A Taste:

Queens of the Stone Age, AC/DC, Perish

Hollywood Undead have a whole arsenal of influences. That’s precisely why their sound is so enigmatic and edgy.

On Desperate Measures, Hollywood Undead further carve out a style that’s all their own. Industrial gnashing gives way to massive rock n’ roll choruses and some of the most raucous raps to ever be committed to tape. “Explosive” doesn’t even begin to describe just how fiery Hollywood Undead’s latest musical time bomb is…

In order to get closer to their music, Hollywood Undead’s J-Dog and Funny Man shared their playlists with ARTISTdirect.com editor and Dolor author Rick Florino in this exclusive interview.

Check out their playlists below and pick up Desperate Measures now!

J- Dog’s Playlist:

1. The Sleeping

J-Dog: I’m listening to this band called The Sleeping that we toured with. They sound like a mix between At the Drive-in and Murder City Devils. They’re really good. Funny Man’s been into Bring Me The Horizon. We played some shows with them in England, so he’s been listening to them nonstop. I was into them, now he started listening to them. The Sleeping’s one of the only new bands I’ve been listening to recently though.

2. AC/DC

J-Dog: I put my shit on shuffle and let it go. I’ve been listening to a lot of AC/DC lately for some reason. You know how you go through phases with bands? I always do that. It’s usually one band at a time with me. Right now it’s AC/DC because I watched their Behind the Music again. It’s such a good one. All the shit they’ve been through is crazy.

3. Perish

J-Dog: I’m listening to a band called Perish. They’re a metal band but they’ve got melodic choruses. I’ve always liked metal that has melodic choruses that get ingrained in your brain. They’re from Orange County—the dirty OC [Laughs].

Funny Man’s Playlist:

1. Queens of the Stone Age — Songs for The Deaf

Funny Man: That’s my all-time favorite album by them. The first song is awesome!

2. The Talking Heads — Best Of

Funny Man: I’m always listening to them! I like his style and the storytelling. It’s great shit!

3. Dub-C

Funny Man: I’m always listening to the Dub-C album. I picked that up in Vegas when we were last there, and I don’t think I’ve stopped listening to it. I heard that album when I was a kid, and I still love it!

—Rick Florino
11.09.09

Check out Rick Florino’s new novel Dolor available now for FREE here…

A Taste:

Queens of the Stone Age, The Beatles, Steely Dan

Kristinia DeBarge has spent the past year turning pop music upside down with her undeniable R&B sensibility and a whole lot of soul. From “Goodbye” to “Sabotage,” Kristinia’s got the kind of arsenal of hits that could unseat Lady GaGa and Britney Spears at the top of the heap. Kristinia’s well on her way to supremacy on the charts too…watch out…

In order to accompany that journey to the pop palace, Kristinia’s got quite a stacked playlist—running the gamut from psychedelic rock to dance music. She sat down with ARTISTdirect.com editor and Dolor author Rick Florino for this exclusive interview about what’s on her iTunes playlist.

Check out Kristinia DeBarge’s playlist below!

Kristinia DeBarge’s Playlist:

1. Queens of the Stone Age — “Tangled up in Plaid”

The last song I downloaded was “Tangled Up in Plaid” by Queens of the Stone Age.

2. Armin van Buuren

3. Steely Dan

Before that I was downloading Armin Van Buren’s Imagine album and Steely Dan’s Aja.

4. Guns N’ Roses

5. Eric Clapton

I’ve also got a couple Guns N’ Roses and Eric Clapton tracks on my playlist.

6. The Beatles

My mom and step dad just got me this really cool DVD of The Beatles. It’s their anthology, and it has volumes 1-8 with special features. I’m really looking forward to checking it out when I get some down time in the hotel in San Diego and Vegas!

—Rick Florino
10.28.09

Check out Rick Florino’s new novel Dolor available now for FREE here…

A Taste:

Alice In Chains, Pearl Jam, Queens of the Stone Age

Being a badass rock star is a full-time job.

Corey Taylor should give seminars on it because, these days, he’s flawlessly fronting not one or two, but three bands.

The Slipknot and Stone Sour singer has added the Junk Beer Kidnap Band to his ever-growing list of mindblowing musical projects. In the Junk Beer Kidnap Band, Taylor’s love for the likes of Foo Fighters and Alice In Chains shines bright, as he churns out some of the catchiest hard rock we’ve heard in recent memory.

Right now, Taylor is about to finish up the cycle behind Slipknot’s fourth masterpiece All Hope Is Gone, with a U.S. tour alongside the Deftones and what are bound to be legendary headlining sets at Cypress Hill’s Smokeout on Saturday October 24 in San Bernardino, CA and Fangoria’s “Trinity of Terrors” in Las Vegas on Halloween night.

In the meantime, Taylor opened up his iTunes for this exclusive interview with ARTISTdirect.com editor and Dolor author Rick Florino. Check out Corey’s playlist below and don’t miss Slipknot at the Smokeout and “Trinity of Terrors.”

Corey Taylor’s Playlist:

1. Alice In Chains — Black Gives Way to Blue

I am listening to the new Alice In Chains—constantly! It is so good, man! I am not kidding. Let me just say, “If you buy one album, buy my album!” [Laughs] “But if you buy two albums, buy the new Alice In Chains.” I cannot back that album enough, and this is coming from a sick, sick fan. I’ve been an Alice In Chains fan for years. In a lot of ways, Alice In Chains is responsible for the way I write. “Would?” is one of my all-time favorite songs ever written. When I heard that song, it showed me that anything was possible with music because everything was real—even with the alternative movement going on. I was heavily into that because I was a punk kid growing up. Even within the alternative style, there was this sentiment that you had to write a certain way. “Would?” came out, and it just punched me in the face. I was like, “This could be one of the greatest songs ever written!” That’s what this whole new album reminds me of—feeling like, “God, I’ve missed this band!” It’s their best work since Dirt. I’ll be straight-up honest. People are going to love it.

2. Pearl Jam — Backspacer

The new Pearl Jam album, Backspacer, is actually really good as well. It’s weird because I’m usually the guy who says, “I don’t listen to anything new.” It’s been a really good year though!

3. Green Day — 21st Century Breakdown

The new Green Day is amazing. There’s a lot of good stuff out there!

4. Them Crooked Vultures

I’ve never wanted to sleep with men before, but that trio—Dave Grohl, Josh Homme and John Paul Jones—are you kidding me? My buddy heard it, and said it’s even better than you could ever imagine.

5. Queens of the Stone Age

Songs for the Deaf is a great album. You know what? I loved Lullabies to Paralyze. Lullabies is so sickeningly dark! Seriously!

—Rick Florino
10.12.09

A Taste:

Queens of the Stone Age, Raphael Saadiq, Frankie Valli

“You could say we’re very animated people,” laughs Madcon’s Yosef Wolde-Mariam. “We like messing around, and we don’t take ourselves too seriously. To me, that’s important, especially in hip hop. It’s ridiculous how serious most rappers take themselves. Having to hold your pose and your cap a certain way seems like too much work [Laughs]. Fuck that.”

The platinum-selling Norwegian cosmic R&B maestros are certainly having fun—even when they’re sad.

On a bumpin’ 21st century update of Frankie Valli’s take-me-back anthem, “Beggin’”, Madcon wind and weave intelligent rhymes over a spacey groove. An emotional hook takes hold, and the duo effectively launches soul into outer space.

While prepping their U.S. debut, Madcon’s Yosef and Tshawe Baqwa sat down with us to discuss “Beggin’” and share their playlists in this exclusive feature. What they’re rockin’ may surprise you…

Check out Madcon’s playlists below!

Yosef Wolde-Mariam’s Playlist:

1. Frankie Valli — “Beggin’”

“When we heard the 2008 version of that song, we were blown away. I felt the message of the song—’Don’t be too proud to beg.’ Valli was in that moment when it happened. The message of the song is ‘be honest,’ but in this macho culture, it’s hard. Let’s say you’re chilling with your boys and your girlfriend just broke up with you. Your boys will ask, ‘What happened?’ You’ll tell them, ‘I was tired; I just dumped her.’ Be honest about it. If that’s what you feel, that’s what you feel. Don’t be afraid to say it.”

2. Andre 3000

“It’s sad that people’s attention spans are so short these days. My biggest inspirations come from great storytellers, and they still exist in this day. We have Andre 3000, Nas, Scarface and Jay-Z. We come from those schools so we try to implement that in our music.”

3. Nas

4. Scarface

5. Jay-Z

6. Q-Tip — The Renaissance

“I listen to Q-Tip’s new album a lot.”

Tshawe Baqwa’s Playlist:

1. Frankie Valli — “Beggin’”

“Actually, I’d been at this concert after I’d broken up with my girlfriend. I was feeling very emotional, vulnerable and all that shit. After the concert, the DJ had played the Frankie Valli song, and I reacted to the sincerity of the way he delivered the song. He was man enough to beg for something worthwhile. It hit me because at the time I could relate to everything that he was saying. I called my boy Yosef up and asked if he was interested in doing a cover because we hadn’t done that before. He was all for it, so luckily we did it. Be able to tell it like it is.”

2. Raphael Saadiq — The Way I See It

“Right now I’m a real big fan of Raphael Saadiq’s new album. It’s ridiculous! I’m bumpin’ that a lot now.”

3. Queens of the Stone Age — “Go With the Flow”

“I love Queens of the Stone Age. I’m such a big fan. ‘Go With the Flow’ is my favorite Queens song—easy. The video is also beautiful. They’re authentic, and they know the game. Much love to them!”

—Rick Florino
04.13.09