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13 Songs That Famously Ripped Off Others

@coltondaniel — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 21:27:43 +0000

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There’s a fine line between sampling a song and straight ripping off someone else’s artistic integrity. Imitation is recognized as the highest form of flattery – but at what point does it go too far?

Most recently, Madonna finally spoke out about her insane influence of Lady Gaga, with focus on ‘Born This Way‘ and it’s similarity with Madge’s 1989 hit ‘Express Yourself’. And in the spirit of that buzz – we’re delighted to bring you a little sampling, thirteen songs that famously ripped off others (and were pretty successful in their own right). Some of which dealt with court settlements and others were able to slip through the legal cracks. For those arguing that the likes of Hammer and Vanilla Ice had the right to sample – both were busted by the predecessors for their use. Ice even argued in an episode of VH1′s ‘Behind the Music’ that it was completely original and the sampling accusations were bogus.

Tell us what you think! Below are thirteen examples, first being the song that ripped off the following song:

Jennifer Lopez “On The Floor (Ft. Pitbull)” VS. Los Kjarkas “Lloranda se fue”

MC Hammer “U Can’t Touch This” VS. Rick James “Superfreak”

Sean Kingston “Me Love” VS. Led Zeppelin “D’yer Mak’er”

Sum 41 “Pieces” VS. Coldplay “The Scientist”

Ray Parker Jr. “Ghostbusters” VS. Huey Lewis “I Want A New Drug”

Red Hot Chili Peppers “Dani California” VS. Tom Petty “Mary Jane’s Last Dance”

Flo Rida “Right Round” VS. Dead Or Alive “You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)”

The Offspring “Why Don’t You Get A Job” VS. The Beatles “Ob La Di Ob La Da”

Vanilla Ice “Ice Ice Baby” VS. Queen & David Bowie “Under Pressure”

Avril Lavigne “Girlfriend” VS. The Rubinoos “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend”

Coldplay “Viva La Vida” VS. Joe Satriani “If I Could Fly”

Green Day “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” VS. Oasis “Wonderwall”

Fergie “Fergalicious” VS. J.J. Fad “Supersonic”

Fergie Joins Black Eyed Peas For Final Farewell

@coltondaniel — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 17:45:10 +0000

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The fantastic foursome of Will.I.Am, Fergie, Taboo and apl.de.ap – otherwise known as the Black Eyed Peas, came together for a final farewell at Miami’s Sun Life Stadium on Wednesday.

Hosted by Queen Latifah, the concert also featured performances from Cee-Lo Green, Jason DeRulo, Flo Rida, T-Pain and Sean Kingston – all respectable fans of the Peas.

Will.i.am reflected on the earlier days of the Californian group. “I remember when we got 30 dollars to play a Cal State Northridge party. And it feels so good that this many years later we’re here and we thank you guys from the bottom of our hearts for helping us pursue our dreams.”

He also had some advice for up-and-coming musicians:

“Whatever it is you wanna do in life, if somebody tells you no, don’t listen to them. Pursue your dreams, surround yourself with good friends,” he preached. “Black Eyed Peas is a family, we are friends, and we helped each other get here—and you guys are an extension of that friendship. We are here in this stadium today representing family and love, a day before Thanksgiving, and we thank you guys for the love.”

He is in the midst of prepping his much-hyped solo album “#willpower” that is set for release next year. Fergie, the 36-year-old songstress, wants to focus on starting a family with her husband, actor Josh Duhamal. While apl.de.ap is planning on going home to the Philippines and Taboo will get to spend more time with his family. It’s the end of an era, my friends.

Despite their hiatus, the group insists they are not breaking up. ”We always have two cycles of records and then we take a break. And then two cycles of records and then a break. When we take breaks you know, we work on side projects and get our personal stuff in order then come back and make beautiful music. We think beautiful music,” he recently told Ellen DeGeneres.

Will you miss BEP? Let us know.

Justin Bieber Surprises Kids at Hospital

Natalia Buia — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 21:30:57 +0000

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As if Justin Bieber doesn’t have enough reasons for melting our hearts…

He and pal Sean Kingston made sure to stop by and say hello to some kids at the Children’s Hospital who really needed to be cheered up.

Bieber never fails to impress with his charitable donations. It’s a true fact that he has a heart of gold. Justin’s raised money for various charities. He once gave $10,000 to the Stratford House of Blessing, a food pantry in his hometown of Stratford, Ontario.

In this video, Justin sings his songs “Baby” and “Under the Mistletoe” to the kids and even took pictures and gave them autographs. You can tell the kids really enjoyed his presence. As big of a star Justin is and is continuing to be, it’s amazing to see him so down-to-earth.

911 Call Released from Sean Kingston’s Jet Ski Accident

andPOP Staff — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 19:58:06 +0000

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Miami Beach Police have released the 911 call when Sean Kingston crashed his jet ski in May.

“Do you see any bleeding, any injuries you that you can see?” asked a 911 operator.

“Yes, yes,” replied an island resident who said she could see the scene from her house. “There’s people injured. There’s a bridge and they didn’t the bridge and they smashed themselves into the bridge.”

Of course the jet skier ended up being Sean Kingston.

“We have the security from our island going to them,” the woman reported as she urged the operator to send water rescue as fast as possible. “He’s walking to them and they are in the water and there’s a boat coming now.”

Sean was lucky to survive the accident and recovered fully. In fact Sean announced that he has a new album coming out called “Back 2 Life”.

Justin Bieber’s Run In With The Law

andPOP Staff — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 23:13:55 +0000

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Justin Bieber had a run in with the law. The Biebs was pulled over by the California Highway Patrol along with other cars in his entourage. Bieber was cruising in a Batman themed Cadillac, reports TMZ.

The other cars Justin was traveling with include a Range Rover and a Rolls Royce driven by Sean Kingston. The boys were driving very recklessly and cut off a Highway Patrol officer.

Justin’s big brother Sean Kinston seems to be having a negative influence on him. Run in with the law isn’t cool!

Sean Kingston Jet Ski Accident Investigation

andPOP Staff — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 13:51:15 +0000

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A report by the Miami police shows that Sean Kingston is to blame for his jet ski accident in May. As we reported, Kingston crashed his jet ski into a bridge, leaving him critically injured.

The report obtained by TMZ says Kingston’s ”inexperience” and “inattention” were solely to blame. He apparently released the throttle while making a turn, which caused him to lose control.

The report also shows that his body hit the bridge with such force, that it left an imprint on the side of the bridge.

This dude is lucky to be alive.

Justin Bieber and Sean Kingston Back in Studio

andPOP Staff — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 22:21:15 +0000

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Justin Bieber and Sean Kingston are back in the studio recording. Bieber and Sean have become quite close, with Justin visiting Kingston in Miami after his jet ski crash.

In a post on his Twitter page, Bieber writes, “Had a great studio session with my big bro Sean Kingston and the talented jonathanrotem. Goodmusic.”

The two buddies have recorded together before, and have also toured together.

Sean Kingston Wants Another Jet Ski

andPOP Staff — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 17:20:42 +0000

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Sean Kingston with andPOP's Dan Busheikin and Iyaz - August 2009

You think after nearly dying on a jet ski, Sean Kinston would take a break from the dangerous machines. However, Kingston insists that he will get another one soon.

Talking to Ryan Seacrest, Kingston said, “I’m gonna go on another jet-ski… I was new to the area; I had just moved to the island and I didn’t know about the tides, I didn’t know about anything like that. It happened to me because I chose to ride around in that area, but there’s so much water that I could have chosen to ride around on.”

Well – at least the guy has a hobby.

Sean Kingston Shares Weight Loss Secrets

andPOP Staff — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 16:06:11 +0000

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Sean Kingston with andPOP's Dan Busheikin and Iyaz - August 2009

Sometimes it takes a life changing event to reevaluate yourself. That’s exactly what happened to Sean Kingston after his jet ski accident on May 29. Since then, he has been committed to losing weight and being healthy.

Before the accident, Sean was weighing in around 300 pounds, but he has lost some weight during his recovery. ”Actually, I shed like 45 pounds, and I’ve been working out every day. So I’ve been really getting my healthiness [together],” he told MTV.

“Right now, I do the bicycle, I do the treadmill, I play basketball. But I got to keep it up and lose more weight,” Kingston told Sway. “It’s easy to gain weight when you’re in the studio. That’s how it first started out but I’m cutting all that out. I don’t eat after 6 [p.m.], and then I really just do the treadmill, and that’s what it is. I feel a lot better.”

It sounds like a completely new Sean.

Justin Bieber and Sean Kingston Rolling to Friday’s

andPOP Staff — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 18:21:51 +0000

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Sean Kingston and Justin Bieber were hanging out in Miami yesterday celebrating Sean’s Birthday. The two were rolling in a drop top Rolls Royce when they were swarmed by fans.

TMZ says Bieber was at the wheel, but the car actually belongs to Kingston. As they were driving so “inconspicuously,” fans somehow spotted the two and swarmed the car outside a Friday’s. Bieber had to call the cops for help.

Luckily a plain clothes officer was nearby and helped control the crowd.

What do these two guys expect? They are rolling in a $300k car with the top down, and they are two major celebrities. Somebody is going to notice!

Sean Kingston Facing Potential Criminal Charges over Jet Ski Crash

andPOP Staff — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 16:09:55 +0000

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Sean Kingston with andPOP's Dan Busheikin and Iyaz - August 2009

As if Sean Kingston didn’t have enough problems after crashing his jet ski, he now could face criminal charges after the accident. Why? Well he has disturbed the precious local manatees.

TMZ reports where Kingston crashed last weekend is a manatee zone — and according to Florida state law, boats and watercrafts are prohibited from producing a wake in manatee-populated areas.

The investigation is ongoing, but if he is charged, Kingston could face a $32,500 fine. However, Sean probably doesn’t give a f*ck about a $32,500 fine, and we don’t think Mr. Kingston is going to lose sleep over the manatees.

Sean Kingston ‘Stabilized’ After Jet Ski Crash, Stars Send Support

Christian Allaire — Mon, 30 May 2011 20:05:39 +0000

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Sean Kingston has been “stabilized” after a jet ski accident on Sunday, which landed him in the trauma ward of a Miami hospital.

The singer’s publicist, Joseph Carozza, released the following statement: “Sean Kingston is now stabilized and has moved from the trauma unit to ICU. Sean’s family thanks everyone for their prayers and support during this time.”

Kingston was rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital yesterday after he and a female passenger crashed into the Palm Island Bridge around 6:00 p.m. EST. A boater rescued the pair from the water, and Miami Fire Rescue crews brought the singer and passenger to the hospital.

Kingston’s hospitalization has resulted in plenty of support by both his fans and fellow celebs on Twitter. The hashtag #prayforseankingston has been a top trending topic since news of the accident spread, while artists including Bieber, Rihanna, Nicki Minaj and Chris Brown have tweeted messages for the singer.

“Got my friend @seankingston in my prayers tonight,” wrote Bieber. “A true friend and big bro. Please keep him in your prayers tonight as well.”

Soulja Boy tweeted, “Praying for my brother @seankingston I hope he makes a full recovery.”

“Praying for my bro Sean Kingston,” wrote Brown, while Rihanna added, “Sean we praying for you baby.”

“My love and prayers are with Sean Kingston and his family,” wrote Minaj.

Get well soon, Kingston.

Sean Kingston Injured in Jet Ski Crash

Samantha Lui — Mon, 30 May 2011 04:26:26 +0000

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Sean Kingston and Dan. He gave us girl advice.

Singer Sean Kingston is in critical condition in Miami following a crash into a bridge from his watercraft around 6pm local time.

According to Local10.com and TMZ, Kingston also had a female passenger with him and both were rescued from the water by a good Samaritan.

The Miami Fire Department responded to the scene and both Kingston and the female passenger were transported to the Jackson Memorial Hospital.

At this moment, officials do not believe alcohol played a role in the crash.

According to a quote from Kingston’s rep, TMZ was told, “Sean Kingston was in an accident today. No further details are available at the moment. He and his family thank everyone for the well-wishes.”

As this story develops, officials are still investigating the cause of the crash.

Sean Kingston Speaks Out About Sexual Assault Allegations

andPOP Staff — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:04:02 +0000

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Sean Kingston with andPOP's Dan Busheikin and Iyaz - August 2009

Earlier this month, two women accused Sean Kingston and a group of other men of sexual assault in a Seattle hotel room.

Both women told police that the men held them against their will, and were forced to having sex with the men. However, after police investigated further, they decided not to pursue charges against Kingston and the other men as they did not feel the claim was valid.

TMZ caught up with Kingston and asked him about the rape accusations. He replied by saying “That’s a rumor man.”

This incident evidently occurred while Kingston was on tour with Justin Bieber.

Sean Kingston Accused of Rape in Seattle While on Tour With Justin Bieber

andPOP Staff — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 13:45:22 +0000

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Sean Kingston with andPOP's Dan Busheikin and Iyaz - August 2009

Sean Kingston has been accused of rape by a woman in Seattle, but police do not believe the allegation is credible, reports TMZ.

The alleged incident occurred Sunday night at a Crowne Plaza Hotel. Two women, 19 and 20 years old, showed up at a party in the hotel room already intoxicated. One woman had sex with Kingston, along with two other men once he left the room. The other woman had sex with another man in the room.

An ambulance was called to the hotel and both women were transported to hospital where rape tests were performed. The women are also being tested for Rufinol, but the results are not available.

Kingston was initially asked to be interviewed by the police, however police have now determined the accusations are not credible.

Kingston is scheduled to perform with Justin Bieber tonight in Portland.

Jason Derulo Ready To Show Pop Potential

Jeremy Singer — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:01:25 +0000

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Jason Derulo gets giddy with excitement when discussing his feeling as artist with a hit debut single like Whatcha Say.

Not because of the fame that tags along with it’s no. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, or 750,000 sold copies, or invitation to join Lady Gaga on her Monster Ball Tour, but the anticipation, knowing that he hasn’t even tapped into his potential as an artist yet.

“I’m just beginning man,” Derulo tells andPOP from Los Angeles. “It’s definitely an interesting feeling. It’s almost as if I feel like people have no idea of what I can offer as an artist, the impact that I can have.”

The Miami-born’s initiation into the music industry is looking promising thanks to Whatcha Say- a watered-down upbeat version of Imogen Heap’s Hide and Seek- which has been on the chart for nine weeks now since it’s original no. 54 spot on August 29.

With a sense of humor, the 20-year-old jokes about how he should celebrate the single’s climb to the top of the chart. He mentions possibly mimicking Will Ferrell’s character in Old School and going streaking through a quad to the gymnasium “maybe butt naked for a mile,” he says.

But then again in all seriousness, the artist doesn’t feel like celebrating as if a one-hit wonder. He’s aware of all the eyes looking towards his Sophomore single and debut album, and to be honest, he’s eagerly looking towards them too- without hesitation.

“I am so excited,” he says with enthusiasm. His response is so convincing even from three time-zones away.

“The first single was just an appetizer to the main course. That’s the only way I can put it.”

Derulo says he’s had that passion and swagger since he wrote his first song at eight-years-old- as a kid who would admire musical greats like Michael Jackson and Madonna, and always have a knack to pen lyrics.

Eventually at 16, his portfolio would read writing tracks for industry big-hitters like Lil’ Wayne, Pitbull and Birdman- an experience that Derulo describes as “both incredible and nerve-racking.”

“It was a bit intimidating in the beginning,” recalls Derulo, “seeing these guys in person, the guys who you see on TV growing up. But once we started creating and writing the music, it was a blast.”

Chuckles the artist, “and that kind of cred didn’t hurt while picking up the ladies in school.”

But Derulo has realized that his imagination and creativity is unlimited when focusing on his own written work- when he’s not adjusting to the restrictions of another artist’s song.

“When it’s just me, the sky’s the limit,” he says. “I can experiment, try and break barriers, and try and do off-the-wall different things.

“But I remember when I was writing for someone else, you can’t try and do anything different in that situation. I always had to gear it towards that person, and make their voice come out.”

At that point though, what Derulo really wanted was to have his voice come out, and get a chance to display his ability as a solo performer. But the songwriter decided to further polish his raw talent through formal musical schooling at the New York American Musical and Dramatic Academy, where he studied everything from opera and theatre, to ballet and musical genres.

He remembers the long nights memorizing and learning songs at the piano by heart, the perfect standards he had to meet while singing in musical theatre, and also the endurance he learned while working on his dance skills.

But among many hardworking memories, Derulo vividly recalls what he learned about Shakespeare as a writer, and how it helped define himself as a songwriter.

“I remember that in Shakespeare,” says Derulo, “every word is strategically placed to make sure it has a purpose. From that I’ve learned to stay away from having any filler lines in my work.

“All of my formal training helped tremendously.”

As a bona-fide vessel of talent, Derulo’s discovery would come immediately after mega music producer J.R. Rotem (Britney Spears and Sean Kingston) flew him to Los Angeles to -originally- write music. However when Derulo decided to sing to his own lyrics that he created while in the studio, Rotem realized that the kid could write and sing, and decided to rush him into a sound-booth the same day so the two of them could begin working together.

“We recorded six songs in about three hours,” recalls Derulo. “That’s how amazing our energy levels were. We were at the exact same pace.”

Derulo compares the chemistry between him and Rotem to guys like Jackson and Quincy Jones. That connection got Derulo signed to Beluga Heights and Warner Bros. Records in 2009, a deal that had Derulo focusing on his debut self-titled album- due out in March 2010.

“J.R. has great Pop sensibility,” says Derulo, who admires Rotem’s ability to view the industry as both a musician and a fan.

“As musicians we tend to get caught up with our work and our style or craft, but he’s also able to take the point of view as a fan, and hear the song from that perspective.”

According to the artist, the best part of the deal is the leniency he was given to write all of his songs. While some musicians would cringe at the thought of writing and recording over 300 tracks in eight months, Derulo just humbly laughs at the prospect.

“Difficult?” he asks chuckling. “I had the time of my life. I had my own studio, so it was amazing that I could be inside the entire day for hours working on my craft.

“What more could I ask for. I was able to come in and do what I love every single day. And I put my heart and soul into it.”

Yet the songwriter admits to finding some difficulty, ironically while trying to narrow down all those prospects to a CD selection. But he overcame the obstacle apparently in confidant fashion, assuring fans that he chose the best set of tracks possible for a record that boasts strong Pop roots.

“As a songwriter,” says Derulo, “you may have certain connections to certain songs for different reasons. But you have to put that aside, you can’t choose a song because it was sentimental to you.

“But I think we chose an amazing selection, and there’s a lot of quality stuff on it that’s going to show my versatility and potential as an artist. I can’t wait.”

Iyaz and ‘Replay’ Climbing To The Top

Joelle Tomlinson — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 23:52:22 +0000

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When Iyaz received a message in his MySpace inbox from Sean Kingston, he initially thought it was a joke and ignored him. But when Kingston didn’t stop pursuing the artist, Iyaz reconsidered.

“I ignored him for like a week,” chuckles Iyaz, 22, during an interview with andPOP. “Come on, that’s like Jay-Z messaging you and telling you that he’s interested. I just thought he was a fake or a knock-off, so I even gave him a bogus number at one point. He was in Japan at the time, and eventually I gave him my real number, and he flew me out to see him.”

The rest was history.

The two soul-infused artists clicked immediately, and within two weeks, Iyaz was subsequently signed to Kingston’s freshly-formed company, Time is Money Entertainment.

J.R. Rotem, the talented songwriter and producer behind most of Iyaz’s tracks, subsequently signed Iyaz through Time Is Money/Beluga Heights, which has a new label partnership with Warner Bros. Records.

In fact, Iyaz doesn’t even consider the label in business terms, rather just with affection. “It’s like being a part of a family. I don’t even consider it a label, I consider it my family. We love producing music together, performing together. It’s an amazing atmosphere, we have a lot of fun.” He even laughs that Kingston’s mom is just like his.

Iyaz, whose actual name is Keidran Jones, was born in the U.S. Virgin Islands but raised in the British Virgin Islands in Tortola. He attributes much of his musical passion and talent to the influence his home and family had on him as he grew up. Son of two extremely musical parents, the talent has apparently passed on to their children. He describes his sound as “reggae infused, with pop, and R&B. You never really know what you’re going to get. There’s that island sound as well.”

Iyaz, which essentially means “the man in charge,” has been singing since he can remember.

“My whole family was extremely musical,” Iyaz elaborates. “My mom sang, my dad sang, my sisters sang. I sang in church, and that’s where I grew as a musician and developed such a passion for the art. I was surrounded and influenced by the power of music daily.” While gospel is not Iyaz’s focus, his lyrics are pleasantly clean with a lot of emotional depth. His island-infused single, “Replay”, is one that appeals to all age groups, and its infectious melody is guaranteed to get stuck in your head after one listen.

“Replay” has recently moved to number two on the iTunes playlist, and is currently ranked 12th on the Billboard. While the success excites and pleases Iyaz, he says that performing his music for the fans is his favorite part of being a musical artist. “It’s all about that stage,” he says.

“It’s when you get out on that stage in front of thousands of people, and all I need to do is sing ‘Shawty’s like a melody in my head…’ and then I hear thousands of fans singing the rest of the verse back to me. That really gets to me. It’s so crazy.”

In fact, the prequel music video for the song is available (the real video will be released this month), and Iyaz’s pure voice and enthusiasm to the catchy song are evident in the production. The beach, background graffiti and Iyaz’s joyful presence all mesh together to create an atmosphere that has you dancing along with the video.

Like a lot of artists, Iyaz likes to sing about women. The Rotem-produced “Replay” is about the obsession people get when they like a girl, and a couple of the other tracks in his upcoming album delve into the world of romance as well. Unfortunately for the young artist, touring and recording have not left a lot of time for his own love life. “I’m usually going all day, and at the end of the day I’m always pretty tired. It’s all worth it though, of course.”

Iyaz’s pop-friendly productions are sure to be a big hit, as already proven by his early success with “Replay.”

To follow this up-and-coming artist, check him out at his MySpace or his Twitter account. His twitter account is IyazLive, and his MySpace page can be found at http://www.myspace.com/iyaz.

Dan Does Day 2 of Virgin Fest Toronto

Dan Busheikin — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:19:12 +0000

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Dan is always interviewing indie bands or underground acts, so we thought we would give him a change of scenery with the glitz and glamour of V-Fest Toronto. Dan had the pleasure of speaking with Sean Kingston, Mutemath, Plants and Animals, The Von Bondies and more!

Virgin Fest 2009 Day 2

Robert Ostfield — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 20:52:38 +0000

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Dan having fun with The Von Bondies. He tried to steal a kiss but no dice.

Sean Kingston and Dan. He gave us girl advice.

Bo from MEW and Dan

Mutemath and Dan at V-fest - Day 2