Chester Bennington tells MTV News that, while it's still early in the process, LP 'like the direction' new album is heading.
By James Montgomery, with reporting by Vanessa WhiteWolf

Linkin Park
Photo: Warner Bros. Records

Earlier this summer, when Linkin Park took over Moscow's Red Square for a historic — and decidedly Michael Bay-size — performance, they also spoke to MTV News about the follow-up to A Thousand Suns, which, at the time, was just beginning to take shape ("Right now, it sounds like blips and bleeps and pieces," frontman Chester Bennington described).

So, earlier this week, when Linkin Park took over Los Angeles' Mayan Theater for an equally historic — yet decidedly more personal — benefit concert for Japanese earthquake and tsunami relief, we got the chance to once again ask them about the new album. And, as Bennington explained, things have progressed — albeit just slightly.

"We just kind of began. We like to keep the creative juices flowing, so we try to keep that going all the time," he said. "We don't know when the next record is going to be done. We are in the beginning phases of that. We're still winding down A Thousand Suns and touring for that, so I can tell you we are working and we're excited, and we like the direction that we're going in."

Bennington added that the band has been working closely with producer Rick Rubin, who will once again helm the sessions for the yet-untitled disc. And though it's still early, Linkin Park are already pleased with the results.

"[Rick's] involved all the way, all the time, from the very beginning. You know, we ask him, 'What do you think of these ideas?' " he said. "And we're kind of getting the wheels rolling. ... It's so hard to talk about something that hasn't been created yet, but, like I said, we definitely like the way things are going already."

What are you expecting from Linkin Park's next album? Let us know in the comments!

• Linkin Park

Pearl Jam's Ten, Soundgarden's Badmotorfinger celebrate 20th anniversary along with Nirvana's Nevermind.
By James Montgomery

Pearl Jam's <i>Ten</i>
Photo: Epic

As the music world gears up to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Nirvana's Nevermind, it's also bears mention that there were no shortage of other magical, massive and equally mythological albums that hit stores in 1991. To celebrate the year when rock truly rocked, MTV News has been asking some of today's biggest acts (everyone from Blink-182 to DJ Skrillex) to remember their favorite albums from that truly epic year.

So far, we've looked back at Metallica's Black Album, the Red Hot Chili Peppers' Blood Sugar Sex Magik, Dinosaur Jr.'s Green Mind, My Bloody Valentine's Loveless and Slint's Spiderland. And now, a couple of professional music fans reminisce about two other game-changing 1991 releases: Pearl Jam's Ten and Soundgarden's Badmotorfinger:

Pearl Jam, Ten
A little more than a year after they formed from the ashes of Seattle's Mother Love Bone — with an assist from a gas station attendant/surfer from San Diego — Pearl Jam roared to life with Ten, an album that not only ranks as a cornerstone of American rock, but one of the most successful debuts of all time. Few bands went from relative obscurity to international superstardom with the speed of Pearl Jam, a breakneck pace seemingly predicted on tracks like "Once" and "Why Go." Of course, Eddie Vedder's contemplative, everyman (yet otherworldly) ruminations on "Black" and "Jeremy" added depth and breadth to the sonic squall. A classic in every sense of the term, Ten remains Pearl Jam's most popular release to this day, and the fact that the band is still going strong proves that not all overnight success stories have to come with an unhappy ending. Also, rather indirectly, it remains the greatest thing Mookie Blaylock has ever been (loosely) associated with, even better than Oklahoma's run to the 1988 NCAA title game.

As Remembered by Amy Lee, Evanescence: "We moved from Rockford, Illinois, to Little Rock, Arkansas, when I was 13. It was really hard, you know, right at the wrong age, didn't have any friends, didn't know anyone, moved to a new school. It was real preppy, didn't fit in ... all that classic stuff. And, at the same time, there was some music that I was addicted to, like, needed it, and Pearl Jam's Ten was one of those records. I had the tape ... and I would listen to it, turn it over, listen to the whole other side, start it over again. All night. Like, I could just lie in bed and cry or think ... that was the outlet. I love that record. I love 'Black,' that song's just so totally beautiful, I could listen to that one over and over. 'Alive,' 'Jeremy,' probably the biggest song on the record for me. That video, that kind of horrifying, childlike experience, it completely moved me and touched me. That had to be the song for me. I wore that tape out, completely. And, I remember, the [liner] had them with their hands raised, together, and I had that on my wall. ... They felt like I felt, and their music described things I couldn't say out loud. And that idea and revelation was so inspiring to me, like, I wanted to live inside the songs."

Soundgarden, Badmotorfinger
They'd break through to the big time with the follow-up, 1994's Superunknown, but to the purists, Badmotorfinger remains Soundgarden's crowning achievement, a sludgy, leaden thing that channeled the bludgeon of Black Sabbath and the keening vocal pyrotechnics of a million hair-metal frontmen. And, in the process, the band created an album that was heavily indebted to the past, while still managing to forge new territory that left their grunge contemporaries (and contemporary critics) grasping at straws. Pounding, primal, precise ... all the adjectives apply here, and on songs like "Rusty Cage," "Outshined" and "Jesus Christ Pose," they often apply at the same time.

As Remembered by Matt Pinfield, host of MTV2's "120 Minutes": "Badmotorfinger is such a great record, and it says a lot about the band and their songwriting, just the crazy time signatures on tracks like 'Rusty Cage' and 'Jesus Christ Pose' — it took balls to write a song and do a video like 'Jesus Christ Pose' back in the day — but also, if you look at how songs like 'Outshined' have lasted, how incredible they are as a band. Chris Cornell, one of the greatest rock vocalists of all time, Kim Thayil, one of the most incredible guitar players, just dirty, sludgy, tuned-down. Ben Shepherd, a powerful bass player who plays rhythm with his bass, and, of course, Matt Cameron, one of the greatest drummers ... still going strong, looks as young as he did then, playing with Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. So, I love Badmotorfinger. It's one of the greatest albums in a year that had so many really great albums."

Share your favorite memories of 1991's seminal albums in the comments below!

• Death Cab, Blink-182, Skrillex Remember Classic Albums From 1991

• Evanescence
• Pearl Jam
• Soundgarden
• Nirvana

'I really felt like your blood was boiling,' Ryan Seacrest recalls in interview with J.Lo.
By James Dinh

Jennifer Lopez (file)
Photo: Getty/ Jason LaVeris

Jennifer Lopez is one woman who fights for what she believes in, and that's exactly what she did during a recent taping of "American Idol," when she got into a fight with fellow judges Randy Jackson and Steven Tyler over their decision to pass on a hopeful contestant.

"I think me, Randy and Steven got into our first fight," J.Lo admitted when she called in to "On-Air With Ryan Seacrest" on Friday morning (September 2). "I got really, really upset. There was this girl that came in and sang and she was amazing, amazing. And Steven, as he will do when we're doing our auditions, he'll ask her for another song. I was like, I was surprised because I was ready to vote. I was like, 'This girl is amazing.' "

After the contestant sang another tune, Jackson and Tyler quickly decided to pass on her, leaving Lopez feeling as if she "was being punk'd." In an effort to show the other judges their missed opportunity, J.Lo says she even urged producers to air the audition in a forthcoming episode.

"The thing I recognized from that scene was there was blood boiling for one of the first times. I really felt like your blood was boiling," Seacrest chimed in. During the interview, Lopez noticeably avoided any talk about her divorce from Marc Anthony, despite the fact that her soon-to-be ex discussed their split on ABC's "Nightline" on Thursday night.

Instead, Jenny from the Block spoke about her clothing line and gearing up to release the club-ready single "Papi." Lopez, who shot the video last month, described the track as a "celebration of being with somebody you really love" and explained how the song came to life.

"I was working in the studio with RedOne and his guys, and at the time, I was always kind of like, I always use the word 'papi,' " she recalled. "And they were like, 'We're going to write a song called 'Papi,' and we just wrote the song about loving somebody and just celebrating that."

Later this month, fans of the singer will see her perform the Latin-flavored single at the heavily promoted iHeartRadio Festival, on a bill that also includes Lady Gaga, Coldplay, Jay-Z and more.

• 'Idol Party Live' Season 10 Finale Show

• 'American Idol' Season 10 Performances

• Jennifer Lopez

'As a young boy ... you had dreams of shooting a big video in your 'hood,' Philly MC tells MTV News of gritty clip.
By Rob Markman

Meek Mill
Photo: Jerritt Clark/ FilmMagic

It has been a breakout year for Meek Mill, and in his video for "Ima Boss," the Rick Ross protégé wanted to celebrate all things Philly.

"It felt good, man. That's what I always had dreams to do," Mill told MTV News about making a clip in his hometown. "As a young boy, you wanted to be a rapper, you had dreams of shooting a big video in your 'hood, everybody showing you love. It went exactly as planned."

Before Meek, rappers like State Property's Beanie Sigel, Freeway and Young Chris were the premier torchbearers for the city, and together they all appear in "Ima Boss."

"You know, they just came through and rocked out with me," Meek said of the cameos. "If they had a video, I'd come through and rock out; they wouldn't even have to call me. It's all love, it's all Philly at the end of the day," the Philadelphia MC added. "They opened the doors for me and I'm tryna open the doors for other people, so it's like we all work together to do the same thing at the end of the day."

The Benny Boom-directed video has no real bells and whistles, just a distinct street feel that has been absent in many of today's rap videos. Throughout much of the video, Meek Milli and his crew can be seen riding motorbikes through the streets, a visual that is reminiscent of DMX's 1998 "Ruff Ryders Anthem" clip. It is no coincidence.

"I used to always love those videos and I used to always run in the house and try to catch those videos coming on," the Maybach Music MC says of the old Ruff Ryders visuals. "The Eve videos, when Eve was sitting on the handlebars of the four-wheeler, I used to do that in the street just 'cause of the video."

Even the hefty Ross can be seen riding the streets of Philly on a four-wheeler. "He was with it, I was kind of skeptical about it," Meek said. "He was like, 'Whoa, let's ride through the 'hood!' I was like, 'You sure that's what you wanna do? This the jungle out here,' but he was with it. Ross is always like that when it comes to Philly." Like a Bawse!

What do you think of Meek's "Ima Boss" video? Tell us in the comments!

• Meek Mill
• Rick Ross
• Beanie Sigel

Car chases and 'Precious' star Gabourey Sidibe could be on tap for upcoming clip.
By Gil Kaufman

Foster The People's Mark Foster
Photo: MTV News

Foster the People shot out of the box a few months ago with their summer smash "Pumped Up Kicks." The video for the song is lo-fi to be sure: some live footage of the New Wave-y trio performing mixed in with some wacky road-trip clips, camera-mugging and other goofball antics.

It was a modest launch but the irresistible song has continued to gain traction since it came out in February and it is now firmly in the #2 slot on the iTunes singles chart. With a little more scratch and recognition to their name, they recently followed with the big-budget-looking, apocalyptic "Mad Max"-inspired video for "Helena Beat." And now, according to lead singer Mark Foster, they're going really big for their next trick.

"We've got a couple videos shot already that are going to be coming out soon," Foster told us on the black carpet at the 2011 VMAs.

"We're shooting a new one in 3-D, actually in a week or two for 'Don't Stop.' It's going to involve a car chase and hopefully ['Precious'] star Gabourey Sidibe, if we can get her to be in it."

In the meantime, after killing it at big summer festivals like Coachella and Lollapalooza — not to mention earning two VMA nods for Best New Artist and Best Rock Video — the trio will be hitting the road hard for the rest of 2011. They'll be playing U.S. dates through the end of the month, and then take things overseas for European gigs through November.

(A spokesperson for the band's label could not be reached for comment at press time on when the "Don't Stop" video is slated for release.)

Are you excited to see FTP's next video? Tell us in the comments!

• Foster the People

Critics say the 'found-footage' film requires a suspension of disbelief to truly work.
By Terri Schwartz

"Apollo 18"
Photo: Dimension Films

"Apollo 18" is not a documentary — NASA made a point of clearing that up — but that doesn't mean that a certain suspension of disbelief won't make the movie a terrifying experience.

The flick is just the latest to cash in on the found-footage premise made popular in 1999's "The Blair Witch Project," but it is the first to bring that filmmaking style to outer space. Some critics thought the premise worked in its new location, while others felt the film lost its momentum in the second hour.

The consensus is that it either will work for you or it won't; which way will you sway? Check out what the critics have to say and make your decision in theaters this weekend.

The Premise
"These days, none but the most naive, gullible and uninformed of moviegoers would ever fall for the déclassé claim that a horror film purporting to consist of found footage is, in fact, real. 1999's 'The Blair Witch Project' was one thing, since it started the trend, but that was 12 years ago and most viewers are more savvy now to the flimsy trickster ways of overzealous studios and marketing execs. The latest entry into the genre, 'Apollo 18,' is clearly fictional despite claims to the contrary, but it doesn't matter. A willing audience member's suspension of disbelief can go a long way in creating the necessary sense of reality as long as the performances are natural and the filmmaking itself free of obvious artifice." — Dustin Putman, DustinPutman.com

The Presentation
"It's easy to dismiss a bad feature film as 'something that'd play better as a short,' but such is most certainly the case where 'Apollo 18' is concerned. If it clocked in at around thirty minutes, it would still have the novelty of its premise and presentation, but it'd also be wonderfully bereft of all the dead air, aimless wandering, and redundant dialogue that all but ruin a potentially fun movie. Not helping is the fact that the 'character development' is clumsy at best and that much of the narrative is just plain, old worthless wheel-spinning. Lifelong apologist for the oft-lamented 'sci-fi horror' genre I may be, but there's virtually nothing of value to be found in 'Apollo 18.' I have no problem with gimmick movies, but the story and its presentation should always be more important than the gimmick itself. Or at least more interesting." — Scott Weinberg, FearNet

The Scares
"The best horror films are movies that play on our real fears, that speak to something universally understood or shared, and that create a situation we can imagine ourselves in. The notion of being trapped on the moon could work if they really wanted to play on the notions of isolation and dependence on technology and the onset of madness in a closed space. There are definitely fears that this film could have cranked up to have an effect, but instead, there is this cheap, false tension that all comes down to cheap jumps and moon rocks with legs." — Drew McWeeny, HitFix

The Subtext
"In fact, this is what makes 'Apollo 18' special; it is perhaps the first narrative film to address the popularity of 9/11 conspiracy documentaries. Though it never touches on the modern world, the 'lunartruth.org' title card, the large scale conspiracy elements, the closing frames of the astronauts official cause of death and the 'edited from stolen footage' conceit all heavily recall 'Loose Change,' the Abu Graib photos, Saddam's hanging video and even at hint of the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment. While most viewers will never pick up on this subtext, it will play just below the consciousness of many, adding depth and a creeping sense of malaise. Even as someone who is 100% not a 'truther' it added an extra element that I responded to emotionally." — Hunter Daniels, Collider

The Final Word
" 'Apollo 18' is innovative, intense and will make you scream like a little girl. It's not a great film by any means but it's all about the atmosphere and the world that is created by Director Gonzalo López-Gallego (his first major motion picture). Even though I knew going in that the film was fake, I still found myself suspending my disbelief. Hats off to the amazing film makers for making me feel like I was on the moon with these actors. I mean seriously, the film looked just like found footage from the 1970's. The post-production on this project must have been insane, adding in all the scratch marks, etc. The tight spaces these actors had to film in were absolutely insane. What the film does really well is use a slow-build effect for the scares which became a very important factor in keeping you entertained for ninety minutes." — Kevin McCarthy, BDKReviews

Check out everything we've got on "Apollo 18."

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