Blender July 2008

FEATURES
42 LEONA LEWIS
She's got the makings of the new Mariah—she's biracial, has killer vocals and a worldwide smash debut—but the year's biggest new star is trying out a fresh archetype: the Nice Diva.
48 THREE 6 MAFIA
An intrepid Blender writer goes undercover as the Memphis rappers' personal assistant for a day, a job that entails getting drunk before noon and (literally) kissing a porn star's ass.
52 COACHELLA
For three days in late April, indie rock (and Prince) reigned at this annual fest in the SoCal desert. A look back in pictures, starring Vampire Weekend, M.I.A. and Gogol Bordello.
58 SUB POP ORAL HISTORY
An inside look at how the small, hype-happy Seattle label that brought the world Nirvana survived constant money crises and grunge-era madness.
64 SUMMER MOVIE PREVIEW
It's Blender's salute to the season's biggest flicks, featuring The Rocker's Rainn Wilson, Batman's pimped-out new ride and more.
REGULARS
7 BLENDER BIBLE
14 LETTERS
17 BURNER
Pop stars: We know who you hooked up with this summer.
21 USEFUL TIPS: MY MORNING JACKET
The Louisville, Kentucky, roots rockers reveal how to win at HORSE.
24 ALMOST FAMOUS: THE TING TINGS
British boy-girl duo excel at off-kilter electro-pop.
28 TOP 33 CHART
30 DEAR SUPERSTAR: NEIL DIAMOND
The 67-year-old hitmaker shares his hair-care tips, reveals his underwear preferences and talks about the time he got shot in the face.
36 GREATEST SONGS EVER: "GENIE IN A BOTTLE"
She fought against it being her debut single, but Christina Aguilera's Lolita-pop classic made her a star.
39 STATION TO STATION
He's been in all the bands in the holy trinity of U.K. synth-pop: Yaz, Depeche Mode and Erasure. We catch up with Vince Clarke on the eve of Yaz's U.S. reunion tour.
96 WHO DOES PEREZ HILTON THINK HE IS?
The self-proclaimed Queen of All Media's life goal? To become "the gay Angelina Jolie."
THE GUIDE
69 NEW RELEASES
Coldplay, Weezer, Usher, My Morning Jacket, Alanis Morissette and more
78 REISSUES
Liz Phair. George Jones, Toby Keith and more
80 BACK CATALOGUE: TOM PETTY
From classics like "American Girl" and "The Waiting" to a forgettable Ed Burns movie soundtrack: a look back at the man who has kept the '60s flame burning for 30 years
82 GAMES
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith and more
ARTIST INDEX
AGUILERA, CHRISTINA 36
ARM, MARK (of no relation to Blender associate editor Mark Yarm) 58
COLDPLAY 69
COOL KIDS, THE 20 DIAMOND, NEIL 30 GAHAN, DAVE 40 GOGOL BORDELLO 52 HILTON, PEREZ (on shaving his nether region) 46. 96 MY MORNING JACKET 27. 71
NINE INCH NAILS 74 NIRVANA 58
PETTY, TOM 80
PHAIR, LIZ 78
SHINS, THE 63 SLIPKNOT 26 STILLWATER 65
THREE 6 MAFIA (want to father Amy Winehouse's crack babes) 48
TING TINGS, THE 24, 76
ON THE COVER
LEONA LEWIS PHOTOGRAPH BY MIKO LIM
Styling by Young-Ah Kim. Hair by Ben Cooke. Makeup by Jane Bradley. Too Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent. Jeans: Earnest Sewn. Silver bracelet: stylist's own. Black bangle, tie bracelets and ring: artist's own.