Mark Hoppus emails MTV News days before the premiere of much-anticipated new single. By James Montgomery Blink-182’s Mark Hoppus Photo: Jason Kempin/ Getty Images Two years ago, Blink-182 told MTV News they wouldn’t be playing “Up All Night” during their reunion tour mostly because, well, they hadn’t finished recording it yet. “We really don’t want the first time that people hear our new song to be a YouTube version of us playing it live,” Mark Hoppus said at the time. “We want it to be the actual song, and we haven’t gotten the chance to finish it yet, so we’ll probably leave it out of the set until we actually release it.” Of course, for a while there, it looked like that release date would never come . But on Tuesday night, much to the delight of Blink fans everywhere, the band announced that “Up All Night” would finally, totally, officially make its premiere Friday at 10:30 a.m. on Los Angeles radio station KROQ and Blink182.com . If you think you’re excited, well, you can imagine how the guys in Blink must be feeling. After all, the debut of “Up All Night” has been a long time coming. And, as Hoppus told MTV News in an email Wednesday (July 13), they can’t wait to finally give fans a listen to what they’ve been up to all this time. “We’re all so stoked to finally have music out that people can listen to. I think I’m probably more excited than anyone else in the world for the new single,” Hoppus wrote. ” ‘Up All Night’ contains elements of everything we’ve done in Blink-182, and pushes further than we’ve gone before. Can’t wait for everyone to check it out.” Blink will hit the road along with My Chemical Romance on August 5 as part of the 2011 Honda Civic Tour — and yes, they’ll be playing songs from their upcoming album. And bringing lasers too. “I just want lasers. That’s what I said last time, though, so we’ll see,” Tom DeLonge told MTV News in May. “I’m excited [because] I think on this next tour we’re going to be able to have a lot more options of what we can do, because the music is going to afford a little more latitude, just because we’ve been doing some really cool stuff and different stuff with the new record. So I’m really excited to bring that out.” Are you excited for “Up All Night”? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists blink-182
Pioneering pop&B boy band chop it up with MTV News about their reunion. By Rebecca Thomas New Edition perform at the Essence music festival Photo: Getty Images NEW ORLEANS — Don’t let the fancy footwork fool you: Bobby Brown says it took him two years to get back enough “muscle memory” to pull off the smoove moves that earned his group, New Edition , a permanent place in the annals of boy bands. OK, maybe not two years, but Brown — whose shirtless onstage dancing once got him arrested, during his ’90s heyday, in the state of Georgia — admitted it took some time when we caught up with him and his bandmates at last weekend’s 2011 Essence Music Festival . “It didn’t take two years, but it took a little while to get back into, you know, not moving the way I used to move and get the steps and start dancing back on my toes instead of flat-footed,” the onetime R&B bad boy laughed as he demonstrated a little shuffle. “Bobby got on shoes. Let me tell you, he ain’t had shoes onstage for the last 20 years,” group heartthrob Ralph Tresvant teased the sneaker-rocking Brown. “So that’s a testament to his dedication.” “It’s a lot of things that I’m capable of doing, but New Edition steps, whether you think so or not, they’re probably one of the hardest things in dance that you could do,” Brown added. In the ’80s, those steps, paired with soulful vocals, took five young boys from a Boston ‘hood to music-industry superstardom. Now celebrating 30 years in the business, New Edition — Ronnie DeVoe, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, Tresvant, Brown and Johnny Gill (the only non-Bostonian brought into the fold in the ’90s to take over for Brown) — put their indelible street stamp on the boy-band hustle. And their influence rolls on — whether the bubblegum pop of their 1983 Candy Girl debut or the boys-to-men songs of their classic Heart Break album. Case in point, sought-after producer Jim Jonsin told MTV News this month that he would reference the New Edition sound for Justin Bieber ‘s next album. Backstage at the Superdome, the still-dapper guys, now in their early 40s, chatted with their arms flung around each other. In three decades, they’ve endured more than a few ups and downs — self-imposed hiatuses, label changes and infighting — and even spawned successful solo careers and subgroups like Bell Biv DeVoe. But gathered on this Fourth of July weekend in the Big Easy, they found they could recapture that magic, reducing grown women to squealing tweens. “Through the love of just being around each other for many years and trusting that we were just gonna be there for each other, we were able to let [individual projects] go for a minute and jump out that car and jump into this one,” Tresvant, in a stylish tan fedora, explained. So could an album be in the works? “We got a New Edition album in the making,” Brown revealed. “We’re thinking about it, we’re talking about it, and it all starts with us, just thinking about making some good music together. … I’m just glad to be a part of this and I’m proud to be a part of this.” Share your memories of New Edition in the comments! Related Artists New Edition
Last night, on a whim, a friend I hadn’t seen in years joined me and a gathering of mutual friends in one of our living rooms. I hadn’t expected this reunion to occur, but it was interesting to talk to her and learn about her life again, especially since things have changed so much since we last saw each other. During this meeting, I discovered, to my shock, that she and her best friend since childhood were no longer speaking. For as long as I could remember, this other woman and her were attached at the hip and it seemed like nothing could break the bond that they shared. It made me wonder how much people can change over the years as relationships evolve and ties that once were strong become strained with the passing of time. Friendships, if not cared for like living entities, can become wilted and slowly disintegrate beneath your grasp, despite your best efforts to act like nothing is wrong. Since life is constantly moving and no relationship can stay the same forever, you have to be aware of what it takes to sustain a close bond and keep feeding it for its continued growth. While social networking sites have become interesting new ways to close the gap of distance, there is definitely no substitute for human-to-human contact that creates intimacy in relationships. How can you best manage your closest friends and relationships with the rules constantly changing? Can continual care and interest truly override distance and time that threaten to ruin a bond? One of the strongest ways to maintain close ties with someone is to be continually interested in their life. This has to be a genuine feeling on your end, however, or you can come off looking like you are nosing your way into their affairs. In order to stay on friendly terms with someone, giving them a quick call or sending them a simple text message like “How are you doing?” can go a long way in maintaining a relationship with them. Even if the conversations are not particularly detailed, there are always opportunities for you to suggest grabbing a meal or a cup of coffee together. Starting slow with friendly contact is a good way to build up trust and perhaps at some point, you two will be closer than you ever imagined possible! Although showing interest in someone’s life is a good thing, there is definitely a line to be drawn between “consistent” and “annoying.” Leaving space in a relationship is something a lot of people, including myself, are prone to struggling with. How much communication is too much? It’s hard to say, as everyone’s different and one person’s “too much” might be another person’s comfortable area. The best way to judge how often you should be contacting someone is by how often they answer you. Are they the type of person who isn’t good at answering their text messages, but is perfectly fine in person? If their texting skills are above-par, though and they just aren’t quick to answer you, this might be a sign that you are being too eager and should give the messaging a break. Wait for them to come to you. If they aren’t good at returning your calls and you don’t see them often in person, chances are that they don’t view you as close of a friend as you do. Not everyone can be a close confidant, however, so just be selective in your communication and who you want to cultivate. Trial and error eventually brings you who you’re meant to know! Another important thing to keep in mind in relationships is to be a good listening ear when they need a friend. As the old saying goes, to have a friend is to be a friend. A lot of people forget this simple idea of just being there for someone, despite how busy or stressed you may be. If the person you’re talking to thinks you’re not listening, perhaps because you’re tapping away at your smart phone or thinking of other things, then how is that a healthy relationship? You have to be there for the other person and that’s how friendship is strengthened. It does span both directions, however, and if they’re not there for you as much as you’re there for them, there is an imbalance of power that should be ironed out. Friendship is not a one-way street, so never forget – put in your end and they should reciprocate what you have given! The Importance Of Seeking Out Connections With People A nice touch to keep in mind while managing friendships is to show them that you’re thinking of them, even if you’re far away or not in-touch as much as you should be. Remember to send them a birthday gift or write them a short message on their special day to let them know that you were thinking of them! Leaving small tokens of appreciation on their Facebook wall or sending them a text message when you’re reminded of them is a nice touch, as well. Although moderation and balance is the key, showing them that you wish to keep in contact with them is important and necessary to strengthen your bonds, despite distance or busy schedules. While the technological age has made it easier than ever to keep up with people, remember what I said earlier – no form of faceless communication replaces the act of talking to someone in person. Try to be in their life as much as possible and make efforts to meet up with them just to hang out. True friendship is flying across the country to spend a few days with someone you care about, not how much you write on their Facebook wall. The idea of interpersonal relationships and intimacy is something that never grows old, so make sure you’re there for your friends, girls, regardless if they’re old comrades or new acquaintances! Nothing says being there for someone like the balancing effort of friendship between two people who care about each other. I leave you with my favorite friendship quote, one that makes the most sense to me in terms of sincerity and depth. As Robert Southey says: “No distance of place or lapse of time can lessen the friendship of those who are thoroughly persuaded of each other’s worth.” It’s important to remember that when two people are invested in each other, being far away only makes the heart grow fonder. Even if you’re both jumping through hoops to keep in touch, the time you put into maintaining a friendship is what keeps the foundation solid. Never give up on someone that means something to you, as you never know what tomorrow brings and the people you keep close ties with are the ones that truly leave an impression on your life. Why Are Words Of Wisdom So Important?
Details of American Reunion ,the fourth film in the American Pie series, are slowly dribbling out like filling from a warm apple pie. First a widely-circulated open casting call revealed a new character named “Kara,” “the sweet girl next door you used to babysit… now she’s a senior in high school and a full blown hottie”, followed by the most magical words in the English language: “Please note upper frontal nudity is required.” Smell that? That’s the sweet, sweet scent of an R rating. UPDATE: deadline.com is now reporting that nudecomer Ali Cobrin has been cast as ” the cutest senior in high school looking for the perfect guy to give her virginity to.” Could this be our “Kara”? Remember this face, gentlemen, because it looks like you’ll get a peek under that bustier soon enough: Now star Alyson Hannigan , who married Jason Biggs ‘ character in the third film, American Wedding , has a new interview with Entertainment Weekly where she reveals more details about the movie, skincluding the re-surfacing of a sex tape starring Shannon Elizabeth and the revisiting of her immortal line “This one time, at band camp, I stuck a flute up my pussy”: EW: Does your character’s flute-playing prowess come into the plot this time around? Alyson: There will be some… Uh… Yes, you know, it’s a reunion…You will see the old band room at least. That’s music to Skin Central’s ears! American Reunion hits theaters next year, but until then you can finger your flesh flute with the nude comedy classics American Pie , American Pie 2 , and American Wedding right here at MrSkin.com!
Last night, as I was getting ready for bed, I happened to stumble upon the most recent Time Magazine, which features a cover article about whether or not optimism is a genetic trait. After flipping through the magazine, I was struck by The Optimism Bias and how much people tend to not think about the genetic value of their thoughts. I’ve always been a glass-half-full type of person. Even as a child, I remember being described by adjectives such as “sunny” or “bubbly,” something that I feel has followed me throughout my life as a model of what I aspire to be: free of doubt and full of dreams. However, despite these reminders, I had never realized that the strong hope and open-mindedness I possessed for life might be part of my core being. In my continual thoughts on this topic on the train and subsequent subway ride over here, I looked around at my fellow passengers and saw many grim expressions among the crowd. It might be because it was early in the morning (completely understandable!), but there did not seem to be an air of optimism about the day in the sea of faces, despite the new beginning that happened with the sun rising. While there are definitely factors such as stress and the time of day that contributed to my observations, I still could not help thinking that a bit of laughter or smiles might have improved the moods of the passengers, thus adding an air of friendliness to the morning commute. While friendliness and optimism do not necessarily correlate, the art of smiling and expressing upbeat emotions can definitely contribute to one’s self-esteem and internal optimism. I recently spent a few short months in Europe and noticed a more open air of communication that seemed to point toward a culture more focused on sharing their internal selves, which may or may not be predisposed to “rose-colored glasses.” Part of the reason I have been examining optimism in the world around me and in my own life is because of the Time Magazine article, as well as a review of an upcoming book called My Year With Eleanor which explores some of the same ideas, but with a twist. The author of this memoir, Noelle Hancock, was stuck in a rut in her late 20′s when she came upon a quote by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt in a coffee shop which said, “Do one thing every day that scares you.” A lightbulb went off in her head at that moment and Noelle from then on was on a mission to add one thing that she was scared to do to every subsequent day, including public speaking and even swimming with sharks. This inspired the optimistic, glass-half-full part of me because even in her late 20′s, when most of us have formed a set identity, she chose to make significant changes to who she had become. The idea that life is a canvas, something that can be constantly added to and tweaked is an interesting way to look at the path that one is on, since it can be constantly rerouted and in transition. Optimism is important to note from this upcoming memoir because while Noelle might just have forward-thinking in her blood, there was also a sense that she took charge of her life because she knew in her heart that she had more courage than was normally displayed. Through looking at her life as an open-book, full of numerous possibilities, she found the optimism that comes with securing one’s future in hopes and dreams in a healthy way, which is definitely inspiring for every day life! 5 Ways To Make Life Transitions Easier While thinking about optimism, it’s important to be reminded that life may throw hurdles at you and there will always be challenges, but by thinking of life as continually changing an evolving, there is always a bright side that you’re yet to explore! Thinking back to The Optimism Bias and Noelle Hancock’s upcoming memoir (look for it starting June 7th!), you might have a genetic “bias” toward the sunny side of life, but as well, you might just have to dig deeper into yourself to discover the inner quotes that define the way you live your life. As with the yin and yang, with the good comes the bad – with the difficulties comes the inspiration to will yourself with change and optimism. Work It Out Wednesday: 8 Steps To Being A Positive Person
Atlanta is considered a hotbed of hip hop these days, but that wasn’t the case in 1995. ATL’s own Dungeon Family crew would change that forever. Consisting of OutKast, Goodie Mob, Cool Breeze, Witchdoctor, producers Organized Noize and others, the Dungeon Family put real Atlanta hip hop on the map. Before Cee-Lo blew up with Gnarls Barkley and the song “F*ck You,” the SW ATL native was an integral member of Goodie Mob, along with Big Gipp, T-Mo and Khujo. Not only did the Dungeon Family redefine Southern hip hop forever, Goodie Mob actually gave the South its name with its 1995 hit single “Dirty South” from the group’s critically-acclaimed debut album, Soul Food. The song’s intro is a skit of a house raid by the controversial Red Dog drug police unit, which was recently disbanded . Big Boi from OutKast is featured on the song while Cool Breeze does the hook. Now considered a hip hop legend, Big wasn’t even old enough to drink when “Dirty South” dropped: “…year older / now I’m almost legal…” Goodie Mob – Dirty South by PeteRock RELATED: Cee Lo Says Goodie Mob Is 10 Tracks Deep Into Reunion Album RELATED: “Still A Summer Jam..Always A Classic!”- ThrowBack Thursday RELATED: “Before Cell Phones, There Were Beepers..Baby!” – #ThrowBackThursday RELATED: DJ Drama Interviews Goodie Mob RELATED: EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: Big Boi Talks Solo Album, OutKast Label Drama
“Love & Hip-Hop” has been renewed for a second season. The VH1 docu-series averaged over 1 million viewers per episode, so this news should come as no surprise. Season two is set to premiere in the fall and will consist of 10 one-hour episodes, however Mashonda will not be returning. Wonder if they’ll replace her… “Both ‘Mob Wives’ and ‘Love & Hip Hop’ are smash hits for VH1, generating strong buzz and viewership for months now. Our viewers have connected passionately with these women and their unique, authentic stories in the realms of pop culture and music. We’re very happy to be able continue those storylines,” said Jeff Olde, Executive Vice President of Original Programming & Production, VH1. “Love & Hip-Hop” Ladies Go Glam For Reunion Special [PHOTOS] Mashonda “Not Bitter,” But Not Returning To “Love & Hip-Hop” Season 2 Shaunie On “Basketball Wives” Backlash, Season 3 & Royce’s Return
Whenever a major concert happens in New York City, there’s always some random (slightly unnecessary) on-stage reunion. Last night, at that Diddy Dirty Money “Coming Home” show at the Hammerstein Ballroom, that Reunion came courtesy of the house that Irv Gotti built. Ashanti tweeted this pic of herself with her “bra’s” Ja Rule and Young Lloyd following her and Ja’s surprise appearance. First, she and Lloyd performed his debut single “Southside,” then she and Ja Rule took it back to the height of his pre-50 career with “Always On Time.” Click here for more of Ashanti’s twitpics.
Whenever a major concert happens in New York City, there’s always some random (slightly unnecessary) on-stage reunion. Last night, at that Diddy Dirty Money “Coming Home” show at the Hammerstein Ballroom, that Reunion came courtesy of the house that Irv Gotti built. Ashanti tweeted this pic of herself with her “bra’s” Ja Rule and Young Lloyd following her and Ja’s surprise appearance. First, she and Lloyd performed his debut single “Southside,” then she and Ja Rule took it back to the height of his pre-50 career with “Always On Time.” Click here for more of Ashanti’s twitpics.
