Get a sneak peek at the ‘Hunger Games’ soundtrack video before it premieres Monday at 7:54 p.m. ET on MTV. By Jocelyn Vena Taylor Swift in her “Safe & Sound” video Photo: Big Machine On Monday, Taylor Swift will debut the video for “Safe & Sound,” her Civil Wars-assisted single from the “Hunger Games” soundtrack, during “MTV First: Taylor Swift” at 7:54 p.m. ET on MTV, followed by an exclusive chat with Swift herself on MTV.com. But you don’t have to wait until Monday to catch a sneak peek of the emotional video. In a mini-tease, Swift is wearing a long, white dress. Her hair and makeup are not done — it’s a far cry from the red-carpet-ready Taylor fans are used to seeing. She sings the moody track while she walks through the woods — an obvious connection to the “Hunger Games” film and book that inspired the track. After Monday’s video premiere — which will also air live on MTV’s channels in Canada, Europe, Latin America, Australia, Asia and Africa — the Grammy-nominated singer will sit down with MTV News’ Sway Calloway for a 30-minute interview on MTV.com. Fans of the superstar can get in on the action by submitting questions via Twitter @MTVNews with the hashtags #AskTaylor or #MTVFirst. CMT will air “Safe & Sound” at 8 p.m. ET, the same time the music video will debut exclusively online at MTV.com, CMT.com, VH1.com and MTV’s international sites. On Tuesday morning, VH1’s “Big Morning Buzz Live” will feature the video at 10 a.m. ET/PT. The “Hunger Games” soundtrack , which also features Arcade Fire and the Decemberists, drops March 20; the movie hits theaters days later, on March 23. And for those non-Swifties wondering why Taylor chose Monday to drop the video, it’s the 13th and that happens to be the star’s lucky number . Don’t miss the premiere of Taylor Swift’s “Safe & Sound” video during “MTV First: Taylor Swift” on Monday at 7:54 p.m. ET on MTV, followed by an exclusive chat with Swift about her “Hunger Games” clip on MTV.com. Related Artists Taylor Swift
Red Hot Chili Peppers, Wilco and Jeff Beck round out list of five former Grammy winners competing in hotly contested category. By James Montgomery Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl Photo: Peter Wafzig/ Getty Images Five disparate discs will go head to head in the Best Rock Album category during Sunday’s 54th Grammy Awards (or, probably, during the pre-televised ceremony), which is a pretty apt way to sum up a year when the Decemberists topped the Billboard charts and the best-selling rock record — Mumford & Son’s Sigh No More — was actually released in 2010. In short, 2011 didn’t make a whole lot of sense. So we suppose it’s even more fitting that neither the Decemberists or Mumford & Sons are actually nominated for Best Rock Album at this year’s Grammys. Instead, it’s the Foo Fighters, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Kings of Leon, Wilco and Jeff Beck who will duke it out for the golden gramophone — and really, each of them have a pretty-realistic shot at winning. They’ve all got Grammy trophies at home (KOL even took home one of the so-called “Big Four” awards — Record of the Year, for “Use Somebody” — in 2009), and through the years, they’ve each proven themselves as mainstays when the Recording Academy reveals its list of nominees. All of which means that this year’s race is certain to be one of the most-tightly contested in years. Will hard-rock enthusiasts carry the Foos to victory? Can indie-leaning voters help Wilco take home the award? Will purists go all-in on Jeff Beck’s Les Paul tribute album? We won’t know for sure until the winner is announced Sunday. In the meantime, here’s a look at the five nominees for Best Rock Album: Foo Fighters, Wasting Light : Born from humble beginnings (they recorded the disc straight to tape in Dave Grohl’s garage ), Wasting Light went on to accomplish great things, not only giving the Foos their first-ever #1 debut in the U.S., but revitalizing the band’s spirit, which they admitted had been worn down after years on the touring/recording treadmill. In the process, the Foos served notice that they’re still formidable two decades on, the rare band as capable of churning out snarling stompers as they are radio-friendly numbers. A win here would give the Foos four Best Rock Album Grammys, twice as many as their nearest competitors (Green Day, U2 and, uh, Sheryl Crow). Jeff Beck, Rock ‘n’ Roll Party (Honoring Les Paul) : Part tribute, part rollicking rock workout, Beck honors his idol, the late, great Les Paul, with this effervescent disc. Recorded live at New York’s Iridium Jazz Club — where Paul played a weekly slot until his death in August 2009 — on what would’ve been the guitar pioneer’s 95th birthday, it features guest appearances from Brian Setzer, Trombone Shorty and Gary U.S. Bonds and nearly as many memorable moments. Given all that (not to mention the sentimental nature of Grammy voters), this could be the dark-horse favorite to take it all. Kings of Leon, Come Around Sundown : The follow-up to their breakout, Only By the Night , didn’t quite match the commercial successes of its predecessor, but that doesn’t mean it’s a dud. Instead, Sundown finds the brothers (and cousin) Followill coming to terms with their newfound fame, setting down roots and allowing their once bottled-up, garage-proofed rock to flower and flourish (think lap steel, Wurlitzers and horns). It’s a solid effort, though it remains to be seen if the Kings can match their post- Night Grammy haul, when they took home three awards (including the aforementioned Record of the Year) based on the strength of the album. Red Hot Chili Peppers, I’m With You : After a two-year hiatus (and a five-year gap between albums), the Chili Peppers returned in 2011 with I’m With You, a record of dizzying highs (not all of them drug-related) and disorienting lows. A spirited album that’s most certainly haunted by spirits of past regrets and departed friends, much like the Foo’s Wasting Light, the Peppers credit I’m With You — the first to feature guitarist Josh Klinghoffer — with revitalizing their band — which, given both the length and low periods of their amazing career, is definitely saying something. Wilco, The Whole Love : After sounding slightly bored (to some) on 2009’s Wilco (The Album), Jeff Tweedy and Co. returned last year with The Whole Love, an album that sees the band rediscovering their adventurous Yankee Hotel Foxtrot / A Ghost is Born period. At turns voluminous, foreboding, inscrutable and drop-dead gorgeous, it not only captures Wilco at their best, but also at a bit of a career crossroads. Regardless of wherever they go from here, we’ll definitely be listening. Related Videos A Guide To The Grammys 2012 MTV First: Foo Fighters’ ‘Rope’ MTV First: Red Hot Chili Peppers Related Artists Foo Fighters Kings Of Leon
Day after Decemberists withdrew support, breast cancer charity announces it has reinstated funding for PP health centers. By Gil Kaufman Much like Congress rethought its decision after the outpouring of public anger over the anti-piracy SOPA and PIPA (Personal Information Protection Act) acts, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation had a change of heart on Friday (February 3) after intense criticism for its decision to stop funding Planned Parenthood initiatives. Komen, the organization behind the popular pink-ribbon campaign, announced on Tuesday that it would stop funding breast cancer prevention, screening and education at Planned Parenthood health centers — a decision Planned Parenthood claimed was in response to pressure from pro-life groups. Over the past five years, PP centers with Komen program funding have provided nearly 170,000 clinical breast exams out of the more than 4 million exams performed nationwide at PP health centers, as well as more than 6,400 mammogram referrals out of 70,000 total referrals, according to PP. Following the firestorm of controversy over the decision, the founder and CEO of the nation’s largest breast-cancer advocacy group said on Friday that the group would work to change the criteria that sparked the outcry. “We will continue to fund existing grants, including those of Planned Parenthood, and preserve their eligibility to apply for future grants,” Nancy G. Brinker said in a statement . “We want to apologize to the American public for recent decisions that cast doubt upon our commitment to our mission of saving women’s lives.” Brinker went further, acknowledging that the original decision to pull funding was done for “political reasons, or specifically to penalize Planned Parenthood.” In the wake of the public furor, Komen’s director of community health programs resigned in protest over the decision. In addition, 26 U.S. senators had signed a letter this week asking Komen to reconsider its withdrawal decision. One of the leading artistic voices of dissent over the initial Komen withdrawal from Planned Parenthood were the Decemberists. The band had worked with Komen since the band’s keyboardist, Jenny Conlee, had revealed her breast cancer diagnosis. When news broke on Tuesday that Komen had pulled funding for breast cancer examinations at PP, the Decemberists redirected the funds from their “Team Jenny” T-shirt to PP. On their website , they explained, “The Decemberists are deeply troubled by Komen for the Cure’s recent decision to cut off funding to Planned Parenthood, a vital resource in the battle against breast cancer. Providing cancer screenings to low income women is integral to the prevention and defeat of breast cancer and it is unconscionable that Komen should politicize this very important issue by bowing to the fear campaign being waged against PP by the right.” On Friday, the band added an update to their initial posting, writing, “The Decemberists are pleased that Komen for the Cure reversed their decision.”
From the film’s premiere to casting ‘Catching Fire,’ Hobnobbing takes a look at what to look forward to this year. By Amy Wilkinson Jennifer Lawrence in the “Hunger Games” trailer Photo: Lionsgate The past year boasted a cornucopia of ” Hunger Games ” highlights for fans to chew on, from the casting of Jennifer Lawrence as gritty heroine Katniss Everdeen to the first full-length trailer to the recent debut of Taylor Swift’s soundtrack song “Safe and Sound.” But as bountiful as 2011’s harvest was, 2012 will offer a bumper crop of news from the big-screen adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ dystopian tome as it finally hits theaters March 23. Though our calls to Greasy Sae’s Psychic Hotline have gone unanswered, we have a few educated guesses about what the new year holds for Panem’s people. Read on for our five forecasts: 1. One more trailer With just about two and a half months to go until the first film’s debut, we’d bet a silver parachute that fans will get to feast on one more look at Katniss, Peeta and Gale before the tributes enter the arena. What another clip would include , well, we’re less sure about that, but we wouldn’t mind a closer look at life in District 12 or a more detailed glimpse at the other 22 tributes. 2. A full soundtrack announcement Swift, the Civil Wars, the Decemberists and Arcade Fire’s husband/wife duo of Win Butler and Regine Chassagne have all been secured for the T-Bone Burnett-produced soundtrack, but we suspect a few more artists will enter the fray before all is said and sung. I’ve already made my plea for Florence and the Machine , while NextMovie suggested acts like Snow Patrol and Regina Spektor for the much-anticipated album. We’ll keep our ears to the ground for this one. 3. The film’s premiere Unless the apocalypse comes early, March 23 will be a blessed day for “Hunger Games” acolytes, as the flick will finally blaze into theaters. We expect more than a few faithful to camp out at their local cineplex for a midnight showing. And we’re more than ready to drool over whatever confections Lawrence wears on the red carpet during the movie’s premieres and publicity circuit. 4. Casting “Catching Fire” With the second “Hunger Games” installment already slated for a November 22, 2013, release (and an Oscar-winning writer being eyed for the script), we expect the follow-up to begin shooting in mid- to late 2012 — which means a whole new slew of casting calls! Where are you Finnick , Johanna, Beetee and Mags? 5. First look at “Catching Fire” Asking for a celluloid sneak would be a stretch, but we don’t think it’s completely inconceivable to think a first snapshot might find its way to the Web by the final days of 2012. Here’s hoping the “Catching Fire” director (whomever he/she will be) isn’t afraid to take a cue from “Breaking Dawn” helmer Bill Condon, who released the first photographic teaser for the final “Twilight” installments over Thanksgiving in 2010. Happy holidays, “Hunger Games” fans? What are your expectations for “The Hunger Games” in 2012? Sound off in the comments below and tweet me @amymwilk with your thoughts and suggestions for future columns! Check out everything we’ve got on “The Hunger Games.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com .
Rock bands had a hard time breaking through in 2010, but our critics say new indie groups might be nirvana for the genre. By Gil Kaufman Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig Photo: Karl Walter/Getty Images There was a time not long ago when good-old fashioned meat-and-potatoes rockers like Nickelback , Hinder and Disturbed frequently landed albums in the top 10 and reeled off solid chart singles. Then came a new generation of bands like MGMT , Vampire Weekend and Arcade Fire who were heralded as the saviors of a limping-along genre that had been overtaken by pop cuties like Katy Perry, Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga. “In 2010, we just didn’t see the people like the MGMTs, who potentially could have taken over the top from being a great niche artist to being a pop sensation [take off],” said Noah Callahan-Bever, editor-in-chief of Complex magazine, addressing the psychedelic duo’s confounding, sometimes confusing second album, Congratulations. But maybe it was just an off year and, as Elliott Wilson, founder and CEO of Rap Radar suggested, we’re due for the kind of musical flushing of the pipes we experienced back in 1991 with the rise of Nirvana. Back then, music was emerging from an era of spandex and lipstick rule by a generation of hair-metal bands like Poison and M
Yet-untitled record is shaping up to be their heaviest to date. By James Montgomery The Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage The Foo Fighters , for the majority of their career, have been the kind of band that only operates on a really, really huge level (witness their two-night stand at London’s Wembley Stadium in 2008 for proof of this, or even the sprawling, double-disc In Your Honor album). So when Dave Grohl is saying that their new album is, well, “massive,” you’re probably going to notice. On Tuesday (January 4), Grohl spoke to BBC Radio 1’s Zane Lowe about the Foos’ still-untitled new album (which they had apparently just finished the night before, according to a celebratory tweet ), and from the sound of things, it’s going to be a big deal. “There’s 11 songs and, front to back, there’s not one sleepy ballad,” Grohl said. “The fact that we did it without any computers, it was just really simple. It just sounds massive. It’s different to any other Foo Fighters album, because it just sounds big. It was really inspiring.” The band began work on the album — which Grohl said will be hitting stores “in spring” — last September. They teamed up with super-producer Butch Vig (Nirvana’s Nevermind ), former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic and, judging by the photo he posted on the band’s Twitter account, frequent Nirvana collaborator/former Foo Pat Smear too. But rather than go for a big studio sound, the band opted for a much, well, simpler approach. “It was really in my garage,” Grohl said. “You could put a minivan in there and that’s it. We entered into this project with a direction. The first song we started recording, the tape just started shredding.” And judging by the early results — a 10-second snippet of a song called “White Limo” the band tweeted on Monday — Grohl isn’t kidding about the massive part. Or the rough-around-the-edges garage bludgeon, either. This really could be their heaviest work to date. And now, with the recording out of the way, the Foos can focus on more important tasks — like picking the first single. “I don’t even know what the single is going to be,” Grohl said. “It’s hard to choose because it sounds like there’s more than one.” What are you expecting from the new Foo Fighters album? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Foo Fighters
Rock bands had a hard time breaking through in 2010, but our critics say indie groups like Vampire Weekend might be nirvana for the genre. By Gil Kaufman Photo: Getty Images There was a time not long ago when good-old fashioned meat-and-potatoes rockers like Nickelback, Hinder and Disturbed frequently landed albums in the top 10 and reeled off solid chart singles. Then came a new generation of bands like MGMT, Vampire Weekend and Arcade Fire who were heralded as the saviors of a limping-along genre that had been overtaken by pop cuties like Katy Perry, Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga. “In 2010, we just didn’t see the people like the MGMTs, who potentially could have taken over the top from being a great niche artist to being a pop sensation [take off],” said Noah Callahan-Bever, editor-in-chief of Complex magazine, addressing the psychedelic duo’s confounding, sometimes confusing second album, Congratulations. But maybe it was just an off year and, as Elliott Wilson, founder and CEO of Rap Radar suggested, we’re due for the kind of musical flushing of the pipes we experienced back in 1991 with the rise of Nirvana. Back then, music was emerging from an era of spandex and lipstick rule by a generation of hair-metal bands like Poison and M
