Idolator: Lenny Kravitz

Lenny Kravitz Will Not Be Going Velvet Revolver's Way

Maura Johnston — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 16:15:00 EDT

The truth quotient of the rumor that Lenny Kravitz would be replacing Weiland as the lead singer of Velvet Revolver has plummeted from 38% to zero, if Kravitz's just-issued statement to Rolling Stone is to be believed. "I know and love the Velvet Revolver guys but there is no truth to the story about me joining their band," he told the magazine. Looks like bloggers everywhere will have this story to kick around for a little longer! But where will it go next?

Now Kravitz has joined the long list of people who aren't singing for Velvet Revolver—a star-studded roster of names that includes an ex-MTV VJ who now blogs, a guy from who's married to a Playmate, an ex-Gilmore Girls cast member, and any of the contestants from the CBS game show Jingles—which lead singer should be the next piece of grist for the ever-churning rumor mill? Clearly, this needs to be solved by the always scientific method of Internet polling:

Exclusive: Lenny Kravitz Tells RS "No Truth to the Story" About Joining Velvet Revolver [RS]
Earlier: Is Lenny Kravitz Really Going To Fill Weiland's Velvet Shoes?

Is Lenny Kravitz Really Going To Fill Weiland's Velvet Shoes?

Maura Johnston — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 10:00:00 EDT

Like the Timex Social Club, I spend a lot of time lamenting the rumors that surround me every day. How do they get started? And where do they get crazy? In Truthmongerer, I'll try to suss out the kernels of truth in the rumors that are taking up airspace in gossip columns, blogs, and our tips inbox.

THE RUMOR: The new lead singer of Velvet Revolver is none other than Lenny Kravitz.

TRUTH THRESHOLD: 38%.

LIKELY TRUTHS: The "source" of the Sun story that broke this rumor is claiming that Kravitz has been spotted in the studio with Slash, Duff, and Matt Sorum, a scenario that isn't all that far-fetched. Kravitz is no stranger to playing with many of the members of Guns N' Roses, what with Slash appearing on his album Mama Said and Lenny jumping on stage to perform "Always On The Run" during a Guns N' Roses show back in the day. That sort of pre-existing chemistry could definitely serve as a hedge from relations devolving into the sour sniping that marked Velvet Revolver's end.

LIKELY FALSEHOODS: But would Kravitz want to subsume his identity into a band that wasn't his? Kravitz's latest solo effort, It Is Time For A Love Revolution, didn't sell too badly, reaching the 189,000-scanned mark before it dropped off the Billboard 200 back in April. And his name recognition has, after all, led him all the way to the racks at Kohl's.

Itz Lenny for Revolver [The Sun]
[Photo: Getty]

Lenny Kravitz, Spiritualized Unite For European Gigs

Anthony Miccio — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 15:15:00 EDT

One guy makes bombastic songs out of '60s catchphrases, the other makes bombastic songs out of '60s catchphrases. So it makes perfect sense that Lenny Kravitz would have Jason Pierce's Spiritualized open some gigs for him in Helsinki (June 7 & 8) and Estonia (June 10). Sadly, there's no reason to believe that this coming together will occur again in England or America, where some fans of Spiritualized might find the headliner less than respectable. But would you snootypantses recognize a Spiritualized track over one of Lenny's based on title alone? Here's your chance to prove you can!

Can you guess which of these tracks are Spiritualized songs and which are by Lenny Kravitz?

1. Sittin' On Top Of The World
2. Sitting On Fire
3. Freedom Train
4. All Of My Thoughts
5. Blues For Sister Someone
6. Good Times
7. The Difference Is Why
8. Shine A Light
9. Flowers For Zoe
10. Broken Heart
11. When The Morning Turns To Night
12. I Didn't Mean To Hurt You
13. What The Fuck Are We Saying?
14. Spread Your Wings
15. Come On And Love Me
16. Lord Can You Hear Me
17. Is There Any Love In Your Heart?
18. Step Into The Breeze
19. Eleutheria
20. Lay It Down Slow
21. Beyond The 7th Sky
22. Lay Back Into The Sun
23. God Is Love
24. Do It All Over Again
25. In My Life Today
26. Why Don't You Smile Now?
27. Supersoulfighter
28. Medication
29. You're My Flavor
30. The Twelve Steps
31. Battlefield Of Love
32. Cool Waves
33. God Save Us All
34. The Waves Crash In
35. You Were In My Heart
36. Yeah Yeah
37. Let's Get High
38. Oh Baby
39. I Don't Want To Be A Star
40. Goodnight Goodnight
41. Calling All Angels
42. The Power And The Glory
43. Love Revolution
44. Lord Let It Rain On Me
45. I Love The Rain
46. Angel Sigh

Here's one guy in sunglasses talking about the hurricane inside his veins in "Soul On Fire."

Here's the other guy in sunglasses talking about he don't need no fortune teller in "Love Love Love."

Lenny Kravitz - Love Love Love [YouTube]
Spiritualized - Soul On Fire [YouTube]

Lenny Kravitz Wants To Give You A Ride

jharv — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 13:35:18 EST

Judging by the plodding ballad he premiered on the American Music Awards (you know you're in trouble when your lighting design is the most memorable thing about your performance), Lenny Kravitz is going to need as much help as he can to promote his upcoming album It Is Time For A Love Revolution, and his record label has come up with an "innovative promotional campaign" that sounds an awful lot like the set up to a porno.

The initiative begins with a contest wherein fans submit videos via MySpace demonstrating why they want to be part of an upcoming Get on the Bus tour.

The tour runs Jan. 17-31 through select cities, and will feature an "old-school 1970 Eagle bus that we're totally vibing out a la Lenny," Capitol Music Group president Lee Trink explains. "The bus will pick up a contest winner and a friend in each city along the route, and Lenny will hang out with these winners on the bus. We'll videotape the whole thing and put it up on MySpace and Lenny's official site."

On the other hand, it also sounds a little like an evangelical Chrstian recruitment drive. Or maybe both in Lenny's case.

Kravitz Kick-Starting "Revolution" With MySpace [Billboard]

From an unemployed person hanging out in ...

mjohnston — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 15:50:45 EDT

From an unemployed person hanging out in Central Park, a description of the concept behind the new Lenny Kravitz video, which is being shot right now at the bandshell: "A tank surrounded by Punky Brewster-dressed, disaffected youth/graffiti artists... Lenny on tank in black leather." Click the photo to enlarge, and maybe figure out just what sort of movement our hero Lenny may be leading the Technicolor youth towards. Or maybe he's just getting ready for the Halloween parade?