Music News: Saying Bye Bye Bye To TRL

Robbie Daw presents a weekly pop music update here on Towleroad! Robbie runs his own site called Chart Rigger.

Hey there, Carson Daly, mind if I bend your ear for a minute?

You see, I was wondering what you thought when you heard the news that MTV is retiring Total Request Live in November—you know, the Top 10 video countdown staple that made you a figurehead amongst a generation of adolescents?

Now, I know what they'll all say, Carson. They'll say that MTV hasn't really played music videos on a regular basis in a good decade or so, and that axing TRL is just a natural progression. After all, might the network not be better off simply airing marathons of The Hills and Next all day long?

And, yeah, you were probably right to get out in 2003, when the teen pop wave of the late '90s had crested and crashed into an endless, dull quagmire of J. Lo jams and songs that too often featured "featuring" in the billing—Eminem featuring this one, Ja Rule featuring that one...

Admittedly, I haven't watched TRL since you were on it, Carson. In fact, I haven't watched it since Hoku was clawing her way to the top with "Another Dumb Blonde." But let's stop for a second and take stock of a few things.

When TRL first launched in September 1998, Chad Hurley was just a 21-year-old college geek playing computer games at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He was still seven years away from launching YouTube. (I went to IUP around then, too, Carson...and, dammit, why wasn't I hanging out with him?)

YouTube. Do you think that's what did in TRL in the end? After all, why rush home to watch a half-hour video countdown when you can make your own playlist of clips online?

And then there's Britney Spears. Geez, she's had an interesting ride this past decade, huh? And just think—there was no Britney back then! "...Baby One More Time" (the song) was still two months away from being released in September 1998. Sure, there were *NSYNC and Backstreet Boys, but if you think about it, Carson, Britney and TRL were almost star-crossed. They were meant to happen together. It was like tossing a carefully-lit match into a powder keg that had been strategically set out in the right spot.

I bought "...Baby One More Time" that fall, on CD single. (Remember those?) There was no iTunes in 1998, either, and wouldn't be for another five years. Again, iTunes—another possible contributor to the demise of Total Request Live? Who's to say?

Then along came Christina Aguilera. Hey, you dated her, didn't you, Carson? I can't recall—was that before or after you dated Tara Reid? And Jennifer Love Hewitt? Boy, girls sure weren't singing about kissing girls back then, were they? Well, okay, they were. But America wasn't really singing along and sending them to #1 in the process.

The world was just a different place in 1998. September 11 was still another mundane day on the calendar, and Columbine was just a high school no one outside of Jefferson County in Colorado paid much attention to.

And so, Carson, I think what's got me playing the Backstreet Boys on repeat these past few days isn't so much that I'm lamenting the passing of TRL. In some ways, I just feel like MTV is pulling the plug on my youth. It's the same thing I felt when Lance Bass appeared on the cover of People, declaring he was gay—Now there's the end of an era!

Speaking of which, why couldn't Lance Bass just march onto your show back in the day and tell the world he was gay? Why'd he have to wait till after he was so sure *NSYNC were a done deal—that there was no way he could harm the financial viability of a globally-profitible boy band—that it wouldn't really matter anymore if he was gay, straight, an atheist or a martian?

How would America react in 2008 if, say, one of the Jonas Brothers came out of the closet? Would Disney put out the inevitable live album, the "best of" and then send the the trio off to go quietly into the night? Or would they be accepted and carry on having hits? How much have things really changed over the course of the TRL era?

Ah, well. In the end, this all brings to mind a line from the Smiths' "Rubber Ring":

Don't forget the songs that made you cry,
And the songs that saved your life.

Granted, the songs that saved my life were more "Rubber Ring" than "I Want It That Way" or "Oops!...I Did It Again." But the latter ones sure did make me smile.

Clinton References McClurkin in Swing at Obama's Gay Record

In an interview today with the Washington Blade, editor Kevin Naff asks Hillary Clinton about "critics who say Obama is more likely to address gay issues in front of a non-gay audience." (Obama specifically mentioned gays and lesbians most recently in his MLK Day speech at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, and in his speech following Ted Kennedy's endorsement)

Responds Clinton: "I find it ironic since Sen. Obama had his gospel tour with [Donnie] McClurkin that he and his supporters would take credit for that."

Clinton again defended her position on DOMA. She favors repealing the portion which prohibits the recognition of same-sex couples while Obama favors repealing the entire act.

Says Clinton: "I believe that my position reflects the experience I had fighting against the Federal Marriage Amendment. At the time, I was chair of the Democratic Steering & Outreach Committee and I worked hand-in-hand with [the Human Rights Campaign] and other members of the LGBT community to stop the amendment. We’d already seen the success the Republican majority had had in 2002, 2004 in using this as a wedge issue. I was able to explain to other senators that DOMA ensured marriage would be left to the states — that was critical in defeating the amendment. It gave us an argument with both Republicans and Democrats. We cannot count on the political atmosphere staying favorable. That’s something we’ve learned to our unfortunate detriment and I think we are in a much stronger position to bury forever the Federal Marriage Amendment and other mean-spirited, discriminatory legislation."

Clinton also speaks on 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' ENDA, and her willingness to use forceful advocacy towards gay rights measures.

An interview with Hillary Clinton [washington blade]

Music News: Kelis Moves On From Jive, Plus Adam Levine, Alanis Morissette, Róisín Murphy, Simian Mobile Disco

Please welcome Robbie Daw, who will be penning occasional music posts for us here on Towleroad! Robbie runs his own pop music site called Chart Rigger.

Kelis has been dropped from her contract with Jive Records, and is working on an album of dance tunes with Cee-Lo Green, current singer of Gnarls Barkley. The two have apparently already finished a pop album with British writer/producer Guy Chambers, who wrote many of Robbie Williams' original hits ("Angels," "Rock DJ," "Feel"). Williams himself is currently making a new album with Chambers after the two parted ways five years ago over creative differences following the singer's Escapology record.

If you haven't heard Kelis' 2006 album Kelis Was Here (and many likely haven't, as Billboard notes it's only sold 157,000 copies to date), you probably missed "Lil Star," her soulful, retro-sounding duet with Cee-Lo, which peaked at #3 earlier this year on the official U.K. singles chart.

Given the wide array of musical styles and producers used on Kelis Was Here and in her other work, she might have appeared to be a hard act to market for Jive. Last year's Top 20 single "Bossy" was the only song remotely close to her breakthrough hit "Milkshake."

Currently, Kelis, who is the wife of rapper Nas, can be heard on the Annie Lennox album Songs Of Mass Destruction, on the track "Sing" (although, good luck trying to pick her out, as she's one of 22 other female vocalists featured).

Maroon 5 singer Adam Levine (pictured left) goes the shirtless route in the band's video for "Wake Up Call." Perhaps it's an attempt to jump start the single -- currently at #19 on Billboard's Hot 100 after 11 weeks on the chart -- which is having a slower go than "Makes Me Wonder," which hit #1 in the spring.

Following her stint as a lesbian, Alanis Morissette is now taking a job as a secretary.

Singer Róisín Murphy returns home after damaging her eye socket on stage in Moscow with a chair on Saturday: "Despite serious concussion and losing a lot of blood, her vision is unimpaired."

Simian Mobile Disco's video for their dance track "Hustler" offers an interesting take on beauty and gluttony. Definitely don't miss the last minute of the clip.

Kurt Cobain loses his standing as top earning dead celebrity.

Despite having "nothing left to write about," Oasis trudge on making their seventh album.

Author Lucy O'Brien's book Madonna: Like An Icon makes some interesting claims. Meanwhile, Kanye West is taking his own stab at literature.

TODAY'S NEW RELEASES:

Party like it's 1999! Bumped up two weeks from its original release date, Britney Spears' fifth studio album (and her first in four years) Blackout arrives. Also out is Unbreakable, by Britney's Jive labelmates, Backstreet Boys.

If you'd rather party like it's 1989, pick up head-bangers Avenged Sevenfold's self-titled new set.

Atlanta hip hop group Arrested Development return with Since The Last Time.

Long Road Out Of Eden, the new studio album from The Eagles, will only be available for purchase through Wal-Mart stores.

The soundtrack to Joy Division biopic Control contains tracks by New Order, David Bowie, Roxy Music, The Killers, Kraftwerk, Iggy Pop and Joy Division themselves.

Music News: Exclusive Darren Hayes Podcast Interview

Please welcome Robbie Daw, who will be penning occasional music posts for us here on Towleroad! Robbie runs his own pop music site called Chart Rigger.

This week we've got something a bit different for you, in that I had the opportunity to interview Darren Hayes over the weekend exclusively for Towleroad readers. But rather than type the whole thing out, Andy and I decided it might be a bit more fun to stream the conversation as a podcast.

Darren Hayes, who between his years as both the singer for successful Australian duo Savage Garden and then as a solo artist, has sold over 30 million records. A year ago he married his partner, Richard Cullen, in London, and last month he put out the two-disc This Delicate Thing We've Made worldwide on his own label, Powdered Sugar.

Ironically, the same day of his album's release, news of allegations against him -- revolving around a racial slur he allegedly made in a London restaurant -- broke out. In the interview, Hayes talks about all these things, as well as the artists who have influenced him like Annie Lennox and Prince, and how growing up with an alcoholic father made him the artist he is today.

He also tells some great anecdotes about working with Janice Dickinson on his latest video ("We loved having her on set. I did have to run around making her cups of tea.") and getting to sing with Luciano Pavarotti.

Play the podcasts below as you would a video.

PART ONE: "Madonna is about to leave Warners and perhaps forge a relationship with a promoter. I've found myself at the forefront of this movement away from the major label system."

PART TWO: "I couldn't even think, let alone utter, a racist remark. But there's an investigation and I totally support that."

NEWS BITES: Madonna buys a sex toy.

Kanye West promises to boycott MTV.

Kid Rock could face jail time after his VMAs brawl with Tommy Lee.

Pet Shop Boys cancel their September 27 gig at the Hollywood Bowl.

Kaiser Chiefs ditch their American tour to "concentrate on recording new material."

It's down to the wire for Phil Spector.

YESTERDAY'S NEW RELEASES:

After weeks of the rappers' hype and posturing, 50 Cent's Curtis and Kanye West's Graduation officially began their chart showdown yesterday. However, if country music by a singer who is most certainly not gay is your thing, Kenny Chesney's Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates is also out.

Other albums dropping yesterday included alt rock act Hot Hot Heat's Happiness LTD., Scottish DJ Calvin Harris' I Created Disco and Rogue Wave's Asleep At Heaven's Gate.

iTunes also has up new singles by Alicia Keys' ("No One") and Backstreet Boys ("Inconsolable"), and a remix EP for Gwen Stefani's "Now That You Got It."

News: Al Gore, Facebook, Mike Gravel, Backstreet Boys, Scottsdale

Al Gore wanted by voters, according to new Michigan poll: "The crowded field of presidential hopefuls isn't crowded enough to suit Michigan voters, who prefer two unannounced candidates for the Republican and Democratic nominations, a new Detroit News/WXYZ-TV poll shows. Former Tennessee Senator and TV star Fred Thompson would lead the GOP pack and former Vice President Al Gore would top the Democratic slate should they decide to run, according to a statewide survey of 400 likely Republican and 400 likely Democratic primary voters in Michigan conducted last Wednesday through Monday by EPIC/MRA of Lansing."

Janice Dickinson and manslave step out on the town.

Outsports' Jim Buzinski and Cyd Zeigler talk to Salon about their new book, The Outsports Revolution: "We don't try to undermine gay stereotypes. We simply try to be who we are."

Me-Me-Me talks to the Backstreet Boys. Brian: "We could get a gay [member]! We are missing a member. Some of my good friends are gay; it’s not a big deal but unfortunately, we don’t have a gay member. Not to my knowledge anyway. But if someone wanted to come out, I’d love them just the same."

White House upset over Hillary Clinton campaign ad claiming Americans are "invisible" to President Bush: "As to the merits of it, I think it's outrageous. This is a president who, first and foremost, has helped millions of seniors across the country have access to prescription drugs at a much lower cost," Perino said. "As to whether or not our troops are invisible to this president, I think that is absurd and that it is unconscionable that a member of Congress would say such a thing." (watch spot)

Facebook launches "stunning" custom interface for the iPhone.

Hillary Clinton to open for Ellen DeGeneres.

Mike Gravel slams Hillary Clinton over gay rights stance: "By drawing upon the language of states rights, Hillary embraces the tradition of John Calhoun and the defenders of slavery along with Strom Thurmond and the segregationists. Throughout our nation's history, every time national public opinion turns against oppression, opponents of progress use states rights to present themselves as defenders of liberty in the face of federal power. States rights has always been the last refuge of the bigots. Now Hillary has given rhetorical cover to the homophobes. If she wins the Democratic nomination, opponents of gay marriage will cite her statement to justify their opposition to national marriage equality over the next decade."

Following recent gay bashings, Scottsdale, Arizona's mayor Mary Manross is trying to make sure gays know they're welcome there.

The way to Jake Gyllenhaal's heart is clearly through his stomach.

The Backstreet Boys are Back

A new shot of the group has just been released — band of four, and Kevin Richardson's shoes.

He's the "sole" member not returning.