MUSIC NEWS: WEDNESDAY JULY 27, 2016
MTV VMAS NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED
Kanye West's infamous video for ``Famous'' is up for video of the year at the MTV Video Music Awards. It's up against Adele's ``Hello,'' Beyonce's ``Formation,'' Justin Bieber's ``Sorry'' and Drake's ``Hotline Bling.'' Beyonce leads the nominations with 11, and Adele has 8. David Bowie's ``Lazarus''
video, which shows him as he was dying, is up for four awards. Other nominees include Rihanna, Ariana Grande, Coldplay, Fergie and Calvin Harris. The MTV VMAs will be August 28 in New York.
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WILLIE NELSON ANNOUNCES OUTLAW MUSIC FESTIVAL, NEW ALBUM
Another sign that Willie Nelson is not ready for the rocking chair at the age of 83: he's putting on a music festival and releasing an album. Nelson, Neil Young and Sheryl Crow will headline the Outlaw Music Festival in Scranton, Pennsylvania, on September 18. Lee Ann Womack, Chris Robinson Brotherhood and Brothers Osborne will also play. Nelson will put out a record called ``For The Good Times: A Tribute To Ray Price'' on September 16. The Time Jumpers featuring Vince Gill are his backing band on six tracks.
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DR. DRE CITED FOR ALLEGEDLY BRANDISHING A FIREARM
Dr. Dre has been cited after a man outside his house accused him of pulling a gun. The man told the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department he was parked outside Dre's home in Malibu, California, when Dre ordered him to leave and showed a gun.
Dre told sheriff's deputies he did not have a gun and the man was blocking his driveway. He says the man moved his car but parked nearby and did not drive off until Dre recorded a video of him.
Deputies say the man initiated a citizen's arrest for misdemeanour brandishing a firearm. Dre was briefly handcuffed during the investigation. A representative for Dre did not return a request for comment.
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INSANE CLOWN POSSE WILL MARCH TO PROTEST FBI LABEL
Insane Clown Posse are planning a march on Washington next year. ICP's Violent J has announced they and their fans will march from the Lincoln Memorial to the Washington Monument on September 16, 2017. The Detroit News reports it's to protest the FBI characterizing fans of the group, called Juggalos, as a ``loosely organized hybrid gang'' in 2011. ICP will also perform a free concert that weekend. Violent J says it's possible only 25 people could show up for the march and ``we could totally embarrass ourselves.''
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MICHAEL KIWANUKA REFLECTS ON ``LOVE AND HATE''
Michael Kiwanuka took so long to make a second album because he fell into a rut. Kiwanuka says he wanted a different sound but it took him a while to figure out how to do it. Artists who put out second albums sometimes feel pressure because of the success of the first, but Kiwanuka says he created the pressure himself to make it sound good. He says it's difficult for him to enjoy his own music and no matter how hard he works, he will never sound as good as the people who inspire him. Kiwanuka's new album, ``Love and Hate,'' is out now.
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JOY WILLIAMS RETURNS TO ACOUSTIC
Former Civil Wars singer Joy Williams is back to basics with her music. She has released a seven-song record called ``Venus (Acoustic).'' It's a response to last year's ``Venus'' album that puzzled fans because she went electronic. Williams says she's not placating people by going back to an acoustic sound, but it was something she really missed. Williams also currently appears in the Showtime series ``Roadies'' in the non-musical role of Janine.
Williams says she relates to the character because she's ``trying to find her own voice and trying to stand up for herself.''
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GLOBAL CITIZEN FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES HEADLINERS
Rihanna, Metallica, Kendrick Lamar, Major Lazer and Selena Gomez are part of the lineup for the Global Citizen Festival. It's a free concert in New York on September 24, but to get tickets, fans must earn them by promoting the importance of education. Details are on the Global Citizen Festival website. This year's concert will also feature Chris Martin of Coldplay, Usher, Eddie Vedder, Ellie Goulding and Cat Stevens. MSNBC will broadcast it live.
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EXTREME JUSTIN BIEBER LOOK-ALIKE DIED OF DRUG OVERDOSE
Authorities have determined a man who spent more than $100,000 to look like Justin Bieber died of an accidental drug overdose. An autopsy report released by the Los Angeles County coroner's office shows 35-year-old Tobias Strebel had Valium, Xanax, alcohol and various opiates in his system when he died. He was found dead in a Los Angeles motel in August. Strebel's transformation was highlighted on reality shows like ``Botched'' and ``My Strange Addiction.''
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(The Associated Press)
