Tag: Rock n' Roll Politics (1-10 of 35)

Feb 12 2013 10:12 AM ET

Ted Nugent gets special invite to Obama's State of the Union

ted-nugent

Image Credit: Lisa Lake/Getty Images

A Republican congressman says he’s invited rocker Ted Nugent, who has referred to President Barack Obama’s administration as “evil, America-hating,” to the State of the Union address.

Rep. Steve Stockman of Texas said Monday on his website that Nugent will be his guest for the president’s speech Tuesday night. Stockman has talked of impeaching Obama over his gun control proposals.

In a speech to the National Rifle Association during the 2012 campaign, Nugent said that if Obama were re-elected, the longtime gun-control opponent would either be “dead or in jail.”

Nugent’s remarks led to meetings with representatives of the Secret Service.

Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez said another guest would be Gabino Sanchez of South Carolina. Gutierrez described Sanchez as a husband, father and an illegal immigrant fighting deportation.

Read more:
Ted Nugent to Piers Morgan: Leave gun owners alone
Ted Nugent calls Obama ‘an evil, dangerous man’
Army cancels Ted Nugent concert after Obama comments
Ted Nugent is extremely irritated you don’t think he’s moderate — VIDEO

Jan 22 2013 06:06 PM ET

Marine Band releases statement about Beyonce's inaugural 'Star-Spangled Banner'

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Image Credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images

Did Beyoncé lip-sync the national anthem at President Obama’s inauguration yesterday? While Queen Bey herself has remained mum about the matter, several news outlets say “yes” — and though this statement from the United States Marine Band doesn’t reveal whether Beyoncé’s vocals were sung live, it does confirm that the band itself played along to a pre-recorded track.

The reason? Since Beyoncé didn’t have an opportunity to rehearse with the group before Inauguration Day, “it was determined that a live performance by the band was ill-advised for such a high-profile event.” Here’s the full statement, which emphasizes that presidential inauguration music is always pre-recorded, just in case:

The Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) requested that the Marine Band accompany Beyonce Knowles-Carter in the performance of the Star-Spangled Banner at the 2013 Inaugural Ceremony. However, there was no opportunity for Ms. Knowles-Carter to rehearse with the Marine Band before the Inauguration so it was determined that a live performance by the band was ill-advised for such a high-profile event. Each piece of music scheduled for performance in the Inauguration is pre-recorded for use in case of freezing temperatures, equipment failure, or extenuating circumstances. Regarding Ms. Knowles-Carter’s vocal performance, no one in the Marine Band is in a position to assess whether it was live or pre-recorded.

Read more:
Beyonce reportedly lip-syncs national anthem: Why we shouldn’t care
Rep. Peter King has no idea who Jay-Z is
Alicia Keys sings ‘Obama on Fire’ for Inaugural Ball: VIDEO

Nov 30 2012 09:31 AM ET

Trace Adkins says he meant no offense with his Confederate earpiece

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Trace Adkins wore an earpiece decorated like the Confederate flag when he performed for the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting but says he meant no offense by it.

Adkins appeared with the earpiece on a nationally televised special for the lighting on Wednesday. Some regard the flag as a racist symbol and criticized Adkins in Twitter postings. READ FULL STORY »

Nov 5 2012 06:00 PM ET

Aimee Mann performs Hurricane Sandy song

Image Credit: Angela Weiss/Getty Images

If you live, oh, anywhere on earth right now, you’re aware that Hurricane Sandy devastated the eastern seaboard last week. Subways aren’t running in Manhattan, New Jersey beach boardwalks were all but carried out to sea, Mayor Bloomberg canceled the New York City Marathon — yeah, it’s pretty bad. But we lowly denizens of the East Coast aren’t the only ones who suffered – musicians also felt the wrath of the Frankenstorm. Some, like Donnie Wahlberg, Rosanne Cash, and The Antlers, tweeted their woes mid-hurricane. Aimee Mann, on the other hand, sang about it.

READ FULL STORY »

Nov 5 2012 04:47 PM ET

Jay-Z and Bruce Springsteen perform at Obama rally with Obama -- WATCH LIVESTREAM NOW

99 problems, but Mitt’s not one.

That was Jay-Z’s message as he just finished a performance at an Ohio rally for President Barack Obama. As we previously reported, Jay-Z and Bruce Springsteen are lending their voices at a rally for the campaign today.

“Not only are they on my iPod…[these men]both tell an American story,” President Obama said.

Watch below:  READ FULL STORY »

Sep 25 2012 12:31 PM ET

Madonna: 'For better or for worse, we have a black Muslim in the White House' -- VIDEO

Does Madonna actually think Barack Obama, a practicing Christian, is secretly Muslim? Or does she just enjoy poking fun at those who do? Regardless, she’s on the president’s side — though Obama’s campaign might not want her to be.

At a concert in Washington, D.C. last night, Madonna refrained from taking swipes at Elton John or Lady Gaga. Instead, she took a cue from her politically-charged surroundings, pausing at one point to drink some water and muse about the sorry state of our government. After name-checking Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, Jr. — “They killed him, as they do,” she said about both men — Madge got a little more optimistic: “It is so incredible to think that we have an African-American in the White House,” she said enthusiastically as the crowd cheered. “Those fine human beings did not die for nothing!”

That would have been the perfect time to stop talking. Instead, Madonna elected to say this: “So y’all better vote for f–ing Obama, okay? For better or for worse, all right, we have a black Muslim in the White House, okay? Now that is some sh–. That’s some amazing sh–. It means there is hope in this country. And Obama is fighting for gay rights, okay? So support the man, goddamnit!”

Er… yeah. Again, it’s tough to tell whether Madonna meant the “black Muslim” thing to be sarcastic — but either way, her comments are pushing our love over the borderline. Check out a video of Madonna’s speech (including some NSFW language) after the jump. READ FULL STORY »

Apr 16 2012 11:33 AM ET

Red Hot Chili Peppers play special show for Obama volunteers- VIDEO

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Image Credit: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic.com

About 12 hours after being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Red Hot Chili Peppers gave it away, gave it away, gave it away… for Obama campaign volunteers at Cleveland’s House of Blues. As Cleveland’s Plain Dealer writes, the band performed a special 45-minute concert for 1,200 liberal-minded music lovers. Tickets were free, provided a would-be concert-goer had worked in an Obama phone bank.

A video montage of Obama speeches paved the way for Anthony Kiedis, Flea, Chad Smith, and Josh Klinghoffer’s set. In between hits like “Under the Bridge” and “Can’t Stop,” Kiedis urged the audience to register voters and declared his support for our 44th president. From Blood Sugar Sex Magik to stumping for a sitting POTUS — who says a rocker’s edge dulls with age? READ FULL STORY »

Feb 22 2012 10:06 AM ET

Encore! President Obama sings again -- VIDEO

President Barack Obama has officially given the White House a much, much cooler soundtrack. (“Hail to the Chief” does get a little repetitive after a while.) Just one month after the Commander-in-Chief wowed us all with a few bars of Al Green’s classic “Let’s Stay Together” at New York City’s famed Apollo Theater, the POTUS serenaded the nation once again.

With a little nudging from performers like B.B. King, Mick Jagger, and Buddy Guy (how could he even say no?) President Obama sang a few lines from Robert Johnson’s “Sweet Home Chicago” last night during a White House blues concert in honor of Black History Month.
READ FULL STORY »

Feb 15 2012 10:31 AM ET

Lady Gaga's Born This Way Foundation to launch this month, with the support of Oprah

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Image Credit: Shareif Ziyadat/ABC

Lady Gaga is taking the next step in her ongoing efforts to put an end to youth bullying: On Feb. 29, the chart-topping singer, alongside her mother Cynthia Germanotta, is launching the Born This Way Foundation at The Berkman Center at Harvard.

Through education, research, and advocacy efforts, the nonprofit foundation — which is in partnership with the John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The California Endowment, and The Berkman Center — is aimed at teaching anti-bullying and mentoring youths in building self-confidence. (The mission statement on the foundation’s website reads, “This way, towards bravery, where youth are empowered. This way, towards a acceptance where humanity is embraced. This way, towards love where individuality is encouraged.”)
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Feb 6 2012 02:03 PM ET

Who's afraid of M.I.A.'s middle finger? Thoughts on a Super Bowl 'scandal'

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Image Credit: Christopher Polk/Getty Images

Hey, remember Nicki Minaj’s performance with Madonna at the Super Bowl last night? It was pretty good — great, even.

Of course, no one wants to talk about that, thanks to M.I.A. So congrats, Maya! And since she wants us to, let’s talk about it.

M.I.A.’s decision to flip the bird during her short time in the Super Bowl spotlight was a lot of things. It was juvenile, and maybe even bratty. It was a lazy bit of shock imagery from the woman who gave the Grammys a very pregnant, very awesome, middle-finger-free performance back in 2009. And it was, according to some sources, “a case of adrenaline.”

It was also the game’s biggest fumble: The singer was riding a steady stream of positive buzz from both her performance in the “Gimme All Your Luvin’” video and her own “Bad Girls” video, which was released the same day and is, at least to this viewer, a better, more inventive clip.

M.I.A. has already proven to us that she can put on an engrossing show without resorting to cheap tricks.

READ FULL STORY »

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