Momentum

I’m relaxing big time down here in Florida, though I have spent plenty of time at my computer. Still, I just can’t seem to find anything eloquent to write. I’ve done a lot already. I picked up a little sun. I fought off the jones to buy a guitar to play while I’m here. I’ve…

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Grounded, 5 A.M.

I’m writing you from Gate B-40 at the Pittsburgh International Airport. Why I’m layed over here en route to Ft. Meyers, Florida, is anyone’s guess. Only USAir will ever know. I stayed up kinda’ late last night cleaning up “Handshake Drugs & The Social Registry”, the first installment of my memoir-in-progress, “33 1/3,” and hastily…

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Automatic Stop

Yes, I’ve had a few drinks. And yes, I got my karaoke on. “Jessie’s Girl,” if you must know. Why? I was promoted. To Executive Producer. Sweet, right? I don’t mean to gloat, I’m just excited. It’s rare one get’s an email written about them and sent around the company. I’ve said it for years:…

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Smells Like Teen Spirit

When I was making my first CD, “Bloom,” way back in 1994, I sent a solicitation letter to friends and family. It read, in essence, “Please help me win a Grammy.” That was the penultimate then. Today I was a heartbeat away from the red carpet. I wasn’t on it, but I was near it.…

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Turn Smile Shift Repeat

I’ve increased my collection of laniards and hotel pens by exactly one each. The MTV News team stormed the Grammy red (green, actually) carpet today. In t-minus 20 hours, we will be live on air. And I will age exactly one year for every minute elapsed. Here’s the day in a nutshell. 8:01 AM –…

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And His Hair Was Perfect

It is raining in Southern California. But nothing can dampen my memories of our wild night of flaming debauchery at Trader Vic’s. Not even the soul-crushing pain at the base of my skull. We at MTV News are strong advocates of team building excercises. And nothing says “team” like a night of flaming beef kabobs,…

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Hello, America

It’s wind. It blows all over the place. I wore a blue blazer today. I got a raise. And a bonus. I had lunch across from the Sony lot, got a colleague onto the “War of the Worlds” set (Speilberg! Cruise!), made a deal for a major Hollywood A-lister to blog for MTV.com, and saw…

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What A Life

Today will be different. I woke early, tossing and turning in my bed until the sun broke through the windows. I jogged in Beverly Hills, taking in the blue sky, the soaring palms, and the waking birds. I turned down Carmelita Street, where I jogged so many years before (in the “Almost Home” era). I…

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Axel F

LA’s finest were parked outside the hotel tonight. “They waiting for you?” Robert joked. “I got five bucks that says they’re here for the hip hoppers across the hall from me.” Today began auspiciously enough. A beautiful din rose from the clock radio’s tiny speakers. It sounded like Beta Band meets Talking Heads meets Franz…

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It’s The Pictures That Got Small

It is always 1980 on Sunset Boulevard. We just had dinner at The Rainbow, a tiny little dive wedged between The Key Club and The Roxy. Like CBGBs in New York, The Rainbow is famed for 80s-era hair metal debauchery. I overheard someone say, “Can you imagine how much of Motely Crue’s DNA is in…

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