"RRS" BlogFacebookTwitterE-MailPlaylistListen LivePodcasts
Interviewing celebrities, breaking national stories, blogging daily, and offering candid commentary on pop culture is just a small sample of what he does. Ralphie Aversa is the relentless, tireless, non-stop-always-go host and executive producer of “The Ralphie Radio Show.” Check out his links above, and his blog below - and thanks for swinging through!

6.25.2009

Michael Jackson: Dead at 50

97 BHT heard the unfortunate news first from our friends at TMZ.com.  Here's the TMZ coverage.  
 
Here's some links to reports of The  King of Pop's death due to a cardiac arrest.





CNN reported the occurance, but was late to verify that it was true. Here's the latest from CNN.

DAILY DOWNLOADS: New from Mr. Hudson ft. KanYe West, L.M.F.A.O., Drake


ATTY. ELIZABETH KELLEY: Chris Brown's Jig Is Up

Download the mp3

Attorney Elizabeth Kelley predicted the outcome of the Chris Brown/Rihanna case well before both sides reached a plea deal. Ms. Kelly weighs in on the situation with The Ralphie Radio Show.


Visit Elizabeth Kelley's website.

WINGMAN WEDNESDAY: Letting It Drag On

The Wingman advises Nicole to have fun... while her relationship goes on...


Initial Wingman Response:

Reaction #1:

Visit The Wingman on MySpace.

6.23.2009

VIDEO: Tinted Windows Perform, Chat In Studio

Tinted Windows, comprised of Taylor Hanson (Hanson), James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins), Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne) and Bun E. Carlos (Cheap Trick) visited the 97 BHT studios for an acoustic performance on Thursday!

Powered by Rodano's, S-Curve Records, & 97 BHT!

EXCLUSIVE: Drake Denies Rihanna Relationship, Calls Soulja Boy, "Smartest Artist of Our Generation"

America is offering quite the introduction in to the music industry for Canadian recording artist Aubrey “Drake” Graham. The singer/actor already experienced first hand the influence of an A-list affiliation – regardless of the endorsement’s capacity.

Drake performed in support of Lil Wayne earlier in the year, and is set to trek out with Weezy again on this summer’s “America’s Most Wanted Music Festival.” The tour kicks off in Scranton on July 27 – so Drake called in to The Ralphie Radio Show, promoting the concert while speaking on a wide-array of topics, including his ties to the “Umbrella” singer.

“The most important thing in that situation is that, she’s actually a dope person,” said Drake of RiRi. “Whatever it did for me, I guess was just an additional blessing on top of the fact that she’s actually a great individual.”

Rumors have swirled about a romance between the two for well over a month. Paparazzi have caught both Drake and Rihanna out on the town, even kissing at times. Certainly it thrust the Toronto-born artist in to American pop culture. Now Drake can’t even hit an airport without being recognized.

“Some guy that was like working at Customs was like, ‘Yo, I know you, you’re Rihanna’s boyfriend.’ Which I’m not by the way, for the record,” Drake clarified.

Drake gave honest, almost inapprehensive answers when it came to his ties to the Bajan beauty – until I asked if he still keeps in touch with her.

Rihanna & Drake (CelebrityRadar)
Part 1: Toronto, Lil Wayne, Gaining Cred in the States

Part 2: Soulja Boy Tell 'Em, Rihanna

Info about the show here.
“(A few seconds of silence) Yeah, I see her from time to time,” Drake answered, his tone clearly down a notch.

But Drake didn’t hesitate to offer up props to his tour mates – a bill that generated a solid amount of buzz here in Northeastern PA with the likes of Wayne, Young Jeezy, and Jeremih. Specifically, Drake big-upped Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em, anointing the rapper, “the smartest artist of our generation, period.”

“Whether it’s him, whether it’s his team around him, whoever has the thoughts to do the things he does, is genius.”

The two hip-hop artists met recently for the first time while playing the new Ultimate Fighting Championship game on XBOX 360. Drake took a light-hearted jab at the “Swag On” rapper, insisting that Soulja Boy, “can’t see” him when it comes to that game.

Hopefully Drake knows what he just got himself in to with that comment. After all, he’ll see a lot of Soulja this summer: the two will perform 21 dates throughout the U.S. and Canada.

EXCLUSIVE: Visit from Tinted Windows

Taylor Hanson will probably always be best known as one-third of “Hanson” – three brothers from Tulsa, Oklahoma that “MMMBop”-ed their way in to mainstream media.

But much has changed since Taylor and his brothers asked where the love went. The lead singer is the father of four. “Hanson” still records, but no longer receives the spins from pop radio. And now, Taylor is proving that he can play nice with musicians that aren’t blood relatives.

Hanson fronts a new band called Tinted Windows. The quartet is a conglomerate of sorts – with Taylor’s vocals backed by Adam Schlesinger’s bass (Fountains of Wayne) James Iha’s guitar (Smashing Pumpkins) and the drums of Bun E. Carlos (Cheap Trick).

“Adam and I had talked about doing some music together for a long time,” revealed Hanson. “About three years ago, he called me, and we started talking about putting a band together.”

According to Rolling Stone, Hanson joined forces with Schlessinger and Iha – and the three decided that the group needed a percussion-presence similar to Cheap Trick’s Carlos. Finally, the band decided to reach out to Carlos himself, and he obliged.

The three founding members stopped in Wilkes-Barre last week, en route to Philadelphia. Carlos isn’t making this round of radio promo with the band – he’s a bit preoccupied on Cheap Trick’s tour with Poison and Def Leppard.

While each member’s respective band accolades may be recognized, what is possibly unknown is some of the group’s accomplishments as individuals, namely Schlessinger. The bassist earns the distinction as the only musician of the four with Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations on his resume. Schlessinger wrote the title track to Tom Hanks’ “That Thing You Do.”

“There were some people I knew in the music business that said, ‘Hey we heard Tom Hanks is working on this movie, and it’s kind of about this band in the 60’s,’” recalled Schlessinger

The 41 year-old musician is a fan of that musical era. So, Schlessinger wrote the track, recorded the demo with a few friends, and mailed it in.

“That was a big, lucky break for me,” he said. Schlessinger eventually met Hanks, and even ended up on the receiving end of some film direction from the number one box-office star in the world. The musician stopped by Hanks’ office to say hi to a few people – but unbeknownst to Adam, a short was filming.

“He gave me some lines, and put me on this couch, and he was directing me,” recalled Schlessinger. “I was like, ‘I can’t do this. I can’t be directed by Tom Hanks. I’m not an actor.’”

6.22.2009

Taylor Swift & T-Pain - "Thug Story"

Taylor Swift teams up with T-Pain for the track "Thug Story" that happened to be a big hit at the CMT Music Awards. Here's some behind the scenes footage of the song coming together.
Here's the finished product.

6.16.2009

Abercrombie Discriminates Girl w/ Prosthetic Arm

Abercrombie discriminating? No, I don't believe it. This poor girl with a prosthetic arm was sent to work in the backroom at Abercrombie.




When Riam applied to the store, they took a photograph of her and gave her a handbook that listed the company's expectations, as far as physical appearance goes. According to the Daily Mail, the handbook "stipulates that staff must represent a 'natural, classic American style' and instructs them on everything from how to wear their hair (clean and natural) to how long they should wear their nails (a quarter of an inch past the end of the finger)." Apparently, Riam's prosthetic arm wasn't "natural" or "classic" enough for the store- they made her buy a cardigan to wear in order to hide her arms while working.
"A worker from what they call the "visual team", people who are employed to go round making sure the shop and its staff look up to scratch, came up to me and demanded I take the cardigan off. I told her, yet again, that I had been given special permission to wear it. A few minutes later my manager came over to me and said: "I can't have you on the shop floor as you are breaking the Look Policy. Go to the stockroom immediately and I'll get someone to replace you. I pride myself on being quite a confident girl but I had never experienced prejudice like that before and it made me feel utterly worthless. Afterwards I telephoned the company's head office where a member of staff asked whether I was willing to work in the stockroom until the winter uniform arrived. That was the final straw. I just couldn't go back."

She is now suing the company, which, by the way, already paid 2.2 million dollars to employees who felt that that the company was unfairly forcing them to buy Abercrombie's clothes in 2003. Oh, and did I mention they paid a 40 million dollar settlement in 2004, after being accused of discriminatory employment practices? Because they did! This is a company that continues to be called out for their sexist, racist, discriminatory practices, and by issuing half-ass apologies and paying off their accusers, they expect us to forget the nastiness at the core of this operation. Sadly, all of this only makes Riam's story as unsurprising as it is upsetting.





Lady GaGa mistaken for Amy Winehouse?

Our girl Lady GaGa does indeed dye her hair and with good reason. Turns out a reporter once had mistaken her for Amy Winehouse.  Crazy, right?
I don't know about you but I'm not really seeing a comparision. GaGa did call Winehouse "badass" and simply wants to be her own person and known for her own style. Well, I don't blame her.

Sights From The Birthday Week...






Facebook album is here.

97 BHT Summer Jam Recap w/ The Veronicas


97 BHT's Summer Jam 2009 - Saturday June 6, 2009 - F.M. Kirby Center, Wilkes-Barre - Starring The Veronicas - Check out Photos and Video!

Photos Courtesy of John at KDP Studio!

LIL WAYNE/SOULJA BOY Return To NEPA July 27


97 BHT welcomes Lil Wayne and Soulja Boy Tell 'Em back to NEPA, with special guests Young Jeezy and Drake!

Click here for more information!

All thanks to Live Nation and 97 BHT!
---
FULL COVERAGE OF LIL WAYNE'S LAST TRIP TO NEPA
---
FULL COVERAGE OF SOULJA BOY TELL 'EM'S LAST TRIP TO NEPA

DAILY DOWNLOAD: New Found Glory - Listen To Your Friends


06.10.09 : New Found Glory - Listen To Your Friends
Guitarist Chad Gilbert calls up The Ralphie Radio Show
On The Song:

On Working w/ Blink 182's Mark Hoppus:

6.15.2009

EXCLUSIVE: Taking It Back, Looking Forward w/ Jesse McCartney

Download the mp3

Jesse McCartney chatted in his dressing room about All My Children, touring w/ NKOTB, & Departure: Recharged.

---
You know him as pop superstar Jesse McCartney, the platinum-selling, world-touring artist that sings some of your favorite songs like “Leavin’” and “Beautiful Soul.” But my Mom will always identify him as “Adam Chamdler Jr.” from the ABC soap opera All My Children.

“I was nominated in ’99 and 2000,” McCartney recalled, as he received a nod in both years for a Daytime Emmy Award. “I can’t even believe how long ago that was.”

Certainly much changed for McCartney since. While he still acts, his current full-time job is singer/songwriter/performer. McCartney’s latest LP, Departure, sold over a quarter of a million copies. This past April, Hollywood Records re-released the record as Departure: Recharged, featuring four new songs, including the remix of “How Do You Sleep?” featuring Ludacris.

“It’s part two of the album, or just an extended version,” Jesse explained. “One of the songs is actually the next single, its called 'Body Language' and I just got official word today that we’re releasing it in a couple weeks with T-Pain.”

First he collaborated with producer Tricky Stewart, then Ludacris, and now T-Pain. McCartney certainly aimed for and achieved a much more rhythmic sound, similar to what New Kids On The Block went for with The Block. In addition to extending the run of Departure, McCartney extended his summer schedule at the last second, accepting an invitation from NKOTB to join them on tour.

“They called literally two weeks before the tour,” he revealed. “It’s gonna be another month and a half of touring.”

McCartney maintains such a busy schedule that he didn’t even meet the entire headlining act until about 4 dates in to the trek. Jesse’s mad dashing from the stage to prior commitments even prompted tour-mate Danny Wood of NKOTB to wonder what was up. But when I spoke with McCartney last Wednesday, he noted that during the upcoming off day, he looked forward to “kicking it” with the guys.

The former Dream Street singer will finish out the “Full Service” tour, then begin work on The Gonzo Files, which begins filming at the end of this month in Brooklyn. Bryan Goluboff, who wrote The Basketball Diaries, wrote and will direct the movie.

“I’m gonna do a lot more film stuff at the end of the album, at the end of this run,” McCartney noted – although with the release of another single imminent, the end may not arrive until the end of the year.

Regardless of whether he’s on camera or on stage, McCartney will be making money doing what he loves. He might even find sometime to live like the average 22 year old. While chatting in his dress room, McCartney recalled a time he partied at my alma mater, Syracuse University.

“I did go to a frat party in Syracuse at one point, like four years ago,” McCartney admitted. “It was fun.”

Adam Chandler Jr. has come a long way.

6.12.2009

EXCLUSIVE: NKOTB's Danny Wood Talks Future Plans, Jesse McCartney, Red Sox/Yankees


---
Danny Wood didn’t think it would last this long.

“We thought we’d do like 20, 30 shows at best probably, and be home,” Wood confessed. “But we’re very happy it’s gone this long and we’re happy to now be doing the ‘Full Service’ tour.”

New Kids On The Block released The Block in September 2008. The LP marked the boy band’s first studio release in 14 years. After the CD debuted atop the Billboard Pop Charts, NKOTB embarked on a North American tour – then extended the trek to dates overseas. A “fan cruise” last month took the guys with supporters from Miami to the Bahamas. Now, New Kids find themselves on the “Full Service” tour – playing outdoor amphitheaters throughout the summer with opening act Jesse McCartney.

The Boston-born singers themselves didn’t expect this reunion to last in to the summer… but now some are wondering not when will it end, but if it will cease at all?

“We have some plans for next year. I think a new record will probably come in 2011, if we all agree to do that. But, we’re pretty much all on the same page right now. I don’t see this being the last time to see us.”

Wood joked that someone in the group “acting like an asshole,” could prevent the CD release. But, according to him, everyone in the band agreed on that plan for the time being. Still, Wood noted that family situations could play a factor.

“It’s different this time around, so you never know. I mean, I know I never thought my kids would get to see me back on stage. My daughters are with me so, it’s always perfect when they’re here.”

Also with the group is McCartney, a 22-year old pop star that wasn’t alive when NKOTB released its self-titled debut LP in 1986. But apparently, that doesn’t mean the former All My Children actor is seeking out Donnie Wahlberg or anyone in the group for advice.

“You want me to be honest?” Wood asked. “I haven’t seen the dude once. I don’t know… I don’t know. He does a mad dash or he’s hiding or I don’t know.”

Wood seemed a bit bothered, perhaps even offended, in his tone and body language, but insisted that is far from the case.

“I don’t give a shit. He can do whatever he wants, I don’t care,” Wood insisted. “We’re pretty accessible… if you walked around here you’d probably run in to all five of us.”

Give the man credit – I did in fact run in to all the guys at one point or another while backstage. Donnie chatted on his phone. Joey McIntyre walked his puppy. Jordan Knight snapped a photo with me before a Boston Herald phone interview. His brother, Jonathan, attempted to chat on his cell, but of course, coverage can be spotty up on the mountain.

And as for McCartney – Jesse told me later that earlier that day he finally met all five of the guys. The singer blamed a hectic schedule – which even forced him to jet back to Los Angeles at one point – as the reason for his notable absence backstage.

6.11.2009

WINGMAN WEDNESDAY: Does Age Matter?

Download the mp3

The Wingman advises a "creeper" about dating women that are younger than him, but legal, despite friends ripping on him.


Visit The Wingman on MySpace.

EXCLUSIVE: Keri Hilson Reveals The Real Story Behind "Knock You Down"

Singer/songwriter Keri Hilson reveals the true story behind her track with kanye West & Ne-Yo, "Knock You Down". She also talks about traveling, making the transition to artist, and working with Britney Spears.


Part 1: Traveling, Story Behind "Knock You Down"

Part 2: Writing for Britney, Soulja Boy Tell 'Em "Collab"

---
Keri Hilson’s most uncharacteristic moment may prove to me the most career shaping in her transition from songwriter to singer, yielding the biggest track from In A Perfect World… in the process.

While Interscope/Geffen/A&M Records prepared to press the final album cut in Los Angeles, Hilson found herself in New York – working with Kanye West on a viral commercial to promote the LP. “Miss Keri Baby” wanted ‘Ye on the album, but he didn’t make the version sent to L.A. Then West asked Hilson how the album was coming.

”I’m completely tongue-in-cheek at this point,” admits Hilson. “I said, ‘Well, the only thing missing on this album is you.’”

Hilson didn’t expect the spur-of-the-moment honesty, nor did she expect West’s response.

“He said, ‘Is there anything I can do tonight?’” Hilson recalled. “I was like, ‘Oh, my, God. Let’s book the studio right now before he changes his mind!’”

With Kanye and herself now accounted for, Hilson needed the final piece of the puzzle: Ne-Yo.

“He was about to go film a movie in Prague. We called him, he wanted to do it but he was leaving the country the next day. He had literally an hour break in his schedule.”

Thankfully for Hilson, the R&B crooner can work quick, and on the spot. Keri’s manager flew to Miami, waited with a car service in tow at the studio as Ne-Yo wrote and recorded his verse, and jetted back to L.A. with the audio files on a hard drive.

”We had to push (the release date) back, and it cost us a bit,” revealed Hilson. “But it was worth it, and thank God the album is doing so well that (Interscope) don’t care anymore.”

It’s quite a change in pace for Hilson, prior to this LP worked mostly as a songwriter and back-up vocalist, penning tracks for the likes of Ludacris and Britney Spears – notably Spears’ “Gimme More” and “Break The Ice” off of Breakout.

“I love to see the 180 (degree) turn because when we worked, it was a tumultuous time in her life,” Hilson said. “She was pregnant with her second child, seven months pregnant mind you, so focused, in a booth. It just showed me how dedicated she was to her craft.”

Keri relates – the singer/songwriter is so married to music that she just invites herself on tracks – namely Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em’s “Turn My Swag On.” There were murmurs that Hilson’s impromptu cameo would be combined with Lil’ Wayne’s official remix for a “megamix” of sorts, but she believes that may not be in the cards.

“It was supposed to be the three of us, and we haven’t shot the video yet, so I guess it’s not going to happen,” Hilson noted, with a bit of disappointment in her tone.

But, it’s almost never to late in this business for anything to happen – and if anyone knows that, it’s Keri herself.

The Ting Tings feature "The Ralphie Radio Show" on official website!

As if I need another reason to love these people... The Ting Tings global site features the 97 BHT video of the group performing an acoustic version of "That's Not My Name."


EXCLUSIVE: Taylor Momsen's Gossip Girl Reign, Rockstar Future


Actress-turned-singer? Not exactly, says Taylor Momsen.

“I’ve been singing longer than I’ve been acting,” Momsen reveals. The Gossip Girl star performed on Saturday with her band, The Pretty Reckless, at 97 BHT’s Summer Jam 2009. “I’ve been writing music my entire life. I know people aren’t going to know that instantly, but yunno, it all takes time.”

And time is on the side of the 15 year-old. Season 3 of Gossip Girl enters production in July. So for the next month, she’ll tour, opening up for The Veronicas. When Momsen returns to New York City and the set, she’ll also return to the studio, to finish production on The Pretty Reckless’ first LP. No timeline or dates are set, but Momsen already wrote the entire record.

Now she’s cutting her chops live, on stage. And it’s a learning process. 97 BHT’s event brought forth yet another lesson.

“Never again with no soundcheck!” said Momsen. “The entire first song, you couldn’t hear vocal at all.” The lead singer didn’t throw a fit nor storm off stage, instead rolling with the punches as sound techs worked out the issues.

The theater tour circuit certainly differs from the network sitcom set. It also seems that the average fan of The Pretty Reckless’ songs could differ from the average Gossip Girl enthusiast. So will fans of Jenny Humphrey buy in to Taylor’s music?

“I think it’s gonna take some getting used to,” she admits. “It might be a little bit of shell shock ‘cause, it’s rock man. It’s not lite, and it’s really real.”

But Gossip Girl viewers will probably see season 3 before they hear any studio material from Momsen. Now that “Little J” is the queen, the actress wouldn’t mind Humphrey become more active.

”It’s gonna be interesting to see what they do with her character as queen with all this power,” said Momsen. “I’d like to see her shake it up a little bit.”