The Black Keys

The Black Keys hit the studio

Grammy-winning blues rock duo The Black Keys have hit the studio for a new album.

The last Grammys showed that The Black Keys have truly broken through, scoring gold statuettes for Best Alternative Music Album Best Recording Package, and Best rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

Now, according to Antiquiet, the boys are back in the studio to record their seventh album.

Frontman Dan Auerbach said about the process, ‘t’s the fastest we’ve ever played. The new album doesn’t sound like Brothers. It doesn’t have that open soul feel to it. It’s way more driving and the tempos are really fast.’

He added about his approach to the new tunes, ”ve never been into guitar solos. I really like when every instrument in the band is a rhythm instrument. This record has a lot of that going on ‘ guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards all working together as a rhythm instrument. But unlike Brothers, which has more of these slower songs with an open feeling, [the new LP] is definitely fast.’

Sounds promising. And only a year after the release of Brothers. Nice.

Lady Gaga Dominates MTV VMAs With 8 Wins

Lady Gaga Dominates MTV VMAs With 8 Wins. It was Lady Gaga’s night at the MTV Video Music Awards Sunday. The award show’s most nominated artist for a single year in its history made history by winning 8 moon men, the most awards garnered by a female performer. The 24-year-old singer’s “Bad Romance” won 7 categories, including Video and Female Video of the Year, Pop Video, and Dance Video. Her “Telephone” won Collaboration with Beyonce Knowles. She thanked her “little monsters” for the voting. She gave a big “thank you” to all the gays as well.When she took the stage to receive her Video of the Year award from Cher no less, she fulfilled a promise by announcing the name of her new album. “I was so nervous for tonight that I would let my fans down. I promised that if I won tonight, I’d announce the name of my new record.” “It’s called ‘Born This Way,’” she was before she sang a few lines from a track. Eminem is the second biggest winner of the night. His “Not Afraid” won Male Video and Hip-Hop Video at the show. And while he was able to share the stage with Rihanna when they performed their chart-topping track “Love the Way You Lie,” he wasn’t around anymore to receive his trophies. It turned out he had a flight to catch as he was due to perform with Jay-Z in New York the following day. Meanwhile, Kanye West and Taylor Swift kept their feud alive after a year. They separately took the stage and performed personal songs that addressed last year’s row when West crashed Swift’s acceptance speech. Swift performed first with an unnamed son, taking an aim at the rapper with its lyrics that include: “Some things you can’t speak of, but tonight you live it all again” and “You have new Septembers. Everyone one of us has messed up, too.’ West confused audience with “Runaway.” It was not clear if he was self-deprecating or saluting other “douchebags” of the world. “You’ve been putting up with my s*** for way too long,” he sang. “Let’s have a toast for the scumbags. Let’s have a toast for the jerk****. Baby, I got a plan. Runaway fast as you can.”
List of winners:

Video of the Year: “Bad Romance,” Lady Gaga

•Female Video: “Bad Romance,” Lady Gaga
•Male Video: “Not Afraid,” Eminem
•Best New Artist: Justin Bieber, “Baby”
•Rock Video: “Kings and Queens,” 30 Seconds to Mars
•Pop Video: “Bad Romance,” Lady Gaga
•Hip-Hop Video: “Not Afraid,” Eminem
•Breakthrough Video: “Tighten Up,” The Black Keys
•Collaboration: “Telephone,” Lady Gaga feat. Beyonce
•Dance Video: “Bad Romance,” Lady Gaga
•Choreography: “Bad Romance,” Lady Gaga
•Editing: “Bad Romance,” Lady Gaga
•Direction: “Bad Romance,” Lady Gaga
•Special Effects: “Uprising,” Muse
•Art Direction: “Dog Days Are Over,” Florence + the Machine
•Cinematography: “Empire State of Mind,” Jay-Z and Alicia Keys
•Tre3s Latino Artist of the Year: Aventura

The Specials forced to cancel New York show

The Specials cancel New York show. The Specials have been forced to cancel an appearance in New York due to visa issues. The band were scheduled to play New York’s SummerStage on Canadian fans need not panic, however. The band will still be playing their scheduled Toronto dates on August 27 and 28. The band plan to return to the USA in 2011 after having such a good time on their first American tour in thirty years earlier this year, which included a triumphant performance at California’s famed Coachella Festival. Other artists appearing at the SummerStage this summer include Jimmy Cliff, The Flaming Lips, The Black Keys and Public Enemy