N*E*R*D Pictures

Fleet Foxes Spin Geekdom Into Pop Gold

Photo: Susana Howe Just a few short years ago, Fleet Foxes frontman Robin Pecknold was a high school nerd obsessed with Lord of the Rings. He’s still hung up on Bilbo, but the success of his band and their buzzy debut album proves that sometimes the geeks inherit the Earth. Click below for more on Fleet Foxes, including why Pecknold feels family is so important. • Fleet Foxes’ Perfect Harmony Related Stories: • Album Review: Fleet Foxes, Fleet Foxes • Breaking: Fleet Foxes

Published: 2008-11-03 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News

Breaking: The Low Anthem

Who: The Low Anthem, a trio of neo-hippie rockers who, after scoring a slot at Bonnaroo and a gig opening for Ray LaMontagne, have become one of the hottest unsigned bands on the East Coast. With A&R reps flocking to their sold out shows, frontman Ben Knox Miller says, “We can make a living now. Not a luxurious living, but a living.” Sounds Like: Backed by Miller’s Springsteen-esque rasp and multi-instrumentalists Jocie Adams and Jeff Prystowsky, the Low Anthem craft homemade, warm-hearted Americana populated by train workers and road trippers on their second album, Oh My God, Charles Darwin. Recorded on Block Island, Rhode Island, the group adds flourishes of instruments like pump organ, zither and Tibetan singing bowls. Vital Stats: • The trio met at Brown University; Miller and Prystowsky played intramural baseball together and then DJ’d the graveyard shift at a radio station before starting the Low Anthem as a duo. The band’s biggest fan was Adams, who was recruited to join after Miller learned she could play anything from trumpet to viola. • Adams is a classical music-loving nerd who once worked as a researcher at NASA (she studied photochemistry). “I guess you could say I undiscovered [the hydrocarbon] allene in Titan’s atmosphere,” Adams says. Miller jokes, “Can you imagine what it’s like getting her to rock & roll?” • “Everything we listen to is really old: Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Gustav Mahler,” Miller says of the band’s influences. “We’re not into the next big thing.” Hear It Now: Oh My God, Charles Darwin is available now in stores and digital music services. In our Breaking video above, watch Low Anthem perform their song “To the Ghosts That Write History Books.”

Published: 2009-02-25 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News, Breaking

Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ “It’s Blitz”: “Less Angst and More Positivity, Man”

Photo: Malluk/WireImage One of New York’s finest rock trios, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, are returning in April with a new album called It’s Blitz — and Rolling Stone has the scoop with an in the studio story in the next issue (on newsstands this week!). “We’re always going to have Yeah Yeah Yeahs hooks and energy,” Karen O tells us. “But we came up with something new that we’ve never heard before from ourselves. Less angst and more positivity, man!” It’s Blitz, the follow-up to 2006’s Show Your Bones, was produced by Nick Launay (who oversaw the band’s 2007 EP Is Is) and TV on the Radio’s Dave Sitek. Recording went down in the band’s native Brooklyn and in Texas where — no joke — the crew lived on a pecan orchard. It was certainly a far cry from the sessions that produced the trio’s raw 2003 debut Fever to Tell. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs are already booked for two of the year’s biggest festivals, Coachella and Bonnaroo, where they’ll certainly be road-testing their newest tunes. The last time the Yeahs rocked New York City (an August ‘07 gig at Webster Hall) they tested out a new song and brought one of their sweatiest, passionate performances yet. Before the set ended with “Maps,” Karen O gave fans a little preview of this newfound positivity: “This brings us to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs love song,” she wailed as her parents looked on. “Love is real and this is for each and every one of you!” Related Stories: • Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Goth, Nerd, Slut • Yeah Yeah Yeahs Deliver Sex, Violence and Perversion

Published: 2009-02-03 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News

Lynyrd Skynyrd Keyboardist Billy Powell Dead at 56

Photo: Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Billy Powell, the only keyboardist Lynyrd Skynyrd ever had, died last night at his home near Jacksonville, Florida. He was 56. No cause of death has been announced, and a post on the official Synyrd Website reads, “A Great Loss — Beloved Pianist for the Lynyrd Skynyrd Band, Billy Powell, passed away last night. We will post more info shortly. The family and band request your respect and understanding during this difficult time. Thank you.” The band is canceling upcoming shows and directing fans to its Website for tour updates. Powell first joined Skynyrd in 1973 after serving as the band’s roadie for a year. His keyboard work features prominently on the band’s debut (pronounced ‘leh-’nerd ’skin-’nerd), with Powell credited for crafting the intro for their epic anthem “Free Bird” (Number 191 on Rolling Stone’s Greatest Songs of All Time). After impressing Ronnie Van Zant with his work on the song, Powell was officially invited to join the band, and remained a member from their debut album until 1977’s Street Survivors. Powell survived the 1977 plane crash that took the lives of singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, backup singer Cassie Gaines and other crew members. Despite suffering injuries including facial lacerations and nearly losing his nose, Powell was the first to be discharged from the hospital and was the only member to attend his bandmates’ funerals. After Skynyrd, Powell joined the Christian rock band Vision, but reunited with Skynyrd after a decade-long hiatus for some concerts in 1989, and ultimately remained with the band until now. In May, Skynyrd played their first-ever gig at New York’s Madison Square Garden with Kid Rock. Powell and the rest of his Lynyrd Skynyrd bandmates were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. With Powell’s death, guitarist Gary Rossington becomes the lone surviving original Skynyrd member touring with the band. Related Stories: • Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Gary Rossington on

Published: 2009-01-28 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News

The Vault: Scruffing It Up With Sneakers

North Carolina's Sneakers had a fairly limited run: The group released only two albums in the late '70s, neither of which made a big splash outside the typical music-nerd circles. But the band...

Published: 2007-03-22 Provider: Idolator Keywords: Mp3, Sneakers, Vault

It's the Vodafone Live Music Awards tonight – but who are YOUR winners?

After finding out that Peaches Geldof was a far better blagger than us, we decided to step up our game – and we've had some success. heatworld are proud (and a little bit smug – sorry!) to announce that we're off to the Vodafone Live Music Awards in a few hours. Now, before you get all huffy and green-eyed, remember, we're only doing this for you. How else will we be able to bring you all the gossip from the event tomorrow morning? According to reliable sources, Mark Ronson is going to be there, so we'll be able to ask him all about Daisy Lowe. Or, we might just ask him out – depends how many shandies we manage to guzzle. To give you a taster of what will be going on, some of the prize categories include, Best Live Act, Best Male and Female, 4Music Festival of the Year and Tour of the Year. There are lots of exciting artists in the shortlists, such as Jay Z, Amy Winehouse, Take That, Spice Girls, NERD, Mark Ronson and Kaiser Chiefs. Not only that, but the whole evening is going to be hosted by the rather sexy Mr Steve Jones. Sigh... Shame he's well and truly spoken for these days. Anyway, all this talk of music has got us thinking about which band we thought has done the best live performance this year. It has to be McFly for us. They are simply amazing live. But what about you? Did you see any bands at any festivals that blew you away? Did you go to any amazing stadium gigs? Tell us all about it, and in exchange, we'll give Mark Ronson a big wet kiss from you later (hopefully!). Catch the Awards on 4Music, Friday 19 September, or on Channel 4 Saturday 20 September.

Published: 2008-09-23 Provider: Heat

Bart Got A Room/ A&E IndieFilms Spotlight

In a scene from this hilarious high school prom film, senior/band nerd Danny Stein fails miserably in his quest to score a date for the dance. William H. Macy and Cheryl Hines star as Bart’s recently divorced, slightly dysfunctional parents.

Published: 2008-12-12 Provider: Arts & Entertainment TV (A&E) Keywords: William h macy,limo,Cheryl Hines,cat:AETV_SF_AEFilms_BartGotARoom_SF,AandE,prom night,Palm Springs Film Festival,tux,got the hotel,lovin from a cute girl,recently divorced,reasonable young man,Hes only missing the girl,slightly dysfunctional parents,High school senior band member student council vice president,Bart Got a Room,rooting for him,Danny Stein,indie films

Daily Tuna

-Now that's how you do a push-up! -Nikki Ziering's FHM cover shoot! -A girl walks through town in a meat bikini -Saved by the Bell PSA -Hottie Anne Hathaway and a nerd? -Charisma Carpenter goodness! -Wow! This blonde is smokin'! -That's a big rubber band! More Tuna: Sarah Michelle Gellar Pictures Kate Beckinsale Pictures Abigail Clancy Pictures Nikki [...]

Published: 2007-07-11 Provider: Hollywood Tuna Keywords:

The Top 5 Sara Schaefer’s On The Internet

Buzzfeed posted a website today called HowManyOfMe.com, which is a website that tells you how many people in the U.S. share your name. As of now, there are 41 other Sara Schaefer's out there. Over the years, I've become familiar with some of them (one of them was a small Asian-American girl I met during my nerd-camp counselor days), mostly through the powers of googling myself. And surprisingly enough, after about 30 pages of sites about me, you CAN find others! So why not spend the last precious minutes of this dead August workday to list The Top 5 Sara Schaefer's On The Web? I wasn't able to find pictures of all, so we can't decide who's prettiest (me). THE GENIUSThis pretty lady knows a sh*t ton about wide band gap semiconductors. THE WALL STREET JOURNALISTSara Schaefer Munoz writes for the WSJ blog about being a working mom, The Juggle. THE PROPHETShe and I share a love for horrible puns! Her "Up To Know Good" daily inspirational e-mail service will help you travel the straight and narrow. THE ONE WEARING A HAT MADE OF TIN FOILI have to admit. Seeing a fellow Sara Schaefer suffer lik this one does makes me sad. I hope she can triumph over the Illuminati / Free Masons for us all!!! HILLARY CLINTON'S BFF?This website called Muckety maps business relationships...and apparently there is a Sara Schaefer attached to the Hillary campaign. Or is somebody not telling me something?

Published: 2008-08-28 Provider: Best Week Ever Keywords: Entertainment

Shockingly, Rumer Willis Fails To Seduce Chace Crawford [Conversion]

When a girl's starting to doubt her sex appeal, after a foray into acting that has thus far earned her parts as a back brace-wearing nerd and the part of "Smoking Girl" in something called Whore, there is no better way to regain confidence and prove just how fine you are than nailing a gay actor (allegedly). And that's just the challenge Rumer Willis set up for herself during a recent night out. According to the NY Post, the rising starlet and failed auditonee of Lindsay Lohan's lesbian love lottery spotted boy band groupie Chace Crawford at a birthday party and tried every boy toy magnet trick she could think of in an extensively planned and bitterly fought campaign to pull off the rarely accomplished task of getting him to switch teams. Though the Gossip Girl pretty boy has already doused gossip pages with gay rumors, Willis was allegedly gung-ho about grabbing the goldilock-ed birthday boy's attention. But instead of smartly following in his co-star Blake Lively's footsteps and donning a trustworthy bikini inspired by her own mother, Rumer thought a pair of her "shortest jean shorts" and impressive dance floor shenanigans would do the trick. Sadly, sources say Crawford was less interested in both her and Z-lister Brittny Gastineau's forays in conversion tactics: "He wouldn't give her the time of day." A sad moment indeed, but we do suggest Willis try her method out on Crawford's partner in fruitini-drinking crime JC Chasez, who, judging from our tipster's report months back, is much more interested in hiding his sexual preferences behind cabana doors. [Photo credits: Getty, Wireimage] WOMEN COMPETING FOR CHACE CRAWFORD AT HIS BIRTHDAY [NYP]

Published: 2008-07-03 Provider: Defamer Keywords: Conversion, Blake Lively, Brittny Gastineau, Chace Crawford, getty, Gossip Girl, jc chasez, Lindsay Lohan, rumer willis, Wireimage

Presidential Candidates Aren’t Allowed To Have Guilty Pleasures On Their iPods

A "What's on Barack Obama's iPod" article? Come onnnnn, something embarrassing... Bob Dylan. Yo-Yo Ma. Sheryl Crow. Jay-Z. These aren't musical acts in a summer concert series: They're artists featured on Barack Obama's iPod. "I have pretty eclectic tastes," the Democratic presidential contender said in an interview to be published in Friday's issue of Rolling Stone. Growing up in the '70s, Obama said, he listened to the Rolling Stones, Elton John and Earth, Wind & Fire. Stevie Wonder is his musical hero from the era. The Stones' "Gimme Shelter" tops his favorites from the band. Aw come on, dude -- Rolling Stones, Dylan, and Stevie Wonder? Where's the token guilty pleasure admission?? And not some fake "oh my God I'm sooo embarrassed" guilty pleasure like Journey or The Cars or the song "Since U Been Gone" or something everyone likes, I mean a real, soul-revealing, humanizing, clinch-the-music-nerd-vote-with-your-honesty guilty pleasure. Could you imagine if Obama was like, "I enjoy Earth Wind & Fire, Jay-Z, and you know what? I really feel like Billy Joel's River of Dreams album got a bad rap. I don't know, I just really kind of enjoy it." Or, "I've been listening 'Gimmie Shelter' a lot lately, but I've also been hooked on 'Long Way Down' by the Goo Goo Dolls, it came on my Shuffle last week and I was like 'whaaaat?' but it really took me back, I don't know, I kinda like it." I guess if we've learned anything from this article, we now know that Shuffling Toward the Weekend has disqualified all of us from running for president.

Published: 2008-06-25 Provider: Best Week Ever Keywords: Entertainment

Jessica Alba: 'I want my kid to be a nerd'

Jessica Alba says she doesn't fantasize about her baby, due in May or June, scoring the game-winning touchdown or being crowned prom queen -- she fantasizes about 4.0's.  I want my kid to be a nerd. I want him to be really, really smart and want him to be in the band or orchestra or something. No, it's just a joke I have with my fiancé. He can't be cool. Our kid has to be a nerd. If your child wants to be [something], you want to support him and whatever they want to do, but [becoming an actor is] not something that I'd be pushing my kid to do at all. I think it's important for your kid to find their own way.As for labor and delivery horror stories, Jessica says that since becoming pregnant she's been forced to endure quite a few.  Fortunately she's keeping them all in perspective, noting that "none of them really end in like I would never do that again."  She adds,They always end in it's the best thing that's ever happened to me. So, no matter what, it's always the greatest gift someone has had in their life. Anything can happen and I always try to keep a very positive attitude and hopefully my baby feels that energy.That positive attitude also extends to her diminishing wardrobe choices.  Her previous "tomboy" style of jeans, t-shirts and sneakers isn't working with her burgeoning belly, Jessica says.  Now, nothing fits.  The jeans, you’ve got the panel so like the t-shirts are all like stretched in the wrong places and my shoes are too small.  Everything is just different.  I’m just all about cashmere sweaters and leggings kinda.  The biggest surprise of pregnancy so far has been the fatigue, Jessica says, and the 26-year-old admits she's anxious to meet her baby.I want it to be here right now. I can't imagine what it's going to be like until it happens.The baby will be the first for Jessica and her fiancé Cash Warren. Source:  Movies Online 

Published: 2008-02-03 Provider: Celebrity Baby Blog Keywords: News, Quotable quotes