Clarence Clemons, Sax Player For Lady Gaga, Bruce Springsteen, Suffers Stroke

E Street Band member, 69, suffered stroke in his home in Florida.
By Jocelyn Vena


Clarence Clemons
Photo: Getty

Clarence Clemons, legendary member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, has suffered a stroke according to The Associated Press.

A source close to the saxophonist confirmed to the AP that the 69-year-old suffered the stroke in his Florida home on Sunday night; no further details about his health were currently available at press time. However, Showbiz 411 reported that the musician's condition is very serious.

Send Clarence your well wishes on Facebook!

Most recently, Clemons was featured on Lady Gaga's massive Born This Way album, appearing on two tracks and performing with her live on "American Idol" last month.

Clemons, also known as "The Big Man," began performing with the E Street Band in 1972, giving an assist on Springsteen's debut album Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.. In addition to appearing on 20 albums with Springsteen, including the breakthrough Born to Run, he's worked with a number of other artists including Gaga, Jackson Browne and Ringo Starr. He's also appeared in films like "New York, New York"and "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure," as well as TV shows like "The Wire" and "The Simpsons."

Recently, however, he has had problems with his health, and following the Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's tour in 2009, he had to have both knees replaced and a spinal fusion surgery, according to Rolling Stone. But he vowed, "As long as my mouth, hands and brain still work I'll be out there doing it."

When MTV News caught up with Gaga's longtime collaborator, Fernando Garibay, the producer recalled how excited Gaga was to hit the studio with one of her icons for the songs "Hair" and her latest single, "Edge of Glory."

"She grew up listening to Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, and she goes, 'Can we get Clarence?' And I go, 'Of course we can get Clarence. You're Lady Gaga!' " he said. "You can see the years of influence and you can see her lighting up when he's playing [with her in the studio]."

Send your well-wishes to Clarence Clemons in the comments below.

Related Videos Related Artists

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1665626/clarence-clemons-stroke-lady-gaga-bruce-springsteen.jhtml

Rachel Nichols Rachel Perry Rachel Weisz Radha Mitchell Raquel Alessi Rebecca Mader

Justin Bieber Won't 'Limit' Himself On Next Album

'I just want to make music,' he tells MTV News.
By Jocelyn Vena


Justin Bieber
Photo: Jamie McCarthy/ Getty Images

It's been a minute since Justin Bieber released new music, and it sounds like the waiting game continues for Beliebers. The singer is currently in the planning and recording stages for his next record and has not set any deadlines for himself. At the moment, Bieber said, he's still creating.

"I want to work a lot with myself," he told MTV News about any plans to expand his collaboration résumé, after working with artists like Chris Brown, Kanye West, Ludacris and Rascal Flatts. "And [I want to] write a lot myself. I will be working with a lot of other producers and stuff like that, but I'm just writing a lot, writing on tour."

So what is Bieber focusing on in this new batch of songs? "[I'm] writing about how I feel and producing. I've been producing on my laptop and on my computer," he said. "I've been really into it and, hopefully, this next album will be huge."

It may be a while until new stuff comes out, but it's not like fans don't already have plenty of Bieber music to listen to in the meantime. Only a couple of years into his career, Bieber has already managed to release the chart-topping albums My World, My World 2.0, Never Say Never — The Remixes and My Worlds Acoustic. He's also dabbled in a number of genres, like pop, hip-hop, R&B and, yes, even country. With so many interests in so many different sounds and so much to draw from, Bieber said he's not boxing himself in on his next release.

"I've done a lot on my acoustic guitar, so it's gonna have that vibe," he explained. "I'm not gonna really limit myself. I think music is music, and genre — I mean, I know there's country music, there's rock music, but my music is different. My voice is not meant for any style. I just want to make music."

Are you excited for Bieber's next album? Tell us in the comments!

Related Artists

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666424/justin-bieber-new-album.jhtml

Sarah Gellman Sarah Michelle Gellar Sarah Mutch Sarah Polley Sarah Shahi Sarah Silverman

Michael Jackson's 'Thriller': Story Behind The 'Glee' Cover

MJ classic is mashed up with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' 'Heads Will Roll' for post-Super Bowl episode.
By Aly Semigran


"Glee"
Photo: FOX

Madonna, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and now, finally, Michael Jackson. The cast of "Glee" has covered plenty of icons during their first two seasons, but it's taken 33 episodes to get around to the King of Pop.

With a huge catalog of Jackson songs, the singing, dancing students of McKinley High paid homage to the late singer with one of his biggest staples (and, arguably, the greatest music video of all time) with their take on "Thriller."

The groundbreaking single from Jackson's best-selling album of the same name was mashed up with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' "Heads Will Roll" for the post-Super Bowl episode (titled "The Sue Sylvester Bowl Shuffle"), featuring a zombie-fied "Glee" cast.

Bound to become a smash all over again (though with its nonstop rotation at Halloween parties and wedding receptions until the end of time, it's never truly gone away), here's a brief history of the dance/pop classic.

Released on January 23, 1984, "Thriller" was the seventh, and final, single to be released from Jackson's smash record. According to the RIAA, the album (released by Epic Records) has gone gold 29 times, narrowly edging out the Eagles' Greatest Hits 1971-1975 for the title of best-selling album of all time.

In 2009, MTV News estimated that the Thriller album was poised to go triple diamond, meaning 30 million records sold in the U.S. alone.

After Thriller's other singles (including "Billie Jean," "Beat It" and "Wanna Be Startin' Something") dominated the charts, it was time for the spooky, undeniably original track to take over. The song "Thriller" also appeared on many of Jackson's other albums, including the compilations HIStory and Number Ones.

Clocking in at a little under six minutes (though the radio edit was closer to four-and-a-half), the song features pop-music mainstays like synthesizers but shakes things up with its spooky sound effects, including creaking floors, howling and thunder.

The song was produced by Quincy Jones and written and composed by Rod Tempterton and spent 14 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #4.

But it's the music video for "Thriller" that truly made it the phenomenon it was in the '80s and continues to be today. Less a music video than a mini-motion picture, the video (over 13 minutes long and directed by John Landis) won three MTV Video Music Awards and has been named the best music video of all time by many outlets, including VH1 for the special "VH1: 100 Greatest Videos."

The chiller features Jackson in that iconic red leather jacket on a date with his girlfriend (played by Ola Ray) before things go terribly awry. After all, as Jackson (whose disclaimer at the start of the video reads, "This film in no way endorses a belief in the occult") sings in the opening line, "It's close to midnight and something evil's lurking in the dark." Cue werewolves, zombies, Vincent Price's soliloquy and one of the most memorable dance sequences ever.

The video was (no pun intended) a monster hit. As the Los Angeles Times notes, "At the height of the song's popularity, MTV would run the 14-minute 'Thriller' video twice an hour."

Choreographed by Jackson and Michael Peters (who, as the LA Times also reported, appears in the video as one of the zombies) and with makeup by Oscar-winner Rick Baker (also an undead "Thriller" extra) was made with a huge budget of an estimated $500,000.

Still, the efforts paid off. Landis (who told the "Today" show back in 2009 that no one wanted to give them the funds to make the risky vid) made the accompanying 45-minute documentary about the venture, called "The Making of Thriller." Featuring the behind-the-scenes wizardry, as well as the music video in full, it would go on to move more than 10 million copies.

Since then, the signature song and video have seen their share fair of tributes in movies (notably in the 2004 comedy"13 Going on 30") and TV ("South Park," "Family Guy," "30 Rock," among others), not to mention the countless flash mobs that have gone viral. (Remember the prisoners in the Philippines who became overnight phenomenons on YouTube?)

Even with the "Glee" number, this likely won't be the last incarnation of "Thriller." Billboard reported in October that a "Thriller" film is in the works. With a plot allegedly revolving around Price's narration, Kenny Ortega, who directed Jackson's last effort, "This Is It," will reportedly helm the project.

Since Jackson's untimely passing on June 25, 2009, the song and video's legacy continue to live on. In the week following Jackson's death, "Thriller" was the best-selling track in the U.S., with sales of 167,000 copies on the Billboard Hot Digital Singles chart.

Then, in December 2009, "Thriller" was the first music video to ever be inducted into the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. It seems "no mere mortal can resist ... the thriller" after all.

What did you think of the "Thriller" mash-up on "Glee"? Let us know in the comments!

Related Videos Related Artists

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1657395/glee-thriller.jhtml

Rosario Dawson Rose Byrne Rose McGowan Roselyn Sanchez Rozonda Thomas Saira Mohan

Justin Bieber 'Rooting For Drake' At BET Awards

But pop star stays mum on what he has in store for fans during Sunday's show, airing live on BET at 8 p.m. ET.
By Jocelyn Vena


Justin Bieber
Photo: Jamie McCarthy/ Getty Images

Justin Bieber isn't nominated in any of the categories at this Sunday's 2011 BET Awards, but that isn't stopping the teen superstar from making an appearance. With so many of his pals up for prizes at the show, it's anyone's guess what the Biebs might do come awards day, and he's keeping it a surprise.

"You never know. I will never tell you, ever, even if there was a fire right now," the singer joked to MTV News on Thursday at a New York City event for his fragrance, Someday. "I wouldn't tell you. I can't tell you [or I'd] have to kill you."

Usher, Chris Brown, Drake, former crush Beyoncé and Kanye West are among the performers nominated this year and they're also pals of Bieber's. And while he's excited for all of them, Justin said he's rooting hardest for his countryman. "I'm rooting for Drake," he said of his fellow Canadian. "Drake is my homey."

Brown has six nods, Lil Wayne has five, and Kanye West, Drake and Rihanna each have four. The Video of the Year category has a surprising mix of contenders, including Willow Smith for "Whip My Hair," Marsha Ambrosius' "Far Away," B.o.B's "Airplanes," Brown's "Look at Me Now," Hilson's "Pretty Girl Rock" and West's "Runaway."

In addition to the big-name nominees, among the A-list performers slated to take the stage at Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium are Beyoncé, Jill Scott, Alicia Keys, Lil Wayne, Drake and Brown. Nicki Minaj and Bruno Mars have also been added to the show's lineup.

The 2011 BET Awards, hosted by comedian Kevin Hart, air live on Sunday, June 26, at 8 p.m. ET on BET.

What do you think Bieber will do at the awards show? Tell us in the comments!

Related Artists

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666381/justin-bieber-drake-bet-awards.jhtml

Reese Witherspoon Rhona Mitra Rihanna Robin Tunney Rosario Dawson Rose Byrne