Sammy Hagar: Van Halen Reunion a "Horror Fest"

Sammy Hagar, rock star even at a book signing.

Photo by: Brooke Niemeyer

By: BROOKE NIEMEYER
Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar says the group's reunion in 2004 wasn't what he wanted or expected it to be.

"The Van Halen reunion was a disappointment for me," Hagar said Tuesday night at the Borders in Columbus Circle. "I was just hoping it was going to be great and everybody was going to be happy and a big love fest and just go at it again but it wasn't like that at all. It was the complete opposite. It was a horror fest."

Hagar, also known as the "Red Rocker," said even with all the ups and downs in his life, he has no regrets.

"The past is done and there's no reason to mess with that," Hagar said. "I'm in a really good place right now and very happy with my life."

He added, "I wouldn't want to mess with this moment either because I'm living the dream. This is more than anyone could ever hope or dream for. I just hope that I can keep doing this thing exactly the way it is now. I don't want to fix anything and I have no regrets."

He released his book, "Red: My Uncensored Life in Rock," yesterday, which chronicles his experiences from childhood to becoming a headlining rock star. Hagar says that even though some of the book gets graphic, he will allow his four children to read it.

"My sons are one thing... but my little daughters I'm nervous about it still," Hagar said. "I may make them read the Keith Richards book first and then they're going to say 'My pops is like the funny papers.'"

This story ran on NBCNewYork.com's NiteSide.

NiteTalk: Lucie Arnaz Talks About Her Mother, Acting and Joining Cast Party

Photo of Lucie Arnaz courtesy of Getty Images.

By: BROOKE NIEMEYER
Lucie Arnaz, the daughter of legendary "I Love Lucy" actors Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, has followed her parent's footsteps into the entertainment industry. She is not only an actress, but a singer and producer as well. She recently sat down with Niteside to give us insight into her exciting life, including her upcoming performance in The Best of Jim Caruso's Cast Party to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, happing at Town Hall this Thursday night. 


I know you have performed at a few Cast Party shows in the past. What made you want to do this show in particular?
I just adore [Jim Caruso]. He's one of the funniest people on the planet and one of the nicest and the smartest. He called and said, "I'm just hoping, hoping, hoping that you're not doing something that day because you just need to be here and to be a part of it." It is like being part of a very exclusive club when Jimmy puts something together that's special. This is a unique Cast Party experience. It's not like the normal Cast Party. I was flattered to be asked and really happy that I wasn't somewhere else. He caught me in between arriving and leaving for something else. It's going to be great fun and it's for such a great cause. There's very rarely a time that I say no to something concerning Broadway Cares.

What do you look forward to the most when you're performing?
Just the fact of doing it. I love what I do. I love getting out there and picking a great story and singing it. They're stories and you go out and you do your little piece and hopefully you transport the audience in one way or another and you get off stage. It's a great feeling. The doing of it is everything - not the response or where it gets you. It doesn't get you essentially anywhere but in the now and the now of doing it is spectacular. You get addicted to the doing.

Do you ever get nervous?
I do. David Freedman used to always remind me, don't confuse excitement with nervousness. That's a great thing to remember because they feel exactly the same. When you get nervous and you start to make up thoughts about it, like 'I don't know what I'm doing, they're not going to like me, or I'm going to screw up,' you have to say, whoa, whoa, whoa - what if you were standing in line, waiting to walk onto the stage to accept your diploma for graduating from college, having accomplished all of that, you'd be feeling the same way but you'd be really excited. It's the same thing. It's just a matter of how you think about it. Now that I know that, what the nerves, the butterflies, the excitement isn't there, I get really concerned. It's like, why are you not connected on that level today? It's an electric charge and you want to plug into it.

You've starred in many movies and Broadway shows. Out of all the roles you've had, what was your favorite? 
I don't think I have one. They are all the best ones when you're doing them. I loved being in "The Jazz Singer" just because it was my first real film and I was working with such amazing people. I loved sitting in the dressing room with Neil Diamond and listening to him create songs.

Is there anyone you'd like to work with in the future?
Jeffery Rush, Colin Firth, George Clooney! (laughs) I wish I had a chance to work with people like Katherine Hepburn. I'd love to do a film with some of those really great female performers - there's so many of them, it's ridiculous - Diane Keaton, Meryl Streep, Susan Sarandon. I have a tremendous admiration for good actors.

Your mother was certainly one of those good actors and you worked with her in "Here's Lucy" and "The Lucy Show." What did you learn acting with her?
Oh my god, that's a book. I could write a book called "What did I learn acting with mom." Someday I'll dedicate a large part of anything I ever write to that question, I'm sure.

In a nutshell, she did not suffer fools easily. She was a consummate professional, always prepared. She taught me show up on time, know your stuff, don't lose heart when things don't come out exactly the way you think they're going to - keep on truckin', don't let the steam out of the seam. Just be the person that the crew likes to work with because things get done faster and there's less stress.

I just automatically behaved like that as a teenager because the people on the set did, like my mother and various co-stars. You watched them and you go to to see the difference between what happens when people behave properly and come prepared and act professional and then it doesn't go so swell when the other people come on with their egos and they aren't prepared, they're rude, they have serious attitude and the whole week just comes to a painful halt. I learned that's not the way to work. And that's something that no matter how many colleges or acting schools you go to, you don't ever get that because you don't know until you're in it and doing it with the real guys. I appreciate having the opportunity having learned from that angle.

You directed and co-wrote a one-woman show with Suzanne LaRusch called "An Evening With Lucille Ball - Thank You for Asking!" about her.
Yes. They always say if you're going to go into something you haven't done before, stick with things you know, write about things you know, film things you know, and that's certainly something I thought I knew. I gave it my best shot and it turned out great. ...[LaRusch] is probably the only person on the planet who can perform the Lucille Ball character as well as do they Lucy Ricardo stuff flawlessly.

Do you think your mom would've liked it?
She would have been floored. She would have loved it. She always said there was nobody who could do me, meaning the Lucille Ball person as opposed to the character Lucy Ricardo. As a matter of fact, in a sense I'm pretty sure she's had a lot to do with this having the success that it's had. It's too hard to pull these things off with a little extra help from the people upstairs. I think if she didn't like it, we'd be having fires.

Do you ever watch the "I Love Lucy" reruns?
I used to be able to turn the TV on any time of day and trip over it and say, "Oh, there they are." And of course, I watch it whenever I can, but it's not on anymore. They've hidden it somewhere and I'm still trying to find it.

This story ran on NBCNewYork.com's NiteSide.

DJ Stretch Armstrong: "Nas was Always Bone-Chillingly Spectacular"

Adrian Bartos, also known as DJ Stretch Armstrong.

Photo courtesy of: Getty Images

By: BROOKE NIEMEYER
New York City's legendary late-night radio duo, Adrian 'Stretch Armstrong' Bartos and Robert 'Bobbito' Garcia, reunited last night to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their radio show. Bartos revealed to Niteside that while they have a long list of great guests that came on their show, Nas is undeniably his favorite.

"Nas was always bone-chillingly spectacular," Bartos said at the le Poisson Rouge club in the East Village last night. "When he was on, even before he was signed, you just got the sense that something really important was going on."

Many of the artists the pair had on, including Nas and Fat Joe, were unknown at the time but are now famous hip-hop stars. Bartos said it has been interesting to watch them change and progress over the years.

"I know them as broke, struggling artists," Bartos said. "Some of them have a policy of positivity, but it's very superficial as part of their strategy of being successful. Whereas some of them are just genuine and haven't changed and they'll see me on the street and practically tackle me."

Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito's show ran on Columbia University's WKCR 88.9FM throughout the 1990s and catered to an insomniac crowd, airing from 1:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. every Thursday. Doing a live show outside of the DJ booth was a first for them, and Bartos said it was an entirely different experience.

"The crazy thing about doing radio is you're isolated in a room and you know you've got many more listeners than if you were in a club, but you don't see them," Bartos said. "I think that's part of the magic of the show we had, is we didn't act like anyone was listening."

Bartos pointed out that they had their show before the days of podcasts, online streaming, and social media, so people were listening live on their stereos and calling in. But now, they've discovered a whole new age for radio with the Internet.

"When we did the show before, we weren't in the digital age yet, so we didn't have that immediate feedback," Bartos said. "But after doing one now, we were a trending topic on Twitter nationally and the live streams were getting shut down from too many listeners. We wanted to feel more of that and so we decided to take it to a live venue and see how it goes."

Live appearances may become a regular thing for the Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito show.

"Maybe [we will] do it again in the spring time at a bigger venue," Bartos said. "Possibly a tour too. We'll see what happens."

This story ran on NBCNewYork.com's NiteSide.

NiteTalk: Showbiz Boss Jim Caruso Dishes to Niteside

By: BROOKE NIEMEYER
Showbiz boss Jim Caruso is the host of his own show, Cast Party, the Monday night soiree at Birdland, just steps away from the Broadway lights. But his involvement in the entertainment biz doesn't stop there. He toured with the legendary Liza Minnelli and performed at the President Clinton's first state dinner. He released a new studio album this month, which is currently in the top 100 Vocal Jazz albums on Amazon. Caruso gave a glimpse into his world when he sat down with Niteside this weekend. 

What was your favorite part of creating your latest album, "The Swing Set?"
Having it finished and in my very hands. (laughs) No, the choosing of the music was exciting. I've never done a studio recording before. I've done live CDs, so this was really a whole new experience. I wanted it to certainly have a jazz feel with the great American standards but some quirky songs too because I think that's what people, if they think of me at all, think of me doing. They think of me with kind of unique material and funny things, so we found some of those. ... It's kind of like what we do at Cast Party - it's a lot of friends entertaining each other at the piano and that's kind of the feeling I want on this album.

Let's talk about Cast Party. You've had some legendary guests, but who would you label as your favorite?
There have been some really historic moments there. The lyricist Betty Comden, from Comden and Green, made her last public appearance there I think. She came and she was all in black and diamonds and she still looked fantastic. She motioned to Billy Stritch, who was at the piano that night, and said 'Do you think it would be okay if I sang a song?' And of course we fainted. We got her right up and she sang a song called 'One Hundred Easy Ways to Lose a Man' from a show that she wrote with her partners. She remembered every word and she was hilarious and got every laugh. She died maybe within the next year. That was something I'll never forget. And of course every time Liza comes, it's pandemonium. People freak out and she sings her head off. That's a woman that can stop a room.

Is there anyone you'd like to come perform that hasn't yet?
I do have a short list of people that I'm desperate to get in to Cast Party. I could say that they are my heroes growing up - Dick Van Dyke, Carol Burnett - I just know they'd love it. I have a feeling that Ricky Martin would really be into it. He has show business in his blood. He gets it and loves it. Kathy Griffin is somebody that I know pretty well. She'd never come in but I know she would think it would be hilarious.

Tell me about working with Liza Minnelli.
Oh Liza Minnelli... I could talk about her forever. I was on the road for three years with Liza in the show that became 'Liza's at the Palace,' which won the Tony. Nobody has been kinder and more supportive of me and my career than that lady. She's extraordinary. If you have her as a friend, you've got a friend.

What's next for you?
We are doing a very special Cast Party at Town Hall on February 17. It's going to be a benefit for Broadway Cares. That's going to be crazy great. Billy Stritch and I are also going to do Cast Party in Los Angeles in March and that's one of my favorite things to do. I love taking Cast Party on the road and celebrating local talent, which can be Carol Channing or it can be a songwriter that you've never heard of that blows you away. That's really exciting to me to be able to celebrate fabulous talent and to get to know these shockingly talented people all over the country. It's like my own Ed Sullivan show.

This story ran on NBCNewYork.com's NiteSide.

Former White Zombie Bassist Sean Yseult: "I Just Started a New Band"

Sean Yseult speaking at the Tribeca Barnes & Noble.

Photo by: Brooke Niemeyer

By: BROOKE NIEMEYER

Sean Yseult, the former bassist for the 90’s heavy-metal band White Zombie, revealed last night that she is returning to music, but this time with another group.

“I just started a new band, with some very good friends, called Star and Dagger,” Yseult said last night. “It’s kind of been dubbed Anita Pallenberg fronting Black Sabbath. It’s heavy with these very beautiful vocals.”

Instead of touring with a band right now, Yseult is out promoting her book “I’m in the Band: Backstage Notes From the Chick in White Zombie.” While at the Tribeca Barnes & Noble last night, Yseult said that going through her old boxes of band and touring memorabilia a few years ago is what prompted her to put together the book.

“The photo albums I had were filled with backstage parties and the tour diaries I kept were the biggest surprise,” Yseult said. “These were written diligently each night before I fell asleep, even though half the time I was half-past drunk.

The book is a compilation of photos and ticket stubs, as well as anecdotes from her years with the band.

“Most of the things I do remember play back like a movie in my head,” Yseult said. “Like riding in the Ramones van from gig to gig while we were on tour together or getting busted in a New Orleans graveyard with Lux [Interior] and [Poison] Ivy of The Cramps.”

With all the musicians she’s worked (and partied) with, she says without a doubt her favorite is Pantera.

“Those guys were like my big brothers,” Yseult said. While you’re on stage, just constant pranks and offstage too. They made passing 23 hours a day [on tour] an art form.”

This story ran on NBCNewYork.com's NiteSide.

"Unsilent Night": Boombox-Toting Parade-Goers Carol Through the Village

The procession began at Washington Square Park near the Christmas tree.

Photo by: Brooke Niemeyer

This was one of the most unique events I have attended and I am so glad I got the chance to cover it. We have all heard of groups Christmas caroling and singing their favorite seasonal songs. But how many of us have ever seen or even heard about groups serenading their city by caroling with instrumental music? That's exactly what this is and it was a really neat experience.

Phil Kline started this event in 1992 with a few friends and a song he composed and now thousands of people turn out with their boom boxes, iPods, and all other types of speakers to electronically carol around the Village - from Washington Square Park down to Thompkins Square Park.

If you ever are in New York (or any of the other cities participating in this event) I highly reccomend you go!

Check out my NBC photo gallery from the event.

Singer Jay Sean: I Am Prepared to Face My Digital Death

Singer Jay Sean faces a social media death.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

By: BROOKE NIEMEYER

Singer Jay Sean detailed his plans to stage his death on social media last night. 

"I'm officially dying on social media," Sean told Niteside before performing at the New Yorkers for Children's 8th annual "Wrap to Rap" holiday gift-wrapping event at The Ainsworth in Manhattan Tuesday night.

"If we just tell them they're not allowed to get any tweets from us until they donate some money [to charity], we're not going to come back on Twitter."

Sean said that he and other celebs staging social media deaths -- Justin Timberlake, Lady Gaga, and Kim Kardashian, among them -- home that some of their combined 28 million Twitter followers will donate to the "Keep a Child Alive" charity, founded by Alicia Keys, who started this Digital Death Campaign. 

"I think it's an amazing tongue-and-cheek way to give everyone a nudge to do the right thing," Sean said.

Sean recently recorded the song "Every Part of Me" with British pop sensation Alesha Dixon, who he said he has wanted to work with for a long time.

"We have wanted to work together for ages," Sean said. "We got this smash of a song together and I'm super excited about it."

He also said they will be filming the music video for this song in New York City in about three weeks.

This story ran on NBCNewYork.com's NiteSide.

"West Side Story" Lyricist Stephen Sondheim Reveals His Showbiz Regret

The talented lyricist, Stephen Sondheim.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

By: BROOKE NIEMEYER
"West Side Story" and "Sweeney Todd" lyricist Stephen Sondheim confessed there is one musical he regrets not having a role in during his distinguished career.

Promoting his new tome "Finishing the Hat" at Barnes and Noble in Union Square last night, Sondheim said he wished he could have worked on the 1961 Broadway production "Carnival" starring Anna Marie Alberghetti.

"That is a show that really resonates with me," he said to the audience, "and I wish I could've had my hands on it."

The acclaimed 80-year-old lyricist also discussed his great mentors, such as iconic playwright Oscar Hammerstein II, and pointed out that his new book reveals some never-before-seen lyrics.

"I wanted to tell people my opinions on lyric writing and that's where this book came from," he said.

The hardest part of penning lyrics, he said, is encapsulating a sentiment in a concise way.

"When you're dealing with lyrics, less is more," Sondheim said. "I like to tell stories with my lyrics and you only have a short piece to do it with so you can't waste words."

He added, "One of the things people have a hard time with when writing lyrics is they repeat the same thought or concept instead of adding something new."

This story ran on NBCNewYork.com's NiteSide.

Joel McHale "Excited" to See The Boss

Joel McHale on the red carpet at the New York Comedy Festival.

By: BROOKE NIEMEYER

On the television sitcom "Community" Joel McHale plays the leader of a motley gang of community-college students, but in real life last night he was psyched to meet another top dog -- The Boss.

"I'm excited about seeing Bruce Springsteen," said "The Soup" host of one of the evening's performers at the fourth-annual Stand Up for Heroes benefit for American war veterans, kicking off this year's New York Comedy Festival. Jon Stewart, Jerry Seinfeld, Tony Bennett, and Rosie O'Donnell also appeared.

The Bob Woodruff Foundation partnered with the New York Comedy Festival to put on the event, held at the Beacon Theatre on the Upper East Side.

"I think any time you can get anyone out and laughing it's a good thing," McHale said.

While many major stars turned out, McHale said the ones who deserved the most attention were the veterans.

Injured troops need lifelong care and there needs to be awareness of that and more funding for that," McHale said. "They have made such an incredible sacrifice that it's the least we can do."

And to those who might wonder why it works to mix comedy with such a serious subject, McHale simply said, "Why not?"

This story ran on NBCNewYork.com's NiteSide.

"Girls to the Front" Author Sara Marcus Pushes Punk Rock and Lady Gaga

Sara Marcus at her book launch party in Williamsburg.

Photo by: Brooke Niemeyer

By: BROOKE NIEMEYER
It is possible to be a fan of both subversive punk rock and pop music's biggest current star? Author Sara Marcus thinks so. She recently wrote "Girls to the Front: The True Story of the Riot Grrrl Revolution," the first book to document the history of the underground, feminist, punk music movement of the 1990s. Turns out, though, she now also admires Lady Gaga.

"I have to say, even though I'm not a fan at all of Lady Gaga's music, I really have a lot of respect for the way that she's using her celebrity as a platform to be a beacon of hope to the freaks and the misfits among today's teens and adolescents," Marcus said. "You don't see very many mainstream artists speaking specifically to those kids the way that she does."

Marcus celebrated the release of her book Saturday night at the Williamsburg venue and bar, Bruar Falls.

Growing up in the midst of this feminist punk scene inspired Marcus to write the book. Having the support of Riot Grrrl superstar and former Bikini Kill singer Kathleen Hanna (who is married to Beastie Boy Adam Horovitz) sure didn't hurt, either. 

"[Hanna] told me that she was really glad I was the one doing this," Marcus said. "So that was really helpful and really encouraging."

Marcus also said that while thousands of scholarly papers have been written about this generation of underground music, she wanted to be the first to write a narrative book about it, in order to make sure everything was captured correctly.

"It just seemed like if I didn't write it based on the experiences of me and the people that I knew, someone else was going to write the book," Marcus said. "And they would write it about this distorted idea and the real power of [the movement] was going to be lost."

While she had an array of legendary sources for her book, Marcus says her favorite was a woman connected to and a big fan of the Riot Grrrl scene, but whose name was never in the headlines. 

"Mary Margaret is in the book from the beginning right through the very end," Marcus said. "She let me into her life in this profound way that it influenced the way that I approached the book. She instilled me with this great sense of awe and humility and the responsibility I had to honor the lives and experiences of everyone in the book. It really set the tone for everything."

This story ran on NBCNewYork.com's NiteSide.

Singer Brendan James: American Idol is "Not For Me"

Me and Brendan James backstage before his concert at the Highline Ballroom.

By: BROOKE NIEMEYER
Singer-songwriter Brendan James, who released his self-titled album earlier this month, says he could never be a contestant on American Idol.

"It's just not in my blood to [have] that much enthusiasm to sing without an instrument and sing someone else's songs," James told NiteSide before his concert Wednesday night at the Highland Ballroom in Chelsea.

The Los Angeles-based crooner has had his music featured on popular television shows including "Private Practice," "Bones," and, most recently, "One Tree Hill."

"I was so glad they picked that song ("Your Beating Heart" for "One Tree Hill")" said James. "That ballad is a really broken down song on the album."

While James has performed with some top-shelf artists, including Carol King, The Frey, and a Cat Stevens-endorsed children's choir, there is someone he still hopes to collaborate with one day.

"I would like to sing with Sara Bareilles," said James, of the 30-year-old singer-songwriter and pianist. "I think it would be a cool duet. I just like her sensibility and she puts a lot of thought into her lyrics like I do."

This story ran on NBCNewYork.com's NiteSide.

Green Day Front Man: "American Idiot" Was Inspired by 9/11

Billie Joe Armstrong (third from the left) on stage for "Idiot University" on Friday.

Photo by: Brooke Niemeyer

By: BROOKE NIEMEYER
Green Day front man Billie Joe Armstrong said the mega-hit "American Idiot" -- which led to the creation of a Broadway musical of the same name -- was inspired by the terror attacks of Sept. 11.

"I remember seeing those planes smashing into the World Trade Center live. Right there," Armstrong said during his appearance on the Broadway stage Friday night with "American Idiot" director Michael Mayer for a talkback session dubbed "Idiot University."

"I don't think we ever really, as a society, we had never seen anything that implicit. It was just chaos. I was so confused. I felt paralyzed. So the song 'American Idiot' was the first thing that came to mind."

Select audience members of five performances last week had the opportunity to attend the talkbacks after the show, which also included four cast members and a few members of the creative team. 

Armstrong, whose "American Idiot" album focused on American society in the early part of the decade, said watching the band's music performed on stage is a different experience from listening to the record in a traditional setting.

"With me, Mike (Dirnt) and Tre (Cool), we are the three pieces, and it's like we're fighting," Armstrong said. "And that's been the main argument with the band is us fighting to hear ourselves. [In] the show (on Broadway) the music is pulled back and the vocals up front, it adds a whole new dimension to it - a whole new dynamic."

He said many of his songs sound better when coming from different voices -- especially female vocalists.

He added, "A lot of them sound better than I do. ... They're just beautiful singers all around. They could sing the freakin' dictionary. It's amazing."

This story ran on NBCNewYork.com's NiteSide.

"American Idiot" Co-Stars Take to the Stage as Hip Hop Duo Fran Sancisco

Me with the guys from Fran Sancisco at the D-Lounge.

By: BROOKE NIEMEYER

"American Idiot" co-stars Brian Charles Johnson and Chase Peacock, accustomed to sharing a Broadway stage, made a different kind of debut in New York over the weekend. 

The actors, who met in San Francisco as they were working on the Green Day-inspired rock musical, took to the stage as hip-hop group Fran Sancisco Saturday at the D-Lounge in Manhattan. 

"We liked this hip-hop and R&B vibe, and I had a real hankering for an outlet," Peacock told NiteSide.

The project began as a handful of songs and collection of inside jokes between "American Idiot" cast members. 

"We got this amazing response that we weren't prepared for," Johnson said. 

The duo also received a blessing from "American Idiot" director Michael Mayer, who told the pair, "Hey, you guys do not stop making this music," according to Peacock.

"So that was huge for us," he added. 

Johnson and Peacock, who are now working on their first album, said playing music on stage is far different from performing on the Great White Way.

"On stage [for 'American Idiot'] we have choreography and places to be," said Peacock, "and when we're doing our own thing it's just two guys on stage with microphones."

Johnson said he finds up-and-coming artists like Kid Cudi inspiring, and Peacock said he considers Chris Brown to be one of his role models.

"I got obsessed with Chris Brown and would watch all of his videos and would dance in my mirror to the music videos," said Peacock.

And, of course, both cite Green Day as having been influential in their careers. 

"Knowing Green Day for so long and watching them as a kid and seeing them on TV and now I'm hanging out at their house and they're asking me if I want anything to eat," said Peacock. "It's just an amazing thing." 

This story ran on NBCNewYork.com's NiteSide.

O.A.R. Bass Guitaris Benj Gershman Wants to Relay Messages With His Photos

me and O.A.R. guitarist Benj Gershman at the Morrison Hotel Gallery.

By: BROOKE NIEMEYER
O.A.R. bass guitarist Benj Gershman is also involved in photography and he told NiteSide that besides snapping pictures of people and bands, he wants to use his photography to relay messages to the world.

"I want to have a whole other side of photography that is just social messaging," Gershman said. "I'll have a lot of them revolve around my passion for our environment and a lot of them with my view on America and telling the story about the world we live in right now."

Gershman premiered his "Rock Cause (O.A.R.)" photography exhibit last night at the Morrison Hotel Gallery in Manhattan. This exhibit profiled experiences of O.A.R., and he said there are other types of bands he would like to create a similar project about.

"What intrigues me is a lot of the bands that look like they're from the 70s and the people that have that style that they're not in this modern era, like Kings of Leon or Edward Sharp and the Magnificent Zeros," Gershman said. "Those kinds of bands have such a magnificent style."

Gershman, who has shot a Dave Matthews concert, said photography started out as a hobby for him but eventually became a passion.

"I just sort of found it and fell in love with it," he said.

Gershman got his first camera from his father about a year after leaving college. He experimented with it while he was on tour with the band and realized photography wasn't as easy as he expected.

"I wasn't good at it at first and that pissed me off," Gershman said. "I had to really work at it and figure it out. I can't tell you how frustrating it is for me as a person to not get something right. Mistakes for me are hard to swallow."

He kept taking photos, not only to get better at it but also just to capture what he and the other band members were experiencing during that time in their lives.

"I realized that our band was going through things that wouldn't last forever," Gershman said. "We were changing and our music was changing. I wanted to capture it and savor it a little bit."

After developing a better understanding of photography, Gershman says it comes more naturally for him than it used to.

"When I look at things now, I don't just see the whole thing," Gershman said. "I'm looking at tones and I'm looking at the back lighting. Those things happen much more instinctually than they did early on."

Gershman says that his band mates used to tease him about always having a camera with him, but always encouraged him and even later asked for his advice.

"They've gotten some cool cameras and I've been fortunate enough to lend some tips their way," Gershman said. "They're the most supportive guys in the world and I'm lucky to have them get it like that."

This story ran on NBCNewYork.com's NiteSide.

Songwriter Brendan James: My Must-Have For Making Music

Singer-songwriter Brendan James at the VH1 Save the Music fundraiser.

Photo by: Brooke Niemeyer

By: BROOKE NIEMEYER
Singer-songwriter Brendan James, who is releasing his self-titled album in September, told NiteSide he can't write a song without sitting at a piano. 

"When [the song] hits me, I have to find a piano quickly and get as much creativity out in that time span and then it leaves me," James said Thursday at the VH1 Save the Music benefit at Bowlmor Lanes in Gramercy. "I can find inspiration anywhere, but I have to be at a piano to write."

The Los Angeles- based crooner will have his music featured on the trailer for the upcoming Reese Witherspoon and Jack Nicholson flick "How Do You Know?".

"I'm really happy about it," the up-and-comer said. 

James, who said he has been compared to Ryan Adams and Elton John, isn't sure how to classify his music but hope it resonates with fans. 

"I don't know how to classify my own music," James said. "I guess it's pop music with hopefully some meaning. That's the goal."

This story ran on NBCNewYork.com's NiteSide.

The Plain White T's: Next Album Will Not Be All "Boy-Girl Lovey-Dovey"

Me and Tom Higgenson from The Plain White T's

By: BROOKE NIEMEYER
Rockers The Plain White T's, best known for their Grammy-nominated love ballad "Hey There Delilah," revealed to NiteSide last night that their new album may stun fans.

"You'll be surprised by this album," lead-singer Tom Higgenson said Wednesday night during a VH1 Save the Music benefit at Bowlmor Lanes in Gramercy. "It's a little different for us, but still very honest and sincere and catchy. We wanted to explore some different themes."

"Not all the songs are boy-girl lovey-dovey. We went a little bit deeper."

The band performed acoustic versions of "Boomerang" and "Rhythm of Love" -- two songs from their new album -- Wednesday night at the Manhattan bowling bash. Singer Higgenson said the latest album, "The Wonders of the Younger," is a bit more reflective than records past.

"The more life you live, the older you get, the more you kind of lose that innocence and that wonder that you have when you're young," said Higgenson. "Not that you want a bunch of 40-year-olds running around acting like kids, but to hang on to a little bit of that wonder I think is important. Hopefully, this record will help people reconnect with that a little bit."

And although the Plain White T's have topped the charts with "Hey There Delilah," which they also performed last night, the group is attempting to reach the top several more times in their careers.

"The Beatles had 27 No. 1 songs, so we want to have 28," said Higgenson. "So yeah, we have pressure to live up to those songs. Our song '1, 2, 3, 4' didn't quite crack number one, so we're still 27 away."

Guitarist Tim Lopez, who wrote their current single "Rhythm of Love" about an ex-girlfriend, said achieving this goal all depends on the fans: "It's not us who decides how big [the songs] get," said Lopez. "We write them, we pen them, and then it's out of our hands."

Added Higgenson: "We just try to make the best music that we can that we feel passionate about and whatever else happens, happens."

This story ran on NBCNewYork.com's NiteSide.


Personal note: Talk about an amazing group of guys. Hanging out with the Plain White T's at Bowlmor Lanes last night was an absolute blast. They are really kind people and very, very talented.

A Night With East Village Radio DJ's Two for Tennis

Tim Lee, me, and Messenie from "Two for Tennis" at East Village Radio.

check them out online at www.eastvillageradio.com

By: BROOKE NIEMEYER

Radio hosts Tim "Love" Lee and "Coach MP" Mike Messenie, the pair who make up DJ duo Two for Tennis, spend Tuesday evenings spinning at the streetside East Village Radio studio -- but the real show is often outside. 

"We get a lot of strange looks, but I give a lot of strange looks," said Messenie, as a group of tourists stopped to snap photos outside the small, glass-front, mirror-walled space that serves as the station's studio on 1st Avenue and 1st Street in Manhattan. 

"One of the greatest things about New York is to people watch, and we are sitting in front of a gigantic window on the corner of 1st and 1st -- the nexus of the universe -- just observing people walk by. Everybody is represented on this corner -- a guy walks by, crying, drinking a 22-ounce Budweiser and then a lawyer will walk by."

"We see everything."

Two for Tennis -- which lists Steely Dan and Gentle Giant among their musical favorites and boasts listeners from the UK, Australia, and Asia -- has watched as confused passerby walk into the studio, mistaking it for a bar or club or some sort of dance party.

"Because of the mirrors, we have people wandering in thinking they're walking into this happening joint and it's just me and Mike in here," Lee said. "But sometimes people stay and we've ended up with nine or ten people all crammed into this little room. Several times it will turn into a mini night club back here just by people coming in by accident."

Lee and Meesenie said the spontaneity of the show adds to the experience and is even reflected in the music they play. The DJs pride themselves in not having a set list of songs and say it's part of what adds character to the show. 

"There's always a solution to not having a plan," Messenie said. "If you can't think of one thing to play, play five things."

This story ran on NBCNewYork.com's NiteSide.

Inside Showbiz Boss Jim Caruso's Cast Party at Birdland

Arianna performed her song acapella last night at "Cast Party."

Photo by: Brooke Niemeyer

NitePics: Inside Showbiz Boss Jim Caruso's Cast Party at Birdland

"Housewives" Danielle Staub Says She Has Reality TV Spin-Off in the Works

Lori Michaels and Danielle Staub celebrate Danielle's 48th Birthday at Scores.

Photo by: Brooke Niemeyer

By: BROOKE NIEMEYER
"Real Housewives of New Jersey" star Danielle Staub revealed during her birthday bash last night that she is in the works of creating her own spin-off reality show.

"It will definitely be a lot more of her (gal pal Lori Michaels) and I and definitely my kids," Staub told NiteSide before her 48th birthday bash at high-end strip club Scores in Manhattan. "Tehre will be a lot of questions that will be answered."

One question Staub did answer was the state of her relationship with Michaels, her producer and rumored girlfriend: "We're exclusively committable," she said while holding Michaels hand.

The pair was on stage at Scores to perform Staub's new single, "Real Closer," which she revealed will have a music video to go with it.

"It's going to be very sexy and soft," Staub said. "It will have two women and you can only guess who those two women are going to be."

A reality show and music video aren't the only upcoming projects for Staub, who is on the outs with her fellow "Housewives" castmates.

"I would love to [collaborate] with 50 cent," Staub said. "There is actually some talk going on already from his camp. Kat Deluna and I have something in the work as well."

While Staub said she knows "there is no place like Jersey," she did have some advice for the cast of the new "Real Housewives of DC."

"Consider it a job at the end of the day and don't let it get to you," Staub said. "Don't read the blogs because they're not going to make you feel good. Only accept positive correspondence on any online interactive sites, such as Twitter and Facebook. All the rest, you've got to ignore it and block it because it really will eat you up."

There was a surprise appearance of her "Real Housewives" nemesis, Kim "G" Grantell, before Staub arrived at Scores. Grantell was escorted from the premises before Staub walked the red carpet.

"She [Grantell] just really needs attention and that's why she showed up here," Staubs said. "She was nobody when I met her, she's nobody tonight, and she will never be anybody."

This story ran on NBCNewYork.com's NiteSide.

UPDATE: My story was doing so well, my editor linked it up in all other markets. This means it was on the entertainment pages in the other nine markets (Miami, Washington DC, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Connecticut, and Dallas-Fort Worth) and linked back to my original New York City NiteSide version.

"Dissed" Eminem: I Won't Be Nice at MTV Awards

By: BROOKE NIEMEYER
Eight Video Music Award nominations aren't enough to knock the chip off Eminem's shoulder.

The rapper, whose "Recovery" album has held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 chart for five straight weeks, vowed not to "be nice about it" when he shows up at MTV's 2010 VMAs next month.

"Apparently, MTV doesn't care that I have two massive stadium shows on the other side of the country the day after the VMAs," said Eminem. "F me, right?!?!"

Eminem's "Not Afraid" video is up for "Video of the Year" and "Best Male Video." He is also competing against himself in the "Best Hip-Hop Video" category with "Not Afraid" and "Forever," a collaboration he did with Lil Wayne, Kanye West, and Drake. In all, Eminem got more nominations than any other male artists, yet he still feels snubbed.

"I mean, I'll be there but don't expect me to be nice about it," he groused.

Lady Gaga is also going head-to-head with Eminem for the "Video of the Year" with her "Bad Romance" and "Telephone" videos. It's the first time a female artist has been nominated for two different videos in this category. She also made history with her 13 overall nominations, the most ever received by any artist in a single year.

Gaga, unlike Eminem, did not feel short-changed.

"I'm so honored for all the little monsters and self-professed freaks of the universe, to have more VMA nominations in a single year than any artist in MTV history," she said. "Ironically, I'm even more proud it's an unlucky number: 13."

The show will air live from Los Angeles on September 12.


This story ran on all ten of NBC's local media sites: New York City, Miami, Washington DC, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Chicago, Connecticut, and Dallas-Fort Worth.