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EXCLUSIVE: Cobra Starship’s Gabe Saporta Talks Touring, Hot Mess, & Pete Wentz

November 30, 2009 in 97 bht, boys like girls, cobra starship, exclusive, flo rida, gabe saporta, good girls go bad, hot mess, martin johnson, pete wentz, ralphie aversa, vimeo with 3 Comments

From the outset, it seems as if Gabe Saporta is having the time of his life, and you really can’t blame him.

The band he fronts, Cobra Starship, just wrapped up a tour with Boys Like Girls, scored a Top 10 hit in “Good Girls Go Bad”, and was even paid a high compliment from the lead singer of a band they idolize; Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo told MTV News he’d most like to tour with Cobra, out of any band, dead or alive. But as exciting as all of the aforementioned is, Saporta seems just as pumped about everything else in his life – whether it’s having a picture of his face tattooed on his boss’s leg, or receiving a Red Bull and vodka from his tour manager after a taxing set.

During our ten minute chat, Saporta chatted openly about Hot Mess, the tour, and Decaydance Records head honcho Pete Wentz. Twice during the interview, he called over to Boys Like Girls, prompting lead singer Martin Johnson to join in our conversation for a second and drummer John Keefe to claim he was too busy with his own interview (truth be told, no one was interviewing him, but a BLG camera crew caught it all on tape). Never did Gabe look or sound tired… despite stepping off the hot, muggy stage of the Crocodile Rock Café in Allentown just prior to sitting down with The Ralphie Radio Show.
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Part 1:

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“Backstage shenanigans, non –stop bro,” proclaimed Saporta, before mockingly stating, “If Ralphie would hang out, but he’s gotta be (back home), his mom’s making lasagna.”

Actually, I had a club appearance. I might have taken a rain check on the lasagna (no offense, Ma) to hang out with these guys. It seems the party-vibe exhibited in Cobra’s latest LP isn’t a far stretch from the musicians themselves. Saporta told me that the band holed up for a few weeks in, of all places, The Poconos, to record the album. While “Hot Mess” has a negative connotation in our society, the lead singer feels that Cobra Starship is shifting the definition with the new LP and title track.
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Part 2:

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“For me, (hot mess) is awesome,” said Saporta. “Kate Moss, that girl’s a hot mess! She’s bangin’, but like, you’ll find YouTube videos of her doing drugs. And she loses her endorsements because she’s a hot mess. That’s rock ‘n roll.”

It seems for now though that the LP will be defined by “Good Girls Go Bad” which features Gossip Girl’s Leighton Meester. The record gained more traction on-air and in the club when a remix hit the Internets with a new verse from rapper Flo-Rida.

“I’ll tell ya where it came from, outta nowhere,” admitted Saporta. “Mike Caren, he’s a top dude at Atlantic (Records), really sweet dude. He discovered Flo-Rida. He’s like, ‘Yo man, I can get Flo to do a rhyme on one of your songs. You just gotta promise to do a trade later on.’”
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Part 3:

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Caren explained to Gabe that a trade meant in exchange for Flo-Rida rapping on “Good Girls Go Bad” – Saporta would have to hop on one of the rapper’s tracks.

“I’m like, ‘Lemme think about that? DUH!’” exclaimed Saporta. “Whenever he wants some cool punk rock singing on one of his songs, I’m in there like swimwear.”

The track also yielded the latest in the ongoing ribbing between Gabe and Wentz. Saporta set the record straight on The RRS, stating that the official bet was if “Good Girls Go Bad” went number one on the iTunes chart, the Fall Out Boy bassist would let Saporta pick his next tattoo.

Although for only 30 seconds, the song hit the top of the chart, confirmed by numerous screen captures. Saporta picked his third grade class photo as the tattoo for Wentz.

“Even though Pete Wentz is my friend, he’s also the boss man. And sometimes the record guys… they stop returning your calls if your record doesn’t do well,” explained Saporta. “So I’m thinking, ‘Yo, if I got Pete’s tattoo of my face on his leg man, he’s always gonna have to return my calls.”

Sure he’s never one to look back, but given his present, you have to at least give Saporta props for his foresight – even though it doesn’t look as if Cobra Starship will have a hard time snagging Wentz’s attention in the immediate future.

EXCLUSIVE: Boys Like Girls On Twitter, Taylor Swift, & Thanksgiving

November 30, 2009 in 97 bht, ashley tisdale, boston, boys like girls, cobra starship, exclusive, love drunk, martin johnson, paul digiovanni, ralphie aversa, taylor swift, twitter, vimeo with 0 Comments

Just because Martin Johnson tweets, doesn’t mean the Boys Like Girls front man thinks the micro-blogging service is doing anyone any good.

“I think Twitter is really stupid,” said Johnson during an interview on The Ralphie Radio Show. I chatted with the lead singer and guitarist Paul DiGiovanni before another stop on BLG’s headlining fall trek with Cobra Starship. “I think it’s ruining America’s youth.”

Quickly I retorted that Johnson himself owns an account, with over 35,000 “followers.”

“You have to do a Twitter if you’re in a band… keep people updated,” explained Johnson. “Dude, people don’t talk to each other anymore. You go to a show, and kids, like, are texting each other… it’s scary man.”
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I asked Johnson if he’s apprehensive to send out updates, or is even tempted to cancel his account all together. He began to answer before cutting himself off, admitting that he can become “preachy” and “annoying” about the subject. DiGiovanni then chimed in.

“It’s just another way for people to communicate with each other and contact each other,” said the guitarist. “I don’t think it’s gonna be bad.”

Social networking and it’s affect on our country wasn’t the only subject spoken about during the interview. Of course, the guys talked about the latest single from Love Drunk, “Two Is Better Than One”, featuring Taylor Swift.

“It felt, when we made (“Two Is Better Than One”), like it was something special,” revealed Johnson. “The song was fully produced and we were like, ‘It’s missing something so bad,’ and we had been friends with Taylor for a couple years. John (Keefe) actually played on Fearless. So we called her up and asked her to do it, and as soon as we got her voice on there it was just like, ‘Oh man, this is something special.’”

EXCLUSIVE: Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz To Make Big Announcement Before Year’s End

November 18, 2009 in 97 bht, alpha dog, angels and kings, ashlee simpson, exclusive, fall out boy, hair cut, new music, new york city, pete wentz, ralphie aversa with 0 Comments

You know when Pete Wentz starts paraphrasing Jay-Z, he means business. Actually, I wasn’t sure what the Fall Out Boy bassist meant when he dropped this during our conversation – but I think we’re all about to find out soon.

“People are gonna be really sick about the next deal I make,” said Wentz, who is also the head of Decaydance Records. “If people felt weird about the last one, people are gonna feel real weird about the next one.”

I asked Wentz to elaborate on his “On To The Next One” reference, and well… he at least continued.

“It’s got nothing to do with Fall Out Boy or Island Def Jam,” Wentz admitted. “It’s gonna be different, and it’s gonna make people feel sick, or happy.”

The only timeline Wentz gave to the big announcement is that it will not happen on Thanksgiving or Christmas, but will happen before the end of the year. He said that everyone is a little lost on what’s happening, but that he’s going through with it – whatever it is – anyways.

Interestingly enough, shortly after our conversation, he posted this Twitter update, “I kinda lost my mind for real. Not really looking for it either”.

Wentz called in to The Ralphie Radio Show to promote Believers Never Die: Greatest Hits. The FOB compilation hit stores and iTunes on Tuesday, and features two new tracks.

“Ahh man… funny question, yunno?” Wentz responded when I asked why the band released a “best of” album at this particular moment in time. “Fourth quarter. Labels like to put out greatest hits in the fourth quarter, don’t they? And ‘why now?’ because it’s like, the band doesn’t have enough hits to have a greatest hits. And ‘why now?’ because maybe it’s like, you have a contract you want to get out of. We asked ourselves all those questions, and then decided to put it out as something for the fans.”
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Part 1: Believers Never Die: Greatest Hits, “Alpha Dog”

Part 2: Hair Cut, Future Plans, Angels & Kings (Wentz’s NYC Bar)

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The timing is also curious given that Fall Out Boy as a band is currently on a hiatus, or as Wentz told MTV News the night before – a “decompressing.” So, while supporters may not have new material in the immediate future, they will have two new songs from the release, including the first single, “Alpha Dog.”

“We felt like (“Alpha Dog”) didn’t fit in,” Wentz reasoned as to why the track didn’t appear on Folie A Deux. The song did pop up on a mixtape the label head released prior to Fall Out Boy’s last LP. “It felt too electronic. At the time it felt futuristic, now it feels it is the right time for it.”

And oh how the times have changed. Wentz is 30, with a child and a wife, and will be living in New York for at least the next 13 weeks. His spouse, Ashlee Simpson-Wentz, makes her Broadway debut on November 30 in the musical, “Chicago.” For Wentz, this will translate to more time with his son. Bronx Mowgli Wentz turns 1 on Friday. This will probably also find the entrepreneur with more opportunities to manage and appear at his New York bar, Angels and Kings. The drinking establishment might be to blame for the slow, sometimes rambling responses I received from Wentz throughout our chat.

“I was there, in my head, last night,” Wentz said. “But I don’t think I was there, in reality.”

EXCLUSIVE: Allison Iraheta To Make GMA Appearance

November 18, 2009 in 97 bht, allison iraheta, american idol, exclusive, good morning america, max martin, ralphie aversa with 0 Comments

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American Idol finalist Allison Iraheta stopped by The RRS to play her new track and talk about her new LP, hitting stores on December 1.

EXCLUSIVE: Chris Daughtry On Kris Allen, New Single, Lady GaGa

November 18, 2009 in 97 bht, chad kroeger, chris daughtry, daughtry, exclusive, kris allen, lady gaga, ralphie aversa, vimeo, wachovia arena, wilkes barre with 0 Comments

No pun intended, but it is no surprise to the band Daughtry that the first two singles off of Leave This Town were co-written by Nickelback front man Chad Kroeger.

“Soon as we made the decision to put those on the record, we looked at it and goes, ‘That’ll probably be the first two singles,’” said lead singer Chris Daughtry, who sat down with me before performing at Wachovia Arena. “They’re great songs and we agree that they fit the bill.”

The group led off the sophomore LP with the single, “No Surprise”, followed by the latest, “Life After You.” Daughtry played the new track at both the American Music Awards and the halftime show of the Cowboys/Raiders game on Thanksgiving.
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Speaking of tracks co-written by the Idol alum – Daughtry also wrote a track for American Idol champ Kris Allen. Although previously reported that it would not make Allen’s final LP, Chris confirmed that the song will be included on the Wal-Mart exclusive version of self-titled album.

“It’s called ‘Send Me All Your Angels’ and it’s a great song,” remarked Daughtry. “At the end of the day, there’s songs on our record that didn’t make it either that we were bummed out about. We had 70 songs to weed through.”

EXCLUSIVE: Creed’s Scott Stapp On New Lifestyle, New LP

November 18, 2009 in 97 bht, creed, exclusive, michael jackson, ralphie aversa, rolling stone, scott stapp with 0 Comments

The reunion or comeback is a common storyline in music these days. The reunion or comeback that people actually care about is not.

For Scott Stapp, the lead singer of Creed, it almost didn’t come to fruition. Alleged alcohol and drug abuse drove everyone around him away – from family to band mates. Suddenly Stapp’s controversies were overshadowing his chops – and those vocals aren’t easily upstaged. But just before 2008, the front man began reaching out to his cohorts. By April of this year, the reunion was announced. Now, Creed is back, with a top selling album in Full Circle and comeback tour already under its belt.

“Thanks to all the fans out there, who stuck by us,” remarked Stapp, who called in to The Ralphie Radio Show. The lead singer sounded nothing like the guy who belted out powerhouses like, “My Sacrifice” and “Higher”, and everything like the guy that was just granted a new lease on life. Stapp took his time answering every question, not afraid to pause seconds between words, finding the right phrases to describe this new phase of his personal and professional life. He didn’t shy away from one query, and offered candid, honest responses throughout our 15 minute conversation.
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“I can’t mislead ya,” Stapp began, in answering a question regarding life on the road since he curbed his substance abuse. “I-uh… I still had, at the time (of the tour) a glass of wine or so with my wife here and there, but, as far as being like it was back in the day… guess it made it a lot easier to have my wife and my family there.”

Returning to the old Creed meant breaking some old habits. Bringing the family on tour and calming down the partying certainly played a role. Stapp also revealed that the band needed to remove some of the people that hung around the band. He attributed the misinterpretation of a quote in his 2006 Rolling Stone interview to this. In the article, Mark Binelli wrote that Stapp believed anyone involved with Creed wanted the lead singer to die, so he’d become a “Kurt Cobain martyr-type” and boost record sales.

“I communicated that, in that there were some people around all of us, that had some really negative intentions,” said Stapp. “That was the context of that – (the band members) don’t have the heart… that’s not guys in this band… we were surrounded by a lot of people that, now we’re not.”

Stapp told me he’s looking forward to spending the holidays at home, with his kids and wife. Full Circle debuted at number two on the Billboard charts.

EXCLUSIVE: Down With Webster In Studio!

November 18, 2009 in 97 bht, acoustic, down with webster, exclusive, hall and oates, live, ralphie aversa, rich girl$, toronto, vimeo with 2 Comments

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Universal Motown’s Down With Webster swung through The RRS to perform an acoustic version of “Rich Girl$” & chat about the track.

(Click above download link for interview audio)

EXCLUSIVE: Shontelle Preps New LP, Thought Rihanna Did "Great" on 20/20

November 16, 2009 in 20/20, 97 bht, akon, beyonce, diane sawyer, exclusive, Mr. Hudson, ralphie aversa, rihanna, shontelle, twitter with 1 Comment

In the days of Web 2.0 – you know you’ve made it when someone attempts to imitate you on Twitter. Bajan singer Shontelle fell a brief victim to an identity thief – or should I say, twief – on Wednesday evening. Coincidently enough, Ms. Layne stopped by The Ralphie Radio Show on the following day.

“This was not the first time,” revealed Shontelle. “We literally had to call the Twitter people and freak out, ‘cause we’ve like, submitted for verification so long ago. I guess it takes a minute, ‘cause there’s so many people they have to verify.”

The impersonator used the Twitter username “ShontelleLayne_”, simply moving the underscore from the real Shontelle’s handle of “Shontelle_Layne.” When Layne looked at the fake account’s timeline, she was shocked to find that this person began “tweeting” at Solange Knowles (singer, Beyoncé’s sister) and Rorrey Fenty (Rihanna’s brother) amongst other people.

As of late Sunday evening, Twitter had yet to verify Shontelle’s account. By “verifying” an account, Twitter places a notification in the upper right corner of the page, so that visitors know the account belongs to the person who they claim to be.

Of course, Layne didn’t need the Twitter incident as a sign that she’s making it in the entertainment industry. Surely opening up for Beyoncé overseas could help that argument. Layne opened for Jay-Z’s husband for about a month on the “I Am…” tour overseas. Shontelle entered the trek with the expectation that she wouldn’t even meet Beyoncé face-to-face, however the headliner proved the opener wrong on that thought.

“I just get this message, ‘Shontelle, go to Beyoncé’s room’” she recalled, noting that immediately she believed that something was wrong. “When I got in there (Beyoncé) was like, ‘No, I just wanted to like, hang out for a bit, because you know, you’ve been on this tour with me, and I haven’t really gotten the chance to tell you thank you for being on the tour, I haven’t really gotten the chance to tell you how talented I think you are.’”

Shontelle’s feelings immediately switched from scared to shocked – one of the biggest pop stars in the world went out of her way to pay Layne high compliments on her singing, stage performance… even videos. From the sound of Layne’s recollection, “stunned” may be an understatement.
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Part 1: Twitter, Beyonce, Thanksgiving Day

Part 2: “Licky”, Rihanna, New CD

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“I’m like, ‘You’re Beyoncé, why are you telling me this?’” said Shontelle. “Like, is this real? They couldn’t even get me in the room at first… because I was shaking,” she admitted, although Layne insists she wasn’t star struck as much as she was nervous about the meeting’s purpose.

Shontelle also admitted on The Ralphie Radio Show that she’s nervous about an upcoming event – the “T-Shirt” singer will take part in the halftime show in Detroit at the Lions/Packers game on Thanksgiving Sunday. Layne, along with other Universal Motown artists, will perform classic Motown hits in Motown. Shontelle would not divulge which song she is covering.

“If you watched Sister Act 2… you can take a hint from that,” she teased.

In addition to the performance, which will air to a national and international audience on FOX, Shontelle is preparing a new LP. The album is slated for a 2010 release, and Layne will only confirm collaborations with Mr. Hudson and Akon. The first single is a dance infused record called “Licky” – which Layne insists is inspired by desserts.

“Licky” isn’t the only new track from a Bajan artist – as Shontelle’s friend, the aforementioned Rihanna, is back with “Russian Roulette” and “Hard.” A week and a half ago, Rihanna appeared on 20/20 with Diane Sawyer to tell her side of the story. Layne told me that the interview was tough to watch.

“Honestly, it was like watching your little sister do a piano recital for the first time,” she said. “I was nervous. I was a wreck.”

The singer thought her former Cadet partner handled the situation on camera well.

“I thought she did great, actually,” remarked Shontelle. “And she said a lot more than I even thought she was gonna say. I’m really proud of her… I just want, them both really, to grow from this.”

EXCLUSIVE: Sean Kingston Talks New LP, I-Yaz, Jason Derulo

November 11, 2009 in 97 bht, exclusive, iyaz, jason derulo, new music, ralphie aversa, sean kingston with 0 Comments

Don’t expect a new single from Sean Kingston’s sophomore LP tomorrow, or the day after, or the day after.

Checking in to The Ralphie Radio Show via telephone, Kingston told me that Tomorrow is yesterday, as he is already in production on his third album.

“We’re gonna go to a brand new album, with some crazy joints,” revealed Kingston. “I’ve been so inspired that I’ve been in the studio… and I’ve been coming up with a lot of smashes.”
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The “Fire Burnin’” singer did confirm that J.R. Rotem is contributing to the new effort. Rotem produced the number one hit, “Whatcha Say” – a song performed by Jason Derulo but originally intended for Kingston’s album. Perhaps it’s that song, along with “Replay” – which is by Kingston’s artist I-Yaz, that inspired the new material.