Freak on a beat

There's no denying that the nu-metal genre had some low points, but Korn was a band that managed to trailblaze more than others, relishing in textural feedback and occasional hip-hop breakdowns that were otherwise avoided by mainstream 1990s alternative rock and metal groups.


With the band's 10th album, The Path of Totality, it seems Korn has decided to try and break ground again, importing dubstep into its style. Instead of using it as an accent, however, Korn's entire album is grinding dubstep top to bottom, with every track featuring a guest spot by artists such as Skrillex, Datsik and Excision.

If you haven't heard the album, you can be forgiven for appreciating the idea of Korn attempting to evolve, especially considering the group's last few records have been so unremarkable.


That's about as far as you can go appreciating The Path of Totality.


Effectively, Korn's 10th record sounds like a remix album. Korn has always been the kind of band that reuses the same types of melodies to define its sound, which is why all of its music has been so similar. The Path of Totality finds Korn writing some of the same melodies again, only this time they are all filtered through extremely aggressive dubstep beats and production.


Some tracks have honestly epic bass drops (read: "massive"), such as "Chaos Lives in Everything," featuring fancy hair connoisseur Skrillex, and the opening to "Narcissistic Cannibal," featuring both Skrillex and Kill The Noise.


Despite Korn's usual ability to meld brooding rage with sing-a-long choruses, most of the hooks on these songs are cheesy instead of headbanging. Every time one of these choruses cuts in, it completely stops whatever groove the band had built up, forcing the audience to wait until the throb comes back.

The fact that all this unexciting dubstep production becomes the main attraction on The Path of Totality makes it seem like the producers had far more creative control than any of the members of Korn.

All 11 tracks are pummeling, high-energy synthesizer bass implosions with very little dynamic alteration. Even at 37 minutes in length, The Path of Totality is hard to sit through.


The slowest songs on the record, "Sanctuary," featuring Downlink, and "Lets Go" featuring Noisia, are easily the best. The key difference is that these two don't focus on the dubstep or use it as a gimmick, forcing the band to actually write a tune worth hearing beneath the noise.


If Korn had styled the rest of the record after these two songs, they could have created something worth listening to. Instead, The Path of Totality is just one more curio in dubstep's rise to mainstream prominence — an uneven attempt by Korn at regaining some sense of relevance in the music scene.

Verdict: The Path of Totality finds Korn trying to connect with modern audiences by shacking up with dubstep. Spoiler alert: It doesn't go very well.

Album Review: Korn – The Path of Totality

The risky business of experimenting with a long-established sound can lead to alienating fans, being branded as “sellouts,” riding the coattails of a fad, and peddling to the lowest common denominator. Our question then becomes, “What amount of change is acceptable?” Korn, a veteran figurehead of the long-malnourished nu-metal movement, alternately attempted revitalizing its sound in 2010, only to discover a price to be paid for recycling old shit under a prior producer, plus a new member.

Several critics were nice enough, yet we feel they can do better than high school graduates scrambling through tattered notebooks for a semblance of times long gone. Fast-forwarding less than two years, the mildly delusional Jonathan Davis and company have ditched wash-shrunken goth regalia for ravers of Americanized, hormonally raging dubstep. Marketing ploy or a passion project? It’s anyone’s guess, but in making a move parallel to Linkin Park’s A Thousand Suns, Korn have adopted electronic-infused “future metal” on The Path Of Totality.

No matter what sound you root for, this feels inevitable. Way back, Follow the Leader and Life Is Peachy incorporated a lot of hip-hop into the mix, at one point collaborating with Deftones’ Chino Moreno to cover the Ice Cube track “Wicked”. The Path of Totality rallies current names in the dubstep and house community like drawing monikers from a fashionably fluorescent Who’s Who top hat. In the vein of trying on new outfits for a new time in music, such sharp turns answer more questions than they raise. So far, so good. So, how does it sound? Jarring, if only at first.

In addition to the usual suspects present – front man Jonathan Davis, guitarist James “Munky” Shaffer, drummer Ray Luzier, and signature bassist Reginald “Fieldy” Arvizu (whose slap is sadly missing) – fresh sounds flesh out Korn’s most recent vibe, hints of which can be heard on 2005′s See You on the Other Side. In the case of a guest-saturated Totality, Skrillex wobbles and tweaks out all over “Chaos Lives in Everything”, soon after punching out majorly redeemable bass on singles “Narcissistic Cannibal” (featuring Kill the Noise) and headbanging forerunner “Get Up!”; Excision and Downlink light up hi-hats and effects galore on “Illuminati”, bookended by the former’s lofty “My Wall” (lofty as it can be, anyway) and the latter’s Gary Numan-esque “Sanctuary”.

Members of Dutch breakbeat act Noisia enlist a bombardment of clicks and buzzes akin to background static from The Downward Spiral, carving out a most awesome, yet most likely overlooked niche on the urgent “Kill Mercy Within”, haunting charge “Burn the Obedient”, and hyperactive “Reptile”-meets-Untouchables throwback “Let’s Go”. Unlike Skrillex, 12th Planet (“Way Too Far”), or Kill the Noise (“Fuels the Comedy”), who tend to push Korn to the forefront of their own record in a revisit to Linkin Park’s “Wretches and Kings”, Noisia twist the boundaries slightly more to an electronic vantage point, where Luzier and Fieldy are advantageous accompanists, not leading men with egos bigger than their eyes. What’s next, Jónsi on a Tool LP?

As far as experiments go, in the scope of what it means to nu-metal or dubstep, this is a necessary evil to some and an oddball win to others. There are those who didn’t see it coming, there are those who’d prefer it never had, and in the end, those arguments are muted by a pounding speaker and a few California metal-heads who ultimately decided to do something for themselves that wound up beneficial for all involved. Sonically, The Path of Totality feels culturally authentic and trendy, while at the same time, pounding enough for mosh pits and dance floors alike.

I don’t consider the UK-scorned Skrillex or any other intervention on this record all that groundbreaking. Also, The Path of Totality isn’t without major flaws in mixing; however, it does manage to make one repetitive style of London club music sound agreeable thanks to aggressive guitars and an original vocalist. I’m almost surprised to see Pendulum didn’t volunteer for a role in this menagerie, but to be fair, that may have been overkill.

Take this at face value, stop moaning, and savor a sampling of modern tastes for a change. You might at least credit this release as being fathoms more assertive than, say, Hollywood Undead? Bunch o’ whiners, eat some metal.

Don't Know the Difference Between Dubstep and Brostep?

Dubstep might be the new heavy metal. It's dark, it's aggressive, and it's already conquered North American suburbs with little mainstream media support. Born in the clubs of south London in the early oughties, Dubstep is a hybrid of dub, drum and bass, and glitchy electronica. At its most inoffensive, it's moody restaurantica. At its best, it's an obnoxiously fun and angry assault on your ears; the kind that makes you say, "What is this shit? That's not music," just like every generation of old people has uttered when they were confronted with a new and exciting musical genre.

Maybe you love it, maybe you hate it, maybe you've never heard of it. Regardless, it's impossible to ignore anymore as it's gradually popping up everywhere. You'll hear a Rusko song between whistles at sporting events, read a great review of Burial on your favourite blog, see a hilarious YouTube video with a dubstep score or watch a stripper dance to a Skream remix of La Roux at the No5 Orange (it was an incredibly classy performance). And it's only going to keep spreading. This past week, Justin Bieber announced his next album is going to include some dubstep while the biggest name in the genre, Skrillex, was receiving five Grammy nominations -- including Best New Artist.

Skrillex, who seemingly appeared overnight, is so huge YouTube will probably make you sit through a Procter & Gamble ad for VapoRub or a digital pregnancy test before you can watch his excellent video for "First of the Year (Equinox)" (It received a Grammy nomination for Best Short Form Music Video). Or maybe give a listen to this one, "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites," which is closing in on a stupefying 50 million views. To give you a little perspective, the first single from Jay-Z and Kanye West's album Watch the Throne has nearly 30 million views. Skrillex is a pop star that's never had his music played on commercial radio or television.

In his previous life, when he was 18, Skrillex went by his given name Sonny Moore and was the lead singer of screamo band From First to Last (Yep, that's him screamo-ing.) Now practically geriatric at 23, it only seems fitting that a kid who was signed to Epitaph Records and played the Warped Tour is the one to triumphantly bring dubstep from the trendy areas of London to the Hot Topics of every mall in suburban America. Feel old and out of touch yet? I sure do, and I'm the one writing about this shit.
Purists of the dubstep genre, of course, hate him. They say he looks like a jackass and his music lacks subtly; that it's too in your face. His sound has petulantly been labeled brostep -- the connotation being that only jockish idiots and frat boys listen to it. Having observed his fans closely when Skrillex was in Vancouver for two sold out shows at the PNE Forum in October, I'll attest that they do look suspiciously like participants in the Stanley Cup Riot, only groovier. But maybe hockey's not the violent sports reference I should be making. The dubstep snob's critique of his music is comparable to a boxing fan ragging on MMA Fighting. Can't we just all agree that, so long as someone’s face or ears get viciously maimed, it's great entertainment?

Skrillex gets nominated for 5 Grammy's then does a funny dance!!

If you didn’t already hear the breaking news, Skrillex was nominated for 5 Grammy’s on November 30th, 2011 at the official Grammy nomination ceremony. The biggest nomination of all is the Best New Artist category, which puts him against the likes of The Band Perry, Bon Iver, Nicki Minaj, and  J. Cole. This is a huge turning point for EDM, and is a big deal for all electronic music producers across all genres.

There’s no doubt in anyone’s mind that Skrillex is the fastest growing producer in EDM history, and It just goes to show how EDM is taking over- check out this really good, kind of long article about how “Electronic Music Moved the Masses in 2011″.

There are some other producers nominated for Grammys, which is dope as well. Deadmau5, Swedish House Mafia, David Guetta and others figure in the list, check the full list at the Grammy’s site here. So, does this mean dubstep is going mainstream?

These are the 5 awards Skrillex received Grammy nominations for :

• Best New Artist
• Best Dance Recording (Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites)
• Best Dance/Electronica Album (Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites)
• Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical (Cinema Skrillex Remix)
• Best Short Form Music Video (First of the Year)

Once Skrillex  realized was nominated he started doing this funny dance! Everyone laughed at his seizure-sh dance moves and it was kind of an awkward moment.. But everyone stills loves him (or hates him for that matter) because he makes banging tunes. thanks r/electronicmusic for the gif



So what do you think? Do you think this nomination is good for EDM, or do you think that Skrillex getting Nominated for  5 Grammys is going to continue to bring Dubstep and EDM to the mainstream, and turn it into some poppy, over done, over marketed, over produced  garbage?

On the Charts: She and Him, the Killers Score With Christmas Pop

WINNER OF THE WEEK: Christmas music on iTunes. In a slow, post-Black Friday, pre-last-minute-shopping week, five albums on iTunes' Top 10 had holiday themes: the Killers' (RED) Christmas, She and Him's A Very She and Him Christmas, Glee's Christmas album and, of course, the lingering smashes by Michael Bublé and Justin Bieber. Interestingly, nary a holiday single made iTunes' top songs list, a phenomenon for which we have two theories. One is that cool, exclusive holiday singles such as My Morning Jacket's "When the Bells Start Ringing" and Kelly Clarkson's "I'll Be Home for Christmas" won't chart until next week. Another is that iTunes is packed with quality singles these days by specialists such as Bruno Mars, Rihanna, LMFAO and Katy Perry, so it's hard for Christmas novelties to squeeze them off the singles list. However, the week was pretty barren for hot new album releases.

LOSER OF THE WEEK: Rock music. Rather than knocking on Nickelback again – although, for the record, we did name the Canadian pop-metal goons "Winner of the Week" last time – we'll just use their album Here and Now as yet more evidence that the band's genre is no longer a chart  phenomenon. Over and over this year, from Cake to Coldplay, we've seen rock albums make strong Top 10 debuts then drop precipitously a week later. It's happening with Nickelback, too – with 78,000 in sales this week, the band dropped 66 percent, from Number Two to Number Five. That's despite a massive jump of 42 slots up the most recent Ultimate Chart, which measures online stuff such as YouTube views and Facebook likes, to Number Seven. Here's a clue to the big second-week decline: their "When We Stand Together" video landed more than 39 million YouTube views in its first week (it came out on November 23rd) but has slightly fewer than 41 million views today. To recap: 39 million in one week, two million the next. Not good.

THE GRAMMY NOMINATION BOOST?: Grammy nominations came out too late last week to place on the conventional charts, but we received an interesting list from Facebook regarding its "fastest-growing musicians, actors and songs." (We presume this refers to the fastest-growing popularity of musicians, actors and songs and not that, like, Rihanna is suddenly 75 feet tall.) The Top Three "most-listened-to songs" aren't too surprising – Rihanna, Katy Perry, LMFAO – but farther down the list are things such as thrash-dancer Skrillex's "First of the Year" and "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites" and David Guetta's collaboration with Sia, "Titanium." This leads us to believe that the nominations served their purpose, at least in part, to help people learn about interesting new music that they might not have discovered otherwise amid the pop dominance of Lady Gaga and Adele.

Korn's Jonathan Davis Says Obama Is an "Illuminati Puppet"

​Jonathan Davis, lead singer of Korn, says he feels Barack Obama has "basically dragged this country down into the worst it's ever been," and calls the president an "Illuminati puppet."

The nu-metal band, who played Los Angeles last night, released their latest, a "dubstep" album, The Path of Totality, Monday (Davis told Billboard Korn was "dubstep before there was dubstep").

Featuring production by the genre's boy wonder, Skrillex, the record includes the song "Illuminati." The track puts forth the conspiracy theory that Obama's decisions are dictated by a secret society called the Illuminati, which Davis says he's studied.




As Davis told Billboard, "I feel like Obama's an Illuminati puppet. He's basically dragged this country down into the worst it's ever been. Like I say about the White House, 'You've built this house of shame.' Everybody looked up at the White House and America and now I think it's like a house of shame. I miss the old days when people were proud to be American."

Supposedly, the Illuminati is an organization believed to engineer events and direct world affairs through governments and corporations with the aim of establishing a New World Order. Numerous musicians and actors, like Jay-Z and Will Smith, are rumored to be affiliated with the society.

Grammy surprise: Skrillex

Many people were surprised when the name Skrillex was announced in the best new artist category, along with the likes of Nicki Minaj and the Band Perry, during last week’s televised Grammy nominations special.

Count Skrillex as one of them.

A day after earning a whopping five nominations, the 23-year-old dance and dub-step producer was still taking it all in.

“It just hasn’t really hit me yet,” he said in a phone interview from Manchester, England. “I wouldn’t have thought I would come this far in so many ways.”

Skrillex scored the third-most nominations, matching Lil Wayne. Kanye West leads with seven nods; Adele, the Foo Fighters and Bruno Mars scored six each.

The Los Angeles-based Skrillex, born Sonny Moore, may be best known for “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites” (he’s also a producer on Korn’s new album, “The Path of Totality,” out this week).

Skrillex hasn’t had much success on the Billboard charts — he’s more of an underground artist. He’ll have some tough competition in the best new artist category: Besides facing the Band Perry and Minaj, who have dominated their respective fields, he’ll compete with Bon Iver, a critical darling, and J. Cole, who had a No. 1 album and is the protege of Jay-Z.

Skrillex is nominated for best dance recording for “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites,” as well as best dance/electronica album for his EP, which shares the same name. In 2010, Lady Gaga earned those trophies, and Rihanna’s “Only Girl (In the World)” was the winner of best dance recording earlier this year.

Skrillex will have to battle Robyn, Deadmau5 and David Guetta, acts who come from a background similar to his.

“I feel very proud of where I come from,” Skrillex said of being in the electronic music scene, a genre that has exploded on Top 40 radio in recent years. “I do feel like I represent something and I’m a part of something and it’s an honor to be there.”

Skrillex, who is also nominated for best remixed recording (non-classical) and best short form music video, says he hopes his Grammy love will give more attention to the dance music genre.

“I just hope it opens more doors for next year, not only Grammy nominations, but just everything in general,” he said.

The Grammys will be Feb. 12 in Los Angeles.

Skrillex and Corey Feldman -- Celebrity Doppelgangers

Skrillex (aka Sonny Moore) has become one of the most recognizable and vilified names in dub-step. Corey Feldman, 40, remains an '80s child star icon with a spotty reputation. So why compare their careers? Because they look exactly the same.

The tiny-mouthed, thin-lipped faces of a young Feldman and 23-year-old Skrillex are so similar you could peg them as long-lost brothers. Even beyond their facial similarities, the 'Stand by Me' actor and Grammy-nominated electronic ace have attempted to push the envelope of genre-specific music. Feldman's prog-rock band Truth Movement employs political wordplay about technology and modernism -- which just so happens to be a perfect combo for a Skrillex remix. Perhaps this bespectacled wunderkind is a clone of Corey Feldman ... born 17 years later to save the real Corey Feldman from the Fratellis?




Watch the Trailer for 'Re:Generation,' Featuring Skrillex

Google Search Traffic for 'Skrillex,' May 2010 − Present...

In 2007, Sonny Moore ditched his emo-screamo band and started a solo career, eventually adopting the moniker 'Skrillex'.  That was a good move...    

The left axis is Google's search volume index, with scaling fixed to the starting point (more on that methodology here).  There are definitely some nice milestones in this quick shot upward, though the ascendency has actually been fairly smooth (a good sign).  That includes a recent performance at Coachella (April), and a growing number of articles from major publications like the Guardian.

Actually, Skrillex's recent 5 Grammy nominations isn't even factored into this graph, due to a multi-day delay in traffic data.

Skrillex's Best New Artist nomination: One small step for dubstep, or one giant leap away from artistry?

When Skrillex, a 23 year-old dance-music producer from Los Angeles whose real name is Sonny Moore, nabbed the final Best New Artist slot at last night’s Grammy Nominations Concert, more than a few people balked:

Who is this Skill-rex person/band, and why has he/she/they taken away the nomination from my beloved (insert act here)?!

But other people were much more excited about his nomination (this is a real, if not strictly grammatical reaction from his official Facebook page):

Your  f–king amazing! I hope you win each and every one of those Grammy’s, you deserve it! F–k the haters that say otherwise, your dope as f–k!!!!!!

Truth is, if you aren’t still on the Party Rock circuit, you’ve likely never heard of Skrillex, the dubstep wunderkind whose trancey EPs blare at raves and festivals across the country and whose personal YouTube uploads have racked up over 190 million views. To the tech-savvy Gen-Zers, though, for whom thumping bass rumbles and beep-bop-boop remixes are commonplace, Skrillex is a god among DJs. (Somewhere, P!nk is totally confused by that line.)

Perhaps the Grammys were attempting to reach out to the youth demographic that every awards show so desperately desires by giving Skrillex a Best New Artist slot. Or perhaps they simply wanted to acknowledge the rise of dubstep/dance music by awarding him five nominations and giving deadmau5 three of his own. Or perhaps Grammy voters really just love Skrillex. (I mean, he clearly shares a lot of fans with last year’s Best New Artist winner, Esperanza Spalding, right?)

No matter what the reasoning, though, some people — you know, the kind who prefer guitars and pianos and lyrics (fogies!) –  just can’t consider Skrillex a legitimate music artist. They hear tracks like the one below and wonder, “Is this music or just noise?” (and also: “Get off my lawn!”):

“RE: GENERATION” The One Movie You NEED to See This Year

No one can deny the drastic changes the music industry has gone through over the past decade. Advancements in technology have completely changed the landscape of the music industry and redrawn the dividing lines between genres.

The upcoming film “RE: GENERATION” captures this motif perfectly as it chronicles the methodology and artistic intent behind some of the world’s biggest and best DJs and Hip-Hop artists.

Click ahead to watch the trailer and learn more!

Check out the mind-blowing trailer for “RE: GENERATION”:



Head to this page, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7 at 8:00 pm PT/11:00 pm ET for a music preview experience of the RE:GENERATION music project.

The live stream will feature an introduction by host Jason Bentley, followed by a short preview of the RE:GENERATION documentary.

Then, a Q&A with its featured artists DJ Premier, Skrillex, The Crystal Method, Erykah Badu and director Amir BAR-Lev, followed by a viewing of the RE:GENERATION MUSIC PROJECT’s videos of the film’s five songs!

Below, watch a clip of Skrillex’s work with the project:

Korn and dubstep friends unveil new album at the Palladium

Until recently, most music critics might have agreed that decades from now Korn would be remembered primarily for its genre-bending works of the late '90s. Few can disagree that songs such as "Freak on a Leash" and "Got the Life" and "Blind" were instrumental in ushering in the nü-metal style, imitated and further popularized by Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park, Papa Roach and the like.

But now, with Tuesday's release of the band's 10th and by far most experimental album, The Path of Totality, the Southern California staple is attempting to align itself with another, more current musical movement: dubstep. More specifically: dirty, dance-worthy dubstep, with help from some of that scene's most popular artists, including multiple Grammy nominee Skrillex, Excision, 12th Planet, Kill the Noise, Datsik and Downlink.

All of those acts were on hand – a few on the bill, most as surprise guests – for an elaborate album-release show at the Hollywood Palladium. Special for this event, the band outfitted the prestigious ballroom with an over-the-top stage setup that included a square lighting rig and a screen for visuals positioned directly above the pulsing audience. With multiple video cameras capturing everything (I predict a DVD release or TV special), Korn set out to prove they can still create a buzz by blazing new trails.

Still can't help but think they were beat to the punch, though. Mixing elements of traditional dubstep and house-leaning electronica isn't exactly a foreign concept. In fact, many of Korn's '90s peers – not to mention a slew of groups they influenced – have long tinkered with this fusion, as has the headliner itself in remixes and key album tracks over the years. Consequently, so many of the new cuts played this evening – grouped together in one set preceding a show-closing best-of batch – seemed to echo something all too familiar rather than distinctly fresh.

One exception was the opening "Get Up!," which featured a head-banging, furiously flailing Skrillex on extra guitar. The song encapsulated everything unique to Korn: the deep-toned, almost military rhythmic rumblings of bassist Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu and drummer Ray Luzier, the thrash-metal-inspired riffs of guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer, the unsettling but somehow infectiously catchy rage-filled roar of frontman Jonathan Davis. Underneath all that, Skrillex's rowdy, bass-laden production lent the track extra wallop that had fans waving glow sticks while they moshed.

Aside from that single, however, much of the material felt recycled. Though guest DJ Excision's brooding dubstep style was distinct in the chorus of "Illuminati," much of the melodic portions seemed to take cues from Trent Reznor's various electro-rock experiments. Likewise, the next song, "Chaos Lives in Everything," evoked shades of Nine Inch Nailsl' The Downward Spiral, with more aggressive house- and industrial-influenced beats (à la the Prodigy) throughout its bulk.

"Way Too Far," sporting special guests 12th Planet and O.C. producer Flinch, was somewhat redeeming; it harked back to Korn's hardcore roots, something akin to the demonic growling of Cannibal Corpse. But its softer chorus – as with the one for the Skrillex-enhanced track that followed, "Narcissistic Cannibal" – rang out like the arena-ready soundscapes Linkin Park has built its sound upon for several high-charting albums already.

So maybe Korn isn't doing anything groundbreaking with this material, and judging by the majority of arms-crossed, mildly interested fans hanging back for this first set, I doubt this album will get as much love from the die-hards. Yet the shift did seem to have a significantly positive effect on the outfit's showmanship; Davis & Co. haven't performed with this much unadulterated vigor in several years.

That recaptured youthful raucousness shone through most significantly in the second set, which began with Davis re-emerging shirtless and sneering for a hat-trick of hard-hitting classics: "Here to Stay" prompted a rush of fans to fill the floor, "Freak on a Leash" saw Davis going nearly hoarse from the intensity of his final screams, and "Falling Away from Me" ended with a series of insane drum rolls from Luzier that had Davis punching and kicking the air in apparent abandon.

Then, though "Did My Time" was planned on the printed setlist, the group quickly conversed and replaced it with a rarely heard first-album track, "Predictable." It has to be the most metal-ized selection Korn has attempted in its recent career.

"That was for all the old-school, real Korn motherf***in' fans," Davis shouted triumphantly at the song's end, adding that the band "didn't plan this."

That cut's nearly flawless execution acted as a perfect primer for the band's crushing cover of all three parts (combined) of Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall." Korn does this one frequently, and it's been less than mediocre on other occasions, but this time the riffs were turned up to 11, the singalong chorus prompted by Davis was deafening, and Shaffer's guitar solos – quite true to the originals – were astoundingly spine-tingling.

When Davis exited and re-entered playing the bagpipe intro to the live favorite "Shoots and Ladders," fans were suitably hyped – moshing, crowd-surfing, screaming like banshees. When the song resolved into the machine-gun breakdown from Metallica's "One" ("Darkness / Imprisoning me / All that I see / Absolute horror"), an all-out riot ensued, not letting up for one moment during what followed, "Got the Life" and "Blind," the two singles that launched Korn's mainstream career.

A pointed round of thank-you's – to producers, lighting and sound techs, guest artists, of course the fans – underscored the significance of this particular show. It was telling that Davis asked Luzier to come down from his massive drum kit so he could "publicly thank" all his band members together for letting him "take (the) kick drum and snare away" and "experiment on some crazy-ass sh*t."
Clearly Davis recognized the risk they took in completely changing direction for this new album. But if this sort of creative foray can enliven this group to the impressive level displayed here, no Korn devotees should retract their loyalty.

Rosie O'Donnell, Neil Patrick Harris and Mario Lopez

Project Runway: All Stars will begin airing Thursday, Jan. 5, 2012, on Lifetime, according to a press release. Among the 13 designers returning to the catwalk are Mondo Guerra, Austin Scarlett, Kara Janx and Rami Kashou. Supermodel Angela Lindvall will host, with world-famous designers Isaac Mizrahi and Georgina Chapman as the judges. Guest judges will include supermodel Miranda Kerr, musician/producer Pharrell Williams and the iconic Miss Piggy.


Former Law & Order: SVU star Christopher Meloni is in talks for a role in the upcoming fifth season of the pansexual HBO drama True Blood, according to Reuters. The network said that Meloni's role will be significant. The actor currently has two other projects—the comedy Awful Nice and the Superman film Man of Steel—heading for theaters. The next season of True Blood will premiere next summer.

The Miss America pageant is at the center of controversy because it turns out that one of the main sponsors of the California preliminaries is a gay-porn star and producer, the Huffington Post reported. Ric Alonso and longtime partner Ernie Koneck are involved with a nonprofit (the Southern California Scholarship Association)that produces the Miss Hollywood pageant; however, it turns out that Alonso goes by the pseudonym Jake Cruise, and is a porn figure who owns hardcore gay-porn websites. Koneck has resigned from the scholarship association and stressed that Alonso's involvement has been strictly financial.

Josh Charles, a star of the CBS show The Good Wife, is part of the Human Rights Campaign's "Americans for Marriage Equality" project, according to a press release. In an ad, Charles (who plays a lawyer on the show) says, "You don't need a law degree to understand fundamental fairness." HRC President Joe Solmonese said, "Like most Americans, Josh Charles believes all couples should have the opportunity to say 'I do.'"

The ABC Family show Pretty Little Liars has been renewed for a third season, according to SheWired.com. The show, based on the series of books by Sara Shepard, focuses on four teens bound by their secrets; their bitchy best friend's murder; and the blackmailer "A," who threatens to expose all of the skeletons. Among the four teens is Emily (played by Shay Mitchell), a pretty jock who happens to be lesbian.

Out director Adam Shankman will head New Line Cinema's The Nutcracker, a new take on the classic fairy tale that may air in late 2013, according to Deadline.com. This version of The Nutcracker goes back to the original 1815 book by E.T.A. Hoffman, about a young girl and a wooden toy soldier who comes alive and takes her on an adventure. Shankman just finished Rock of Ages, an adaptation of the stage musical that stars Tom Cruise, Russell Brand, Alec Baldwin and Mary J. Blige.

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe has been cast as the late gay poet Allen Ginsberg in the film Kill Your Darlings, according to Advocate.com. After he's done with the Broadway production How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Radcliffe will replace the departing Jesse Eisenberg in the movie. The screenplay is based on an incident between Ginsberg and fellow members of the Beat circle, Jack Kerouac and Lucien Carr: In 1944, the heterosexual Carr murdered David Kammerer, who had been obsessively pursuing the 19-year-old.

Adele has received six Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year for her CD, 21, according to MTV.com. Rapper Kanye West led all artists with seven nods, while Foo Fighters and Bruno Mars also got six nominations each. Foo Fighters, Lady Gaga, Mars and Rihanna also got nods for Album of the Year, while Adele, Bon Iver, Mars, Mumford & Sons and Katy Perry were nominated for Record of the Year. The Band Perry, Bon Iver, J. Cole, Nicki Minaj and Skrillex received Best New Artist nods. The 54th annual Grammys will take place Feb. 12, 2012, on CBS.

Deborra-Lee Furness, the 56-year-old wife of actor Hugh Jackman, has dismissed gay rumors about her husband as "tragic," according to an US Magazine item. US said that Furness told Page Six Magazine, "The line I heard was, 'Wolverine? Who would have thought?' Hugh and I don't pay much heed. It's kind of tragic that these people have nothing better to do than gossip about people they don't know." The couple have two children and have been married since 1996.

Actor Neil Patrick Harris may have gotten into hot water with the transgender community, according to the Huffington Post. While co-hosting the Dec. 2 episode of Live! with Kelly, the out actor said, "I've never sounded more like a tranny in my life" while participating in an experiment designed to make one's voice sound lower. Harris has apologized, tweeting, "Truly sorry for saying the word 'tranny' on Live this week. Twice! Should have been more thoughtful. Didn't at all mean to offend."

Speaking of Harris, his partner, David Burtka, will be an on-air correspondent for E!, according to Advocate.com. Burtka will be a correspondent for E! News, as well as for Live from the Red Carpet and other E! specials. Burtka, a veteran Broadway performer, will start in January.

Transgender woman Chantal Spears is suing Khloe Kardashian for assault, according to TMZ.com. Spears claims that in December 2009, Kardashian violently hit her "in and about her body," causing severe injuries. Kardashian was reportedly irate after Spears approached her husband, Lamar Odom, and said he was "too young to be married."

Singer Gloria Estefan will reportedly guest-star on the TV series Glee, according to AceShowbiz.com. Estefan is said to be slated to play the mother of Santana, the lesbian cheerleader by Naya Rivera. Estefan will appear in the same January episode as singer Ricky Martin, who will play "the hottest Spanish teacher ever in the history of Ohio."

Extra host and former Saved by the Bell actor Mario Lopez stripped down to his underwear to promote Rated M, his new line of underwear, according to AceShowbiz.com. In the preview, Lopez, 38, said that the "M" in his label "stands for masculine, modern, Mario... make it whatever you want it to be." Rated M, which Lopez launched Dec. 1, is available on underwear retailer Fresh Pair.

Lady Gaga is reportedly planning an unprecedented world tour, according to Digital Spy. The singer would like to break U2's record for the highest-grossing and best-attended tour of all time with a 450-date, two-year global journey. Her recent "Monster Ball Tour" became the most profitable tour ever by a debut headliner.

Croatian journalist James J. Braddock (aka Josip J. Knezevic) has filed a copyright-infringement suit that names In the Land of Blood and Honey, the movie that is Angelina Jolie's directorial debut, according to AceShowbiz.com. Braddock claimed Jolie pilfered the story from an article he wrote and published in 2007. The movie, which Jolie wrote, is about a love story between a Muslim woman and a Serbian soldier during the Bosnian war.

The animated film Ice Age will become a stage show next year, according to Digital Spy. Ice Age Live! A Mammoth Adventure will kick off November 2012, touring the world for the five years. Meanwhile, Ice Age 4: Continental Drift, will hit theaters next July; it'll feature the voices of Ray Romano, Denis Leary, Nicki Minaj, Jeremy Renner and Wanda Sykes, among others.

The Dec. 6 episode of the Lifetime show America's Supernanny featured child-care expert Deborah Tillman helping a lesbian couple and their six children (including 2 1/2-year-old quadruplets), according to a press release. Tillman helped Camby, Ind., couple Amy Paul and Mandy Sheckles gain control of the quadruplets while the older children (ages 7 and 9) compete for attention. Tillman is a Virginia-based wife, mother and author who has more than 19 years experience in early childhood education, working with infants, toddlers, preschoolers and elementary school students.

NBC and the NFL announced that Madonna will perform during halftime of the next Super Bowl, according to AolTV.com. In a statement, the "Like a Prayer" singer she's partnered with a creative team from Cirque du Soleil, choreographer Jamie King and artists from Moment Factory "to create a signature performance for the Super Bowl's Halftime Show, which will be broadcast worldwide." Super Bowl LXVI will take place at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis Sunday, Feb. 5.

Former Miss USA Rima Fakih was arrested Dec. 3 on drunk-driving charges in the Detroit suburb of Highland Park, according to NorthwestOhio.com. Fakih's attorney, Doraid Elder, said that Fakih is "very saddened and very apologetic for the situation that she is in right now." Fakih, 26, won the Miss USA Pageant in 2010, representing Michigan.

In talking with Entertainment Weekly, film director/producer Steven Spielberg said that he was the wrong director to acquit some of the more sexually honest encounters between Shug and Celie" in the 1985 movie The Color Purple, according to Advocate.com. Addressing criticism he received for changing the lesbian relationship in the novel of the same name, Spielberg added, "There were certain things in the [lesbian] relationship between Shug Avery and Celie that were very finely detailed in Alice [Walker]'s book that I didn't feel we could get a [PG-13] rating. And I was shy about it."

Personality/real-estate mogul Donald Trump has said that he's responsible for Lady Gaga's commercial success, according to Advocate.com. In his new book, Time to Get Tough: Making America #1 Again, Trump writes about the Gaga phenomenon, saying, "I really believe I had at least something to do with it. She became a big star and maybe she became a star because I put her on the Miss Universe pageant. It's very possible, who knows what would have happened without it, because she caused a sensation."

Rosie O'Donnell is engaged. According to People.com, O'Donnell, 49, will say "I do" to girlfriend Michelle Rounds. The talk-show host told her audience Dec. 5 during a commercial break. The couple originally met earlier this year at a Starbucks. In October, O'Donnell joked that her "gaydar was way off" because she thought Rounds was heterosexual and just 28 years old, when really she is a lesbian and 40.

Actress Sara Rue will star in the new sitcom Poseurs, about a woman who pretends to be half of a lesbian couple in order to live in an upscale apartment, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Rue (Popular; Less Than Perfect) will play Lucy, described as "a young woman whose life is upended when her fiancee moves out and her fresh-from-rehab collegiate best friend Alexandra moves in. In order to maintain her swanky New York co-op, which doesn't technically allow for roommates, Lucy and Alex enter into a mutually beneficial domestic partnership—complete with all of the challenges and few of the perks."

Study playlist creates perfect exam cram vibe

There is a moment that occurs during a late-night study session when the deafening silence – broken only by the typing of keys, the sniffling and coughing of sick and tired collegiate souls, the crinkly of candy bar wrappers and the slurping of caffeinated beverages – drives any student to the brink of insanity.
Some students depend on absolute quiet to concentrate on their work, but others need background music. There is a reason tears are shed when an iPod battery dies in the middle of a late night; music can be a lifesaver.

But what music should one listen to while studying? People will, of course, gravitate toward their favorite bands or genres, but sometimes this isn’t ideal. While some students may possess the skills to be able to concentrate while blasting Kanye West and Jay-Z’s “Watch The Throne,” Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” or Skrillex’s “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites,” not all possess that kind of talent.

The ideal background music provides a sense of calm and stability for the student, while also providing the energy needed to power through a marathon session of hitting the books. Everyone has their own music tastes, but here are six different albums to consider for the next time you’re in the library.

Andrew Bird – “Andrew Bird and the Mysterious Production of Eggs”

For those who have not yet experienced an Andrew Bird listening/study session, it is simply a must. Like most of his music, his 2005 album utilizes soothing vocals, an overlapping array of instruments and A-plus whistling to create a truly unique and interesting sound. Bird’s music is relaxing and won’t compete against textbooks for the attention of one’s brain. But there may just come a time when the student – despite focusing very little on the music itself – will have a sudden realization of just how awesome this album is.

Avett Brothers – “I And Love And You”


If the stress levels are rising, play “I And Love And You.” This folk-rock album is more energetic than some of the band’s previous work and will – with perhaps the exception of a brief screaming episode at the end of the song “Kick Drum Heart” – succeed in calming any anxious studier.

Bob Dylan – “Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan”

Sometimes, however, mellow music is the only way to go. If caffeine or other substances are preventing one from being tired, then there will be no harm in putting on “Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan.” This is classic Dylan from 1963 with “Blowin’ In The Wind” and “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” being two of the most notable tracks. Like the Avett Brothers, Bob Dylan is a powerful cure to handle mounting anxiety and stress.


Fleetwood Mac – “Rumours”

In the late night hours when coffee is beginning to fail, “Rumours” is always a safe bet. The 1976 hit album has enough energy to jumpstart any tired college student and on the plus side, it’s just plain excellent music. Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie even provide an unintentional reminder to focus on work for future classes and tests when they sing, “Don’t stop thinking about tomorrow. Don’t stop, it will soon be here.”

Lupe Fiasco – “Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor”


For fans of rap and hip-hop that are shaking their heads at this list so far, Lupe Fiasco’s first album may just do the trick. “Food & Liquor” uses very simple background tracks which make Fiasco’s clever rhymes easy to listen to, even during hours of cramming for that final.


Steely Dan – “Aja”

The search for the perfect study album of jazz and rock fusion is over; cue up “Aja” and prepare to be blown away. The 1977 album has the perfect mix of classic Steely Dan vocal magic and incredible jazz instrumental solos. The only downside to this album is that it’s only seven songs long. But the Steely Dan studying/jamming session can continue with their next album “Gaucho,” or with singer Donald Fagen’s solo album “The Nightfly.”

During finals time, the work can be plentiful and the tension high. Sometimes all it takes is listening to the right album to put any mind at ease and back on track.

David Guetta Congratulates Skrillex For Grammy Nomintations

David Guetta has praised fellow producer Skrillex for his Grammy and BBC Sound Of 2012 nominations.

The 'Who's that Chick' DJ claims the public recognition of Skrillex is good for the dance community as a whole.

"It's a statement: I think it's really good that an artist from our community is nominated just as 'an artist.' Not as a 'dance' artist, you know?" he said before adding "I think that it's good that [our] music is now getting the attention and the respect that all the other styles of music, like hip-hop, are getting."

Guetta, himself a multiple Grammy winner, seemed perfectly content being out of the limelight for once.

"He's extremely talented, and I'm very happy for him," he said.

Skrillex is on the longlist for BBC Sound Of 2012 and was nominated for five Grammys including Best New Artist.

David Guetta, Others Laud Skrillex For Grammy Noms

Last week, it was announced that Sonny Moore, the rocker-twisted-DJ/producer that has exploded onto the electronic music scene as Skrillex, has been nominated for five Grammy Awards. Included among the noms is Best New Artist, a initially in Grammy history for a “DJ.”

And while Skrill’s Grammy salutes may have come as a shock to him when he heard the news while in Manchester, U.K., his EDM cohorts say the recognition makes perfect sense.

“I am just so pleased for Skrillex, man!” his 19-year-ancient friend and former OWSLA tourmate, Porter Robinson said. “He certainly deserves it. I’ve been saying it all year, he’s the most influential musician of this year, in any genre. Incredible sound designer. Incredible songwriter. Incredible performer.”

EDM artist, friend and collaborator Sofi said, “He’s been in bands before. He’s an brilliant songwriter. He can sing. He’s just so versatile that I reckon that comes through in his music. He kind of brought this ‘rock,’ ‘raw’ element into electronic music. He’s the punk rock of the new generation.”

In 2011, Skrillex has whipped up hearty remixes (his remix of Benny Benassi and Gary Go’s “Cinema” remains a fan pet), unrestricted his EP More Monsters and Sprites, supplied songs for video games, launched his OWSLA record mark, played massive festivals, jumped on Kaskade’s new album and produced songs for Korn’s new album ? just to name a sliver of his endeavors.

Regardless of how Skrillex is categorized as an artist (he’s often called a “dubstep” artist ? a moniker he doesn’t agree with), fans, critics and artists alike, from niche to pop, all seem to be onboard the Skrillex train.

“He’s extremely talented, and I’m very pleased for him,” beamed dance music’s most well loved veteran, David Guetta. “It’s a proclamation: I reckon it’s really excellent that an artist from our community is nominated just as ‘an artist.’ Not as a ‘dance’ artist, you know? I reckon that it’s excellent that [our] music is now getting the attention and the respect that all the other styles of music, like hip-hop, are getting.”

To mark the Grammy recognition, Sonny’s friends questioned us to share their congratulations with him.

“Skrilly, congratulations, dude!” shouted Tommy Lee. “That’s so rad, man. I’m sitting here thinking a year ago we were sitting in my studio and you were playing me your new sh–, and Blam! Grammy nods like a muthaf—-! Congratulations, dude! Kill that sh–, brotha!”

“Sonny, man, I just want to congratulate you on the Grammys!” echoed Porter Robinson. “It’s been an absolutely insane year. The tour that we did together, the OWSLA tour, was without question the best time of my life. You deserve this like nobody else, so congratulations!”

“Skrilly, congratulations on your many nominations!” Sofi exclaimed. “I’m just really thrilled for you buddy. You’re awesomely talented and you know I’ve been a fan of yours since day one. I remember when you showed me your EP that came out on mau5trap (deadmau5′ mark) and I told you that you were going to get REAL busy! And guess what ? I can’t even get a hold of you anymore!” she laughed. “Excellent for you, buddy! Go get ‘em!”

What do you reckon of Skrillex, his nominations and what he’s been able to achieve this year? Sound off in the comments below!