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RECORD COLLECTING FOR GIRLS, By Courtney Smith

September 6, 2011 — 0

Former MTV music snob (in a good way), Courtney Smith’s new book, RECORD COLLECTING FOR GIRLS, comes out today.

Why buy it?  For starters, Courtney knows her shit.  Girl’s got a music library (bigger than your ipod’s) in her head and in her heart, and a trigger finger so intuitive it just knows when to push play for the mood you’re in right now… or now… or now.

Or you could just buy it because you like this new trailer for the book.

I asked Courtney some questions about the book:

Courtney, your book’s incredible, I’ve read it. How do you remember all these songs?

How could I forget any of these songs? There are many songs I wish I could forget, like everything by Soulja Boy and “The Pina Colada Song (Escape)”, but they’re all stuck in my head forever. What I really love are when songs get tied to people in my mind and they don’t even know it. We’ll talk about that with you, Ross Martin, in a few questions.

When you look back at your time here at MTV, what pops into your head?

When I’m answering questions for Ross Martin the first thing that pops into my head is the mtvU Woodie Awards. Two specific memories come to mind. The first time we met in a planning meeting for the Woodies and you got up and shook my hand, then we all argued for an hour over what the categories would be. That was one of the most fun conversations every at MTV. And when we taped the segments for the first ever Woodies, watching back The Killers accepting their award. It is a classic awkward moment captured on film that I strongly feel more people should get to watch in retrospectives when the time comes.

I think of you as someone who’s so insightful, you could find multiple songs for any emotion or moment. What would Ross Martin’s theme song(s) be?

You know you are forever linked to Matisyahu in my  mind, because you were such a huge champion of his on mtvU. Your first theme song is “King Without a Crown.” I would also have to admit that you are a very “Eye of the Tiger” person. You’re always so energetic and nothing seems to get you down. You never said no to one of my bad ideas ever, that I recall. But I may have just blocked it out if you did.

In 140 characters or less, how would you describe the book?

“Because girls get their hearts broken and make mixtapes about it, too.”  (That’s my tagline, it’s pretty good right?)

What question did I forget to ask you?

So, are you going to write any more books?

Me?  Uh, yeah.  My next book is called “AWARD-WINNING CARE FOR NON-HEALING WOUNDS.”  For serious.

As for Courtney, I hope she writes more books.  In the meantime, buy this one and check out Courtney’s awesome blog.

 

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The 2011 Woodie Awards At #SXSW With Foo Fighters, Wiz Khalifa, Sleigh Bells, Two Door Cinema Club and Odd Future, Hosted By Donald Glover

March 8, 2011 — 0

The first time we did the Woodie Awards, it was an awards show without, uh, the “show.” It was 2004. We didn’t have time to make one.

College kids voted on who would win, students at The School of Visual Arts designed the “trophy” from a chunk of tree, and we literally ambushed bands who looked like deer in headlights and screamed: “You just won a Woodie!”

What the F is a Woodie?” they all asked.

Well, artists don’t ask that anymore. In fact, they compete hard core to win Woodie Awards in a bunch of categories like Breaking Woodie, Road Woodie, Woodie of the Year… And my favorite, the College Radio Woodie, which goes to the best college radio station in America.

For 6 years straight, the Woodies have been a show (and a party) on MTV, MTV2 and mtvU. This year it will be even more fun (for me) because I don’t have to produce it!

Don’t get me wrong, I already miss the show, the artists, all of my incredible friends and colleagues who make it happen year after year. Sitting in the truck, remotely zooming in on Jack White and The Dead Weather, getting in the way of Eric Conte, Liz Patrick, Tracy Hellerud, Joe Buoye… I already miss it.

I especially miss hunting for Kings of Leon’s stolen Woodie Award last year, snatched from the hands of Cyndi Lauper and Leighton Meester.

But now that MTV Scratch is off and running, they’ve banned me from the HD production truck and handed me a VIP ticket so I can sit upstairs where they put all the other corporate tools like me. And drink. And rock the fuck out.

Major props to (VMA producers) Den Of Thieves, led by Evan Prager and Jesse Ignjatovic, who are teaming up with Amy Doyle to bring the Woodies to life, this year. Comedian Donald Glover hosts, with performances by Foo Fighters, Wiz Khalifa, Sleigh Bells, Two Door Cinema Club and Odd Future.

Kick off the 2011 South By Southwest Music Festival right, watch the mtvU Woodie Awards LIVE on MTV, MTV2, mtvU and online at woodies.mtv.com! (Brought to you, of course, by Sun Drop)

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Where’s The 2011 Woodie Awards?

November 8, 2010 — 1

To all those who’ve been asking me for tickets to everybody’s favorite, the Woodie Awards:

The breaking news is that we’re doing the show in March, now. Not in the fall.

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Not because it interfered with my anniversary for five straight years and my wife was fed up with that — because in truth she was really cool about it.

There’s an incredible new team coming in to rock the Woodies and take it to the next level, so stay tuned.

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Asher Roth, Janelle Monae, Byron Ward, Tim Kash, John Loscalzo, Matt & Kim, Clipse, Tony DiSanto, Kim Stolz and More At The Woodies Afterparty

December 14, 2009 — 3

The Woodie Awards afterparty is always quite wonderful on many, many levels, most of which can’t be discussed.

In the heart of a recession, it’s not like there’s gonna be a holiday party, so this becomes a holiday party. It’s a perfect combo of drunk artists, drunk celebs, drunk executives, drunk fans, drunk bartenders, drunk security, drunk…you get the idea.

This year I stayed sober and found myself in hilarious conversations, including one in which a colleague asked if I attended the show this year. Attended? Um, yeah, dickfor.

Anyway, here’s some of what I remember…

DiSanto and I had a drink and talked about I can’t remember what and even if I did I couldn’t write it down here.

Kim Stolz slipped me her badge because I’d given mine to someone else so they could get into the party.

– I had a great talk with Nick from Seven2 about how he needs to meet Kevin at Area/Code. I hope to work more with them both.

VJ Dana Sky and Nick Brown from The Real World were dancing and having more fun than anybody.

VJ Tim Kash analyzed the Woodies, in depth, which surprising I really needed and appreciated.

Clipse drank.

Byron Ward and I spoke about wtf comes next, and he told me about his comedy showcase thing, which I’m going to check out.

Asher Roth and I hugged.

Gina Esposito I thanked and thanked and thanked.

– Chris McCarthy hooked me up.

John Loscalzo looked hot.

Doug Everson makes me happy.

Will I Am, I lost you…

Zooey, I am sorry.

Kim (of Matt & Kim) and I toasted her and Matt’s huge performance, not to mention their surprise Best Video Woodie win (I called it months ago!).

And then Asher Roth and Janelle Monae went and did this…

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VIDEO UPDATE: The Kid Who Stole Kings Of Leon’s MTV Woodie Award From Gossip Girl’s Leighton Meester & Cyndi Lauper

December 4, 2009 — 7

Timing’s everything. We’re about 36 minutes from the premiere of the 2009 mtvU Woodie Awards tonight on MTV, MTV2, mtvU, Palladia and mtv.com.

A few hours ago in the edit, polishing the final cut, the team found this clip of a kid approaching the table, swiping Kings of Leon’s Woodie of the Year award, and dashing off:

Leighton and Cyndi look confused about what he was doing, but they would’ve had no way of knowing what he was really up to.

If you recognize this kid, let us know.

If not, maybe the award will somehow make it to Kings of Leon, who deserve it. They’re name is even on it.

Either way, this just adds to Woodies lore, along with the fight between Jared Leto and Stereogum, the fight (I never told you about) between Saul Williams and Matisyahu, the orgies backstage, etc.

On behalf of Kings of Leon, tell us who this kid is if you know him.

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Kings of Leon’s MTV Woodie of The Year Award Stolen From Leighton Meester & Cyndi Lauper

December 4, 2009 — 1

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***TO CHECK OUT THE UPDATE TO HIS POST: CLICK HERE***

We made no announcement about the fact that a Woodie Award was stolen this year at the live show two weeks ago. First time it has happened.

Near the end of the show — just before Mary-Louise Parker introduced Jack White and The Dead Weather — Leighton Meester and Cyndi Lauper took the stage to present the biggest award, the 2009 Woodie Of The Year.

Kings of Leon won, which wasn’t a surprise. They weren’t able to make it to the show, so Cyndi and Leighton told the crowd they would except the award on Kings of Leon’s behalf. Nuff said, done.

Or…not done.

Cyndi and Leighton were great, then they returned to the talent seating area to check out The Dead Weather’s performance, which was incredible. But at some point, the Woodie Award itself was taken off their table. We couldn’t find it. We still can’t.

When we heard it was missing, we asked staff to fan out and search the venue. We alerted security. Nothing, nada, whoever took it must’ve fled quickly before we noticed.

Here’s the deal — I think we literally just found a camera that captured the fucker stealing the award from Leighton and Cyndi. I’m going to post it here asap.

In the meantime, turn on MTV and watch the premiere of the 2009 mtvU Woodie Awards at 10pm or, if you are as impatient as I am, you can watch the Woodies now. Pretty soon we’re putting up the 360 degree camera that let’s you watch the show online from any angle you wish….