It opened with a Phish show, nearly exploded into a (very well-heeled) proto-punk riot, got giddy on a fix of sunshiny Swedish pop, and finally wrapped up with a ’50’s-tinged tribute. It was the 25th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, back in NYC after a one-year sojourn in Cleveland (where the titular hall actually exists). And while it may have been lacking the star power of previous years’ ceremonies — Eminem and Metallica in 2009, Madonna and Justin Timberlake in ‘08 — it certainly showcased the breadth and depth of this thing we call rock music. ABBA, Genesis, the Stooges, Jimmy Cliff and the Hollies were the performers that headlined the 2010 class, inducted into the hall by the likes of the Bee Gees’ Barry and Robin Gibb and Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong. Variety was the theme of the night, expressed in the wide range of performances and the revered tones of the inductors, which ranged from genuinely geeky (Phish’s Trey Anastasio, who inducted Genesis and spoke at length about the group’s “seven-note guitar lines” and the technical prowess of their 1973 album Selling England by the Pound) to gleefully amped (Armstrong swore a whole lot as he inducted the Stooges). The show began with Phish running through Genesis’s proggy “Watchers of the Sky,” then Phil Collins, Tony Banks, Steve Hackett and Mike Rutherford took the stage to accept their award, thanking Anastasio for his “really convincing argument” about the oft-derided band’s legacy. Original singer Peter Gabriel wasn’t there because he was “rehearsing for an orchestral tour,” according to Collins. Phish then played a second Genesis tune, “No Reply at All.” Up next were the Stooges, long denied a slot in the hall despite their obvious influences on everything from punk to metal, and they more than made up for lost time. First, Armstrong — who was “very excited and nervous as hell” to be inducting them — strode to the podium and launched into a heartfelt speech that praised the band’s commitment to “blood and guts, sex and drugs … peanut butter and poetry.” The Green Day frontman rattled off basically every band the Stooges had ever influenced, a list that included Nirvana, Siouxsie and the Banshees, the Queens of the Stone Age “and my fucking band too.” “It is my honor to induct into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame — and it’s about fucking time — the Stooges!” Armstrong exclaimed. Stooge main man Iggy Pop strutted onto the stage and — still wearing a shirt — gave the tuxedoed crowd a double middle-finger salute, followed by a genuinely touching speech that mentioned late members Dave Alexander and Ron Asheton, shouted out “all the poor people who actually started rock and roll” and concluded with a thanks to all his fans for giving the band “a second act,” getting choked up as he said it. Pop turned the mic over to fellow Stooges James Williamson and Ron’s brother Scott and began unbuttoning his white dress shirt as they spoke. He then stormed off to the stage, and, aided by bassist Mike Watt and tenor sax skronker Steve Mackay, ripped through a pair of the Stooges’ burners — “Search and Destroy” and “I Wanna Be Your Dog” — the latter of which saw Iggy prowl the front row of the audience, belt out the chorus under the watchful gaze of Dr. Oz (for real), then invite anyone and everyone onstage. Green Day and members of Pearl Jam gleefully obliged, as did a few fairly radical men and women in their formal wear. Back in the press room, Iggy explained his impromptu invasion thusly: “Well, you can’t really stage-dive in a place like this.” Legendary record exec David Geffen and British rock act the Hollies were inducted next, followed by Reggae legend Jimmy Cliff (who was lovingly introduced by Wyclef Jean) and then, in perhaps the night’s most anticipated moment, globally revered Swedish pop quartet ABBA, who hadn’t performed together in public in nearly 25 years. Unfortunately, only half of the group’s members — Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Benny Andersson (who were married once upon a time) — showed up to accept their trophies from the Gibbs. They seemed touched by the honor, and Andersson took to the piano to perform one of the group’s most masterful hits, “The Winner Takes It All,” with country star Faith Hill on vocals.

LOL … yes, it really does sound like a very eclectic night of music celebration. While some are saying that ABBA doesn’t belong in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, I think it’s wise of the Rock Hall to induct musicians like ABBA who’s influence may not be necessarily text book “rock” but rather has influenced other rock musicians who followed after. Madonna is not a rock musician and yet, she deffo belongs in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In any event … I’m so happy that my boys from Detroit, The Stooges, finally made it into the Rock Hall. They are true rock pioneers and their induction is LONG overdue. Congrats to this year’s class of inductees!! I wonder who’ll make the cut next year.

[Photo credit: Wireimage; Source]

Video game players and music fans alike can now get closer to Activision Publishing, Inc.’s (Nasdaq: ATVI) Band Hero’s(TM) in-game playable character Taylor Swift than ever before, as they can perform as the music icon to her fan-favorite chart-topping hits “You Belong With Me,” “Picture To Burn” and “Love Story” in the biggest music event to hit living rooms this holiday season – Band Hero. Today, Activision puts fans front and center in the concert of a lifetime, as they debut Swift’s never-before-seen in-game performances in Band Hero, the perfect game for family and friends to jam out and sing along to their favorite tunes together. Allowing budding pop stars the ability to perform with friends and family in living rooms across the globe or take their newfound fame on the road as they command center stage with their band anywhere they choose, Band Hero confirmed today additional songs from both the console and Nintendo DS(TM) Lite set lists, comprised of the most fun to play, chart-topping hits. When the games ship on November 3, fans can live out their music fantasies as they step on stage as their favorite music superstars, including singer/songwriter Taylor Swift and Maroon 5’s Adam Levine, while strumming, drumming and singing along to the most popular songs of yesterday and today … This holiday season, the biggest music event of the year will hit living rooms around the world as family and friends come together to ascend the virtual stage and rock their way to superstardom with Band Hero. Brought to you by the makers of Guitar Hero(R), one of the best-selling video game franchises of all time, Band Hero features the hottest chart-topping hits from everyone’s favorite bands including No Doubt, Nelly Furtado, Lily Allen, The All-American Rejects and Jackson 5. Headlined by some of the leading names in music as in-game artists and playable characters, including singer, songwriter and guitarist Taylor Swift and Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine, Band Hero is the ultimate party game where friends and family can choose to join the band or “take five” at any time without interrupting the performance, in Party Play mode. Band Hero allows fans to create the band of their dreams, using any combination of vocals and guitar or drum controllers, providing budding pop stars the chance to customize how they interact with and experience their favorite music.

OMG … I love this!! Back in July we learned that we would be able to play as Shirley Manson of Garbage in Guitar Hero 5 and now we learn that we will get to play as a whole lot of other amazing musicians in Band Hero!! People, the game also allows you to play as Kylie Minogue and Robbie Williams on their duet song Kids!!! Other playable characters include David Bowie on Let’s Dance, The Go-Go’s on Our Lips Are Sealed, Pat Benatar on Love Is A Battlefield, Styx on Mr. Roboto and more. Wee!! This sounds so fun … I know my boy Darion will be getting his hands on this game and I cannot wait for him to host a party so we can all play at his place. I need to channel my inner Kylie Minogue, y’all. Woot!!

[Photo credit: Splash News; Source]

It seems Cameron Diaz has wasted no time moving on following her split from model Paul Sculfor earlier this month. The Hollywood actress, whose year-long relationship with the former Essex bricklayer ended after she refused to move to the UK, was spotted enjoying a lunch date with Maroon 5 lead singer Adam Levine. The pair dined together at the Chateau Marmont over the weekend sparking rumours of a budding new romance. They certainly dressed the part of a new couple in matching blue jeans and crisp white tops and spent more than an hour exchanging flirty glances and conversation over a meal. Levine, 30, is known as something of a ladies’ man in Hollywood and has been linked to a string of starlets including Jessica Simpson, Natalie Portman, Paris Hilton, Maria Sharapova and Kristen Dunst. His last romance was with a cocktail waitress named Rebecca Ginos who worked at popular LA celebrity haunt, Teddy’s. Cameron, 36, has enjoyed her fair share of high-profile romances too. Prior to her relationship with Sculfor, she briefly dated singer John Mayer and had a four-year relationship with Justin Timberlake. Her other love interests have include Matt Dillon, Jared Leto, Edward Norton, Vince Vaughn, Djimon Hounsou and Gerard Butler.

Well, one thing’s for sure … coupled up or not, both of these folks have had their fair share of Hollywood romances so seeing them couple up really ain’t no thang. To be honest, they suit one another. I thought for sure that Cameron would be with Justin Timberlake forever but after they broke up (and he hooked-up with Jessica Biel) I figured she’d be done with musicians for good. I guess I was wrong. Adam is deffo a hottie … I wholly approve of her choice. I guess we’ll see what comes of this new relationship … I guess it’s never too early to start referring to this new couple as Cadam.

[Photo credit: X17; Source]

I gotta say … me likey. Adam Levine is a sexy beast no matter what he’s wearing but this 1950’s greaser vibe he’s got goin’ on really works for him. In need of a haircut – check. In need of a shave — check. Looks sexy as hell — check. Oh yes, I am totally on board with this look … how about y’all?

[Photo credit: Bauer-Griffin]

i saw adam lavine the lead singer of maroon 5 last night. he came into a bar in
DC with the rest of the band and was suddenly behind the bar making drinks for everyone.

“Last night” would’ve been this past Saturday night. For some reason, I love the randomness of Adam Levine and Maroon 5 walking into a bar and then having them make drinks for everyone. Emily also managed to shoot a short video of Adam Levine: Bartender. After the jump, check it out …

Yeah, the vid is kinda dark but you can make Adam out in parts of it:

Mario Lopez may be PEOPLE’s Hottest Bachelor – but the A Chorus Line star and fitness buff has a shocking admission: He was a chubby baby. “I looked like a sumo wrestler,” Lopez says in a new interview. “My mom had to pull the fat folds apart when she bathed me!” But that’s all in his past. As fans know, Lopez has mined his love of fitness to create his own book, Mario Lopez’s Knockout Fitness. The exercise guru, who is recently single, says that a full slate of projects has kept him off the dating market but that hasn’t stopped him from thinking about dating completely. “I like a girl who’s from a modest sort of upbringing, because it’s more relatable,” he says, explaining what he looks for in a potential girlfriend. “I’m a first-generation American. My parents [Elvia and Mario Sr.] emigrated from Mexico and live in the same house I grew up in Chula Vista, Calif. I’d feel weird if the girl was a little too uppity or affluent, because I’m a very down-home kind of guy.”

It’s interesting that Mario was chosen to top the list of People’s Hottest Bachelors because he *just* broke up with his girlfriend Karina Smirnoff (of Dancing with the Stars fame) just a few weeks ago (I wonder who the #2 guy was/is). In any event, the full list of bachelors who made the cut this year is revealed in the new issue of People magazine (which hits newsstands on Friday) but People.com has a gallery of some of the guys who made the cut. I totes understand why dudes like Adam Levine, Terrance Howard and Gerard Butler made the list but I’m surprised that Bryan Spears (Britney’s older brother) and Hunter Johansson (Scarlett’s twin brother) made the list. Neither one is a big name in Hollywood and, yet, they still are listed among the hottest bachelors in Hollywood. Something tells me that the People list was pretty thin so they had to beef it up with extraneous family guys (not that either Bryan or Hunter aren’t hawt enough, I just think they’re not famous enough). In any event, congrats (?) goes out to the lucky dudes who made the list … I suppose kudos are in order for being hawt and single.

[Source]