Counting Crows singer Adam Duritz just went to his Facebook page and explained that he suffers from a “severe mental illness,” but that he is trying to ween himself off of his medication despite the “vicious withdrawal symptoms.” “I was f**king crazy. I needed meds. I took meds. Now I’m less crazy. I need less meds. I’m stopping meds,” the 46-year-old writes. Duritz admits that he needs medication to keep himself balanced, but has cut his Lithium dosage by half. How’s that going? “Not so good.” Lithium is a common mood-stabilizer. “Gotta keep pushing/get off this sh*t,” he adds. “Going faster than I should but it still takes too long.” According to Duritz, it’s not a drug addiction situation and he’s not trying to get sober altogether: “I like drinking. A lot. Sober=not for me.” He did not specifically describe what he suffers from. Back in 2008, though, Duritz detailed his condition to Men’s Health , saying, “I have a form of dissociative disorder that makes the world seem like it’s not real, as if things aren’t taking place. It’s hard to explain, but you feel untethered.” Here’s hoping the singer feels better soon. [Photo: WENN.com]
Follow-up to The Open Door, due October 4, ‘smacks you right in the face,’ singer says. By James Montgomery Evanescence’s Amy Lee Photo: Getty Images Amy Lee is having a hard time talking about Evanescence’s upcoming album , partially because she’s out of practice — it’s been a while since the band’s frontwoman has had to run the press gauntlet, after all — but mostly because she keeps using words like “fun” to describe it. And even she realizes how odd that seems. “I can’t give a good quote about it, because it’s probably the heaviest record we’ve ever done, but we’re having a great time making it,” the singer said, laughing. “I don’t want to say the word ‘fun,’ but it is … it’s totally fun. We’re just going for it. So I don’t want to say that it’s ‘expressing the pain of a thousand sorrows,’ because it’s not that. I mean, it’s just more mature; it’s just a great record. It’s hard to sum it up.” Of course, she’s quick to add that “fun” doesn’t necessarily mean “silly or poppy.” “It doesn’t translate right … I’m having fun; we’re all having fun,” she explained, “And there are moments where you can hear that.” But Lee will be the first one to admit that, when Evanescence return in October with their first album in five years, they’ll be a very different beast indeed. Case in point: the first single, which, though she won’t reveal the title, is one she feels comfortable describing as a definite departure for the band. “It’s really different for us. It doesn’t sound like any Evanescence track you’ve heard before,” she said. “It’s heavy, but the melodies and stuff, I feel like I just did what I wanted. I just literally sang what I wanted to sing, because it was fun and it kind of made me smile, and that ended up being the really fun, cool, catchy thing that got everybody hooked on it.” And though it’s different, Lee knows that there’s plenty riding on the band’s comeback single, which is why, even if she was smiling when she recorded it, the song’s still got plenty of the band’s trademark growl, too. And the same goes for the album. “You always have to think about that. We have to go through making the decisions with the label, and see what they’re going to push,” she explained. “We don’t get to do whatever we want all the time, so the single has to sound like a hit. But, for us, we want more than that. “There’s a lot I want to get across all at once, before I lose anybody’s attention. So, the song that I think is the first single is the song that wraps it all up. It’s got a cool meaning, a lot of great lyrics going on, it also just smacks you right in the face and it’s heavy and it’s great … I think that there’s a couple songs that meet that same criteria.” To that end, though she (accidentally) uses words like “fun” to describe it, the new Evanescence album might just be the next logical step for the band: The same themes are there, but for the first time in her career, Lee is writing about them (and herself) in new ways. At the end of the day, as has always been the case, catharsis is key. “There are themes of brokenness, the quest for freedom, and then there’s songs that are just about falling in love … it’s just all over the place,” she said, laughing. “There’s this beautiful song that — it’s definitely going to make the album, or I will kill someone — it’s not like a single or anything, it’s just this epic album track that’s about loss from the perspective of someone losing someone in a tragedy, and it’s really cool to listen back to that, too. “That’s not something I did on The Open Door. The Open Door was all about me and my personal experiences. And there’s some moments on this one that are actually taken from things that I watched go down, from my friends and stuff like that. But really, whatever makes me feel the most, that’s what’s on the record, because that’s what I need to get off my chest.” Are you excited for the new Evanescence album? Share your thoughts in the comments below! Related Artists Evanescence
Profile * Name: 蕭亞軒 (萧亚轩) / Hsiao Ya Hsuan (Xiao Ya Xuan) * English name: Elva Hsiao * Also known as: 蕭雅之 (萧雅之) / Hsiao Ya Chih (Xiao Ya Zhi) * Profession: Singer, actress and model * Birthdate: 1979-Aug-24 * Birthplace: Taipei, Taiwan * Height: 162cm * Weight: 47kg * Star sign: Virgo * Zodiac sign: Sheep * Blood Type: A She was educated at John Casablanca#39;s College in Vancouver, British Columbia and hence fluent in both written and spoken English. While in Vancouver, she attended the New
Popularity Awards * Popular Song of the year 2010 was given to ‘Kilimanjaro song from the film Enthiran composed by A.R.Rahman. * Popular Male Singer 2010 was given to Playback singer Karthik for Usurae Poguthae from the film Mani Ratnam directed movie Ravannan again an AR Rahman composition. * Popular Song of Masses went to Kadhal Vandhalae from Singam composed by Devi Sri Prasad. * Popular Album of the year 2010 was given to A.R.Rahman’s musical Vinnaithandi Varuvaya. * Popular Duet of the ye
Legendary singer’s impact continues to blossom in the two years since his death; MTV News breaks down the figures. By Gil Kaufman Michael Jackson Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage Like Elvis, Bob Marley, Notorious B.I.G. and Frank Sinatra before him, Michael Jackson ‘s influence has continued, and grown, since his untimely death on June 25, 2009 . On the second anniversary of the King of Pop’s passing, MTV News took a look at the enduring appeal of MJ’s music, videos and imagery, which continue to fascinate and attract fans across the globe thanks to a series of posthumous albums, a movie, video games and two upcoming Cirque du Soleil live shows. Where Were You Two Years Ago When You Heard the News? Tell Us on Facebook $72 million : According to Box Office Mojo , Jackson’s posthumous concert film, “This Is It,” has grossed more than $72 million to date domestically and $189 million in foreign markets for a worldwide take over more than $261 million. It ranks as the #2 music documentary of all-time behind Justin Bieber’s “Never Say Never.” The film has also generated nearly $45 million in DVD sales in the U.S. 16 : In May, Jackson lodged his first #1 on the Billboard magazine Dance/ Club Play Songs chart in 16 years with the latest single from his posthumous Michael album, “Hollywood Tonight.” 2 : Number of posthumous albums that have been released since Michael’s death in June 2009. Last year’s Michael has sold just over 510,000 copies to date, while the This Is It collection has moved nearly 1 million copies to date in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan. 15,000 : The number of videos submitted by fans since March for the crowdsourced video for “Behind the Mask.” After they were edited down by a five-person team over two months, the resulting clip used submissions from more than 1,600 participants from 103 countries. 3 million : The amount of copies sold of the Ubisoft “Michael Jackson: The Experience” video game worldwide. $57 million : The reported cost of Cirque du Soleil’s traveling MJ show , “The Immortal World Tour, which is slated to kick off on October 2. $1 billion : That gaudy figure is the reported amount the Jackson estate had generated by last June on the first anniversary of the singer’s death. According to Billboard, the revenue was generated by a combination of music sales ($429 million), film/TV revenue ($392 million), music publishing ($130 million), licensing ($35 million) and a $31 million recording contract. (A spokesperson for Jackson’s estate declined to provide updated figures for this story.) $310 million : The amount of gross earnings reported by the executors of the estate in a December 2010 court filing detailing the progress made in paying off the $400 million in debt run up by the spendthrift singer during his lifetime. 16.1 million : MJ was always a big singles artist. Yes, Thriller is one of the best-selling albums of all time, but even in death, fans can’t resist cherry-picking some of Michael’s best songs. That explains why he’s sold more than 16 million digital tracks since June 28, 2009, the first sales week following his passing, according to Nielsen SoundScan. To put that in perspective, from the time Nielsen began counting digital tracks in 2004 until the week before Jackson’s death, the singer had sold just over 8.1 million digital tracks, a figure that has doubled in just the past two years. 2013 : The projected launch for a second, non-touring Cirque show celebrating Jackson. The yet-untitled show is slated to open in the spring of 2013 at a new theater being built at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. $25 million to $50 million : That’s how much Jackson’s estate takes in on an annual basis thanks to his stake in the half-million-song Sony/ATV catalog, which includes titles by Elvis, Lady Gaga, Eminem, Beyonc
Overzealous NYC admirer jumped a barricade and knocked down the Biebs, but teen sensation recovered and got right back to fans. By Jocelyn Vena Justin Bieber Photo: MTV News NEW YORK — Justin Bieber took over Herald Square in Manhattan on Thursday (June 23) as he greeted fans at a Macy’s event for his women’s fragrance, Someday . A legion of dedicated Beliebers lined up outside and gathered at the famed department store hoping to catch even a glimpse of the star. When MTV News caught up with the Biebs, he told us much he appreciated his fans’ overwhelming enthusiasm. “My fans are crazy. They wait out in the rain and anything, so they’re crazy, they’re awesome!” he said. “I just think that what we decided to do — making the fragrance for females, not getting a cologne for males — I said it before and I’ll say it again, I’m more concerned about how girls smell ’cause I’m a guy and I know what smells good and I know what I like so girls should know, if [I like] it, then other guys are going to like it.” But some fans may have been too enthusiastic. While some fans (and press) were allowed to wait inside Macy’s, many were still standing outside, and according to reports, one fan got a bit too excited when he saw Bieber. ABC News reported that one man jumped the barricade when he saw the singer, knocking him to the ground. Bieber wasn’t hurt, though the ABC said that he seemed “shaken” before he went right back to work and greeted more fans inside. Once inside the store, Bieber seemed relaxed, sharing with us the nuances of designing a perfume for his fans. “I think cologne and perfume are different. Cologne is more kind of a body-wash-type smell and [perfume] is kind of flowery, fruity,” he said, adding that mentor Usher, who has his own cologne brand, “didn’t really give me any advice. “There was a long process ’cause they brought it out on the road and stuff,” he added of the fragrance, whose proceeds will go to charity. “I picked out the bottle and designed everything.” So what kind of cologne does Bieber use? “A bunch of different stuff; I switch it up all the time,” he said. Will you bag a bottle of Someday? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists Justin Bieber
L.A. rapper made the honor roll while on the road, his mom and teacher share. By Steven Roberts, with additional reporting by Matt Elias Casey Veggies and his mother, Cynthia Jones Photo: MTV News The last year has been a breakout one for Los Angeles MC Casey Veggies , who released his third mixtape, Sleeping in Class, in December and toured with fellow up-and-comer Mac Miller in January. What’s more amazing is that while this was going on, he was still in school. And on June 16, Veggies (or, as his diploma says, Casey Jones) graduated from Inglewood High School on the honor roll. “On the first week of school, he gave me a link to a video of one of the songs that he has [on Sleeping in Class ], so my first impression of him was good, but I was a little concerned, because of the lyrics to the song,” Casey’s senior-year English teacher Shannon Kirk told MTV News. “It’s actually kind of ironic because [sleeping in class is] the last thing he would do in class. “Casey balances his work life and his school life better than I probably would have at his age,” Kirk added of her student, who did independent study while he was on the road. “He’s pretty mature for his age, and he was able to do pretty well. [He] was one of the top students in my class.” Veggies realized that he could have quit school to pursue his dreams, but he never felt the need to. He knew he could handle it, so why not get school done? As for college, though his mother says he was accepted to four schools, he’s postponing those plans while he sees where his rap career goes. “At the end of the day, I’m just dreaming right now,” Casey said. “I’m going to stay in my dream and don’t plan on waking up. If I do, maybe I’ll grab a college degree, but right now, I’m in my own world.” Kirk wouldn’t tell us Casey’s grades, but his mother, Cynthia Jones, was thrilled that her son made the honor roll. She said that education meant everything to her and her husband, and their goal was always for Casey and his older brother, Corey, to graduate high school and attend college as they had. Corey is currently a freshman at UC Riverside, but Casey had to convince her that he could take another route. “I had no idea that his music thing was going to come about the way it has,” Jones said. “This is different to accept, but he’s doing really well, so you have to let a person follow [their dreams]. You’re only young once. “I’m excited, I’m happy for him,” she continued, “and then I’m happy he doesn’t have to juggle these two lives, because it has been a juggle for him, so now he can concentrate on one thing.”
Three weeks after jet-ski accident, pop singer was discharged on Tuesday, rep confirms to MTV News. By Alvin Blanco Sean Kingston Photo: Getty Sean Kingston is well on his way to recovery. The pop singer has been released from Jackson Memorial Hospital, three weeks after he was admitted for injuries stemming from a jet-ski accident in Miami Beach over the Memorial Day weekend. A rep for Kingston confirmed to MTV News on Wednesday (June 22) that the 21-year old singer was released from the hospital on Tuesday. The “Beautiful Girls” was initially hospitalized in critical condition after the Sea-Doo jet-ski he was piloting along with friend/ passenger Cassandra Sanchez, crashed into the Palm Island Bridge, which connects Palm Island to the MacArthur Causeway. According to Sanchez, 23, Kingston lost control of the jet-ski (one he reportedly purchased just days prior to the accident) because he was going too fast. A passerby in a boat, who happened to be an off-duty Coast Guard employee, helped the two out of the water and to safety. Kingston (born Kisean Anderson) was admitted to the hospital on May 29, and moved to the ICU , a few days later, when his condition was downgraded to stable. (Sanchez was also admitted to the hospital but was discharged shortly thereafter with minimal injuries.) Although the singer is expected to make a full recovery, sources say he suffered a broken jaw, fractured wrist and water in his lungs. But the Miami native looked healthy, even slimmer, a few days ago when he tweeted a picture of himself , in the hospital, along with the message, “Feeling alot better! GOD IS GREAT! Thanks for all the prayers and support! Love you ALL!” The note to his well-wishers was his first tweet since the day of the accident. Share your get-well wishes for Sean Kingston in the comments. Related Artists Sean Kingston
