Best music news and reviews

More Depeche Mode Reissues On The Way

2006-08-30T00:28:00.000-07:00

Rhino's Depeche Mode reissue series will continue Oct. 3 with 1982's "A Broken Flame," the 1984 breakthrough "Some Great Reward" and 1993's "Songs of Faith and Devotion," the band's lone Billboard 200 chart-topper. Each album includes a remastered CD edition plus a DVD with high-resolution audio mixes, bonus tracks and period-specific documentaries.
"A Broken Frame" is expanded with the B-sides "Now This Is Fun," "Oberkorn (It's a Small Town)" (originally only released in Germany) and "Excerpt From My Secret Garden," plus six tracks from an Oct. 1982 performance at London's Hammersmith Odeon.
For "Some Great Reward," remixes of "(Set Me Free) Remotivate Me" and "Somebody" plus the B-side "In Your Memory" are packaged with five songs from 1984 concerts in Basel, Switzerland, and Liverpool, England. Recent interviews are featured on the 27-minute documentary "Depeche Mode 1984: You Can Get Away With Anything if You Give It a Good Tune."
The DVD for "Songs of Faith and Devotion" a wealth of remixes for tracks like "In Your Room," "Condemnation" and "I Feel You," plus a documentary spotlighting Depeche Mode between 1991-1994.
As previously reported, Sire will on Sept. 26 release the live CD/DVD "Playing the Angel," which chronicles performances in Milan earlier this year.

Byrne Sharing 'Perspectives' At Carnegie Hall

2006-08-30T00:27:00.000-07:00

David Byrne has unveiled the lineup for his Perspectives series, which will he curate at New York's Carnegie Hall from Feb. 1-4. The former Talking Heads frontman will utilize the opportunity to unveil songs from "Here Lies Love," his "multimedia song cycle" with Fatboy Slim which centers on the life of former Philippines First Lady Imelda Marcos.
On opening night, Byrne will stage the first performance since 1992 of "The Knee Plays," a 1985 musical theater project created in tandem with Robert Wilson. The next evening, he will host an evening of experimental folk with Adem, Devendra Banhart, Vashti Bunyan, CocoRosie and Vetiver.
The series will close on Feb. 4 with performances by Alarm Will Sound, Camille, Haale and other artists to be announced.
As previously reported, Byrne performed last week at a New York benefit for the 826 Writing Centers founded by author Dave Eggers. The show featured Byrne's collaboration with Sufjan Stevens on Lefty Frizzell's "Saginaw Michigan." Writes Byrne on his blog, "I thought many would think [Stevens] wrote it for his Michigan-themed CD. I wonder if anyone fell for it?"

Ex-Blink Members Dial Up Plus 44

2006-08-30T00:25:00.000-07:00

With their former Blink-182 colleague Tom DeLonge entrenched with his new band Angels & Airwaves, Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker have formed (+44). The group's debut, "When Your Heart Stops Beating," was produced by Jerry Finn and will arrive Nov. 14 via Interscope.
(+44), named after the international dialing prefix for the United Kindgdom, also includes ex-Nervous Return member Shane Gallagher and Craig Fairbaugh, who played with Barker in the Transplants. "Mark and I have a natural chemistry after playing together for so long and it's only gotten stronger," Barker says.
On "When Your Heart Stops Beating," Hoppus handled all the singing and also played guitar in addition to bass, while Barker dabbled in keyboards.
After a handful of shows in Europe next month, (+44) will showcase its new material during an Oct. 14 appearance at the Bamboozle Left festival in Pomona, Calif. Dashboard Confessional, Yellowcard, Brand New and Thrice are also on the bill for the two-day event.

Stars Salute New Orleans With Benefit Show

2006-08-30T00:23:00.000-07:00

Ticket sales have been far from spectacular, but Ivan Neville says performing at the same Hurricane Katrina anniversary concert as Stevie Wonder tonight (Aug. 29) in New Orleans is going to be incredible no matter how many people are there. "What an honor," said the New Orleans keyboardist and singer, and son of Neville Brothers singer Aaron Neville.
Besides Ivan Neville and Wonder, the lineup for "New Orleans: Rebuilding the Soul of America ... One Year Later" includes New Orleans trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, New Orleans bluesman Dr. John and gospel singer Yolanda Adams.
The show was spearheaded by Marsalis to benefit the trust he established after Katrina to rebuild the city's cultural infrastructure. The concert was announced earlier this month, but getting the word out hasn't been easy, organizers say.
"With all that's going on, it's kind of information overload," said Bill McFarlin, executive director of the International Association for Jazz Education and one of the organizers. "It's easy to understand how people are distracted."
The concert will take place at the New Orleans Arena, near the Superdome. The original plan called for more than 10,000 seats but was cut to about 6,000 when ticket sales were slow. About 3,500 seats were reserved as of Monday morning, McFarlin said.
If nothing else, Neville hopes the concert will be a boost to the city's cultural recovery efforts and possibly a step toward emotional healing for those who attend. "It might make someone smile," he said. "It's one small step."
Neville, who has been performing professionally for more than two decades, said he'll sing "Fortunate Son," originally recorded by Creedence Clearwater Revival during the Vietnam War era. Neville recorded the song at a studio in Austin, Texas, with a group of other New Orleans musicians while on hiatus after Katrina.
"That song meant so much when it was originally recorded, but it means as much if not more than it did then," he said.
After the concert, Neville will perform at the historic Tipitina's night club, where the Tipitina's Foundation is donating $500,000 worth of instruments to more than a dozen music school programs in the New Orleans area.
"We're losing a generation of musicians," Neville said. "When you see something like this, you don't want that tradition to miss a generation. We've got to continue to pass it along like it was passed to us."

Linkin Park Hits iTunes, New Album Not Quite Ready

2006-08-30T00:19:00.000-07:00

Linkin Park, one of the few major acts that had yet to make its music available via Apple's iTunes Music Store, has changed course and pacted with the service. Three of the group's albums are available beginning today (Aug. 29), each with two bonus tracks and a third iTunes exclusive cut.
In addition, iTunes is selling the video content featured on the group's "Live in Texas" and "Collision Course" DVDs. We were really excited when iTunes told us that we were one of their most requested acts," group member Mike Shinoda says. "We will never ignore our fans and the timing seemed right to make our music available, with some special additions."
In late July, Metallica made its music available on iTunes for the first time, leaving the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Radiohead and Garth Brooks among the remaining major holdouts.
Meanwhile, Linkin Park is still at work on the follow-up to 2003's "Meteora" with producer Rick Rubin. The as-yet-untitled new album was originally expected by the end of the year via Warner Bros., "but at this point we don't see that happening," Shinoda told fans last week during an online chat. "We're doing really well, but we just need a little more time."
"We have narrowed it down to about 30-50 songs, and some of those are heavy, some are softer and some are in between," he continued. "So far it has a different sound that I cannot describe. It sounds like it's older, but not vintage. More organic in some spots, like just yesterday we recorded a song with no samples that is completely raw. Other songs are full of samples."
One new song, provisionally named "Qwerty," was debuted earlier this month in Japan. "We did those lyrics on the plane on the way to Japan," Shinoda said. "I'm not sure if it'll make the album, but we liked the song enough to play it."
In related news, Linkin Park vocalist Chester Bennington makes a cameo in the film "Crank," which opens Friday (Sept. 1) in U.S. theaters.

Stars Salute New Orleans With Benefit Show

2006-08-29T15:47:00.000-07:00

Billboard Bits: Bob Dylan, Of Montreal, The Brokedown

2006-08-28T14:42:00.000-07:00

Online radio destination AOL Radio will begin simulcasting Bob Dylan's weekly XM Satellite Radio show "Theme Time Radio Hour" on Wednesday (Aug. 30). In addition, Dylan fans can catch 18 "Theme Time" shows back-to-back as part of XM's weekend special, which will stream on AOL Radio beginning Friday.
Dylan's "Theme Time Radio Hour" debuted in May 2006 and airs Wednesdays at 10 a.m. ET on XM's "Deep Tracks" channel, with additional encores airing throughout the week. This is the first time that the show is being made available to non-subscribers and free of charge.
As previously reported, Dylan's new album, "Modern Times," arrives tomorrow via Columbia.
-- Sven Philipp, N.Y.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Of Montreal will preview its next album during a short fall tour, which commences Sept. 1 in Vancouver. The set, "Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer," is due Jan. 23 via Polyvinyl and was produced by frontman Kevin Barnes. A full North American tour will follow its release.
Meanwhile, "The Satanic Twins," a remix collection of cuts from two prior albums, was released last week on Polyvinyl. Artists like Broken Spindles, Grizzly Bear and I Am The World Trade Center contribute to the double-vinyl collectible.
As previously reported, Of Montreal has been tapped for the Detour Music Festival in Los Angeles on Oct. 7 and was hand-picked by Beck to perform at Wired Magazine's Next Music series on Sept. 26 in New York.
-- Katie Hasty, N.Y.

XTC's Partridge Combs Archives For Mammoth Box

2006-08-28T14:41:00.000-07:00

XTC leader Andy Partridge recently combed his vaults and discovered an exorbitant amount of rarities and outtakes, resulting in the Oct. 16th Virtual Label release of the nine-disc box "The Fuzzy Warbles Collectors Album." Spanning Partridge's career, the set features alternate versions of many XTC favorites, unreleased tracks and also unfinished material that Partridge revisited and completed for this release.
"Working on this stuff took many years," Partridge tells Billboard.com. "I just kept writing -- who knows what's going to fall out? It was recorded in spare bedrooms, the kitchen, the attic and of course my now infamous garden shed. Pop songs, radio jingles, film and TV music, or just plain old goofing about."
Partridge rediscovered many forgotten tracks in the process. "'I Don't Want To Be Here' for one," he says. "Lots of folks love this song but XTC was pretty democratic, so if someone didn't go for a tune, it got binned. 'Everything' was another. One of the most touching lyrics I ever wrote -- in the toilet. 'The Bland Leading the Bland' -- so proud of this autobiographical rallying call to end that boring donut mentality. You can kind of see why I just didn't want these songs collecting dust and going unheard. We threw away better material than most bands made a career out of."
Among his other favorites: "Wonder Annual" ("I always thought XTC should have recorded this surprisingly structured psychedelic slice"), "End of the Pier" ("It would have made a great out-of-season seaside companion piece to 'Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her'") and "2 Rainbeau Melt" ("Some of my favorite-ever lyrics matched to a trippy improvised soundscape. It arrived too late for the 'Wasp Star' album").
Partridge also helped assemble the packaging, which he modeled after a child's stamp album. "How better to represent a large and diverse set of home recordings than to depict them as a series of imaginary stamps?," he says.
The artist has a number of other projects in the works, the first of which will be "a double-disc set of purely improvised music called 'Monstrance.' My partners in one-take, overdub-free, unrehearsed crime are Barry Andrews -- ex-XTC keys man from way back -- and [drummer] Martyn Barker. Let's face it, nothing short of capital punishment is going to stop me making music."

Talib Kweli Beats New 'Drum'

2006-08-28T14:40:00.001-07:00

Rapper Talib Kweli's next solo album, "Ear Drum," will be the first release under his newly formed Blacksmith Music/Warner Bros. imprint. Due later this year, the set features guest appearances from rhyming partner Hi-Tek, UGK's Bun B and Pimp C and Raheem DeVaughn, among others.
The first single is "Listen"; other album cuts include "More Or Less" featuring Hi-Tek and "Country Cousins" featuring UGK and Raheem DeVaughn.
The rapper says the new offering is an extension of his typically revolutionary rhymes. "The vast majority of my subject matter focuses on black self-love, black self esteem, black self=worth," he says. "That translates to other communities because if you're a human being, it doesn't matter what color you're talking about. You've been through some sort of struggle and you can apply it to your own life."
Also in the works from Kweli's Blacksmith artists are projects by rappers Jean Grae and Strong Arm Steady, whose members include Xzibit, Phil the Agony, Krondon and Mitchy Slick. "With Blacksmith, I want it to be a flag that everyone can wave," says Kweli.
Kweli will be on the road for the majority of September, including shows in Hamburg (Sept. 11), Paris (Sept. 13) and London (Sept. 14).

Akon Corrals Eminem, Snoop For New Album

2006-08-28T14:40:00.000-07:00

R&B vocalistproducer Akon will on Dec. 12 release his sophomore effort, "Konvicted," via SRC/Universal. The disc boasts collaborations with Snoop Dogg, Styles P and Eminem. The latter is featured on lead single "Smack That," a video for which will be directed by Benny Boom.
"Konvicted" will be the follow-up to 2004's "Trouble," which peaked at No. 11 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and has sold 1.4 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The set also spawned the singles "Lonely" and "Locked Up."
Since "Trouble," Akon has been a frequent guest contributor, appearing on projects by Rick Ross, Beenie Man and Obie Trice. He is also featured on Monica's new album, "The Makings of Me," due Oct. 3 via J.
In related news, Akon is developing a movie loosely based on his childhood in Senegal and his journey into the music business.

My Chemical Romance Fades Into 'Black'

2006-08-28T14:38:00.000-07:00

My Chemical Romance will debut "Welcome to the Black Parade," the first single from its similarly named upcoming album "The Black Parade," on Thursday (Aug. 31) during the MTV Video Music Awards pre-show. As previously reported, the album is due Oct. 24 via Warner Bros.
"'The Black Parade' is an epic, theatrical, orchestral, big record that is also a concept album," frontman Gerard Way said of the project during a recent press conference. "It has a very set story, but as you listen, the layers of that story peel away. What you're left with at the end is a story about mortality."
On the album, Way inhabits a character he dubs "the Patient," who at death re-experiences his strongest memory, which is of a parade he'd been taken to as a child by his father. In fact, Way says the band underwent a complete transformation during the recording process, to the point where it attributes the album to a group called the Black Parade.
"There was a certain point where it was so dark for us that it felt like we needed to become much more than brothers and we also needed to become a new band," Way says. "We really did it this time and became a different band. But make no mistake, we are My Chemical Romance still."
Other tracks expected to appear on "Welcome to the Black Parade" are "Cancer," "Famous Last Words," "I Don't Love You" and "Sleep."
The upcoming album is the follow-up to My Chemical Romance's 2004 breakthrough, "Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge," which has sold more than 1.4 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Rhino Boxes Up The Doors, Robert Plant

2006-08-25T09:52:00.001-07:00

Rhino is devoting massive new boxed sets to the careers of the Doors and Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant, both of which will arrive in time for the holiday season.
First up on Nov. 14 is the Plant box, "Nine Lives," which includes all nine of his post-Zeppelin solo discs as well as a DVD. Each album has been expanded with bonus tracks, beginning with 1982's "Pictures at Eleven," which includes the non-album cut "Far Post" and a 1983 live version of "Like I've Never Been Gone."
Three live tracks, including a cover of Bob Marley's "Lively Up Yourself," plus the previously unreleased studio cut "Turnaround," are found on 1983's "The Principle of Moments." Two rarities and the B-side "Oompa (Watery Bint)" enrich 1990's "Manic Nirvana," while five non-album tracks and demos will be found on 1993's "Fate of Nations."
Plant's Universal debut, 2002's mostly covers "Dreamland," includes the international-only track "Dirt in a Hole," while last year's "Mighty Rearranger" sports two non-album tracks plus remixes of "Tin Pan Alley" and "The Enchanter." The DVD rounds up 20 music videos as well as a comprehensive interview with Plant, testimonials from artists and admirers and a performance of "Song to the Siren" from a VH1 "Storytellers" taping.
The cleverly named Doors box, "Perception," arrives Nov. 21. It includes the band's original six studio albums remastered on CD, as well as a DVD with a new 5.1 DTS Surround Sound mix, rare audio and video tracks, photos and lyrics.
Highlights from the set include a previously unreleased version of "Indian Summer" from the band's self-titled 1967 debut, unissued takes of "Love Me Two Times" from the same year's "Strange Days" and the 17-minute "Celebration of the Lizard," which has been tacked onto 1968's "Waiting for the Sun."
"The Soft Parade" will include an unreleased take of "Touch Me," the previously unreleased track 'Push Push" and two live performances tapes for New York TV station WNET in 1969. The new version of 1970's "Morrison Hotel" sports eight alternate takes of "Roadhouse Blues" and a brief attempt at Chuck Berry's "Carol," while rehearsal footage of "Crawling King Snake" sees the light of day on the band's swansong, 1971's "L.A. Woman."
In conjunction with "Perception," Hyperion will on Nov. 7 release the Doors' first authorized autobiography, "The Doors by the Doors."

Frankie J's Got A 'Girl' On His Mind

2006-08-25T09:52:00.000-07:00

Singer Frankie J will on Oct. 17 issue his third solo album "Priceless," via Columbia. The set features guest appearances from Chamillionaire, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and Slim of 112, and production by Mannie Fresh, Bryan Michael Cox and StarGate, among others.
Frankie J wrote or co-wrote every track on the album, including lead single "That Girl," which was produced by Mannie Fresh and features Chamillionaire. The song is currently No. 54 on the Billboard Pop 100.
"With this album there's more of an edgy, urban feel," Frankie J tells Billboard.com. "I've wanted to work on something like this for a long time but we never really gave it that approach. This time around we finally came through."
The artist adds that the label granted him more songwriting and creative liberty than with his previous efforts. His favorite cut is the title track, which was produced by Cox. "It's a beautiful song, talking about love being priceless and being with the person you want to be with," he says. "That's where I got the [album] title from."
Another track he penned, "Still," is based on a friend's experience. "The song is basically talking about this girl from his past who comes back and tells him that she still loves him and wants to be with him but he's moved on with his life," says Frankie J. "[My friend] is married and has a family and all of a sudden one night he gets a call from an unknown number. The moment he picks up the phone he hears this girl and he recognizes her voice right away."
Tracks under consideration for the second single are "Never Let You Down" featuring Bone Thugs N Harmony and "If He Can't Be," which samples Billy Idol's "Eyes Without a Face."
"Priceless" will be the follow-up to 2005's "The One," which peaked at No. 3 on The Billboard 200 and has sold 875,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The singer's Spanish language album, "Un Nuevo Dia," bowed at No. 9 on The Billboard 200 in June; the second single from it will be "Por Favor," a duet with Sin Bandera.
In support of the album, Frankie J will kick off the 12-city outing Lo Maximo de la Musica Aug. 30 in Phoenix. The trek wraps up Sept. 24 in Washington, D.C. The singer is also planning a tour in support of "Priceless." "We're trying to balance touring in the States with touring in Mexico and the Latin countries," he says. "It's difficult because I'm trying to get in as much as I can."

Hicks Sues To Prevent Sale Of Early Tracks

2006-08-25T09:51:00.000-07:00

A federal judge in Birmingham, Ala., has temporarily barred a producer from selling songs recorded by "American Idol" winner Taylor Hicks when he was still just a gray-haired bar crooner from Alabama.
U.S. District Judge Virginia Emerson Hopkins issued the ruling Tuesday in a lawsuit filed by Hicks against William Smith of Nashville, after two songs written and sung by Hicks showed up for sale on the iTunes Web site.
Smith, in an interview yesterday (Aug. 24) with the Associated Press, said the songs were no longer for sale. The judge scheduled a hearing for Aug. 30 on whether to make her order permanent.
Hicks claimed Smith and his companies, William Smith Productions and Baldwin Entertainment, wrongly tried to make money selling three songs that Hicks wrote and recorded with Smith: "The Fall," "Son of a Carpenter" and "In Your Time."
Smith doesn't have rights to the music, Hicks claimed. Smith said he has signed contracts with Hicks, however. Smith also said he released the songs mainly to help fend off critics' bad reviews of Hicks' single, "Do I Make You Proud," released after he won "Idol" in May.
"It aggravated me because I knew what a gifted performer and writer he is," Smith said. "I love Taylor Hicks, and for three months I was refuting the bad press he was getting."
Hicks' suit says the songs were recorded in 1997, but Smith said Hicks recorded them in June 2001. Smith said he's not sure how many copies of the songs were sold, but Hicks will get any royalties he is due.
A sworn statement by Hicks' attorney, Michael J. Douglas, said the recordings were poor-quality demos. Distributing them could damage Hicks' reputation in the music industry and cause him "immense irreparable financial harm," the statement said.

Strait Feeling 'Natural' On New Album

2006-08-25T09:50:00.000-07:00

With its first single already burning up Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, George Strait will on Oct. 3 release his 34th album, "It Just Comes Natural." The MCA Nashville set is led by "Give It Away," which recently scored Strait his 73rd top 10 hit on Hot Country Songs, good for fourth all time behind Conway Twitty, George Jones and Eddy Arnold.
The album also features Guy Clark's "Texas Cookin'," the Lee Roy Parnell/Cris Moore-penned "One Foot in Front of the Other," "I Ain't Her Cowboy Anymore" and "How 'Bout Them Cowgirls."
"It Just Comes Natural" is the follow-up to last year's "Somewhere Down in Texas," which debuted at No. 1 both on The Billboard 200 and Billboard's Top Country Albums chart.
Strait is off the road for the time being but will begin touring again in early 2007.
Here is the track list for "It Just Comes Natural":
"Give It Away""She Told Me So""That's My Kind of Woman""Wrapped""It Just Comes Natural""He Must Have Really Hurt You Bad""Heart Like Hers""Why Can't I Leave Her Alone""One Foot in Front of the Other""I Ain't Her Cowboy Anymore""Texas Cookin'""Better Rain""How 'Bout Them Cowgirls""What Say""Come on Joe"

C-Miller Ordered Back Into House Arrest

2006-08-20T15:06:00.001-07:00

After a month of being free to move around Louisiana's Jefferson and Orleans parishes during approved hours, rapper Corey Miller, who once went by the stage name of C-Murder, was ordered back into house arrest, two days after a state appeals court ruled that the judge who removed him from the program did so improperly.
Until his retrial on second-degree murder charges, state District Judge Martha Sassone says Miller is to be placed on complete home incarceration and will not be allowed to leave his home at any time, except for a court hearing this month. Sassone issued the one-page order in response to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal's ruling earlier this week.
Sassone released Miller from the program July 13, during a hearing in which Jefferson Parish prosecutors argued that the rapper had violated house arrest rules and should be thrown back in jail. While removing him from the program, she placed Miller under a 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew and ordered him to stay within Jefferson and Orleans parishes.
Prosecutors appealed Sassone's decision, arguing to the Fifth Circuit that Sassone abused her wide discretion in making the decision.
A three-judge panel of the Fifth Circuit found "inadequate support" for the prosecutors' arguments of house arrest violations and that Sassone did not abuse her discretion.
Miller is accused of shooting 16-yeaer-old Steve Thomas in the chest during a fight on Jan. 12, 2002, in the now-closed Platinum Club in Harvey. A Jefferson Parish jury convicted him of murder in Sept. 2003, but Sassone granted him a new trial five months later on grounds that prosecutors withheld criminal histories of some of their witnesses.

Cirque Du Soleil Taking On Elvis Musical

2006-08-20T15:06:00.000-07:00

One month after debuting a surreal recreation of the Beatles' musical career, Cirque du Soleil announced plans to open an Elvis Presley-themed show on the Las Vegas Strip.
Known for its extravagant theatrical performances combining live music, dance and acrobatics, the Quebec-based circus troupe has teamed with CKX Inc., and its subsidiary Elvis Presley Enterprises, to create the show.
The show will have a permanent home at MGM Mirage's CityCenter hotel-casino when it opens, scheduled for November 2009, officials said in a statement.
The announcement of the show's location was timed for "Elvis Week" when Elvis fans from around the world flock to Memphis for the anniversary of his death on Aug. 16, 1977.
Presley performed at the Hilton hotel-casino in Las Vegas 837 times from 1969 to 1976. "And you can't really think about Las Vegas without considering Cirque du Soleil," CKX chief executive Robert F.X. Sillerman said.
European and Asian tours also are planned in the next 18 months, as well as an "Elvis Experience" museum opening in 2008. Production schedules and museum sites have not been announced.
CKX, which shares the rights to the name, image and likeness of Elvis Presley with his daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, owns the "American Idol" TV show, among other entertainment ventures.

Scissor Sisters Set For London AIDS Benefit

2006-08-20T15:05:00.001-07:00

The Scissor Sisters will play one of their biggest headlining shows in the United Kingdom as part of a Sept. 16 AIDS benefit at London's Trafalgar Square. Proceeds from ticket sales will go to RED, the anti-AIDS campaign co-founded by U2 frontman Bono.
The event will promote the release of the band's second album, "Ta-dah," which includes the Elton John-featuring single "I Don't Feel Like Dancing." Scissor Sisters' self-titled debut was the U.K.'s biggest selling title in 2004, according to the Official U.K. Charts Company.
The Trafalgar Square concert is a joint project with U.S. wireless carrier Motorola, which is using the event to promote its red-colored MOTOSLVR handset. Tickets are free but only available for 10 days beginning today (Aug. 18). Fans must text the word "MOTORED" to the number 80855 at a cost of $2.80.
"London is our spiritual home, and the U.K. gave us our first and longest-lasting embrace," group member Babydaddy told the media. "To be able to play this event in conjunction with the [RED] campaign and to launch our new album seemed the perfect match."
Motorola and its U.K. retail partners are also contributing $18.90 to the Global Fund from every sold MOTOSLVR device, which launched on May 15. U.K. mobile networks are donating 5% of the monthly bill generated via MOTOSLVR handsets to the fund.

Billboard Bits: Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Belinda, Graham Coxon

2006-08-20T15:05:00.000-07:00

Shout! Factory has acquired the catalog of progressive rock supergroup Emerson Lake & Palmer, Billboard.com has learned. The label will assume North American rights to 10 albums and a host of previously unreleased material. A reissue campaign will begin in January with a two-disc retrospective, "The Essential Emerson, Lake & Palmer."
Keyboardist Keith Emerson, bassist/guitarist Keith Lake and drummer Carl Palmer formed in 1969 and scored four top 10 albums on The Billboard 200 between 1971-1974. The trio is best known for tracks such as "Lucky Man," "Fanfare for the Common Man," "Touch & Go," "From the Beginning" and "C'est La Vie."
The group disbanded in 1979 but reunited to tour and record in the early 1990s. Its last album was 1994's "In the Hot Seat."

'Shadow' Falls On Two New Jurado Albums

2006-08-20T15:04:00.001-07:00

The last time singer/songwriter Damien Jurado went to whittle down songs for a new album, he chose not to do it. Unwilling to release a double album, Jurado has decided to bring forth half of those recordings this fall, with the remaining due next spring.
"I thought it might be pretentious to release a double-CD, making people buy both and all. It'd be pretentious and a generally bad idea, unless you like the Who," Jurado tells Billboard.com.
The result is "And Now That I'm In Your Shadow," due Oct. 10 via Secretly Canadian, plus another as-yet-untitled set. The two were divided stylistically, with "Shadow" the darker and "sadder" of the pair.
The two efforts will also mark the first time Jurado has released an album with a full-time band, having taken cellist/vocalist Jenna Conrad and multi-instrumentalist Eric Fisher into the fold. "They write their parts and I can't say a thing about it. I trust them, and whatever they come up with is so great," he says. "We all split the money three ways and each have our own responsibilities. 'We' are Damien Jurado."
Much of the recordings are based on Jurado's visits to Gray's Harbour, Wash., where he spent some of his teenage years. "We had a seventh and eighth grade junior high that only had something like a 100 kids going there. I remember hearing about a gym teacher who had affair with a students' mother or something, and the husband drove to the teacher's house when he found out. When I drove back out there to visit, it was all completely the same," he says from his home in Seattle. "Sometimes it's just so hard to get inspired in a city. Everything is so glossy and shiny. That's not what I'm about."
Jurado has been able to produce a release of some variety once a year nearly every year since his 1997 Sub Pop debut "Waters Ave S." With each successive set, he's tried hard to shrug his guy-with-a-guitar/folk image and be regarded simply as a songwriter capable of more than sad folk songs.
"I've always wanted my music to be cinematic feeling, like you're listening to the movie. I don't want it to be just some songs," he says. "I didn't want it to be folk or acoustic or indie rock, because if you try something new, people act like you can't get away with anything else. When I released [2002's rock-oriented] 'I Break Chairs,' critics just hated it and trashed on it. In reality, I know why they hated it. They wanted to hear [1999's critically acclaimed] 'Rehearsals for Departure' and I didn't give it to them."
The artist will tour with Rosie Thomas beginning in September in the United States, to be followed by a European run in October.

Paul Stanley Solo Album Due In October

2006-08-20T15:04:00.000-07:00

Kiss vocalist/guitarist Paul Stanley has inked with Universal's New Door imprint for the release of his first solo album since his self-titled 1978 debut. "Live To Win" is due Oct. 24; Stanley will support it with a club tour this fall.
"It's not 1978 anymore," Stanley told Billboard.com of the album last November. "It's certainly the same mentality, and certainly I'm a better singer today. My perspective and where I'm at in my life at this point, and what I've experienced and seen, brings something else to the table that wasn't there then. But I still look back on that album as a really great snapshot of who I was and what I was doing then."
Joining Stanley on "Live To Win" are session drummer Victor Indrizzo, guitarist Corky James, former Marilyn Manson guitarist John 5, former Kiss guitarist Bruce Kulick (who plays bass on a few songs), keyboardist Harry Sommerdahl and noted string arranger David Campbell.
Among the songwriting collaborators are Desmond Child, Holly Knight, Andreas Carlsson and Marti Frederiksen. Stanley wrote the track "Loving You Without You Now" on his own.
Here is the track list for "Live To Win"
"Live To Win""Lift""Wake Up Screaming""Every Time I See You Around""Bulletproof""All About You""Second to None""It's Not Me""Loving You Without You Now""Where Angels Dare"

Randolph Tunes To Surface With Thomas, Lanois, DMB

2006-08-20T15:03:00.000-07:00

Robert Randolph and the Family Band wrote enough tunes in the run-up to their sophomore album, "Colorblind," that several outtakes will wind up appearing on other artists' projects. As previously reported, "Colorblind" is due Sept. 26 via Warner Bros.
Randolph and company spent more than two weeks with working with producer Daniel Lanois, and while none of those tracks made the cut for "Colorblind," at least one is tipped to appear on Lanois' next studio album. "Working with him got me into a whole other headspace," Randolph tells Billboard.com.
Likewise, songs written with matchbox twenty's Rob Thomas intended for "Colorblind" will instead be considered for Thomas' second solo album. Look for Randolph on the next Dave Matthews Band album as well; Matthews and horn player Leroi Moore appear on the "Colorblind" track "Love Is the Only Way."
"Me and Dave got into a whole other array of songs, and one or two of those will be on his record," Randolph says.
With "Colorblind" finally ready for release, Randolph and company are plotting a fall headlining tour of North America to run from mid-October through early December. Van Hunt is in talks to open some shows.
"With this record, we didn't want to go into any long jams, because we know when we play the song live, it's going to be longer," Randolph says with a laugh. "If you watch Prince, any song he records could be nine minutes at a show, and even more crazy."

Duran Duran Moving Along On New Album

2006-08-20T15:02:00.000-07:00

Veteran British pop/rock outfit Duran Duran has no desire to slow down. Despite cruising well past its 25th anniversary as a recording entity, the members of the quintet are raring to hit the road again. Speaking from his villa in France, keyboardist Nick Rhodes tells Billboard.com the band will give total support to its forthcoming album, due in February or March via Epic.
"For us we found that since we got back together, not only have the live shows been a great joy for us, but since we notched up another 50 or 60 under our belt, we got back to the stage where it was really a well-oiled machine again," Rhodes says.
"If you don't play live for six months, nine months or a year even, you lose your efficiency," he continues. We promised ourselves that we would keep trying to play shows even when we hadn't got new things to promote."
At deadline, the only live dates on tap are a Sept. 23 in Warsaw, Poland, Oct. 29 at the Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans and Nov. 11 at the Bang! Festival in Miami.
In November and December, Duran Duran will apply the finishing touches to the as-yet-untitled new album, which is the follow-up to 2004's "Astronaut" (Epic). The set has sold has two million copies worldwide, according to a spokesperson.
"We have got a couple which definitely sound like contenders [for singles] so far, but I like to get everything finished so that we can take an objective view," Rhodes adds. "I listened to Marvin Gaye recently. It made me realize how beautiful some songs from that period can be. It gave me a few ideas, that's for sure."
In the meantime, online gamers will get the chance to catch the band in cyberspace. Beginning next month, each Duran Duran member will immerse their own character, or avatar, in the Second Life virtual world, becoming the first major band to do so. "When I first saw the Second Life site," says Rhodes, "It was a real epiphany for me." The group is aiming to perform their first virtual concert in the coming month.

Legend Avoids The Obvious On Sophomore Album

2006-08-20T15:01:00.000-07:00

R&B singer/songwriter John Legend will follow-up his Grammy-winning 2004 Sony Urban debut "Get Lifted" on Oct. 24 with a new album, "Once Again." Among the producers involved with the project are Kanye West, Raphael Saadiq and will.i.am., with whom Legend wrote seven songs in their first five days of collaboration, including the single "Save Room."
"I didn't go into the new album thinking about the Grammys I had won," Legend tells Billboard. "It's one of the greatest challenges of writing music-for it to not sound like what you think it's supposed to sound like or sound like the last album."
"The mind state we kept while working on this record was one of hunger, humility and fear," will.i.am says. "Since John and I first met, both of us have sold a lot of albums and won a bunch of Grammys. But we didn't think about that."
Saadiq adds that the pressures of recording a follow-up to a Grammy-winning album can be extraordinary. "You always put the pressure on yourself," he says. "That's how bad [songs] happen."
Legend spent about six months working on "Once Again," during which time he amassed 30 songs. "It was one of the most productive periods of my life," he says. "I was focused only on music. For the first time I didn't have to worry about school or a job."
Though many of his new songs are about the emotional angles of love == from bliss to the pain of a cheating partner, "Once Again" also houses a few social gems reminiscent of Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye, particularly the song "Show Me."
"It's a spiritual love song," Legend says. "You could be talking to God or your loved one in bed at night. It asks real questions about what's happening in the world today -- about wars and people dying and why God takes some and not others."

Busta Rhymes Arrested For Assault In New York

2006-08-20T14:59:00.000-07:00

Rapper Busta Rhymes has been arrested and charged with assault in New York, police said today (Aug. 20). According to the New York Daily News, Rhymes (real name: Trevor Smith) was investigated for assaulting a concertgoer who may have spit on the artist's car at yesterday's AmsterJam festival at Randall's Island.
Rhymes performed solo and in collaboration with Yerba Buena at AmsterJam, and also took numerous opportunities to promote his recent album, "The Big Bang" (he wore a yellow T-shirt emblazoned with the title).
Having been tipped off that the police were looking for him after his set, Rhymes and his entourage tried to leave the area but were arrested around 8 p.m. Saturday. He was questioned for several hours and then released.
The Daily News says police utilized the opportunity to question Rhymes about the Feb. 5 murder of his bodyguard, Israel Ramirez, during a Brooklyn video shot. Rhymes has to this point refused to cooperate with investigators.
According to the Daily News, police believe the shooting stemmed from a fight involving G-Unit rapper Tony Yayo, in whose car the shooter is believed to have escaped. Yayo has also declined to be interviewed about the case.

Billboard Bits: Jeff Beck, Ween, KeKe Wyatt

2006-08-15T17:06:00.001-07:00

Guitar god Jeff Beck will begin a four-week U.S. small venue tour Sept. 6 at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Tampa, Fla., wrapping Oct. 1 at the Ikeda Theatre in Mesa, Ariz. Beck, who just concluded a European outing, will play House of Blues Clubs in Orlando (Sept. 8), Myrtle Beach, S.C. (9), Atlantic City (16) and Las Vegas (29), along with casinos, theaters and the Tweeter Center in Mansfield, Mass., with Carlos Santana.
Beck's band for the tour will be Randy Hope-Taylor on bass, Vinnie Colaiuta on drums, Jason Rebello on keyboards and Beth Hart on vocals. Aside from a limited West Coast run last April, this will mark the first time in nearly 20 years that Beck will perform in the U.S. with a singer.
Meanwhile, on Oct. 10, Legacy will reissue the Beck albums "Beck-Ola" and "Truth."
-- Ray Waddell, Nashville

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Once it wraps a run of shows Sept. 17 at the Austin City Limits festival, Ween plans to spend the rest of the year finishing its as-yet-untitled new studio album. "We have about 40 new songs that we wrote and recorded since the beginning of the year and we are now gonna focus all of our attention on completing the new Ween album," guitarist Mickey "Dean Ween" Melchiondo writes on the band's Web site.
As previously reported, Ween has been working all year on the album at a 200-year-old farmhouse in Pennsylvania. The group will perform Aug. 31 in Allentown, Pa., and Sept. 1 in Syracuse, N.Y., alongside the Flaming Lips and Sonic Youth, and will also play an Austin City Limits warm-up on Sept. 15 in Tulsa, Okla.
-- Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
R&B vocalist Keke Wyatt has signed to TVT and is working on her as-yet-untitled sophomore set, due next year. The new disc will be the follow-up to her 2002 MCA debut "Soul Sista," which peaked at No. 33 on The Billboard 200 and has sold 566,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
The album also spawned the single "My First Love" featuring Avant. "I'm looking to create my own buzz once again," says Wyatt, a former member of Girl's Tyme, the teenage girl group that also included Destiny's Child members Beyonce Knowles and Kelly Rowland.

Jett, Eagles Of Death Metal Make Touring Team

2006-08-15T17:06:00.000-07:00

After completing a stint on the Vans Warped Tour just this past weekend, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts have announced a fall tour in support of their new record, "Sinner."
With Eagles Of Death Metal as openers, the 19-day jaunt begins Oct. 12 at the Theatre of Living Arts in Philadelphia and winds up on Nov. 19, although more shows will be added. Throw Rag, Riverboat Gamblers and Valient Thorr will also open for a handful of shows each.
"Sinner," the rock icon's first album in 12 years, was released in June via Jett's own Blackheart label. At Warped, she was performing alongside up-and-comers such as Rise Against, Anti-Flag and Underoath.
"The Warped tour likes to get bands that represent where a lot of this music came from, the punk rock, the predecessors, and I guess that's where I fit in with the Runaways," Jett told Billboard in May. "It's the first time I've done a traveling festival like this where every [act] gives them 30 minutes of hell, right?"
In addition, Jett will perform for the first time on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" on Sept. 20.
Here are Joan Jett/Eagles Of Death Metal tour dates:
Oct. 12: Philadelphia (Theatre of Living Arts)Oct. 13: Boston (Avalon Ballroom)Oct. 15: New York (Irving Plaza)Oct. 17: Washington, D.C. (9:30 Club)Oct. 21: Cleveland (Agora Theatre)Oct. 26: Chicago (Vic Theatre)Oct. 27: St. Louis (Pop's)Oct. 29: Denver (Ogden Theatre)Nov. 1: Seattle (Showbox)Nov. 2: Portland, Ore. (Roseland Theatre)Nov. 4: San Francisco (Fillmore)Nov. 7: Los Angeles (Henry Fonda Theatre)Nov. 10: Las Vegas (House of Blues)Nov. 11: Tempe, Ariz. (Marquee Theatre)Nov. 13: Dallas (Gypsy Tea Room)Nov. 14: Austin, Texas (Stubbs BBQ)Nov. 17: Orlando, Fla. (House of Blues)Nov. 18: Atlanta (Roxy Theatre)Nov. 19: North Myrtle Beach, S.C. (House of Blues)

Deftones Rock With SOAD's Tankian On New Album

2006-08-15T17:05:00.001-07:00

Rock act the Deftones will break a three-year silence on Oct. 31 with fifth studio album, "Saturday Night Wrist." The 12-track set features a guest appearance from System Of A Down vocalist Serj Tankian on "Mein" and Giant Drag frontwoman Annie Hardy on the electronica-tinged "Pink Cellphone."
Deftones drummer Abe Cunningham told Billboard.com in February that the band nearly broke up while soldiering through "Saturday Night Wrist," which he describes as "a very complete record."
"If there was a VH1 'Behind the Music' special on us, it would be the perfect episode with divorces and all kinds of crap," he said. "It was just lack of communication. Thankfully, we've been reattaching our limbs."
The album kicks off with the detuned riff-fest "Hole in the Earth" and is further highlighted by heavy, melodic tracks such as "Cherry Waves," the punishing "Combat" and "Rats," which careens from screamed verses to a less in-your-face chorus. The set also features an instrumental, "Interlude."
The Deftones are in the midst of the Family Values tour with Korn, which next visits Denver tonight (Aug. 15).
Here is the track list for "Saturday Night Wrist":
"Hole in the Earth""FM""Beware""Cherry Waves""Mein""Interlude""Tilde""Rats""Pink Cellphone""Combat""The Earth""Comanche"

Westerberg, Stinson Together Again On 'Open Season'

2006-08-15T17:05:00.000-07:00

On the heels of their surprise reunion to record two new songs for the recent Replacements best-of, Paul Westerberg and Tommy Stinson are together again on two songs from the "Open Season" soundtrack, due Sept. 26 via Lost Highway. The animated film, which features the voices of Ashton Kutcher and Martin Lawrence, opens three days later.
The album includes 10 Westerberg originals, of which "Love You in the Fall" and"Right to Arm Bears" boast Stinson on bass. One Westerberg track each is performed by Pete Yorn ("I Belong [Reprise]") and Deathray ("Wild As I Wanna Be").
"Open Season" is rounded out by Deathray's "I Wanna Lose Control (Uh Oh)" and the Talking Heads' "Wild Wild Life." The score was penned by Westerberg and Ramin Djawad.
Westerberg first broke the news he was making a foray into film scoring in a 2004 Billboard.com interview. "I wouldn't like to do that as a regular job and do five movies a year and all that, but it's a viable ... alternative to touring," he said.
Here is the track list for "Open Season":
"Meet Me in the Meadow," Paul Westerberg"Love You in the Fall," Paul Westerberg"I Belong," Paul Westerberg"I Wanna Lose Control (Uh Oh)," Deathray"Better Than This," Paul Westerberg"Wild Wild Life," Talking Heads"Right To Arm Bears," Paul Westerberg"Good Day," Paul Westerberg"All About Me," Paul Westerberg"Wild As I Wanna Be," Deathray"Whisper Me Luck," Paul Westerberg"I Belong (Reprise)," Pete Yorn

Interpol Inks New Deal With Capitol

2006-08-15T17:03:00.000-07:00

New York rock act Interpol has parted ways with indie home Matador Records and will sign a new deal with Capitol, sources say. The group is now being managed by Dave Holmes, whose clients also include Capitol flagship artist Coldplay.
Billboard.com understands the group will hit the studio in the fall to begin recording its third album, which is tentatively due in mid-2007. In July, the group wrote on its Web site that it had already spent six months crafting material but had yet to begin recording.
The quartet found immediate success with Matador thanks to its 2002 debut, "Turn on the Bright Lights," which has sold 438,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Its 2004 follow-up, "Antics," has shifted 435,000 units, and debuted at a career-best No. 16 on The Billboard 200.
With its Matador contract up, the band was a highly coveted free agent in recent months and was courted by a number of major-labels. Sources say Capitol had expressed interest in Interpol as early as 2001, when label president Andy Slater met with the band prior to its signing with Matador.
The news follows quickly on the heels of Capitol's signing of U.K. phenom Lily Allen, who scored a No. 1 single earlier this month with "Smile." The label also snapped up indie rock titan the Decemberists, whose label debut, "The Crane Wife," will arrive Oct. 3.

Freddy Fender Diagnosed With Incurable Cancer

2006-08-03T10:50:00.001-07:00

Musician Freddy Fender has incurable cancer, discovered after tumors were found on his lungs, and his wife said they are "hoping for a miracle."
"I feel very comfortable in my life," Fender told the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. "I'm one year away from 70 and I've had a good run. I really believe I'm OK. In my mind and in my heart, I feel OK. I cannot complain that I haven't lived long enough, but I'd like to live longer."
Fender started his career in the late 1950s and hit the charts with "Before the Next Teardrop Falls," "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights" and "You'll Lose a Good Thing." He has won three Grammy Awards, the most recent in 2002.
He was to have surgery in early January to remove the upper left lobe of his lung because of a fungal infection, but surgeons found two large tumors and left the lobe intact. Fender underwent chemotherapy in late January but stopped because of its side effects. A scan later found nine more tumors.
He was resting at his home in Corpus Christi, said Vangie Huerta, his wife and manager, adding that she did not ask doctors to estimate how long he might live.
Fender, who has canceled all performances, has decided to resume chemotherapy at a lower dosage. "We can prolong his life with medication or chemo, but it's not a cure," his wife said.
Fender received a kidney from his daughter in 2002 and a liver transplant in 2004. He has had problems with diabetes and hepatitis C.

Elton, Music Rising Earn Billboard Touring Honors

2006-08-03T10:50:00.000-07:00

Sir Elton John and Music Rising will receive the Legend of Live and Humanitarian Awards, respectively, at the Third Annual Billboard Touring Conference & Awards, to be held Nov. 8-9 at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York.
Awards at the Nov. 9 reception will also go to a wide variety of tours, venues, and touring professionals, based on data reported to Billboard Boxscore between Dec. 1, 2005, and Sept. 30, 2006.
But rather than recent accomplishments, John's recognition will be based on his remarkable career achievements. He will be the first artist ever honored with the Legend of Live Award, which recognizes concert business professionals who have made a significant and lasting impact on the industry. Previous Legend winners include Rolling Stones producer Michael Cohl (2004) and Cellar Door Concerts founder Jack Boyle (2005).
John, whose first began touring in the U.S. in 1970, has over the course of four decades been one of the most consistent and critically acclaimed live performers in the business. In the last 15 years alone, John has notched nearly $600 million in grosses and 10 million in attendance from more than 600 public performances reported to Boxscore.
"Next March on his 60th birthday [John] will perform his 60th sold out show at Madison Square Garden," his manager Merck Mercuriadis says. "I do not believe I have ever seen another artist as happy and passionate on stage as he is."
Music Rising is a musical instrument replacement fund founded by U2's the Edge, producer Bob Ezrin, and Gibson Guitar chairman Henry Juszkiewicz, with MusiCares and the Guitar Center Foundation.
"We are so thankful to Billboard for this recognition," says Ezrin, "especially because it keeps the devastated musical culture of the Central Gulf in the minds of our peers. We need the help of the entire industry to restore that culture. This award shines a brilliant light on that need."
Jusczkiewiz says when Music Rising was launched in November 2005 with the intention of helping as many musicians affected by the Hurricane disasters as possible. "We have helped close to 2,000 musicians regain their livelihood and the spirit of a region in our country rich in music heritage and tradition," he says.
Adds the Edge, "We are just trying to help out our brother musicians from the Gulf Coast, and while getting this award is a great honor and a wonderful thing, we feel like there is still so much to do before New Orleans and the whole area are back to full strength. Here's to seeing that day."

Furtado Still No. 1 But Beyonce, Fergie Heat Up

2006-08-03T10:49:00.000-07:00

Nelly Furtado's "Promiscuous" featuring Timbaland extends its reign atop the Billboard Hot 100 and Pop 100 charts to six weeks. On the former tally, Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" and Cassie's "Me & U" hold at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively. "Crazy" also fronts the Hot Digital Songs chart for a third week.
But "Me & U" is unseated on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs after one week, replaced by Young Dro's "Shoulder Lean" featuring T.I., which is also the Hot 100's greatest airplay gainer, rising 15-13.
Beyonce's "Deja Vu" featuring Jay-Z rockets 32-4 on the Hot 100 while Fergie's "London Bridge" soars 84-5 in its second week. The 81-point leap is the second biggest jump in Hot 100 history, runner-up only to this year's 86-4 move of the "High School Musical" track "Breaking Free" by Zac Efron, Andrew Seeley and Vanessa Anne Hudgens.
Elsewhere on the chart, the Pussycat Dolls' "Buttons" featuring Snoop Dogg falls 4-6, Yung Joc's "It's Goin' Down" descends 5-7 and Christina Aguilera's "Ain't No Other Man" holds at No. 8. The Fray's "Over My Head (Cable Car)" warms the No. 9 spot and Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie" featuring Wyclef drops 6-10 to round out the top tier.
Jessica Simpson's "A Public Affair" is the Hot 100's greatest sales gainer, ascending 30-14, and Breaking Benjamin's "The Diary of Jane" earns the top debut at No. 55.
Also new are Shareefa's "Need a Boss" featuring Ludacris (No. 91), Hannah Montana's "Best of Both Worlds" (No. 92) and Ciara's "Get Up" featuring Chamillionaire (No. 93).
Mana's "Labios Compartidos" leads Hot Latin Songs after debuting atop the chart last week, while Koji Kondo's "Super Mario Brothers Theme" maintains its pole position on Hot Ringtones for a 10th week. Daniel Powter's "Bad Day" remains atop the Adult Contemporary tally for a 15th frame.
On the Hot Country Songs tally, Rodney Atkins' "If You're Going Through Hell (Before The Devil Even Knows)" rises 3-1, ending the three-week run of Brad Paisley's "The World."
Three Days Grace's "Animal I Have Become" leads the Mainstream Rock chart for a third week and AFI's "Miss Murder" holds atop Modern Rock for a second.

Rare tracks from Bruce Springsteen, Aerosmith, the Strokes and Coheed & Cambria can be found on the compilation "SERVE," which is being sold exclusive

2006-07-20T06:12:00.000-07:00

The state of Arkansas is prepared to pardon Keith Richards for being a reckless driver, 31 years later. The state Parole Board on July 3 approved an application for clemency submitted on behalf of Richards by Gov. Mike Huckabee. Huckabee has until 30 days from Tuesday to sign it, clearing Richards' record.
Richards was arrested July 5, 1975, as he, bandmate Ron Wood, a security guard and a fan traveled from Memphis to Dallas. The group had stopped in Fordyce for lunch, then got back on the road with Richards driving.
A Fordyce officer saw the car swerve -- Richards said later he bent to adjust the radio -- and stopped the vehicle. Police said they smelled marijuana and took the four to City Hall.
Richards was charged with reckless driving and possession of a concealed knife, and the fan was charged with possession of a controlled substance. The knife charge was dropped, and Richards pleaded guilty to reckless driving and paid a $162.50 fine.
A Stones publicist said she knew nothing about the application for clemency. Messages left for Richards' manager weren't returned.
Huckabee plays bass guitar in a band called Capitol Offense that performed for the Republican National Convention in 2004 in New York. The governor said he got the idea for a pardon when he realized that Richards' impression of Arkansas "was marred by a misdemeanor traffic stop."
During a Stones concert in Little Rock in March, Richards, 62, asked whether anyone in the audience was from Fordyce, adding, "I used to know the chief of police there."

Billboard Bits: 'SERVE,' Busdriver, Dave Matthews Band

2006-07-20T06:11:00.000-07:00

Rare tracks from Bruce Springsteen, Aerosmith, the Strokes and Coheed & Cambria can be found on the compilation "SERVE," which is being sold exclusively at Hard Rock Cafe locations throughout the United States. Proceeds will benefit Artists Against Hunger & Poverty as part of a major campaign for World Hunger Year.
Springsteen has donated a "string version" of "Secret Garden," while the Strokes offer a home recording of "Alone, Together." Aerosmith and Coheed & Cambria have contributed acoustic renditions of the tracks "Jaded" and "A Favor House Atlantic," respectively.
Here is the track list for "SERVED":
"Secret Garden" (String Version), Bruce Springsteen"Jaded" (Acousic Mix), Aerosmith"Life for Rent," Dido"Alone, Together" (Home Recording), the Strokes "Shelter," Ray LaMontagne"A Favor House Atlantic" (Live Acoustic Version), Coheed & Cambria"Slither," Velvet Revolver"Ocean Breathes Salty," Modest Mouse"Just Like Me," DMC featuring Sarah McLachlan"Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous" (Live Acoustic Version), Good Charlotte"Let Love Rule," Lenny Kravitz"Chicago Seemed Tired Last Night," the Hold Steady
-- Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Los Angeles rapper Busdriver has signed with Epitaph/Anti-, which is eyeing an early 2007 release for his fifth album and label debut, "RoadKillOvercoat." The set's first single, "Kill Your Employer (Recreational Paranoia Is the Sport of Now)," will arrive Sept. 26. Other album cuts include "Sunshowers" and "Secret Skin."
The follow-up to 2005's "Fear of a Black Tangent" was produced by DJ Nobody and Boom Bip. Known for his eccentric rapping style, Busdriver has risen to indie acclaim in recent years thanks to his own work in addition to collaborations with DJ Z-Trip, Daedelus and indie rock act Islands.
-- Clover Hope, N.Y.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dave Matthews Band's recent two-night stint at Boston's Fenway Park will be released as a four-CD set as part of the band's Live Trax series. The shows featured such new songs as "Can't Stop" and "The Idea of You," which are expected to appear on DMB's in-progress studio album, plus live rarities like "Proudest Monkey" and a cover of Neil Diamond's classic "Sweet Caroline."
DMB will return to the road July 28 in Hartford, Conn., and will remain on tour through a Sept. 22-23 stand in its Charlottesville, Va., hometown.
-- Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.

Former Police guitarist Andy Summers has seen it all during his five decades in music, and he's preparing to share his memories with the world. First

2006-07-20T06:10:00.001-07:00

Former Wilco multi-instrumentalist Jay Bennett will release his next solo album, "The Magnificent Defeat," Sept. 26 through Rykodisc. The follow-up to a pair of releases in 2004, the 13-track album was apparently pared down from 70 tunes written over the last three years.
"In retrospect, I realize that the primary catalyst was a sequence of unfortunate events in my life," Bennett says. "Four close relatives passing away in the span of one year, major illness in my immediate family, going through a divorce brought me to a low point in my life ... But it kicked off a creative flurry of songwriting and recording."
Collaborating with David Vandervelde, Jonathan Pines and "some other hand-picked and trusted Urbana [Ill.] folks" like Edward Burch, Tim Edwards, Ian Fell and Justin Walden, Bennett embraced a number of musical instruments, including seven Hammond organs, a bowed Kay bass and a Playskool tambourine.
"Like most studio obsessives, I have the requisite arsenal of vintage guitars, both acoustic and electric, and a lot of keyboards, but these aren't even necessarily my preferences," he says. "No, I'm 'Master of the garage/yard sale.' And over the years, I have put together 'The Land of Misfit Instruments.'"
The result is a melodic collection of heavily rhythm-based songs, each with something twisted or particularly DIY in the production. Two songs from the album, "5th Grad" and "Replace You,” are featured on Bennett's MySpace page.
As chronicled in the Wilco documentary "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart," Bennett left the Chicago group shortly before "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" was completed. "I'm in a great place now after this whole experience, and am as proud of this record -- if not more than -- as anything else I've done to date,” he says.
Here is the track list for "The Magnificent Defeat":
"Slow Beautifully Seconds Faster""5th Grade""Wide Open""The Palace at 4AM""Replace You""Out All Night""Thank You""Phone Book""Overexcusers""Survey the Damage""Butterfly""I'm Feelin' Fine""Good as Gold"

Summers' Slate: Two Books, Album, Soundtrack

2006-07-20T06:10:00.000-07:00

Former Police guitarist Andy Summers has seen it all during his five decades in music, and he's preparing to share his memories with the world. First up is his autobiography, "One Train Later," due Oct. 3 via St. Martin's Press. A second book, filled with photos Summers shot during the Police's short but storied career, will arrive next spring from Taschen.
"I've had a fairly amazing life and I've been very lucky," Summers, now 63, told Billboard.com this morning (July 19) from his California home. "I've been in on all the amazing moments and I've lived through very colorful decades."
But the artist is also juggling a variety of musical projects, including scoring his first film in 15 years, the upcoming Danny DeVito star vehicle "One Part Sugar." "I'm going to the studio today to start that," he said. "I'm about to cut all the pieces up."
Summers has also completed a guitar duo album with Ben Verdery, with whom he performed last fall at New York's Carnegie Hall. "It's all original, although we did do [the Police's] 'Bring on the Night,'" Summers says. "Ben is a hardcore Police fan and loved the arpeggio from that song. He plays all kinds of weird stuff on a classical guitar plus retuned 12-string with chopsticks. I mostly play a sustained electric guitar sound. We're not playing jazz. It's improvisational, but very pretty. It's very ethereal but it has some really gnarly moments at well. There's even a sort of surf tune on it as well."
Although he's entertaining offers from several labels to release the album, Summers is also considering simply issuing it via his Web site early next year. Also on the horizon is a trip to Brazil at the end of November to record and play a handful of shows with legendary Brazilian guitarist Roberto Menescal.
As previously reported, Summers' book isn't the only Police-driven product about to hit the marketplace. Drummer Stewart Copeland's documentary, "Everyone Stares," drawn from his personal home movies of the band, will premiere Aug. 6 on Showtime and be released on DVD shortly thereafter.

Matisyahu Hits The Road With Gomez, Polyphonic Spree

2006-07-20T06:09:00.000-07:00

July 19, 2006, 4:30 PM ET
Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.Hasidic reggae rapper Matisyahu will hit the road this fall for U.S. dates with the Polyphonic Spree and Gomez. The trek begins Sept. 3 in Denver and runs through a Sept. 20 appearance at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium.
Beforehand, Matisyahu will also visit Lollapalooza in Chicago on Aug. 6 and play dates in Santa Barbara, Calif., and Los Angeles with Michael Franti & Spearhead on Aug. 8-9, respectively.
The artist is touring in support of his 2005 studio debut, "Youth," which opened at No. 4 on The Billboard 200 and has sold 451,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
Here are Matisyahu's tour dates:
Aug. 6: Chicago (Grant Park; Lollapalooza)Aug. 8: Santa Barbara, Calif. (Santa Barbara Bowl; w/ Michael Franti & Spearhead) Aug. 9: Los Angeles (Greek Theatre; w/ Michael Franti & Spearhead)Sept. 3: Denver (City Lights Pavilion; w/ Polyphonic Spree)Sept. 4: Aspen, Colo. (Snowmass Village; w/ Keller Williams, Polyphonic Spree)Sept. 6: Redmond, Wash. (Marymoor Amphitheatre; w/ Polyphonic Spree)Sept. 7: Troutdale, Ore. (Edgefield; w/ Polyphonic Spree)Sept. 9: San Jose, Calif. (Civic Auditorium; w/ Polyphonic Spree)Sept. 10: Berkeley, Calif. (Community Theatre; w/ Gomez)Sept. 12: San Diego (Viejas Concerts at Bayside; w/ Gomez)Sept. 13: Mesa, Ariz. (Mesa Amphitheatre; w/ Gomez)Sept. 16: Grand Prairie, Texas (Nokia Live; w/ Flaming Lips)Sept. 17: Austin, Texas (Austin City Limits)Sept. 19: Atlanta (Fox Theatre; w/ Gomez)Sept. 20: Nashville (Ryman Auditorium; w/ Gomez)

Basement Jaxx Scratches New 'Itch'

2006-07-15T06:01:00.000-07:00

Veteran electronica duo Basement Jaxx will return Sept. 12 with is new album, "Crazy Itch Radio." The 14-track XL Recordings set is the follow-up to 2003's "Kish Kash," which debuted at No. 2 on Billboard's Top Electronic Albums chart.
In addition to the usual host of party-friendly dance tracks ("Everybody," "Hush Boy"), "Crazy Itch Radio" also features the grime-drenched "Run 4 Cover" with Lady Marga, the dark soul of "Lights Go Down" with vocalist Linda Lewis and the lounge-y "Keep Keep On."
The group also stretches out on the beguiling "Take Me Back to Your House," accurately described as "banjo house," in that it prominently features that very non-dance instrument. "On the Train" puts a modern spin on a jazzy pop melody, while "Hey You" boasts vocals from Swedish pop act Robyn as well as a 30-strong chorus of orphans from the African nation of Malawi.
Basement Jaxx is touring internationally throughout the summer, including opening dates for Robbie Williams, but has penciled in a handful of October shows in New York and Los Angeles. A longer North American tour is in the works for 2007.
Here is the track list for "Crazy Itch Radio":
Intro "Hush Boy""Zoomalude""Take Me Back to Your House""Hey You""On the Train""Run 4 Cover""Skillalude""Smoke Bubbles""Lights Go Down"Intro Reprise"Everybody""Keep Keep On""U R on My Mind"

Mariah Looking To Tour For Musical Inspiration

2006-07-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

When not onstage during her fast-approaching Adventures of Mimi: The Voice, the Hits, the Tour, Mariah Carey says she'll be laying down the groundwork for her next album. "I'm doing something I've never done before," the singer tells Billboard. "I'm doing the tour bus this time around. There will be much time for writing songs."
Carey says she's looking forward to the cross-country drive. "It's an experience I've never had," she says. "It will reconnect me, in a deeper way, to what's going on in the world -- to what people are doing and thinking."
The artist says she is looking to the road trip for lyrical and creative inspiration. "I fall back in love with the recording process and the studio when I've been away from it," she offers.
As previously reported, Carey's outing begins Aug. 5 in Miami. Three U.S. shows on the itinerary were pulled and substituted with dates in Canada, a move attributed by tour promoter Live Nation more to heat north of the border than softness in the United States.
"She sold out Toronto, she sold out Vancouver, she did over 10,000 tickets in Montreal, and she did well in Edmonton," Live Nation VP Brad Wavra says. "Why not gog into Winnipeg and Calgary and add another show in Toronto? The Canadian market is very hot now, and the exchange rate makes it very affordable to go up there and not feel like we're playing for short money."

Jackson Associate Testifies At Trial

2006-07-12T04:30:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson tried to fire the man he hired to produce a benefit recording for victims of the 2001 terrorist attacks after learning the associate once directed gay porn movies, according to the entertainer's former lawyer.
Zia Modabber testified yesterday (July 10) that he broke the news to Jackson about F. Marc Schaffel's background, showing him a video of Schaffel at an adult film shoot. "I think he didn't want to believe it was real or true," said Modabber. "He appeared angry, upset."
Jackson called Schaffel and told him he was off the charity project, said Schaffel, who also took the stand yesterday. Jackson is being sued by Schaffel for $3.8 million for what Schaffel says are unrepaid loans and expenses, and unpaid salary for work on the charity record, "What More Can I Give."
Modabber's testimony was elicited as Jackson's side sought to show Schaffel enriched himself at the entertainer's expense. Modabber was permitted to testify on limited subjects after invoking attorney-client privilege.
He identified a stack of letters that moved between him and Schaffel's lawyer after Schaffel was notified that he was being terminated by Jackson.
"My focus was on doing what I could to get the rights to release the single," Modabber said of the song, which was being held up because Schaffel claimed rights to it. "I got involved with trying to clean up that mess."
Modabber's letters continually warned that Schaffel "has no rights to exploit, distribute or in any way pledge any interest in the master recording of 'What More Can I Give.'"
But he said that Schaffel went ahead and at one point collected $900,000 from the company Music Fighters. He said the company essentially received nothing.
In a videotaped deposition shown earlier in the trial, Jackson unequivocally stated that he was the composer of the song and the rights belong to him.
With Modabber still on the witness stand, Schaffel's lawyer, Howard King, attempted to show that Jackson intended for Schaffel to have rights to the record.
Modabber said he was aware that in 2003 Jackson began working on something with Schaffel again, and he protested, saying, "We should not be doing business with Mr. Schaffel." Asked how Jackson's people responded, the witness said, "I was told they were handling it."
Earlier, Jackson's attorney questioned Schaffel about his rush to issue 18 backdated checks totaling $784,000 in the days after being fired by the pop star.
Showing Schaffel one of the checks, Thomas Mundell said, "And you dated it November 14 because you knew if you dated it after that you would run into problems because of the termination?"
"Yes," said Schaffel.

Ozzy Bringing Forth Rockers, Ballads On New CD

2006-07-12T04:27:00.000-07:00

Ozzy Osbourne is getting ready to enter another chapter in his diary of a madman -- with longtime sidekick Zakk Wylde alongside. "There's a bunch of kick-ass stuff on there," Wylde tells Billboard.com of the material earmarked for Osbourne's 15th solo album. "It is just ass-kicking, heavy stuff, and we've got the ballads, some piano stuff and some acoustic stuff."
Wylde's Black Label Society is headlining the tour's second stage, and the guitarist is also playing with Osbourne on the select dates the former Black Sabbath frontman is doing on the tour.
He says "It would've been great if we got [Osbourne's album] done before the Ozzfest, but it's like trying to cram three pounds of crap into a two-pound leaking bag, if you know what I mean. There's not enough hours in the day to get everything done."
"But right now it's coming out slamming. I think once the Ozzfest is done, Ozz can start writing at home in the studio and start knocking vocals out." The as-yet-untitled album is Osbourne's first featuring all original material since 2001's "Down to Earth."
Wylde, meanwhile, will release Black Label Society's sixth album, "Shot to Hell," on Sept. 19. Wylde, who co-produced the set with Michael Beinhorn, cracks that the title refers to "what happens to our kidneys, livers and pancreas, being out on the road with Black Label."

Tool Expands Tour, Drafts Isis For Support

2006-07-12T04:26:00.000-07:00

Tool has expanded the itinerary for its next round of North American touring, which, as previously reported, will begin Aug. 5 with a performance at the San Diego Street Scene festival. Dates are now on tap through Sept. 29 in Mansfield, Mass.
Tool is out in support of its new album, "10,000 Days," which has already sold 1.1 million copies in the United States since its May release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The single "Vicarious" remains in the top 5 of Billboard's Modern Rock chart after 11 weeks.
Instrumental rock act Isis has been drafted as the opening act for all but the first four shows of the tour. The group's as-yet-untitled new album features eight songs spread out over nearly an hour of music, according to Isis' Web site. It will arrive Oct. 31 via Ipecac.
Here are Tool's tour dates:
Aug. 5: San Diego (Street Scene Festival)Aug. 6: Fresno, Calif. (Selland Arena) Aug. 18-19: Honolulu (Blaisdell Center)Aug. 22: Vancouver (GM Place)Aug. 24: Calgary, Alberta (Pengrowth Saddledome)Aug. 25: Edmonton, Alberta (Rexall Place)Aug. 27: George, Wash. (Gorge Amphitheatre)Aug. 29: West Valley, Utah (E Center)Aug. 30: Englewood, Colo. (Coors Amphitheatre)Sept. 1: Las Vegas (Theatre Under the Stars)Sept. 2: Marysville, Calif. (Sleep Train Amphitheatre)Sept. 3: Oakland, Calif. (Oakland Arena)Sept. 5: Bakersfield, Calif. (Rabobank Arena)Sept. 7: Los Angeles (Staples Center)Sept. 11: Woodlands, Texas (Mitchell Pavilion)Sept. 12: San Antonio (AT&T Center)Sept. 14: Dallas (American Airlines Center)Sept. 15: Kansas City, Mo. (Kemper Arena)Sept. 16: Minneapolis (Target Center)Sept. 18: Chicago (Allstate Arena)Sept. 21: Columbus, Ohio (Nationwide Arena)Sept. 22: Auburn Hills, Mich. (Palace of Auburn Hills)Sept. 23: Toronto (Molson Amphitheatre)Sept. 25: Cleveland (Wolstein Center)Sept. 28: Camden, N.J. (Tweeter Center)Sept. 29: Mansfield, Mass. (Tweeter Center)

Snoop Wading Through 300 Songs For New Album

2006-07-12T04:25:00.000-07:00

Snoop Dogg has set Oct. 17 as the release date for his next Doggystyle/Geffen solo album, "Blue Carpet Treatment." Prospective tracks for the new disc were previewed for media in New York yesterday (July 10). Stevie Wonder, the Game, R. Kelly, Brandy and Daz & Kurupt are among the potential guest artists.The album boasts production by the Neptunes, Timbaland and Rick Rock, among others. Snoop has also been recording with longtime friend and collaborator Dr. Dre for the past few months, though it is unknown whether any of those tracks will surface on "Blue Carpet."Lead single "Vato" featuring B. Real of Cypress Hill and production by the Neptunes addresses the conflict between African-Americans and latinos in certain areas of California. The title is a Spanish slang term meaning "homie."Snoop is in the process of selecting roughly 16 album cuts out of 300 songs he recorded, according to a Doggystyle representative. "I've been working on [the album] for nine months," the rapper "told Billboard last month. "I have so much good material, it's about [figuring out] what I'm going to use on my record."Tracks under consideration include the jazzy "Think About It" (produced by Frequency), the Hyphy-influenced "Candy" featuring E-40, MC Eiht, Goldie Loc and Daz & Kurupt (produced by Rick Rock) and "That's That S**t" featuring R. Kelly. One confirmed track is the Neptunes-produced "So Special" featuring Brandy.
CM8ShowAd("Middle");
var CM8ScriptStandardClick="http://web.checkm8.com/adam/em/click/71401/cat=vnu_music_bb.News_and_Reviews.News.Article";
var CM8ScriptStandardClickPrefix=CM8ScriptStandardClick+";url=";

Stevie Wonder met up with Snoop a year ago to record a remake of his song "Have a Talk With God." Snoop has also produced several tracks for the album ("Gang Banging 101" featuring the Game) under the alias Ni**aracci.In conjunction with the album, Snoop will release the DVD "The Adventures of The Blue Carpet Treatment" in November. The disc will feature 10 animated videos for songs on the album such as "Getting Heavy," as well as additional tracks that are all threaded together. Snoop is in talks to feature the series on Cartoon Network's "Adult Swim" and plans to leak two or three of the videos on the Internet via iTunes or YouTube. In addition, the soundtrack to his upcoming movie "A Woman's Touch" will arrive in February, a month before the film hits U.S. theaters.

Pink Floyd Co-Founder Syd Barrett Dies At 60

2006-07-12T04:24:00.000-07:00

Pink Floyd co-founder Roger "Syd" Barrett died Friday (July 7) at the age of 60, reportedly due to complications from diabetes. The artist, who left Pink Floyd in the late 1960s after his mental health began to decline, spent the better part of the past 30 years living in seclusion with his mother in Cambridge, where he was born on Jan. 6, 1946.
"The band are naturally very upset and sad to learn of Syd Barrett’s death," the surviving members of Pink Floyd said in a statement. "Syd was the guiding light of the early band lineup and leaves a legacy which continues to inspire."
Pink Floyd began life in 1965 as most unassuming U.K. bands of the era did: as a run-of-the-mill blue rock combo. Led by the enigmatic Barrett and staffed by bassist Roger Waters, keyboardist Rick Wright and drummer Nick Mason, Pink Floyd quickly began to push the boundaries of conventional rock, attracting underground acclaim for their trippy live shows.
Barrett proved himself a true genius, blending elements of pop and psychedelia on early singles such as "See Emily Play" with mysterious, almost light-hearted lyrics. Pink Floyd's 1967 debut album "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" still stands as one of the best psychedelic rock albums ever, driven by Barrett's oddball narratives and the band's skill with both long jams and perfect pop nuggets.
But as Barrett's intake of LSD increased, his behavior became increasingly peculiar (especially in a live setting, where he'd often lapse into a zombie-like state), so much so that the rest of Pink Floyd were no longer able to work with him.
It was at this point that guitarist/vocalist David Gilmour joined the band, allowing Pink Floyd to continue playing live while Barrett worked out his problems. The rest of the group hoped Barrett would at least still be able to write songs, but this too proved to be impossible, and he was dropped from Pink Floyd entirely by early 1968.
Gilmour and members of Soft Machine helped the fragile singer through two solo albums released in 1970, "The Madcap Laughs" and "Barrett," on which he teetered between lucidity and madness. But his off-kilter ingenuity shined through on tracks like "Wouldn't You Miss Me (Dark Globe)," "Octopus," "Gigolo Aunt," "Terrapin," "Effervescing Elephant" and "Baby Lemonade," which would influence generations of singer/songwriters and rock bands alike.
By 1974, Barrett was beset by a myriad of mental problems and retreated to Cambridge, rarely to be seen in public again except to run errands or chat briefly with the Pink Floyd devotees who would knock on his front door, hoping for a glimpse of their idol.
However, he remained an influence on his former bandmates, who dedicated the song "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" and the 1975 album "Wish You Were Here" to him. Barrett showed up unannounced during recording sessions for the album, but due to his weight gain and hairless appearance, was at first not even recognized by the rest of the group.
In later years, Barrett lived off royalties from the Pink Floyd albums on which he played, as well as compilations and concert albums featuring his compositions. At their reunion performance during last summer's Live 8 benefit, Gilmour, Waters, Wright and Mason performed "Wish You Were Here" in Barrett's honor. Gilmour also performed the solo Barrett track "Dominoes" live during his spring world tour.
Aside from his two studio albums, Barrett's music can also be heard on the 1988 EMI outtakes compilation "Opel" and the 1993 boxed set "Crazy Diamond," which featured additional previously unreleased material. The 2001 collection "The Best of Syd Barrett: Wouldn't You Miss Me?" offered a never-before-issued song, "Bob Dylan Blues," reportedly found on a reel of tape that had been in Gilmour's possession for 30 years.
"I can't tell you how sad I feel," wrote David Bowie on his Web site. "Syd was a major inspiration for me. His impact on my thinking was enormous. A major regret is that I never got to know him." Bowie covered "See Emily Play" on his 1973 album "Pin-Ups."

My Morning Jacket Channels The Band, Preps Live CD/DVD

2006-07-08T04:58:00.000-07:00

My Morning Jacket recently trekked to Woodstock, N.Y., to record a cover of the Band's "It Makes No Difference" for a star-studded Band tribute album, due Jan. 9 via Savoy Jazz. The catch: the song was put to tape at the studio of the Band's drummer, Levon Helm, bringing MMJ's members face to face with one of their musical idols.
"Recording that song at Levon's place was bittersweet," MMJ drummer Patrick Hallahan tells Billboard.com. "It was one of the highest honors our band will ever receive, but we were very aware of the potential pain he would feel from hearing that song recorded by someone else. [Late Band members] Rick Danko and Richard Manuel were amongst the purest musicians to ever grace the art, and to conjure up their loss was something we feared and respected."
MMJ recently began featuring "It Makes No Difference" in its live sets, and even drafted Eddie Vedder to guest on the track while opening for Pearl Jam this spring. Still, choosing which Band song to cover for the tribute album was not an easy process.
"Picking a song from their catalog was like looking at your group of close friends and deciding which one is 'the closest,'" Hallahan admits. "You find that they're all 'the closest' in their own relative way. We hold that song in the utmost reverence. It's not only one of the saddest love songs ever written, but more importantly highlights the beauty of Rick Danko. His delivery on that song is one of the first reasons I fell in love with the Band in the first place."
According to album's executive producer, Stu Fine, the as-yet-untitled Band project will also feature contributions from Jack Johnson, Los Lobos, Dr. John, Allen Toussaint, Rosanne Cash, Joe Henry and Bruce Hornsby. Death Cab For Cutie has covered "Rocking Chair" for the album, while Gomez has put its own spin on "Up on Cripple Creek."
"Just by word of mouth, I'm getting phone calls from managers saying, 'My artist is begging me to get involved in this,'" Fine says. "We're looking for a repertoire as diverse as the Band's very unique history."
As for My Morning Jacket, the band has just been added to the lineup for next month's Lollapalooza festival in Chicago and will re-team with Pearl Jam as an opening act for 11 September dates on the latter's first European tour since 2000.
As previously reported, an MMJ live album and DVD, "Okonokos," will be separately released in the fall. The double-disc CD is due Sept. 26, while the DVD will arrive Oct. 31 and will also be screened at select U.S. movie theaters. Eschewing the straight-up "film the show" approach, the latter follows a storyline that transports fans to an MMJ show in the middle of a forest.

Dallas Austin Pleads Guilty To Drug Charges In Dubai

2006-07-04T16:25:00.000-07:00

Grammy-winning producer Dallas Austin, who has crafted songs for TLC, Madonna and Michael Jackson, pleaded guilty today (July 2) to cocaine charges in the United Arab Emirates country of Dubai. Austin faces up to four years in prison when he is sentenced Tuesday, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
"I'm pleading guilty but by mistake," Austin was quoted as saying during a short hearing. "I had no knowledge and no intention of violating the laws of the U.A.E."
The songwriter, whose life story was loosely depicted in the 2002 movie "Drumline," was arrested May 19 at Dubai's airport. He was on his way to a three-day birthday party for supermodel Naomi Campbell at a Dubai hotel, the newspaper reported. He was charged with cocaine possession and has been held without bail at a police station.
The newspaper said four attorneys accompanied Austin to the hearing: Mohammad al-Reda of the United Arab Emirates, Qays Hatem al-Zu'bi of Bahrain, Joel A. Katz of Atlanta and another American lawyer who declined to give his name.

Shakira, Lostprophets Overtake U.K. Charts

2006-07-04T16:24:00.000-07:00

"Hips Don't Lie" (Epic) by Shakira featuring Wyclef Jean, already a major hit in many European territories, climbed 2-1 on the new U.K. singles chart, while Welsh rock band Lostprophets reached a new career peak as their third album, "Liberation Transmission," debuted at No.1.
Although there were no top 10 debuts on the singles chart, three songs climbed into the upper reaches, led by "Buttons" (A&M) by Pussycat Dolls featuring Snoop Dogg, which moved 11-3 and prompted a 23-7 climb for their "PCD" album. Ne-Yo's "Sexy Love" (Def Jam) jumped 21-5 and English rockers the Kooks improved 14-7 with "She Moves in Her Own Way" (Virgin).
The highest new entry, at No. 13, was "Smile" (Regal Recordings) by Lily Allen, a teenage rapper and daughter of English actor and comic Keith Allen. Like Allen's single, Razorlight's "In the Morning" (Vertigo) debuted on download sales only at No. 15.
Lostprophets' impressive album chart debut follows the No. 8 ranking last week for their first single "Rooftops (A Liberation Broadcast)." The band reached No. 4 with their previous album, "Start Something," in 2004.
The Zutons climbed 8-5 with their second album, "Tired of Hanging Around" (Deltasonic), while Rihanna's "A Girl Like Me" (Def Jam) improved 19-10.
British band Keane followed up their No. 4 debut on The Billboard 200 with "Under The Iron Sea" (Universal Island) by securing a second week atop the European Top 100 Albums chart. "Hips Don't Lie" tops he Eurochart Hot 100 Singles tally for the fourth consecutive and sixth aggregate week.

Throng Greets Lil' Kim Outside Philly Jail

2006-07-04T16:23:00.000-07:00

Lil' Kim celebrated Independence Day one day early with her release from a Philadelphia federal detention center this morning (July 3) after nearly 10 months behind bars. The rapper, who was sent to prison for lying about a shootout outside a New York radio station, walked out of the jail looking glamorous in sunglasses and an all-white, cleavage-baring outfit.Carrying a balloon and a bouquet of white roses, she waved to dozens of cheering onlookers -- some carrying signs that said, "Welcome Home, Queen Bee" -- before getting into a silver Rolls Royce. The car pulled into a nearby parking lot where she re-emerged to greet the throng."I love you," she said, blowing kisses. Some fans stayed up all night to ensure they made it downtown in time for her 6 a.m. release.The 4-foot-11 entertainer, whose real name is Kimberly Jones, began serving her time in the detention center Sept. 19. She was sentenced to a year and a day in prison, but was released early for good behavior.She will remain under house arrest for 30 days and be under supervised release for three years.

Pharrell Finds Time For N.E.R.D., Jay-Z

2006-07-04T16:21:00.000-07:00

Now that his oft-delayed Star Trak/Interscope solo debut, "In My Mind," is set for a July 25 release, Pharrell Williams is focusing on promoting the new disc and honing other projects. The Neptunes super producer will head to the studio later this year to begin recording a third N.E.R.D. album with partner Chad Hugo and rapper Shay.
"We're going back in," Williams tells Billboard.com. "I would like to have a first single drop in the first or second quarter of next year." The new N.E.R.D. offering will be the follow-up to the trio's 2004 set "Fly or Die," which bowed at No. 6 on The Billboard 200 and has sold 412,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
In addition to collaborating with artists such as Ludacris, Beyonce, Snoop Dogg and, as previously reported, Velvet Revolver, Williams says the Neptunes are also producing new music for Jay-Z, who is rumored to be working on a comeback album.
"I don't like talking about sh*t like that -- I like people to hear the record," says Williams, remaining tightlipped about the disc. "Different people inspire different things from me so the songs [I produce] are never going to sound the same. I used to have a formula maybe six or seven years ago but that got boring."
Williams is also developing projects by his Star Trak artists, including Slim Thug, the Clipse and Fam-Lay, whose new single is titled "Da Beeper Record." He is featured on the Clipse's latest cut, "Mr. Me Too," which steadily climbing the R&B/Hip-Hop charts.
At one point, he and the Clipse had been attempting to sever ties with Jive following its merger with Arista. "Everything is fine with the Clipse. I worked out my differences with Jive and made sure things were straight," says Williams. "They're on Star Trak under Jive and the song is getting a lot of burn."
On the fashion side, Williams was recently tapped to appear in ads for Louis Vuitton's fall and winter collections. "After I designed some sunglasses for them, they asked me what else I wanted to do," he says. "I said I wanted to do jewelry so that's coming out in '07 and I'm doing watches in '08." The producer also plans on opening two more stores for his Ice Cream clothing collection: one in New York and another in Osaka, Japan.

Keith Richards Suits Up For Third 'Pirates' Film

2006-07-04T16:20:00.000-07:00

Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards is lined up to play the swashbuckling father of a pirate in the third installment of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" series, star Johnny Depp said yesterday (July 3).Producer Jerry Bruckheimer said Richards would have a cameo role as the father of the flamboyant Captain Jack Sparrow, played by Depp, in the third "Pirates" movie, which is due to resume filming next month in California.Depp, 43, has said he adopted the body language and mannerisms of the veteran guitarist to create Captain Jack's character. "We're all looking forward to the idea of Keith coming in and doing a cameo," Depp told a London news conference to promote "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest," which opens in Britain tomorrow."You never say it's definite until the guy steps on the set and the camera is rolling. But it's looking very, very good," he said.Richards, 62, suffered a head injury in late April, when he reportedly fell out of a palm tree while vacationing in Fiji. Having made a full recovery, he will join the Stones for their rescheduled European tour, beginning Tuesday in Milan.

Molina Finishes Six New Albums, Preps Two For Fall

2006-06-29T08:05:00.000-07:00

Jason Molina, principal force behind acclaimed outfits Songs: Ohia and Magnolia Electric Company, has finished no less than six new albums, Billboard.com has learned. Secretly Canadian is currently planning to release all six, but only two this year. The first is a vinyl-only album, "Let Me Go, Let Me Go, Let Me Go," due Aug. 22.
"This type of release was inspired by Shellac, and with the numbers that we have sold over the years in this format, there are still a lot of people that appreciate this format," Molina tells Billboard.com. "They like the presentation of 'Side A' and 'Side B' material -- I try to make songs that are 'family' like."
"Let Me Go" was recorded over three days in Molina's garage studio and unlike previous releases, this is "essentially all acoustic instruments," he says. "I write a huge amount of material and throw most of it out. At times I will get in the studio and force myself to just write an entire front-to-back record and 'Let Me Go' is one of these. I felt it's thematically and audibly eerie enough to keep their original recordings."
The titles of the other five albums are "Fading Trails," "The Nashville Moon," "The Sun Studio Sessions," "The Black Ram" and "Shohola." "The Nashville Moon" was recorded by Steve Albini and mixed at Abbey Road Studios, while "The Black Ram" is a collaboration with Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker founder David Lowery.
Due Sept. 12, "Fading Trails" is a collection of songs from all of these recording sessions. On July 25, Magnolia Electric Company will kick off a short North American tour with Ladyhawk in Omaha, Neb.

Gill Drafts Top Stars For Quadruple Album

2006-06-29T08:03:00.000-07:00

Vince Gill is readying an unusual boxed set for fall release, Billboard.com has learned. While most such sets are career retrospectives, Gill's ambitious, four-CD package, "These Days," will feature only new material. The set's 43 songs range from traditional country and bluegrass to jazz and rock, showcasing Gill's mastery of various musical styles.The project is chock-full of guest musicians, including Sheryl Crow, Bonnie Raitt, Diana Krall, Rodney Crowell, Phil Everly, the Del McCoury Band, Emmylou Harris, John Anderson, Lee Ann Womack, LeAnn Rimes, Gretchen Wilson, Guy Clark, Trisha Yearwood, Bekka Bramlett, Michael McDonald and steel guitar player Buddy Emmons.Gill's wife, Amy Grant, and his daughter, Jenny Gill, are also featured. The artist says he was not bound by deadlines or rules in creating this package, due Oct. 17 via MCA Nashville, and enjoyed the artistic freedom that it brought. He produced the set with Justin Niebank and keyboardist John Hobbs.
CM8ShowAd("Middle");
Gill’s last studio album, “Next Big Thing,” debuted in March 2003 at No. 14 on The Billboard 200 and has sold 286,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Notes From Backstage At The BET Awards

2006-06-29T08:02:00.000-07:00

News and notes from backstage at the 2006 BET Awards, held last night (June 27) at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
In line with BET's tradition of surprise appearances, it had been rumored that this year's awards show would feature a salute to the Jackson family and that Michael would be in the house as well. However, despite sightings of patriarch Joe Jackson backstage, the only Jackson who took the stage was Janet. She reunited for a brief moment with former "Good Times" cast mates Jimmie Walker, Bernadette Stanis and Ralph Carter during a segment preceding T.I.'s performance. Janet portrayed Penny in the now-syndicated sitcom.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It looks like BET may be spinning off a new hip-hop awards show. BET president of entertainment Reginald Hudlin and senior VP of corporate communications Michael Lewellen acknowledged there was a "shred of truth to the rumors," but declined to reveal any further details. Stay tuned for a possible announcement in the next two weeks.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Onstage and backstage, OutKast touted the long-awaited release of their next album (Aug. 22) and new movie "Idlewild" (Aug. 25). Of the latter, Big Boi would say only that it is "not a typical musical and features two stories going on at the same time." Asked about the album, Andre 3000 described it as a "new OutKast album and not a traditional soundtrack."
And though Andre will still record and work in the studio with Big Boi on other projects, he is giving up the live performance aspect of his career. "I lost the love for it," he said. "But Big Boi will be out there hitting the road." Andre is gearing up for the fall premiere of his Cartoon Network show, "Class of 3000." When asked about the status of his involvement in a proposed movie about Jimi Hendrix, Andre answered cryptically, "I can't talk about it right now. But keep your prayers going."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lil' Kim's mom Ruby and brother Christopher announced backstage that the imprisoned rapper is scheduled for early release next week. The most tasteless reporter query the pair graciously answered: How does it feel to have an incarcerated child.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Asked how he's gotten through all his trials and tribulations, rapper T.I. noted, "I have five kids. I look at them; their wants never let up." As for any future acting gigs, he described his turn in "ATL" as "enlightening. I have a lot of [other acting] opportunities lined up but no decisions have been made yet." On his immediate schedule are upcoming albums by his Grand Hustle artists Young Dro (who accompanied T.I. backstage) and Governor.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Accompanied by two of his new acts, Young Joc and Cassie, Sean "Diddy" Combs acknowledged that Bad Boy has "gone through a little drought. But these two artists show how strong Bad Boy is right now." Young Joc has been riding the top of Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart with "It's Goin' Down," while Cassie is climbing the same chart with "Me & U."
Diddy, who will receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame this year, noted that his own album is now due Oct. 3 and will bring people back to the dance floor. He also declared that the album will be his last as a solo artist and that he plans to "transcend into more movies." He's due to begin filming a new film adaptation of "A Raisin in the Sun" (he also starred in the Broadway revival of the play) this September, due for theatrical release next May.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hip-hop veteran Father MC says he has a new album, "Unexpected," due on Aug. 18, but did not reveal what label is releasing the project.

Blige, Brown, West, Foxx Lead BET Winners

2006-06-29T08:00:00.001-07:00

Mary J. Blige, Chris Brown and "Gold Digger" duo Kanye West and Jamie Foxx shared double wins at the 2006 BET Awards last night (June 27). Picking up respective statuettes as best female R&B artist and best duet/collaboration, Blige and West with Foxx also tied for video of the year honors.R&B newcomer Brown walked away with a best new artist trophy as well as the viewers' choice award. Airing live from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, the sixth annual ceremony saluted several first-time winners. Prince was named best male R&B artist, rapper T.I. claimed best male hip-hop artist and Kirk Franklin was christened best gospel artist. Anthony Hamilton was the inaugural winner of the first BET J Cool Like That Award, which commemorates this year's re-launching of the former BET Jazz channel. Rounding out the list of music-category winners was best group honoree the Black Eyed Peas.Receiving special tributes were actor/activist Harry Belafonte (the BET Humanitarian Award) and R&B pioneer Chaka Khan (BET Lifetime Achievement Award). Khan's segment provided one of the evening's most compelling moments as Prince, Stevie Wonder, Yolanda Adams and India.Arie performed songs from the singer's illustrious career.Bookending the ceremony were Beyonce's performance of her new single "Deja Vu" with Jay-Z and Prince closing the proceedings with the title track from his current album, "3121."
CM8ShowAd("Middle");
Also turning in memorable performances: Busta Rhymes (featuring surprise appearances by Eminem and Missy Elliott) and Foxx, who engaged in a passionate kiss with Fantasia during their performance of Foxx's "DJ Play a Love Song."Actor/comedian Damon Wayans hosted the 2006 BET Awards, which also recognizes achievements in acting and sports. An encore telecast will air Friday.Here are the 2006 BET Awards winners: Best Male Hip-Hop Artist: T.I.Best Female Hip-Hop Artist: Missy ElliottBest Male R&B Artist: PrinceBest Female R&B Artist: Mary J. BligeBest Gospel Artist: Kirk FranklinBest New Artist: Chris BrownBest Duet/Collaboration: Kanye West featuring Jamie Foxx ("Gold Digger")Best Group: Black Eyed PeasBest Actor: Terrence HowardBest Actress: Taraji P. HensonMale Athlete of the Year: LeBron James (basketball)Female Athlete of the Year: Venus Williams (tennis)BET J Cool Like That: Anthony HamiltonVideo of the Year (tie): Mary J. Blige ("Be Without You"), Kanye West featuring Jamie Foxx ("Gold Digger")Viewers' Choice: Chris Brown

Furtado Scores First Chart-Topping Album

2006-06-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

Bowing at No. 1 on The Billboard 200, Nelly Furtado's "Loose" is the sole album to sell more than 100,000 copies this week in the United States, according to Nielsen Soundscan. The Mosley Music/Geffen set shifted 219,000 units, earning Furtado her best single-week sales and her first No. 1 on the big chart.
The album's first single, "Promiscuous" featuring Timbaland, has been inescapable on radio and has peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Furtado's 2000 debut, "Whoa, Nelly!," peaked at No. 24, while her 2003 sophomore set, "Folklore," topped out at No. 38.
Underoath's third full-length effort, "Define the Great Line," debuts at No. 2 and takes over the No. 1 spot on the Top Rock Albums and Top Christian Albums charts. Without the benefit of radio airplay, The Tooth & Nail album sold 98,000 copies in its first week. "Define the Great Line" is the highest charting Christian album on The Billboard 200 since LeAnn Rimes' "You Light Up My Life -- Inspirational Songs" sat at No. 1 for three non-consecutive weeks in 1997.
The Dixie Chicks' "Taking the Long Way" (Columbia) slips 2-3 with 87,000 units, a 33% drop in sales from the previous week. Keane's second Interscope album, "Under the Iron Sea," moved 75,000 copies in its first week to open at No. 4. This far surpasses the U.K. rock trio's 2004 debut, "Hopes and Fears," which opened at No. 173 and eventually reached No. 45.
After entering at No. 1 last week, Busta Rhymes' Aftermath release "The Big Bang" tapers off to No. 5 with a 67% sales decline at 69,000. After 24 weeks on the Billboard 200, the soundtrack to Disney's "High School Musical" falls 4-6 with 66,000 (-17%).
Field Mob scores its first top 10 entry with "Light Poles and Pine Trees" after partnering with Ludacris and his Disturbing Tha Peace label. The group has earned better chart positions with each subsequent release: 2001's "613: Ashy To Classy" opened at No. 195, while 2002's "From Tha Roota To Da Toota" debuted at No. 33.
Gnarls Barkley's "St. Elsewhere" finally cracks the top 10 tier in its seventh week on the chart, ascending 11-8 with 58,000, despite a 9% drop in sales. AFI's Tiny Evil/Interscope release "Decemberunderground" continues downward, moving 3-9 with 57,000 (-45%). The soundtrack to Disney's Pixar-animated film "Cars" slows down 6-10 with at 25% sales hit at 59,000.
R&B singer Donell Jones' "Journey of a Gemini" bows at No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart, a first for him, and enters at No. 15 on The Billboard 200. The LaFace set moved 49,000 copies. Other big debuts include Corinne Bailey Rae's self-titled debut on Capitol (No. 17, 40,000), Guster's Reprise set "Ganging Up on the Sun" (No. 33, 30,000), Madonna's "I'm Going to Tell You a Secret" (No. 33, 25,000) and the Motown soundtrack to "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift" (No. 40, 21,000).
At 9.3 million units, overall CD sales were down 10% from the previous week and down 8% compared to the same week a year ago. Sales for 2006 are down 4% compared to 2005 at 261 million units.

Tori Amos Boxes Up Hits, Rarities For 'A Piano'

2006-06-27T10:19:00.000-07:00

Tori Amos will be the subject of the five-disc boxed set "A Piano," due Sept. 26 via Rhino. The 86-track compendium will be housed in a piano-inspired package and rounds up material from her studio albums, alternate mixes from the time period and new mixes recently supervised by Amos.
The track list runs in chronological order and is explained in liner notes penned by Amos. Among the songs appearing on "A Piano" for the first time are the unedited single version of "Crucify," an alternate mix of "Walk to Dublin" and the studio outtakes "Not David Bowie," "Dolphin Song" and "Zero Point."
The fifth disc includes a "demo medley" of several tracks plus the "Cherokee Edition" of "Home on the Range." Amos has just begun work on her new studio album in Cornwall, England. It will be the follow-up to 2005's "The Beekeeper."
Here is the track list for "A Piano":
Disc 1:"Leather" (Alternate Mix) "Precious Things" (Alternate Mix)"Silent All These Years""Upside Down""Crucify" (Unedited Single Version)"Happy Phantom""Me and a Gun""Flying Dutchman" (Alternate Mix)"Girl""Winter""Take to the Sky (Russia)""Tear in Your Hand""China" "Sweet Dreams""Mother" (Alternate Mix)"Little Earthquakes"
Disc 2:"Cornflake Girl""Honey""Take Me With You""Baker Baker" (Alternate Mix)"The Waitress" (Alternate Mix)"Pretty Good Year""God""Cloud on My Tongue""Past the Mission" (Alternate Mix)"Bells For Her""Yes, Anastasia" (Alternate Mix)"Blood Roses""Mr Zebra""Caught a Lite Sneeze" (Alternate Mix)"Professional Widow" (Merry Widow Version - Live)"Beauty Queen/Horses""Father Lucifer""Marianne"
Disc 3:"Walk to Dublin" (Sucker Reprise)"Hey Jupiter" (Dakota Version)"Professional Widow" (Armand"s Star Trunk Funkin" Mix)"Putting the Damage On""Bliss" (Remixed Version)"Suede""Glory of the 80's""1000 Oceans""Concertina" (Single Remix Version)"Lust""Datura""Sugar" (Soundcheck)"The Waitress" (Live)"Snow Cherries From France""Doughnut Song" (Remixed Version)
Disc 4:"A Sorta Fairytale""Not David Bowie""Amber Waves""Iieee" (Remixed Version)"Playboy Mommy" (Remixed Version)"The Beekeeper""Jackie's Strength""Zero Point""Sweet the Sting""Ode to My Clothes""Spark""Intro Jam"/"Marys of the Sea""Cruel" (Remixed Version)"Dolphin Song""Gold Dust"
Disc 5:"The Pool""Never Seen Blue""Daisy Dead Petals""Beulah Land""Sugar""Cooling""Bachelorette""Black Swan""Mary" (Tales Version)"Peeping Tommi""Toodles Mr. Jim"
Demo Medley:"Fire-Eater's Wife/Beauty Queen" (Demo)"Playboy Mommy" (Demo)"A Sorta Fairytale" (Demo)
"This Old Man""Purple People""Here. In My Head""Hungarian Wedding Song""Merman""Sister Janet""Home on the Range" (Cherokee Edition)"Frog on my Toe"

Top Stars Sign On For Bennett TV Special

2006-06-27T10:18:00.000-07:00

Tony Bennett will celebrate his 80th birthday in style -- with a star-studded music special on NBC to be directed and executive produced by "Chicago" helmer Rob Marshall.
"Tony Bennett: An American Classic" is based on Bennett's upcoming album featuring duets with some of the music business' biggest names. A number of them -- including Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Diana Krall, k.d. lang, Michael Buble, John Legend, Juanes, trumpeter Chris Botti and violinist Pinchas Zukerman -- will perform with Bennett on the show.
Also set to appear on the hour-long program are Robert De Niro, Billy Crystal and Catherine Zeta-Jones, who was an Oscar winner for her role in "Chicago." The program has begun filming at the historic Los Angeles Theatre and will air in the fall in conjunction with the Sept. 26 release of Bennett's new album, "Duets -- An American Classic."
Additionally, Marshall is bringing on board his team of Oscar-winning production designer John Myhre, Oscar-winning costume designer Colleen Atwood, Oscar-winning cinematographer Dion Beebe and choreographer John DeLuca.
Marshall will executive produce "American Classic" with Bennett's son/manager Danny Bennett and DeLuca. "It's a tribute and celebration to Tony," Danny Bennett said of the special, whose genre he describes as a "documusical," a musical journey through his father's life.
Each musical performance will be shot as a short movie about a milestone in the entertainer's career, with sets recreating such pivotal venues as the Greenwich Village club where Bennett was discovered by Bob Hope in 1949; Carnegie Hall, where he held one of his most successful concerts in 1962; and the Sahara Hotel and Casino, where he performed in the late '70s.
Zeta-Jones, De Niro and Crystal will be setting the stage for the performances with insights about Bennett's life during the time period highlighted by the song. At the end of the special, Bennett will take the stage alone to sing his signature number, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco."

Pink All About The Music On Summer Tour

2006-06-27T10:17:00.000-07:00

Pink, who begins her headlining tour of North America tonight (June 27) in San Francisco, says that this time out she's all about the music rather than the spectacle.
"It's going to be awesome, because it's not a huge production," she tells Billboard.com. "It's much smaller, more intimate venues. When I go to Europe I do the big production deal and it's fun; I love theatrics and I love to dance and climb on things. But I do, first and foremost, only care about singing and the music and how good it sounds."
Pink's tour is promoting her fourth album, "I'm Not Dead," which debuted in April at No. 6 in The Billboard 200. A European leg begins Sept. 27 in Zurich; Pink says she will be on the road until September 2007.
In addition to her own material, the artist will work a few covers into her shows, but she promises they'll be different than in previous years. "We've done (Four Non Blondes') 'What's Up' and Janis [Joplin] covers for about five years now," she says, "so I think we're retiring those. We're going to start doing some other ones -- I'm thinking possibly Violent Femmes and," she adds with a laugh, "possibly a little Britney."
While she's on the road, Pink will also be anticipating the release of "Catacombs," a horror film from the producers of "Saw" and "The Hostel" that she shot during the spring in Romania. She co-stars with Shannyn Sossamon as sisters caught in the underground catacombs of Paris.
"It's pretty intense," Pink notes. "It's not only a sort of slasher-type, scary movie -- it's also psychological and shows how mean and cruel siblings can be to one another. I liked that part of it." No release date has been set for the film.

Axl Rose Arrested In Stockholm

2006-06-27T10:16:00.000-07:00

Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose was arrested in Stockholm early this morning (June 27) after allegedly biting a security guard in the leg outside his hotel, police said.Rose, who performed in the Swedish capital last night, was being held on suspicion of attacking and threatening the guard, as well as causing damage to the Berns Hotel where the alleged scuffle took place, police spokeswoman Towe Hagg said.Hagg said Rose was intoxicated during the confrontation, which broke out around 8 a.m., and would face questioning after he sobers up. "He was deemed too intoxicated to be questioned right away," she said. A prosecutor will then decide whether to press charges against him, Hagg said.It was unclear what caused the fight, but Swedish tabloids said the guard tried to intervene when Rose started arguing with a woman in the hotel lobby.Fredrik Nylen, one of the police officers who helped arrest Rose, was quoted by the daily Aftonbladet Web site as saying that the singer acted aggressively toward police and had to be "handcuffed and restrained" in the hotel. "He kept a high profile, so to speak," Nylen was quoted as saying.
CM8ShowAd("Middle");
Guns N' Roses played a concert in Stockholm's Globe Arena last night, and had been partying at a well-known night club before the scuffle, Aftonbladet said.

Legendary Producer Arif Mardin Dies

2006-06-26T16:30:00.001-07:00

Arif Mardin, the legendary producer/arranger whose career spanned landmark recordings from Aretha Franklin to the Bee Gees to Norah Jones, died yesterday (June 25) in New York. Mardin was 74 and had been suffering from pancreatic cancer for about a year.Born in 1932 into a prominent family in Istanbul, Mardin attended the London School of Economics, but it was a lucky meeting in 1956 in Turkey with Dizzy Gillespie and Quincy Jones that lead to his decision to attend the Berklee School of Music in Boston. He graduated from Berklee in 1961 and Nesuhi Ertegun, a fellow Turk whom he met at the Newport Jazz Festival, brought him to Atlantic Records two years later.At Atlantic, Mardin took his lessons about engineering and producing from a team of in-house giants that included Ahmet Ertegun, Jerry Wexler and Tom Dowd. Mardin originally wanted to be a big-band arranger, but he caught the pop bug in 1965, while co-producing the Rascals with Dowd. In the coming decades, he produced hits for a remarkable array of Atlantic artists, including Franklin, Average White Band, Phil Collins, Hall & Oates, Roberta Flack, Brook Benton and Dusty Springfield. In the mid-'70s, Mardin helped the Bee Gees redefine their sound and revive their career with the album "Main Course," which included the No. 1 hit "Jive Talkin'." Mardin showed great diversity, with successes ranging from Bette Midler's sweeping ballads "From a Distance" and "Wind Beneath My Wings" to Chaka Khan's funky "I Feel For You." He also produced memorable folk albums for John Prine, jazz albums for Eddie Harris, Herbie Mann and Charles Lloyd and country sets for Willie Nelson.
CM8ShowAd("Middle");
Mardin remained at Atlantic until 2001, rising to senior VP. Shortly after retiring from the label, he re-emerged as co-VP/GM of EMI's revived Manhattan label under Blue Note chief Bruce Lundvall. It was at EMI that Mardin put the final crescendo on his career, co-producing Norah Jones' breakthrough Blue Note album "Come Away With Me." "Come Away With Me" won Grammys for album of the year and record of the year in 2003 and earned Mardin producer of the year honors. He also produced Jones' "Feels Like Home," which sold 1.02 million units in its debut week in February 2004.According to his official biography, Mardin collected close to 60 gold or platinum albums and won 12 Grammy Awards. In 1990, he was inducted into the Recording Academy's Hall of Fame.Mardin is survived by his wife Latife; son Joe, a producer; and daughters Julie and Nazan Joffre. His funeral will be in Istanbul, with a U.S. memorial service to be held in the fall.

Billboard Bits: Ozzy Osbourne, Jason Mraz, Kaki King

2006-06-26T16:30:00.000-07:00

Ozzy Osbourne will play three additional shows (July 4 in Albuquerque, N.M., July 18 in Pittsburgh and July 27 in Darien Lakes, N.Y.) as the headliner for the second stage at this summer's Ozzfest, which lunches June 29 outside Seattle. As previously reported, Osbourne has cut back on his performances this year and will headline just seven shows on the main stage and six on the second stage.
The artist will also play his lone solo concert of the year on July 14 at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Bonner Springs, Kan., with Black Label Society and two other acts to be announced.
Osbourne and Black Label Society leader Zakk Wylde have also been writing songs for the Prince of Darkness' upcoming solo album, a release date for which has yet to be revealed.
-- Jill Menze, N.Y.

Ciara, Kelis 'Step Up' For Soundtrack

2006-06-26T16:29:00.000-07:00

Ciara, Kelis, Chris Brown and Yung Joc are among the artists featured on the soundtrack to the romantic drama "Step Up," due in theaters Aug. 11. The album arrives three days earlier via Jive and is led by Ciara's new single "Get Up" featuring Chamillionaire.
New cuts on the album include Kelis' "80's Joint," Anthony Hamilton's "Dear Life," Youngbloodz's "Imma Shine" and Petey Pablo's "Show Me The Money." The title track is performed by newcomer Samantha Jade and produced by Wyclef Jean.
R&B singer Mario and rapper Heavy D co-star in the movie, which revolves around the budding relationship between young Baltimore rebel Tyler Gage (Channing Tatum) and ballet dancer Nora (Jenna Dewan).
Here is the track list for the soundtrack to "Step Up":
"Get Up," Ciara featuring Chamillionaire"Give It Up To Me," Sean Paul featuring Keyshia Cole "Bout It," Yung Joc featuring 3LW "Show Me The Money," Petey Pablo "Step Up," Samantha Jade "80's Joint," Kelis"Say Goodbye," Chris Brown "For The Love," Drew Sidora featuring Mario"Dear Life," Anthony Hamilton "Ain't Cha," Clipse "Imma Shine," Youngbloodz"Feelin' Myself," Dolla "Lovely," Deepside"U Must Be," Gina Rene "Til The Dawn," Drew Sidora "Made," Jamie Scott

Locke Tells 'True Story' On Sophomore Album

2006-06-26T16:28:00.000-07:00

"Supawoman" will be the first single from Kimberley Locke's sophomore album, "Based on a True Story," which is set for release in September via Curb Records.
"It's about being a strong, independent woman and finding a partner, a man who can come in and work with you, with all of your strong attributes, and not be intimidated by you," Locke tells Billboard.com of the single, which will be available July 4 via iTunes.
"Supawoman," co-written by Locke and producers Mark Feist and Damon Sharpe, is one of the nine songs Locke helped pen for the new album. The artist says contributing to the writing process was therapeutic for her during a rough time in her life. "I was engaged, and the engagement fell apart," she says. "There were so many emotions and feelings inside of me that [songs] literally were just pouring out of me."
"Based on a True Story" will also feature the girls-night-out anthem "Doin' It Tonight," and the album's lone rock ballad, "Change," co-written by Locke with Ty Lacy and Dennis Matkowsky.
"It was a really great experience," the former "American Idol" contestant says of her first go as a songwriter. "I think being paired with people who have an obvious strong talent for writing really brought something out in me. Otherwise I don't know if I would have been able to do it."
"Based on a True Story" is the follow up to Locke's 2004 debut, "One Love," which peaked at No. 16 on The Billboard 200. The singles "8th World Wonder" and "I Could" both reached the top 10 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart.

Jay-Z Revives 'Reasonable Doubt' In NYC

2006-06-26T16:27:00.001-07:00

Jay-Z celebrated the 10th anniversary of his first and most critically acclaimed album, "Reasonable Doubt," by performing the set in its entirety last night (June 25) at New York's Radio City Music Hall.
With the Roots' ?uestlove directing a 60-plus member orchestra, the show began with Jay-Z entering the stage in a 1996 Lexus. "What up, New York," said Jay-Z, decked out in an all-white tuxedo with a black scarf. "We're going last to first, not first to last."
Performing the album backwards, Jay ran through the "Reasonable Doubt" tracks flawlessly. Sauce Money came out for "Bring It On," though fellow MC Jaz was nowhere to be found. Memphis Bleek appeared for "Coming of Age," while Foxy Brown rocked "Ain't No Nigga," though she was a bit off beat. Brown recently suffered serious hearing loss, although she has reportedly undergone surgery and is on the mend.
Adding an entirely new verse to "22 Twos," the "44 Fours," Jay-Z demonstrated that if he doesn't release a new album this year, at least he is accumulating new rhymes. "Brooklyn Finest," featuring the deceased Notorious B.I.G., found Jay-Z performing Biggie's verses with the crowd rhyming along.
The highlight of the evening came when Beyonce, dressed in a white ball gown with a flower in her hair, filled in for Mary J. Blige's chorus on "Can't Knock the Hustle." And like a good girlfriend, she threw up the Roc-A-Fella hand gesture as she floated off stage.
Following a brief intermission, Jay-Z returned to perform hits from various albums, including "What More Can I Say," where he mischievously added, "Ya'll see what happens when I no longer exist."
Jay-Z will be back in live action for five dates in the United Kingdom in Ireland in September, beginning Sept. 21 in Manchester.

Simpson Owns Up To 'Public Affair'

2006-06-26T16:27:00.000-07:00

Jessica Simpson will on Aug. 29 release her first post-divorce album, "A Public Affair," which will be preceded by the single of the same name. As previously reported, the 12-track Epic set features production by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Cory Rooney, Scott Storch and Lester Mendez. Simpson is listed as a co-writer on nine of the songs.
The single was co-written by Simpson and Johnta Austin; the accompanying video was shot over the weekend by director Brett Ratner and includes appearances by Eva Longoria, Christina Applegate, Ryan Seacrest, Christina Milian, Andy Dick and Maria Menounos. It will premiere July 19 on MTV's "TRL."
Fans who pre-order the album from Simpson's Web site will be emailed the new single on July 5 and receive previews of two other songs on Aug. 1. This edition of "A Public Affair" will be bundled with an exclusive DVD.
"A Public Affair" is the follow-up to 2003's "In This Skin," which has sold more than 2.9 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Annie Lennox Gets Busy On New Album

2006-06-25T22:11:00.000-07:00

Annie Lennox can take a notoriously long time between albums, but the artist is now working on a new project, although no delivery date is in the offing.
"I am writing at the moment. I'm at the early stages so I'm not really able to say who I will be working with," she tells Billboard. No theme has emerged for the follow-up to 2003's "Bare" (J Records), she says, although, as usual, her standards are high.
Lennox is hoping to deliver an album "with 12 strong, powerful, really emotive songs that people can connect to." If she achieves that, she says, "I can feel proud of [it], no matter if it sells 10 copies or 50 million."
"Bare," Lennox's first solo album in eight years, debuted at No. 4 on The Billboard 200.

Aerosmith In Classic Frame Of Mind On New Album

2006-06-25T22:10:00.000-07:00

Aerosmith is in the thick of work on its new studio album, which should be out in spring 2007 via Columbia. The process had not been hindered by vocalist Steven Tyler's recent throat surgery, according to guitarist Joe Perry. "He's sounding better than ever," Perry tells Billboard.com. "Even just listening to him talk, his voice has this timbre that I haven't heard for years."
In addition to considering material from outside songwriters, Aerosmith is looking to its archives for inspiration.
"There's some stuff we left off certain records that we've been scratching our heads over why that happened," Perry says. "There's also bits and pieces of things we haven't got to, and some stuff from [the 2004 blues album] 'Honkin' on Bobo' that never got finished. We want to bring some of the elements of the experimenting we've done on the albums over the last few years and mash that in with that 'Honkin' on Bobo'-kind of energy."
"It's kind of like the old story of the 100-year-old hammer handed down for three generations," Perry says by way of describing the method to Aerosmith's madness in the studio. "The handle has been changed three times, and the head changed four. For us, we're the same old hammer, but updated a few times."
"Some songs are still two riffs and a chorus but they're classic Aerosmith: a guitar riff and the vocals and the slammin' rhythm section," he enthuses. "Some of the material could have been written last week or 10 or 20 years ago. It's funny how some of it sounds like that to me. Some of it has bell-bottoms and big hair but it's surprising how well it fits today's playlists."
Perry says he can't wait to hit the road with Motley Crue on the the Route of All Evil tour, which begins Sept. 14 in Holmdel, N.J. "In some ways Motley Crue is like a baby band to me," he says. "You still think of them as kids. But they have gone through all the things bands go through, come back and they have a whole batch of fans who saw them at the first rock show they ever went to. When you turn on classic rock radio now, you have Motley Crue, Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin and the Stones."
In addition, Perry promises Aerosmith will be dusting off a song or two from its back catalog, similar to "Seasons of Wither" and "Draw the Line," which have come back from the dead on recent tours.
"Other songs will get that day in the sun, because they never did," he says. "Maybe other songs crowded them out. In the late '80s and early '90s, we had those singles to play and there wasn't as much interest from the fans in those songs. But there are fans that are now discovering some of those early records."

Kevin Richardson Exiting Backstreet Boys

2006-06-25T22:08:00.000-07:00

Kevin Richardson is leaving the Backstreet Boys on the eve of the start of work on the group's next album. In a statement on its Web site, the group said Richardson was leaving after 13 years to "pursue other interests" and "gave his blessing to continue the music without him."
Richardson will not be replaced in the group, which also features Brian Littrell, Howie Dorough and AJ McLean. "The door will always be open for him to return to the Backstreet Boys," the statement said.
"It was a very tough decision for me but one that was necessary in order to move on with the next chapter of my life," Richardson said, without elaborating on his future plans.
Backstreet Boys are in the studio this weekend beginning the follow-up to 2005's "Never Gone," which debuted at No. 3 on The Billboard 200.

Rolling Stones cancel another show

2006-06-22T13:12:00.001-07:00

The Rolling Stones have cancelled yet another show on their forthcoming European tour, Sound Generator can report.The band were due to play a concert in Frankfurt on July 14th but were forced to postpone the German date due to Keith Richards' accident while holidaying in Fiji in May. The 62-year-old was hospitalised with a minor brain haemorrhage following the accident, after the rocker fell from a coconut tree, and returned to one of his homes in England to recover late last month.The Frankfurt show was intially postponed in the hope that it could be rearranged, much like shows in Barcelona, Brussels, Gothenburg, St. Petersburg, Warsaw, Athens and Zagreb - all of which are still to be confirmed - but the band's German tour management confirmed today that the Frankfurt stadium would not become available during the summer.Promoter Peter Rieger said, "There was a problem finding free dates at the Frankfurt stadium that worked for the tour."

Juliette & The Licks announce UK tour

2006-06-22T13:12:00.000-07:00

Following their support slot with Foo Fighters in Hyde Park last weekend, Juliette & the Licks are announcing their own headline UK tour. Since the show, the band?s MySpace site has increased from 50,000 hits up to a huge 300,000 hits. The site is offering a new track for download - "Killer", which is taken from their forthcoming second album. The track has currently received 5,000 downloads in less than a week.September 200626 - Brighton Concorde 227 - London Mean Fiddler 28 - Manchester Academy 29 - Sheffield Leadmill30 - Edinburgh Rock FestivalOctober 20062 - Nottingham Rescue rooms3 - Dublin, The Village4 - Glasgow ABC5 - Leeds CockpitTickets for the tour go on sale at 9 a.m today, Wednesday June 21st, priced per ticket except for London £12, Glasgow £12.50 and Dublin Euros 22.50.

Exclusive: London Astoria sold to property developers

2006-06-22T13:11:00.000-07:00

The London Astoria, famed for showcasing up-and-coming rock bands, as well as hosting intimate shows by mega rock groups and it's G-A-Y Night, could close next year after being bought by a property development company, Sound Generator can exclusively reveal.Late last week, development company Derwent Valley struck a deal with Mean Fiddler worth almost £24m, and are rumoured to be planning to turn the aging theatre into a new development of shops, office space and flats. Derwent already own much of the land and buildings surrounding the Astoria, and could develop the entire block into a retail complex."The Astoria is a valuable addition and a strategic acquisition, which adjoins our existing holdings in the area and will form a potential development site for the future," John Burns, Managing Director of Derwent Valley confirmed."We are committed to the regeneration of key areas in London and are looking forward to the opportunities afforded by such a prominent location," he added. The deal includes the building at 17 Oxford Street, a 3,270 sq foot retail area on a 25-year lease since 1997.

Captain chart debut album release, summer tour dates

2006-06-22T13:10:00.000-07:00

Leeds pop-rockers Captain have announced details of their debut album "This Is Hazelville", due for release on August 14.The album, produced by Trevor Horn, cites influences ranging from Burt Bacharach to Smashing Pumpkins, and comes hot on the heels of the band's recent single "Broke", which charted at number 34 in May. The band have also announced a host of summer tour dates, after recently supporting the likes of Kaiser Chiefs and The Magic Numbers, as well as playing the South By South West festival in Texas.The full list of Captain's summer tour dates is as follows:July 8th Oxygen Festival, Dublin July 9th T In The Park, Kinross, ScotlandJuly 11th Barfly, GlasgowJuly 12th Fibbers, YorkJuly 16th Latitude Festival, SuffolkJuly 18th Barfly, CardiffJuly 19th Barfly, BirminghamJuly 21st Ryde Theatre, Isle of WightJuly 22nd Water Festival, LincolnJuly 24th Arts Centre, NorwichJuly 26th Barfly, LiverpoolJuly 28th Brunel Rooms, SwindonJuly 29th Leadmill, SheffieldJuly 30th Ben & Jerrys festival, Clapham Common July 31st Soul Tree, CambridgeAug 2nd The Social, NottinghamAug 4th Ripcurl Boardmasters Festival, Newquay Aug 7th Soundhaus, NorthhamptonAug 10th Little Civic, WolverhamptonAug 11th Rocket, LeedsAug 13th Summer Sundae Festival, Leicester Aug 14th Roadhouse, ManchesterAug 19th V Festival, ChelmsfordAug 20th V Festival, StaffordAug 21st T on the Fringe Festival, EdinburghTickets are on sale now.

Kylie confirms Australian tour

2006-06-22T13:08:00.000-07:00

Kylie Minogue will be back on the live stage in November, with confirmation that her postponed Showgirl tour dates from 2005 are to take place this year."We are very confident that the tour will be going ahead in November," her Australian concert promoter Michael Gudinski told the BBC. "Obviously she has still got a few mountains to climb. She is still getting tired on the odd day, but she looked fit as a fiddle"The pop star has spent a year and a month in total since being diagnosed with breast cancer, undergoing treatment and rest before announcing her comeback to the world last month. Earlier this week, the star also confirmed she plans to undertake her first interview since being diagnosed with cancer on Sky One with TV personality Cat Deeley.Minogue?s original Australian tour dates were due to close her Showgirl world tour in May, before a headline slot at the Glastonbury festival, but were pulled after her diagnosis."I spent the weekend with Kylie. She's looking great. She's definitely through the worst of everything," Mr Gudinski added. "You can't keep Kylie down. She's actually recording in the studio and working on songs as we speak."

Bonnaroo Day Two: Radiohead Rocks, Everybody Jams

2006-06-19T08:49:00.000-07:00

The long awaited and much-discussed collision of hipsters and hippies arrived at Bonnaroo last night (June 17), with a headlining main stage appearance from Radiohead, taken in by the vast majority of the 80,000 in attendance. The tie-dyed, hemp- and sandal-sporting masses matched vocalist Thom Yorke word for word on songs like "There There" and "No Surprises," and "Fake Plastic Trees."

At 28 songs, the set was the longest of Radiohead's brief North American tour, during which the critically adored Brits have been testing out new songs in the mix for their next album. On this night, these included the raucous guitar jam "Bodysnatchers," the "OK Computer"-era outtake "Nude" and the danceable "15 Step."

Radiohead's presence, as well as sets from Beck and others, further emphasized the five-year-old festival's evolution from an exclusive jam-band haven to a more all-inclusive party celebrating an increasingly expanding array of styles. That said, ticket sales and fan reaction to both also reflect that often ignored fact that, believe it or not, jam band fans actually like and listen to Radiohead and Beck, too.

But while Radiohead ruled the Roo during the primetime hours, the afternoon and late-nights sets found organizers blending a handful of international artists (including the Magic Numbers and blind Malian sensations Amadou & Mariam) with a healthy, sentimental dose of New Orleans funk and R&B, thanks to sets from the Neville Brothers, Dr. John and others. Meanwhile, the core jam bands booked for day two recalled the HORDE and Lollapalooza tours of the '90s.

Sexy, big-voiced multi-instrumentalist Grace Potter opened the proceedings with a fiery, soulful set of tunes from her debut album with her Vermont-based band the Nocturnals, "Nothing Like the Water."

Fifteen minutes later, at half past noon, New Orleans' favorite sons the Neville Brothers opened the main stage, while U.K. faves the Magic Numbers and lauded singer/songwriter Jackie Greene got things started elsewhere. Led by the famous falsetto of Aaron Neville, the siblings ran through a sunny funk set punctuated by Aaron's touching rendering of Sam Cooke's "A Change Gonna Come."

Throughout the afternoon, the smaller stages hosted some of jam nation's most core bands, from long-time members Rusted Root and Blues Traveler to the recently embraced Les Claypool and Gomez.

As New York's Steel Train tore it up on one of the festival's many tent stages, earning many new fans, the virtuosic Bill Frisell tuned up across the farm, and blues heavy Buddy Guy wailed, screamed and a howled through a rousing history lesson of the blues, one actually highlighted by a cover of a tender soul classic: Otis Redding's "Dreams to Remember" (which he recently recorded with John Mayer on his new "Bring 'Em In" disc). The ever-smiling, Energizer bunny of the blues, Guy, like usual, took his guitar into the audience and rock away amongst the commoners.

If the festival's organizers, the New Orleans-based Superfly Productions, felt compelled, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, to ensure that the city's musical legacy was celebrated at this year's Bonnaroo, they nailed it on Saturday, bookending yet another marathon day of music with the Nevilles and late-night sets from younger brother Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk, the Rebirth Brass Band and Dr. John. The latter took the stage in a full Indian head dress, sliding into a masterful set of slow-burning funk.

The hurt and pride of the Crescent City also shined through Elvis Costello's set, during which he performed alongside the forever regal New Orleans songwriting legend Allen Toussaint. Playing the bulk of their elegant new disc, "The River in Reverse," Costello and Toussaint took turns backing one another, while also dueting on the hip "Who's Gonna Help Brother Get Further." Both were flanked by the Crescent City Horns, whose talents shone throughout, especially during a rearranged take on "Watching the Detectives."

Performing several chestnuts without Toussaint, including "High Fidelity," "Pump It Up" and the forever relevant opener "What's So Funny 'Bout Peace, Love and Understanding?" Costello made a brief, fanged critique of the Bush administration's slow response to Katrina victims, calling them "jackasses and nincompoops."

In an afternoon press conference, Toussaint hailed Costello for giving him one of the most memorable recording and touring experiences of his life. Comparing the Bonnaroo environs to New Orleans in terms of the humidity, he also pegged Katrina as "quite a booking agent."
Husband and wife team Amadou & Mariam delivered live renditions of songs from their hot Nonesuch release, "Dimanche a Bamako," (co-written and produced by fellow world music sensation Manu Chao), as a huge crowd welcomed Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley, the first of Bob Marley's many musical offspring to appear at Bonnaroo.

The masses roared their approval to both his own "Road to Zion" and the title track to his recent Grammy-winning third disc, "Welcome to Jamrock." But of course the largest applause came for his sometimes brief takes on such Bob Marley classics as "We and Dem," "Lively Up Yourself," "War" and "Top Rankin'."

Adding a needed, and fully embraced dose of irony to the festival, Beck's set was full of hits, and, hilariously, saw his band literally put down their instruments to enjoy dinner onstage. However scripted, the genius move gave the singer a chance to dip ever so slightly into his hailed acoustic disc "Sea Change," before covering "Do You Realize" by the Flaming Lips, his backing band on the "Sea Change" tour.

And while jam nation's old-school was represented, there were also performances from newer members of the scene, including jazz-fusion giants Medeski Martin & Wood, who hosted a guest turn from DJ Logic.

Day two's mightiest jam came after midnight, when one-half of Phish reunited during the annual Super Jam. Previewing their summer tour, singer/vocalist Trey Anastasio and bassman Mike Gordon teamed with the Benevento/Russo Duo and the Grateful Dead's Phil Lesh for the Dead's "Casey Jones" and the oft-covered "Going Down the Road Feeling Bad."

Nelly Furtado added to her U.K. chart achievements yesterday (June 18), starting a second week at the top of the singles chart with "Maneater" (Geffen

2006-06-19T08:48:00.000-07:00

Thousands of fans surrounded MuchMusic's headquarters in Toronto while hundreds of music industry insiders partied inside to performances by Nelly Furtado featuring Timbaland, Fall Out Boy, Rihanna, Hedley, Nick Lachey, Simple Plan, City and Colour, Metric and Yellowcard at the 17th annual MuchMusic Video Awards.

Canadian rapper Kardinal Offishall's "Everyday (Rudebwoy)" released by Toronto indie label Black Jays, was the night's big winner, taking home three of the17 awards. It won top video, director honors for Ray Robinson and a VideoFACT award.

Fall Out Boy was named top international group, Kelly Clarkson won top international artist, Green Day's "Wake Me Up When September Ends" won for top international group video and Rihanna's "S.O.S. (Rescue Me)" was named top artist international video.

Among those presenting awards during the event were an array of TV and music celebrities including Paris Hilton, Tori Spelling, Elisha Cuthbert and Shawn Ashmore.

Furtado Stays 'Loose' On U.K. Charts

2006-06-19T08:47:00.000-07:00

Nelly Furtado added to her U.K. chart achievements yesterday (June 18), starting a second week at the top of the singles chart with "Maneater" (Geffen) while her third album, "Loose," debuted at No. 5. Meanwhile, Keane's second album, "Under the Iron Sea" (Universal Island) powered straight to No. 1 on that chart.

As is now often the case, the singles survey included some steep climbs for tracks making their physical debut after charting the previous week on download sales alone. "Hips Don't Lie" (Epic) by Shakira featuring Wyclef Jean thus jumped 54-3, and it also spends a second consecutive and fourth aggregate week at No. 1 on Eurochart Hot 100 Singles.

Bon Jovi's "Who Says You Can't Go Home" (Mercury), which did not have a "split" release, makes its debut at No. 5 to become the band's 18th U.K. top 10 hit in just short of 20 years. Also making a "full" debut is another in the slew of World Cup-inspired soccer songs, "Hurry Up England -- The People's Anthem" (Parlophone) by Sham 69 & the Special Assembly. The record is fronted by Jimmy Pursey, former leader of the 1970s punk outfit, and is based on Sham 69's 1978 U.K. top 10 hit "Hurry Up Harry."

American DJ and producer Armand Van Helden gets his latest dance crossover success as "Mymymy" (Southern Fried" leaps 52-12. Van Helden's biggest U.K. hit is the 1999 No. 1 featuring Duane Harden, "You Don't Know Me," but this is his ninth top 40 entry here overall. Another of the summer's dance anthems, "Fade" (Hed Kandi) by Solu Music featuring KimBlee, rises 74-18. Solu Music comprises U.S. residents Howie Caspe and Dano Nathanson.
Glasgow rock outfit the Fratellis, whose debut album is due on Universal Island in September, scored their first substantial hit as "Henrietta" jumped 61-19, and there was a new top 20 hit for Australian pop regular Dannii Minogue, as "So Under Pressure" (All Around The World) arrives at No. 20.

Keane's No. 1 debut follows the massive success of "Hopes and Fears," which debuted at the top in May 2004 and spent 72 weeks on the British chart. "Is It Any Wonder?," the first single from the new album, reached No. 3 two weeks ago and now stands at No. 14.

Furtado's new album ranking improves on the No. 11 peak of her last album, "Folklore" in 2003, but her first set "Whoa Nelly!" reached No. 2 during a 47-week run on the British chart in 2001.
Two compilations released earlier in the decade gain new sales after repromotion. "The Complete Greatest Hits" by the Eagles, released in 2003 when it reached No. 27 in a four-week run, climbs to No. 9 after re-entering the chart last week at No. 28. The Eagles are currently on an eight-date U.K. arena tour. The Rolling Stones' "Forty Licks" (Decca/Virgin), which hit No. 2 in a 29-week run in 2002, continues its new progress, 23-19-11.

The Dixie Chicks, who played at London's Shepherd's Bush Empire last Thursday, debuted at No. 12 with "Taking the Long Way" (Open Wide/Sony BMG). It's their fourth U.K. chart album, but first to reach the top 20. Paul Weller's double live set "Catch-Flame" (V2) entered at No. 17, followed by Busta Rhymes' "The Big Bang" (Interscope) at No. 19 and 1980s British hitmakers Level 42's "The Definitive Collection" (Polydor) at No. 20.

The other pan-European chart throne is still occupied by Red Hot Chili Peppers, whose "Stadium Arcadium" (Warner Bros.) leads the European Top 100 Albums tally for the fifth straight week.

Justin Timberlake Looks To The 'Future'

2006-06-19T08:45:00.000-07:00

Justin Timberlake has penciled in a Sept. 12 North American release date for his second solo album, "FutureSex/LoveSounds." The Jive set will be preceded by the single "SexyBack," which will be delivered July 7 to U.S. radio outlets. The track was co-written and co-produced by Timberlake with Timbaland and Nate Hills.

As for the new album, additional production was supplied by Rick Rubin and JAWBreakers, Timberlake's behind-the-boards duo with the Black Eyed Peas' will.i.am.

will.i.am was at a loss to describe the project's musical direction when asked in January by Billboard.com. "I can't explain it, that's how dope it is," he said with a laugh. "He just surprised me again. I was surprised that I was even going to like Justin Timberlake. Then he turned me into a fan, and I've become a fan. That means you are so talented that you are changing people's vocabulary."

"FutureSex/LoveSounds" is the follow-up to 2002's "Justified," which debuted at No. 2 on The Billboard 200 and has sold more than 3.5 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Bonnaroo Day Three: Lesh And Friends Bring It Home

2006-06-19T08:41:00.000-07:00

Wes Orshoski and Ben French, Manchester, Tenn.If the fifth annual Bonnaroo initially raised eyebrows for booking Tom Petty and Radiohead, two mainstage headliners that have nothing to do with the current jam scene, the festival returned to its roots last night (June 18) during a set from ex-Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh and his latest group of musical Friends.

Flanked by celebrated guitarists John Scofield and Larry Campbell and chart-topper turned earthy soul sister Joan Osborne, Lesh (who closed out the very first Bonnaroo in 2002) and company opened Bonnaroo 5.0's swan song with an epic rendering of the Dead favorite "Uncle John's Band" before spilling into "Fire on the Mountain" and an Osborne-sung take on Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower."

Fueled by incendiary wailing on both guitar and keys, courtesy of frequent collaborator Rob Barraco, Phil & Friends returned after a break with the later-era Dead swinger "Shakedown Street" and ran through a soulful reading of the Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter," before closing out the event with Lesh's signature Dead tune, "Box of Rain."

Appropriately, Lesh's set was the only to be rained on this year, a rarity for the young, successful festival. In years past, Bonnaroo has been pummeled with showers that delayed sets and turned the Manchester, Tenn., farm into a mud pit. While baked in the sticky heat, this year's sold-out throng of 80,000 escaped without the hassles of years past. Instead, the biggest problem for the audience was picking which bands to watch.

It was a sentiment echoed even by the Roo's major league talent. "There's so many great bands you can't seem them all," Bonnie Raitt said from the stage yesterday, before sending out a cover of John Prine's "Angel of Montgomey" to Steve Earle, who was performing in a tent a couple hundred yards away.

The larger lineup made the beautiful collisions of sounds that mark Bonnaroo all the more eclectic. At one point yesterday, singer/songwriter Andrew Bird plucked a mandolin on the Sonic Stage as jam newcomers Brothers Past, Colonel Bruce Hampton and the Codetalkers, former Soul Coughing frontman Mike Doughty and his band and Americana royalty Shooter Jennings rocked in the distance.

Later, while Hasidic reggae phenom Matisyahu and jam giants moe. split the majority of the audience between the two main stages, British MC the Streets (aka Mike Skinner), Son Volt and Stephen Malkmus filled the tents.

In a nod to Father's Day, Matisyahu took the opportunity to bring out his 10-month-old son during a set that reflected the heights he's soared since his pivotal performance at last year's Bonnaroo. Thousands swarmed the performance, during which he scaled speaker cabinets and ignited devoted fans and curious newcomers alike.

The Refugee Allstars of Sierra Leone, a recent signing to the Anti- label, injected the bill with an international flair, sending scores dancing with a gleeful, soul-stirring mix of Afro-pop, dance and group harmonies. Comprised of Sierra Leonean musicians who fled the country to the West African nation of Guinea during a rebel war in 1999, the group's members rotated lead vocals and solo dancing duties, leaving the crowd wanting more.

During a hit-laced set ("Thing Called Love," "Something To Talk About"), Raitt offered up guest turns from Jerry Douglas and Jon Cleary. Across the great field, the jam world collided with New York noise, as Sonic Youth was greeted like a rock god during its first Bonnaroo appearance. Stephen Malkmus joined the group for an encore performance of "Expressway to Yr. Skull," reuniting with his former Pavement bandmate Mark Ibold, who is now touring as Sonic Youth's bassist.

As fans made their way through the Centeroo shopping and food court area, music was all around them: from the Grammy-decorated sounds of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones and jazzy jammers Soulive to the obscure hip-hop troupe Atmosphere and up-and-coming rock acts Be Your Own Pet and Deadboy and the Elephantman. Comedian Lewis Black made encore performances with others in the comedy tent, while the NBA Finals and "Star Wars: Episode III" played in smaller, chillout tents.

Robert De Niro to produce Missy Elliott film

2006-06-19T05:29:00.000-07:00

Another biopic in the vein of '8 Mile'

Missy Elliott's larger-than-life persona will get that little bit bigger with news of a film based on the rapper/producer's life about to go into production.

With Elliott taking her first staring role, the biopic will be produced by Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal, through Tribeca Films, and be overseen by Universal Pictures - who are aiming to build on the success of "8 Mile", starring Eminem, and "Get Rich or Die Tryin", starring 50 Cent.
"As a film producer, this is a labor of love for me as Missy's story is an amazing one that will give her fans a side of her life that they have yet to see," Mona Scott, Elliott's manager and the film's co-producer told AllHipHop.com.

"Partnering with Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal (Tribeca Films) gives me an opportunity to make this movie on a scale that will appeal to a broader audience. Their track record of success affords me the leverage at Universal to maintain the creative integrity of Missy's vision for this film.

The multiple Grammy Award winning musician was born in Portsmouth, VA, in 1971, and will bring her story to the big screen for a possible late 2007 release.

Michael Jackson ditches charity single

2006-06-19T05:26:00.000-07:00

A row erupts over royalties
Michael Jackson has decided against releasing comeback single "What More Can I Give" because of a row over royalty payments.

The long-awaited charity single was originally written to raise funds for families of the victims of the 9/11 terror attacks, but in video evidence prepared for a forthcoming lawsuit, it was revealed that Jackson insists he owns the publishing rights for the song, and has no intention of donating any royalties to charity.

Jackson's message, in a rebuff against allegations made by a former business associate Marc Schaffel, has angered other musicians and executives involved with the track, writes Fox News' reporter Roger Friedman,
"Everyone on the CD is supposed to waive their fees too, including the musicians, performers and engineers," he said. "But rights to the music remain with him, and he would reap the financial rewards."

If the track was to be released, only physical and digital sales would generate revenue for the charity.

The details came to light last week in a videotaped statement, with Shaffel claiming he is owed $800,000 for producing two TV specials in 2003 for Jackson, as well as loans totalling $2.3 million. Jackson has denied the allegations, saying Schaffel has failed to pay money owed for the production of "What More Can I Give", as well as failing to return sculptures and paintings valued at around $250,000.

Culture Club reforming without Boy George

2006-06-19T05:25:00.000-07:00

The 80's band reforming for a tour

80's urban pop group Culture Club have announced plans to reform - without their iconic frontman Boy George.

The band enjoyed a string of top five hits in the early 80s', including two No. 1's, before splitting in 1998. However, a posting today on Gumtree.com reveals that band are preparing for big things later this year.

"We want a unique vocalist with a brilliant voice take part in a 2007 World Tour and TV series, the advert reads, hinting that the frontman likely turned town the opportunity to rejoin the group. "We do not want a karaoke Boy George 'lookalike' but a charismatic and unique performer in his or her own right with something truly fresh, contemporary and original to offer." > Boy George artist page: for more news, reviews, videos and exclusive pictures

Foo Fighters rock the park, with special guests

2006-06-19T05:23:00.000-07:00

The rockers joined by big UK rock names

Foo Fighters played the biggest concert in their 11-year history over the weekend as 80,000 rock fans descended on London's Hyde Park.
Just days after playing two special intimate acoustic shows in London, the band cranked up the ampage for a full-blown arena spectacle featuring some of the UK's rock royalty as special guests.

Earlier in the set, Grohl had joked how much love the band got from their UK fans. "About six months ago somebody said to me, "Do you wanna do Hyde Park next summer?". I said, "How big is it? It's pretty fucking big right?". He said, "It holds 85,000 people but even if 30,000 turn up that is still the biggest gig Foo Fighters have ever done".

After rattling through a hits set, which included "My Hero", opener "In Your Honor", "Breakout", "Generator", "All My Life" and "Best Of You", Grohl and co welcomed Motorhead frontman Lemmy on stage for a run-through of "Shake Your Blood", a track Grohl wrote for his metal side project Probot.

And to cap the night, Queen legends Roger Taylor and Brian May joined the band onstage to play the Queen hits "We Will Rock You" and "Tie Your Mother Down", with drummer Taylor Hawkins taking vocal duties.

SYTYCD?: Top 10

2006-06-19T05:20:00.000-07:00

If it weren't for this show, I wouldn't have anything new to watch this summer! Wednesday was the first episode of the competition. Now, there were a lot of things they needed to change from last season, and they did change a lot, just not for the better. This season they're assigned a pair at "random" (heh, yeah right) who they'll dance with all season. Snore. Each week the public votes for their favorite, the bottom three do a solo and then the judges make the final cut. Okay, big problem there. That just makes it even easier for people to call foul on the show. Not to mention, I think the american public really likes to have the final say; it's one of the things that makes AI popular. I really don't see a point in voting now, but then again I hardly did last year.

I thought the show was entertaining overall, but thinking back, not many of the performances impressed me. The best was probably the first of the night, where Benji and Donyelle did a raunchy hip hop routine to some booty song (I don't keep up with current music, can ya tell?). I liked them both, and I say this in past tense because the second Benji lifted his shirt in the opening dance sequence I was just plain turned off. Okay, I still do kinda like him (for some strange unexplicable reason). They're an odd pair, but I really think they work together, and have a shot at being here until the end. It didn't surprise me at all that Benji could transition from west coast swing to hip hop, I've done both, the pace and the movements are similar. I'm not sure what he'll do when it comes to lyrical, though.

His cousin Heidi is another one of my favorites. She was partnered with Ryan, who annoyed the heck out of me because he was thinking with, uh, not with his brain. In his preperformance video all he could talk about was the unimpressive Natalie, and didn't get very excited when he was paired with the strongest female dancer in the competition. He warmed up to her though, and she sort of carried him through their Vienesse Waltz. Actually, they both did a great job; the boy can make some striking poses, but as the judges mentioned, those feet were all over the place. For some reason I really liked this performance, very ethereal. Reminds me of that gorgeous waltz that Ashlee and Blake McGrath did last season.

Contemporary isn't one of my favorite styles, but Jason and Aleksandra impressed me with their performance to Unwritten by Natasha Beddingfield. That's about all that I liked. Everything else was just extremely mediocre, even Travis and Martha. Don't get me wrong, they obviously are the couple to beat, and my money is still on Travis to take this whole thing. But that broadway performance was just....weird. Didn't care for the Tyce Diorio's choreagraphy (btw, did anyone else recognize him from Fame or am I just a major reality freak?). And it didn't touch what Melody and Nick did with the same style last season.

Wednesday's elimination...okay, let me answer what's on everyone's mind first and foremost...yes, I liked Cat Deely's dress. I saw Victora Beckham (I think it was her?) wearing a peplum with that same "moo" print and hated it. But this was very classy looking, and I thought it totally worked. Okay, on to the important stuff.

I was sort of surprised at the eliminations. First off, Ben and Ashley weren't in the bottom three (read: worst couple of the night). Sigh, no big surprise with a show like this, but they really were the worst of the night, and I don't think they'll "bring it" next week either. When it came down to the girls, they chose the right one to be safe. Im not a fan of Allison, but she danced her bootay off in that solo. It was smart of her (and contrived, imo) to mention that it wasn't choreagraphed. I really thought they would keep Erin, I would have kept Erin. To tell the truth I didn't like any of the three on the chopping block, but I don't think Jessica will prove to be versatile. Erin just had a little more flair, but hey, it's no skin off my nose.

The guys elimination irked me a tad bit more. Between Stanislav and Ivan, Ivan definitely should've gotten the boot. I was looking forward to seeing more of Stanislav; and it was funny the producers compared him to Artem. Ivan is just gimmicky, kinda childish, and once again I HIGHLY doubt he'll prove to be versatile.

So a couple was voted off together, no es bueno. I really wanted to see them shake up the pairs a lil' bit. Maybe next week.

Thom Yorke's 'anger' surfaces on new material

2006-06-19T05:14:00.000-07:00

The Radiohead star writes a song about the late David Kelly

Radiohead's Thom Yorke has revealed how the suicide of prominent scientist David Kelly inspired "the most angry song I've ever written."

In a revealing interview with the Observer Music Monthly, the singer said the track 'Harrowdown Hill', named after the spot Dr. Kelly's body was found in 2003 after the fallout over evidence of WOMD in Iraq led to his apparent suicide.

"I'm sure they're still grieving over his death," Yorke said, talking about the late Dr. Kelly's family. "It's the most angry song I've ever written in my life. I'm not gonna get into the background to it, the way I see it.

"And it's not for me or for any of us to dig any of this up. So it's a bit of an uncomfortable thing."
Yorke went on to discuss his role in Radiohead, assuring fans - once again - that the new solo album "Eraser", from which "Harrowdown Hill" is lifted, does not spell the end of Radiohead.
"It felt like everyone was under obligation to do it rather than because we wanted to do it," he said, speaking about the band's gruelling world tour, which left Yorke suffering from sleep deprivation due to constant jetlag.

"You're not built to do that. It just spun our heads out, man," he added. I don't think anybody really slept for, like, three, four weeks. So that level of sleep deprivation and doing these big shows under lot of pressure... It was just messed up."

Talking about his decision to release a solo album on indie label XL Records, Yorke revealed "One of the things I had wanted to do for ages was get stuck into a bunch of things that I had been mucking around with that didn't fit into the Radiohead zone."

"It was done with the doors shut... without anybody watching. And it was done in a different context so it felt like it should be put out in a different context.

Spat between Elton John, George Michael continues

2006-04-30T05:43:00.000-07:00

Sir Elton says Michael's pride 'will kill him'.

George Michael should overcome his pride - before it kills him - and ask his friends for help, according to Sir Elton John.

According to a tabloid newspaper this week, John is unhappy over recent comments made by Michael, who said his former friend was responsible for "soap opera" out of his life.

"They always know that I will be there to help them," says Elton, hinting at Michael's recent problems for a drugs arrest in February, and a recent incident in which the former Wham! Star hit a parked vehicle with his 4x4.

"Some of them don't want the help, because they haven't reached the point in their life where they're going to ask for it. It took me 16 years to ask for help. Pride can kill you."

According to sources, John was upset by Michael's jibe, telling friends, "Did I crash George's car? Was I found slumped over the wheel in Hyde Park? No!".

Antony & The Johnsons, Snow Patrol for new festivalLatitude details unveiled.

2006-04-30T05:36:00.000-07:00

Antony & The Johnsons and Snow Patrol are the big names for a new festival dedicated to the arts.

Latitude takes place from July 14th - 16th, in the grounds of Henham Park, Southwold in Suffolk, and will offer music fans more than the archetypical 'manic' UK music festival.

"Diversity is the main thing here," explains Melvin Benn, the boss of Mean Fiddler, who oversee events including the Carling Weekend. "I want to bring that genteel, less manic feel that European festivals have to Latitude.

"I want to be able to wander from books to music to film in the way you can in your own sitting room. I am looking forward to that feeling of being able to listen live to the music and then the words of an author or poet or environmentalist rather than just reading it in the newspapers or listening on a CD."

Joining Antony and the Johnsons and Snow patrol atop the music bill are progressive Scottish rockers Mogwai. Although the full line-up is yet to be announced, organisers promote an eclectic, alternative mix of music spread over three stages.

"I want to provide a mix of all genres catering for all diverse tastes, but more importantly I've chosen artists that, with their music, attempt to keep moving forward and who aren't afraid to do things differently," adds Benn.

Weekend tickets are £95 plus booking fees, while day tickets for Fri, Sat, Sun are £40 plus booking fee. Weekend tickets prices include car parking and camping. Days include car parking only.

Best music news and reviews: Eddie Vedder reveals musical 'high'

2006-04-25T06:27:00.000-07:00

Best music news and reviews: Eddie Vedder reveals musical 'high'

Best music news and reviews: Nelly settles over assault charges

2006-04-25T06:22:00.000-07:00

Best music news and reviews: Nelly settles over assault charges

Eddie Vedder reveals musical 'high'

2006-04-25T03:17:00.000-07:00

Eddie Vedder reveals musical 'high'
For once, it's not chemical based.

Fans making bootleg recordings of concerts by his band Pearl Jam are all right with frontman Eddie Vedder - after he revealed he did the same as a youngster.

The singer, who releases a new album this month with the seminal alt-rockers, has spoken about how he used to bootleg his favourite band's concerts - which became such an influence he cites it as his own form of heroin.

"I listened to them a lot," he says. "Music, for me, was f**king heroin. It was something I needed. "Live shows gave me strength. A day or two after a show, the high would wear off, but listening to the bootlegs with your eyes closed was like getting high again."

Nelly settles over assault charges

2006-04-25T03:16:00.000-07:00

Nelly settles over assault charges

Avoiding a court appearance in Connecticut.
Nelly has paid out $20,000 to a photographer who accused the star's security guards of assaulting him.

According to reports, freelance photographer Brian Jones, 39, had accused one of the rapper's security personnel, Brian Jones, of escorting him to the edge of the stage and 'violently hitting him', causing serious injuries, during a concert at the Bridgeport Arena, Connecticut. Livingstone was reportedly cleared to be taking photographs backstage at the time, although the bodyguards allegedly believed he was filming the tape illegally.

Livingstone still has lawsuits posted against the city of Bridgeport and the Bridgeport Arena, over the July 12, 2005 concert incident, reports the Associated Press.

Mary J. Blige for rare UK concert

2006-04-25T03:15:00.000-07:00

Mary J. Blige for rare UK concert

A single date announced so far.
Mary J. Blige has confirmed plans for a UK stop this summer in London, Sound Generator can report.

Taking her new album "The Breakthrough" onto the streets this summer, the 'queen of hip-hop soul' has so far confirmed details of a single live date, at London's Wembley Arena on June 17.
The superstar has also confirmed a headline slot at the Essence Music Festival in Houston, TX, from July 1-3.

Neil Young anti-war album: Full release confirmed

2006-04-25T03:14:00.000-07:00

Neil Young anti-war album: Full release confirmed

The star takes matters into his own hands.

Neil Young's forthcoming anti-war album has been given a possible full release date of between May 5th and 15th, Sound Generator has learnt.

Titled "Living With War", the set is an all-new work which faces down the US-Iraq war and George W. Bush's presidency of the United States.

"I was waiting for someone to come along, some young singer 18 to 22 years old to write these songs and stand up," Young told the LA Times recently. "I waited a long time. Then I decided that maybe the generation that has to do this is still the '60s generation. We're still here."
Running across ten tracks, Young compares the setlist to Bob Dylan and Phil Ochs, with a 'metal folk' sound. The tracklisting is: 'After The Garden', 'Living With War', 'Restless Consumer', 'Shock & Awe', 'Families', 'Flags Of Freedom', 'Let's Impeach The President', 'Looking For A Leader', 'Roger And Out' and 'America The Beautiful'.

The album's lyrics are being posted as rolling tickers on Neil Young's official website as a rate of one per day. At present, the full lyrics to five tracks have been posted.
All ten tracks will be available to stream from Young's official website Neilyoung.com from this Friday, April 28, and as a digital download fro May 2nd. Warner Bros. are attempting to make the album, which was written during a two-week burst of creativity, available as soon as it can be manufactured.

George Michael tour sells out, more dates added

2006-04-25T03:13:00.000-07:00

George Michael tour sells out, more dates added

Tickets selling fast for his first shows in 15 years.
George Michael's forthcoming European tour, which was announced this weekend, is a near sell-out, with over 200,000 tickets going in the first few hours - tour organisers revealed today.
Dubbed 25 Live, the month-long UK & Ireland leg of the tour begins on November 17th in Manchester. The Mainland Europe leg kicks off two months previous on September 27 in Madrid.

Michael is due to perform a selection of tracks from his forthcoming greatest hits album, which will include four new tracks on its release.
In London, four dates in total have been added for a date at the Earls Court Arena, while less than two weeks later, a further four dates are confirmed up the road at the Wembley Arena. Other shows are scheduled for Manchester's MEN, Glasgow's SECC, the NEC in Birmingham and Dublin's Point Theatre.

Giant Drag - Hearts and Unicorns

2006-03-02T07:04:00.000-08:00

With a cutesie voice, and influences across the board from Mazzy Starr, Pixies and PJ Harvey to My Bloody Valentine, the duo of Annie Hardy and Micah Calabrese walk the happy-punk-pop line, and they walk it well. Moody, fuzzy riffs, with a wannabe angry edge, is lightened by Hardy’s natural sweet, however threatening in intent voice. Recent single, Kevin Is Gay is a punchy, quirky opener, swiftly followed by the dreamy yearning and acoustic warmth of Cordial Invitation. In contrast is the lazy power of live favourite YFLMD – a shock title that wouldn’t pass the censors on the cd package (You F**k Like My Dad), and the full bodied You’re Full of Shit. No matter how hard Miss Hardy tries to offend she still sounds sweet – and that’s the attraction for me. Smashing adds a haunting intrigue and fat Bonham-esque drum thump, while the bonus track is a cover of Chris Isaac’s Wicked Game which (curiously) Annie claims she wrote and he stole after their teenage romance took an eternal nosedive. The charm of the album and indeed Giant Drag is the irresistible mischief in the vocals against a lethargy of buzzy power chords. They’ve got a couple of dates left before returning in April for more shows and the release of the anthemic This Isn’t It. 1 March Rock City, Nottingham2 March Barfly, London

Radiohead complete another song

2006-03-02T07:01:00.000-08:00

Radiohead have revealed they are getting closer to finishing their new album.The band have completed another song, 'Bodysnatchers', for their seventh LP - the follow-up to 2003's 'Hail To The Thief'.In a message on the group's official messageboard at www.radiohead.co.uk, guitarist Jonny Greenwood said: "We're just finishing (Famous Last W's) 'Bodysnatchers'. ather (sic) good so far....better not turn my guitar down."Radiohead are set to headline this year's V Festival, alongside Morrissey, which takes place between August 19-20 at Hylands Park, Chelmsford and Weston Park, Staffordshire. However, Greenwood was unable to shed any light on further dates besides headlining the Bonnaroo Music And Arts Festival, which is scheduled for June 16-18 in Manchester, Tennessee."Bonaroo (sic), and after/before that we are/aren't playing at... I'm contractually forbibben (sic)," he cryptically wrote. "All over, though."Greenwood did give fans an insight into what he has been doing to fill in spare time during studio work, explaining: "Currently reading: It's called 'Jesus - magican (sic) or miracle' or something and it's very odd INDEED. Talks about how water into wine etc. we standard street magic of the time, according to contemporary roman writers...", Radiohead fan site Ateaseweb.com reports.V Festival weekend camping tickets cost £120, or £100 for both days without camping. Day tickets cost £58.50.

Pop star banned for drink-driving

2006-03-02T07:00:00.001-08:00

Pop singer Javine Hylton has been banned from driving for 18 months after admitting drink-driving. The 24-year-old former Eurovision contestant was stopped by police while driving a convertible Mercedes in London's West End. Police saw others in her car apparently drinking from a bottle of vodka, Bow Street Magistrates' Court in central London heard. Prosecutor Marc Robinson said officers pulled her over after she was seen driving erratically, cutting in front of a bus and changing lanes without indicating. A breath test later revealed she was more than twice the legal limit with 74 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath - the legal limit is 35 micrograms. District Judge Quentin Purdy banned Hylton from driving for 18 months and ordered her to pay a £1,000 fine. He said: "Sometimes families have to pick up the consequences of this sort of irresponsible activity at coroners' courts when someone is killed or seriously injured." The court heard Hylton was stopped near Regent Street on December 15 shortly before 11pm. Mr Robinson said she told officers she had drunk two vodka shots. He said: "She was concerned that she could cause injury to someone else and perhaps she has recognised the error of her ways through the court process." Hylton, of Shepherd's Bush, west London, was also sentenced for a separate offence of failing to attend court for an earlier hearing. Mr Ramage said this was due to a mix-up over dates and that when she contacted police she was arrested and spent a morning in custody. The judge fined her an additional £200 for failing to answer bail, which she admitted, and ordered her to pay £55 court costs.

Embrace announce live dates

2006-03-02T07:00:00.000-08:00

Embrace have announced a short tour of the UK for April.The band will hit the road in celebration of their upcoming new album 'This New Day' which hits the shops on March 27.A single, 'Nature's Law', will precede the LP when it is released on March 20.Six more live dates in Scotland are expected to be scheduled for early April and will be announced shortly.Embrace will play: Preston Guildhall (April 15)Halifax Victoria Theatre (17) London Shepherds Bush Empire (18)Tickets for the dates are on sale now, click right.As previously reported, the band are also set to play a run of open-air gigs this summer at seven forest locations across the UK.The dates are:Suffolk Thetford Forest (June 10)Kent Bedgebury Pinetum (11)Gloucestershire Westonbury Arboretum (16)Cheshire Delamere Forest (17)Nottingham Sherwood Pines Forest Park (23)Staffordshire Cannock Chase Forest (24)Yorkshire Dalby Forest (25)

Beck to support Radiohead

2006-03-02T06:59:00.000-08:00

Beck will support Radiohead on a number of their forthcoming live dates, he has revealed.It is currently unclear where or when the dates will take place, but news of the shows was confirmed by Beck at the Grammys last month, according to a new Rolling Stone blog.Beck also revealed plans to release a tenth anniversary edition of his acclaimed "Odelay" album, which will feature a previously unreleased version of "Debra", which concluded "Midnite Vultures".He explained: "I'm trying to find the original 'Debra' because it was originally recorded for 'Odelay'."Beck is also apparently working on an album that he began two years ago with acclaimed producer Nigel Godrich, that still remains incomplete and is apparently like the bridge between "Sea Change" and "Guero".Beck commented: "We recorded everything in a week. And ever since we've been working on it a little bit at a time."

Blunt tops US singles chart

2006-03-02T06:58:00.000-08:00

Blunt's debut album Back To Bedlam is also in the US top fiveBritish singer-songwriter James Blunt has become the first UK artist to top the US singles chart since 1997. Blunt, who won best British male artist and best pop act at last month's Brit Awards , is number one on Billboard's Hot 100 chart with You're Beautiful. He is the first UK artist to reach the position since Sir Elton John with Candle in the Wind/Something in the Way You Look Tonight. Blunt's debut album Back to Bedlam is at number five on the Billboard 200. The US charts are drawn from a combination of record sales and airplay. Sir Elton's re-recording of Candle in the Wind topped the US charts after the death of Princess Diana in August 1997. It spent 14 weeks at number one. For five weeks in July and August last year Blunt, 28, simultaneously topped both the UK singles and album chart with You're Beautiful and Back to Bedlam, before repeating his success across Europe. Blunt's album has gone on to sell more than six million copies worldwide. The ex-Army officer's musical career has not been without its critics. Back to Bedlam last week won worst album at the NME Awards.