They eventually added almost half a million friends and have racked up some 400,000 plays on the popular social networking site. Hollywood Undead also won Virgin Mobile’s “Book The Band” contest, earning some 285,000 votes — more than 53% of those cast — to land a slot at this year’s Virgin Mobile Festival as their first live show. And they achieved it all without yet even releasing an official album.

As the name indicates, Hollywood Undead hail from Los Angeles. The band started out as a musical project by group founders J-Dog and Tha Producer, and have since come to be known as a musical gang that now includes Charlie Scene, Johnny 3 Tears, Funny Man and Da Kurlzz. In addition to all of its members bearing monikers, the Hollywood Undead also wear masks to conceal their true identities.

But whatever they may call themselves, Hollywood Undead are certainly savvy and streetwise club kids who mix metal, hip-hop and rock with a brash panache. Songs like “No. 5” and “Los Angeles” draw from the underside of the City of Angels, and the former was included on the first My Space compilation album. With such a large and devoted fan base already behind them, Hollywood Undead are destined to jump into the big time once they release their debut CD on A&M/Octone Records.

“It’s definitely a rock record,” the unconventional frontman says enthusiastically. “It’s a moving album with a lot of ups and downs, starts and stops, and tempo changes. It’s depressing but it’s uplifting; it’s jazzy but it rocks.”

The album to which Tankian refers is his solo debut, Elect the Dead, a 12-track set that the former software developer wrote, performed, recorded, produced and released himself on his own label, Serjical Strike/Reprise.

Although Tankian’s sound doesn’t stray too far from SOAD’s politically fused lyrics and heavy guitars, this virtual one-man band effort couldn’t be any more his own. He did, however, borrow drumbeats from bandmate John Dolmayan and former Primus member Bryan “Brain” Mantia, as well as contributions from guitarist/bassist Dan Monti, who also joins him on the road.

The album’s first single, “Empty Walls,” was the No. 1 most-added track at both alternative and active rock radio stations across the country, and has been lodged in the Top 10 since its release in September. Fans are clearly embracing the SOAD leader while the band continues an indefinite hiatus that began in 2006.

Born in Beirut to Armenian parents, Tankian’s family emigrated to Los Angeles when he was 8. He co-founded System of a Down in 1995 with three Armenian friends and went on to sell more than 12 million albums on the strength of such hits as “Chop Suey!,” “Aerials,” “Hypnotize” and the Grammy Award-winning rocker “B.Y.O.B.”

Tankian is currently winding down a mini promotional tour of the U.S. with his Axis of Justice partner, Audioslave’s Tom Morello. Then he heads to Europe with his back-up band, FCC.

“The FCC stands for Federal Communications Commission, the agency that penalizes people, journalists, artists — people that cuss in the press,” he notes. “So I thought it would be cool to make the FCC a cuss word. That way, they can penalize themselves.”

The band started out in 1998 in small town of Sulphur Springs, founded by singer Darroh Sudderth and guitarist Cliff Campbell. Their early years found the act taking a totally DIY approach to the music business, releasing an EP in 2001 (The Carbon Copy Silver Lining) and full album in 2004 (Inter.Funda.Stifle) on their own independent label. The discs and the band’s take-no-prisoners live performances earned the band a slot on Music Connection’s 2005 list of 100 best unsigned bands, but even an independent label deal remained elusive up to them.

But things quickly changed when a friend of System of a Down singer Serj Tankian caught Fair to Midland at an LA club show and passed their CD on to Tankian. Duly impressed, he also caught the band live and immediately offered them a deal on his Serjical Strike label, distributed by Universal.

Serjical Strike primed the public pump with The Drawn and Quartered EP, which combined the best of their previous work with live recordings and other goodies. Then the band recorded their label debut, Fables from a Mayfly: What I Tell You Three Times Is True, with producer David Bottrill, and since it was released in early summer 2007 the band has been off and running. The disk hit #2 on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart and the song “Dance of the Manatee” reached the Top 20 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart while Fair to Midland tore up the tour and festival circuit.

While the group’s diverse set of influences may have daunted their rise in their early years, it looks to serve them well in the long run. “For the most part, our musical tastes are completely different,” says Sudderth, “All of our songs are just us trying to find a happy medium between what everyone in the band listens to.”

Two separate releases (for two separate prices) may conjure up reminders of Use Your Illusions of years past, but SOAD has something more relevant in mind. Propulsively political, snidely sarcastic, and fall-down funny—often all at the same time—the four-man group delivers a typically twisted manifesto that wonders (on lead track “B.Y.O.B.") why governments usually send their poor to war, parodies macho attitudes on “Cigaro” and ponders the fact that “Tony Danza cuts in line” on “Old School Hollywood.”

That the results—patented on its breakthrough 2001 album Toxicity—often sound like “Jesus Christ Superstar” filtered through Primus, Pink Floyd, and Gilbert & Sullivan make SOAD all the more unique, if not revolutionary. “We’re artists for the sake of art,” says singer Serj Tankian. “And our expression is pure and natural in terms of where it comes from. I think that’s more real.”

Guitarist/singer Daron Malakian believes the group’s unpredictability is what appeals to fans. “Some bands are afraid of their fans: ‘They’re not gonna like this and they’re not gonna like that.’ We don’t have that mindset. We’ve gotta impress ourselves before we impress the fans—you gotta love yourself first, you know?”

“Every album captures where you are at that moment,” adds drummer John Dolmayan, who makes up the group’s gutbucket rhythm section with bassist Shavo Odadjian. “But almost instantly you’re in a new place as soon as it’s recorded, so it’s just basically a window into where you’re going in the future. And how people want to look at that and understand it is really up to each individual.”

For his part, Malakian believes that the prolific songwriting that went into the project, as well as the increase in vocal interaction between himself and chief songwriting collaborator Tankian, are signs of “just being honest as a writer—not being afraid to express different parts of my life and different parts of what I see around me. Some people kind of censor themselves; I don’t and this band doesn’t.”

When all is said and done, SOAD emerges on Mezmerize as blazers of a trail most listeners weren’t even aware existed.

And, keep in mind, this is just the first part of what’s shaping up as an epic work.

Mariah Carey	Alison Krauss

Adding to BMI's 53% take of the night's awards, triple winners Mariah Carey, Alison Krauss, John Legend and Kanye West led the list with the most trophies, dominating the r&b, rap and country categories.

John Legend	Kanye West

Carey, whose comeback release The Emancipation of Mimi was named Best Contemporary R&B Album, also took home Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song for the album's smash hit "We Belong Together."

CeCe Winans	Black Eyed Peas

Bluegrass fiddler Alison Krauss and her band Union Station added Best Country Album (Lonely Runs Both Ways), Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals ("Restless") and Best Country Instrumental Performance ("Unionhouse Branch") to an impressive career Grammy haul that now totals 20.

Shakira	Gorillaz

The coveted Best New Artist Grammy went to neo-soul artist John Legend, who also picked up Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for the moving "Ordinary People" and Best R&B Album for his debut entitled Get Lifted.

Tim McGraw	Linkin Park

Kanye West cleaned up in the rap field, winning Best Rap Solo Performance for the Jamie Foxx duet "Gold Digger," Best Rap Song for "Diamonds From Sierra Leone" and Best Rap Album for his sophomore effort Late Registration. The BMI Award-winning rapper also won three awards at last year's ceremony.

Aretha Franklin	Maroon5

Earning two Grammys apiece were pianist Billy Childs for Best Instrumental Composition ("Into The Light") and Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists ("What Are You Doing For The Rest Of Your Life?"), and gospel singer CeCe Winans for Best Gospel Performance ("Pray") and Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album (Purified).

Keith Urban	System of a Down

Other big BMI winners included the Black Eyed Peas, Gorillaz, Shakira, Audio Adrenaline, Keith Urban, Gilberto Gil, Bobby Boyd, William Bolcom, Aretha Franklin, Maroon5, Linkin Park, Tim McGraw, System of a Down, the White Stripes and Luis Miguel.

BMI's 2006 Grammy Award Winners:

Yolanda Adams
Best Gospel Song
"Be Blessed"

Audio Adrenaline
Best Rock Gospel Album
Until My Heart Caves In

Black Eyed Peas
Best Rap Performance by Duo or Group
"Don't Phunk With My Heart"

William Bolcom
Best Classical Contemporary Composition
"Bolcom: Songs of Innocence and of Experience"

Bobby Boyd
Best Country Song
"Bless the Broken Road"

Mariah Carey
Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
"We Belong Together"
Best R&B Song
"We Belong Together"
Best Contemporary R&B Album
The Emancipation of Mimi

Billy Childs
Best Instrumental Composition
"Into The Light"
Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists
"What Are You Doing for the Rest of Your Life?"

Casting Crowns
Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album
Lifesong

Christopher Cerf
Best Spoken Word Album for Children
Marlo Thomas & Friends: Thanks & Giving All Year Long

Willy Chirino
Best Salsa/Merengue Album
Son Del Alma

John Du Prez (PRS)
Best Musical Show Album
Monty Python's Spamalot

Aretha Franklin
Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance
"A House Is Not A Home"

Gilberto Gil
Best Contemporary World Music Album
Eletrac?stico

Gorillaz (PRS) featuring De La Soul
Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals
"Feel Good Inc."

Jeff Hanna
Best Country Song
"Bless the Broken Road"

Faith Hill
Best Country Collaboration with Vocals
"Like We Never Loved At All"

Dave Holland Big Band
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
Overtime

Marcus Hummon
Best Country Song
"Bless the Broken Road"

Eric Idle (PRS)
Best Musical Show Album
Monty Python's Spamalot

B.B. King
Best Traditional Blues Album
80

Alison Krauss and Union Station
Best Country Performance by Duo or Group with Vocal
"Restless"
Best Country Instrumental Performance
"Unionhouse Branch"
Best Country Album
Lonely Runs Both Ways

John Legend
Best New Artist
Best Male R&B Vocal Performance
"Ordinary People"
Best R&B Album
Get Lifted

Linkin Park
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
"Numb/Encore"

Little Joe y La Familia
Best Tejano Album
Chicanisimo

Maroon5
Best Pop Performance by Duo or Group with Vocal
"This Love"

Delbert McClinton
Best Contemporary Blues Album
Cost Of Living

Donnie McClurkin
Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album
Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs

The Del McCoury Band
Best Bluegrass Album
The Company We Keep

Tim McGraw
Best Country Collaboration with Vocals
"Like We Never Loved At All"

Pat Metheny Group
Best Contemporary Jazz Album
The Way Up

Luis Miguel
Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album
México En La Piel

Eddie Palmieri
Best Latin Jazz Album
Listen Here!

John Prine
Best Contemporary Folk Album
Fair & Square

Sonny Rollins
Best Jazz Instrumental Solo
Why Was I Born?

Fat Man Scoop
Best Short Form Music Video
"Lose Control"

Shakira
Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album
Fijación Oral Vol. 1

Wayne Shorter Quartet
Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group
Beyond The Sound Barrier

Jimmy Sturr
Best Polka Album
Shake, Rattle And Polka!

System of a Down
Best Hard Rock Performance
B.Y.O.B.

Turtle Island String Quartet
Best Classical Crossover Album
4 + Four

Keith Urban
Best Male Country Vocal Performance
"You'll Think Of Me"

Bebo Valdés
Best Traditional Tropical Latin Album
Bebo De Cuba

Louie Vega
Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical
"Superfly (Louie Vega EOL Mix)"

Kanye West
Best Rap Solo Performance
"Gold Digger"
Best Rap Song
"Diamonds From Sierra Leone"
Best Rap Album
Late Registration

The White Stripes
Best Alternative Album
Get Behind Me Satan

CeCe Winans
Best Gospel Performance
"Pray"
Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album
Purified

Paul Winter Consort
Best New Age Album
Silver Solstice]]> 2006-02-08T17:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/334631 Artists, Adams, William, Adams, Yolanda, Aguilera, Christina, Audio Adrenaline, Audioslave, Austin, Dallas, Ayala, Ramon, Ball, Marcia, Barretto, Ray, Big & Rich, Black Eyed Peas, Blanchard, Terence, Blue Highway, Bolcom, William, Boyer, Peter, Brooks & Dunn, Bush, Sam, Carey, Mariah, Carr, Kurt, Casting Crowns, Cerf, Christopher, Chapman, Steven Curtis, Cherryholmes, Childs, Billy, Chirino, Willy, Clapton, Eric, Clark-Cole, Dorinda, Common, Cooder, Ry, Copeland, Stewart, Crow, Sheryl, Cunliffe, Bill, D'Rivera, Paquito, Daft Punk, Daniels, Charlie, De La Soul, Death Cab For Cutie, Del McCoury Band, The, DiFranco, Ani, Dixie Chicks, Douglas, Dave, Douglas, Jerry, Du Prez, John, Elfman, Danny, Eminem, Fall Out Boy, Floetry, Foo Fighters, Foster, David, Foxx, Jamie, Franklin, Aretha, Franklin, Kirk, Game, The, Gatlin, Larry, Gil, Gilberto, Gill, Vince, Golijov, Osvaldo, Gorillaz, Guy, Buddy, Haggard, Merle, Hancock, Herbie, Hanna, Jeff, Hill, Faith, Holland, Dave, Houghton, Israel, Hummon, Marcus, Hunt, Van, Idle, Eric, Intocable, Jamiroquai, Jars of Clay, Jerkins, Rodney, Jones, Norah, Keane, Kee, John P., Keith, Toby, Kelly, R., King, B.B., Krauss, Alison, La Tropa F, LaBelle, Patti, Lawrence, Donald, Legend, John, Linkin Park, Los Lonely Boys, Maroon 5, McBride, Martina, McClinton, Delbert, McClurkin, Donnie, McGehee, Vicky, McGraw, Tim, McLachlan, Sarah, Metheny, Pat, Miguel, Luis, Mo, Keb, Molotov, Mos Def, Munizzi, Martha, Murphy, Walter, Nelson, Willie, Neptunes, The, Nickelback, Orishas, Palmieri, Eddie, Prine, John, Queens of the Stone Age, Rascal Flatts, Redman, Joshua, Rollins, Sonny, Seal, Shakira, Shorter, Wayne, Souza, Luciana, Sturr, Jimmy, Sugarland, System of a Down, Turtle Island String Quartet, Urban, Keith, Vega, Louie, Vincent, Rhonda, West, Kanye, White Stripes, The, Williams, John, Wilson, Brian, Winans, Bebe, Winans, CeCe, Winter, Paul, Yazbek, David, Ying Yang Twins 48th Annual Grammy Awards with eight nods each when contenders were announced at a star-studded press conference held December 8 at Gotham Hall in New York City. Their three-way tie pushed the total number of BMI-nominated songwriters and artists to an astounding 70% in the general fields.

Mariah Carey	Kanye West	John Legend

Mariah Carey's multi-platinum comeback album, The Emancipation of Mimi, and its smash single "We Belong Together," helped the pop singer score three of the most coveted Grammy nominations: Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Record of the Year. The hit ballad also picked up mentions for Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, while Mimi added Best Contemporary R&B Album to Carey's haul.

Presenters for the 48th Annual Grammy Awards nominations included BMI songwriter/artists John Legend, CeCe Winans, Mariah Carey, Nickelback's Chad Kroeger and Patti LaBelle. Photo by S. Lovekin/WireImage

Rapper Kanye West continued his red hot streak, also earning nominations in the Album and Record of the Year categories with his sophomore release Late Registration and the hit "Gold Digger," respectively. He will compete against himself for the Album of the Year title as a producer on Carey's disc. As a songwriter, West will battle for the Best Rap Song crown with his "Diamonds from Sierra Leone," as well as Best R&B Song as a co-writer on the Alicia Keys track "Unbreakable."

Black Eyed Peas	Brooks & Dunn

Soul singer John Legend is up for Best New Artist, Best R&B Album for his debut Get Lifted, and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Song of the Year for "Ordinary People," which he also co-wrote. Legend joins his mentor Kanye West and rapper Common on the Best Rap/Sung Collaboration ticket with "They Say."

Casting Crowns	Common

Coming in with six nominations was Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas who, as a songwriter, has a shot at Song of the Year and Best R&B Song as co-writer of Legend's "Ordinary People" and Best Rap Song for the Peas' hit "Don't Phunk with My Heart." The band is also up for Best Rap and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

Death Cab for Cutie	Foo Fighters

In addition to Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, Common earned three other mentions, including Best Rap Album for Be. Four nods also went to Foo Fighters, Gorillaz, Billy Childs and BMI producer/songwriters the Neptunes, who have production credits on two Album of the Year nominees -- Carey's The Emancipation of Mimi and Gwen Stefani's Love. Angel. Music. Baby.

The Game	Gorillaz	John Williams

Earning three nominations apiece were Sheryl Crow, with Best Female Pop Vocal Performance ("Good is Good"), Best Pop Vocal Album (Wildflower) and Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for the single "Building Bridges," featuring Brooks & Dunn and Vince Gill; Eminem (Best Rap Solo Performance, Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group and Best Rap Album); and film composer John Williams, up for Best Score for Star Wars Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, as well as for Best Instrumental Composition for both "Anakin's Betrayal" (from Revenge of the Sith) and "The Ferry Scene" (from the War of the Worlds soundtrack).

Maroon 5	Norah Jones	Sheryl Crow

Double nominees included rappers The Game and T.I., songwriter Marcus Hummon, singer Norah Jones and gospel diva CeCe Winans.

Other BMI songwriters and artists collecting Grammy nominations were Christina Aguilera, Dallas Austin, Casting Crowns, Eric Clapton (PRS), Death Cab for Cutie, Paquito D'Rivera, Danny Elfman, Fall Out Boy, Osvaldo Golijov, Dave Holland Big Band, Intocable, Keane (PRS), Maroon 5, Sugarland, Ying Yang Twins, and BMI Icons Charlie Daniels and Brian Wilson.

Sugarland		T.I.

The 48th Annual Grammy Awards will be held in Los Angeles on February 8.

BMI's 2006 Grammy Award Nominees:

8 NOMINATIONS
Mariah Carey
John Legend
Kanye West

6 NOMINATIONS
William Adams

4 NOMINATIONS
Billy Childs
Common
Foo Fighters
Gorillaz (PRS)
The Neptunes

3 NOMINATIONS
Yolanda Adams
The Black Eyed Peas
Sheryl Crow
De La Soul
Eminem
Herbie Hancock
Faith Hill
Alison Krauss & Union Station
John Williams

2 NOMINATIONS
Bobby Boyd
Brooks & Dunn
Andrew Coleman
Andrew Dawson
Dixie Chicks
The Game
Michael Giacchino
Jeff Hanna
Marcus Hummon
Norah Jones
Delbert McClinton
Donnie McClurkin
Joel Moss
Willie Nelson
Al Schmitt
Fat Man Scoop
T.I.
The White Stripes
CeCe Winans

MORE NOMINEES
Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra with Arturo O'Farrill
Christina Aguilera
Trey Anastasio
Audio Adrenaline
Audioslave
John August
Dallas Austin
Ramon Ayala y Sus Bravos Del Norte
Marcia Ball
Ray Barretto
Steve Berkowitz
Big & Rich
Terence Blanchard
Eddie Blazonczyk's Versatones
Blue Highway
Printz Board
William Bolcom
Peter Boyer
Solomon Burke
Burning Spear (PRS)
Sam Bush
Gary Calamar
Caribbean Jazz Project featuring Dave Samuels Orishas (SACEM)
Kurt Carr
Casting Crowns
Christopher Cerf
Steven Curtis Chapman
Cherryholmes
The Chieftains (IMRO)
Willy Chirino
Eric Clapton (PRS)
Dorinda Clark-Cole
Conjunto Progreso
Ry Cooder
Stewart Copeland
The Crabb Family
Robert Cray
Bill Cunliffe
Rivers Cuomo
Daft Punk (PRS)
Charlie Daniels
Day of Fire
Death Cab for Cutie
Deep Dish
Mos Def
Jack De Johnette
The Del McCoury Band
Ani DiFranco
Jerry Douglas
Dave Douglas
Paquito D'Rivera
John Du Prez (PRS)
Jerry Duplessis
Nokie Edwards
Danny Elfman
Ahmet Ertegun
Bill Evans
Fall Out Boy
Sammy Figueroa
Béla Fleck
Floetry
David Foster
Jamie Foxx
Aretha Franklin
Kirk Franklin
Carlos Franzetti
Larry Gatlin
Joachim Garraud (SACEM)
Gilberto Gil
Vince Gill
Jimmie Dale Gilmore
Osvaldo Golijov
The Grascals
Grits
Buddy Guy
Merle Haggard
John Hammond
Raiatea Helm
Dave Holland Big Band
Israel Houghton
Van Hunt
Eric Idle (PRS)
Intocable
Jamiroquai (PRS)
Jars of Clay
The Jazz Chamber Trio
Rodney Jerkins
Eric Johnson
George Jones
The Jordanaires
Ledward Ka'apana
Keane (PRS)
John P. Kee
Garison Keillor
Toby Keith
R. Kelly
B.B. King
Kitaro
Kraftwerk (GEMA)
Ladysmith Black Mambazo (SAMRO)
Las 3 Divas
La Secta Allstar
The Last Poets
La Tropa F
Donald Lawrence
Ricky Lewis
The Light Crust Doughboys
Lil Wayne
Harold Lily
Aaron Lindsey
Linkin Park
Little Joe
Los Lonely Boys
Los Pleneros de la 21
Andre Lyon
Maroon 5
Joeworn Martin
Martina McBride
Delbert McClinton
Vicky McGehee
Tim McGraw
Sarah McLachlan (SOCAN)
Meat Beat Manifesto
Pat Metheny Group
Luis Miguel
Mingus Big Band
Ministry
Keb Mo
Molotov
Rick Moranis (SOCAN)
Mudvayne
Martha Munizzi
Walter Murphy
Meshell Ndegeocello
North Mississippi Allstars
The Oak Ridge Boys
Claus Ogerman (GEMA)
Walter Ostanek (SOCAN)
George Pajon, Jr.
Eddie Palmieri
John Prine
Queens of the Stone Age
Rascal Flatts
Joshua Redman Elastic Band
Sonny Rollins
The Royal Jesters
Eddie Santiago
Marvin Sapp
Seal (PRS)
José Serebrier
Shakira
Wayne Shorter Quartet
Ron Sluga
Omar Sosa
Luciana Souza
Jimmy Sturr
Sugarland
Tierney Sutton
System of a Down
Ali Farka Touré (BUMDA)
Tiempo Libre
Turtle Island String Quartet
Keith Urban
Bebo Valdés
Marcello Valenzano
Louie Vega
Rhonda Vincent & the Rage
Brian Wilson
BeBe Winans
George Winston
Paul Winter Consort
Hugh Wolff
David Yazbek
Ying Yang Twins

]]>