Hubert Sumlin Dead: Guitarist for Howlin' Wolf Dies at 80

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Hubert Sumlin, the influential blues guitarist who made his name as a sideman for Howlin' Wolf and recently ranked 43rd on Rolling Stone's list of history's top 100 axmen, died Sunday (Dec. 4) of heart failure. He was 80.

Born in Greenwood, Miss., Sumlin backed singer James Cotton in Memphis before relocating to Chicago in 1953. There, he joined forces with Howlin' Wolf, forging a partnership that would last until the legendary bluesman's death in 1976.

Along the way, Sumlin played on such enduring Wolf tracks as 'Smokestack Lightning,' 'Killing Floor' and 'Spoonful.' The latter two cuts were famously covered by Jimi Hendrix and Cream, respectively, two of the many rock acts to draw inspiration from his fiery fretwork.

Lou Reed and Metallica Debut Darren Aronofsky-Directed 'The View' Video

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At this point, the only way to save 'Lulu' in the eyes of fans and critics might be to throw more high-profile collaborators at the project.

It certainly can't hurt that unlikely collaborators Metallica and Lou Reed tapped Darren Aronofsky, the Oscar-nominated director behind 'The Wrestler' and 'Black Swan,' to direct the video for 'The View,' which debuted Dec. 3 at IFC.com.

"The first time I heard 'The View,' I was stunned," said Aronofsky in a press release. "I had never heard anything like it. Half was all Lou. The other half all Metallica. It was a marriage that on the surface made no sense, but the fusion changed the way I thought about both artists and morphed into something completely fresh and new."

Nickelback Trade Insults Via Twitter With Atlanta Braves' Peter Moylan

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Embattled rock band Nickelback have found themselves in the middle of another sports controversy -- a Twitter fight with Peter Moylan, a relief pitcher for the Atlanta Braves baseball team.

Moylan threw the first high heater after attending the Foo Fighters' Dec. 2 show at AAMI Park in Melbourne, Australia, tweeting how much more he liked Dave Grohl's band than Chad Kroeger's.

"Note to @nickelback please attend a @foofighters concert. That's how's it should be done chad," he wrote.

Nickelback, who've been drinking their fair share of haterade lately on account of their unpopular football half-time shows, were quick to respond with kind words for the Foos and a baseball-savvy burn for Moylan.

Nadastrom on Origins of 'Moombahton' Genre: 'Reggaeton's Weird Little Cousin'

Courtesy of Nadastrom

Within certain dance music circles, the story of moombahton's flukey origins is new lore. In fall 2009, Dave Nada was being a bad influence to his teenage cousin by DJing his "skipping party" in Washington, D.C. Between reggaeton records, he cued up and pitched down the Afrojack remix of Silvio Ecomo and DJ Chuckie's 'Moombah' and it fit, almost seamlessly.

Pairing the infectious syncopation of dancehall and reggaeton's dembow beat with the siren-call frenzy of Dutch house became the foundation for what he termed moombahton. "It sounded like reggaeton's weird little cousin," Nada, who operates under the banner Nadastrom with friend Matt Nordstrom, tells Spinner's RPM.

Cyndi Lauper Dishes on 'Women Who Rock' and Arguing With Paul Simon Over the Rock Hall's Gender Issues

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"Girls just wanna have fun, but some of us wanna be in a rock band too!" So said Cyndi Lauper when she hosted the new PBS documentary 'Women Who Rock.' Packed with classic concert footage, artist interviews and intelligent commentary, the film pays tribute to the women who invented rock and roll, shaped it and pushed its boundaries.

Because the release of 'Women Who Rock' coincides with the opening of an exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame focusing on women, it seems that women in rock may finally be getting the respect they deserve. We talked with Lauper about the women who inspired her, how things have changed for women in music and her advice for girls who just wanna have Platinum hits.

Skrillex and Corey Feldman -- Celebrity Doppelgangers

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Skrillex (aka Sonny Moore) has become one of the most recognizable and vilified names in dub-step. Corey Feldman, 40, remains an '80s child star icon with a spotty reputation. So why compare their careers? Because they look exactly the same.

The tiny-mouthed, thin-lipped faces of a young Feldman and 23-year-old Skrillex are so similar you could peg them as long-lost brothers. Even beyond their facial similarities, the 'Stand by Me' actor and Grammy-nominated electronic ace have attempted to push the envelope of genre-specific music. Feldman's prog-rock band Truth Movement employs political wordplay about technology and modernism -- which just so happens to be a perfect combo for a Skrillex remix. Perhaps this bespectacled wunderkind is a clone of Corey Feldman ... born 17 years later to save the real Corey Feldman from the Fratellis?

Arcade Fire Promise Personalized 'Postcard' to Fans Donating to KANPE Charity

By now the Hallmark holiday cards are probably starting to clog up your mailbox. And while it's always nice to hear from your far-out family members, it's even cooler to hear from one of the biggest bands of the year, Arcade Fire.

Yup, that's right, the Montreal collective are sending out personalized "Happy Holidays" greetings in exchange for generous donations to their Haiti-development charity Kanpe.

"For any donation you make to Kanpe this holiday season, the band will match it. We will also send a nifty little post card, signed by Regine and I, to put under the tree, or wherever you put your gifts (it's not our business)," frontman Win Butler wrote on Arcade Fire's website.

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Chris Martin: School prepared me for fame

 

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Chris Martin says his school days were 'good preparation' for being famous.
The singer admitted that his peers either though he was musically talented or an idiot.
He believes the way he was treated when he was growing up often reflects how he is regarded by the public now.
'Even at school I was probably quite derisive. Some people thought I was very talented and some people thought I was the biggest t**ser on Earth,' he said in an interview with Q magazine. 'It's funny because I thought once I had left school I'd make it through that and then I realised it's just a microcosm of life. It's just like a big playground. It was good preparation.'
The Coldplay frontman also thinks fame has helped him understand more about the world.
However, he confessed that so much exposure has meant that he's seen some of the nastier sides of people.
'Do I have a dimmer view of the world [now I'm famous]? No, probably a broader view of the extremes,' he explained. I've been in more places, seen more stuff. I feel like there's a lot of things and great people so I have a brighter view of the, but I have a dimmer view of the a**eholes, some of whom I've met.'

Jay-Z 'has labour fears'

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Jay-Z is said to be terrified he'll pass out when his wife Beyoncé Knowles gives birth.
The American superstar couple are expecting their first child, which is thought to be due early next year.
They are both gearing up to welcome their baby into the world, but Jay-Z is said to have concerns about the labour.
'This is his first child with Beyoncé and he obviously has no idea what's going to happen,' a source told Look magazine. 'He even joked he might pass out.'
Beyoncé's former Destiny's Child bandmate Kelly Rowland will also be present when the baby arrives and has told Jay-Z she'll lend him some support.
Kelly has been attended birthing classes with her best friend whenever she is Stateside.
'It was pretty much assumed that Kelly would be in the delivery room with Bey when she gives birth,' the insider added. 'It's obviously something Kelly wants to do.'
Kelly has already started splashing out on gifts for the unborn baby. She recently snapped up a £3,200 Swarovski crystal-covered mini-bath.
'Beyoncé loved the bath,' the source said. 'She laughed for an hour on the phone to Kelly about it.'

Advertisements Click here News Dr. Conrad Murray appeals conviction

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Dr. Conrad Murray has filed for an appeal on his involuntary manslaughter conviction for the death of Michael Jackson.
The notice of appeal was filed by Murray on Friday.
Filing the documents in 'pro per' means that Murray will represent himself during his appellate case rather than allow a lawyer to defend him.
Although Murray plans to represent himself he is still consulting with Nareg Gourjian, one of his defence attorneys from the Jackson manslaughter trial.
"This case presents a goldmine of issues for any appellate lawyer,' Gourjian told TMZ.
'Dr Murray is confident that the Court of Appeal will vindicate him.'
On November 29 the 58-year-old was ordered by Judge Michael Pastor to spend four years in the Los Angeles County Jail.
The judge said he did not have the legal authority to send Murray to state prison because of a new California law.
His sentence was automatically halved and Murray is eligible for house arrest because he is deemed a non-violent felon.
Murray could be released in the coming weeks and it is possible he could even be out by the holidays to serve the remainder of his time on house arrest.