According to singer/songwriter/guitarist Robert Schwartzman, the band actually developed and then tossed out two albums’ worth of material before solidifying World’s line-up of 12 sharply observed rockers, many of which reveal such ’70s and ’80s influences as ELO, Queen and Sparks.

“I’m the most proud of this new album in terms of a) songwriting, and b) production, because it feels the most Rooney-like,” Schwartzman says. “With the previous records, the process was so hard to follow and it didn’t feel natural. I was writing songs that didn’t fit our band. They sounded cool and I’m sure people would like them, but they weren’t the strongest. Now I’m thrilled.”

Despite the layoff, Schwartzman says he’s still jazzed by music’s immediacy. “I love how instant it is. If you feel something, you just write about it. You can pick up the guitar and just write and play about anything.”

With Rooney on tour through November with the Polyphonic Spree, Schwartzman hints that long-gestating extracurricular activities may soon be realized, such as a project with his brother, Jason, former drummer for Phantom Planet and star of the recent The Darjeeling Limited.

“He writes music and I write music,” Schwartzmann says. “We definitely will do something. Just the two of us.”

In the meantime, he says, he’s feeling confident that Rooney very much stands out from the crowd.

“I know that we have similar things to other bands, but I can’t say that I’ve heard other bands that sing in three-part harmonies live and have keyboard, drum, and guitar solos, and with sing-along choruses through every track. I don’t think that’s happening right now.”

BMI saluted the top R&B, rap and hip-hop songwriters, producers and publishers at its 2003 Urban Awards, staged last night (8/5) at Club Tropigala at the Fontainebleau Hilton Resorts & Towers in Miami. The black-tie ceremony was hosted by BMI President and CEO Frances W. Preston, with Executive Vice President Del Bryant and Assistant Vice President of Writer/Publisher Relations Catherine Brewton. Top honors went to Murder Inc. President Irv Gotti, who earned his second Urban Songwriter of the Year award; the #1 smash "Hot in Herre" was named Song of the Year, and EMI Music Publishing took home its third consecutive Urban Publisher of the Year trophy. Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo from famed production duo, The Neptunes, were named BMI Urban Producers of the Year.

BMI Urban Awards Event Photos

BMI Urban Awards Song List

Irv Gotti

Pharrell Williams

Chad Hugo

A special highlight of the gala evening featured a salute to soul music legend Isaac Hayes, who was honored as a BMI ICON for his enduring influence on generations of music makers. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer was honored during the dinner with an all-star musical tribute that featured stellar performances by BMI artists Bilal, Floetry, and Anthony Hamilton, among others. From the instantly recognizable beats of the "Theme From Shaft," to the Sam and Dave classic hit "Hold On! I'm Comin'," the Oscar and Grammy Award-winning composer and singer continues to impact music and is widely sampled by some of today's biggest rap, hip-hop, and R&B artists.

Isaac Hayes

Bilal

Floetry

The BMI Urban Songwriter of the Year trophy went to rap mogul Irv Gotti, who placed nine titles on the most performed list. Songs earning him the crown included the Ja Rule hits "Always On Time" (feat. Ashanti), "Down 4 U" (feat. Vita, Ashanti, and Charli Baltimore), "Down A** Chick" (feat. Charli Baltimore) and "Livin' It Up" (feat. Case), as well as "Rainy Dayz" (Mary J. Blige feat. Ja Rule), "What's Luv?" (Fat Joe feat. Ja Rule and Ashanti), and "Baby," "Foolish," and "Happy," all recorded by Murder Inc. artist Ashanti. This is the second Urban Songwriter of the Year award for Gotti; he shared the spotlight last year with five others. Gotti was also named BMI's Pop Songwriter of the Year at the May 14 ceremony in Los Angeles, bringing his total BMI Awards to 19.

Anthony Hamilton

Ja Rule

Charli Baltimore

In addition to Gotti, several other writers earned multiple awards including Ja Rule with six; Pharrell Williams with four; and Charli Baltimore, Jeff I. Bass, Cam'Ron, Eminem and Mario Winans, who each placed two songs on the most performed list.

Song of the Year "Hot in Herre," co-written by BMI songwriters Charles L. Brown and Pharrell Williams, and published by Ascent Music, Inc., EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc., Nouveau Music Company, Swing T Publishing and Waters of Nazareth Publishing, spent seven weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The infectious number one hit was last summer's party anthem and is still heating up at radio and on the dance floor as well.

Jeff I. Bass

Cam'Ron

Eminem

Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams, better known as The Neptunes, were feted as Producers of the Year with a performance from multi-platinum artist (and fellow Top 10 Songwriter/Producer) R. Kelly. The hit-making production and songwriting team has collaborated with the A-list in urban music, from Snoop Dogg to Busta Rhymes to Justin Timberlake, with titles including "Beautiful," "Pass the Courvoisier Part II," and "Rock Your Body." Rounding out the BMI Top 10 Urban Producers list were Songwriter of the Year Irv Gotti, rapper Eminem, Big Tymers' Mannie Fresh, Cash Money's Jazze Pha, Trackmasters' Poke, producer Cory Rooney and Hitmen Production's Mario Winans.

Mario Winans

Charles L. Brown

R. Kelly

EMI Music Publishing picked up its third consecutive Urban Publisher of the Year award by placing 11 songs on the most performed list, including Song of the Year, "Hot in Herre." This is the thirteenth top BMI Publisher honor awarded to EMI since 1989 in all genres of music. Other multiple award-winning publishers included Ensign Music Corporation (10), D J Irv Publishing (9), Universal Music Publishing (8), Slavery Music (6), Waters of Nazareth Publishing (4), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (3), and Careers-BMG Music/Zomba Songs, Eight Mile Style Music, Inky Sisi Music, Janice Combs Music, Killa Cam Music, Marsky Music, Songs of DreamWorks, SPZ Music, Inc., and Taking Care of Business Music (2).

In addition to the song, publisher and producer awards, music trade magazine Billboard announced the names of the BMI-affiliated writers who had #1 songs on the R&B/Hip-Hop Singles and Rap Tracks charts during the past year. Among the winners were Producer of the Year Pharrell Williams, who placed two songs on the R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart, and the #1 hit "Dilemma," which reached the peak position on both Billboardcharts. The BMI Urban Awards 2003 is the kick-off event to the 4th Annual Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Conference and Awards, taking place in Miami Beach August 6-8.

Formed in 1999 while still in high school, the quintet, which is named after the principal, Ed Rooney, in the cult classic Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, includes frontman Robert Carmine (brother of Phantom Planet’s drummer Jason Schwartzman), guitarist Taylor Locke, bassist Matthew Winter, keyboardist Louis Stephens and drummer Ned Brower. Combining stud appeal and talent, Rooney sold out the Roxy in West Hollywood without having released a record and is now on a nationwide tour. The group is also part of the featured lineup on Lollapalooza, the traveling circus of mainstream rock giants.

While Rooney maintains that the only two bands who’ve supplied significant creative influence are Nirvana and Weezer, their sound is reminiscent of The Beatles.

“Some of the greatest pop songs were written by people in their early 20s,” said Carmine recently. “All those Beatles songs -- they were young guys when they wrote those love songs. Our lyrics are similar to what people experience, no matter what their age. And that’s the kind of music we like.”

Coincidentally, it was Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo who gave Rooney their big break early last August by inviting them to tour as Weezer’s opening act on the Enlightenment Tour.

“We are a band with a strong sense of direction and intent. We’re not a jam band,” says Brower. “Each part has a purpose within the context of the song.”]]> 2003-07-01T18:00:01-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/233721 Artists, Alabama, Brooks & Dunn, Keith, Toby, LeVox, Gary, Lonestar, McBride, Martina, Nelson, Willie, Rascal Flatts, Rooney, Stegall, Keith, White, Phillip, Awards, Industry Awards, ACM Awards, Musical Styles, Country Rascal Flatts claimed two victories at the 38th Annual Academy Of Country Music Awards, held for the first time at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas (5/21). The trio -- BMI-affiliated bassist/keyboardist Jay DeMarcus, and lead vocalist Gary LeVox and guitarist Joe Don Rooney -- earned the title Top Vocal Group and collected the Song of the Year trophy for their #1 single "I'm Movin' On," an honor shared with BMI songwriters Phillip White and D. Vincent Williams and publisher Murrah Music Corporation. Superstar Toby Keith entered the evening with eight nominations, and left with the grand prize of Entertainer of the Year. Martina McBride won her second consecutive Top Female Vocalist honor and Brooks & Dunn accepted their 18th career ACM prize with a Top Vocal Duo triumph.

Rascal Flatts

Toby Keith

Alabama, currently on their farewell tour after more than two decades in the business, was presented with the Pioneer Award. Lonestar took home the second annual Home Depot Humanitarian Award, a fan-voted honor announced during the telecast.

Brooks & Dunn

Alabama

Lonestar

Martina McBride

BMI's 2003 Academy of Country Music Award Winners

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Toby Keith

TOP FEMALE VOCALIST
Martina McBride

TOP VOCAL DUO
Brooks & Dunn

TOP VOCAL GROUP
Rascal Flatts

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Drive
Keith Stegall - producer

SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR
"The Good Stuff"
Norro Wilson - producer

SONG OF THE YEAR
"I'm Movin' On"
Phillip White and D. Vincent Williams - songwriters
Murrah Music Corporation - publisher
Rascal Flatts - artist

VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
"Mendocino County Line"
Willie Nelson

INSTRUMENTALISTS

Fiddle: Larry Franklin

Steel Guitar: Jay Dee Maness

Guitar: John Willis

Keyboards: Matt Rollings

Producer/songwriters Rodney Jerkins, Pharrell Williams, and Dallas Austin, who produced and performed the musical tribute to BMI ICON Award winner James Brown, Brown, BMI's Frances Preston and Catherine Brewton, and producer Chad Hugo

A special highlight of the gala evening featured the presentation of the BMI ICON Award to &quotThe Godfather of Soul" James Brown in recognition of his contributions to music and the music business. He was honored during the dinner with an all-star musical tribute produced by Dallas Austin, Rodney Jerkins and Pharrell Williams that featured Angie Stone and Betty Wright, among others. With songs like &quotPapa's Got a Brand New Bag,"&quotI Got You (I Feel Good)&quotand &quotPlease Please Please,&quotBrown has more honors attached to his name than any other performer in music history. His BMI accolades include an impressive ten R&B Awards, six Pop Awards and three &quotMillion-Air&quotawards, denoting one million or more performances.

BMI's Catherine Brewton, producers Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams of the Neptunes, and BMI's Frances Preston

The Songwriter of the Year trophy, shared this year by six, is given to the writer having the most songs on the BMI awards list for the evening. They are: Irv Gotti and Ja Rule for &quotI'm Real"(Jennifer Lopez featuring Ja Rule) and &quotPut It On Me"(Ja Rule featuring Lil' Mo and Vita), Jay-Z for his song &quotIzzo (H.O.V.A.)&quotand &quotFiesta"(R. Kelly featuring Jay-Z), R. Kelly also for &quotFiesta&quotand &quotContagious"(Isley Brothers featuring Ronald Isley), Pharrell Williams for &quotDanger (Been So Long)"(Mystikal featuring Nivea) and &quotSouthern Hospitality"(Ludacris) and Mario Winans for &quotEmotional" (Carl Thomas) and &quotPeaches & Cream"(112).

BMI Songwriters Tre'vant J. Hardson, Nastacia Cherise Kendall, and J-Sw!ft show off their medallions.

Famed Neptunes' producer Pharrell Williams, who took home his second Songwriter of the Year award, was also honored as Songwriter/Producer of the Year. Rapper N.O.R.E. performed in his honor. Other Top Producer awards went to fellow Songwriters of the Year Irv Gotti, R. Kelly and Mario Winans, as well as to Mike City, Steve Huff, Mannie Fresh, Organized Noize (Pat &quotSleepy&quotBrown, Ray Murray and Rico Wade), Poke and Cory Rooney.

BMI ICON Award winner James Brown celebrating at the BMI Urban Awards

Song of the Year &quotAll For You,&quotwritten and performed by Janet Jackson and published by Black Ice Publishing, is from the pop diva's Grammy Award-winning album of the same name. Released in the spring of 2001, the title track went straight to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, bringing Jackson's total career #1 hits to ten.

BMI's Catherine Brewton, award-winning producer Rodney Jerkins, and BMI's Del Bryant

EMI Music Publishing, which had the highest percentage of ownership in award-winning songs, picked up its second consecutive Urban Publisher of the Year award. This is the twelfth top BMI Publisher honor awarded to EMI since 1989 in all genres of music. Other multiple award-winning publishers included Zomba Songs Inc. with three songs, and D J Irv Publishing, Ensign Music Corporation, Lil Lu Lu Publishing, R. Kelly Publishing, Inc., Slavery Music, Songs of Universal, Inc. and Waters of Nazareth Publishing with two songs each.

N.O.R.E. and BMI's Frances Preston

In addition to the song and publisher awards, music trade magazine Billboard announced the names of the BMI-affiliated writers who had #1 songs on the R&B/Hip-Hop and Rap charts during the past year. Rapper CAM'RON was among the double winners, as were two of the evening's top honorees, Irv Gotti and Pharrell Williams. The BMI Urban Awards were held to coincide with Billboard's R&B/Hip Hop Conference and Awards, also in Miami from August 7-9.

James Brown and Angie Stone, who performed "It's A Man's Man's Man's World" in his honor, share a laugh

BMI annually honors the songwriters and music publishers of the most performed songs on American radio in the urban, pop, country, Latin and Christian genres.

Multiple BMI award-winning songwriters Cory Rooney and Rodney Jerkins will be attending the Urban Awards as well, with Jerkins joining Dallas Austin and Neptunes’ Pharrell Williams in producing the musical tribute to BMI ICON Award recipient, James “The Godfather of Soul” Brown. The BMI ICON Award will be presented to Brown in recognition of his contributions to music and the music business. The first ICON Awards were presented in May to fellow pioneers Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley and Little Richard.

The BMI Urban Awards will recognize the songwriters and publishers of the most-played urban songs on U.S. radio and television. An Urban Song of the Year, Songwriter of the Year and Publisher of the Year will be named that night. In addition to the song awards, BMI will also honor the Top Producers of 2001-2002 and the BMI writers whose songs hit #1 on the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop Charts.

The black-tie, invitation-only event will be held to coincide with Billboard’s R&B/Hip Hop Conference & Awards, also in Miami Beach.

The August 6 ceremony will be the first one for the BMI Urban Awards. The 2001 Urban Awards presentation, scheduled for October 3 last year, was cancelled due to the events of 9/11, although the actual awards were later distributed to the winners. BMI also honored its Latin music songwriters and publishers May 8 with the 9th Annual Latin Awards in Hollywood, Florida.

Pictured at the event are Lyric Street Records' Doug Howard, manager Trey Turner, Rascal Flatts members Gary Levox and Jay DeMarcus, BMI's David Preston, CMA's Ed Benson and Rascal Flatts member Joe Don Rooney.

Photo: Chris Hollo for Hollophotographics

Little Richard; Frances W. Preston, BMI President & CEO; Chuck Berry; and Bo Diddley

“If You’re Gone” earned the BMI Pop Song of the Year crystal for songwriter Rob Thomas of matchbox twenty and publishers Bidnis, Inc. and EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc. This distinction is given to the song tallying the most feature broadcast performances during the eligibility period. A #1 single from matchbox twenty’s Lava/Atlantic album Mad Season, “If You’re Gone” brings Thomas’s BMI Awards total to 11. With this win, Thomas, who was named 1999 BMI Pop Songwriter of the Year, joins an illustrious list of those who have taken both Song and Songwriter trophies, including Stephen Bishop, Michael Bolton, Mariah Carey, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Barry and Robin Gibb, Will Jennings, Bert Kaempfert (GEMA), Dolly Parton, Carole Bayer Sager and Shania Twain.

Rob Thomas

Brad Arnold

Brad Arnold of 3 Doors Down placed four songs on the Most Performed List of 50 to collect the BMI Pop Songwriter of the Year reward. From the band’s debut album The Better Life on Republic/Universal Records, the songs earning Arnold the crown were “Be Like That,” “Duck and Run,” “Kryptonite” (2nd award) and “Loser.”

BMI's Barbara Cane, Universal Music Publishing's David Renzer, BMI's Frances W. Preston, Songwriter of the Year Brad Arnold, BMI's Del Bryant and Universal Music Publishing's Tom Sturges

With 11 songs cited - including Arnold’s four - Universal Music Publishing (through its companies Irving Music, Songs of Universal, Inc., and Universal-Songs of PolyGram International, Inc.) claimed the BMI Pop Publisher of the Year prize; David Renzer, President, Worldwide Universal Music Group, accepted the crystal obelisk. The Publisher of the Year title is given to the publishing concern with the highest percentage of copyright ownership in award songs. Universal’s other top performing tunes were “All Or Nothing,” “Breathe,” “Breathless,” “Change Your Mind,” “Hemorrhage (In My Hands),” “Play” and “Ride Wit Me.”

Johnny Lang performing during the Chuck Berry tribute

3 Doors Down lead singer Brad Arnold shows off his Songwriter of the Year crystal

Of the 86 songwriters recognized, ten, in addition to Arnold, were multiple winners. Placing three songs each on the list were 3 Doors Down members Todd Harrell and Matt Roberts and previous songwriter victors Janet Jackson (1990) and Cory Rooney (2000); double honorees were Mirwais Ahmadzai, 3 Doors Down’s Chris Henderson, and Red Hot Chili Peppers Flea, John Frusciante, Anthony Kiedis and Chad Smith.

Little Richard and Ivan Neville (Neville performed the Little Richard tribute)

Publishers gathering three or more awards were Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc., Escatawpa Songs, Sony/ATV Songs LLC, Black Ice Publishing, Cori Tiffani Publishing and Ensign Music Corporation.

Mavis Staples

“Hanging By A Moment” grabbed Most Performed Song on College Radio kudos for songwriter Jason Wade of Lifehouse. The song, from Lifehouse’s debut DreamWorks album No Name Face, is published by G-Chills Music and Songs of DreamWorks.

Josh Groban and Chuck Berry

Among this year’s honorees, 15 songs have earned the status of BMI Million-Air (accumulating at least one million broadcast performances) for a total of more than 22 million performances. Based on an average length of three minutes, one million airplays is the equivalent of 50,000 hours or 5.7 years, continuously. Million-Airs on the 2001 list translate into over 1.1 million hours or 125.4 years of airplay.

BMI's Tracie Verlinde (2nd left) and Myles Lewis (right) with members of Lifehouse

Five of the 50 top Pop are repeat achievers. “Amazed” collected its third consecutive Pop Award; the 2000 BMI Country Song of the Year has accrued nearly four million performances. Four songs picked up second Awards: last year’s honorees “Kryptonite,” “With Arms Wide Open” and “Breathe” (also Pop Song of the Year), and “Lady Marmalade,” first recognized in 1975.

BMI songwriter/producer Dallas Austin, BMI Board member Frank Melton and Chuck Berry

BMI’s Citation of Achievement is given annually in recognition of popularity in the field of popular music, as measured by feature broadcast performances on American radio and television. This year’s Pop Awards' eligibility period ran October 1, 2000 through September 30, 2001.

Evan and Jaron

High-resolution photos are available for downloading on the BMI Media Relations web site at press.bmi.com.

ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons and Bo Diddley

Tatiana Litvin, BMI songwriter Tre Hardson, BMI songwriter Dallas Austin, BMI's Catherine Brewton, Jody Gerson and actor Orlando Jones

George Thorogood

members of CrazyTown

Little Richard

Bo Diddley

Chuck Berry

The BMI Pop Awards is an invitation only, black-tie event that recognizes the songwriters and publishers of the most performed songs of the past year. Preston along with Barbara Cane, Vice President & General Manager, Writer/Publisher Relations, Los Angeles, will present BMI Citations of Achievement during the awards ceremony and dinner.

Past BMI Pop Award winners include Don Henley, Babyface, Counting Crows, Macy Gray, Smash Mouth, Sugar Ray, CAKE, Foo Fighters, Faith Hill, The Corrs, matchbox twenty, Sting, R.E.M., R. Kelly, Bush, Creed, 3 Doors Down, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Santana and many others. Last year's top winners included Cory Rooney (BMI Songwriter of the Year), “Breathe" (BMI Song of the Year) and EMI Music Publishing (BMI Publisher of the Year).