Mandy Moore
Photo: MTV News

Mandy Moore recently married indie rocker Ryan Adams, and — for now at least — she'd like to keep their relationship strictly matrimonial.

"Lots of exciting things going on in my world right now. I'm very happy — very, very happy," said the singer, whose album Amanda Leigh drops in May. "And in terms of collaborating in the future, I wouldn't rule it out as a possibility, but right now, I'm kind of just psyched about this record and getting my band on the road."

She did say that she might be able to find a spot for her husband on the road — if he's willing to put in the work. "You know, if he ever needs a job or something, maybe he can audition for the band," she joked. "Other than that, I think we'll both just stick to being supportive of each other on the sidelines."

Moore said Adams is supporting her these days by teaching her guitar and piano, calling him her "in-home teacher" during an interview with Details. And Moore revealed to MTV News that aside from the Ryan Adams School of Guitar and Piano, she's also learning bass. No word if Adams is also her bass teacher.

"I'm learning bass right now, so I'll potentially show some bass skills off onstage, but only on the easy songs," she said, adding, "I know guitar a little bit, and I play a little bit of piano, both kind of terribly, but I always think its pretty badass when you see a female bass player."

• Mandy Moore
• Ryan Adams

Mandy Moore
Photo: Getty Images

Mandy Moore and Ryan Adams were married Tuesday in a simple, casual wedding ceremony in Savannah, Georgia. The pastor who officiated the ceremony talked about it to People.com, describing Moore as "giddy."

"She was thrilled to be getting married. She was giddy but not in a childish way. She was obviously so happy," Pastor Steven Schulte told the site, adding that it was one of their reps who asked if he could officiate the last-minute wedding. "I thought it was either somebody famous or somebody really bad."

On Tuesday afternoon, Moore — reportedly wearing a cream-colored, lacy, tea-length dress and flat sandals — and Adams — dressed in tight skinny jeans, a T-shirt with sport coat and sneakers — showed up to Whitefield Chapel at Bethesda Home for Boys with two other men. Schulte had no idea the couple were celebrities.

The couple kept the 8-minute ceremony low-key and exchanged silver bands from a local jeweler. Moore cried a bit as she took Adams as her husband. After the ceremony, Schulte congratulated the couple, who got engaged just a month earlier.

The couple then shared some romantic moments when it was all over. According to People, "Adams turned and took Moore's face in both of his hands and gave her another kiss. They then walked to a little footbridge near the chapel where they hugged and kissed."

"It was so romantic. It was awesome," wedding planner Chad Baker said. "I just can't stress how happy they seemed."

• Mandy Moore
• Ryan Adams

Mandy Moore and Ryan Adams
Photo: Charles Eshelman/ Astrid Stawiarz/ FilmMagic/ Gett

Mandy Moore and Ryan Adams are married, a rep for Moore confirmed to MTV News.

The report of their marriage originally appeared on PerezHilton.com. According to the gossip site, Moore and Adams got married Tuesday in an intimate ceremony in Savannah, Georgia. A source told the site, "She's very, very happy." The couple got engaged in February after dating on and off. Another source told Perez that Adams "is completely head-over-heels about her and a changed man."

The couple started dating in December 2007, according to E! News, but didn't make their relationship public until last March. Adams was quite vocal about why the couple broke up the following July, blaming the media's constant presence as a cause. "Unfortunately, I am allergic to paparazzi and have found the best antidote to that sort of nonsense is staying behind the guitar and typewriter," he said of the breakup. "[I'm] staying close to my support group of friends and bandmates and not engaging in activities that prevent me from taking care of myself or others."

Soon after the split, Moore was seen hanging out with former flame DJ AM after he survived a deadly plane crash, though the renewed relationship didn't last long. Before long, Adams and Moore had reunited and were soon after engaged.

"He's a good egg," Moore told the new issue of Marie Claire, reports Just Jared. "I'm in awe of him: his brain, his passion. He's truly one of a kind."

• Mandy Moore
• Ryan Adams

Jessica Simpson (file)
Photo: MJ Kim/ Getty Images

Jessica Simpson gets physical in the new issue of InStyle, breaking out her trainer's plan to "get your best body now!" But she turns inward as well, telling the magazine for its November issue — which hits racks Friday (check out the full cover here) — that, "I was the princess in the fairy tale — then reality came crashing in, and I learned that isn't always how life works." She insisted that "I am in complete control of my life" after going through her divorce with Nick Lachey and, while she didn't call out ex-boyfriend John Mayer by name, she did reveal, "I've had my heart broken since my divorce. That's OK. I believe you fall in love more than once and get your heart broken more than once. Trust me, I have cried myself to sleep." ...

Kanye West isn't exactly the kind of guy who needs an ego boost, but Jennifer Lopez and Pharrell puffed him up a bit anyway in recent interviews with MTV Europe. J. Lo says she finds West "to be a very smart businessman" and that his album faceoff with 50 Cent was "clever." "I think it's fun for publicity. ... It was really about a healthy competition between two amazing artists," said the singer — whose new album, Brave, unfortunately hasn't been faring too well in record stores. Pharrell is cheering West's Graduation — when asked if he's happy for West's success, the super-producer replied, "Absolutely. That album is a classic: flawless production; lyrically, he absolutely, absolutely took himself to another level. ... He is in the clouds with that album." ...

While he was at it, Pharrell also championed an entirely different musical act — Swedish garage-rockers the Hives, who he teamed with for their November 13 release, The Black and White Album. "Those are my guys," he said. "[They're] fun, they're smart, they have a great image, they love music." Pharrell, who knows a thing or two about turning the knobs, said he actually picked up a few tips from Hives frontman Pelle Almqvist. "Forget about it. He knows everything. I'm in the studio learning things from him." ...

While 50 may still be stinging from the aforementioned chart battle, he's reportedly moving on to something else — a new G-Unit project. The group has pegged December 18 as the release date for their sophomore effort, Shoot to Kill, and Funkmaster Flex will premiere the first single, "Wanna Lick" (featuring Lil' Kim), Friday on Hot 97, according to XXL magazine. "Cancel Christmas, it's over," 50 told the mag in regards to the much-anticipated release. ...

Sorry, Mariah fans — looks like her new album isn't coming out this year after all. While her record label confirmed that her yet-untitled follow-up to The Emancipation of Mimi would be dropping December 4, a label representative now says Carey is still recording and the date has not been solidified. ... Wyclef Jean helped rake in almost $250,000 as part of a charity-poker event he co-hosted Tuesday at the Vail ski resort in Colorado. Jean performed a handful of tunes as well, including renditions of two traditional songs, "La Bamba" (Mexico) and "Guantanamera" (Cuba). Thrice, Joey Fatone, Boyz II Men and others attended the Vail Hold'Em Poker Event for Your Cause, which involved celebrities competing to win money for their charities of choice. ...

Alicia Keys, KT Tunstall, Earth, Wind & Fire, Annie Lennox, Juanes, Junoon and Melissa Etheridge will perform at the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize Concert slated for December 11 in Norway. Al Gore picked Etheridge for the event, which will serve as a salute to him and the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for their efforts to raise awareness about climate change. Gore and the panel won the Nobel Peace Prize last week. ... Speaking of Lennox, she got an unusual scare at her Tuesday concert in Boulder, Colorado, when a man wearing a gas mask and a cape turned up in the crowd toward the end of her show, according to "Access Hollywood." The singer reportedly dropped the mic and booked it backstage without addressing the crowd, though she returned to the stage after the man was removed. "That was really freakish and disturbing, whatever the hell it was. He owes me and my band a f---ing apology," Lennox lashed out on her blog. The man's name hasn't been released, since he has not been charged with a crime, and it's unclear if he will be, as he didn't actually get onstage. ...

Are Rihanna and Josh Hartnett an item? One would be led to think so after seeing the "30 Days of Night" actor's Thursday appearance on "The Morning Show With Mike and Juliet." When the hosts asked him to address rumors that he's dating Rih Rih, he started smiling and stuttering heavily. "No, no, come on, you guys," he said. "We weren't supposed to talk about these sort of things, were we? I thought we were going to come out here and talk about the movie. ... I can't really respond to things like that, because if I start responding to them, then everybody wants a response on everything." ... Francis Ford Coppola unleashed: The director is ripping into two of his "Godfather" actors, Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, as well as Jack Nicholson, telling GQ that the Oscar-winners have become too apathetic. "They all live off the fat of the land," the esteemed director said, adding that he doesn't know "what any of them want anymore." The interview is featured in GQ's November issue, which hits newsstands Tuesday. ...

Radiohead will be chasing Rainbows — well, technically, their new album, In Rainbows — with an international tour next year, Billboard.com reports. The band is reportedly planning to hit the tarmac in May and continue playing sizeable venues through the end of the year. The trek would be unusual given that frontman Thom Yorke has voiced his distaste for international touring in the past, and the band played only select shows in the U.S. and Europe in summer 2006. ... Bruce Springsteen continued to speak out about his political beliefs at his Thursday night show at New York's Madison Square Garden, sounding off about wiretapping and infringements on the Bill of Rights. He also made an elliptical reference before performing the title track to his new Magic LP, saying the song was "not about magic but about tricks." Bono, Jon Stewart, James Gandolfini and R.E.M.'s Mike Mills were in attendance, RollingStone.com reports. ...

Josh Homme says Queens of the Stone Age could "blow through a whole record quick" with their new roster, according to Billboard.com. "Queens sounds better than it ever has live, but we're trying to figure out how to tour and how to [write and record], 'cause I think for everyone right now, the idea of creating something is even more enticing than going on the road," he told the site. In addition to Homme, the QOTSA lineup includes multi-instrumentalist Troy Van Leeuwen and drummer Joey Castillo, who joined the entourage in 2002, and two musicians who hooked up with the band earlier this year — keyboardist Dean Fertita, who has also toured with the Raconteurs, and Wires on Fire bassist Michael Shuman. ...

Johnny Marr, former guitarist for the Smiths and current axeman for Modest Mouse, has a new handle: professor of music. Manchester, England's University of Salford has given Marr the honorary title and tapped him to host workshops on music composition and performance, according to U.K. newspaper The Guardian. ... If you thought the Led Zeppelin roller coaster being constructed for the Hard Rock Park was out there, wait till you hear what else is in store: a mock Mount Rushmore sculpture called "Mount Rockmore" and featuring the likenesses of Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon, Bob Marley and Elvis Presley. The 50-acre park — located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina — is set to open in the spring. ...

John Goodman left the Promises Malibu Alcohol and Drug Rehab Treatment Facility in Southern California — the rehab center where Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan also stayed — after being treated there for an undisclosed reason and undisclosed period of time, The Associated Press reports. The actor "took the necessary steps to remain sober the rest of his life," according to a statement issued by his publicist, Stan Rosenfield. Goodman earned an Emmy Award this year for his part in "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip." ...

Joey Bishop, a comedian who was a member of Frank Sinatra's famed Rat Pack, died Wednesday night in Newport Beach, California, of multiple causes, AP reports. The actor, who appeared in the original "Ocean's Eleven" movie, was 89. ... AP also reports that Deborah Kerr, an actress who appeared in "The King and I" and "From Here to Eternity," died Tuesday in England after battling Parkinson's disease. She was 86.

10.17.07

C-Murder will be tried a second time on a second-degree murder charge, The Associated Press reports. A trial date has been set for February 11. The rapper, who was born Corey Miller, stands accused of the shooting death of 16-year-old Steve Thomas at a Louisiana nightclub on January 12, 2002. His 2003 conviction was tossed in March 2006 after prosecutors withheld criminal background information on witnesses from Miller's attorney. If convicted, he faces a mandatory life sentence without parole. ...

What would a day be like without Britney Spears news? Legal representatives for the singer and her ex-husband, Kevin Federline, were present at an ex-parte hearing called by his lawyer Mark Vincent Kaplan on Wednesday (October 17), according to Us Weekly. Commissioner Scott M. Gordon sealed the courtroom for the one-hour Los Angeles Superior Court meeting, which pertains to the former couple's child-custody dispute. Spears and Federline were not present for the one-hour meeting in Los Angeles Superior Court but are required to be in court for a hearing on October 26. Relatedly, Spears is apparently making no secret of her distaste for Gordon, Us Weekly also reports. The singer was heard griping about Gordon at a department store in Beverly Hills late last week, allegedly ranting to her assistant, "I hate my judge. He is so mean. Just an old fart. He told me I was being catty with him, but he was being catty with me and paid me no respect at all. ... His job is to sit there and tell people what to do. And that's just so sad, because he gets off on it." She was also heard singing Rihanna's "Umbrella" while shopping in the store. The magazine also reports that Spears was seen wearing a zip-up jacket with the phrase "F--- Off Lover Boy" while driving in Malibu on Tuesday. ...

Well, maybe Brit should have listened to Lance Bass. He's speaking up about the troubled singer, telling GQ that he's been trying to get through to her. "I tried. I tried. She's my neighbor in Beverly Hills [California]. She lives next door. I tried to get in touch with her — I wanted to be that friend to help her. I don't think she's having any of her old friends anymore," he told the magazine for its November issue. Equally revealing, Bass said he disclosed to the pop star that he was gay years before he came out in public. He said he reached out to her after her quickie Vegas wedding in January 2004. "I felt bad for her," he said. "I knew she was about to go through a lot of crap. I felt the need to share something. So I sat her on my bed, and I'm like, 'Well, I'm gay!' " ...

"Hannah Montana" fans, get ready to see your hero in a whole new light — she's hitting the big screen ... and in 3-D! The upcoming movie "Hannah Montana/ Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour" will get the 3-D treatment for a theatrical release that will play in theaters from February 1-7, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The film will be shot during various stops on her 54-city tour, which starts Thursday in St. Louis. ...

Linkin Park's Chester Bennington broke his arm on Sunday during a concert in Melbourne, Australia. The band's Web site features a video showing the frontman's limb in a cast. Despite the injury, Bennington continued to perform with the Park, for their entire set. ... My Chemical Romance have booked a special gig at Maxwell's in Hoboken, New Jersey, for October 24. Tickets for the sold-out show went for $100 apiece, with all proceeds going to charity. In other MCR news, RollingStone.com reports that the band has put the finishing touches on a yet-untitled DVD surrounding its recent tour. The disc, reportedly due out early next year, will feature the group's full performance of The Black Parade in Mexico City. ...

Kanye West gave a surprise performance at a launch event for T-Mobile's Sidekick LX at Griffith Park in Los Angeles on Tuesday night. He played a batch of Graduation songs, after which DJ AM and Steve Aoki did some spinning. A slew of celebs turned out for the event: Nick Cannon, Bow Wow, Shia LaBeouf, Travis Barker and Shanna Moakler, Carmen Electra, Jack Osbourne, Wilmer Valderrama, JC Chasez, Frankie Muniz and, yes, even Chris "Leave Britney alone!" Crocker. ...

Rivers Cuomo has let slip what fans can expect on his just-announced demos compilation release. He told RollingStone.com that the release will have about 18 songs, including his original demo for Weezer's "Buddy Holly" — and, get this, a cover of Ice Cube's "The Bomb." He also said he'll be unveiling songs from an unfinished space-rock concept album. ... Apparently everyone in Kid Rock's camp isn't sharing in his Rock N Roll Jesus SoundScan spoils: His longtime manager, Ed "Punch" Andrews, has decided to retire, according to Billboard.com. Rock has reportedly found a replacement in Vector Management, which handles Bon Jovi, among others. ...

In September, Robert Plant dismissed a potential Led Zeppelin tour that would be held after their reunion gig at the O2 Arena in London on November 26 — but is Jimmy Page leaving the door open? He hinted as such in an interview with Canada's Winnipeg Sun, saying, "Let's do the O2 show, shall we? And then we'll speak to you afterwards." But, he added, "That's what we have on our horizon at this point. I know you want to hear other answers, but I'm afraid that's all I can give you." The guitar god was less vague about the prospect of new Zep material, saying he would be "really surprised" if there wasn't any. "We're musicians ... as we're playing we'll probably be coming up with all manner of things," he said. Bassist John Paul Jones also spoke with the newspaper, saying, "Basically, we are concentrating on this show. That's where all the energy is going. I mean, who knows, but one step at a time." ...

Cat Power, a.k.a. Chan Marshall, will take on Bob Dylan's "I Believe in You," James Brown's "Lost Someone," Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Fortunate Son" and other classics on her second covers album, Jukebox. The January 22 release — which was previously titled Covers II, according to Billboard — also features a pair of originals: "Song to Bobby" and a new version of one of her older cuts, "Metal Heart." One would expect Marshall to perform the Dylan tune when she salutes His Bobness at an upcoming event called "I'm Not There: In Concert a Celebration of Todd Haynes' Film." My Morning Jacket, Calexico and Mason Jennings have also been tapped for the concert, which will take place November 7 at New York's Beacon Theatre. The movie, which stars Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett and others, is due in theaters November 21. ...

Ryan Adams can't get enough of "October Road," apparently. The mercurial singer/songwriter's music is featured in the TV drama and its ad bumpers, and now he's ganging up with the cast for his new video. Adams plans to shoot a clip for "Follow the Lights" — a song included on his Tuesday EP of the same name — Sunday in Los Angeles, and it's due to premiere January 7 during the first episode of the show's second season. The collaboration marks the first time the cast of an ABC show has gotten together to take part in an artist's music video. ...

From the "Man, please don't do this" file, it seems George Lucas is entrenched in one of two planned "Star Wars" TV projects, a live-action spinoff, the Los Angeles Times reports. Lucas told the newspaper he has "just begun work" on the series, which, as he previously told MTV News, will be set between "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith" and the original "Star Wars." He reiterated to the Times that the spinoff will focus on minor characters from the series, not Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader. He also joked that the series would be about "the life of robots." ... Bleeding Through singer Brandan Schieppati has teamed with Bad Religion drummer Brooks Wackerman, No Use for a Name guitarist Dave Nassie and ex-Distillers bassist Ryan Sinn to form a new band called the Innocent. The thrash-metal act has been working on material but there's no word yet on when it might record and release an LP. ...

For the second time in a month, Apple Inc. has done something it's not known for: dropped its prices. Effective immediately, the price for songs on iTunes without copy protection will drop from $1.29 to 99 cents. Apple started selling some DRM-free songs in May at a premium price. ...

Elliott Smith's girlfriend, Jennifer Chiba, cannot collect on the deceased indie-rock icon's estate even though he allegedly said he would make sure she was financially set for the rest of her life, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Chiba had sued Smith's estate in 2004, arguing that he had promised her as such and that, because they had lived together — and shared their earnings and property equally — she was entitled to a portion. But a split California appellate court ruled Tuesday that while she did have a "cohabitative agreement" with Smith, Chiba — who had been seeking more than $1 million — also had a recording management agreement and acted as an unlicensed talent agent. If she appeals, a state Supreme Court review could be possible.

• Jessica Simpson
• Jennifer Lopez
• Pharrell Williams
• Kanye West
• The Hives

C-Murder
Photo: Priority Records

C-Murder will be tried a second time on a second-degree murder charge, The Associated Press reports. A trial date has been set for February 11. The rapper, who was born Corey Miller, stands accused of the shooting death of 16-year-old Steve Thomas at a Louisiana nightclub on January 12, 2002. His 2003 conviction was tossed in March 2006 after prosecutors withheld criminal background information on witnesses from Miller's attorney. If convicted, he faces a mandatory life sentence without parole. ...

What would a day be like without Britney Spears news? Legal representatives for the singer and her ex-husband, Kevin Federline, were present at an ex-parte hearing called by his lawyer Mark Vincent Kaplan on Wednesday (October 17), according to Us Weekly. Commissioner Scott M. Gordon sealed the courtroom for the one-hour Los Angeles Superior Court meeting, which pertains to the former couple's child-custody dispute. Spears and Federline were not present for the one-hour meeting in Los Angeles Superior Court but are required to be in court for a hearing on October 26. Relatedly, Spears is apparently making no secret of her distaste for Gordon, Us Weekly also reports. The singer was heard griping about Gordon at a department store in Beverly Hills late last week, allegedly ranting to her assistant, "I hate my judge. He is so mean. Just an old fart. He told me I was being catty with him, but he was being catty with me and paid me no respect at all. ... His job is to sit there and tell people what to do. And that's just so sad, because he gets off on it." She was also heard singing Rihanna's "Umbrella" while shopping in the store. The magazine also reports that Spears was seen wearing a zip-up jacket with the phrase "F--- Off Lover Boy" while driving in Malibu on Tuesday. ...

Well, maybe Brit should have listened to Lance Bass. He's speaking up about the troubled singer, telling GQ that he's been trying to get through to her. "I tried. I tried. She's my neighbor in Beverly Hills [California]. She lives next door. I tried to get in touch with her — I wanted to be that friend to help her. I don't think she's having any of her old friends anymore," he told the magazine for its November issue. Equally revealing, Bass said he disclosed to the pop star that he was gay years before he came out in public. He said he reached out to her after her quickie Vegas wedding in January 2004. "I felt bad for her," he said. "I knew she was about to go through a lot of crap. I felt the need to share something. So I sat her on my bed, and I'm like, 'Well, I'm gay!' " ...

"Hannah Montana" fans, get ready to see your hero in a whole new light — she's hitting the big screen ... and in 3-D! The upcoming movie "Hannah Montana/ Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour" will get the 3-D treatment for a theatrical release that will play in theaters from February 1-7, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The film will be shot during various stops on her 54-city tour, which starts Thursday in St. Louis. ...

Linkin Park's Chester Bennington broke his arm on Sunday during a concert in Melbourne, Australia. The band's Web site features a video showing the frontman's limb in a cast. Despite the injury, Bennington continued to perform with the Park, for their entire set. ... My Chemical Romance have booked a special gig at Maxwell's in Hoboken, New Jersey, for October 24. Tickets for the sold-out show went for $100 apiece, with all proceeds going to charity. In other MCR news, RollingStone.com reports that the band has put the finishing touches on a yet-untitled DVD surrounding its recent tour. The disc, reportedly due out early next year, will feature the group's full performance of The Black Parade in Mexico City. ...

Kanye West gave a surprise performance at a launch event for T-Mobile's Sidekick LX at Griffith Park in Los Angeles on Tuesday night. He played a batch of Graduation songs, after which DJ AM and Steve Aoki did some spinning. A slew of celebs turned out for the event: Nick Cannon, Bow Wow, Shia LaBeouf, Travis Barker and Shanna Moakler, Carmen Electra, Jack Osbourne, Wilmer Valderrama, JC Chasez, Frankie Muniz and, yes, even Chris "Leave Britney alone!" Crocker. ...

Rivers Cuomo has let slip what fans can expect on his just-announced demos compilation release. He told RollingStone.com that the release will have about 18 songs, including his original demo for Weezer's "Buddy Holly" — and, get this, a cover of Ice Cube's "The Bomb." He also said he'll be unveiling songs from an unfinished space-rock concept album. ... Apparently everyone in Kid Rock's camp isn't sharing in his Rock N Roll Jesus SoundScan spoils: His longtime manager, Ed "Punch" Andrews, has decided to retire, according to Billboard.com. Rock has reportedly found a replacement in Vector Management, which handles Bon Jovi, among others. ...

In September, Robert Plant dismissed a potential Led Zeppelin tour that would be held after their reunion gig at the O2 Arena in London on November 26 — but is Jimmy Page leaving the door open? He hinted as such in an interview with Canada's Winnipeg Sun, saying, "Let's do the O2 show, shall we? And then we'll speak to you afterwards." But, he added, "That's what we have on our horizon at this point. I know you want to hear other answers, but I'm afraid that's all I can give you." The guitar god was less vague about the prospect of new Zep material, saying he would be "really surprised" if there wasn't any. "We're musicians ... as we're playing we'll probably be coming up with all manner of things," he said. Bassist John Paul Jones also spoke with the newspaper, saying, "Basically, we are concentrating on this show. That's where all the energy is going. I mean, who knows, but one step at a time." ...

Cat Power, a.k.a. Chan Marshall, will take on Bob Dylan's "I Believe in You," James Brown's "Lost Someone," Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Fortunate Son" and other classics on her second covers album, Jukebox. The January 22 release — which was previously titled Covers II, according to Billboard — also features a pair of originals: "Song to Bobby" and a new version of one of her older cuts, "Metal Heart." One would expect Marshall to perform the Dylan tune when she salutes His Bobness at an upcoming event called "I'm Not There: In Concert a Celebration of Todd Haynes' Film." My Morning Jacket, Calexico and Mason Jennings have also been tapped for the concert, which will take place November 7 at New York's Beacon Theatre. The movie, which stars Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett and others, is due in theaters November 21. ...

Ryan Adams can't get enough of "October Road," apparently. The mercurial singer/songwriter's music is featured in the TV drama and its ad bumpers, and now he's ganging up with the cast for his new video. Adams plans to shoot a clip for "Follow the Lights" — a song included on his Tuesday EP of the same name — Sunday in Los Angeles, and it's due to premiere January 7 during the first episode of the show's second season. The collaboration marks the first time the cast of an ABC show has gotten together to take part in an artist's music video. ...

From the "Man, please don't do this" file, it seems George Lucas is entrenched in one of two planned "Star Wars" TV projects, a live-action spinoff, the Los Angeles Times reports. Lucas told the newspaper he has "just begun work" on the series, which, as he previously told MTV News, will be set between "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith" and the original "Star Wars." He reiterated to the Times that the spinoff will focus on minor characters from the series, not Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader. He also joked that the series would be about "the life of robots." ... Bleeding Through singer Brandan Schieppati has teamed with Bad Religion drummer Brooks Wackerman, No Use for a Name guitarist Dave Nassie and ex-Distillers bassist Ryan Sinn to form a new band called the Innocent. The thrash-metal act has been working on material but there's no word yet on when it might record and release an LP. ...

For the second time in a month, Apple Inc. has done something it's not known for: dropped its prices. Effective immediately, the price for songs on iTunes without copy protection will drop from $1.29 to 99 cents. Apple started selling some DRM-free songs in May at a premium price. ...

Elliott Smith's girlfriend, Jennifer Chiba, cannot collect on the deceased indie-rock icon's estate even though he allegedly said he would make sure she was financially set for the rest of her life, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Chiba had sued Smith's estate in 2004, arguing that he had promised her as such and that, because they had lived together — and shared their earnings and property equally — she was entitled to a portion. But a split California appellate court ruled Tuesday that while she did have a "cohabitative agreement" with Smith, Chiba — who had been seeking more than $1 million — also had a recording management agreement and acted as an unlicensed talent agent. If she appeals, a state Supreme Court review could be possible.

10.16.07

Madonna finalized her massive 10-year deal with Live Nation on Tuesday (October 16), although the exact terms have yet to be disclosed. The deal involves her new studio efforts, tours, merchandise, DVD releases, sponsorships, licensing agreements, fan club, Web site, and TV and film projects. "The paradigm in the music business has shifted, and as an artist and a businesswoman, I have to move with that shift," she said in a statement. "For the first time in my career, the way that my music can reach my fans is unlimited. I've never wanted to think in a limited way and with this new partnership, the possibilities are endless. Who knows how my albums will be distributed in the future? That's what's exciting about this deal — everything is possible. Live Nation has offered me a true partnership, and after 25 years in the business, I feel that I deserve that." She did, however, have some kind words to say about former label Warner Bros.: "I appreciate their hard work and value the many relationships I have developed over the years with the label in the U.S. and around the world. I have an album coming out with them next year, and I'm excited about it. We still have work to do together." And Warner Bros. returned the enthusiasm in its own Tuesday statement: "We congratulate Madonna on her future plans. She is one of the most remarkable artists of our time. We are excited to issue her upcoming album next year. We are also honored to own her catalog of recordings from the past 25 years, as well as to manage her library of songs for an extended period of time. From all of us at Warner Music Group, we thank Madonna for a valued and enduring partnership." Live Nation also announced a new Artist Nation arm that will launch with Madonna and have divisions dedicated to dealing with an artist's recorded music, merchandise, concert tickets, sponsorships, marketing and more. ...

Foxy Brown (real name: Inga Marchand) pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to assault charges stemming from the alleged cell phone-throwing incident that took place in July, The Associated Press reports. The rapper, who is serving a one-year jail term at New York's Rikers Island Correctional Facility for violating her probation, entered the plea in a Brooklyn state Supreme Court. On Friday, she refused to get on a correction-department bus twice for a court arraignment. Brown allegedly hit neighbor Arlene Raymond after they got into a fight over Brown blasting her car stereo outside her home in Brooklyn. ...

One of 50 Cent's employees was arraigned in Hartford, Connecticut's Superior Court on Monday on two counts of carrying a pistol without a permit, two counts of second-degree assault and one count of weapons in a motor vehicle, according to The Hartford Courant. Dwayne "Hove" McKenzie, who has been jailed since early Sunday on $1.5 million bail, is expected to be released as early as Monday after the bail amount was cut in half following the arraignment. The charges stem from incidents over the weekend in which McKenzie, who resides at Fif's Farmington mansion, is accused of pistol-whipping a nightclub promoter. Four days later, McKenzie was found with a 9mm Glock and another handgun when police stopped him in downtown Hartford to serve him a warrant on an unrelated weapons charge. Two months ago, McKenzie lost his right to carry a pistol after firing a gun at a man who robbed him. His cases have been continued until November 6. ...

Need another Shakira fix? The singer has slapped together a live DVD/CD, simply called "Oral Fixation Tour," for release on November 13. The disc immortalizes her l40-city, 2006-'07 world tour — which more than 2.5 million people attended, according to her publicist — and features 17 performances, including ones with Wyclef Jean and Alejandro Sanz. Bonus video clips, behind-the-scenes footage and a documentary capturing her trip to Colombia in support of her Pies Descalzos child-education program are also tucked onto the DVD, while the CD has a batch of live songs. The main program will also be screened at select theaters starting November 12. ...

Talk about "girl power" — the Spice Girls are putting a very feminine touch on their upcoming Greatest Hits set by selling it exclusively at Victoria's Secret stores. The November 13 release will be available elsewhere in downloadable form beyond VictoriasSecret.com, but the physical copies will only be at VS stores or via a pre-order on the aforementioned Web site starting midnight Wednesday and ending midnight Thursday. The group is also taking part in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, which tapes November 14 in Los Angeles and airs December 4 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on CBS. ...

Last we heard from Weezer, they were planning to hit the studio in July to record album number six and get it out next year. Now comes news — via a post on frontman Rivers Cuomo's blog — that Geffen has agreed to put out a disc of his favorite demos he recorded from 1992-2007. "I hope you enjoy it. I may also be able to put out more demo CDs in the near future," reads the post. RollingStone.com reports that the collection, due December 11, will be called Alone - The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo. Cuomo's planned book has been postponed to a later date. ...

The Smashing Pumpkins, Metallica, Linkin Park and Chris Cornell are among the big names who'll be featured on the forthcoming Live Earth - The Concerts for a Climate in Crisis CD/DVD package, due November 20. Recorded July 7 at Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore's Live Earth concerts, which served to raise awareness about the climate crisis, the set will also include performances by the Black Eyed Peas, the Foo Fighters, Kelly Clarkson, Dave Matthews Band, Beastie Boys, Bon Jovi and John Mayer. Net proceeds will benefit the Alliance for Climate Protection, whose mission is to persuade the public about the importance and urgency of adopting and implementing effective and comprehensive solutions for the climate crisis. ...

It looks like the "Hannah Montana" ticket controversy is spurring the government to act on ticket scalpers. On Monday, a federal judge prohibited the use of automated software to buy mass tickets from Ticketmaster, Reuters reports. The move was provoked by a suit Ticketmaster lodged in April against Pittsburgh's RMG Technologies before tickets for the Miley Cyrus tour went on sale. Ticketmaster argued that the company's software allows scalpers to move ahead of other customers in line and purchase mass amounts of tickets that can be resold at higher prices. "They're cheating consumers out of a fair shot at these tickets, and we're not going to stand for it anymore," said Joe Freeman, a lawyer for Ticketmaster. U.S. District Court Judge Audrey Collins has issued a preliminary injunction against RMG that bars the company from "creating, trafficking in, facilitating the use of or using computer programs or other automatic devices to circumvent" the Ticketmaster Web site's copy-protection system. State attorneys general are also figuring out if ticket resellers have broken consumer-protection laws in at least three states: Pennsylvania, Arkansas and Missouri. ...

U2 are planning quite the birthday bash for their classic LP The Joshua Tree. The album will be reissued in multiple configurations — as a single CD, two-CD package, as a collectible box with an additional DVD, and as a double-vinyl set — on November 20, Billboard reports. Rare material including B-sides, demos, alternate takes and more are expected to appear on the updated versions of the album, which originally came out March 9, 1987. The DVD will reportedly featured a July 4 show held that year at the Paris Hippodrome, in addition to the Brian Eno-produced documentary "Outside It's America." The package housing two CDs and a DVD will also have five portfolio prints, and bandmembers have scribbled up new liner notes for the reissues. ...

Let the jokes begin: Clay Aiken is joining the cast of "Monty Python's Spamalot" on Broadway. The "American Idol" runner-up will play one of the lead roles, Sir Robin — which was previously taken on by David Hyde Pierce — from January 18 through May 4 in the production, which was spawned by "Python" member Eric Idle and directed by the esteemed Mike Nichols. "Let's not lie, the chance to work with legendary creative minds like Mike Nichols and Eric Idle is, on its own, a reason to jump at this opportunity," he told The Associated Press. ...

Don Imus is likely to return to radio December 3 on New York City's WABC-AM, the country's biggest talk-radio station, according to Variety. His deal with the station — also home to another inflammatory jock, Rush Limbaugh — is expected to be finalized this week and will also involve a TV element that could allow him to regain his national platform. ... Idlewild guitarist Rod Jones sustained a hairline fracture in his arm in an accident last weekend, according to a post on the band's Web page. Jones tripped and took a tumble down a flight of stairs backstage at the Carling Academy in Liverpool, England. He iced the injury and still took the stage with the band, fumbling his way through its set. A post-show visit to the doctor revealed it was a minor break, and Jones plans to continue playing with the band on its latest tour. ...

Hot Chip will issue their next LP, Made in the Dark, on February 5. Look for the electronic indie-pop group's third effort to feature 13 cuts, including first single "Shake a Fist," "One Pure Thought" and "Wrestlers." ... The Hellacopters have thrown in the towel, according to the band's MySpace page. In a statement, the band revealed that "the reasons behind this very difficult decision are many and too personal to go into here." Still, the band's seventh and last studio album will be released, sometime early next year. "We feel like we wanna say one last goodbye to you and throw in the towel with a bang, so we're aiming to do a farewell tour through Europe and Scandinavia sometime in the spring." ...

YouTube has come up with a new way to fight video piracy and leaks — by employing new technology that would automatically remove copyrighted material from the site, AP reports. Hoping to appease angered movie and TV studios, the site will feature filtering tools crafted to allow the owners of copyrighted videos to block their material from appearing on YouTube. But if the owners want to keep their copyrighted material on the site, the new technology also allows them to sell ads surrounding it. ...

First Angelina Jolie lost her husband in a movie, now she's losing her son. The actress — who recently played the wife of slain reporter Daniel Pearl in "A Mighty Heart" — will star in Clint Eastwood's "The Changeling," an upcoming drama about a woman whose son goes missing in Los Angeles in the 1920s, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The film, based on a true story, will also star John Malkovich. ... The Academy Award for Best Screenplay that Orson Welles won in 1941 for "Citizen Kane" — the greatest movie of all time, according to the American Film Institute — is going up on the auction block. The prize will be displayed at Sotheby's in New York on December 7-10 and sold December 11 for an estimated $800,000 to $1.2 million.

• C-Murder
• Linkin Park
• My Chemical Romance
• Kanye West
• Britney Spears

Lindsay Lohan
Photo: Mark Mainz/Getty Images

Lindsay Lohan's father, Michael, will spend five days with the troubled starlet at a remote lodge in the Utah mountains as part of her recovery, People reports. The two saw each other for the first time in three and a half years when Michael visited Lindsay at the Cirque Lodge rehab center in early September. "It can only help her recovery," Lindsay's mother, Dina, told People in an e-mail of the visit, which is set to begin Tuesday morning. "It's time to mend. He is visiting Lindsay alone because we are giving her dad a chance to make amends." ...

Britney Spears may not have wowed audiences at the VMAs with her dancing, but fans are still apparently digging her music. Spears' current single, "Gimme More," sits atop the digital-sales charts on iTunes and is at #8 on the iPhone ringtone charts, just before former love Justin Timberlake's "SexyBack." ...

Heidi Montag has admitted to Us Weekly that she did indeed undergo breast augmentation and rhinoplasty earlier this year, as had been previously speculated. The "Hills" star told the magazine, "I've always been very insecure about my body. ... If I was with a guy and there was a girl next to me with big boobs, I would be like, 'Oh my God, he's looking at her!' ... I hated my nose too. I have my dad's nose, which is huge." Startlingly, Montag suggested the medical procedures might have mattered even more than life itself. "Right before I went in, I was like, 'What if I don't wake up? Oh, this is scary.' Then I thought, 'I don't care. If I don't wake up, it's worth it.' I just wanted it so badly." ...

Last week was all about partying for September birthday boys T.I., Young Jeezy and Lil Wayne. The three celebrated their birthdays several days ago at T.I.'s Club Crucial in Atlanta with a joint salute to themselves. On Friday, Wayne hosted his official 25th b-day party in Miami with a Harlem Renaissance-themed yacht party called the "Black and White Baller Bash." Diddy, T.I., Juelz Santana and Rick Ross were some of the 300 people cruising with Weezy F. Baby. And on Sunday, Young Jeezy went so fly with his birthday party that he held it in an Atlanta airplane hangar. T.I., Chingy, Jermaine Dupri, Ne-Yo and Yung Joc came out to that bash. ... Speaking of one of those partygoers, Juelz Santana is reaching out to the kids by joining the Stay in School Concert set to go down October 17 at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom. Jim Jones, DJ Cipha Sounds and Lil Mama are also participating in the event, which is being put on by the Entertainers 4 Education Alliance — a nonprofit helping provide at-risk youth with positive alternatives to negative behavior through education. ...

Lil Wayne and Fabolous' Monday (October 1) concert at the University of Florida, Gainesville, will help spread drinking and driving awareness, the campus' Independent Florida Alligator reports. A portion of the proceeds from the show will go to the Corey Dahlem Benevolent Fund, which was set up after the police officer was killed by a drunk driver following the school's basketball-championship game in the spring. ... Hold your breath: Kanye West has started a blog. He recently launched a blog on Kanye UniverseCity and has put up a clip of his recent performance on "Saturday Night Live," party pics, videos by Lupe Fiasco and Feist and more. ...

Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony are doubling their fun with a joint tour, which launched Friday with a two-night stand in Atlantic City, New Jersey, but while the two are hoping their relationship helps their careers, Lopez's former flame Ben Affleck says their romance hurt his acting reputation. "It was probably bad for my career," he told Details of their relationship, which lasted from 2002-'04. "What happens is this sort of bleed-over from the tabloids across your movie work. I ended up in an unfortunate crosshair position where I was in a relationship and [the media] mostly lied and inflated a bunch of salacious stuff for the sake of selling magazines. And I paid a certain price for that." ...

Paula Abdul is getting ready for the seventh season of "American Idol," which starts in January — but she might be expecting something even bigger in the near future. She told USA Today that having children is "the next step in my life," adding that she would like to give birth "definitely within the next two years. I thought by now I'd have three grown children." Adbul, who has been roaming the country as part of the "Idol" auditions, also said: "With modern medicine, people are having kids in their 40s and even up until their late 40s. In their 50s, they're having their second child. If it doesn't happen naturally like that, I would always consider adopting." ... Pamela Anderson's application for a marriage license with former Paris Hilton beau Rick Salomon has been granted by Clark County, Nevada's Marriage License Bureau, according to The Associated Press. The license means the couple can get married any time during the next year. Anderson had previously been married to Kid Rock and Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee. ...

Looks like the Spice Girls haven't lost their "girl power" — the reunited group's London concert, set for December 15 at the O2 arena, sold out in a mere 38 seconds, BBC News reports. Three more dates — for December 16 and 18 and January 2 — have been added to the reunion run and will be sold exclusively to fans via e-mail. ... Ghostface, Rakim and Brother Ali will hit the tarmac together as part of the inaugural Hip Hop Live! tour, which will span an October 29 gig in Los Angeles through a November 21 show in Philadelphia. The innovative show will find the rhyme-slingers backed by a 10-piece instrumental band, the Rhythm Roots Allstars. ... Nikki Sixx, Butch Walker, Felix Da Housecat, Howie B and Kelis have joined the international judging panel for the 2007 Diesel:U:Music Awards, which will take place Wednesday at London's Koko Club. They will vote based on music the participating artists uploaded at Diesel-U-Music.com. ...

Ex-Pantera frontman Phil Anselmo has opened up to Revolver about "Mourn," a "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott tribute track that appears on his band Down's latest album, III - Over the Under. "That's a very hard, hard song for me to really ... honestly, the song speaks for itself," he said. "It's about feeling isolated from my family in Texas, feelings about the obvious ... deep, deep, deep feelings every day. You know, I've been very quiet ever since [Dimebag's death], but it's all good. I decided a while ago that, yes, absolutely there is a proper time to mourn, and that he deserves a celebration of his life, and that's the path that I've chosen. Every action I do, I think of him. Every push-up I do, I think of him. Every time I hit a line, or I'm working in the studio, I can hear him saying, 'You can do better.' So that's what gets me through the hard times, the trying times, is his positivity." ...

Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello's alter ego, the Nightwatchman, has been named the support act for System of a Down frontman Serj Tankian's upcoming North American solo tour. Morello will play his own headlining date October 11 in Nashville and then join Tankian in Chicago (October 12), Toronto (October 14), Boston (October 15), New York (October 17), Philadelphia (October 18) and Atlanta (October 20). ... Deftones frontman Chino Moreno's Team Sleep side project will take to the road in November for a string of gigs. Joining them on the trek will be former From First to Last frontman Sonny Moore, Monster in the Machine and Strata. The tour kicks off November 29 in Orangevale, California, and continues through December 16 in San Francisco. ... The Mars Volta's next album won't drop until next year. Bedlam in Goliath, which had been planned for a fall release, has bumped to January 29 for unknown reasons. ...

Sylvester Stallone and the crew of his "Rambo" sequel, "John Rambo," witnessed firsthand the aftermath of horrific atrocities happening in Myanmar while filming the movie along the country's border, according to AP. "I witnessed the aftermath — survivors with legs cut off and all kinds of land-mine injuries, maggot-infested wounds and ears cut off," Stallone, who returned to the U.S. eight days ago, told the wire service Monday (October 1). "We hear about Vietnam and Cambodia, and this was more horrific." The actor left neighboring country Thailand before the Myanmar government began cracking down on pro-democracy protests last week. ... Nelson Mandela is planning a fifth AIDS awareness concert, for December 1 in Johannesburg, South Africa, AP reports. "I am very delighted that we are engaging the youth in schools, communities and through the media breaking the silence and stigmas around HIV and AIDS and making them realize that the power to beat the pandemic lies in their own hands," Mandela said in a statement. More than 30 to-be-announced international and local acts — and 50,000 concert attendees — are expected for the event, which is being held in conjunction with World AIDS Day. ...

Duran Duran are headed to Broadway. The English new-wave veterans will play a nine-show run at the Barrymore Theatre in New York during the first two weeks of November to promote the upcoming release of their Red Carpet Massacre album, which drops November 13. The group will play the entire LP — which features production from Timbaland and Danjahandz and a cameo from Justin Timberlake — each night, then sprinkle in some classic hits. Tickets will cost $75, $125 and $150. ... Add the Pipettes to the growing list of bands canceling U.S. treks due to visa problems — the British female pop trio has postponed a series of dates on its upcoming North American tour. The outing was originally set to start Tuesday in Chicago but will now launch October 25 in Los Angeles. ...

David Gilmour says he has no desire to reunite with his Pink Floyd bandmates, despite a recent European poll in which fans clamored for the band to do so. He claims he's focused on his solo career. "I can't see why I would want to be going back to that old thing," he explained recently to Rolling Stone. "It's very retrogressive. I want to look forward, and looking back isn't my joy. I don't know how one puts it, but going back into all that just wouldn't bring me joy. It's my time of life to be selfish — please myself." Last week, digital-music firm Music Choice published a poll in which 26 percent of respondents said Floyd top their list of bands they'd like to see reunite. ...

Tuesday could be a pivotal day in the ongoing war between the Recording Industry Association of America and rogue downloaders. According to Wired magazine, the RIAA will face off in a courtroom with a Minnesota mother in the first copyright jury trial that could set a precedent on the amount of proof a jury would have to consider to find a defendant liable for copyright infringement. The mother, Jannie Thomas, has adamantly claimed she did not download the 1,702 audio files she is accused of sharing on Kazaa in 2005. ...

The Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art has closed "Thanksgiving," an installation of pictures by American photographer Nan Goldin that are owned by Elton John, at the singer's request amid a police investigation over whether a photo of two girls violates child-pornography laws, AP reports. ... A man who pleaded guilty in a plot to extort more than $1 million from Tom Cruise for the actor's stolen wedding photos was found dead in his home, according to an AP report. Investigators believe David Hans Schmidt, 47, who had been under house arrest and faced up to two years in federal prison, committed suicide. He was found dead in his home Friday afternoon after police noticed a tracker placed on him had not moved, and he had not checked in.

09.28.07

Beyoncé's planned concert in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, has been canned amid protests by local Muslim groups, Billboard reports. The groups are reportedly upset that the singer has refused to obey the country's strict dress code for performers, although the November 1 concert's promoter, Pineapple Concert, did not give a reason for the cancellation in a statement issued Friday (September 28). Female performers are not allowed to show skin from the tops of their chests to their knees. In August, Gwen Stefani's concert in the country was also preceded by protests for the same reason — but she reluctantly abided by the guidelines, saying in a press conference before the show that she had made a "major sacrifice." ...

Ludacris, Yung Joc, Angels & Airwaves, Fabolous, Keyshia Cole, the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and Busta Rhymes will hit the stage October 6 at Radio City Music Hall in New York for the Boost Mobile RockCorps volunteer show, to be hosted by Nick Cannon. The concert will act as a reward to 5,000 Big Apple volunteers who have carried out at least four hours of service in their community. Earlier in the day, Luda, along with pro skateboarder Terry Kennedy and snowboarder Keir Dillon, will join 100 NYC volunteers to revitalize Manhattan's DeWitt Clinton Park. ...

R. Kelly's child-pornography trial, which was to have started September 17 in Chicago, doesn't have a new start date in sight. In a status hearing on Friday, the only thing that was determined, according to the state's attorney's office, is the next status hearing date, for November 2. ... Owen Wilson is "doing really well," Ben Stiller told Ellen DeGeneres on her talk show on Friday. "I sort of like to protect his privacy, 'cause I feel like it's his own thing. But he's a really good friend of mine. He's an incredible guy, and I wish him as everybody does, all the best." The two actors were due to begin shooting "Tropic Thunder" this month, but Wilson dropped out of the flick following a suicide attempt in late August. His role has since been filled by Matthew McConaughey. ...

Nicole Richie has enrolled in an alcohol-education program that will last 18 months, according to People. The socialite, who was arrested for driving under the influence in December, reportedly signed up for the SB 38 Alcohol Program on Wednesday. The program involves 52 hours of group counseling; in-person, biweekly interviews; and 12 hours of alcohol education. ... Richie probably won't be too happy to hear about Think Skateboards' fall line of decks. The line's "Jailbaits" series feature her mug shot — and Lindsay's and Paris' — with a thought bubble hovering over each of their heads: Inside the bubble is the phrase, "If only I could Think." ... Joey Fatone, no stranger to Britney Spears, has some words of advice for the troubled singer. "Britney, call me, come over to my house, come to Orlando [Florida], get way from it all ... it's a good thing to get out of L.A.," he recently told "Extra," adding that Spears needs "some time to really heal." Fatone admitted he hasn't seen her in a while, but all the same, he said, "I'm here for you, sweetheart." ...

With Jamie Foxx's "The Kingdom," a flick about a series of terrorist bombings in the Mideast, hitting theaters this weekend, it seems it was only a matter of time before the outspoken actor piped up with his views about U.S. intervention abroad. While promoting the film, he told MSNBC that he doesn't see an end in sight to the Iraq war — and that President Bush's big problem is that he lacks "charisma." "It's not the way America has handled the war, it's the way George Bush has handled it," the actor said. "I think George Bush and the guys that are there just don't have the charisma to pull off the things that they're trying to do. I can understand if you want to go to war, but how do you go to war? They go to war in a high-risk, high-return or high-risk, no-return ... situation. You'll be in Iraq for another 30 years. You can't get out." Foxx added that he's supporting presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama, but that he'll support whoever wins the Democratic nomination. ...

Uncle Kracker (real name: Matthew Shafer) was given a 60-day suspended sentence, 12 months of probation and a $1,500 fine after pleading guilty to an assault charge in a Wake County, North Carolina, court on Friday, local TV station NBC17 reports. He must also complete a substance-abuse assessment as part of the plea deal. Kracker was arrested in August on a second-degree forcible-sex-offense charge after an alleged incident at a downtown Raleigh nightclub called the Ess Lounge. He wound up facing a lesser charge in light of the plea deal. ... Kiefer Sutherland was formally charged with two misdemeanor drunk-driving counts on Friday in Los Angeles. The actor, who is on probation for a drunk-driving charge in 2004, could face up to a year and a half in jail. Sutherland was arrested Tuesday morning in Hollywood after police pulled him over for making an illegal U-turn. ...

U2's Bono accepted the Liberty Medal for his humanitarian work in Africa on Thursday night in Philadelphia, according to The Associated Press. Bono urged Americans to work toward solving the world's problems and spoke of those who are without freedom. "When you are trapped by poverty, you are not free," he said. "When trade laws prevent you from selling the food you grew, you are not free. When you are a monk in Burma this very week, barred from entering a temple because of your gospel of peace ... well, then none of us are truly free." Bono was presented with the award by last year's co-recipient, President George H.W. Bush, at the National Constitution Center. The award carries a $100,000 prize, which the rocker plans to donate to humanitarian organizations. ...

A new Radiohead Web site has popped up hinting that they might be planning a big announcement this weekend. Radioheadlp7.com is displaying a countdown clock, set to expire Saturday morning. Given that the lads have been leaving several coded messages on their Web site regarding their forthcoming seventh set, which they recently finished, some are speculating the new site will spill all of the beans on the outing. Only time will tell. ... Cat Power is blanketing her fans with cover songs again. The indie starlet has lumped together a sequel to her noted 2000 collection, The Covers Record, according to Billboard. The track list has yet to be revealed for Covers II which is due January 22. ...

Ryan Adams reportedly threw another in-concert tantrum, this time at a show Thursday night in Minneapolis, according to AP. The singer/guitarist was reportedly complaining throughout the evening about the sound monitors, at one point moving two of them and other equipment. About an hour and 10 minutes into the show, Adams said he'd be playing his last song and didn't come back for an encore, spurring concertgoers to boo. Four years ago, Adams gave an even more tumultuous performance, during which he also complained about the sound, at the city's First Avenue venue. ...

Evanescence have tapped Australian rockers Sick Puppies as the support act for their upcoming tour, which is scheduled to launch October 23 in Miami and run through December 4 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. ... The reunited Sex Pistols have booked an invite-only gig in Hollywood. The band will take the stage at the Roxy Theatre on October 25 for a show that's being co-sponsored by Indie.103.1, the radio station Steve Jones DJs for, and "Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock," which includes a newly re-recorded version of the Pistols' "Anarchy in the U.K." ...

Remember EMF? Well, as "Unbelievable" — or "crumbelievable" (so goes the Kraft commercial knockoff of the band's song) — as it may sound, the band will reunite for a London gig set for December 18. It will be the first time in five years the boys have performed together in a public forum. The band announced on its Web site that Pop Will Eat Itself's Richard March will take over on bass for original member Zac Foley, who died in 2002 from a drug overdose. ...

According to former Offenders drummer Pat Doyle, his former bandmate, bassist Mikey Donaldson, died in his sleep on Saturday in Barcelona, Spain. He was 46. An official cause of death has yet to be determined. "Mikey is universally regarded as one of the most innovative and inimitable masters of the bass guitar," Doyle said. "He played his Rickenbacker like it was an outsized rhythm guitar. Mikey pioneered an aggressive speed-picking style and liberal employment of bass chords that few have been able to emulate in the past 20 years. He will be sorely missed."

• Lindsay Lohan
• Britney Spears
• Lil Wayne
• Fabolous
• Kanye West

Beyonce in "Irreplaceable"
Photo: Columbia

Beyoncé's planned concert in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, has been canned amid protests by local Muslim groups, Billboard reports. The groups are reportedly upset that the singer has refused to obey the country's strict dress code for performers, although the November 1 concert's promoter, Pineapple Concert, did not give a reason for the cancellation in a statement issued Friday (September 28). Female performers are not allowed to show skin from the tops of their chests to their knees. In August, Gwen Stefani's concert in the country was also preceded by protests for the same reason — but she reluctantly abided by the guidelines, saying in a press conference before the show that she had made a "major sacrifice." ...

Ludacris, Yung Joc, Angels & Airwaves, Fabolous, Keyshia Cole, the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and Busta Rhymes will hit the stage October 6 at Radio City Music Hall in New York for the Boost Mobile RockCorps volunteer show, to be hosted by Nick Cannon. The concert will act as a reward to 5,000 Big Apple volunteers who have carried out at least four hours of service in their community. Earlier in the day, Luda, along with pro skateboarder Terry Kennedy and snowboarder Keir Dillon, will join 100 NYC volunteers to revitalize Manhattan's DeWitt Clinton Park. ...

R. Kelly's child-pornography trial, which was to have started September 17 in Chicago, doesn't have a new start date in sight. In a status hearing on Friday, the only thing that was determined, according to the state's attorney's office, is the next status hearing date, for November 2. ... Owen Wilson is "doing really well," Ben Stiller told Ellen DeGeneres on her talk show on Friday. "I sort of like to protect his privacy, 'cause I feel like it's his own thing. But he's a really good friend of mine. He's an incredible guy, and I wish him as everybody does, all the best." The two actors were due to begin shooting "Tropic Thunder" this month, but Wilson dropped out of the flick following a suicide attempt in late August. His role has since been filled by Matthew McConaughey. ...

Nicole Richie has enrolled in an alcohol-education program that will last 18 months, according to People. The socialite, who was arrested for driving under the influence in December, reportedly signed up for the SB 38 Alcohol Program on Wednesday. The program involves 52 hours of group counseling; in-person, biweekly interviews; and 12 hours of alcohol education. ... Richie probably won't be too happy to hear about Think Skateboards' fall line of decks. The line's "Jailbaits" series feature her mug shot — and Lindsay's and Paris' — with a thought bubble hovering over each of their heads: Inside the bubble is the phrase, "If only I could Think." ... Joey Fatone, no stranger to Britney Spears, has some words of advice for the troubled singer. "Britney, call me, come over to my house, come to Orlando [Florida], get way from it all ... it's a good thing to get out of L.A.," he recently told "Extra," adding that Spears needs "some time to really heal." Fatone admitted he hasn't seen her in a while, but all the same, he said, "I'm here for you, sweetheart." ...

With Jamie Foxx's "The Kingdom," a flick about a series of terrorist bombings in the Mideast, hitting theaters this weekend, it seems it was only a matter of time before the outspoken actor piped up with his views about U.S. intervention abroad. While promoting the film, he told MSNBC that he doesn't see an end in sight to the Iraq war — and that President Bush's big problem is that he lacks "charisma." "It's not the way America has handled the war, it's the way George Bush has handled it," the actor said. "I think George Bush and the guys that are there just don't have the charisma to pull off the things that they're trying to do. I can understand if you want to go to war, but how do you go to war? They go to war in a high-risk, high-return or high-risk, no-return ... situation. You'll be in Iraq for another 30 years. You can't get out." Foxx added that he's supporting presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama, but that he'll support whoever wins the Democratic nomination. ...

Uncle Kracker (real name: Matthew Shafer) was given a 60-day suspended sentence, 12 months of probation and a $1,500 fine after pleading guilty to an assault charge in a Wake County, North Carolina, court on Friday, local TV station NBC17 reports. He must also complete a substance-abuse assessment as part of the plea deal. Kracker was arrested in August on a second-degree forcible-sex-offense charge after an alleged incident at a downtown Raleigh nightclub called the Ess Lounge. He wound up facing a lesser charge in light of the plea deal. ... Kiefer Sutherland was formally charged with two misdemeanor drunk-driving counts on Friday in Los Angeles. The actor, who is on probation for a drunk-driving charge in 2004, could face up to a year and a half in jail. Sutherland was arrested Tuesday morning in Hollywood after police pulled him over for making an illegal U-turn. ...

U2's Bono accepted the Liberty Medal for his humanitarian work in Africa on Thursday night in Philadelphia, according to The Associated Press. Bono urged Americans to work toward solving the world's problems and spoke of those who are without freedom. "When you are trapped by poverty, you are not free," he said. "When trade laws prevent you from selling the food you grew, you are not free. When you are a monk in Burma this very week, barred from entering a temple because of your gospel of peace ... well, then none of us are truly free." Bono was presented with the award by last year's co-recipient, President George H.W. Bush, at the National Constitution Center. The award carries a $100,000 prize, which the rocker plans to donate to humanitarian organizations. ...

A new Radiohead Web site has popped up hinting that they might be planning a big announcement this weekend. Radioheadlp7.com is displaying a countdown clock, set to expire Saturday morning. Given that the lads have been leaving several coded messages on their Web site regarding their forthcoming seventh set, which they recently finished, some are speculating the new site will spill all of the beans on the outing. Only time will tell. ... Cat Power is blanketing her fans with cover songs again. The indie starlet has lumped together a sequel to her noted 2000 collection, The Covers Record, according to Billboard. The track list has yet to be revealed for Covers II which is due January 22. ...

Ryan Adams reportedly threw another in-concert tantrum, this time at a show Thursday night in Minneapolis, according to AP. The singer/guitarist was reportedly complaining throughout the evening about the sound monitors, at one point moving two of them and other equipment. About an hour and 10 minutes into the show, Adams said he'd be playing his last song and didn't come back for an encore, spurring concertgoers to boo. Four years ago, Adams gave an even more tumultuous performance, during which he also complained about the sound, at the city's First Avenue venue. ...

Evanescence have tapped Australian rockers Sick Puppies as the support act for their upcoming tour, which is scheduled to launch October 23 in Miami and run through December 4 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. ... The reunited Sex Pistols have booked an invite-only gig in Hollywood. The band will take the stage at the Roxy Theatre on October 25 for a show that's being co-sponsored by Indie.103.1, the radio station Steve Jones DJs for, and "Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock," which includes a newly re-recorded version of the Pistols' "Anarchy in the U.K." ...

Remember EMF? Well, as "Unbelievable" — or "crumbelievable" (so goes the Kraft commercial knockoff of the band's song) — as it may sound, the band will reunite for a London gig set for December 18. It will be the first time in five years the boys have performed together in a public forum. The band announced on its Web site that Pop Will Eat Itself's Richard March will take over on bass for original member Zac Foley, who died in 2002 from a drug overdose. ...

According to former Offenders drummer Pat Doyle, his former bandmate, bassist Mikey Donaldson, died in his sleep on Saturday in Barcelona, Spain. He was 46. An official cause of death has yet to be determined. "Mikey is universally regarded as one of the most innovative and inimitable masters of the bass guitar," Doyle said. "He played his Rickenbacker like it was an outsized rhythm guitar. Mikey pioneered an aggressive speed-picking style and liberal employment of bass chords that few have been able to emulate in the past 20 years. He will be sorely missed."

09.27.07

Word to Mike Seaver and Boner: Mary J. Blige has some Growing Pains of her own. The singer has settled on that as the title for her new album — and has bumped its release by a week, from November 20 to November 27. The first single is called "Just Fine" and will be released to radio on Thursday (September 27). The track was produced by Jazze Pha and Tricky Stewart (Britney Spears, Mya), and is an uptempo party record with a dance/disco sound. On the track, Mary expresses the joy of having high self-esteem. "No time for moping around/ Are you kidding?" she sings. "And no time for negative vibes, 'cause I'm winning ... Got my head on straight, got my vibe right, ain't gonna let you kill it/ See, I wouldn't change, my life's just fine." ...

Is Kanye West the next MLK, Gandhi or Jesus? His mother, Donda West, didn't shy away from such comparisons in a recent interview with the Baltimore Sun — she was in town to promote her recent book, "Raising Kanye." "Kanye keeps it real," she said. "He touches the people. You never know how words can save a person's life, physically or otherwise. People like Martin Luther King or Mahatma Gandhi or, in my view, Barack Obama, or Jesus Christ — people whose job it is to tell the truth — I see that in Kanye. Now, people like you are gonna go, 'Oh, Kanye's mom said he's like Jesus!' but ... when you have a gift, you didn't get it by yourself. ... Your truth is your truth." ...

Amy Winehouse isn't one to hold back either — the troubled U.K. starlet has named her new DVD "I Told You I Was Trouble," according to Uncut magazine. Packed onto the disc is a documentary, a full concert she played in April at London's Shepherds Bush Empire, her "Rehab" performance from the Brit Awards, an early acoustic version of "There Is No Greater Love" and more. "I Told You I Was Trouble" will drop November 13, her publicist confirmed to MTV News. ...

Paul Wall's next album is going to have more of a rock edge, now that Travis Barker is producing it. "Paul usually stays around the same element," Barker told MTV News in Las Vegas while he was in town for the VMAs. "Most of the Houston stuff is slow and real feel-good. This has faster tempos. Still feel-good, but it'll be different for Paul." ... Before he took his wild imagination to the big screen with "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," French director Michel Gondry was best known for his frequent collaborations with Björk, perhaps most memorably on the video for her song "Human Behaviour." Now the two are at it again. Gondry revealed to MTV News that a month from now, he will be directing the music video for "Declare Independence," from the Icelandic singer's latest album, Volta. ... Dave Grohl is getting axed — Gibson Guitar has come up with a new specialized model, the DG-335, for the Foo Fighters frontman. The instrument — which has a rare Pelham blue finish and looks like Grohl's signature guitar — will be available October 4. The price tag for the blue model is $4,468, while the ebony version is a bit cheaper at $3,880. ...

Evan Rachel Wood apparently isn't too afraid of boyfriend Marilyn Manson's fans. "I do feel [some of] his fans like me," she told People for its new issue, which streets Friday. But the actress revealed that she was a little more nervous about Manson seeing her sing onscreen in the new flick "Across the Universe." "I was shy because I didn't want to scare him off," she said. "I'm a singer too! Listen to me! But he's been really supportive, it's great. He's encouraged me about my singing more than anybody." The shock-rocker wasn't the only one who inspired Wood to sing, however — she also name-dropped David Bowie and let it be known that she has a tattoo of his Aladdin Sane lightning bolt. She also has matching tattoos with Manson. "We both got black hearts," she said. "It represents mad love." ...

The Smashing Pumpkins have issued a statement regarding the death of a man at their concert in Vancouver, British Columbia, Monday night, in what police believe was a crowd-surfing accident. "The Smashing Pumpkins were deeply saddened to learn about the passing of a young man who attended their Vancouver show Monday night," read the statement, which was posted on their Web site. "As they and everyone else await news from the investigation into the nature of his passing, the band wants to express their sincerest condolences to his family and friends." ... Vivica A. Fox pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanor counts of drunk driving on Thursday, The Associated Press reports. The actress, who was arrested after being caught speeding in March, could face up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine if convicted. ...

Paris in Rwanda: Hilton is making good on her promise to engage in philanthropic efforts by traveling to the impoverished African country, according to "Access Hollywood." The heiress will travel with a member of Playing for Good, a group that connects celebrities with charity organizations, and she is expected to make a financial contribution as well. According to TMZ.com, Hilton will go to Rwanda in November after she finishes filming her horror rock opera "Repo! The Genetic Opera." ... Will Ferrell's charity auction has been won by a Dallas man, and his 10-year-old son will get the chance to play an extra in Ferrell's upcoming "Step Brothers" flick, People reports. The man, who has chosen to remain anonymous, put in a winning bid of $47,000, which will go to the Cancer for College foundation run by Ferrell's friend Craig Pollard. ...

Looks like it's almost Tool time again: The indefatigable heavy-rock band is putting together yet another stretch of dates in support of 10,000 Days, which came out way back in May 2006. Dates have yet to be confirmed, but according to Tool's site, they're stirring up a stretch across the West Coast that will begin in mid-November and last until Christmas. ... Lollapalooza founder Perry Farrell recently told MTV News' Tim Kash that he wants to see the fest travel across the world "before I die," but while those plans haven't come about yet, the dates are in place for next year's annual Chicago installment. Lolla will go down August 1-3, once again at Grant Park. ...

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's Magic isn't happening until Tuesday, but they snuck out a vinyl version of the release on Wednesday that will allow it to be considered for the Grammys, according to the Los Angeles Times. ... The Wu-Tang Clan's Killah Priest has been added to several dates on Bury Your Dead's upcoming headlining run. Look for him to take the stage in Richmond, Virginia (October 17); Wilmington, North Carolina (October 18); Jacksonville, Florida (October 19); and Tampa, Florida (October 20). ... Bad news for fans of hardcore hip-hoppers Twiztid: The band's upcoming Toxic Terror Tour, featuring openers Mower, has been nixed following a recent car accident involving Twiztid's Monoxide. He suffered a torn ACL muscle in his knee, which will require he stays off it for the next month or so. ...

While System of a Down's members go off and do their own things — what with the band on hiatus — drummer John Dolmayan has firmed up plans for his new comic book site, TorpedoComics.com. The Internet retail shop goes live November 1 and will boast some 15 million items, including comics, toys, graphic novels, trade paperbacks, superhero action figures and other related memorabilia. Dolmayan has also teamed with guitarist Daron Malakian for a new project, Scars on Broadway. ... Former Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee, former Anthrax frontman Joey Belladonna, ex-Megadeth bassist Dave Ellefson and Sevendust singer Lajon Witherspoon are among the celebrities who'll appear at the Morgan Rose Celebrity Golf Classic, scheduled for November 15-16 at the Heritage Golf Club in Tucker, Georgia. Proceeds from the event will help support the Atlanta Children's Shelter. ...

Mudvayne will release their latest LP, By the People, for the People, on November 27. The disc will boast several live recordings, rarities, demos and two new studio tracks, "Dull Boy" and a cover of the Police's "King of Pain." The album will be entirely fan-generated; the band is asking its fans to participate in creating the album's contents. Fans can visit the band's Web site and MySpace pageMySpace page to help pick the track list, submit fan-generated album artwork and participate in creating the video for "Dull Boy," the first single. ...

Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth," which has been shown in some college and high school classrooms, got blowback earlier this year when a Washington school put a moratorium on the global-warming movie. Now a British school governor is taking an even stronger measure by suing the British government for distributing the movie to more than 3,500 secondary schools, according to AP. Paul Downes, a lawyer for Stewart Dimmock, said, "Given the serious inaccuracies in the film and the misrepresentations it contains, the film is irredeemable." The lawyer added that even though the movie has already been shown to some students, the High Court could still rule that the government had acted unlawfully and cease distributing it. ...

There's no stopping the Martin Scorsese rock-doc train. The esteemed director, who has directed films about the Rolling Stones, the Band and Bob Dylan in the past, will focus his lens next on the life of George Harrison, according to Variety. Scorsese will produce the yet-untitled picture with Harrison's widow, Olivia, and the late guitarist's former Beatles bandmates Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr will also participate. The flick will revolve around Harrison's time in the Beatles and his later years, and also touch on his involvement with Eastern spirituality as well. In related news, McCartney and Starr are participating in Liverpool, England's European Capital of Culture celebration. Macca will perform at the Anfield soccer stadium on June 1. Starr will return to the city — where the Beatles hailed from — for a ceremony at St. George's Hall on January 11, and he will also appear at the Echo Arena on January 12.

• R. Kelly's Unstoppable Career

• Beyoncé
• R. Kelly
• Britney Spears
• Evanescence
• Radiohead

"Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus" soundtrack album cover
Photo: Disney

Months of rumors that label boss Clive Davis was so dissatisfied with My December that he didn't want to release it couldn't prevent America's first "Idol," Kelly Clarkson, from selling more than 291,000 copies of her latest LP. But did the flurry of negative press play a role in where Clarkson's third studio effort debuts on next week's Billboard albums sales chart?

Well, that's hard to say with any certainty. Clarkson's December faced fierce competition in Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus, a two-disc set from Cyrus, the actress/singer — and daughter of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus — who portrays Miley Stewart, an average teenager who leads a double life as a famous pop singer, on the Disney Channel series "Hannah Montana."

The first "Hannah Montana" soundtrack, which hit stores in October, also debuted at #1, selling 281,000-plus copies, to become the eighth-best-selling album of 2006, with nearly 2 million copies sold (see " 'Hannah Montana' Holds Billboard #1; K-Fed's Tough Week Continues"). Given that victory and Clarkson's sales record, the #1 position could have gone to either artist. But in the end, it was Cyrus who generated 33,000 more scans, claiming a second-straight chart-topping debut for the "Hannah Montana" franchise.

According to the latest SoundScan figures, Miley's double-disc release sold close to 325,600 units, leaving Kelly in the proverbial dust. Clarkson's first-week sales top that of her previous effort, 2005's Breakaway — which opened at #3 with 250,400 scans — but fell short of her inaugural offering, 2003's Thankful, which debuted at #1 with 297,400 sold.

In all, 24 newcomers make their first appearance on next week's Billboard top 200, including Ryan Adams' latest, Easy Tiger, which claims the chart's #7 spot with 61,000 sales. The Mix-Up, the latest, all-instrumental release from the Beastie Boys, follows at #15, selling 43,900 copies. With that ranking, the group's streak of #1 debuts comes to an end: 1994's Ill Communication opened at #1 with 220,000 in sales; 1998's Hello Nasty took the top spot with 681,600 scans; and three years ago, the band's To the 5 Boroughs also took the #1 position, selling 360,300 copies.

Live at the Gorge 05/06, a live box set from Pearl Jam, surfaces at #36, selling 19,150 units its first week on store shelves. Meanwhile, The Essential Paul Simon, a two-disc set featuring highlights from the singer's career, checks in at #42 with 16,900 scans. Finishing at #44 is late Hawaiian musician Israel "Bruddah IZ" Kamakawiwo'ole's Wonderful World, which sold 16,800 copies. Pharoahe Monch's Desire follows at #58, having generated 12,200 scans during its first week at retail.

The Greatest Hits set from Social Distortion claims the #86 spot, with 8,500 copies sold, while S.O.S.: Save Our Soul, the latest release from Marc Broussard, takes the #96 slot, selling 7,800 units. Bad Brains' Build a Nation debuts at #100, with sales reported at 7,600.

Coming in at #112 with 7,000 sold is Three From the Vault, a live album the Grateful Dead recorded back in 1971 at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York. Bryan Ferry's Dylanesque follows at #117, with 6,600 sold.

Symphony X's latest, Paradise Lost, moved more than 6,300 units to open at #123, followed at #136 by the Click Five's Modern Minds and Pastimes, which sold 5,800 copies. 3 Inches of Blood's new disc, Fire Up the Blades, finished at #147 with 5,300 scans, while Sinéad O'Connor's Theology bows at #168 with sales of 4,700. King Diamond's Give Me Your Soul Please debuts at #174 after selling 4,500 units.

• Kelly Clarkson
• Bon Jovi
• The White Stripes
• Amy Winehouse
• Ryan Adams

Kelly Clarkson's <i>My December</i>
Photo: RCA Records

If you're in Southern California this time of year, you've probably heard the phrase "June gloom" — it's an expression used to describe the gray early mornings that bum out the beach bums and spoil the area's otherwise idyllic weather conditions. Well, there's certainly an artist who has felt a different type of June gloom this year, and her name is Kelly Clarkson.

You've probably heard a thing or two by now about her third album, My December, which was originally pegged for a July 24 release but moved to June so fans could become familiar with the tracks before she set out on her proposed summer tour. Well, the tour ain't happenin' this summer — but to make matters worse, fans were able to get their hands on the album early all the same when it leaked online a couple of weeks ago. Add in her firing of manager Jeff Kwatinetz and a litany of reports that she clashed with Clive Davis over the supposedly darker material, and you get an album that's been building exactly the wrong kind of hype.

But this week brings the release of the thorny My December and its 13 songs all the same — 14, actually, if you count the hidden track "Chivas." Also featured on the album — which Blender and Entertainment Weekly have been digging — is "Don't Waste Your Time," "Judas" and "Haunted." And if you've been scouring iTunes, you might have been able to get access to two remixes of her "Never Again" single, "Dirty Little Secret" and "Not Today."

Mark of the Beasties: Like the Beastie Boys but wish they'd just shut up? You're in for a treat this week — the act's first album in three years is an all-instrumental affair and its first to consist solely of vocal-free songs. Mike D smacks the drums, MCA plays bass and Adrock handles guitar while Money Mark lends some keyboard support and Alfredo Ortiz adds percussion. The trio's seventh album features "Dramastically Different," "Freaky Hijiki" and "The Kangaroo Rat" — but with no lyrics to go along with those names, you'll have to use your imagination. MCA is actually appearing elsewhere this week, even though he still has his lips sealed — he produced Bad Brains' first album in five years, Build a Nation.

Adams at It Again: While it's taken the Beasties over two decades to put out seven studio albums, it's only taken Ryan Adams seven years to crank out a staggering 10. Recorded with his band the Cardinals at New York's Electric Lady Studios but issued as a solo effort, Easy Tiger features Sheryl Crow singing backup on "Two" and also includes "Halloweenhead," "Oh My God, Whatever, Etc." and "I Taught Myself How to Grow Old." Unlike the Beasties, Adams is definitely a guy who has a thing or two to say.

Too Much Pearl Jam: As if Pearl Jam's exhaustive — and exhausting — "official bootleg series" and four additional really official bootlegs (as in, proper releases with decent packaging and stuff) didn't do the trick, the aging rockers are busting out a new concert set devoted to the beloved venue in their Washington home state. In classic PJ fashion, Live at the Gorge 05/06 sprawls seven and a half hours' worth of material over seven discs, ensuring that fans will be so suffocated with material that they won't even have the chance to listen to any other bands. If the cover image weren't so cool, we'd be giving these guys even more flak for incessantly weighing down store shelves with these esoteric live packages.

Frankly Speaking: Frank Black is much more than just a Pixie — the frontman has also maintained a formidable solo career over the years, and he's got two CDs' worth of choice material to prove it. Best of Frank Black 93-03 cherry-picks from his nine LPs and is beefed up with a bonus disc of live songs from his North American tour last year. There's also a new slice, "Threshold Apprehension," that Black recorded under his recently revived Black Francis moniker — his Bluefinger is due September 11.

Stock Tip: T.I. will soon be reaping the rewards of his way-anticipated July 3 release T.I. vs. T.I.P., but before he does, he creeps up on the first album by Dallas rapper and Dirty South Rydaz agent Tum Tum. Tip squeezes in alongside Lil Wayne and E-40 on "Caprice Musik Remix," which closes out Tum Tum's Eat or Get Ate LP. (TT might have taken another tip from T.I. — the sixth track on the album is called "T.U.M.") Jim Jones and Mannie Fresh also lend the newcomer a hand.

What a Concept: A slew of concept albums are hitting stores this week. Sinéad O'Connor's double-CD Theology "is an attempt to create a place of peace in a time of war," she said in a press statement. "It is my own personal response to what has taken place and is affecting everyone around the world since and including September 11, 2001." Elvis Costello and the Brodsky Quartet's "Juliet Letters" DVD revolves around the album of the same name, which was inspired by a series of letters an Italian literature professor wrote for the Shakespeare character. Similarly, Queensrÿche's "Mindcrime at the Moore" DVD captures their live performance of the two-part album that describes a political puppet master who brainwashes the story's main character into assassinating corrupt politicians.

Also, Lisa Germano's Lullaby for Liquid Pig, which details her troubles with drinking, is reissued this week with a 20-song bonus CD; Bryan Ferry's Dylanesque is a full-on salute to His Bobness; New Orleans bluesman Bryan Lee's Katrina Was Her Name has an obvious concept; and Manticora's The Black Circus Part 2: Disclosure deals with a 19th century traveling circus.

Song Title of the Week:

"Eat or Get Ate" from Tum Tum's Eat or Get Ate

Album Cover of the Week:

Baroness/Unpersons' A Grey Sigh in a Flower Husk

Other Notables:

3 Inches of Blood's Fire Up the Blades
For all intents and purposes, the Vancouver, British Columbia, thrash band's third studio album is also a concept album — in a press statement, singer Jamie Hooper said, "With this album, the blacksmith is heating up the blades and we are preparing for battle. We are forging the steel that we'll use to annihilate the heavy-metal posers, and in every town we play, the streets will run red with their blood." Hooper might not be kidding — even if he and partner Cam Pipes are singing and screaming about warriors and dragons and other subject matter that'll delight the "D&D" set. With four more guys in their squad and a friend in Slipknot's Joey Jordison — he produced the LP — Ozzfest fans should be warned when the rip-roaring band tours with the fest this summer.

The Sharp Things' A Moveable Feast
Also sharpening up its third effort this week is this symphonic-pop band from New York. The Sharp Things' crew is even larger than 3 Inches' — 10 bandmembers recorded the album, but the ensemble also tapped the Hold Steady's Franz Nicolay, a 40-piece orchestra and Broadway star Michael Cerveris for the outing. Recorded in kitchens, living rooms, basements and elsewhere, the homemade LP features "Franz Agoniste," "Driving in Manhattan in My Car" and "What's the New Girl Wonder."

Mocean Worker's Cinco de MoWo!
The one-man eclectic-electronic sensation steps up with album number five — or, rather, cinco. Beyond his usual cut-and-paste approach, MoWo also integrated live instrumentation courtesy trumpet players Herb Alpert ("Changes") and Steven Bernstein ("Shake Your Boogie"), regular collaborator Rahsaan Roland Kirk and others. MoWo — a.k.a. Adam Dorn — is actually dropping this album on his own label, but given the strong radio play 2005's Enter the MoWo! received, and the love he gets from taste-making Santa Monica, California, radio station KCRW, expect to see this album very much in motion.

New Releases:

· 108 - A New Beat From a Dead Heart (Deathwish)
· 3 Inches of Blood - Fire Up the Blades (Roadrunner) [Buy Now]
· Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger (Lost Highway) [Buy Now]
· Ananda Project - Fire Flower (MVD Audio)
· Asia - Fantasia: Live in Tokyo XXV (two CDs; Eagle Rock)
· Automatic Automatic - Not Accepted Anywhere (Columbia) [Buy Now]
· Baby Dee - The Robin's Tiny Throat (two CDs; Jnana)
· Back Door Slam - Roll Away (Blix Street)
· Bad Brains - Build a Nation (Megaforce) [Buy Now]
· Baroness/Unpersons - A Grey Sigh in a Flower Husk (At a Loss)
· Beastie Boys - The Mix-Up (Capitol) [Buy Now]
· Tab Benoit - Power of the Pontchartrain (Telarc)
· Elvin Bishop - Booty Bumpin' (Blind Pig)
· Boys Night Out - Boys Night Out (Ferret) [Buy Now]
· Marc Broussard - S.O.S.: Save Our Soul (Amazon edition comes with bonus track; Vanguard) [Buy Now]
· Bob Burns and the Breakups - Terminal Breakdown (Gearhead)
· Carolina Chocolate Drops - Dona Got a Ramblin' Mind (enhanced; Music Maker)
· The Chapter - The Prewreck (Awthentix)
· Kelly Clarkson - My December (RCA) [Buy Now]
Read: "Kelly Clarkson On Her Revealing New LP: 'I'm Not Even This Open With Boyfriends!' "
· The Click Five - Modern Minds and Pastimes (Lava) [Buy Now]
· The Nels Cline Singers - Draw Breath (Cryptogramophone)
· The Cursed - Room Full of Sinners (Locomotive)
· The Charlie Daniels Band - Live From Iraq (two CDs; Koch) [Buy Now]
· The Drifters - Greatest Hits (MVD Audio)
· Dub Trio - Cool Out and Coexist (ROIR)
· Tinsley Ellis - Moment of Truth (Alligator)
· Epitaph - Remember the Daze (MVD Audio)
· Bryan Ferry - Dylanesque (Virgin)
· Steve Forbert - Strange Names & New Sensations (429)
· Adam Franklin - Bolts of Melody (Hi-Speed Soul)
· Gabby Glaser - Gimme Splash (Latchkey)
· Gore Gore Girls - Get the Gore (Bloodshot)
· Guff - Symphony of Voices (Go Kart)
· HeadQuarters - O and O (Vibratone)
· Adina Howard - Private Show (Arsenal) [Buy Now]
· Peter Karp - Shadows and Cracks (Blind Pig)
· King Wilkie - Low Country Suite (Zoë/Rounder)
· Greg Lake - Greg Lake (MVD Audio)
· Bryan Lee - Katrina Was Her Name (Justin Time)
· Sylvie Lewis - Translations (Cheap Lullaby)
· Nick Lowe - At My Age (Yep Roc)
· Charlie Manhattan - The Manhattan Project (RNB)
· Manticora - The Black Circus: Part 2 - Disclosure (Locomotive)
· The Minor Times - Summer of Wolves (Prosthetic)
· Mocean Worker - Cinco de MoWo! (Mowo! Inc.)
· Erik Mongrain - Fates (MVD Audio)
· My American Heart - Hiding Inside the Horrible Weather (Warcon) [Buy Now]
· Tony Naima & the Bitters - Dismember (Regain)
· Sinéad O'Connor - Theology (two CDs; Koch) [Buy Now]
· Operator - Soul Crusher (Atlantic)
· Orange Goblin - Healing Through Fire (limited edition comes with DVD; Sanctuary)
· Pearl Jam - Live at the Gorge 05/06 (seven-CD box set; Rhino) [Buy Now]
· Popa Chubby - Electric Chubbyland Volume One (Blind Pig)
· André Previn - Alone: Ballads for Solo Piano (Decca)
· Rasputina - Oh Perilous World! (Filthy Bonnet Recording Co.) [Buy Now]
· Duke Robillard - Duke Robillard's World Full of Blues (two CDs; Stony Plain)
· KJ Sawka - Cyclonic Steel (DualDisc; Wax Orchard)
· The Secret Meeting - Ultrashiver (Noiseplus)
· The Seventh Season - Liquid Water (Independent)
· The Sharp Things - A Moveable Feast (Bar/None)
· Spooky - Open (self-released)
· Symphony X - Paradise Lost (SPV)
· Tenderhooks - Vidalia (Rock Snob)
· Till We Die - Pressing On (Locomotive)
· Pat Travers - Boom Boom (Out Go the Lights) (MVD Audio)
· Tum Tum - Eat or Get Ate (Republic) [Buy Now]
· Waverly Seven - Yo! Bobby (two CDs; Anzic)
· Kelly Willis - Translated From Love (Rykodisc)
· David Witham - Spinning the Circle (Cryptogramophone)
· Pegi Young - Pegi Young (Warner Bros.)
· Various artists - Essential Dub (ROIR)
· Various artists - "Hannah Montana 2" soundtrack (two CDs; Disney)
· Various artists - "Ratatouille" soundtrack (Disney)

Notable Reissues and Archival Material:

· Frank Black - Best of Frank Black 93-03 (two CDs; Cooking Vinyl)
· Eric Carmen - Boats Against the Current/ Change of Heart (American Beat)
· Rodney Crowell - Rodney Crowell (American Beat) [Buy Now]
· DC Talk - Greatest Hits (Forefront) [Buy Now]
· Emerson Lake & Palmer - Pictures at an Exhibition (live) and Trilogy (Shout! Factory)
· The Emotions - Best of the Emotions (Mastercuts Gold)
· Lisa Germano - Lullaby for Liquid Pig (with bonus CD; Young God)
· Grateful Dead - Three From the Vault (two CDs) [Buy Now]
· Heatwave - Best of Heatwave (Mastercuts Gold)
· Robyn Hitchcock - Storefront Hitchcock (Noble Rot)
· David Johansen - Here Comes the Night (American Beat)
· Love - The Blue Thumb Recordings (limited-edition three-CD set; Hip-O Select)
· Yngwie Malmsteen - Fire & Ice (Noble Rot)
· John McLaughlin - The Essential John McLaughlin (two CDs; Columbia/Legacy)
· Metric - Grow Up and Blow Away (Last Gang) [Buy Now]
· Odyssey - Best of Odyssey (Mastercuts Gold)
· Jaco Pastorius - The Essential Jaco Pastorius (two CDs; Columbia/Legacy)
· Linda Ronstadt - Don't Cry Now (Collector's Edition) (Mobile Fidelity) [Buy Now]
· Tommy Shaw - Ambition (American Beat)
· Paul Simon - The Essential Paul Simon (two CDs and one DVD; Warner Bros.) [Buy Now]
· Social Distortion - Greatest Hits (Time Bomb) [Buy Now]
· Squeeze - East Side Story (American Beat) [Buy Now]
· Billy Squier - Emotions in Motion (American Beat)
· Trin-I-Tee 5:7 - Holla: The Best of Trin-I-Tee 5:7 ()
· Trio of Doom - John McLaughlin, Jaco Pastorius, Tony Williams (Columbia/Legacy)
· Steve Vai - Sound Theories Vol. 1 & 2 (two CDs; Epic)
· Various artists - Putumayo Presents Latin Jazz (Putumayo)

Music DVDs:

· AC/DC - "Back in Black - The Ultimate Critical Review" (Classic Rock Legends) [Buy Now]
· The Beach Boys - "Videobiography" (Classic Rock Legends) [Buy Now]
· Bob Berg Quartet - "The Geneva Concert" (MVD Visual)
· Randy Brecker Quartet - "The Paris Concert" (MVD Visual)
· The Clash - "Music in Review" (Classic Rock Legends) a href="/music/artist/clash/albums.jhtml">[Buy Now]
· Echo & the Bunnymen - "Dancing Horses" (MVD Visual) [Buy Now]
· Elvis Costello - "Live: A Case for Song" (Classic Rock Legends) [Buy Now]
· Elvis Costello and the Brodsky Quartet - "The Juliet Letters" (Rhino)
· Country Joe Band - "Turned Up and Turned On" (MVD Visual)
· The Cure - "Rock Case Studies" (Classic Rock Legends) [Buy Now]
· The Drifters - "Greatest Hits Live" (MVD Visual) [Buy Now]
· Echo & the Bunnymen - "Dancing Horses" (MVD Visual)
· Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau - "Autumn Journey" (Kultur)
· Green Day - "Rock Case Studies" (with book; Classic Rock Legends) [Buy Now]
· The Gun Club - "Fire of Love" (Cherry Red)
· Elton John - "Rock Case Studies" (with book; Classic Rock Legends) [Buy Now]
· Tom Jones - "This Is Tom Jones" (three DVDs; Time Life) [Buy Now]
· Greg Lake - "Welcome Backstage" (MVD Visual)
· Madonna - "Music in Review" (Classic Rock Legends) and "The Performance Review" (Video Music) [Buy Now]
· New Model Army - "Live 161203" (MVD Visual)
· North Mississippi Allstars - "Keep on Marchin' " (Songs of the South) [Buy Now]
· Queen - "DVD Collector's Box" (two DVDs; Video Music) [Buy Now]
· Queensrÿche - "Mindcrime at the Moore" (two DVDs; Rhino)
· Tina Turner - "Rio '88" (Eagle Vision) [Buy Now]
· Twisted Sister - "The Video Years" (Rhino) [Buy Now]
· Various artists - "Pop Legends Live!" (three DVDs; Standing Room Only)

Digital Releases:

· Damien Dempsey - To Hell or Barbados (available in brick-and-mortar stores July 3)

Coming Attractions:

July 3:
· Kelly Rowland - Ms. Kelly (Columbia) [Preorder]
· T.I. - T.I. vs. T.I.P. (Atlantic) [Preorder]
Read: "T.I. Taking On T.I.P. With Help From Eminem, Justin Timberlake"
· Velvet Revolver - Libertad (RCA) [Preorder]
Read: "Scott Weiland Pumped For Velvet Revolver LP, Solo Collabo With Pharrell"
· Various artists - "Transformers" soundtrack (Warner Bros.)

July 10:
· Aly & AJ - Insomniatic (Hollywood) [Preorder]
· Interpol - Our Love to Admire (special edition packaged in hard-covered book form due same day; Capitol) [Preorder]
· Mike Jones - The American Dream (Ice Age) [Preorder]
Read: "The Dream Is Nearly Over For Mike Jones"
· Smashing Pumpkins - Zeitgeist (Reprise) [Preorder]
Read: "Smashing Pumpkins Drummer Offers More Clues About Forthcoming LP"

July 17:
· All-American Rejects - "Tournado" DVD (Interscope) [Preorder]
· Avenged Sevenfold - "All Excess" DVD (Warner Bros.) [Preorder]
· The Chemical Brothers - We Are the Night (Astralwerks) [Preorder]

• Kelly Clarkson
• Beastie Boys
• Ryan Adams
• Metric
• The Click Five

The Notorious B.I.G.'s <I>Duets: The Final Chapter</I>
Photo: Bad Boy

Mary J.'s Big(gie) Week: What better way to close out the year than by saying goodbye — once again — to one of rap's most exalted figures? Duets: The Final Chapter purports to do just that, reining in some of Biggie's biggest rivals, peers and successors: Tupac, Eminem, Jay-Z, R. Kelly, Diddy and more. If you want an even bigger Biggie package, pick up the limited version with a bonus DVD housing unseen concert material, videos and celebrity interviews.

Mary J. Blige — who croons with Biggie on "Living in Pain" on Duets — goes up against her departed pal with a new record of her own, The Breakthrough. Her seventh LP, as it turns out, is also chock-full of duets: Blige hooks up with Bono (for a rendition of U2's "One"), Jay-Z ("Can't Hide From Luv") and Raphael Saadiq ("I Found My Everything"). She also sings along with the Game on "MJB Da MVP," which reconfigures his "Hate It or Love It" smash, and does a virtual duet with Nina Simone on "About You," which should bring back memories of Ray Charles' Genius Loves Company.

Speaking of Ray, Jamie Foxx has this week's other major urban release: Unpredictable, which, predictably, also features Mary J. She croons with the future Detective Tubbs on "Love Changes," while the Game crops up again on "With You" (also with Snoop). Kanye, Common and Ludacris also grace Foxx's trax, which sound extra pristine on the DualDisc version.

Lest Ye Forget the Rock: Tool's "Schism" and "Parabola" DVDs: With two of their albums tickling the 80-minute mark (1996's Ænima and 2001's Lateralus), Tool are hardly ones to abridge themselves — making the puzzling band's two short-form video digipaks all the more puzzling. Each features the original clip, an unreleased audio remix of each song and commentary by some super-secret guest stars. Hopefully that'll tide fans over until the follow-up to Lateralus drops sometime in 2006.

Phish's New Year's Eve 1995, Live at Madison Square Garden and "Live in Brooklyn" DVD: For the second time in as many years, Phish-heads will have to make their New Year's toasts without their beloved band, but a 10th-anniversary shindig Rhino has planned should dry a few tears. The three-CD New Year's Eve 1995, Live at Madison Square Garden recalls the gig Rolling Stone called one of the "17 Greatest Concerts of the '90s" with 27 songs and a chunky booklet. Along with the "Love in Brooklyn" DVD, this marks the beginning of Rhino's new Jemp Records, a Phish-specific, concert-release imprint that should keep non-tape-trading Phish fans afloat for years to come.

Ryan Adams' 29 and Johnny Cash's "Live From Austin TX" DVD: Adams continued to contradict his slacker image in 2005 by giving flight to two releases with his band the Cardinals — plus, for good measure, this one, which he primarily does alone. Ethan Johns — who produced Adams' first two records, Heartbreaker and Gold — mans the boards this time around, while guitarist J.P. Bowersock does some plucking. Adams' erstwhile Lost Highway labelmate Johnny Cash sees what will be one of a few billion posthumous releases with "Live From Austin TX," a video spotlighting his January 3, 1987, performance on "Austin City Limits."

Song Title of the Week:

"Elizabeth, You Were Born to Play That Part" (Ryan Adams' 29)

New Releases:

• Ryan Adams - 29 (Lost Highway)
• The Notorious B.I.G. - Duets: The Final Chapter (Bad Boy)
  Read: "Biggie Duets LP Features Eminem, Snoop, Tupac, Nas, Ludacris"
  Buy Now: Duets: The Final Chapter (Bad Boy)
  
• Mary J. Blige - The Breakthrough (Geffen)
  Read: "Mary J. Blige's Breakthrough Is Coming Out This Year After All"
  Buy Now: The Breakthrough (Geffen)
  
• Jamie Foxx - Unpredictable (DualDisc same day; J)
  Read:"Jamie Foxx Has 'Too Many Drinks,' Samples Charles On New LP"
  Buy Now: Unpredictable (DualDisc same day; J)
  
• Time of Cholera - Collapse of the Forsaken (EP; DanceFace)
• Various artists - Hidden Beach Recordings Presents: Unwrapped, Vol. 4 (Hidden Beach/ Epic)
• Various artists - "Casanova" soundtrack (Hollywood)
• Various artists - "Match Point" soundtrack (Milan)

• Miles Davis - The Cellar Door Sessions 1970 (six CDs; Sony Legacy)
• Al Hirt - Most Requested Songs (Fuel 2000)
• Ivy Queen - Best of Ivy Queen (Universal Latino)
• Bob Marley and the Wailers - Man to Man (four-CD box set; Tuff Gong/ Island)
• Phish - New Year's Eve 1995, Live at Madison Square Garden (three-CD box set; Rhino)
  Buy Now: New Year's Eve 1995, Live at Madison Square Garden (three-CD box set; Rhino)

• Johnny Cash - "Live From Austin TX" (New West)
• Neil Peart - "Anatomy of a Drum Solo" (Rounder)
• Phish - "Live in Brooklyn" (Rhino)
• Tool - "Parabola" and "Schism" (Volcano)
• Various artists - "Lyric Reggae DVD Magazine" (Lyric DVD Magazine)

• From Monument to Masses - Schools of Thought Contend (Dim Mak)
• Lil' Flip - I Need Mine (Columbia)
• Sevendust - Best of Sevendust (Chapter One: 1997-2004) (Columbia)

• Nellie McKay - Pretty Little Head (Columbia)
• The Strokes - First Impressions of Earth (deluxe edition due same day; RCA)
  Read: "Secretive Strokes To Spread Love Over The Airwaves In 'Juicebox' Clip"
  Buy Now: First Impressions of Earth (deluxe edition due same day; RCA)
  
• Various artists - "Grandma's Boy" soundtrack (with Bloc Party, Futureheads and Kool Keith; Epic)

• Morningwood - Morningwood (Capitol)
  Buy Now: Morningwood (Capitol)
  
• We Are Scientists - With Love and Squalor (Virgin)
• Bob Geldof - "Geldolf in Africa" (two DVDs; Rhino)

• Notorious B.I.G.
• Mary J. Blige
• Jamie Foxx
• Ryan Adams
• Phish

Ryan Adams Photos

• Ryan Adams