http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/155...ne_avril.jhtml

 

Avril Lavigne Explains 'Topless' Magazine Cover, Says She Wants 'Darker' Film Roles

What is underneath that strategically placed headline?

By Conor Bezane

 

NEW YORK — On Wednesday night, as dark clouds hovered over the city, Avril Lavigne was all wet.

High above Times Square, the Canadian singer was playing a secret outdoor show for soaked fans gathered more than 50 feet below. Dressed in a black hoodie that didn't quite shield her from the raindrops, Lavigne performed a three-song set that featured "Girlfriend," "When You're Gone" and "Sk8r Boi."

Lavigne has certainly come a long way since her innocent days as punk princess of the mall. In recent months, she's been known to spit on and flip off paparazzi. She's also bragged about booze-soaked nights — "I wrote 'Girlfriend' when I was drunk," she told us back in February (see "Don't Know How To Spell 'Avril Lavigne'? Prepare To Be Scolded"). And now she's taking it all off?

The blogosphere is abuzz this week over the June cover image for Blender magazine, in which the singer appears to be naked from the waist up. What really lies beneath that strategically placed headline?

Truth be told, Lavigne revealed to us before taking the stage last night, the photo shoot was a little more innocent than you think. "Actually, I'm not topless on the cover," she said. "I was wearing a tube top, and they just kind of put a banner on top of it."

Even if she's not topless, the 22-year-old is still flaunting her inner bad girl. "The Blender shoot was really fun because it was super rock and roll — we had a bottle of of [whiskey] and ate cupcakes," she said. "Everyone was super cool. It was definitely a different kind of photo shoot for me."

Avril was also in town to make a red-carpet appearance at Wednesday night's Maxim Hot 100 party. She ranks #15 on the lad mag's list of celebrity hotties, which also includes Lindsay Lohan, Scarlett Johansson, Beyoncé and many more Hollywood A-listers.

And Lavigne herself is looking to do more movies. After lending her voice to last year's animated "Over the Hedge" and making a quick appearance in "Fast Food Nation," she wants to branch out beyond cartoons and cameos.

"I think as time goes on, I would want to try different styles," she said. "I would want to go for a more serious drama, something darker that would take a lot of emotion. I do have a movie that I'm going to be working on and starring in," she added, although she wouldn't give up the film's title.

Meanwhile, Lavigne is still promoting her latest album, The Best Damn Thing, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard albums chart in April (see "Avril Hammers Nine Inch Nails For Billboard's #1"). She just shot a video for the second single, "When You're Gone."

"It's a totally different video for me, something I've never done image-wise," she explained. "I'm wearing this old 1930s vintage dress. [i have] really long hair, and I'm running through the forest. And we have all these different vignettes of other people acting. [The song] is about losing someone or missing someone. It's a very emotional video."

Although she won't be embarking on a full-fledged U.S. tour until 2008, Avril will be playing some summer festival dates in Europe and Asia. On June 19, her cover of John Lennon's "Imagine" will be released. The song will appear on Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur, a compilation of Lennon covers that also features Green Day, U2 and Christina Aguilera.

I didn't know they made tube tops that small -_-

 

It's really not a big deal, and I think she is past her stage of dissing people, but if she does start talking about people for the same reason I won't be very happy with her.

Now we know the story. I can't wait to see the video for When You're Gone. :)

Is the Lennon cover being released as a download only?

Whether there was a tube-top worn or not, it does not alter the intent of rather pathetic "shock tactics" and sleazy titilation.....

 

So, she wants to do "darker" film roles then...... Well, maybe Rob Zombie'll sign her up for his next gore-fest.....

I just hope her cover of John Lennon's Imagine is less hideous than Madonna's a few years ago. :lol:

I just hope her cover of John Lennon's Imagine is less hideous than Madonna's a few years ago. :lol:

 

Oh dear..... She's not is she....? :unsure:

 

I liked A Perfect Circle's version of that song actually... They totally changed the key of the song, making it far more downbeat, melancholic and depressing.... To make a point really, cos the original "Imagine" came out in the 70s with detente and there was a feeling of hope that the Cold War could actually thaw (this was before Reagan took office and totally destroyed the whole principle of detente however by accelerating the arms race.... <_< ).. APC's version came out on the back of "The War on Terror" and Iraq and a bunch of Christian fanatics in the Whitehouse resurrecting the Middle East crusades, so, kinda appropriate for the mood of the song to change along with the events of the time....

I doesn't matter if she was wearing a tube top ... the INTENT was to make her look topless, I'm certain she knew that during the shoot.

 

 

I doesn't matter if she was wearing a tube top ... the INTENT was to make her look topless, I'm certain she knew that during the shoot.

 

Absolutely mate... She's coming out with this now because I reckon she's probably caused a LOT of outrage in the US with parents of young teenage girls who are misguided enough to actually look up to her as some sort of role model....