-- VH1's 'From The Waist Down: Men, Women & Music,' Five-Part, Five-Hour Special C --
/FROM PR NEWSWIRE NEW YORK 800-776-8090/
TO ENTERTAINMENT, MUSIC AND RADIO-TELEVISION EDITORS:
VH1's 'From The Waist Down: Men, Women & Music,' Five-Part, Five-Hour Special
Chronicling Pop Music's Influence on the Sexual Revolution, Debuts Part Two,
'Whole Lotta Love,' on Tuesday, August 7 at 10:00 P.M. (ET/PT)
Special Features Fascinating Footage Plus Interviews With
Rob Thomas, Ted Nugent, Dave Navarro, C.C. DeVille, Stevie Nicks,
Def Leppard's Joe Elliott and Phil Collen, Uncle Kracker, The Bangles,
Rod Stewart, Sheila E., Rick James, Slash, John Taylor of Duran Duran,
Adam Ant, Robbie Krieger, Chris Isaak, Sting, The Black Crowes,
Sammy Hagar, Klaus Meine, Dee Snider, Destiny's Child and Kid Rock
NEW YORK, Aug. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- From Elvis, "Sweet Little Sixteen" and
The Twist, through "Sticky Fingers," groupies and "I Touch Myself," pop music
has consistently sent one unmistakable message: It's about S-E-X.
In popular culture, music sets the trends while the rest follow. And
nowhere is this fact more evident than in the sexual revolution. "From the
Waist Down: Men, Women & Music" traces the sexual saturation of contemporary
culture in the past five decades -- and takes the provocative premise that
music has been responsible for it all -- in this five-hour, five-part special,
debuting Monday-Friday, August 6-10, at 10:00 p.m. (ET/PT) each night.
A series of five themed, non-chronological hours, "From the Waist Down:
Men, Women & Music" looks at how music and sexual attitudes have been
profoundly connected, beginning with the genesis of rock in the '50s, straight
through to the porn metal rap of today.
Hour 2 -- "Whole Lotta Love" (Tuesday, August 7): The male rock star is
the macho man of music. Some have the face, some have the hair, some have the
voice -- but they've all explored the frontiers of male sexuality. And the
"rock god" image phenomenon arose from the most unlikely source -- the film
version of "Jesus Christ Superstar," starring TK as an angry yet pretty man,
complete with groupies. Roger Daltrey and Robert Plant were the reigning
examples of the archetype, a seamless blend of masculine power and feminine
manner, while James Brown and Marvin Gaye both added a spirituality to their
sexuality.
Rock frontmen have permanently altered our concepts of male sexuality. A
true original, Mick Jagger is a sex icon despite being considered
not-very-pretty. He's also responsible for giving a big boost to the early
career of Prince, lauded by Ted Nugent as "a musical monster -- he has all the
fire, energy and virtuosity of the best musicians who ever lived. It's just
that he takes it to an outrageous vaudevillian marketing strategy that
optimizes the sales of his product." Rougher, harder, and louder -- but still
flirting with sexual identity -- Axl Rose epitomizes the "bad boy," a persona
that makes them attractive to women but also makes them incompatible with
monogamy.
It's okay to shake and rattle it, but another thing to show it off --
something that Jim Morrison found to his dismay when busted for exposing
himself at a Miami concert. The supreme rock-sex fantasy, Morrison always
had, according to The Doors bandmate Robbie Krieger, "that edge of danger
around where you never really knew if A) he was going to show up, or B) he was
going to kill somebody."
With its female form and curves, the guitar became the ultimate musical
sex tool for the guys. Says Dave Navarro, "The singer and the guitar player
are usually the ones who say, 'Hey, look at me.' And what I think happens
sometimes is the chemistry is actually a clash of egos." Jimi Hendrix brought
an unprecedented blend of musicality and sexuality to rock. Jimmy Page was
alluring in his sinister darkness. And Eddie Van Halen celebrated the joy of
sex.
In the past decade, the definition of sexy evolved with stars like shy and
volatile Kurt Cobain. Kid Rock revels in sexuality, crushing political
correctness in his controversial alliance with porn stars. And sex appeal has
also been redefined as some rockers get older -- but better -- like Steve
Tyler. Says Sheila E., "I really wasn't into rock & roll a lot, except for
Aerosmith. I think Steve Tyler is sexy, he's got a great mouth."
"Whole Lotta Love" features fascinating film, TV, video, movie and news
footage and photos, plus new interviews with Rob Thomas of matchbox twenty,
Ted Nugent, Dave Navarro, Poison's C.C. DeVille, Stevie Nicks, Def Leppard's
Joe Elliott and Phil Collen, Uncle Kracker, The Bangles, Rod Stewart,
Sheila E. of Ringo's All-Starr Band, Rick James, Slash, John Taylor of Duran
Duran, Adam Ant, The Doors' Robbie Krieger, Chris Isaak, Sting, The Black
Crowes, Sammy Hagar, The Scorpions' Klaus Meine, Dee Snider, Destiny's Child,
and Kid Rock.
Also interviewed are authors Camille Paglia, Eric Nuzum, Margaret Moser,
Pamela Des Barres, Lisa Palac and Alice Echols, music journalists Anne Powers,
Michael Paoletta, Tony Horkins and J.D. Considine, UCLA musicologist Mitchell
Morris, adult film star Midori, and photographers Bob Gruen and David
LaChappelle.
"From the Waist Down: Men, Women & Music" is a production of World of
Wonder. Lauren Zalaznick, Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato are Executive
Producers.
VH1 produces and programs a wide variety of music-based series, specials,
live events and acquisition-based programming that keep viewers in touch with
the music they love. VH1 is a registered trademark of MTV Networks, a unit of
Viacom Inc. MTV Networks owns and operates the cable television programming
services MTV: Music Television, MTV 2: Music Television, Nickelodeon/Nick at
Nite, TV Land and VH1 as well as The Suite from MTV Networks, a package of ten
digital services, all of which are trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks
also has joint ventures, licensing agreements and syndication deals whereby
its programming can be seen worldwide. |
