My Goldfrapp Interview

I love Goldfrapp, and I think Alison Goldfrapp is one of the most intelligent songstresses I've ever had the privilege of interviewing. I talked to her in 2010 for Idolator, just before Head First came out, and once again a few weeks ago, as a tie-in with the release of The Singles. You can read the latter, which was posted today, here on Idolator.

I used the majority of the quotes, and there were just a tiny bit of leftover bits from our recent interview, which I'm posting just below:


Do you think the day will ever come when Will will join you on stage for a tour? 
AG: No. He does do occasional gigs with us. When we’ve done acoustic things he’s been there. But, no — he’s never really been into that side of things. I sometimes think that’s probably why we’re still working together. [Laughs]

Before you go, I have one request: please tweet more photos of your cat. 
AG: [Laughs] I’d better start taking more, because I’ve completely run out of pictures! And I forget which ones I’ve tweeted and which ones I haven’t. Yes, I will

As always, it’s lovely to speak with you. I really enjoyed our conversation two years ago and I enjoyed this one. 
AG: Aww, you’re very welcome. I hope we get to speak again next time.

I'll make sure of it.

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Alphabeat's "Vacation": Have A Listen

Hmmm. Alphabeat's new single "Vacation" is supposed to be on US iTunes — and on iTunes in general, worldwide — though a quick search doesn't turn it up here.

At any rate, here's the song in all its retro-'80s glory:



Very short and sweet. As last week's tease of the track indicated, "Vacation" is more This Is Alphabeat than The Spell/The Beat Is... If there are at least a few songs on the next album like "The Right Thing,", "DJ" and "Hole In My Heart," I'll be happy.

Here's what the band says on their official site:

"As we write we’re finishing our next album. It will (fingers crossed!) be in the shops at some point late Summer 2012 and for what has been going on in the studio it’s gonna be fun fun fun, 'something you can dance to' and 100% pure Alphabeat pop!"

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UK Chart Roundup: Marcus Collins Has A Seven-Nation-Army-Sized Disaster

Former X Factor contestant Marcus Collins covered the White Stripes' 2003 Grammy-winning jam "Seven Nation Army" and it flopped (this is the UK we're talking about, kids) into the chart at #9 this week.



It seems no one cares, Marcus. There's always the dream of being a male escort?

The UK Top 10:

1. "Somebody That I Used To Know" - Gotye feat. Kimbra *4 weeks*
2. "Next To Me" - Emeli Sande
3. "Starships" - Nicki Minaj
4. "Wild Ones" - Flo Rida feat. Sia
5. "Love Me" - Stooshe feat. Travie McCoy *new*
6. "Hot Right Now" - DJ Fresh feat. Rita Ora
7. "Bright Lights" - Tinchie Stryder feat. Pixie Lott *new*
8. "Titanium" - David Guetta feat. Sia
9. "Seven Nation Army" - Marcus Collins *new*
10. "Turn Me On" - David Guetta feat. Nicki Minaj

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Madonna's "Girl Gone Wild" Video Preview Reminds Me Of "Erotica"

...and we all know how I feel about that song and album.

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Madonna's 'MDNA' Previews So Far: "I'm Addicted," "Love Spent" & "Gang Bang"

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US Chart Roundup: Fun. & Janelle Monae Land Their First #1 With "We Are Young"

It took a boost from being featured on both Glee in December and in a Chevy ad that ran during the Super Bowl, but nevertheless, fun.'s "We Are Young" has become the sixth song to top the Hot 100 in 2012. (I'm counting Rihanna and Calvin Harris' "We Found Love," which technically topped the chart in 2011 but returned to #1 for two more non-consecutive weeks in late January.) This marks fun. and Monae's first #1 singles.

Meanwhile, over on the Top 200 album chart, fun.'s Some Nights drops from its #3 debut position to #12 this week. Adele's 21 is tops for a 23rd non-consecutive week, and if she remains there one more time, she'll have caught up the 24-week stints both Prince And The Revolution's Purple Rain (1984) and the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack (1978) had.

Speaking of Adele, her fourth single from 21, "Rumour Has It," cracks the Top 40 of the Hot 100 this week as it moves up to #39. And speaking of Calvin Harris, his "Feel So Close" also moves into the Top 40 — his first solo single to do so in the US. It's up 12 positions to #34.



Further down the chart, Ellie Goulding's year-old "Lights" inches up to #78, while Madonna drops from #58 to #86 with "Give Me All Your Luvin'" in only its fifth week on the chart. Last week Billboard predicted that "Girl Gone Wild," Madonna's second MDNA single, would enter the Hot 100 this week after going on sale Friday. Alas, twas not to be, as the song never rose higher than #31 on iTunes over the past six days.

The U.S. Top 10:

1. "We Are Young" - fun. feat. Janelle Monae *1 week*
2. "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" - Kelly Clarkson
3. "Set Fire To The Rain" - Adele
4. "Glad you Came" - The Wanted
5. "Part Of Me" - Katy Perry
6. "Starships" - Nicki Minaj
7. "Young, Wild & Free" - Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa
8. "Turn Me On" - David Guetta feat. Nicki Minaj
9. "Somebody That I Used To Know" - Gotye feat. Kimbra
10. "We Found Love" - Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris

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Brandy & Monica's "It All Belongs To Me" Video Could Have Been A Whole Lot Better If...

Last month I felt like Brandy and Monica's new collaboration "It All Belongs To Me" wasn't a complete disaster, despite many folks griping that it didn't have the excitement their first pair-up, 1998's "The Boy Is Mine," did.

That said, the song's music video has arrived, and it's your typical "my man did me wrong, now I'm kicking him outta the house" affair. These broads need to learn that when you have a dull as hell track, you need to jazz it up with an off-the-wall video. (See Duran Duran's "Girl Panic" — well, even that songs is better than "It All Belongs To Me," come to think of it.)



In other words, this slow jam needed Brandy shooting lasers out of her boobs and Monica pole dancing in a Denny's parking lot to truly work.

Oh, well.

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