Newcleus-Jam On It

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Newcleus’ Robert “Chilly B” Crafton — who features in the electro classic “Jam On It,” above — passed away this Tuesday, February 23rd following a stroke, Newcleus’ MySpace page solemnly writes (via Pitchfork). He was 47. As “Jam On It” is one of our favorite jams, this week’s Rock List looks back at Newcleus and other icons of ’80s hip-hop. All styles, genres and subgenres are fair game, as long as they were recorded between 1980 and 1989. Leave your picks in the comments, and on Monday we’ll tally the votes. Until then, here’s a small sampling of our faves below:

• Slick Rick – “Children’s Story”
• Boogie Down Production – “The Bridge Is Over”
• Run-DMC – “My Adidas”
• Newcleus – “Jam On It”
• The Beastie Boys – “Paul Revere”

When news broke that Johnny Cash’s “Guess Things Happen That Way” was the 10 billionth download on iTunes, Cash’s daughter Rosanne remarked on Twitter that the honor was the perfect birthday present to her father, whose 78th birthday would have been today. Earlier this week, Cash’s final album of posthumous recordings, American VI: Ain’t No Grave hit stores, and today we’re paying tribute to the Man in Black by looking back at his remarkable career and the legendary musicians he inspired. Above is a clip of Cash and Bob Dylan performing Nashville Skyline’s “The Girl From the North Country” on the premiere episode of The Johnny Cash Show in 1969.

“In plain terms, Johnny was and is the North Star; you could guide your ship by him — the greatest of the greats then and now,” Dylan wrote in Rolling Stone in the days following Cash’s 2003 death. To read tributes to Cash by Bono, Merle Haggard and more, click below. Plus, watch a 1959 performance of Cash’s “Guess Things Happen That Way,” iTunes’ 10 billionth song:

• Remembering Johnny: Dylan, Bono and more remember his extraordinary impact

Photo: Flanigan/FilmMagic
“There was never a tour booked this summer!” says Billy Joel, responding to Internet claims that he pulled the plug on a summer tour with Elton John. He continues, “Obviously, this has the smell of a really juicy story: ‘Why did they cancel? Did Billy and Elton have a fight? What’s going on?’ The truth is, there’s nothing going on. I had made up my mind a long time ago that I wasn’t going to work this year.”

Though the duo are currently performing together on their recurring Face to Face tour, these shows — which swept up the West Coast, and continue until March 11th in Buffalo — are make-up shows, rescheduled from canceled 2009 dates. Joel insists that rumors about 2010 summer tour were leaked by insiders at certain venues around the country. He explains, “There were a couple stories that came out that we were supposed to play Wrigley Field and Fenway Park, and I think Pittsburgh was mentioned. Booking agents hold real estate. They like to research what’s available when, to see if they can put together a series of dates. Then they’ll come back to the artist and say, ‘Look, if you wanted to, you could play such and such and such.’ These rumors probably came from somebody at one of those venues who had to be a big shot and call the local newspaper and say, ‘Hey, Billy and Elton are going to play here this summer.’ ”

Elton John even perpetuated the story himself. In a recent interview, he was quoted saying, “Billy just wants to take a year off. I’m so disappointed because when we came to Wrigley Field last year, it was like playing in the church of baseball.” Joel responds, “Elton and I don’t really sit down and discuss our future plans with each other. We see each other backstage and we hang out and kibitz and talk about music and life. When Elton did that interview, he’d just found out from his booking agent that I wasn’t going to be working this summer, and therefore Elton’s quote puts a spin on it that I’d changed my mind all of a sudden, or suddenly decided to cancel the tour, which is nonsense. There was never a tour booked!”

Before their February 22nd show in Denver, Joel approached John about his comments to the press. “When I saw him backstage, I said, ‘Elton, what were you told about this supposed summer tour?’ He goes, ‘Well, I just found out you weren’t going to be working this year, and I was heartbroken because I was looking forward to doing it.’ ” In his statement to the press, John also seemed to convey that their hugely successful Face to Face tour — which has brought in big crowds since 2004 — would be ending for good in Albany. “We’ll probably pick it up again,” says Joel. “It’s always fun playing with him.” He insists there is no bad blood. In Denver, their conversation ended thusly: “Elton said, ‘Are you mad at me?’ I said, ‘No, I’m not mad, I just want to clarify what’s going on here.’ Everything’s fine.”

Joel says the thought of retirement looms in his mind, but he’s always drawn back to the stage. “I see pictures of myself onstage, and I look at them and say, ‘There has to be some kind of mandatory retirement age for doing this gig,’ and then I watched the Super Bowl and saw the Who and I figure, ‘Well, I guess there is no mandatory retirement age.’ ‘I hope I die before I get old,’ — that went out the window. It’s always possible that I’ll tour again, whether it’s with Elton or on my own. I love my job. For now I’m going to stop, but I won’t sit around for the rest of my life and rot.”

Joel claims last year was a rough one. “There was an incident with my daughter that was very shocking,” he says of daughter Alexa’s suicide attempt. “I got divorced. I worked a lot. I promised myself more personal time this year. I’m going to Italy, and I’ll probably go to Paris. I’ll probably take my boat to New England and hang out on the coast. I’ll ride my motorcycle. I’ll just be a bum.”

Our weekly round-up of singers’, rockers’ and rappers’ 20 coolest and funnest tweets from the past seven days.

Shortly after being ousted from “American Idol’s” class of 2010, the four eliminated contestants still sounded a bit shell-shocked from a particularly harsh round of judges’ comments.

Peter Gabriel’s Genesis bandmates are giving him the benefit of the doubt for bowing out of next month’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

During Bon Jovi’s tour in support of “The Circle,” the singer plans on visiting as many homeless programs as time allows to get inspiration to shape his own work with the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation.

The hottest, coolest music shots this week were taken across the pond, including at the NME Awards in London, and in the city that never sleeps  — even when it snows — New York.

It seems like everyone fell in love with Estelle when her smash hit  “American Boy” invaded the airwaves in 2008: The hipster world loved her, the fashion world loved her and hip-hop world loved her (no thanks to her collaboration with Mr. Kanye West.)

But with love comes pressure—the pressure to keep fans happy, to keep the ball rolling and to come up with a follow-up anthem to “American Boy.” Well, based on the below behind-the-scenes clip taken on the set of her new video, “Freak,” you can say one thing about Estelle 2.0: She’s not playing it safe.

Directed by frequent West collaborator Nabil Elderkin (“Coldest Winter“), the video features a lot of green screen effects, Estelle dressed in full body-paint and the great Canadian M.C. Kardinal Offishall in “A Clockwork Orange mode.”

The song itself, produced by electronic hitmaker David Guetta, is a dirty, glitchy dance-floor filler. You can check it out now over at Estelle’s site.

Check out the video below and keep your peepers peeled for the full “Freak” video, coming soon.

“Watagatapitusberry.” Huh? “Watagatapitusberry.” Say that again. “Watagatapitusberry.” Me confused. “Watagatapitusberry.”

Oh, now I get it! “Watagatapitusberry.” That’s the new Pitbull joint, right?

Pitbull may’ve just released Rebelution in September 2009, but he’s already setting his sights on a new album—and, this time, it’s going to be all in Spanish. Ay papi! Armando, the Miami rapper’s first Spanish-speaking album, is slated for release this May. However, in order to tide fans over, Pitbull is debuting the video for the album’s first single, “Watagatapitusberry,” next Monday, March 1st on MTV Tr3s.

So, what exactly does “Watagatapitusberry” mean? Pitbull’s not telling—yet.

To see Pitbull explain ‘Watagatapitusberry,’ watch the video below and don’t forget to tune into MTV Tr3s on March 1st to see the song’s video premiere.

It’s been a while since we heard from The Maine. They haven’t called, bought us flowers or taken us dancing in a really long time.

However, just when we were about to delete them from our buddy list, we learned that the Arizona-based band has been busy partnering with IC Bus for the second-annual America’s Greenest Schools contest, which is hunting to find the most environmentally conscious school in the country.

The winning school will get a hybrid-powered bus, a green makeover and a scholarship. Plus, they’ll also get a free concert from The Maine. (Cue screaming teenage girls!)

For contest details, check out America’s Greenest Schools’ site. In the meantime, enjoy a return trip to The Maine’s “Into Your Arms” clip.

Photo credit: Mark Metcalfe / Getty Images

Paramore’s Hayley Williams has become quite the fashionista. Sure, she might not be taking the same risks as Lady Gaga, but her style is equally as unique—yet totally accessible and affordable. Finally! A fashion icon for girls on a budget!

We recently spotted (pun intended) Paramore performing at the Soundwave Festival in Sydney, Australia, and couldn’t help but fawn all over Ms. Williams’ ferosh leopard pants. Wonder where she picked up such a pair? We can’t be exactly sure we came up with a couple animal-obsessed possibilities:

FIERCE: True Religion Stella Leopard Velveteen Jeans - If these jeans solidify your title as Queen Of The Fashion Jungle, then I don’t know what will. Dress them up with heels or, if you’re like Hayley, a sturdy pair of Vans or Converse. Either way, they totally RAWR-K! (Zappos.com, $163.30)

FRUGAL: Forever 21 Studded Leopard Skinny Pant – If you don’t have a ton of money to burn, then these jeans are purrrrrrrrrrrrrrfect. Not only do they have metal-stud embellishments, but they’re made of a cotton/spandex blend twill, which means the waistband will be totally forgiving if you decide to indulge in an In-N-Out hamburger, animal-style. (Forever 21, $22.80)

Justin Bieber, known around these parts as the “luckiest boy in the world,” has recently been tweeting up a storm about his birthday, being in Paris, the tracklisting for his forthcoming My World 2.0 album and other events going on in his world.

When he mentioned the other day that his new single would be called “Never Let You Go” and it would hit iTunes next week, we thought that the song title sounded awfully familiar. Turns out Bieber performed “Never Let Me Go” on MTV’s VMA Tour last fall.

With a melody not unlike Chris Brown’s “Forever,” “Never Let Me Go” is filled with Bieber’s signature soft-pop combined with layers of hip-hop and R&B. On stage, the little dude really holds his own, performing the song completely solo and keeping the crowd in the palm of his hand the entire time.

Check out the live performance of “Never Let Me Go” from MTV’s VMA tour. “Never Let Me Go” hits iTunes on Tuesday, March 2nd. My World 2.0 is out March 23rd.

• News Ticker: Bob Dylan, 50 Cent
• Unearthed Stones Songs on Exile Reissue
• Aerosmith Reconcile, Announce 2010 Tour
• Exclusive New Runaways Photos
• Thom Yorke’s Atoms for Peace Confirm Tour
• Jeff Beck on His Unreleased Motown Album
• STP’s Self-Titled Disc Due May 25th
• Petty Announces Heartbreakers LP, Tour
• Watch Ke$ha Cover Radiohead
• Furthur Hit Manhattan: On the Hippie Bus
• iTunes Winner Gets Surprise Steve Jobs Call
• Miley, Michaels Team for Racy Duet
• Daltrey Wants to Team With Jimmy Page
• INXS Recruit Flowers, Harper for Cover Disc
• Public Image Ltd. Announce U.S. Tour
• Ray Davies Teams With Springsteen, Bon Jovi
• Sade’s Soldier of Love Locks Down No. One
• Breaking: Nneka
• Billie Joe, Trey to Honor Rock Hall Inductees
• Tracy Morgan’s Funniest, Freakiest Clips
• Lady Gaga Launches New Monster Ball: Photos
• Watch Kanye’s “Coldest Winter” Video
• Slash: Velvet Revolver Still Seek Singer

Scroll down for full news stories, commentary and much more in Rock Daily.

• Bob Dylan has racked up another national honor. Last night, he was one of a dozen people awarded the National Medal of Arts, which celebrates “the breadth and depth of American architecture, design, film, music, performance, theater and visual art.” Dylan and fellow honoree Clint Eastwood did not attend the ceremony, the New York Times reports.
• One of Rick Ross’ former girlfriends, Lastonia Leviston, is suing 50 Cent, claiming the Queens rapper posted her private sex tape online in an attempt to rib his rival Ross. Reuters reports the tape (edited to include 50’s voice over) was posted on his ThisIs50 site.
• A judge has ruled that Ozzy Osbourne’s legal battle with Tony Iommi over the name Black Sabbath can continue, the New York Post reports.
• The David Byrne documentary Ride, Rise, Roar will get its debut at SXSW this year, along with the Lemmy Kilmister film Lemmy.

If you’re a 46-year-old man singing a duet about getting undressed with your female counterpart, it’s probably not the best idea to make your duet partner a 17-year-old girl like Miley Cyrus. However, the 46-year-old man in question is Bret Michaels, and if Rock of Love Bus has taught us anything, it’s that decision-making isn’t one of the bandana-wearing rocker’s strong suits.

Up top is “Nothing to Lose,” on which Michaels sings a saccharine little country tune about makeup that doesn’t hide pain and wearing your heart on your sleeve while Cyrus’ adolescent coos bounce in the background. However, it’s their line together, “Yeah we both know better than this, still we can’t resist slowly get undressed” that’ll likely raise the eyebrows of the To Catch a Predator producers. “Nothing to Lose” indeed, except your possible court case.

Wondering how this team-up came to be? As Rolling Stone reported, Cyrus has recorded a cover of Poison’s “Every Rose Has Its Thorn.”

Photo: Nunez/WireImage

ZZ Top, Godsmack and Tesla lead the 2010 charge at the Rocklahoma Festival, taking place Memorial Day weekend in Pryor, Oklahoma. Plus, Lupe Fiasco heads out in support of Lasers and Massive Attack schedule their first U.S. tour in four years. Full Rocklahoma lineup and tour dates below.

Rocklahoma
ZZ Top
Godsmack
Tesla
Buckcherry
Cinderella
Chevelle
Stone Sour
Theory of a Deadman
Saliva
Saving Abel
Adelitas Way
Janus
Aranda
Burn Halo
Richy Nix
Shaman’s Harvest
Taddy Porter
Like A Storm
Taking Dawn
New Medicine
Year Long Disaster
Brookroyal
Within Reason
Wildstreet
Firstryke
Krank
The Glitter Boys
…and a “Very Special Guest”

Lupe Fiasco
Mar. 5 – Claremont, CA @ Bridges Auditorium
Mar. 20 – Stockton, CA @ Bob Hope Theatre
Apr. 7 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues
Apr. 9 – Atlantic City, NJ @ House of Blues
Apr. 10 – New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
Apr. 13 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
Apr. 14 – Royal Oak, MI @ Royal Oak Theatre
Apr. 16 – Milwaukee, WI @ Eagles Ballroom
Apr. 17 – St. Peter, MN @ Gustavus Adolphus College
Apr. 18 – Kansas City, MO @ Midland Theater
Apr. 20 – Peoria, IL @ Peoria Civic Center Arena

Massive Attack
May 7 – Toronto, ON @ Sound Academy
May 9 – Toronto, ON @ Sound Academy
May 11 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5
May 12 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5
May 18 – Los Angeles, CA @ Wiltern Theater
May 19 – Los Angeles, CA @ Wiltern Theater
May 25 – San Francisco, CA @ Warfield Theater
May 27 – San Francisco, CA @ Warfield Theater
May 30 – George, WA @ Sasquatch Festival

Photo: Sussman/Getty
Superstar soprano Renee Fleming is reinterpreting the term “rock opera” this spring with her new album Dark Hope. The Grammy-winning opera singer will take on songs by Arcade Fire, Muse, Death Cab for Cutie, Peter Gabriel, Leonard Cohen and many more on the disc, which was produced by David Kahne. “I’ve always been inspired by artists who have shown musical and intellectual curiosity and the courage to take risks,” Fleming says. “Because everything about the voice interests me, I felt it would be fascinating to learn a completely different style of singing.”

Fleming jumps from Mozart and Carmen to Jefferson Airplane, Duffy and Mars Volta on Dark Hope, and she says her primary goal was interpreting the songs in a way that made sense for her own unique voice. “Every song has a story, so this whole idea of enacting or playing a role is doubly true for this music.” Fleming’s sister and two daughters also join her on Dark Soul as backup singers.

Fleming is set to take on Band of Horses’ “No One’s Gonna Love You,” Arcade Fire’s “Intervention” and Tears For Fears’ “Mad World.” She’ll also become the latest singer to violate Leonard Cohen’s call for a moratorium on “Hallelujah” covers, but we’re sure Cohen would give a voice like Fleming special permission to tackle the classic track.

Dark Hope Track List:

“Endlessly” (Muse)
“No One’s Gonna Love You” (Band of Horses)
“Oxygen” (Willy Mason)
“Today” (Jefferson Airplane)
“Intervention” (Arcade Fire)
“With Twilight As My Guide” (The Mars Volta)
“Mad World” (Tears for Fears)
“In Your Eyes” (Peter Gabriel)
“Stepping Stone” (Duffy)
“Soul Meets Body” (Death Cab For Cutie)
“Hallelujah” (Leonard Cohen)

Whitney Houston says her tour of Australia is going great, despite the swathes of fans and critics who have panned her performance.

“American Idol” voters said goodbye to the first four contestants of season nine on Thursday night, eliminating Janell Wheeler, Joe Munoz, Ashley Rodriguez and Tyler Grady.