Manny Many Prizes KOs rivals.". http://caloysports.wordpress.com/2011/07/20/manny-many-prizes-kos-rivals/. Retrieved November 23, 2011.
- ^ "Manny Pacquiao's Boxing Record". BoxRec. http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=006129&cat=boxer. Retrieved June 28, 2009.
- ^ "Manny Pacquiao". PhilBoxing.com. http://philboxing.com/boxers/boxer.php?boxer_id=9. Retrieved September 4, 2007.
- ^ As in most Philippine languages
- ^ Mark Lamport-Stokes (November 14, 2010). "Eighth world title gives Pacquiao unique status". Reuters. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE6AD0NL20101114. Retrieved November 14, 2010.
- ^ Bryan Armen Graham (May 4, 2009). "Beatdown of Hatton lifts Pacquiao into pantheon of all-time greats". CNN Sports Illustrated. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/bryan_armen_graham/05/04/hatton.pacquiao/index.html. Retrieved 15 March 2010.
- ^ a b Himmer, Alastair (June 5, 2010). "Pacquiao named fighter of the decade". Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6541BX20100605.
- ^ "The Ring Pound For Pound Ratings". Ringtv.com. August 16, 2010. http://www.ringtv.com/ratings/. Retrieved August 22, 2010.
- ^ Ratings, boxrec.com.
Pacquiao Back on Top (17 May, 2012), sportinglife.com. - ^ "Pacquiao dropped #2 behind #1 Mayweather on Ring Magazine’s pound-for-pound list". boxingnews24.com. April 3, 2012. http://www.boxingnews24.com/2012/04/pacquiao-dropped-2-behind-1-mayweather-on-ring-magazines-pound-for-pound-list/.
- ^ Ring Ratings, The Ring.
- ^ Nancy Gay (May 10, 2010). "Manny Pacquiao Declares 'Landslide' Congressional Win in Philippines". Boxing Fanhouse. http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2010/05/10/manny-pacquiao-declares-landslide-congressional-victory-in-phi/?sms_ss=twitter. Retrieved 11 May 2010.
- ^ a b Robbie Pangilinan (November 9, 2009). "Manny Pacquiao's Mom and Dad Reunited?". Doghouse Boxing. http://www.doghouseboxing.com/DHB/Robert111009.htm. Retrieved 15 March 2010.
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- ^ Boxing champ Pacquiao to appear on RP postage stamp, 05/03/2008. Gmanews.tv (2008-05-03). Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
- ^ "Pacquiao records another first". Philippine Daily Inquirer. 9 August 2008. http://www.inquirer.net/specialfeatures/ThePacquiaoFiles/view.php?db=1&article=20080809-153590.
- ^ "Pacquiao can’t deliver KO punch for GenSan". Manila Bulletin Online. January 16, 2009. http://96.31.84.32/node/194795. Retrieved May 16, 2010.
- ^ Luarca, Roy (March 10, 2010). "Filipino ring superstar now a ‘Boston Celtic’". Inquirer.net. http://sports.inquirer.net/ThePacquiaoFiles/view.php?db=1&article=20100310-257728. Retrieved May 16, 2010.
- ^ Dzen, Gary (March 10, 2010). "Celtics get a gift from Pacquiao". Boston.com. http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/extras/celtics_blog/2010/03/celtics_get_a_g.html. Retrieved May 16, 2010.
- ^ KOBE BRYANT and other NIKE SUPERSTARS Commercial –. Youtube.com (2008-04-07). Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
- ^ Jet Li for San Miguel Beer commercial –. Youtube.com (2007-08-11). Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
- ^ San Miguel Beer Commercial With Pacquiao And Erik Morales –. Youtube.com. Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
- ^ 2009 TIME 100 Most Influential People –. Time.com. Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
- ^ 2009 Celebrity 100 List. Forbes.com. Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
- ^ The World's Highest-Paid Athletes (2009) –. Forbes.com (2009-06-17). Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
- ^ Ozanian, Michael K.; Badenhausen, Kurt. "Slide Show: The World's 50 Top-Earning Athletes". Forbes. http://www.forbes.com/2010/07/20/most-valuable-athletes-and-teams-business-sports-sportsmoney-fifty-fifty-athletes_slide_9.html.
- ^ a b Pacquiao is 2009 ESPY Awards' Best Fighter –. Gmanews.tv (2009-07-16). Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
- ^ Pacquiao is highest paid athlete for 2010, says ESPN Mag Yahoo Philippines News Accessed: 05-10-2011
- ^ Chua, Howard. (2009-11-16) The Meaning and Mythos of Manny Pacquiao –. Time.com. Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
- ^ a b Manny Pacquiao wins BWAA fighter of the year and fighter of the decade. Sports.espn.go.com (2010-01-31). Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
- ^ Thomas Hauser HBO: Boxing: Fighter of the Decade. hbo.com (2009-12-11)
- ^ No Surprise: Pacquiao Fighter of the Year – NYPost.com. Blogs.nypost.com (2009-03-24). Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
- ^ Pacquiao is Fighter of the Year – ESPN.com. Sports.espn.go.com (2009-12-29). Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
- ^ TSS Pacquiao named WBC's Fighter of the Decade – ManilaBulettin.com. Mb.com.ph (2011-01-04). Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
- ^ SportIllustrated.com, SI.com's 2008 Boxing Awards. Sportsillustrated.cnn.com (2008-12-18). Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
- ^ Iole, Kevin. (2008-12-25) sports.yahoo.com, Meet the Fighter of the Year. Sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
- ^ hoops.blink.ph, Pacquiao named ESPN STAR Sports’ Champion of Champions. Hoops.blink.ph (2009-01-01). Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
- ^ philboxing.com, WBC names Pacquiao ‘World Boxer of the Year’. Philboxing.com (2008-12-17). Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
- ^ BoxingScene.com, Manny Pacquiao named Fighter of the Year by WBC. Boxingscene.com (2010-01-29). Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
- ^ Ask Men 2009 Top 49 Most Influential Men. Askmen.com. Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
- ^ Pacquiao wins 2009 Knockout of the Year – ESPN.com. Sports.espn.go.com (2009-12-30). Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
- ^ Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki win at ESPYs. Sports.espn.go.com (2011-07-14). Retrieved on 2012-05-20.
- ^ The World's Highest-Paid Athletes. Forbes.com (2009-06-17). Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
- ^ Manny Pacquiao is SI.com's Fighter of the Year for 2009. Sportsillustrated.cnn.com (2009-12-23). Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
- ^ Lewis, Lennox. (2009-04-30) Manny Pacquiao in 2009 TIME 100 –. Time.com. Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
- ^ The World's Most Powerful Celebrity. Forbes.com. Retrieved on 2012-05-20.
- ^ The 100 Most Exciting Athletes of All Time. Bleacherreport.com (2010-10-24). Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
- ^ Pacquiao is WBO year’s best boxer. Inquirer.net. Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
- ^ Iole, Kevin. (2010-09-05) Boxing's Most Boxing’s most influential: Nos. 1–50. Sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
- ^ PSA names Pacquiao athlete of the decade –. Abs-cbnnews.com (2010-01-12). Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
- ^ Philstar.com, Sergeant Pacquiao gets Legion of Honor. Philstar.com (2008-12-23). Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
- ^ Pacquiao receives UAAP Sports Excellence award. abs-cbnnews.com (2008-07-06)
- ^ Davies, Gareth A (November 9, 2010). "Manny Pacquiao: first Asian sports star to break the US market". The Daily Telegraph (London). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/boxingandmma/8121896/Manny-Pacquiao-first-Asian-sports-star-to-break-the-US-market.html.
- ^ Manny Pacquiao to release "Sometimes When We Touch". Reuters (2011-04-21)
External links[link]
|
Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Manny Pacquiao |
|
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Manny Pacquiao |
- Manny Pacquiao's Official Site
- PACLAND – Official Fan Site
- MPBoxing.com
- Professional boxing record for Manny Pacquiao from BoxRec
- Manny Pacquiao at the Internet Movie Database
- Rep. Emmanuel D. Pacquiao Official Profile
- HBO Boxing: Manny Pacquiao: Bio
- Fight Videos
- Manny Pacquiao's Fight-by-Fight Career Record
- GQ Magazine Profile
- Nike – Inside Pacquiao
- PacMan: Behind the Scenes with Manny Pacquiao: A Biography of Pacquiao, published by Da Capo Press
- The Manny Pacquiao workout, published by Men'sHealth UK
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Roy Jones Jr. |
BWAA Fighter of the Decade 2000–2009 |
Incumbent |
| Preceded by Ricky Hatton |
The Ring Fighter of the Year 2006 |
Succeeded by Floyd Mayweather Jr. |
| Preceded by Ricky Hatton |
BWAA Fighter of the Year 2006 |
Succeeded by Floyd Mayweather Jr. |
| Preceded by Floyd Mayweather Jr. |
The Ring Fighter of the Year 2008, 2009 |
Succeeded by Sergio Gabriel Martínez |
| Preceded by Floyd Mayweather Jr. |
BWAA Fighter of the Year 2008, 2009 |
Succeeded by Sergio Gabriel Martínez |
| Preceded by Floyd Mayweather Jr. |
Best Fighter ESPY Award 2009 |
Succeeded by Floyd Mayweather Jr. |
| Preceded by Floyd Mayweather Jr. |
Best Fighter ESPY Award 2011 |
Incumbent |
| Sporting positions | ||
| Preceded by Chatchai Sasakul |
WBC Flyweight Champion December 4, 1998 – September 17, 1999 Stripped |
Vacant
Title next held by
Medgoen Singsurat |
| Lineal Flyweight Champion December 4, 1998 – September 17, 1999 |
Succeeded by Medgoen Singsurat |
|
| Preceded by Lehlohonolo Ledwaba |
IBF Super Bantamweight Champion June 23, 2001 – July 26, 2003 Vacated |
Vacant
Title next held by
Israel Vázquez |
| Preceded by Marco Antonio Barrera |
The Ring Featherweight Champion November 15, 2003 – March 19, 2005 Vacated |
Vacant |
| Preceded by Juan Manuel Márquez |
WBC Super Featherweight Champion March 15, 2008 – July 16, 2008 Vacated |
Vacant
Title next held by
Humberto Soto |
| Vacant
Title last held by
Brian Mitchell |
The Ring Super Featherweight Champion March 15, 2008 – July 16, 2008 Vacated |
Vacant |
| Preceded by David Díaz |
WBC Lightweight Champion June 28, 2008 – February 24, 2009 Vacated |
Vacant
Title next held by
Edwin Valero |
| Preceded by Ricky Hatton |
IBO Light Welterweight Champion May 2, 2009 – January 15, 2010 Vacated |
Vacant
Title next held by
Chris van Heerden |
| The Ring Light Welterweight Champion May 2, 2009 – July 26, 2010 Vacated |
Vacant | |
| Preceded by Miguel Ángel Cotto |
WBO Welterweight Champion (Super Champion) November 14, 2009 – present |
Incumbent |
| Vacant
Title last held by
Sergio Gabriel Martínez |
WBC Light Middleweight Champion November 13, 2010 – February 8, 2011 Stripped |
Vacant
Title next held by
Saúl Álvarez |
| House of Representatives of the Philippines | ||
| Preceded by Erwin L. Chiongbian |
Representative, Lone District of Sarangani 2010 – Present |
Incumbent |
| Party political offices | ||
| New Political Party | Chairman of People's Champ Movement 2009 – Present |
Incumbent |
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This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manny_Pacquiao
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This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
| Eric Clapton CBE |
|
|---|---|
 Clapton on stage at the Hard Rock Calling concert, Hyde Park, London on 28 June 2008. |
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Eric Patrick Clapton |
| Also known as | Slowhand |
| Born | (1945-03-30) 30 March 1945 (age 67) Ripley, Surrey, England |
| Genres | Rock, blues rock, blues, psychedelic rock, hard rock |
| Occupations | Musician, singer-songwriter, record producer, artist |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 1962–present |
| Labels | Warner Bros., Reprise, Polydor, RSO, Atco, Apple, Deram[1] |
| Associated acts | The Yardbirds, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, Powerhouse, Cream, Free Creek, The Dirty Mac, Blind Faith, J.J. Cale, The Plastic Ono Band, Delaney, Bonnie & Friends, Derek and the Dominos, Sheryl Crow, The Beatles, Phil Collins, The Rolling Stones, Luciano Pavarotti, The Band, Freddie King, B.B. King, Mark Knopfler, Brian Wilson, John Mayer, Roger Waters, Dire Straits |
| Website | www.ericclapton.com |
| Notable instruments | |
| See: Guitars section "Blackie": Fender Stratocaster "Brownie": Fender Stratocaster |
|
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, (born 30 March 1945) is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and influential guitarists of all time.[2] Clapton ranked second in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time"[3] and fourth in Gibson's Top 50 Guitarists of All Time.[4]
In the mid 1960s, Clapton departed from the Yardbirds to play blues with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers. In his one-year stay with Mayall, Clapton gained the nickname "Slowhand". Immediately after leaving Mayall, Clapton formed Cream, a power trio with drummer Ginger Baker and bassist Jack Bruce in which Clapton played sustained blues improvisations and "arty, blues-based psychedelic pop." For most of the 1970s, Clapton's output bore the influence of the mellow style of J.J. Cale and the reggae of Bob Marley. His version of Marley's "I Shot the Sheriff" helped reggae reach a mass market.[5] Two of his most popular recordings were "Layla", recorded by Derek and the Dominos, another band he formed and Robert Johnson's "Crossroads", recorded by Cream. A recipient of seventeen Grammy Awards,[6] in 2004 Clapton was awarded a CBE for services to music.[7] In 1998, Clapton, a recovering alcoholic and drug addict, founded the Crossroads Centre on Antigua, a medical facility for recovering substance abusers.[8]
Contents |
Early life[link]
Eric Patrick Clapton was born in Ripley, Surrey, England, the son of 16-year-old Patricia Molly Clapton (b. 7 January 1929 d. March 1999) and Edward Walter Fryer (21 March 1920 – 15 May 1985), a 25-year-old soldier from Montreal, Quebec.[9] Fryer shipped off to war prior to Clapton's birth and then returned to Canada. Clapton grew up with his grandmother, Rose, and her second husband, Jack Clapp, who was stepfather to Patricia Clapton and her brother Adrian, believing they were his parents and that his mother was actually his older sister. The similarity in surnames gave rise to the erroneous belief that Clapton's real surname is Clapp (Reginald Cecil Clapton was the name of Rose's first husband, Eric Clapton's maternal grandfather).[10] Years later, his mother married another Canadian soldier and moved to Germany,[11] leaving young Eric with his grandparents in Surrey.[12]
Clapton received an acoustic Hoyer guitar, made in Germany, for his thirteenth birthday, but the inexpensive steel-stringed instrument was difficult to play and he briefly lost interest.[12] Two years later Clapton picked it up again and started playing consistently.[12] Clapton was influenced by the blues from an early age, and practised long hours to learn the chords of blues music by playing along to the records.[13] He preserved his practice sessions using his portable Grundig reel-to-reel tape recorder, listening to them over and over until he felt he'd got it right.[13][14]
After leaving Hollyfield School, in Surbiton, in 1961, Clapton studied at the Kingston College of Art but was dismissed at the end of the academic year because his focus remained on music rather than art. His guitar playing was so advanced that by the age of 16 he was getting noticed.[14] Around this time Clapton began busking around Kingston, Richmond, and the West End.[15] In 1962, Clapton started performing as a duo with fellow blues enthusiast David Brock in pubs around Surrey.[14] When he was seventeen years old Clapton joined his first band, an early British R&B group, "The Roosters", whose other guitarist was Tom McGuinness. He stayed with this band from January through August 1963.[16] In October of that year, Clapton did a seven-gig stint with Casey Jones & The Engineers.[16]
Career[link]
1960s[link]
The Yardbirds and the Bluesbreakers[link]
Main articles: The Yardbirds and John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers
In October 1963 Clapton joined The Yardbirds, a blues-influenced rock and roll band, and stayed with them until March 1965. Synthesising influences from Chicago blues and leading blues guitarists such as Buddy Guy, Freddie King, and B. B. King, Clapton forged a distinctive style and rapidly became one of the most talked-about guitarists in the British music scene.[17] The band initially played Chess/Checker/Vee-Jay blues numbers and began to attract a large cult following when they took over the Rolling Stones' residency at the Crawdaddy Club in Richmond. They toured England with American bluesman Sonny Boy Williamson II; a joint LP album, recorded in December 1963, was issued in 1965.
It was during this time period that Clapton's Yardbirds rhythm guitarist, Chris Dreja, recalled that whenever Clapton broke a guitar string during a concert, he would stay on stage and replace it. The English audiences would wait out the delay by doing what is called a "slow handclap". Clapton told his official biographer, Ray Coleman, that, "My nickname of 'Slowhand' came from Giorgio Gomelsky. He coined it as a good pun. He kept saying I was a fast player, so he put together the slow handclap phrase into Slowhand as a play on words".[18]
In March 1965 the Yardbirds had their first major hit, "For Your Love", on which Clapton played guitar. The Yardbirds elected to move toward a pop-oriented sound, in part because of the success of "For Your Love", written by pop songwriter-for-hire Graham Gouldman, who had also written hit songs for Herman's Hermits and The Hollies. Still musically devoted to the blues, Clapton was opposed to the move, and left the band. He recommended fellow guitarist Jimmy Page as his replacement, but Page was at that time unwilling to relinquish his lucrative career as a freelance studio musician, so Page in turn recommended Clapton's successor, Jeff Beck.[17] While Beck and Page played together in the Yardbirds, the trio of Beck, Page, and Clapton were never in the group together. However, the trio did appear on the 12-date benefit tour for Action for Research into Multiple Sclerosis in 1983, as well as on the album Guitar Boogie.
Clapton joined John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers in April 1965, only to quit a few months later. In the summer of 1965 he left for Greece with a band called The Glands, which included his old friend Ben Palmer on piano. In November 1965 he rejoined John Mayall. During his second Bluesbreakers stint, Clapton gained a reputation as the best blues guitarist on the club circuit. Although Clapton gained world fame for his playing on the influential album, Blues Breakers – John Mayall – With Eric Clapton, this album was not released until Clapton had left the Bluesbreakers for the last time. Having swapped his Fender Telecaster and Vox AC30 amplifier for a 1960 Gibson Les Paul Standard guitar and Marshall amplifier, Clapton's sound and playing inspired a well-publicised graffiti that deified him with the famous slogan "Clapton is God". The phrase was spray-painted by an admirer on a wall in an Islington Underground station in the autumn of 1967. The graffiti was captured in a now-famous photograph, in which a dog is urinating on the wall. Clapton is reported to have been embarrassed by the slogan, saying in his The South Bank Show profile in 1987, "I never accepted that I was the greatest guitar player in the world. I always wanted to be the greatest guitar player in the world, but that's an ideal, and I accept it as an ideal". The phrase began to appear in other areas of Islington throughout the mid 1960s.[19]
Cream[link]
Main article: Cream (band)
Clapton left the Bluesbreakers in July 1966 (to be replaced by Peter Green) and formed Cream, one of the earliest supergroups, with Jack Bruce on bass (also of Manfred Mann, the Bluesbreakers, and the Graham Bond Organisation) and Ginger Baker on drums (another member of the Graham Bond Organisation). Before the formation of Cream, Clapton was not well known in the United States; he left the Yardbirds before "For Your Love" hit the American Top Ten, and had yet to perform there.[20] During his time with Cream, Clapton began to develop as a singer, songwriter, and guitarist, though Bruce took most of the lead vocals and wrote the majority of the material with lyricist Pete Brown.[17] Cream's first gig was an unofficial performance at the Twisted Wheel Club in Manchester on 29 July 1966 before their full debut two nights later at the National Jazz and Blues Festival in Windsor. Cream established its enduring legend with the high-volume blues jamming and extended solos of their live shows.
In early 1967 Clapton's status as Britain's top guitarist was rivalled by the emergence of Jimi Hendrix, an acid rock-infused guitarist who used wailing feedback and effects pedals to create new sounds for the instrument. Hendrix attended a performance of the newly-formed Cream at the Central London Polytechnic on 1 October 1966, during which Hendrix sat in on a double-timed version of "Killing Floor". Top UK stars including Clapton, Pete Townshend, and members of The Rolling Stones and The Beatles avidly attended Hendrix's early club performances. Hendrix's arrival had an immediate and major effect on the next phase of Clapton's career, although Clapton continued to be recognised in UK music polls as the premier guitarist.
Clapton first visited the United States while touring with Cream. In March 1967, Cream performed a nine-show stand at the RKO Theater in New York. They recorded Disraeli Gears in New York from 11–15 May 1967. Cream's repertoire varied from hard rock ("I Feel Free") to lengthy blues-based instrumental jams ("Spoonful"). Disraeli Gears featured Clapton's searing guitar lines, Bruce's soaring vocals and prominent, fluid bass playing, and Baker's powerful, polyrhythmic jazz-influenced drumming. Together, Cream's talents secured them as an influential power trio.
In 28 months, Cream had become a commercial success, selling millions of records and playing throughout the U.S. and Europe. They redefined the instrumentalist's role in rock and were one of the first blues-rock bands to emphasise musical virtuosity and lengthy jazz-style improvisation sessions. Their U.S. hit singles include "Sunshine of Your Love" (#5, 1968), "White Room" (#6, 1968) and "Crossroads" (#28, 1969) – a live version of Robert Johnson's "Cross Road Blues". Though Cream was hailed as one of the greatest groups of its day, and the adulation of Clapton as a guitar hero reached new heights, the supergroup was short-lived. Drug and alcohol use escalated tension between the three members, and conflicts between Bruce and Baker eventually led to Cream's demise. A strongly critical Rolling Stone review of a concert of the group's second headlining U.S. tour was another significant factor in the trio's demise, and it affected Clapton profoundly.[21]
Cream's farewell album, Goodbye, featuring live performances recorded at The Forum, Los Angeles, 19 October 1968, was released shortly after Cream disbanded; it also featured the studio single "Badge", co-written by Clapton and George Harrison. Clapton met Harrison and became friends with him after the Beatles shared a bill with the Clapton-era Yardbirds at the London Palladium. The close friendship between Clapton and Harrison resulted in Clapton's playing on Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" from the Beatles' White Album (1968). Harrison also released his solo debut album, Wonderwall Music, in 1968. It became the first of many Harrison solo records to feature Clapton on guitar. Clapton would go largely uncredited for his contributions to Harrison's albums due to contractual restraints. The pair would often play live together as each other's guest. A year after Harrison's death in 2001, Clapton helped organise a tribute concert, for which he was musical director.[22]
Cream briefly reunited in 1993 to perform at the ceremony inducting them into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; a full reunion took place in May 2005, with Clapton, Bruce, and Baker playing four sold-out concerts at London's Royal Albert Hall,[23] and three shows at New York's Madison Square Garden that October.[24] Recordings from the London shows, Royal Albert Hall London May 2-3-5-6, 2005, were released on CD, LP, and DVD in September/December 2005.[25]
Blind Faith and Delaney and Bonnie and Friends[link]
Main articles: Blind Faith and Delaney and Bonnie and Friends
Clapton's next group, Blind Faith (1969), was composed of Cream drummer Ginger Baker, Steve Winwood of Traffic, and Ric Grech of Family, and yielded one LP and one arena-circuit tour. The supergroup debuted before 100,000 fans in London's Hyde Park on 7 June 1969. They performed several dates in Scandinavia and began a sold-out American tour in July before their only album was released. The LP Blind Faith consisted of just six songs, one of them a 15-minute jam entitled "Do What You Like". The album's jacket image of a topless pubescent girl was deemed controversial in the United States and was replaced by a photograph of the band. Blind Faith dissolved after less than seven months.
Clapton subsequently toured as a sideman for an act that had opened for Blind Faith, Delaney and Bonnie and Friends. He also played two dates as a member of The Plastic Ono Band that autumn, including a recorded performance at the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival in September 1969 released as the album Live Peace in Toronto 1969.[26] On 15 December 1969 Clapton performed with John Lennon, George Harrison, and others as the Plastic Ono Band at a fundraiser for UNICEF in London.[26]
Delaney Bramlett encouraged Clapton in his singing and writing. During the summer of 1969, Clapton and Bramlett contributed to the Music From Free Creek "supersession" project. Clapton, appearing as "King Cool" for contractual reasons, played with Dr. John on three songs, joined by Bramlett on two tracks.
Using the Bramletts' backing group and an all-star cast of session players (including Leon Russell and Stephen Stills), Clapton recorded his first solo album during two brief tour hiatuses, fittingly named Eric Clapton. Delaney Bramlett co-wrote six of the songs with Clapton,[27] and Bonnie Bramlett co-wrote "Let It Rain".[28] The album yielded the unexpected U.S. #18 hit, J. J. Cale's "After Midnight". Clapton went with Delaney and Bonnie from the stage to the studio with the Dominos to record George Harrison's All Things Must Pass in spring 1970. During this busy period, Clapton also recorded with other artists including Dr. John, Leon Russell, Plastic Ono Band, Billy Preston, and Ringo Starr.
1970s[link]
Derek and the Dominos[link]
Main article: Derek and the Dominos
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With the intention to counteract the "star" cult faction that had begun to form around him, Clapton assembled a new band composed of Delaney and Bonnie's former rhythm section, Bobby Whitlock as keyboardist and vocalist, Carl Radle as the bassist, and drummer Jim Gordon, with Clapton playing guitar. It was his intention to show that he need not fill a starring role, and functioned well as a member of an ensemble.[29] Naming the band, "Eric Clapton and Friends" at first, the name "Derek and the Dominos" was a fluke. It occurred when the band's provisional name of "Del and the Dynamos" was misread as Derek and the Dominos.[30] Clapton's biography states that Tony Ashton of Ashton, Gardner and Dyke told Clapton to call the band "Del and the Dominos", since "Del" was his nickname for Eric Clapton. Del and Eric were combined and the final name became "Derek and the Dominos".[31]
Clapton's close friendship with George Harrison brought him into contact with Harrison's wife, Pattie Boyd, with whom he became deeply infatuated. When she spurned his advances, Clapton's unrequited affections prompted most of the material for the Dominos' album, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs (1970). Heavily blues-influenced, the album features the twin lead guitars of Duane Allman and Clapton, with Allman's slide guitar as a key ingredient of the sound. Working at Criteria Studios in Miami with Atlantic Records producer Tom Dowd, who had worked with Clapton on Cream's Disraeli Gears, the band recorded a double album.
The album features the hit love song "Layla", inspired by the classical poet of Persian literature, Nizami Ganjavi's The Story of Layla and Majnun, a copy of which Ian Dallas had given to Clapton. The book moved Clapton profoundly, as it was the tale of a young man who fell hopelessly in love with a beautiful, unavailable woman and who went crazy because he could not marry her.[32][33] The two parts of "Layla" were recorded in separate sessions: the opening guitar section was recorded first, and for the second section, laid down several months later, drummer Jim Gordon composed and played the piano part.[31]
The Layla LP was actually recorded by a five-piece version of the group, thanks to the unforeseen inclusion of guitarist Duane Allman of The Allman Brothers Band. A few days into the Layla sessions, Dowd—who was also producing the Allmans—invited Clapton to an Allman Brothers outdoor concert in Miami. The two guitarists met first on stage, then played all night in the studio, and became friends. Duane first added his slide guitar to "Tell the Truth" and "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out". In four days, the five-piece Dominos recorded "Key to the Highway", "Have You Ever Loved a Woman" (a blues standard popularised by Freddie King and others), and "Why Does Love Got to be So Sad". In September, Duane briefly left the sessions for gigs with his own band, and the four-piece Dominos recorded "I Looked Away", "Bell Bottom Blues", and "Keep on Growing". Duane returned to record "I am Yours", "Anyday", and "It's Too Late". On 9 September, they recorded Hendrix's "Little Wing" and the title track. The following day, the final track, "It's Too Late", was recorded.[34]
Tragedy dogged the group throughout its brief career. During the sessions, Clapton was devastated by news of the death of Jimi Hendrix; eight days previously the band had cut a cover of "Little Wing" as a tribute to Hendrix. On 17 September 1970, one day before Hendrix's death, Clapton had purchased a left-handed Fender Stratocaster that he had planned to give to Hendrix as a birthday gift. Adding to Clapton's woes, the Layla album received only lukewarm reviews upon release. The shaken group undertook a U.S. tour without Allman, who had returned to the Allman Brothers Band. Despite Clapton's later admission that the tour took place amidst a veritable blizzard of drugs and alcohol, it resulted in the live double album In Concert.[35] The band had recorded several tracks for a second album in London during the spring of 1971 (five of which were released on the Eric Clapton box-set Crossroads), but the results were mediocre.
A second record was in the works when a clashing of egos took place and Clapton walked, thus disbanding the group. Allman was killed in a motorcycle accident on 29 October 1971. Although Radle would remain Clapton's bass player until the summer of 1979 (Radle died in May 1980 from the effects of alcohol and narcotics), it would be 2003 before Clapton and Whitlock appeared together again (Clapton guested on Whitlock's appearance on the Later with Jools Holland show). Another tragic footnote to the Dominos story was the fate of drummer Jim Gordon, who was an undiagnosed schizophrenic and years later murdered his mother during a psychotic episode. Gordon was confined to 16-years-to-life imprisonment, later being moved to a mental institution, where he remains today.[17]
Solo career[link]
Clapton's career successes in the 1970s were in stark contrast with his personal life, which was troubled by romantic longings and drug and alcohol addiction.[36] While suffering his (temporarily) unrequited and intense attraction to Pattie Boyd, he withdrew from recording and touring to isolation in his Surrey, England, residence. There he nursed his heroin addiction, which resulted in a career hiatus interrupted only by the Concert for Bangladesh in August 1971 (where he passed out on stage, was revived, and continued his performance).[17] In January 1973, The Who's Pete Townshend organised a comeback concert for Clapton at London's Rainbow Theatre, aptly titled the "Rainbow Concert", to help Clapton kick his addiction. Clapton would return the favour by playing 'The Preacher' in Ken Russell's film version of The Who's Tommy in 1975; his appearance in the film (performing "Eyesight to the Blind") is notable as he is clearly wearing a fake beard in some shots, the result of deciding to shave off his real beard after the initial takes in an attempt to force the director to remove his earlier scene from the movie and leave the set.[31]
In 1974, now partnered with Pattie (they would not actually marry until 1979) and no longer using heroin (although starting to drink heavily), Clapton put together a more low-key touring band that included Radle, Miami guitarist George Terry, keyboardist Dick Sims (who died in 2011 [37]), drummer Jamie Oldaker, and vocalists Yvonne Elliman and Marcy Levy (also known as Marcella Detroit). With this band Clapton recorded 461 Ocean Boulevard (1974), an album with an emphasis on more compact songs and fewer guitar solos; the cover version of "I Shot The Sheriff" was Clapton's first #1 hit and was important in bringing reggae and the music of Bob Marley to a wider audience. The 1975 album There's One in Every Crowd continued this trend. The album's original title, The World's Greatest Guitar Player (There's One In Every Crowd), was changed before pressing, as it was felt its ironic intention would be misunderstood. The band toured the world and subsequently released the 1975 live LP, E.C. Was Here.[38] Clapton continued to release albums and toured regularly. Highlights of the period include No Reason to Cry (a collaboration with Bob Dylan and The Band); Slowhand, which featured "Wonderful Tonight" (another song inspired by Boyd);[39] and a second J.J. Cale cover, "Cocaine". In 1976 he performed, alongside a string of notable guests, to pay tribute to the farewell performance of The Band, filmed in a Martin Scorsese documentary called the Last Waltz.
1980s[link]
In 1981 Clapton was invited by producer Martin Lewis to appear at the Amnesty International benefit The Secret Policeman's Other Ball. Clapton accepted the invitation and teamed up with Jeff Beck to perform a series of duets—reportedly their first-ever billed stage collaboration. Three of the performances were released on the album of the show, and one of the songs was featured in the film. The performances heralded a return to form and prominence for Clapton in the new decade. Many factors had influenced Clapton's comeback, including his "deepening commitment to Christianity", to which he had converted prior to his heroin addiction.[40][41]
After an embarrassing fishing incident, Clapton finally called his manager and admitted he was an alcoholic. In January 1982 Roger and Clapton flew to Minneapolis – St. Paul; Clapton would be checked in at Hazelden Treatment Center, located in Center City, Minnesota. On the flight over, Clapton indulged in a large number of drinks, for fear he would never be able to drink again. Clapton is quoted as saying from his autobiography, "In the lowest moments of my life, the only reason I didn't commit suicide was that I knew I wouldn't be able to drink any more if I was dead. It was the only thing I thought was worth living for, and the idea that people were about to try and remove me from alcohol was so terrible that I drank and drank and drank, and they had to practically carry me into the clinic."[42]
After being discharged, it was recommended by doctors of Hazelden that Clapton not partake in any activities that would act as triggers for his alcoholism or stress, until he was fully situated back at Hurtwood. A few months after his discharge, Clapton began working on his next album, against the Hazelden doctors' orders. Working with Tom Dowd, Clapton produced what he thought as his "most forced" album to date, Money and Cigarettes.
In 1984 he performed on Pink Floyd member Roger Waters' solo album, The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking, and went on tour with Waters following the release of the album. Since then Waters and Clapton have had a close relationship. In 2005 they performed together for the Tsunami Relief Fund. In 2006 they performed at the Highclere Castle, in aid of the Countryside Alliance, playing two set pieces of "Wish You Were Here" and "Comfortably Numb". Clapton, now a seasoned charity performer, played at the Live Aid concert on 13 July 1985.[43] When offered a slot close to peak viewing hours, he was apparently flattered. As Clapton recovered from his addictions, his album output continued in the 1980s, including two produced with Phil Collins, 1985's Behind the Sun, which produced the hits "Forever Man" and "She's Waiting", and 1986's August.
August was suffused with Collins's trademark drum and horn sound, and became Clapton's biggest seller in the UK to date, matching his highest chart position, number 3. The album's first track, the hit "It's In The Way That You Use It", was featured in the Tom Cruise – Paul Newman movie The Color of Money. The horn-peppered "Run" echoed Collins' "Sussudio" and rest of the producer's Genesis/solo output, while "Tearing Us Apart" (with Tina Turner) and the unimpressed "Miss You" echoed Clapton's angry sound. This rebound kicked off Clapton's two-year period of touring with Collins and their August collaborates, bassist Nathan East and keyboard player/songwriter Greg Phillinganes. While on tour for August, two concert videos were recorded of the four-man band, Eric Clapton Live from Montreux and Eric Clapton and Friends. Clapton later remade "After Midnight" as a single and a promotional track for the Michelob beer brand, which had also marketed earlier songs by Collins and Steve Winwood. Clapton won a British Academy Television Award for his collaboration with Michael Kamen on the score for the 1985 BBC Television thriller serial Edge of Darkness. In 1989, Clapton released Journeyman, an album which covered a wide range of styles including blues, jazz, soul and pop. Collaborators included George Harrison, Phil Collins, Daryl Hall, Chaka Khan, Mick Jones, David Sanborn and Robert Cray.
In 1984, while still married to Pattie Boyd, Clapton began a year-long relationship with Yvonne Kelly. The two had a daughter, Ruth, who was born in January 1985, but her existence was kept a secret by her parents. She was not publicly revealed as his child until 1991.[44] Boyd criticised Clapton because he had not revealed the child's existence.[45]
At the 1987 Brit Awards in London, Clapton picked up the prize for Outstanding Contribution to Music.[46] Hurricane Hugo hit Montserrat in 1989, and this resulted in the closure of Sir George Martin and John Burgess's recording studio AIR Montserrat, where Kelly was Managing Director. Kelly and Ruth moved back to England, and stories about Eric's secret daughter began as a result of newspaper articles published at the time.[44] Clapton and Boyd divorced in 1988 following his affair with Italian model Lory Del Santo, who gave birth to their son, Conor, on 21 August 1986.[47] Boyd was never able to conceive children, despite attempts at in vitro fertilisation.[45][47] Their divorce was granted on grounds of "infidelity and unreasonable behaviour."[45]
Clapton was known to date a host of beautiful women, including Krissy Wood (ex-wife of Ron Wood), actress Charlotte Martin, socialite Alice Ormsby-Gore, Paula Boyd (the younger sister of his future wife Pattie), singer Janis Joplin, singer Marianne Faithfull, rock muses Catherine James, Cyrinda Fox, and Geraldine Edwards, the inspiration for Penny Lane in Almost Famous, singer Rosanne Cash, the First Lady of France and former model Carla Bruni, and actresses Patsy Kensit, Sharon Stone, and Alicia Witt.[48]
1990s[link]
The 1990s brought a series of 32 concerts to the Royal Albert Hall, such as the 24 Nights series of concerts that took place around January through February 1990, and February through March 1991. On 27 August 1990, fellow blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan, who was touring with Clapton, and three members of their road crew were killed in a helicopter crash between concerts. Then, on 20 March 1991, Clapton's four-year-old son, Conor, died after falling from the 53rd-floor window of his mother's friend's New York City apartment at 117 East 57th Street. He landed on the roof of an adjacent four-story building. Clapton's grief was expressed in the song "Tears in Heaven", which was co-written by Will Jennings. At the 35th Grammy Awards, Clapton received six Grammy Awards for the single "Tears in Heaven" and his Unplugged album.[49] The album reached number one on the Billboard 200, and has since been certified Diamond by the RIAA for selling over 10 million copies in the United States.[50] On 9 September 1992, Clapton performed "Tears in Heaven" at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles, and won the award for Best Male Video.[51][52]
In October 1992 Clapton was among the dozens of artists performing at Bob Dylan's 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration. Recorded at Madison Square Garden in New York City, the live two-disk CD/DVD captured a show full of celebrities performing classic Dylan songs, before ending with a few performances from Dylan himself. Despite the presence of 10 other guitarists on stage, including George Harrison, Neil Young, Roger McGuinn, Steve Cropper, Tom Petty, and Dylan, Clapton played the lead on a nearly 7-minute version of Dylan's "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" as part of the finale.
While Unplugged featured Clapton playing acoustic guitar, his 1994 album From the Cradle contained new versions of old blues standards, highlighted by his electric guitar playing.[53] Clapton's 1996 recording of the Wayne Kirkpatrick/Gordon Kennedy/Tommy Sims tune "Change the World" (featured in the soundtrack of the movie Phenomenon) won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 1997, the same year he recorded Retail Therapy (an album of electronic music with Simon Climie under the pseudonym TDF). The following year, Clapton released the album Pilgrim, the first record featuring new material for almost a decade.[41] Clapton finished the twentieth century with collaborations with Carlos Santana and B. B. King.
In 1996 Clapton had a relationship with singer/songwriter Sheryl Crow. They remain friends, and Clapton appeared as a guest on Crow's Central Park Concert. The duo performed a Cream hit single, "White Room". Later, Clapton and Crow performed an alternate version of "Tulsa Time" with other guitar legends at the Crossroads Guitar Festival in June 2007.
In 1998 Clapton, then 53, met 22-year-old administrative assistant Melia McEnery in Columbus, Ohio, at a party given for him after a performance. He quietly dated her for a year, and went public with the relationship in 1999. They married on 1 January 2002 at St Mary Magdalene church in Clapton's birthplace, Ripley. As of 2005 they have three daughters, Julie Rose (13 June 2001), Ella May (14 January 2003), and Sophie Belle (1 February 2005).
At the 41st Grammy Awards on 24 February 1999, Clapton received his third Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, for his song "My Father's Eyes".[54] In October 1999, the compilation album, Clapton Chronicles: The Best of Eric Clapton, was released, which contained a new song, "Blue Eyes Blue", that also appears in soundtrack for the film, Runaway Bride.[55][56]
2000s[link]
Following the release of the 2001 record Reptile, in June 2002, Clapton performed "Layla" and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" at the Party at the Palace concert in the grounds of Buckingham Palace.[57] On 29 November 2002, the Concert for George was held at the Royal Albert Hall, a tribute to George Harrison, who had died a year earlier of cancer.[58] Clapton was a performer and the musical director. The concert featured Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Ravi Shankar, Gary Brooker, Billy Preston, Joe Brown and Dhani Harrison.[58] In 2004, Clapton released two albums of covers of songs by bluesman Robert Johnson, Me and Mr. Johnson and Sessions for Robert J. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked Clapton #53 on their list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time".[59]
On 22 January 2005, Clapton performed in the Tsunami Relief Concert held at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, in aid of the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. In May 2005 Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, and Ginger Baker reunited as Cream for a series of concerts at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Concert recordings were released on CD and DVD. Later, Cream performed in New York at Madison Square Garden. Back Home, Clapton's first album of new original material in nearly five years, was released on Reprise Records on 30 August. In 2006 he invited Derek Trucks and Doyle Bramhall II to join his band for his 2006–2007 world tour. Trucks is the third member of the Allman Brothers Band to tour supporting Clapton, the second being pianist/keyboardist Chuck Leavell, who appeared on the MTV Unplugged album and the 24 Nights performances at the Royal Albert Hall theatre of London in 1990 and 1991, as well as Clapton's 1992 U.S. tour.
On 20 May 2006, Clapton performed with Queen drummer Roger Taylor and former Pink Floyd bassist/songwriter Roger Waters at the Highclere Castle, Hampshire, in support of the Countryside Alliance.[60] On 13 August 2006, Clapton made a guest appearance at the Bob Dylan concert in Columbus, Ohio, playing guitar on three songs in Jimmie Vaughan's opening act.[61] A collaboration with guitarist J. J. Cale, titled The Road to Escondido, was released on 7 November 2006, featuring Derek Trucks and Billy Preston. The 14-track CD was produced and recorded by the duo in August 2005 in California. The chemistry between Trucks and Clapton convinced him to invite The Derek Trucks Band to open for Clapton's set at his 2007 Crossroads Guitar Festival. Trucks remained on set afterward, performed with Clapton's band throughout his performances, and later embarked on a world tour with him.
The rights to Clapton's official memoirs, written by Christopher Simon Sykes and published in 2007, were sold at the 2005 Frankfurt Book Fair for US$4 million.[62]
On 26 February 2008, it was reported that North Korean officials had invited Clapton to play a concert in the communist state.[63] Clapton's management received the invitation and passed it on to the singer, who agreed in principle and suggested it take place sometime in 2009.[64] Kristen Foster, a spokesperson, said, "Eric Clapton receives numerous offers to play in countries around the world," and "[t]here is no agreement whatsoever for him to play in North Korea."[65]
In 2007 Clapton learned more about his father, a Canadian soldier who left the UK after the war. Although Clapton's grandparents eventually told him the truth about his parentage, he only knew that his father's name was Edward Fryer. This was a source of disquiet for Clapton, as witnessed by his 1998 song "My Father's Eyes". A Montreal journalist named Michael Woloschuk researched Canadian Armed Forces service records and tracked down members of Fryer's family, and finally pieced together the story. He learned that Clapton's father was Edward Walter Fryer, born 21 March 1920, in Montreal and died 15 May 1985 in Newmarket, Ontario. Fryer was a musician (piano and saxophone) and a lifelong drifter who was married several times, had several children, and apparently never knew that he was the father of Eric Clapton.[66] Clapton thanked Woloschuk in an encounter at Macdonald Cartier Airport, in Ottawa, Canada.[67]
In February 2008 Clapton performed with his long-time friend Steve Winwood at Madison Square Garden and guested on his recorded single, "Dirty City", on Winwood's album Nine Lives. The two former Blind Faith bandmates met again for a series of 14 concerts throughout the United States in June 2009.
Clapton's 2008 Summer Tour began on 3 May at the Ford Amphitheatre, Tampa Bay, Florida, and then moved to Canada, Ireland, England, Norway, Iceland, Denmark, Poland, Germany, and Monaco. On 28 June 2008, he headlined Saturday night for Hard Rock Calling 2008 in London's Hyde Park (previously Hyde Park Calling) with support from Sheryl Crow and John Mayer.[68][69] In September 2008 Clapton performed at a private charity fundraiser for The Countryside Alliance at Floridita in Soho, London, that included such guests as the London Mayor Boris Johnson.
In March 2009, the Allman Brothers Band (amongst many notable guests) celebrated their 40th year, dedicating their string of concerts to the late Duane Allman on their annual run at the Beacon Theatre. Eric Clapton was one of the performers, with drummer Butch Trucks remarking that the performance was not the typical Allman Brothers experience, given the number and musical styles of the guests who were invited to perform. Songs like "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" were punctuated with others, including "The Weight", with Levon Helm; Johnny Winter sitting in on Hendrix's "Red House"; and "Layla". On 4 May 2009 Clapton appeared as a featured guest at the Royal Albert Hall, playing "Further on Up the Road" with Joe Bonamassa.
Clapton was scheduled to be one of the performers at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 25th anniversary concert in Madison Square Garden on 30 October 2009, but cancelled due to gallstone surgery.[70] Van Morrison (who also cancelled)[71] said in an interview that he and Clapton were to do a "couple of songs", but that they would do something else together at "some other stage of the game".[72]
2010s[link]
Clapton performed a two-night show with Jeff Beck at London's O2 Arena on 13–14 February 2010.[73] The two former Yardbirds extended their 2010 tour with stops at Madison Square Garden,[74] the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, and the Bell Centre in Montreal.[75] Clapton performed a series of concerts in 11 cities throughout the United States from 25 February to 13 March 2010, including Roger Daltrey as opening act. His third European tour with Steve Winwood began on 18 May and ended 13 June, including Tom Norris as opening act. He then began a short North American tour lasting from 26 June to 3 July, starting with his third Crossroads Guitar Festival on 26 June at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Illinois. Clapton released a new studio album, Clapton, on 27 September 2010 in the United Kingdom and 28 September 2010 in the United States. On 17 November 2010, Clapton performed as guest on the Prince's Trust rock gala held at the Royal Albert Hall, supported by the house band for the evening, which included Jools Holland, Midge Ure and Mark King.[76]
On 24 June 2011 Clapton was in concert with Pino Daniele in Cava de' Tirreni stadium, Italy, with an audience of 15,000 people before performing a series of concerts in South America from 6 to 16 October 2011. He spent the November and December 2011 touring Japan with Steve Winwood, playing 13 shows in various cities throughout the country. On 24 February 2012 Clapton, Keith Richards, Gary Clark Jr., Derek Trucks, Doyle Bramhall II, Kim Wilson and other artists performed together in the Howlin' For Hubert Tribute concert held at the Apollo Theater of NYC honoring blues guitarist Hubert Sumlin who died at age 80 in 4 December.
Influences[link]
Clapton cites Freddie King, B.B. King, Albert King, Buddy Guy, and Hubert Sumlin as guitar playing influences. Clapton stated blues musician Robert Johnson to be his single most important influence. In 2004 Clapton released CDs and DVDs entitled Sessions for Robert Johnson, featuring Clapton covering Robert Johnson songs using electric and acoustic guitars.[77]
Clapton co-authored with others the book Discovering Robert Johnson, in which Clapton said Johnson was[78]
"...the most important blues musician who ever lived. He was true, absolutely, to his own vision, and as deep as I have gotten into the music over the last 30 years, I have never found anything more deeply soulful than Robert Johnson. His music remains the most powerful cry that I think you can find in the human voice, really. ... it seemed to echo something I had always felt."
Legacy[link]
Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and influential guitarists of all time.[2][79][80][81] Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream.[82] He ranked second in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time"[3] and fourth in Gibson's Top 50 Guitarists of All Time.[4]
Guitarists influenced by Clapton include Richie Sambora, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Gary Moore, Duane Allman, Derek Trucks,[83] Eddie Van Halen, Brian May, Tony Iommi, Lenny Kravitz, Slash, Orianthi,Vince Gill, Brad Paisley, Jonny Buckland, Joe Don Rooney, Alex Lifeson, Jonny Lang, John Mayer, Joe Satriani, Joe Bonamassa, Davy Knowles, and George Harrison.
Guitars[link]
Clapton's choice of electric guitars has been as notable as the man himself; alongside Hank Marvin, The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix, Clapton exerted a crucial and widespread influence in popularising particular models of electric guitar.[84] With the Yardbirds, Clapton played a Fender Telecaster, a Fender Jazzmaster, a double-cutaway Gretsch 6120, and a 1964 Cherry-Red Gibson ES-335. He became exclusively a Gibson player for a period beginning in mid-1965, when he purchased a used sunburst Gibson Les Paul guitar from a guitar store in London. Clapton commented on the slim profile of the neck, which would indicate it was a 1960 model.[85]
Early during his stint in Cream, Clapton's first Les Paul Standard was stolen. He continued to play Les Pauls exclusively with Cream (one bought from Andy Summers was almost identical to the stolen guitar)[86] until 1967, when he acquired his most famous guitar in this period, a 1964 Gibson SG.[87] Just before Cream's first U.S. appearance in 1967, Clapton's SG, Bruce's Fender VI, and Baker's drum head were all repainted in psychedelic designs created by the visual art collective known as The Fool. In 1968 Clapton bought a Gibson Firebird and started using the 1964 Cherry-Red Gibson ES-335 again.[87] The aforementioned 1964 ES-335 had a storied career. Clapton used it at the last Cream show in November 1968 as well as with Blind Faith, played it sparingly for slide pieces in the 1970s, used it on "Hard Times" from Journeyman, the Hyde Park live concert of 1996, and the From the Cradle sessions and tour of 1994–95. It was sold for US$847,500 at a 2004 auction.[88] Gibson produced a limited run of 250 "Crossroads 335" replicas. The 335 was only the second electric guitar Clapton bought.[89]
In July 1968 Clapton gave George Harrison a 1957 'goldtop' Gibson Les Paul that been refinished with a red colour. The following September, Clapton played the guitar on the Beatles' studio recording of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". His SG found its way into the hands of George Harrison's friend Jackie Lomax, who subsequently sold it to musician Todd Rundgren for US$500 in 1972. Rundgren restored the guitar and nicknamed it "Sunny", after "Sunshine of Your Love". He retained it until 2000, when he sold it at an auction for US$150,000.[87] At the 1969 Blind Faith concert in Hyde Park, London Clapton played a Fender Custom Telecaster, which was fitted with "Brownie"'s neck.
In late 1969 Clapton made the switch to the Fender Stratocaster. "I had a lot of influences when I took up the Strat. First there was Buddy Holly, and Buddy Guy. Hank Marvin was the first well known person over here in England who was using one, but that wasn't really my kind of music. Steve Winwood had so much credibility, and when he started playing one, I thought, oh, if he can do it, I can do it."[90] The first—used during the recording of Eric Clapton—was "Brownie", which in 1974 became the backup to the most famous of all Clapton's guitars, "Blackie". In November 1970 Eric bought six Fender Stratocasters from the Sho-bud guitar shop in Nashville, Tennessee while on tour with the Dominos. He gave one each to George Harrison, Steve Winwood, and Pete Townshend.
Clapton assembled the best components of the remaining three to create "Blackie", which was his favourite stage guitar until its retirement in 1985. It was first played live 13 January 1973 at the Rainbow Concert.[91] Clapton called the 1956/57 Strat a "mongrel".[92] On 24 June 2004, Clapton sold "Blackie" at Christie's Auction House, New York, for US$959,500 to raise funds for his Crossroads Centre for drug and alcohol addictions. "Brownie" is now on display at the Experience Music Project.[93] The Fender Custom Shop has since produced a limited run of 275 'Blackie' replicas, correct in every detail right down to the 'Duck Brothers' flight case, and artificially aged using Fender's 'Relic' process to simulate years of hard wear. One was presented to Eric upon the model's release and was used for three numbers during a concert at the Royal Albert Hall on 17 May 2006.[94]
In 1981 Clapton gave his signed Fender Lead II guitar to the Hard Rock Cafe to designate his favourite bar stool. Pete Townshend also donated his own Gibson Les Paul guitar, with a note attached: "Mine's as good as his! Love, Pete."[95]
In 1988 Fender honoured Clapton with the introduction of his signature Eric Clapton Stratocaster.[96] These were the first two artist models in the Stratocaster range. Since then, the artist series has grown to include models inspired by Clapton's contemporaries such as Rory Gallagher, Mark Knopfler, Jeff Beck, and Stevie Ray Vaughan, and by those who have influenced him, such as Buddy Guy. Clapton uses Ernie Ball Slinky and Super Slinky strings, gauge .10 to.46.[97] Clapton has been honoured with several signature-model 000-sized acoustic guitars made by the American firm of C.F. Martin & Company. The first, of these, introduced in 1995, was a limited edition 000-42EC Eric Clapton signature model with a production run of 461. As of December 2007, Martin had produced seven EC signature models.[98] His 1939 000-42 Martin that he played on the Unplugged album sold for US$791,500 at auction.[88] Clapton plays a custom 000-ECHF Martin these days.
In 1999, Clapton auctioned off some of his guitar collection to raise more than US$5 million for continuing support of the Crossroads Centre in Antigua, which he founded in 1997.[99] The Crossroads Centre is a treatment base for addictive disorders such as drugs and alcohol. In 2004 Clapton organised and participated in the Crossroads Guitar Festival to benefit the Centre. A second guitar auction, including the "Cream" of Clapton's collection – as well as guitars donated by famous friends – was held on 24 June 2004. His Lowden acoustic guitar sold for US$41,825. The revenue garnered by this auction at Christie's was US$7,438,624.[88]
In 2010 Eric Clapton announced that he would be auctioning off over 150 items at a New York auction in 2011. Proceeds will benefit his Crossroads Centre in Antigua. Items include Clapton's guitar from the Cream reunion tour in 2005, speaker cabinets used in the early 1970s from his days with Derek and the Dominoes, and some guitars from Jeff Beck, J.J. Cale, and Joe Bonamassa.[100] In March 2011 Clapton raised more than US$2.15 million when he auctioned off key items, including a 1984 Gibson hollow body guitar, a Gianni Versace suit from his 1990 concert at the Royal Albert Hall, and a replica of the famous Fender Stratocaster known as "Blackie", which fetched more than $30,000. All proceeds from the auction were donated to Clapton's Crossroads drug and rehabilitation centre in Antigua.
The "woman tone" is the informal term used by Clapton to refer to his distinctive mid- to late-1960s electric guitar sound, created using his Gibson SG solid body guitar (with Humbucker pick-ups) and a Marshall tube amplifier.[101] It is an overdriven sound that is articulate yet thick. It is characterised by being quite distorted (or even achieved with a fuzz) but muted, in contrast to the bright and twangy distortion that most guitarists were using at the time. Many players have tried to duplicate it, usually without success, in part because Clapton's playing technique had a lot to do with the tone.
Among the techniques used to replicate Clapton's sound is a technique by which the amplifier's volume is turned up to full, while the guitar's tone knob is turned down to zero or one.[102]
Perhaps the best example of the "woman tone" is Clapton's famous riff and solo from Cream's 1967 hit "Sunshine of Your Love". Clapton has explained that he obtained the tone with his Gibson's tone control rolled all the way down, switching to the neck pick-up (closest to the fretboard) and the volume all the way up, with his distortion turned all the way up. The treble, mids and bass controls on the amplifier were also maxed out. Some versions of the "woman tone" may also have involved strategic positioning of Clapton's wah-wah pedal.
Other media appearances[link]
Clapton frequently appears as a guest on the albums of other musicians. For example, he is credited on Dire Straits's Brothers in Arms album, as he lent Mark Knopfler one of his guitars. He played lead guitar and synthesiser on The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking, Roger Waters' debut solo album. Other media appearances include the Toots & the Maytals album True Love, where he played guitar on the track "Pressure Drop". He can also be heard at the beginning of Frank Zappa's album, We're Only in It for the Money, repeating the phrase, "Are you hung up?" over and over again. In 1985, Clapton appeared on the charity concert Live Aid in Philadelphia with Phil Collins, Tim Renwick, Chris Stainton, Jamie Oldaker, Marcy Levy, Shaun Murphy, and Donald 'Duck' Dunn. In 1988 he played with Dire Straits and Elton John at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute at Wembley Stadium and the Prince's Trust rock gala at the Royal Albert Hall. On 30 June 1990, Dire Straits, Clapton, and Elton John made a guest appearance in the Nordoff-Robbins charity show held at Knebworth.[103] In 1991 Clapton was featured on Richie Sambora's album, Stranger In This Town, in a song dedicated to him, called "Mr. Bluesman". He contributed guitar and vocals to "Runaway Train", a duet with Elton John on the latter's The One album the following year.
On 12 September 1996 Clapton played a party for Armani at New York City's Lexington Armory with Greg Phillinganes, Nathan East, and Steve Gadd. Sheryl Crow appeared on one number, performing "Tearing Us Apart", a track from August, which was first performed by Tina Turner during the Prince's Trust All-Star Rock show in 1986. It was Clapton's sole US appearance that year, following the open-air concert held at Hyde Park.[104] The concert was taped and the footage was released both on VHS video cassette and later, on DVD.[104]
Clapton was featured in the movie version of Tommy, the first full length rock opera, written by The Who. The movie version gave Clapton a cameo appearance as The Preacher, performing Sonny Boy Williamson's song, "Eyesight to the Blind". He appeared in Blues Brothers 2000 as one of the Louisiana Gator Boys. In addition to being in the band, he had a small speaking role. Clapton has appeared in an advertisement for the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen. In March 2007 Clapton appeared in an advertisement[105] for RealNetwork's Rhapsody online music service. In 2010 Clapton started appearing as a spokesman for T-Mobile, advertising their MyTouch Fender cell phone.
Eric Clapton was compared to God's image in the episode "Holy Crap!" of season two of That '70s Show when characters Eric Forman and Steven Hyde are asked by their minister to draw a picture of God.
Political views and advocacy[link]
Clapton is a supporter of the Countryside Alliance, he has played in concerts to raise funds for the organisation and he publicly opposed the Labour Party’s ban on fox hunting. A spokesperson for Clapton said, "Eric supports the Countryside Alliance. He doesn't hunt himself, but does enjoy rural pursuits such as fishing and shooting. He supports the Alliance's pursuit to scrap the ban on the basis that he doesn't agree with the state's interference with people's private pursuits."[106]
In 2008, he donated a song to Aid Still Required's CD to assist with the restoration of the devastation done to Southeast Asia from the 2004 Tsunami.
Controversy over remarks on immigration[link]
On 5 August 1976 Clapton provoked an uproar and lingering controversy when he spoke out against increasing immigration during a concert in Birmingham. Visibly intoxicated, Clapton voiced his support of controversial political candidate Enoch Powell, and announced on stage that Britain was in danger of becoming a "black colony". Clapton was quoted as saying, "I think Enoch's right ... we should send them all back. Throw the wogs out! Keep Britain white!"[107] The latter phrase was at the time a British National Front slogan.[108] Clapton continued:
"I used to be into dope, now I’m into racism. It’s much heavier, man. Fucking wogs, man. Fucking Saudis taking over London. Bastard wogs. Britain is becoming overcrowded and Enoch will stop it and send them all back. The black wogs and coons and Arabs and fucking Jamaicans and fucking [indecipherable] don’t belong here, we don’t want them here. This is England, this is a white country, we don’t want any black wogs and coons living here. We need to make clear to them they are not welcome. England is for white people, man. We are a white country. I don’t want fucking wogs living next to me with their standards. This is Great Britain, a white country, what is happening to us, for fuck's sake? We need to vote for Enoch Powell, he’s a great man, speaking truth. Vote for Enoch, he’s our man, he’s on our side, he’ll look after us. I want all of you here to vote for Enoch, support him, he’s on our side. Enoch for Prime Minister! Throw the wogs out! Keep Britain white!"[109]
This incident, along with some explicitly pro-fascism remarks made around the same time by David Bowie as well as uses of Nazi-related imagery by Sid Vicious and Siouxsie Sioux, were the main catalysts for the creation of Rock Against Racism, which occurred on 30 April 1978.[110]
In response to the comments, rock photographer Red Saunders and others published an open letter in NME, Melody Maker, Sounds, and the Socialist Worker. It read "Come on Eric... Own up. Half your music is black. You're rock music's biggest colonist". It concluded, "P.S. Who shot the Sheriff, Eric? It sure as hell wasn't you!"[110]
In an interview from October 1976 with Sounds magazine, Clapton remarked, "I thought it was quite funny actually. I don't know much about politics. I don't even know if it would be good or bad for him to get in. I don't even know who the Prime Minister is now. I just don't know what came over me that night. It must have been something that happened in the day but it came out in this garbled thing... I thought the whole thing was like Monty Python. There's this rock group playing on-stage and the singer starts talking about politics. It's so stupid. Those people who paid their money sittin' listening to this madman dribbling on and the band meanwhile getting fidgety thinking 'oh dear'."[111]
In a 2004 interview with Uncut, Clapton referred to Powell as "outrageously brave", and stated that his "feeling about this has not changed", because the UK is still "... inviting people in as cheap labour and then putting them in ghettos." In 2004 Clapton told an interviewer for Scotland on Sunday, "There's no way I could be a racist. It would make no sense".[112] In his 2007 autobiography, Clapton called himself "deliberately oblivious to it all" and wrote, "I had never really understood or been directly affected by racial conflict ... when I listened to music, I was disinterested in where the players came from or what colour their skin was. Interesting, then, that 10 years later, I would be labelled a racist ... Since then, I have learnt to keep my opinions to myself. Of course, it might also have had something to do with the fact that Pattie had just been leered at by a member of the Saudi royal family."[113] In a December 2007 interview with Melvyn Bragg on The South Bank Show, Clapton reiterated his support for Enoch Powell and again denied that Powell's views were "racist".[114]
Wealth and assets[link]
In 2009 Surrey Life Magazine ranked Eric Clapton as number 17 in their list of richest Surrey residents, estimating Clapton's fortune at £120 million in assets. This was a compilation of property and income which include a £9 million yacht, "Va Bene" (previously owned by Bernie Ecclestone), his back music catalogue, his touring income, and his Marshbrook holding company, which had earned him £110 million since 1989.[115] In 2003, he purchased a 50 per cent share of gentleman's outfitters Cordings Piccadilly.[116] At the time, owner Noll Uloth was trying to save the shop from closure and thought 'I will go and talk to my best client". He is reported to have contacted Eric and within five minutes he had a reply saying 'I can't let this happen."[116]
Awards and honours[link]
| Year | Award / Recognition |
|---|---|
| 1983 |
|
| 1985 |
|
| 1993 |
|
| 1994 | |
| 2000 |
|
| 2004 |
|
| 2006 |
|
Football[link]
In 1982 he performed a concert before West Bromwich Albion player John Wile's testimonial game at the Hawthorns, and it is often reported by various sources that Clapton is an Albion supporter. Credence for this notion can be taken from the cover pictures to the "Backless" solo album, where he is seen on the front cover to be wearing a football scarf; the rear cover photograph reveals the slogan "ALBION" on the scarf. It has been reported that the club rejected his offer to invest cash in the club around this time, and that he has since expressed more of an interest in Chelsea.[124]
Clapton's music in film and TV[link]
- Mean Streets (1973) – "I Looked Away"
- Private Lessons (1981 film) (1981) – Next Time You See Her
- Purple Haze (1983) – "I Feel Free"
- The Hit (1984) – Score
- Miami Vice (1984–1989) – Four songs over the course of the show's five seasons: "Wonderful Tonight", "Knock On Wood", "She's Waiting", and "Layla"
- Back to the Future (1985) – "Heaven Is One Step Away"
- Edge of Darkness (1985) – Soundtrack
- The Color of Money (1986) – "It's In The Way That You Use It"
- SpaceCamp (1986 film) – "Forever Man" plays when Tate Donovan's character arrives at the Space Camp
- The German car manufacturer Opel and Vauxhall in the UK used the guitar riff of Clapton's "Layla" in its advertising campaign throughout in 1987–95.
- Lethal Weapon (1987) – Soundtrack with Michael Kamen
- Lethal Weapon 2 (1989) – "Knockin' On Heaven's Door"
- Goodfellas (1990) – "Layla" and "Sunshine of Your Love"[125]
- Rush (1991) – Clapton wrote the score
- Wayne's World (1992) – "Loving your Loving"
- Peter's Friends (1992) – "Give Me Strength"
- Lethal Weapon 3 (1992) – Clapton contributed to the score and co-wrote and co-performed the song "It's Probably Me" with Sting and "Runaway Train" with Elton John.
- True Lies (1994) – "Sunshine of Your Love"
- The Simpsons episode "Mother Simpson" (1995) – "Sunshine of Your Love"
- Twister (1996) – "Motherless Child"
- Phenomenon (1996) – "Change the World"
- The Van (1996) – Soundtrack
- Happy Gilmore (1996) – "Wonderful Tonight"
- Patch Adams (1998) – "Let It Rain"
- Lethal Weapon 4 (1998) – "Pilgrim"
- City of Angels (1998) – "Further On Up The Road"
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes "Band Candy" and "Forever" (1998) – "Tales of Brave Ulysses"
- Runaway Bride (1999) – "Blue Eyes Blue"
- The Story of Us (1999) – "(I) Get Lost" (featured multiple times)
- Friends episode "The One with the Proposal, Part 2" (2000) – "Wonderful Tonight"
- Dancing At The Blue Iguana (2000) – "River of Tears"
- A Knight's Tale (2001) – "Further On Up The Road"
- Blow (2001) – "Strange Brew"
- Friends episode "The One Where Rachel Has a Baby, Part Two" (2002) – "River of Tears"
- Futurama episode "The 30% Iron Chef" (2002) – "Sunshine of Your Love"
- The Sopranos episode "Whitecaps" (2002) – Tony Soprano is seen listening to "Layla" in his Suburban.
- School Of Rock (2003) – "Sunshine of Your Love"
- Starsky & Hutch (2004) – "Cocaine"
- Anger Management (2004) – "Strange Brew"
- Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) – "Cocaine"
- Bad News Bears (2005) – "Cocaine"
- Lords of Dogtown (2005) – "Strange Brew"
- Lord of War (2005) – "Cocaine"
- United States of Tara episode – "Cocaine"
- Community episode – "Layla"
- The Good Guys Episode Silvio's Way – "Layla"
- Due Date (2010) – "White Room"
- Shameless (U.S. TV series) (2011) – "White Room"
Discography[link]
Main article: Eric Clapton discography
References[link]
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- ^ Rebel Rock by J. Street. First Edition (1986).Oxford Press Basil Blackwell.pp.74–75.
- ^ a b Manzoor, Sarfraz (20 April 2008). "The year rock found the power to unite". The Observer (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/apr/20/popandrock.race. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
- ^ Charone, Barbara (October 1976, (again, 1996)). "Eric Clapton: Farther On Up The Road". Reprint for the web, article from Sounds Magazine. Sounds Magazine. http://theband.hiof.no/articles/clapton_interview_sounds_oct_1976.html. Retrieved 19 October 2009.
- ^ "dead link". Scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com. http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/review.cfm?id=408192004. Retrieved 22 August 2010.
- ^ "The gospel according to God". The Guardian (London). 21 October 2007. http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,2195792,00.html. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
- ^ "Eric Clapton". The South Bank Show. 2 December 2007. ITV.
- ^ Beresford, Philip (June 2009). "Surrey's Richest 50; The Top Ten". Rank of the wealthiest residents of Surrey, England. Surrey Life Magazine. http://surrey.greatbritishlife.co.uk/article/surreys-richest-50-the-top-ten-2497/. Retrieved 27 August 2011.
- ^ a b "Clapton rescues gentlemen's shop". BBC. 2 August 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3528296.stm.
- ^ Michael Schumacher, Crossroads: The Life and Music of Eric Clapton. Consulted on 12 August 2007.
- ^ "Awards Database – The BAFTA site". BAFTA. http://www.bafta.org/awards-database.html?year=1985&category=Television&award=Original+Television+Music. Retrieved 10 October 2009.
- ^ "1993 Grammy Winners". Newspaper Article (New York Times). 26 February 1993. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE3DB133CF935A15751C0A965958260. Retrieved 20 August 2008.
- ^ "Eric Clapton: Blues guitar legend". BBC News. 31 December 2003. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/3356959.stm. Retrieved 22 August 2010.
- ^ "Clapton's Hall of Fame hat-trick". BBC News. 8 December 1999. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/555396.stm. Retrieved 22 August 2010.
- ^ "CBEs – full list". BBC News. 31 December 2003. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3357011.stm. Retrieved 22 August 2010.
- ^ "Musician Clapton delighted by CBE". BBC News. 3 November 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3977571.stm. Retrieved 22 August 2010.
- ^ "BOING: The rich and famous celebrities who support West Bromwich Albion FC". Baggies.com. 12 June 2005. http://www.baggies.com/celebrities/. Retrieved 22 August 2010.
- ^ "Soundtracks for Goodfellas". Internet Movie Database. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099685/soundtrack. Retrieved 17 February 2007.
Further reading[link]
- On Eric Clapton's career:
-
- Robin Bextor, Eric Clapton: Now & Then, Carlton Books, 2006, 144 pp.
- Eric Clapton, Clapton, The Autobiography, 2007 and 2008, Broadway Books, 352 pp. / Arrow, 400 pages / Century, 384 pp.
- Eric Clapton, Derek Taylor and Peter Blake, 24 Nights, Genesis Publications, 2 volumes, 1992, 198 and 64 pp. Eric Clapton's signed limited edition books, in a Solander box with 2 live CD
- Ray Coleman, Clapton!: The Authorized Biography, Warner Books, 368 pp, or Futura, 336 pages, 1986; originally publ. as "Survivor: The Authorized Biography", Sidgwick & Jackson, 1985, 300 pp.
- Geoffrey Giuliano, Brenda Giuliano and Deborah Lynn Black, The Illustrated Eric Clapton, Sunburst Books, 1994, 96 pp.
- George Harrison, Eric Clapton & al, Live in Japan: A celebration of George Harrison’s ‘Rock Legends’ Tour with Eric Clapton Band, Genesis Publications, 1993, 274 pp. George Harrison's signed limited black leather edition book, in a box with 2 live CD.
- Christopher Hjort w/ a foreword by John Mayall, Strange brew: Eric Clapton and the British Blues Boom, 1965–1970, Jawbone, 2007, 352 pp.
- John Pidgeon, Eric Clapton: A Biography, Panther, 1976, ... pages; rev. & upd. Vermilion, 1985 or 1987, 123 pp.
- Marc Roberty, Eric Clapton: The Complete Recording Sessions 1963–1992, Blandford or St. Martin’s Press, 1993, 192 pp.
- Marc Roberty, Slowhand: The Life & Music of Eric Clapton, Octopus or Harmony, 1991, 176 pp; upd. ed. Crown, 1993, 192 pp.
- Marc Roberty, Eric Clapton in His Own Words, Omnibus Press, 1993, 96 pp.
- Marc Roberty, Eric Clapton: The New Visual Documentary, Omnibus Press, 1990, 128 pp.; rev. ed., 1994, ...pp.; originally publ. as Eric Clapton: A Visual Documentary, 1986, ... pp.
- Marc Roberty, Clapton: The Complete Chronicle, Pyramid, 1991, 176 pp. / Mitchell Beazley 1993, 192 pp.
- Marc Roberty, Eric Clapton: The Man, the Music and the Memorabilia, Paper Tiger-Dragon’s World, 1994, 226 pp.
- Marc Roberty, The Complete Guide to the Music of Eric Clapton, Omnibus Press, 1995, 152 pp. CD format; rev. ed., 2005, 128 pp.
- Marc Roberty, Eric Clapton, CD Books, Orion, 1994, ...pp or MBS (Miami), 1996, 120 pp. CD format
- Marc Roberty and Chris Welch, Eric Clapton: The Illustrated Disco/Biography, Omnibus Press, 1984, 80 pp. or Beekman (New York), 1990, ...pp.
- Christopher Sandford, Clapton: Edge of Darkness, Victor Gollancz, 1994, 322 pp.
- Michael Schumacher, Crossroads: The Life and Music of Eric Clapton, Hyperion, 1995, 388 pp.; rev. ed, Time Warner p'backs, 1998, 411 pp.; new ed. titled Eric Clapton, Sphere, 2008, 432 pp.
- Harry Shapiro, Eric Clapton: Lost in The Blues, Guinness Books or Muze, 1992, 256 pp.; rev. ed. Da Capo press, 1193, 225 pp.; originally publ. as Slowhand: The Story of Eric Clapton, Proteus Books, 1985, 160 pp.
- Dave Thompson, Cream: The World's First Supergroup, Virgin Books, 2005, 256 pp.; rev., upd. & illustr. ed. titled Cream: How Eric Clapton Took the World By Storm, 2006, 320 pp.
- Steve Turner, Conversations with Eric Clapton, London: Abacus, 1976, 116 pp.
- Fred Weiler, Eric Clapton, Smithmark-Penguin or Bison Books, 1992, ... pp.
- Chris Welch, Cream: Stange Brew, Castle Communications or Sanctuary or Penguin, 1994, 176 pp.; Backbeat Books, 2000, 192 pp.
- About Clapton's playing and sound:
-
- David M. Brewster (2003). "Eric Clapton". Introduction to Guitar Tone & Effects. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 54. ISBN 978-0-634-06046-5.
- H. P. Newquist and Richard Maloof (2003). "Eric Clapton". The Blues-Rock Masters. Backbeat Books. p. 27. ISBN 978-0-87930-735-6.
- Pete Prown and Lisa Sharken (2003). "Eric Clapton". Gear Secrets of the Guitar Legends. Backbeat Books. p. 6. ISBN 0-87930-751-X.
External links[link]
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Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Eric Clapton |
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Eric Clapton |
- Official website
- Eric Clapton discography at MusicBrainz
- Eric Clapton at the Internet Movie Database
- Works by or about Eric Clapton in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
- Eric Clapton collected news and commentary at The Guardian
- Eric Clapton collected news and commentary at The New York Times
- Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood at Bucharest (review)
- An Interview with Eric Clapton guitar technician Lee Dickson
- Article on Bluesbreakers Les Paul[dead link]
- Gibson article on obtaining the "Woman Tone"
- Review: Eric Clapton at Floridita
- Eric Clapton FAQ[dead link]
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| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Clapton, Eric |
| Alternative names | Clapton, Eric Patrick; Slowhand |
| Short description | guitarist, singer, and composer |
| Date of birth | 30 March 1945 |
| Place of birth | Ripley, Surrey, England |
| Date of death | |
| Place of death | |
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