Those NMA TV wizards have done it again: Watch as the Taiwanese animators offer their take on the in-progress South by Southwest Music, Film and Interactive festival (“If you’re watching this animation, that likely means you’re not at SXSW. You’re probably not even cool enough to go”). Tears, hippie DJs, 21 Jump Street , bands the rest of the world will hear about months from now… it’s all here! Okay, okay. SXSW isn’t quite as douchey as this video suggests — though the divide between the Interactive/Music folks and the Film attendees always feels like some sort of class division. But earlier today, I di d overhear the following while walking downtown: “What if pills could contain… ideas?” And also: “The thing is, I already have a green trucker hat!” Here’s hoping more notable SXSW ’12 events happen that warrant their own NMA video. Where’s Jake Gyllenhaal when you need him? [ NMA ] Catch up with Movieline’s ongoing coverage of SXSW Film and follow along on Twitter .
First-round voting set to close Sunday at midnight. By James Montgomery Foo Fighters Photo: MTV News The Foo Fighters entered the 2011 Musical March Madness tournament as the top seed in the meaty Midwest region, and, so far, they’ve lived up to that high billing, totally dominating their over-matched first-round opponents, 16th-seeded the Damned Things . Vote for your favorite bands now over on the Newsroom blog. With voting on opening-round matchups set to close Sunday at midnight, the Foos hold a commanding 73-27 lead over the Damned Things (who were rallying the troops early) , all but ensuring them a spot in the second round of our tournament. And though they’re poised to move one step closer to hoisting the championship trophy , the Foos remain remarkably nonplussed about not only their title hopes, but the entire MMM bracket, for that matter. “That sounds like exercise or something,” Foos frontman Dave Grohl replied when asked about Musical March Madness. “And ‘bracket’ sounds like ‘brisket’ to me. Sort of makes me want to eat something.” It bears mention that Grohl said this one day after the Foo Fighters kicked off the South by Southwest Music Festival with a raucous surprise set at the Austin, Texas, BBQ shack/venue Stubb’s , which probably explains why he had brisket on the brain. But still, with a field of competitors that still includes heavyweights like 30 Seconds to Mars , Linkin Park and Panic! at the Disco , you’d think the Foos would a least be looking ahead to the tournament’s later rounds. But, again, you’d be wrong. Instead of looking forward, the Foo Fighters are looking backward. Seems, if anything, their Musical March Madness success has stirred up some painful childhood memories — certainly a first in the illustrious two-year history of the tourney. “[It] makes me think of walking down the hallway in high school and being called ‘f–‘ by all the jocks,” guitarist Chris Shiflett said, laughing. “You now what though?” drummer Taylor Hawkins added. “If you saw a picture of Chris in high school, you’d understand.” Will the Foos survive to stir up more bad thoughts for Shiflett? Or will they be felled by one of their fellow titans? Well, that’s really up to you, isn’t it? Voting is now open in all first-round matchups over on the Newsroom blog and closes Sunday night. May the best band win, even if it pains them to do so. MTV’s Musical March Madness tournament is back! Voting on all first-round matchups continues until Sunday, at which point we’ll move on to the second round of the action. All winners are determined by your votes, so if your favorite act made the cut, it’ll be up to you to guide them to glory. You can rally the troops on Twitter using the hashtag #MMM — but get ready, it’s gonna be a war. Related Photos Bands Hit The Court For MTV’s 2011 Musical March Madness
‘She found out through other people,’ Tyler tells MTV News. By Steven Roberts, with reporting by Christopher Smith Odd Future’s Tyler, the Creator Photo: MTV News Odd Future’s de facto leader, Tyler, the Creator, was blessed with a haunting, captivating voice, the perfect fit for his witty, yet often uncomfortable, lyrics. His voice will be on full display when he and his Odd Future groupmates take the stage to perform at the 2011 mtvU Woodies on Wednesday night (March 16). But what fans may not know is that Tyler is also a producer. Along with MellowHype’s Left Brain, Tyler has produced a majority of Odd Future’s rich but brief catalog. A photo recently surfaced of Left Brain and Tyler in the studio with Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams of the Neptunes. Both Left Brain and Tyler’s work is deeply influenced by the once-ubiquitous production duo, and Tyler has made no secret of their impact on his life, even tweeting about meeting with Pharrell.
A look at the most imperfectly perfect musical festival in history, in Bigger Than the Sound. By James Montgomery Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl performs at SXSW on Tuesday Photo: Tim Mosenfelder/ Getty Images The South by Southwest Music Festival turns 25 this year, and much like any other 25-year-old, it acts as if the world revolves around its every move. That’s just part of its appeal. And that’s important to note, because while you can argue the relative merit of a fest like SXSW — especially in an era where “getting discovered” no longer entails bands slogging it out in Texas bars while industry execs get sloshed on Shiner Bock — you really can’t debate its charms, of which “cloying self-importance” is just one. Simply put, SXSW is unlike anything else: a rite of passage for any music lover, on par with Glastonbury or Bonnaroo or selling promo CDs on Half.com, a whirlwind week (give or take) of bands and BBQ and brutal hangovers, a self-contained world of promoters and pamphlets, tattoos and tacos, and, perhaps most important of all, an absolute blast. In other words, it’s the kind of thing you really need to experience at least once in your life. And sure, there’s no shortage of complaints to be made about SXSW. The lines are too long, the badges are too expensive, the parties too innumerable, the bands too big. But to waste your time nitpicking the fest’s foibles (and believe me, I nitpick a lot) is missing the point: South By Southwest isn’t perfect, and it’s never going to be. It just likes to think it is. Which is why folks come back year after year. There’s a comforting sameness to the South By experience, after all. There will always be a band you see play 17 times (the first year I was here, it was the Go! Team; this year it appears to be Yuck), and a band playing a poorly attended afternoon showcase that you feel sorry for, and a band with a stupid name (Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., everybody!). You will most definitely eat at that crappy Mexican place across from Stubb’s, only because the line outside Stubb’s is too long. You will probably throw up at least once, either from booze or sunstroke or both. Sure, the can’t-miss acts (Odd Future) and the headliners (Kanye West, the Foo Fighters, Bright Eyes, the Strokes, etc.) may change, and the parties may get further and further out of town, but at its very core, SXSW remains blissfully faithful to its imperfect roots. And most people wouldn’t have it any other way. To wit, I complain about everything … all the time. And yet, on a Tuesday night, I got to see the Foos play their new album in its entirety, watch a bunch of guys jam out on a street corner for no apparent reason and eat a hot dog. It is 1:25 in the morning and, as I sit in my hotel room writing this, there is still a metal band playing loudly, defiantly into the night. You would think I’d find something wrong with all of that, only, I don’t. Because it’s a sequence of events that can only happen at South by Southwest. It wasn’t perfect, but it was close. Over the years, detractors have accused SXSW of being pointless (probably not true), corporate (veering slightly towards truthfulness) and inspiring too many tweets (100 percent true). They like to hearken back to the halcyon days when Kanye didn’t perform at power factories and Perez didn’t throw parties, and decree that they will never again attend the fest because “things have changed.” And, sure, they have, at least on the surface. But deep down, South by Southwest’s spirit remains unchanged. It still takes itself way too seriously. It is still a total clusterfrick. And it is still a music fan’s ultimate paradise. So, if you don’t mind putting up with imperfection, can operate on little-to-no sleep, and can exist solely on smoked meats, SXSW is your Valhalla. Deep down, it’s mine too, no matter how many times I say I’m never coming back. Who knows? Maybe I’ll see you here in 2012. Bring sunscreen. Related Artists Kanye West Foo Fighters
‘Wow, you haven’t seen the side of Jennifer [Lopez] that I’ve seen,’ Tyler reveals to MTV News. By Kara Warner Steven Tyler and Randy Jackson Photo: MTV News Anyone who’s been watching the bright and shiny new season of “American Idol” would likely agree that the addition of new judge Steven Tyler has added a wacky and even more unpredictable element to the show. MTV News caught up with the man in question, as well as fellow judge Randy Jackson, at the “American Idol” event at the PaleyFest, an annual event that celebrates TV’s biggest and brightest names both in front of and behind the camera. While there, we asked them which judge they thought was the wackiest. Not surprisingly, the duo veered on- and off-topic, which made for an entertaining, if random chat. “Ryan is the weirdest,” Jackson said. “And he has a little bit of a B.O. going on, but oh, we shouldn’t talk about that. What do you think of the judges, Steven?” “Wow, I mean, you haven’t seen the side of Jennifer [Lopez] that I’ve seen,” Tyler said. “I knew it existed when I watched ‘The Back-Up Plan’ and I said I would only do it if she did, because I’d already met [Randy],” Tyler explained of seeing Lopez’s romantic comedy. “And when I met him at lunch, after five minutes, I thought all the cameras in the world could be rolling so I knew I’d jump into this. But Jennifer, oh my God — look out.” Tyler went on to say that the upcoming slew of live shows don’t make him nervous or worried in any way. “I’m all right with it. I’m having a blast!” he said. “Don’t forget I’m addicted to adrenaline: anything that scares me, I love it. I love it. I love blushing and being told I’m wrong.” What do you think of Steven Tyler’s “Idol” judging skills so far? Tell us in the comments! Don’t miss “Idol Party Live” every Thursday on MTV.com, following the “American Idol” results show, for analysis, celebrity guests and even some karaoke — get in the conversation by tweeting with the hashtag #idolparty ! In the meantime, get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 10 Performances ‘American Idol’ Season 10 Top 24
The 2011 mtvU Woodie Awards air live tonight at midnight on MTV, MTV2 and mtvU. By MTV News staff Donald Glover Photo: mtvU Everybody wants a piece of Tyler the Creator and his Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All crew. From record execs to the cool kids on the block, people know a sure thing when they see it. In fact, the group is one of the main reasons Donald Glover signed on to host the mtvU Woodies , airing live on mtvU, MTV and MTV2 on Wednesday (March 16) at midnight from Austin, Texas’ South by Southwest Music and Film Festival. The girls, the music and the SXSW rituals of BBQ, booze and begging for deals? Not so much. “This whole thing is just a ploy for me to meet Odd Future Wolf Gang,” the “Community” star admitted of the performers. In addition to Odd Future, Wiz Khalifa, Sleigh Bells and Two Door Cinema Club will also perform at the Woodies . Matt & Kim, Lupe Fiasco, Dev, Chiddy Bang, Skylar Grey and MTV’s “My Life as Liz” star Liz Lee will present awards, and MNDR will serve as the house DJ. California’s Odd Future have blown up seemingly overnight with their blend of shocking rhymes and energetic stage shows. They recently graced the cover of music-trade magazine Billboard. In the interview, OFWGKTA frontman Tyler spoke about their rising buzz and the pressure to deliver on the expectations. “I could be a complete failure come June,” he told the magazine. ” Goblin could brick. Everyone could hate it. The hype could be over. I could be back to trying to fill out junior-college [applications] … But I don’t see that happening. I see Grammys.” The 2011 mtvU Woodie Awards will air live on MTV, MTV2 and mtvU tonight at midnight ET/PT from the South by Southwest Music Festival in Austin, Texas. For more information — and to vote for the winner of the “Breaking Woodie” award — check out Woodies.MTV.com . Related Videos Woodie Awards 2011: Donald Glover MTV News Extended Play: Tyler, The Creator Related Photos 2011 Woodie Awards Nominees
Sleigh Bells, Two Door Cinema club also take the stage air when the show airs live on March 16 at midnight. By James Montgomery Wiz Khalifa Photo: Al Pereira/ WireImage On Tuesday (March 1), Wiz Khalifa, Sleigh Bells and Two Door Cinema Club were announced as performers at the 2011 mtvU Woodie Awards , set to air live on MTV, MTV2 and mtvU from the South by Southwest Music Festival in Austin, Texas, on Wednesday, March 16, at midnight (ET/PT). Wiz, Sleigh Bells and Two Door Cinema Club are also up for awards at the seventh-annual show — Wiz is in the running for Woodie of the Year, given to the year’s best artist, and Sleigh Bells and TDCC are facing off against each other in the Breaking Woodie category, given to the year’s best breakout act. But you don’t have to be an actual nominee to perform, as evidenced by the fourth act confirmed to take the stage: insane L.A. rap collective Odd Future , who will most certainly keep the censors on their toes. The Woodies also announced the first wave of presenters for the 2011 show: Matt and Kim, Lupe Fiasco, Dev, Chiddy Bang, emerging Eminem prot
