Tag Archives: recordings

Mel Gibson’s Ex Claims He Hit Their Baby On Latest Tape

‘No one will believe you,’ he tells Oksana Grigorieva. By Gil Kaufman Mel Gibson Photo: Dominique Charriau/WireImage Radar Online ‘s slow leak of shocking Mel Gibson tapes continued Tuesday (July 20) with a bombshell recording that the gossip site claimed in a headline “could destroy Mel.” The latest snippet of tape is from yet another argument between Gibson and his ex-girlfriend, Oksana Grigorieva, and it appears to provide further evidence that the “Braveheart” actor was physically abusive, as Grigorieva has alleged. (Warning: recording contains violent, harsh language.) “You hit me, and you hit her [the couple’s 9-month old daughter] while she was in my hands! Mel, you’re losing your mind. You need medication,” Oksana says to Gibson on the nearly five-minute recording, during which she repeatedly questions his mental state. While it has not been independently verified that the voices on the tapes are Gibson and Grigorieva, a spokesperson for the actor has not denied that his client is heard breathlessly screaming obscenities and hurling racial and sexist epithets at his ex on the recordings. Gibson has not made a statement on the tapes, and his spokesperson has offered a “no comment.” After the accusation from Grigorieva, Gibson snaps back, “I want my child, and no one will believe you.” This latest shocker comes on top of a previous recording in which Gibson threatened Grigorieva and told her that she “f—ing deserved it” when she complained that he’d hit her. The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department has opened a domestic-violence investigation involving Gibson and Grigorieva , and Gibson’s attorneys are reportedly expected to speak with officials this week about the case. The couple, in the midst of a nasty custody battle over their daughter, are also the subjects of an investigation by the Department of Children and Family services, according to Radar. Radar editor David Perel recently said on the “Howard Stern Show” that his site has obtained more than 30 minutes of recordings made by Grigorieva following an incident on January 6 in which she has alleged that Gibson punched her in the face and damaged two of her teeth. The site has reported that Grigorieva told law-enforcement authorities that she was holding their daughter — who was 2 months old at the time — when Gibson allegedly struck her. Grigorieva has also claimed that she has a photo of the child with a bruise on her face after the incident. On the tape, after Grigorieva accuses Gibson of hitting her while she was holding the baby, he erupts in one of his by-now-familiar rages, screaming, “You need a f—ing kick up the ass for being a bitch, cu–, gold-digging whore! With a p—y son! And I want my child, and no one will believe you! So f— you!” Gibson’s wife of 27 years filed for divorce from the actor last year and reportedly spoke out in his defense last week, saying that the director of “The Passion of the Christ” was never violent toward her or their seven children and was a “wonderful father.” After Gibson and Grigorieva — who reportedly dated for three years — argue about the money he has given her to launch a musical career, he mocks her for raising her voice at him on the new tape and eventually loses it again when she claims she signed a separation agreement and does not want any more of his money. As he loses control once again, Gibson yells at her, “I’m not giving you my house, and you can rot. … You f—ing offend my f—ing maleness, my masculinity, my being, my soul!” In previous tapes, Gibson has threatened to burn down Grigorieva’s house and makes what appear to be threats on her life. Grigorieva has claimed she made the recordings of Gibson because he allegedly threatened her life.

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Mel Gibson’s Ex Claims He Hit Their Baby On Latest Tape

Charice’s Rep Denies The Singer Got Botox For Cosmetic Reasons

Botox was used ‘to relieve a jaw problem,’ spokesperson tells Us Weekly. By Mawuse Ziegbe Charice Pempengco Photo: Jemal Countess/ WireImage Teen singer Charice Pempengco is set to make her debut on the upcoming season of “Glee,” and according to some reports, the star is going to great lengths for a fresh-faced look. The Associated Press reports that the singer revealed in a TV interview that she received Botox injections and an anti-aging procedure “to look fresh on camera.” Cosmetic surgeon Vicki Belo told ABS-CBN television that the Botox was supposed to narrow out her “naturally round face” and divulged that she also received a Thermage skin-tightening procedure. According to the AP, the Filipino singer explored cosmetic options because of the intense pressure surrounding her “Glee” debut. “All people will be anticipating how will Charice look? Is she good enough to pit against [Lea Michele’s ‘Glee’ character] Rachel Berry? So of course there is tremendous pressure,” the singer said. However, a rep for the 18-year-old star denies that Charice went to such great lengths for her “Glee” debut. The singer’s spokesperson told Us Weekly that the Botox was not for cosmetic use but rather “to relieve a jaw problem similar to TMJ.” The star’s rep maintained: “It did not hurt; it relieved the pain.” “You’ve seen her face — she doesn’t have a wrinkle in it, so she wouldn’t need it for cosmetic purposes,” the rep continued, adding that the teen singer had already won over the show’s producers with her look. “The ‘Glee’ people are thrilled with the way she looks, which is why she got the part.” Charice’s rep conceded that the star did go back to her original hair color but said “other than that, she’s not changing anything about the way she looks.” Charice got her start belting out songs at local competitions and shot to fame after scoring co-signs from talk-show queens Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres. The singer will star as an exchange student on the hit musical show. Are you looking forward to Charice’s appearance on “Glee”? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Charice Pempengco

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Charice’s Rep Denies The Singer Got Botox For Cosmetic Reasons

Vampire Weekend ‘Look Forward’ To Resolving Contra Lawsuit, Label Says

Frontman Ezra Koenig calls album-cover suit ‘a little frustrating.’ By James Montgomery Kirsten Kennis featured on the Vampire Weekend’s album “Contra” Photo: XL Recordings Last week, Ann Kirsten Kennis — the cover star of Vampire Weekend’s Contra album — filed suit against the band in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleging that her signature was forged on photographer Tod Brody’s photographic release. At the time, VW’s label, XL Recordings, told MTV News they had “no comment” on Kennis’ lawsuit, and the only comment from the band itself was a winking emoticon tweeted by frontman Ezra Koenig. Since then, things have changed. First, Entertainment Weekly spoke to Kennis’ attorney and Brody, who, somewhat understandably, had differing opinions about the suit. Alan Neigher, who is representing Kennis, said his client was unaware that a Polaroid of her was being used by the band until her daughter told her, adding that the picture was “taken by her family” in 1983 and Kennis “has no idea how that photograph got into the photographer’s hands.” Brody — the photographer — laughed when he heard Neigher’s claims, maintaining that not only did he take the photo, but that it “was in my possession the entire time, for 26 years, until it was delivered to Vampire Weekend.” And late Friday, reps for XL sent a statement about the lawsuit to MTV News, saying they did their due diligence when securing the rights to the photo and that they “look forward” to proving that claim in court. “As is standard practice, Vampire Weekend and XL Recordings licensed the rights to use the photo on the cover of Contra pursuant to a license agreement that contains representations and warranties authorizing this use of the photo,” the statement read. “Now that a lawsuit has been filed, we look forward to having the matter resolved in Court. We will be filing our response after we have had an opportunity to review the allegations. Consistent with our practice, we will not be commenting further about the pending litigation at this time.” And finally, during a talk with British mag NME at this past weekend’s Latitude festival, Koenig broke his silence, saying he and his bandmates found the entire experience — and the inability to speak openly about it — “a little frustrating” “I think I can speak for all of us and say this is the first time any of us have ever been sued, so we’re still learning how it works,” he said “There’s so many things we could say about it, but given we have no experience of it, we’re just keeping conversations to a journal for now, which is a little frustrating. “There’s nothing we can say about it,” he continued. “We’re not trying to be mysterious. I imagine in the next few months, there’ll be plenty to talk about. Given it’s our first time, we just want to do it properly.” What do you think about the suit against Vampire Weekend? Share your thoughts in the comments! Related Videos Vampire Weekend’s Contra, Track-By-Track Related Artists Vampire Weekend

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Vampire Weekend ‘Look Forward’ To Resolving Contra Lawsuit, Label Says

Crystal Bowersox Signs Record Deal

Here’s to hoping Crystal Bowersox has the same success as last year’s American Idol runner-up, Adam Lambert . Earlier this week, the unique, talented singer signed her first professional deal with 19 Recordings/Jive Records. Look for her to release a blues/folk/rock album later this year. “I’m really grateful to be given this opportunity to make an album and let people hear my music, and I’m looking forward to working with all of the folks at 19/Jive,” said Bowersox, who lost to Lee DeWyze on the season nine finale. Fans can see Crystal, Lee and company in concert this summer, as the American Idol tour kicks off its 49-date run July 1 in Detroit.

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Crystal Bowersox Signs Record Deal

The Stooges, ABBA Headline Eclectic Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Ceremony

Genesis, Jimmy Cliff, the Hollies also inducted in show featuring Phish, Green Day and more. By James Montgomery The Stooges’ Iggy Pop performs with Greenday’s Billie Joe Armstrong at the 25th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Photo: Michael Loccisano/ Getty Images NEW YORK — It opened with a Phish show, nearly exploded into a (very well-heeled) proto-punk riot, got giddy on a fix of sunshiny Swedish pop, and finally wrapped up with a ’50’s-tinged tribute. It was the 25th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, back in NYC after a one-year sojourn in Cleveland (where the titular hall actually exists). And while it may have been lacking the star power of previous years’ ceremonies — Eminem and Metallica in 2009 , Madonna and Justin Timberlake in ’08 — it certainly showcased the breadth and depth of this thing we call rock music. 2010 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony ABBA, Genesis, the Stooges, Jimmy Cliff and the Hollies were the performers that headlined the 2010 class, inducted into the hall by the likes of the Bee Gees’ Barry and Robin Gibb and Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong. Variety was the theme of the night, expressed in the wide range of performances and the revered tones of the inductors, which ranged from genuinely geeky (Phish’s Trey Anastasio, who inducted Genesis and spoke at length about the group’s “seven-note guitar lines” and the technical prowess of their 1973 album Selling England by the Pound ) to gleefully amped (Armstrong swore a whole lot as he inducted the Stooges). The show began with Phish running through Genesis’s proggy “Watchers of the Sky,” then Phil Collins, Tony Banks, Steve Hackett and Mike Rutherford took the stage to accept their award, thanking Anastasio for his “really convincing argument” about the oft-derided band’s legacy. Original singer Peter Gabriel wasn’t there because he was “rehearsing for an orchestral tour,” according to Collins. Phish then played a second Genesis tune, “No Reply at All.” Up next were the Stooges, long denied a slot in the hall despite their obvious influences on everything from punk to metal, and they more than made up for lost time. First, Armstrong — who was “very excited and nervous as hell” to be inducting them — strode to the podium and launched into a heartfelt speech that praised the band’s commitment to “blood and guts, sex and drugs … peanut butter and poetry.” The Green Day frontman rattled off basically every band the Stooges had ever influenced, a list that included Nirvana, Siouxsie and the Banshees, the Queens of the Stone Age “and my f—ing band too.” “It is my honor to induct into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame — and it’s about f—ing time — the Stooges!” Armstrong exclaimed. Stooge main man Iggy Pop strutted onto the stage and — still wearing a shirt — gave the tuxedoed crowd a double middle-finger salute, followed by a genuinely touching speech that mentioned late members Dave Alexander and Ron Asheton , shouted out “all the poor people who actually started rock and roll” and concluded with a thanks to all his fans for giving the band “a second act,” getting choked up as he said it. Pop turned the mic over to fellow Stooges James Williamson and Ron’s brother Scott and began unbuttoning his white dress shirt as they spoke. He then stormed off to the stage, and, aided by bassist Mike Watt and tenor sax skronker Steve Mackay, ripped through a pair of the Stooges’ burners — “Search and Destroy” and “I Wanna Be Your Dog” — the latter of which saw Iggy prowl the front row of the audience, belt out the chorus under the watchful gaze of Dr. Oz (for real), then invite anyone and everyone onstage. Green Day and members of Pearl Jam gleefully obliged, as did a few fairly radical men and women in their formal wear. Back in the press room, Iggy explained his impromptu invasion thusly: “Well, you can’t really stage-dive in a place like this.” Legendary record exec David Geffen and British rock act the Hollies were inducted next, followed by Reggae legend Jimmy Cliff (who was lovingly introduced by Wyclef Jean) and then, in perhaps the night’s most anticipated moment, globally revered Swedish pop quartet ABBA, who hadn’t performed together in public in nearly 25 years. Unfortunately, only half of the group’s members — Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Benny Andersson (who were married once upon a time) — showed up to accept their trophies from the Gibbs. They seemed touched by the honor, and Andersson took to the piano to perform one of the group’s most masterful hits, “The Winner Takes It All,” with country star Faith Hill on vocals. There was a tribute to the night’s honored songwriters — a list that included luminaries like Otis Blackwell and Jesse Stone (who wrote songs made famous by the likes of Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis) — featuring Rob Thomas, Ronnie Spector, Eric Burdon, Chris Isaak, Peter Wolf and Fefe Dobson, who rolled through the hits and then closed the show with a version of Stone’s “Shake, Rattle and Roll.” By this point, the telecast was nearly four hours long, and the audience — though weary — cheered mightily. It was worth the wait. Variety takes time, after all. Related Photos 2010 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Ceremony Related Artists Iggy Pop & The Stooges ABBA Green Day

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The Stooges, ABBA Headline Eclectic Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Ceremony

Michael Jackson Estate Signs Biggest Recording Contract In History

New deal with Sony Music, estimated at $250 million, will include unreleased music, DVDs and video games. By Gil Kaufman Michael Jackson Photo: Sony Even in death, Michael Jackson remains the King of Pop. Less than a year after his shocking passing, the administrators of the late pop icon’s estate have signed the biggest recording contract in music history, a deal that the Los Angeles Times speculated could be worth up to $250 million and include unreleased recordings, DVDs and video games. The seven-year deal with Jackson’s longtime home, Sony Music Entertainment, could cover up to 10 new Jackson projects, though no specific releases were announced on Monday. “We and Sony feel that the future for Michael Jackson is unlimited,” said John Branca, a special administrator for the estate. In a testament to his enduring appeal, the Jackson deal eclipses a number of mega-deals signed by contemporary acts, including Bruce Springsteen’s $110 million deal with Columbia Records in 2005 and Robbie Williams’ $150-million pact with EMI in 2002. According to an anonymous source with knowledge of Jackson’s financial dealings, in the nine months since his death the singer has sold more than 31 million albums at a time when the music industry continues a decade-long album sales slide. In fact, the combination of those sales and other licensing deals cut by Branca have brought in close to $250 million to the estate, which has helped to ease the burden of the nearly $500 million in debt Jackson owed at the time of his death. Rob Stringer, the chairman of Columbia Epic Records, the Sony division that will likely handle the releases, said the recordings will “span across different projects. There may be theater. There may be films and movies. There may be computer games — or multimedia platforms that I don’t know about today that will happen in 2015.” Already in store is a another reissue of Jackson’s solo debut, 1979’s Off the Wall, due next year, with a variety of new, exclusive material. A special edition of that album was re-released in 2001 with a pair of unreleased demos of the songs “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” and “Workin’ Day and Night.” “The stuff we have in the vaults around that record is fascinating and remarkable,” Stringer said. “We’re going to build a whole platform with a documentary. The outtakes are fantastic! We have a lot of great stuff from around every time period [in Jackson’s career]. We’re plowing through everything now to understand what we’ve got.” The estate’s other executor, John McClain, who worked with Jackson for over 40 years and helped produce the singer’s last studio album, 2001’s Invincible, is compiling an album of previously unreleased material that could be released later this year. “John McClain tells me they’ve got over 60 unreleased recordings that they’re choosing from,” Branca told the Times. “The first album will have around 10. There’s some very recent stuff and vintage stuff that deserves to be shared with Michael’s fans.” Jackson is said to have left behind more than 100 unreleased songs that could be mined for releases for decades in the same way that the recordings of Elvis Presley and Jimi Hendrix have since those performers’ deaths. Related Photos MTV News’ 2009 Men Of The Year: #1 Michael Jackson “Michael Jackson’s This Is It” Related Artists Michael Jackson

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Michael Jackson Estate Signs Biggest Recording Contract In History

Michael Jackson Estate Inks Record, Record Deal

Filed under: Michael Jackson TMZ has confirmed the Michael Jackson estate has signed the biggest deal ever in music — worth up to $250 million with a guarantee of $200 million. The estate made the deal with Sony Music Entertainment. According to the Associated Press, the … Permalink

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Michael Jackson Estate Inks Record, Record Deal