Björk

Jennifer Lopez And Marc Anthony Do Disney; Plus Gnarls Barkley, Mary J. Blige, Krist Novoselic, Bjork & More, In For The Record

25 Jan 2008 05:15:00 EST

Gnarls almost done with second LP; Blige responds to steroid allegations; Novoselic donates to Ron Paul campaign.
By MTV News staff

Jennifer Lopez
Photo: Dave Hogan/ Getty Images

Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Whoopi Goldberg and Jessica Biel are among the celebs captured in a new Disney installment of work by esteemed Vanity Fair photographer Annie Leibovitz. In the images, Lopez is portrayed as Jasmine and Anthony as Aladdin in a "Whole New World" scene, while Biel is dressed as Pocahontas, running through a forest. "I was a huge Disney fan growing up as a kid, and Cinderella, Snow White, Pocahontas, Ariel — all those characters were huge for me," Biel said in a statement. The "Disney Dream Portrait Series" will be featured throughout the year at Disneyland in California and Disney World in Florida. ...

Gnarls Barkley don't have a release date or name yet for their second album, but it's nearing completion, according to Billboard.com. Danger Mouse is busying himself with other projects in the meantime, including lending production to the Black Keys' Attack & Release; Martina Topley-Bird's The Blue God; and Shortwave Set's new LP, which is tentatively titled Replica Sun Machine. ...

Mary J. Blige recently spoke with MTV Base about the ongoing New York steroid probe in which she was recently named. "I really don't want to clear anything up, because I've been spoken about for so many years — rumors I'm pregnant, I'm a man, I'm this, I'm that, why? At the end of the day, I have nothing to prove to anyone. I am Mary and that's that." A report that surfaced in the Times Union last week claimed Blige was among tens of thousands of people who might have used or received prescribed shipments of steroids and injectable human-growth hormone in recent years, although law-enforcement officials said they don't have any evidence that laws were violated. ...

Krist Novoselic, the former Nirvana bassist who has been politically active in Seattle in recent years, has voiced his support for a 2008 presidential candidate, and it's ... Ron Paul? Novoselic alluded to the Republican long-shot candidate in his Seattle Weekly column earlier this month, saying, "The Internet is already doing this with campaign phenomenon like Howard Dean in 2004, and this year with Ron Paul." The Web site PoliticalBase.com shows that he made a $250 contribution to the candidate in mid-September. ...

Björk has nixed her planned appearance at the Big Day Out on Friday night (January 25) in Sydney, Australia. "Doctors have advised Björk to rest due to swelling of the vocal cords," Ken West and Vivian Lees, who produce and direct the festival, said in a statement posted on the Icelandic singer's Web site. "This is a great disappointment to Björk, who is on her first tour of Australia in 12 years." She is slated to rejoin Big Day Out on Monday for a show in Melbourne, followed by performances February 1 in Adelaide and February 3 in Perth. ...

The Reminder (Feist), Kala (M.I.A.), Neon Bible (the Arcade Fire), Cross (Justice) and Sound of Silver (LCD Soundsystem) have all made the cut as finalists for the Shortlist Music Prize. Also in the running are In Our Bedroom After the War (Stars), Sky Blue Sky (Wilco), Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (Spoon), Businessmen and Ghosts (Working for a Nuclear Free City) and Untrue (Burial). The winner will be announced in February. ... Dem Franchize Boyz will bounce back on April 1 with their third effort, Da Point of No Return, which is anchored by the first single, "Talkin' Out Da Side of Ya Neck." Also look for featured appearances by Mannie Fresh on "Mr. Feel Good" and Blaze on "Turn Heads." ...

Marvel Studios is the latest company to reach an agreement with the striking Writers Guild of America, it was announced Friday. "Marvel Studios' signing of an interim agreement with the Writers Guild is more good news for our membership," WGA East President Michael Winship and WGA West President Patric Verrone said in a joint statement. "Marvel is committed to fairly compensating their writers and now they can move forward with their planned production schedule." ... Yes! Will Ferrell has received the James Joyce award in Ireland, where he has been traveling with his dad and brother to trace their family roots, according to The Associated Press. The "Blades of Glory" actor accepted the award — which has been given to Jesse Jackson and others in the past — on Wednesday night and addressed more than 1,000 students at the University College Dublin. "As I perused my leather-bound volumes of 'Ulysses,' 'Finnegans Wake,' 'Dubliners,' 'Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man,' standing in my mahogany library, a lot of feelings ran across my mind. Like: 'Damn, I should have read these books,' " he reportedly said. ...

My Morning Jacket — who sold out their June 20 show at NYC's Radio City Music Hall in just over 20 minutes — have arrived at a title for their new album. Evil Urges, the band's fifth LP, is due June 10. ... Bono hailed Bill Gates on Friday when the Microsoft chairman announced that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will spend $306 million on environmentally friendly technology and farming techniques to help aid millions of impoverished Africans. "It's a very special moment in time, I think, for Davos, and people here," Bono said in the Swiss city, according to The Associated Press. "This is Bill Gates' last trip to Davos as Microsoft leader, and I think it is an extraordinary thing that this man has not just changed the world once, but has now set aside the next act of his life to change the world again, and I think we should just mark this moment." ...

The summer music-festival scene just got a bit less crowded. Less than two months after announcing their plan to host a three-day camping music festival on a 500-acre farm in Vineland, New Jersey, the forces behind Lollapalooza (C3 Presents) and England's Reading Festival (Festival Republic) have announced that they've pulled the plug on the event. Originally scheduled for August 8-10, the Vineland Festival, which never announced a lineup and had faced considerable opposition from area residents concerned about noise and traffic, will now attempt to launch in 2009. Organizers cited "overall festival traffic in the Northeast"— apparently referring to the just-announced All Points West Festival, which is scheduled for the same weekend in Liberty State Park, New Jersey, and is being coordinated by the people who bring you Coachella every year. Organizers also noted big bands touring the area around the same time as the reason for scrapping the event. ...

Heads up, straight-edge hardcore fans: Ex-Minor Threat drummer Jeff Nelson has thrown up for auction on eBay a bunch of rare and unique items from the band and other hardcore acts. Items include fliers, posters, 7-inches and more. ... Want your name to appear in a Saosin release? The band is launching a contest with mobile marketing company Mozes that will give fans the chance to have their name featured in the credits of the booklet that will accompany their forthcoming "Saosin Live" DVD/CD package. Interested? Text SAOSINDVD to 66937 and join the band's mobile list and follow the prompt. ... UB40 might want to rename themselves "UB39," at least for the time being: The British group, which was huge in the '80s, has lost its frontman. "No words can express how upset I feel today that I have been forced to make this decision," Ali Campbell wrote in a Friday post on his Web site. UB40 said in a statement of their own that they will continue without Campbell, a founding member of the band.

1.24.08

Despite widespread reports that Sean "Diddy" Combs had changed his name to Sean John, his rep clarified the situation to MTV News on Thursday (January 24). "Recent reports of a name change are totally false, he is still Diddy," the rep wrote. "He is currently in 'Sean John' mode as the upcoming Sean John fashion show is scheduled for February 8 in New York." ...

One of Britney Spears' friends was deposed Thursday by Kevin Federline's lawyer Mark Vincent Kaplan as he prepares for an April trial involving a request by Spears' ex for primary physical custody of their children. Sam Lufti had previously avoided a notice to appear by Federline's team of lawyers but was eventually served in November. ... Lionsgate said Thursday that it had reached an agreement with striking writers to work on its projects, according to Reuters. "Lionsgate signed an interim agreement with the Writers Guild of America today," the entertainment company reportedly said in a statement. "The writers' issue seems on its way to being solved, and Lionsgate felt it was an important time, particularly in view of our TV series, to have our writer partners get back to work. We look forward to a broad industry agreement soon." ...

John McCain is getting support from another Vietnam veteran, albeit a fictional one: Rambo. Sylvester Stallone recently voiced his support for the Arizona senator, who is in a tight race for the Republican presidential nomination, on TV's "Fox and Friends," according to a press release from his campaign. "I like McCain a lot," Stallone said. "A lot. And you know, things may change along the way, but there's something about matching the character with the script. And right now, the script that's being written — and reality — is pretty brutal and pretty hard-edged, like a rough action film. ... You need somebody who's been in that to deal with it." When host Brian Kilmeade informed McCain of the "Rocky Balboa" star's endorsement on Thursday morning (January 24), he reportedly replied, "I'm going to Philadelphia and running up the steps." ...

Bono swung by the Pentagon to talk about Africa and global poverty with U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Wednesday, according to Reuters. The two reportedly met for 20 minutes and discussed plans to construct a new U.S. military command for Africa. The U2 singer was reportedly in Washington, D.C., to meet with congressional budget committees, and his meeting with Gates was not publicized ahead of time. ... Trey Anastasio spent the weekend in the pokey for violating the conditions of his drug-treatment program last year, The Associated Press reports. The former Phish frontman was punished for an unspecified violation of a court contract that resulted after he pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a controlled substance in April. Anastasio, who lives in Richmond, Vermont, was in a jail in upstate New York for two days. ...

Scarlett Johansson has finally firmed up details surrounding her first music album, a collection of mostly Tom Waits covers. Anywhere I Lay My Head will drop May 20 and feature 10 Waits tribute tracks plus an original cut. The "Nanny Diaries" actress hammered out the effort in Maurice, Louisiana, during a five-week visit at Dockside Studio in spring 2007. She got some assists from Yeah Yeah Yeahs guitarist Nick Zinner, Sean Antanaitis from Celebration and TV on the Radio's David Sitek, who produced the LP. ... The 35th annual Village Voice Pazz & Jop Poll has named Sound of Silver by LCD Soundsystem as its top album of 2007. The rest of the top 10 albums in the poll, voted on by hundreds of rock critics, included In Rainbows (Radiohead), Kala (M.I.A.), Back to Black (Amy Winehouse), Neon Bible (Arcade Fire), Graduation (Kanye West), Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (Spoon), Raising Sand (Robert Plant and Alison Krauss) and Magic (Bruce Springsteen). Winehouse topped the singles list with her hit "Rehab," followed by "Umbrella" (Rihanna), "All My Friends" (LCD Soundsystem), "1234" (Feist), "D.A.N.C.E." (Justice), "Paper Planes" (M.I.A.), "Stronger" (Kanye West), "Int'l Players Anthem (I Choose You)" (UGK) and "Young Folks" (Peter Bjorn and John). ...

This year's New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Fest will take place April 25-27 and May 1-4 and feature sets from the Roots, Raconteurs, Keyshia Cole, Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Santana, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Sheryl Crow, Galactic, Ozomatli with Chali 2na, Jimmy Buffett and dozens of other roots, blues, soul, Cajun and jazz artists. ... Motion City Soundtrack, Phantom Planet and the Hush Sound have slipped onto the bill for the Honda Civic Tour, which will be anchored by Panic at the Disco. The cities the trek will hit have also been announced: San Francisco (April 10); San Diego (April 12); Phoenix (April 13); Tulsa, Oklahoma (April 15); Ruston, Louisiana (April 17); Dallas (April 18); Austin, Texas (April 19); Houston (April 20); Clearwater, Florida (April 22); Miami Beach, Florida (April 23); Lake Buena Vista, Florida (April 24); Atlanta (April 26); North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (April 29); Washington, D.C. (April 30); Orono, Maine (May 2); Troy, New York (May 3); Rochester, New York (May 6); New York (May 7); Philadelphia (May 9); Wallingford, Connecticut (May 10); Boston (May 11); Montreal (May 13); Toronto (May 14); Cleveland (May 16); Columbus, Ohio (May 17); Indianapolis (May 18); Detroit (May 20); Chicago (May 23); Milwaukee (May 25); Minneapolis (May 27); St. Louis (May 30); Council Bluffs, Iowa (May 31); Kansas City, Missouri (June 1); Denver (June 3); Salt Lake City (June 4); Vancouver, British Columbia (June 6); Seattle (June 7); Portland, Oregon (June 8); Las Vegas (June 13); and Anaheim, California (June 14). ...

Uncle Murda was shot in the head late Tuesday night but the injury was not serious, according to New York's Daily News. The popular upstart rapper, who was signed to Roc-A-Fella Records by Jay-Z and backed by DJ Green Lantern, suffered a minor head wound after he was grazed by a bullet while sitting in a parked car in the East New York neighborhood of Brooklyn. There is no word on whether the rapper has been released from the hospital. Calls made by MTV News to reps for Uncle Murda were not returned as of press time. ... Danny Glover was convicted for trespassing on Thursday (January 24) in Niagara Falls, Ontario, according to AP. Canadian Niagara Hotels had charged the actor and two other men after they protested at a Sheraton in September 2006. The protest was part of a larger effort to boost salaries and improve working conditions for hotel workers in North America. They will be sentenced February 8. ...

Los Angeles city officials have asked a judge to ban members of the Mob Piru street gang from congregating in a neighborhood of Compton, California, and included on their list of 200 gang members was former Death Row Records boss Marion "Suge" Knight. The Los Angeles Times reports that Knight's name was on the request, which would ban members of the gang from congregating, carrying guns, drinking alcohol in public or staying out past 10 p.m. Knight, who has struggled to get his label back online after a number of legal tangles and prison time, told the paper he thought the injunction was a "publicity stunt" and that it should not have included him. "This is crazy," he said. "I'm a 42-year-old businessman, not a gang member. I don't even live in Compton anymore." A hearing on the matter is slated for Thursday (January 24). ...

Perez Hilton won an $85,000 judgment on Wednesday in a defamation lawsuit brought by celebrity DJ Samantha Ronson. According to AP, a judge ordered Ronson to pay the blogger $85K, plus an additional $2,000 if Hilton (born Mario Lavandeira) requests it, in the suit over a report on Hilton's blog last year. The post repeated a claim from CelebrityBabylon.com that said Ronson planted cocaine found in friend Lindsay Lohan's car during a May car crash involving the actress. "Perez Hilton will take steps to make sure every dime is collected," his lawyer Bryan J. Freedman said. "This should make one careful before filing a lawsuit against him." The judge removed Hilton from the suit in November after the blogger's attorneys argued he was protected by free-speech rights. Ronson's attorney unsuccessfully argued that Hilton's lawyers' fees were excessive and that he should get no more than $13,400 to recover his legal costs. ...

And the hits just keep coming ... just not the ones the music industry is looking for. According to numbers released by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, global music sales fell by around 10 percent in 2007, falling at a faster rate than they did in 2006, despite a growth in digital-music sales of around 40 percent. The IFPI said illegal downloading continues to be a major problem, with the ratio of illegally downloaded tracks to legal tracks sold at around 20 to 1. Also included in the report was news that the first-ever global music-download sales chart was topped by Avril Lavigne's "Girlfriend," which sold 7.3 million downloads across the world. ...

Gallows, a punk band from England, are the latest act to be banned from playing the House of Blues at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, according to The Onion's A.V. Club. The group was reportedly barred from playing its scheduled show there Tuesday night because Disney objects to the group's lyrical content. Machine Head and Cannibal Corpse suffered similar fates at venues located on Disney property last year.

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Zac Efron Has Appendix Removed; Plus Heidi Montag, Joel Madden, Nicole Richie, Rihanna, Hawthorne Heights & More, In For The Record

15 Jan 2008 10:47:00 EST

Montag wants to be Madonna with solo LP; Madden blogs about his and Richie's baby; Rih Rih teams with Marc Jacobs for purse.
By MTV News staff

Zac Efron
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images

Zac Efron is doing fine after having his appendix removed Tuesday (January 15), according to People.com. The star — who recently signed on for "High School Musical 3" — was rushed to Los Angeles' Cedars-Sinai Medical Center after suffering from appendicitis, TMZ.com reports. "Zac had his appendix removed and is recuperating," the actor's representative, who was not named, reportedly said in a statement. ...

A very revealing photo of Heidi Montag graces the new cover of Maxim, and for the accompanying interview, she also revealed to the mag that she wants to be the next Madonna. "But it's not like with most pop artists, where they have a song sent to them that has nothing to do with their emotions or lives," she insisted about her yet-untitled, in-the-works LP. "It's all about me and my life. I'm taking my time to make sure it's a classic. I don't want to be the next pop person who's in or out. I want to be like Michael Jackson, Madonna, Stevie Wonder — all the greats." Montag also dished on new parents Nicole Richie and Joel Madden recalling that one time they "came up to [Montag's fiance,] Spencer [Pratt,] and me at the Beverly Hills Hotel [in California] and started yelling something Spencer said about Nicole in an interview, like, two years ago. ... Joel was yelling, 'You've been talking sh-- about my girl!' " ...

Madden has blogged on the Web site for his clothing company, DCMA, about arriving home with his and Richie's daughter, who was born on Friday. "Well I am finally home with my beautiful girlfriend and our brand new little daughter," the Good Charlotte frontman wrote. "Harlow Winter Kate Madden was born on January 11th 2008 at 3:13 p.m. She weighed in at 6 pounds and 7 ounces. She is 19 inches long and growing everyday already! She really is a wonderful addition to the GC/DCMA/DEADEXEC family. We are so blessed to have this beautiful little baby in our lives. I want to thank everyone for all the love and kind words they've sent our way. We apologize we weren't accepting gifts/cards/calls at the hospital, but if you'd like to send something, we'd rather you make a donation to the Richie-Madden Foundation, which we started in Harlow Winter's honor. She looks so much like her mom it's crazy! She eats like a little maniac and she's really sweet. She barely ever cries, even when daddy is changing her diaper, and believe me I suck when it comes to diapers, but I'm learning! I can't wait to show off some pictures, until then, THANKS!! and GOD BLESS... Joel." ...

From an "Umbrella" to a handbag: Rihanna has made a match with Marc Jacobs as she and the fashion designer have partnered to produce a new pair of purses named after the leggy singer. The two models are available as a part of Jacobs' spring line. ... Missy Elliott has stepped up with two new tunes for the February 5 soundtrack to "Step Up 2 the Streets." The MC's "Ching-A-Ling" — which is already sizzling in the streets — and "Shake Your Pom Pom" will appear on the soundtrack, and might resurface on her yet-untitled new LP, due in May. The soundtrack also features Cassie, who stars in "Step Up 2 the Streets," as well as T-Pain, Flo Rida, Trey Songz, Plies and Scarface. ...

Twista has inked a deal with Koch to release a project with his longtime group, the Speedknot Mobstaz. The Mobstaz's forthcoming sophomore album, Mobstability II: Nation Bizness, is set to feature Jim Jones and production by Cuzzo and China White Productions. ... The Grammys will not be getting a free pass from the Writers Guild of America. The Los Angeles Times reports that the Grammys have not asked for a special waiver to allow striking Guild employees to work on the show, but even if they did request one, it would not likely be granted. In addition, a number of top musicians who also have Screen Actors Guild cards, including Justin Timberlake and Queen Latifah, are being lobbied by the WGA not to attend the February 10 show, according to AdAge.com. ...

In a $35 million lawsuit filed on Monday, Victory Records claimed that Virgin/EMI "improperly induced" Hawthorne Heights to disregard their contract with the independent Chicago label. In a news release on the suit, Victory also claimed that Virgin/EMI paid $55,000 to the band, which used the money to fund the initial phase of a 2006 lawsuit against Victory, and helped the bandmembers search for a music-industry lawyer to help them with their legal action. "The facts alleged in this case demonstrate classic interference with contractual and business relations," Victory lawyer Robert Meloni said. "They did more than merely offer a carrot to the band, but also saddled the horse, paid for a rider to take the reins, and led it out of the barn." The suit seeks $10 million in compensation and $25 million in punitive damages for Virgin/EMI's "willful, wanton and deliberate conduct." Victory maintains that HH owe the label two more albums, but the band, which lost guitarist Casey Calvert in November after a fatal drug interaction, has vowed not to record for Victory again. ...

Rancid fans, time to grow those Mohawks back — the band started recording new material in a California studio on Monday. The punks' yet-unnamed follow-up to 2003's Indestructible is due later this year, on guitarist Brett Gurewitz's Epitaph/Hellcat label, of course. ... Tiger Army have welcomed an old comrade back into their ranks. Stand-up-bass player Geoff Kresge, who toured with the psychobilly band from 1999-2004 — and who also has a stint with AFI on his résumé — replaces Jeff Roffredo, who "left the band on good terms to pursue other interests," according to a press release from the band's publicist. Tiger Army hit the road earlier this week and have a heap of shows planned for throughout the year. ...

Now that Marilyn Manson and Twiggy Ramirez have reconciled, what better way to celebrate than with some concerts? Manson has tacked on a few more to his upcoming trek, which starts Saturday in Orlando, Florida. The newly added gigs will be staged in Phoenix (February 27); Dallas (February 29); Austin, Texas (March 1); and Houston (March 2). Veteran rock act Ours will be the opening act on the tour, according to Pollstar.com. ... Here's a novel idea: Yellowcard are giving fans who buy the rockers' Live From Las Vegas at the Palms release an early chance at getting tix to one of their upcoming shows. The iTunes exclusive will be available starting January 22, and fans who snatch it up before January 29 will get a Ticketmaster code allowing them to nab up to four tickets for the band's trek, which starts March 7 in Salt Lake City and ends April 12 in Los Angeles. From Las Vegas at the Palms immortalizes Yellowcard's show at the Palms Casino Resort's Pearl venue in October. ...

EMI — home to Coldplay, the Rolling Stones and other acts — will slash a third of its work force, or 1,500-2,000 jobs, over the course of the next months, multiple outlets reported Tuesday. According to the Web site for England's Telegraph, the reunited Verve could be the next major group to withhold its upcoming album in light of the major-label shake-up. The paper reports that the Verve may join Robbie Williams and Coldplay in threatening to hold onto their next albums unless they receive assurances about the company's financial health and how their albums will be marketed. The company's new boss, Guy Hands, was reportedly to be grilled by the managers of some of the label's top acts on Tuesday as he revealed plans for streamlining the company. ...

"American Idol" judge Randy Jackson is known for name-dropping, but his new album, Music Club Vol. 1, might finally back up some of his boasting. Jackson's upcoming solo album, due March 11, will feature pals ranging from Mariah Carey and Joss Stone to Jason Mraz, former "Idol" contestants Elliott Yamin and Katharine McPhee and country star Travis Tritt. Fellow judge Paula Abdul will be featured on "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow," her first new recording in more than a decade. Last week, TVGuide.com reported that Jackson and Abdul had been rehearsing a video for the single, and that she was in talks to perform it at the Super Bowl on February 3. Also included on the album are Van Hunt, Three 6 Mafia, Angie Stone, Richie Sambora and Keb' Mo'. ...

My Morning Jacket are going big time: The longhaired Kentucky rockers will headline a show at New York's Radio City Music Hall on June 20. The band's yet-untitled album will drop 10 days earlier. ... Noise Pop just got a bit noisier. The Walkmen, the Dodos, MSTRKRFT, Stellastarr and the Helio Sequence have climbed onto the roster for the San Francisco fest, which is happening February 26-March 2. Jamie Kennedy's comedic documentary "Heckler" — which features George Lucas, Rob Zombie, David Cross and others — will open the Film Festival portion of the event. ... Carla Bruni has been making headlines lately amid her high-profile romance with French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Now the chanteuse can parlay that attention into promotion for the wide release of No Promises, an album that is currently only available Stateside on iTunes and at Barnes & Noble stores. The disc — which is being issued through Downtown Records, home to Gnarls Barkley and Spank Rock, and pays tribute to English-language literary legends — will hit retail stores nationwide February 19.

1.14.08

Nearly six years after the alleged sex tape first surfaced, the court proceedings in the R. Kelly case continue to move at a snail's pace. The prosecutors originally sought to have testimony from one expert witness, Dr. Sharon Cooper, cover several different areas — the age of the girl on the tape based on forensic pediatrics, the identification of the man on the tape based on the vein pattern on his hands, and the behavior profile of the girl based on the psychology of child sex-abuse victims. Judge Vincent Gaughan had previously ruled that Dr. Cooper could testify about the victim's age, but not the behavior profile, so prosecutors had asked him to reconsider. At a hearing on Monday (January 14), Gaughan ruled once again that Dr. Cooper would not be able to testify about why the girl in the case would deny that she was a victim, or how common denial is in sex-abuse cases. Kelly is due back in court March 12 for another pre-trial hearing, while the trial itself is slated to start on May 9. ...

And the Wu-Tang Clan infighting goes on. U-God — who complained about RZA being callous toward him in the studio nearly four years ago — is now suing Wu's label, alleging that he is owed $170,000, according to TMZ.com. U-God (born Lamont Hawkins) reportedly filed papers in a New York district court, alleging that Wu Music owes him money for services rendered dating back to March of last year. Wu Music is licensed to Universal Music. ...

Paula Abdul doesn't just have the seventh season of "American Idol" on her mind these days. "I want kids!" the singer recently told Ladies' Home Journal for its February issue. "If it doesn't happen naturally, I can always adopt." The 45-year-old Abdul opened up even more about her personal life, saying of 32-year-old boyfriend J.T. Torregiani, "I've experienced real loneliness, so I love knowing there's someone I can share the good and the not-so-good with." ... Everyone's wondering how the seventh season of "Idol" is going to fare in light of some retooling and the writers' strike, but if you ask Chris Daughtry, the show is "in a state of decline." The Daughtry frontman recently spoke with RollingStone.com about the show, adding that if it doesn't right itself, "it's probably not gonna last too much longer. I'm sure that'll be used against me, but that's the truth, you know?" He also said the show is "definitely lacking some credibility at this point." ...

White Stripes, Foo Fighters, Kings of Leon, Mark Ronson, Klaxons, Arctic Monkeys, Kaiser Cheifs and recent MTV Artist of the Week Kate Nash have all landed Brit Award nominations, although Leona Lewis, Mika and Take That have scored the most, with four apiece. Rihanna, Ronson, Kaiser Chiefs, Kylie Minogue and Paul McCartney are slated to perform at the February 20 ceremony. ... R.E.M. have pulled the curtains back on a new Web site surrounding the April 1 release of their 14th studio album, Accelerate. Their NinetyNights.com Web site has daily high-definition-video snippets shot by Arcade Fire collaborator Vincent Moon ...

Björk attacked a newspaper photographer who was attempting to take her picture at the Auckland International Airport on Sunday, according to reports in the New Zealand press. The singer, who was flying in to perform at the Big Day Out concert on Friday, reportedly ripped New Zealand Herald photographer Glenn Jeffrey's shirt after he snapped a photo of her. Jeffrey told the New Zealand Press Association that he was warned by a man traveling with Björk not to take her picture, and once he did, the singer came up behind him, grabbed the back of his shirt and tore it before tumbling to the ground. In 1996, Björk attacked a reporter in an airport in Bangkok, Thailand, after she objected to being photographed. ... The Walkmen and White Rabbits will hop along the U.S. this month for nine shows. On the itinerary are Pittsburgh (Wednesday); Detroit (Thursday); Milwaukee (Friday); Madison, Wisconsin (Saturday); Chicago (Sunday); St. Louis (January 21); Columbus, Ohio (January 22); Philadelphia (January 23); and Baltimore (January 24). ...

For the first time in 25 years, former Clash members Mick Jones and Topper Headon reportedly shared the same stage at a gig by Jones' new band, Carbon/Silicon. The duo performed "Train in Vain" and "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" during the set. ... Megadeth have recruited Chris Broderick (Nevermore, Jag Panzer) to be their newest guitarist, following the recent departure of Glen Drover. Broderick will make his live debut with the band on February 4, at a gig in Finland. ...

Quiet Riot drummer Frankie Banali said the band will not be revived following the late November death of frontman Kevin DuBrow. In an online statement, Banali claims he had been "approached to see if I would be interested in contacting Rudy Sarzo and Carlos Cavazo and to audition singers for Quiet Riot." He said that he's even fielded an offer to re-form "the version of Quiet Riot that included Paul Shortino, Carlos Cavazo and Sean McNabb." But Banali rejected any suggestions of the band performing live. "My friendship, love and respect for Kevin DuBrow, as well as my personal love and affection for Kevin's mother and his family, makes it inconceivable for me to ever entertain any ovation to re-form or to continue Quiet Riot," he wrote. "It would also be a disrespect to the fans who have supported [the band] for nearly 25 years." ...

Roger Avary, the Oscar-winning co-writer of "Pulp Fiction," was arrested on Sunday after a fatal single-car crash in Ojai, California. According to a Reuters report, Avary, 42, was charged with vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence, and was released from jail after posting $50,000 bail. Andreas Zedini, a 34-year-old passenger in the car, died of his injuries at a local hospital. Avary's wife, Gretchen, 40, was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries after being thrown from the car.

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Heidi Montag Poses For Maxim

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R. Kelly Case Still Moving At A Snail's Pace; Plus Wu-Tang Clan, Paula Abdul, Chris Daughtry, 'American Idol' & More, In For The Record

14 Jan 2008 06:55:00 EST

U-God sues Wu Music; Abdul considers adopting kids; Daughtry says 'Idol' is 'in a state of decline.'
By MTV News staff

R. Kelly leaves court in December
Photo: Tasos Katopodis/ Getty Images

1.11.08

Mary J. Blige has a love-hate relationship with her fans, she reveals in the new issue of Vibe, out Tuesday. They don't seem to like her when she's happy — but she doesn't want to be dark and depressed just to make them happy. "When I took the chance to show people I can be happy, I lost a million of my fans," she told the magazine. "I was like, 'I'm gonna have to lose y'all in order for us to live, because if I keep going down this dark hole, we're all gonna die together. I'm gonna slit my wrists or take some pills, and it's gonna be over." That's why Blige feels obliged, more than ever before, to write love songs that she dedicates to her husband. "That's my buddy, my best friend, my business partner," she said. "He's got my back like nobody's ever had my back. I feel like God used him to come and pull me together." Also getting Mary's back is Bill Cosby's wife, Camille, who helped inspire the themes on Blige's Growing Pains. "Bill Cosby called me like, 'My wife loves you! She says there's a song you need to write about love,' " Blige tells the magazine. "I finally called Bill back and said, 'We got the record.' He says, 'Mrs. Cosby will be so glad to hear that.' I damn near cried." ...

Wyclef Jean is being sued for copyright infringement by Blahz of New York rap squad Blahzay Blahzay, who is alleging that an unauthorized sample appears on the former Fugee's latest solo effort, Carnival Vol. II: Memoirs of an Immigrant, according to XXL. The suit, which was filed last month, reportedly claims Wyclef used a sample from Blahzay Blahzay's hit song "Danger" on his tune "Welcome to the East" but didn't clear the sample or credit the group. Blahz did say in a statement, however, that he was contacted by Wyclef's people over use of the sample, XXL reports. ...

Jessica Alba, Katie Holmes and Rosario Dawson celebrated the 10th anniversary of V-Day, a worldwide effort to stop violence against women and girls, at a private luncheon on Thursday, according to The Associated Press. A two-day event commemorating the anniversary will reportedly be held in April at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. ... While we're talking Superdomes, TVGuide.com reports that Paula Abdul is in talks to perform live at the Super Bowl on February 3. She is reportedly rehearsing a music video for a duet with "American Idol" peer Randy Jackson, and the song is due to be the first single from Jackson's forthcoming solo LP, Music Club Vol. 1. According to TVGuide.com, footage from the Super Bowl performance will be folded into the video if Abdul does indeed perform at the football extravaganza. Tom Petty is headlining the Super Bowl halftime show. ...

Daughtry are working on the follow-up to their self-titled LP — which was the biggest-selling disc on the Billboard 200 during the December 2006-November 2007 chart year. "Some songs are coming out a little heavier than the last record, and some songs are just way more beautiful," frontman Chris Daughtry told Gibson.com about the new material. ... Paris Hilton has been named Woman of the Year by college comedy magazine The Harvard Lampoon. Hilton will accept the award February 6 at Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and speak to the student body. ...

Does Marilyn Manson reconciling with Twiggy Ramirez remind you of Robert Plant reuniting with Jimmy Page? Probably not, but the Antichrist Superstar recently told RollingStone.com that the Led Zeppelin comeback gig spurred him to make amends with Ramirez. "The turning point for me was when I went to see Led Zeppelin's reunion show, and I saw Jimmy Page and Robert Plant look at each other for a moment, and they probably said, 'Holy sh--, we wrote "Stairway to Heaven." ' ... I want to look at Twiggy and go, 'Holy sh--, we wrote "The Beautiful People." ' I called him, and I said, 'Let's go do this.' " How modest. ... Zooey Deschanel swung by NPR Southern California affiliate KCRW's "Open Road" recently, during which it was revealed that the actress is cobbling together an album with singer/songwriter M. Ward, with whom she has performed in concert in the past. According to ThePlaylist.com, the album — the name of which has yet to be revealed — will drop in March via Merge Records. ...

Gnarls Barkley frontman Cee-Lo made a guest turn recently on "The Boondocks" as Reverend Rollo Goodlove. Cee-Lo's character lends his support to Huey's hunger strike against BET and narrates the entire episode, which skewers several of the network's top execs. A preview of the show appears on YouTube with a note stating the original airdate was Monday, but the show hasn't aired yet. ... Jill Scott announced dates for her Real Thing tour on Friday (January 11). The recent NAACP nominee (Best Female Artist and Best Actress) will hit the stage on multiple nights in Oakland, California (February 7-8); Atlanta (February 22-23); and Baltimore (February 26-27), as well as play a four-night stand in Washington, D.C., beginning March 11. The run ends March 30 in Birmingham, Alabama. ...

Funnyman Patton Oswalt has been tapped to host this year's Plug Independent Music Awards, which will also feature performances by indie folkie José González and St. Vincent, the solo project by Polyphonic Spree guitarist Annie Clark. The ceremony will be held March 6 in New York. ... The Take Action Tour is getting even more charitable. Do Something, a nonprofit group that helps teens fight discrimination and homelessness, is partnering with the trek to offer three $500 grants to young people looking to make change in their neck of the woods. Go here for more info on the Take Action Grants. ... Fiery Furnaces got some sad news recently when Olga Sarantos, the grandmother of two of the indie-rock group's members, passed away, according to BrooklynVegan.com. Sarantos was heard telling tales of her youth on the band's 2005 disc, Rehearsing My Choir.

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Radiohead, Smashing Pumpkins And Bjork Ring In The New Year, In New Releases

2 Jan 2008 08:00:00 EST

Also due Tuesday: 'Elvis: Viva Las Vegas' soundtrack featuring Daughtry, Bruce Springsteen, Joe Perry.
By Kurt Orzeck

Radiohead's In Rainbows
Photo: XL

The music industry is suffering a pretty big hangover this week, thanks to the year that was 2007. CD sales dropped 20 percent, and many fingers were pointed at one band in particular — Radiohead — for turning the industry inside out with the name-your-own-price digital release of In Rainbows, their latest album.

Well, sorry, haters: It's going to be hard to shake off those memories, seeing as how Radiohead are ringing in the new year with the CD version of the effort, which made many critics' best-of-'07 lists.

So does this mean the physical release will do for CD sales what the digital release did for the online world? Um, we'll say no on that one. In fact, when a band as big as the Smashing Pumpkins are also bypassing terrestrial stores by putting out a new effort online only — in the U.S., at least — it's safe to say that this year will see even more digital action than '07 did.

Surprisingly, the Pumpkins' set will only be available on iTunes in the States, with CD versions of the release hitting other stores across the world. Also curious is that the item is an EP containing four all-acoustic songs: "The Rose March," "Again, Again, Again (The Crux)," "POX" and "Sunkissed."

"We have always regretted not recording more in between tours because albums have never caught the full story of the group ... it's sort of Zeitgeist+," frontman Billy Corgan said in a press release about American Gothic, the title of which he called a "continued comment on the state of our country." Corgan added, "I had written a bunch of material during the residencies in Asheville [North Carolina] and San Francisco [in 2007], and fans kept asking us if we were gonna put any of that stuff out. iTunes came to us wanting to do something together, so it just felt right."

The Pumpkins recorded the EP at the Pass studios in Los Angeles while on a break between their 2007 U.S. and upcoming European tours, with Corgan, drummer Jimmy Chamberlin and legendary Queen collaborator Roy Thomas Baker producing. Fans looking to get their mitts on the artwork can download it for free at SmashingPumpkins.com.

Another smaller-scale release by a big-name artist is happening this week: Björk's Declare Independence, which is landing in brick-and-mortar stores in the form of a CD-plus-DVD set and as a 12-inch vinyl. Look for it online as well.

The packages contain the title track — which is the 42-year-old Icelandic songstress' third single from her 2007 release, Volta — as well as bonus remixes by collaborator Ghostigital, a singer/trumpet player who also hails from Iceland; London producer/engineer Mark Stent, who has worked with Björk in the past as well; and British electronic musician Matthew Herbert, who programmed three songs on Björk's 2001 album, Vespertine. The DVD contains the song's video, which was directed by — you guessed it — perennial Björk co-conspirator Michel Gondry.

Also on the menu for this week is the soundtrack to "Elvis: Viva Las Vegas," an ABC special that aired in September as part of the 30th anniversary of Presley's death. The disc pits recently remastered songs sung by the King — "Mystery Train," "Jailhouse Rock," "(There'll Be) Peace in the Valley (For Me)," etc. — alongside tribute cover versions performed during the TV special. Included are Daughtry's take on "Suspicious Minds"; Bruce Springsteen's cover of the title track; Chris Isaak and newcomer Brandi Carlile's "Love Me Tender" duet; Toby Keith and Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry's rendition of "Mystery Train"; as well as additional cuts by Patti Scialfa, Faith Hill and Miranda Lambert.

Rounding out the latest batch of new releases is a 25th Anniversary Edition reissue of Here, There & Back by Lynyrd Skynyrd spinoff group the Allen Collins Band, and Life by Stereo by Christian hip-hop artist J.R.. The latter disc is being issued by Cross Movement Records, which amusingly states on its Web site: "J.R. presents the antithesis of an infamous heavy-metal album of [a] similar moniker, Death by Stereo, with Life by Stereo — signifying God's use of music as a medium to communicate life rather than death." We're pretty sure the label actually means the band Death by Stereo, which, as it is, are really more of a hardcore thing than a metal group. But we get the drift.

Song Title of the Week:

"Weird Fishes/ Arpeggi" from Radiohead's In Rainbows

Album Cover of the Week:

Radiohead's In Rainbows

New Releases:

· Björk - Declare Independence (EP; with DVD; One Little Indian) [Buy Now]
· J.R. - Life by Stereo (Cross Movement)
· Radiohead - In Rainbows (TBD/ATO) [Buy Now]
Read: "Radiohead's In Rainbows To Be Released Digitally October 10 — You Decide The Price!"
· Various artists - "Elvis: Viva Las Vegas" soundtrack (Sony)

Digital Releases:

· Allen Collins Band - Here, There and Back - 25th Anniversary Edition (available at RollforRock.com)
· Smashing Pumpkins - American Gothic (EP; available exclusively on iTunes in the U.S.)

Coming Attractions:

January 8:
· Sia - Some People Have Real Problems (Monkey Puzzle) [Preorder]
· Testament - Demonic and Hammer of the Gods reissues (Prosthetic)
· Various artists - ... And All the Pieces Matter: Five Years of Music From "The Wire" (Nonesuch)

January 15:
· Eels - Meet the Eels: Essential Eels Vol. 1, 1996-2006 (CD and DVD; Dreamworks/Geffen/UMe); and Eels Useless Trinkets: B-Sides, Soundtracks, Rarities and Unreleased - 1996-2006 (two CDs and one DVD; Dreamworks/Geffen/Ume) [Preorder]
· Jon Foreman - Fall/Winter (two EPs; lowercase people/ Credential Recordings)
· Spice Girls - Greatest Hits (enhanced; two discs; Virgin) [Preorder]

January 22:
· Natasha Bedingfield - Pocketful of Sunshine (Epic)
· Matt Costa - Unfamiliar Faces (Brushfire)
· Mindless Self Indulgence - You'll Rebel to Anything (Metropolis)

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The Future Of Music: What's Next?

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Ashlee Simpson Shoots 'Out There' Video; Plus Kanye West, Avril Lavigne, Gorillaz, J.K. Rowling, Velvet Revolver & More, In For The Record

7 Dec 2007 06:13:00 EST

West drops out of U.S. show at last minute; Lavigne, Gorillaz items featured in auctions; Rowling documentary on the way.
By MTV News staff

Ashlee Simpson
Photo: Getty Images/ Frederick M. Brown

You probably didn't take Ashlee Simpson as a fan of Salvador Dalí, but the famed artist's surrealism is exactly the look she went for in her new video, according to Billboard.com. The singer shot a clip for "Out of My Head (Ay Ya Ya)," the Timbaland-produced first single from her yet-untitled March album, on Thursday. "One of my favorite artists is Salvador Dalí," she told the site. "You'll see a little bit of that surrealism in [the clip]. There's a bit of 'Being John Malkovich' in there too. It's a little out there." Simpson also said she will title the album during the holidays and hopes to kick off a small-club tour in February. ...

Kanye West has backed out of what would have been his first concert on U.S. soil since the unexpected death of his mother, Dr. Donda West, last month. The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that West dropped off the bill for the KDWB Jingle Ball at the Target Center slated for Friday night (December 7) in Minneapolis with only a few days' notice, due to an unspecified "family matter." "American Idol" runner-up Blake Lewis and Fabolous will fill in for West on the bill, which also includes Avril Lavigne, Timbaland, Good Charlotte and Jordin Sparks. "We tried to get [West] on the air to explain all this to fans, but he refused," said Rob Morris, the station's program director. "We did everything we could to save this thing." ...

West, Avril Lavigne, Common and Coldplay are just a few of the many celebs who have pitched in for Waxploitation's new Darfur Benefit Auction, which launched Thursday. Lavigne, Com, the Flaming Lips, Norah Jones, Nickelback and Deftones signed guitars for the auction; 'Ye, Coldplay, Gnarls Barkley, Bloc Party, TV on the Radio, Wilco, the Decemberists, Aesop Rock, Macy Gray, Thievery Corporation and Gorillaz signed other items; and there are additional items from Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lupe Fiasco, Don Cheadle, and Bam Margera. All proceeds will go to Doctors Without Borders, Human Rights Watch and Oxfam America. ...

Speaking of eBay charity auctions, Gorillaz's Damon Albarn, Robert Plant, Belle and Sebastian's Stuart Murdoch, PJ Harvey and others have written and signed postcards for a British one that's currently up. One of Plant's postcards quizzically has just two words above his John Hancock: "Mitigating circumstances." Daddy G of Massive Attack and actress Helen Mirren also pitched in for the effort, which is raising money for Carers UK, an organization that gives financial and emotional support to individuals who provide unpaid health and social care. ...

J.K. Rowling has posted a new entry on her Web site, calling out the launch of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" at the National History Museum in London and insisting that the book is her fave of the series. "As for mourning Harry — and I doubt I will be believed when I say this — nobody can have felt the end as deeply as I did. The writing of 'Harry Potter' has been inextricably linked with my life for 17 years, and saying goodbye has been just as tough as I always knew it would be." Rowling also revealed that a documentary surrounding her is on the way. "J.K. Rowling - A Year in the Life," which will air later this month in the U.K., shadows the author working on "Deathly Hallows," on tour and at the launch. ...

After visa issues forced Velvet Revolver to cancel their tour of Japan, and "health issues" forced the band to postpone its Australian tour — a week after the DUI arrest of singer Scott Weiland — the group has announced a New Year's Eve show at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom. The band also said that part of the proceeds from a limited-edition T-shirt sold at its Wednesday benefit with Alice in Chains at Universal City, California's Gibson Amphitheatre will be donated to victims of the recent Southern California fires. Meanwhile, the Australian tour dates have been rescheduled for February and will kick off with a show on the 15th in Brisbane. ... It was a rare bit of good legal news for Kid Rock this week when a judge in New Orleans dismissed Louisiana musician Troy Landry's claim that the rapper's song "Somebody's Gotta Feel This" was too similar to one of his songs. According to The Associated Press, U.S. District Judge May Ann Vial Lemmon said the works were not "so strikingly or substantially similar as to preclude independent creation." Landry sued Rock (born Robert Ritchie) and Atlantic Records in 2004, claiming that an eight-second snippet of "Feel This" that was featured in a beer commercial was similar to a song Landry released on a 1994 record. ...

Madonna is suing the board and management company of her luxury New York apartment — which includes a 6,000-square-foot duplex, a gym and a beauty salon — for not allowing her to expand it into a neighboring apartment, according to the Daily News. In a recently filed summons, the singer reportedly accuses the board and management company of breach of contract for holding up the sale of the other apartment. ... In other Madge news, Billboard.com reported Thursday that her new album would be called Licorice and drop in late April, but her label is saying not so fast. "Wrong title. Release date wrong etc.," Warner Bros. spokeswoman Liz Rosenberg told Reuters. She did not, however, appear to deny the reported participation of Kanye West and Pharrell on the effort. ... Björk has reunited with director Michel Gondry — who got behind the camera for some of the singer's best-known videos, including "Human Behaviour" and "Army of Me" — for a new clip, RollingStone.com reports. The collaboration, for her song "Declare Independence," marks their first hookup in 10 years. ...

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band have lined up three gigs he'll play in the summer at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, according to Billboard.com. Sixty-six Springsteen concerts have reportedly sold out at the venue in the past, and the upcoming gigs will be held July 27, 28 and 31. ... So is that much-rumored new studio album by the Pixies still in the works? "Helll no," Kim Deal recently told RollingStone.com about participating on a potential new effort. "Because I don't want to," she added. She said she didn't think her bandmates wanted to make one either. "I was kind of waiting for [Frank Black and guitarist Joey Santiago] to get together and do demos, and they never did." ... "Wire" fans, there's another reason to get psyched, beyond the upcoming launch of the show's new season: Two soundtracks are on the way, Pitchfork reports. ... And All the Pieces Matter - Five Years of Music From "The Wire" will include music and dialogue from the lauded HBO show; tracks by Steve Earle, Solomon Burke and others; as well as variations of Tom Waits' "Down in the Hole" theme sung by the Blind Boys of Alabama and others. Beyond Hamsterdam: Baltimore Club Tracks From "The Wire" will highlight underground B-More rappers like Rod Lee, Tyree Colion and Diablo. Both discs drop January 8, two days after the new season starts airing. ...

Will Smith, Ralph Macchio wannabe? Believe it or not, the "I Am Legend" actor is entertaining the idea of a "Karate Kid" remake, according to AP. While there aren't many more details yet on that shocker, there is some more news on the "I Am Legend" front: The flick's theatrical release in China is being held up due to the country's plan to temporarily ban American movies in an effort to help China's domestic-film industry. ... Kiefer Sutherland, who has served three of the 48 days he has been sentenced to spend in jail, is a "model prisoner," said Officer John Balian, a spokesman for the Glendale City Jail in California, according to People.com. Sutherland reportedly spent Thursday folding jail laundry and has been assigned to serve meals to the other inmates. "He's not happy to be here," Balian said. "But you can tell from his demeanor that he's sorry and takes responsibility for what he's done." ...

A fifth person has been charged with conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice in the case involving Amy Winehouse's husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, BBC News reports. James Kennedy is due in court Friday. ... Billy Joel has released a new anti-war song — though the piano man isn't heard singing on the track. Instead, 21-year-old New York singer/songwriter Cass Dillon handled the duties. Joel thought "somebody young, about a soldier's age," should be heard on "Christmas in Fallujah," he recently told AP. The track went on sale on iTunes starting Tuesday, and net proceeds are going to Homes for Our Troops, a charity group that constructs homes for wounded Iraq and Afghanistan vets. ...

Hip-hop icon MC Lyte is prepping the debut from her new group, Almost September, which also features producer/DJ Jared Lee and singer Whitey White. Manager "Blue" Williams said the trio have a "grown-up rap" feel that mixes Lyte's rhymes with soulful funk akin to the Brand New Heavies. The group's first single, "Beautiful," will be available on iTunes before the end of the year. ...

Drowning Pool bassist Stevie Benton has been diagnosed with Bell's Palsy, an often-temporary neurological disorder that causes paralysis of the face, after being rushed to the hospital Thursday. According to a statement from his publicist, Benton felt ill during the band's Wednesday night show in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and has been ordered to stay off the road for at least six weeks. "I'm really bummed that because of this, we can't perform this last string of shows," he said in the statement. "I want to thank the fans for their continued support."

12.6.07

Time to pucker up for Madonna's next album — Billboard.com reports that the singer has settled on the title for it: Licorice. The effort, which will reportedly feature "Candy Shop" and "The Beat Goes On" (featuring Pharrell), is due in late April and will be Madge's last effort for longtime label Warner Bros. Kanye West is said to be a guest on "The Beat Goes On," according to the site, which also reports that Madonna's vintage track "The Devil Wouldn't Recognize You" will get an update on the new disc. ...

Jessica Sierra pleaded not guilty on Thursday (December 6) to charges of disorderly intoxication, resisting arrest and violating conditions of her parole on earlier felony battery and possession charges, according to The Associated Press. The former "American Idol" finalist was arrested early Sunday morning outside a bar in Ybor City, near Tampa, Florida, after causing an unspecified disturbance while working inside the establishment. Sierra's lawyer reportedly said he is consulting with doctors to map out a comprehensive drug and alcohol plan for the ex-"Idol" contestant, who is currently being held without bail. Sierra is to remain in jail at least until her next hearing on December 20. ...

Gym Class Heroes, the Academy Is ... and Relient K will help anchor next year's Warped Tour, according to Alternative Press. Every Time I Die, From First to Last and the Bronx are also among the first 18 bands named for the summer trek, with the dates yet to be announced. ... Speaking of summer fests, Bonnaroo will take place June 12-15 in Manchester, Tennessee, Billboard.com reports. The lineup will be revealed in late January or early February. ... Your chance to download Radiohead's In Rainbows is about to end. The band has announced that the InRainbows.com Web site will close Saturday. But you can still plunk down $80 for the box set at Radiohead's online w.a.s.t.e. store, while supplies last. ...

Ne-Yo and Macy Gray are joining Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy and others as they pitch in for presidential aspirant Senator Barack Obama. Ne-Yo and the Goo Goo Dolls will play at an Obama fundraiser in Universal City, California, on Monday, while Gray, Tweedy and others will perform at the senator's Friday event in Obama's hometown of Chicago. On a related note, Wilco will set out for a two-week U.S. tour in February. ... Paris, you've got nothing on Britney — Spears outdid Hilton on eBay in terms of related items sold this year. AP reports that 34,345 Brit-related items were sold, compared with 27,377 for Paris. A mere 8,099 items related to Lindsay Lohan were auctioned, while on the movies front, "Transformers" beat out Harry Potter with 442,342 and 344,825 related items sold, respectively. ...

Indie-rockers, state attorneys general and anti-smoking activists are finding themselves on the same side, oddly enough — some of them are reportedly peeved about an ad for Camel cigarettes that appeared alongside a cartoon-heavy indie-rock feature in the magazine's November 15 issue, Pitchfork reports. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. has stopped promotions for its "The Farm" marketing campaign after nine attorneys general sued the company over the ads, according to North Carolina's Winston-Salem Journal. More states are reportedly expected to also sue R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., which could face a fine of more than $100 million for violating a 1998 agreement between 46 states and tobacco manufacturers. The Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement banned the use of cartoons to sell market cigarettes in 1997, effectively killing off Joe Camel. Also being debated, according to Pitchfork, are Camel-sponsored concerts that have featured the Flaming Lips, Band of Horses and the Faint. ...

Alicia Keys will ring in the new year with a performance on the roof of New York's Rockefeller Center as part of Carson Daly's shindig on NBC. The show, which will air December 31 at 11:35 p.m. ET, will also feature Lenny Kravitz performing in Times Square. Keys will sing two songs from her latest album, As I Am. ... LL Cool J, Rev Run, Petra Nemcova, Brett Ratner and other celebs are participating in an ongoing online charity auction staged by Russell Simmons' Diamond Empowerment Fund. "Diamonds Give" features 15 lots of donated diamond pieces and runs through December 16 on eBay. ...

It sounds like U2 might be going back to the future on their upcoming album. The band, which flirted with dance beats and techno on such albums as 1991's Achtung Baby, is incorporating trance, metal and Moroccan influences on its new disc, according to an interview with Bono in The Independent. The singer said fans will "feel the difference. ... Normally when you play a U2 tune, it clears the dance floor. And that may not be true of this. There's some trance influences." He also said the yet-untitled and unscheduled album has some "very hardcore guitar" and "real molten metal" from guitarist the Edge that doesn't sound "like anything we've ever done before, and we don't think it sounds like anything anyone else has done either." Though he wouldn't categorize the album as "world" music, Bono said its sound was inspired in part by a religious music festival the guys attended in Fez, Morocco, where they were exposed to Sufi music. "It was a real humbling thing for a punk-rock shouter, listening to these people who just close their eyes for 40 minutes and sing the most sophisticated melodies." So far, U2 have recorded enough material for two records, he added. ...

Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson recently hung with locals, bathed in an irrigation ditch in their boxers and visited an orphanage in Peru this week, according to AP. An image that surfaced shows the two, who reportedly stayed at a cheap hotel room that cost less than $50 per night, smiling and waving in Cuzco. Cameron Diaz, Bill Gates and others visited the area earlier this year. ... Courtney Love has a new video on her hands ... kind of. A clip featuring manga character Princess Ai — whose universe of properties was co-created by Love — will premiere at the New York Anime Festival on Saturday. "Princess Ai: Broken Leash," which includes live action, animation and music, will appear as part of a CD/DVD anthology due in fall 2008. ... It's hard to keep old punks down. After their recent reunion tour of England this year, punk grandfathers the Sex Pistols will hit the road again next summer, according to Reuters. Guitarist Steve Jones did not give any specifics about the 2008 tour on his Los Angeles radio show on Wednesday, other than to say that the group might play an upcoming charity show at London's Royal Albert Hall organized by Who singer Roger Daltrey. ...

And the battle over James Brown's estate goes on. According to AP, two former trustees for the late singer's estate say the judge who is handling the disputes made them resign in late November. In recently filed court documents, Buddy Dallas and Alford Bradley reportedly said they want to retract their resignations and that South Carolina Circuit Judge Jack Early used "improper judicial influence." They are also seeking for the appointment of their successors to be overturned.

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Radiohead, M.I.A., Bjork: Albums I'm Supposed to Love But Just Don't, In Our Year-End Top 10s

4 Dec 2007 08:00:00 EST

Feist, Arcade Fire also make list of 2007's 'musical broccoli.'
By Gil Kaufman

Radiohead's In Rainbows
Photo: XL

Like most of the media world, we here at MTV News obsess and argue relentlessly over our year-end top 10s. This year, we thought we'd share them! Our staff top 10s will be rolling out all this week, along with several less conventional lists we've come up with, like couples, guilty-pleasure songs, albums, hot messes, arrests and much more. Enjoy, and share your own top 10s in You Tell Us!

1. Radiohead, In Rainbows: I didn't rush out and buy the iPhone, and I didn't sprain an index finger ordering up this Sominex special. Sgt. Pepper's couldn't have stood up to the scrutiny that this low-audio quality Internet stunt album got, and now that I have finally paid my $0 (yeah, I'm one of those guys, so what?), I have to say I'm ... is "underimpressed" a word? Fewer electronic squiggles and more rock than the last couple of glitch-a-ramas, but if this is the best of two years of jamming, what the hell did they leave on the cutting room floor?

2. M.I.A., Kala: I can totally dig the Pixies and Jonathan Richman references, and I love Bollywood soundtracks, chaos and big, frantic tribal spaz beats. But somehow the combo of all that plus M.I.A.'s barky, accented chicken-squawk vocals and all those annoying kids hectoring in the background felt like a spangly Chuck Taylor All-Star to my brainpan. Hip-hop should feel like fun, not homework.

3. Björk, Volta: Like Radiohead, Björk is one of those artists critics are required to fawn over, despite her insistence on treating melody like it's a cop's foot and she's Britney's out-of-control Beemer. We get it: You're avant-garde. But if the rumbly, bleep-bloop "Earth Intruders" is as catchy as it gets, I promise to pay anyone out there $100 if they can prove they listened to this whole album more than twice by this time next year.

The Best Of 2007

The Top Albums: MTV News Staffers Pick Their Top 10 Albums

The Biggest Arrests: Paris Hilton, T.I. And More Had An Arrest-Ing 2007

The Hottest Couples: 50 Cent And Ciara And More Smoking-Hot Couples

For the rest of MTV News' year-end top 10s, check out our Best of 2007 page, where you'll find the hottest hip-hop, catchiest singles and more.

4. Dr. Dog, We All Belong: If by We All Belong, they mean "we all belong to a cabal of hipsters who've chosen to overlook the fact that half these songs sound kinda like a dirty hippie barbershop quartet playing Beach Boys covers," well, then I guess I'm not a belong-er.

5. The Good, the Bad & the Queen, The Good, the Bad & the Queen: Remember what it felt like to watch the 2004 men's-basketball "Dream Team" get their asses handed to them by Argentina? That was kinda like listening to this dubbed-out, tuneless mess featuring members of the Clash, Gorillaz/Blur, the Verve and Fela Kuti's band.

6. Feist, The Reminder: Man, that "1234" song was awesome! And the one-continous-shot video with the dancing and the color-coordinated outfits? And the choreography? So awesome. Did I mention that I totally dig "1234"?

7. The Arcade Fire, Neon Bible: I wanted to love this album so badly. I really did. What with the songs about terrorists and Jessica Simpson's dad (same difference?) and that one that sounds like John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band's "On the Dark Side" ("Keep the Car Running" — go check it out yourself)? But unlike the band's debut, with the exception of a few cuts — OK, "Keep the Car Running" — it felt like an indie-rock college term paper on postpartum depression.

8. Bat for Lashes, Fur & Gold: Remember that Björk bet? Double or nothing, baby! I like freaks and I like folk, but I guess I just don't like creepy Halloween music if the scariest it gets is a tune about "The Wizard."

9. Animal Collective, Strawberry Jam: The next time I want to listen to a broken $25 Casiotone keyboard being defiled by a cheap drum machine over a staticky intercom while some stoner rambles on about bubbles exploding and tickling the bath, I'll just go to my buddy Eric's house and watch him cook dinner. Because at least he always has two good import beers on tap. ...

10. Angels & Airwaves, I-Empire: Oh, who am I kidding? Nobody pretends you're supposed to like this one.

Related Artists

Buble Takes Down Bone Thugs In Mother's Day Chart Melee

16 May 2007 12:57:00 EDT

New albums from Bobby Valentino, Björk also crack chart's top 10.
By Chris Harris

Michael Bublé
Photo: 143/Reprise

Last week, Michael Bublé came so close to scoring the first Billboard albums chart #1 debut of his career, he could taste it. But then R&B hunk Ne-Yo burst Bublé's bubble, scoring the top spot and leaving the Canadian crooner holding Billboard's silver medal.

But this week, it was Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's turn to feel the sting. Early sales projections had the group's comeback LP, Strength & Loyalty, pegged for a #1 opening. But in the end — possibly due to a last-minute Mother's Day sales push — the Bone couldn't touch the Bublé.

While sales of Bublé's latest, Call Me Irresponsible, dipped 32 percent last week, the LP still outsold Bone Thugs' new one by about 25,000 copies, earning the singer with the hard-to-pronounce name a belated Billboard conquest, according to the latest SoundScan figures. Bublé's album sold nearly 145,000 units to Bone Thugs' 119,000. The group has bowed at the top twice before, with 1995's E 1999 Eternal, which sold 307,000 copies, and 1997's The Art of War, which scanned to the tune of 394,000.

Meanwhile, R&B heartthrob Bobby Valentino's sophomore set, Special Occasion, opens at #3 on next week's chart, having sold 91,700 copies during its first week at retail; Bobby's no stranger to a #3 debut, as his self-titled 2005 LP also opened in third, but with much stronger sales of 180,000. Valentino's was one of four new releases to make it into this latest top 10, and one of 15 new releases in all to impact the chart. Debuting at #7 is legend Barbra Streisand's Live in Concert 2006, with close to 60,000 scans, and coming in at #9 is Icelandic songstress Björk's Volta, which netted week-one sales of 43,000.

Surprisingly, Volta earns the distinction of being the first Björk album to debut in the top 10. Her two previous efforts, 2001's Vespertine and 2004's Medúlla, opened at #19 and #14, respectively, with stronger sales of 75,000 and 65,000. Ne-Yo's Because of You slides three spots to #4 with 89,000 scans, while Avril Lavigne's The Best Damn Thing follows at #5 on 70,800 units.

The self-titled debut from "American Idol" season five finalist Chris Daughtry's eponymous rock outfit, Daughtry, inches up one spot to #6, with 66,800 copies sold, while Carrie Underwood's Some Hearts climbs two spots to #8 with 56,800 scans. The 24th installment in the Now That's What I Call Music! compilation series rounds out the top 10, having sold an additional 40,700 copies, adding to its already 743,000 take.

New Moon, a two-CD/ two-LP posthumous compilation album from the late Elliott Smith, opens at #24 on Billboard's chart, with sales reported at 24,400; the singer died in unclear circumstances in 2003. DipSet: More Than Music Vol. 2, a collection featuring Diplomats members Cam'ron, Juelz Santana, Jim Jones, Hell Rell, J.R. Writer, 40 Cal. and others, follows at #26, with 23,000 scans. Meanwhile, Travis return to the top 200 at #58, with The Boy With No Name, which generated sales of 11,700, and coming in at #97 is the latest from rapper Sage Francis, Human the Death Dance, which sold 8,500 units.

Bone Brothers 2, a collaboration between Layzie Bone and former Bone Thugs partner Bizzy Bone, bows at #122 with 6,900 copies sold, while Punk Goes Acoustic 2, a collection of unplugged tracks from the likes of Jack's Mannequin, Silverstein, the All-American Rejects, Relient K, and Sherwood, opens at #125, with 6,800 scans. The debut offering from "American Idol" season five finalist Paris Bennett, Princess P, debuts at #133 with more than 6,300 copies sold, and coming in at #197, with 4,300 copies sold, is Houston rapper Z-Ro's new one, Power.

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Mariah To Be Honored At VH1 Event, Plus Justin Timberlake, Kelly Clarkson, Paris Hilton, Amy Winehouse & More, In For The Record

10 May 2007 08:32:00 EDT

Timberlake duets with Reba McEntire; Clarkson reveals tour venues; Hilton might not have to serve full sentence.
By MTV News staff

Mariah Carey
Photo: Stuart Wilson/Getty Images

Mariah Carey will be honored for her dedication to VH1's Save the Music Foundation at the group's 10th anniversary gala, to be held September 20 at New York's Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Jon Bon Jovi has also been added to the event — he will perform as part of a tribute to founder John Sykes — which will be co-headlined by John Mayer. ...

Justin Timberlake recently revealed to MTV News that he had written and produced a new song for Reba McEntire, but he didn't let us know that he'll be singing with the country crooner as well on the yet-unnamed track. Kelly Clarkson joins McEntire on "Because of You," the first single from Reba Duets, due September 18. ...

Speaking of Clarkson, we already knew she was going to be hitting the road hard this summer in support of her upcoming third album My December (due July 24), but now she's finally revealed the venues for the outing. After an appearance at the U.S. portion of the July 7 Live Earth event — which will take place at New Jersey's Giants Stadium — the 36-date tour will kick off July 11 at the Rose Garden Arena in Portland, Oregon, and take her to cities including Denver, St. Louis, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Dallas and Los Angeles in August before wrapping up at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas on September 28. ...

Paris Hilton might not have to serve her full 45-day sentence due to jail overcrowding and a state requirement that grants inmates time off for good behavior, The Associated Press reported Thursday (May 10). "It's possible that it could be 21 days, 23 days," Los Angeles County sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore told the news service. "It's a complicated formula that the state sets down. It's possible that she could do less time." He said the amount of time the heiress will spend in jail will be determined when she is booked into the county system. ...

Amy Winehouse stopped by New York's Aer on Thursday night to celebrate the U.S. gold certification of her Back to Black album. The Bombay Sapphire-sponsored bash included appearances by Mos Def, Talib Kweli and L.A. Reid. ... Meanwhile, producer Nate "Danjahandz" Hills was honored Thursday night at a dinner held at Manhattan's Gin Lane. The Timbaland protégé was recognized for his contributions to multiple hit singles and presented with his two Grammy Awards. ...

"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" hasn't even opened yet, but Johnny Depp is already saying he's open to the idea of starring in a fourth installment, according to an Entertainment Weekly interview, Reuters reports. "As long as you're doing it for the right reasons, why not?" he says in the magazine, which hits newsstands Friday. "If we came up with a story where we could explore something absurd or funny or totally insane." ...

According to Little Rock, Arkansas, radio station KHTV, Evanescence frontwoman Amy Lee got married over the weekend to her therapist/fiancee Josh Hartzler — the same weekend news of guitarist John LeCompt's firing and drummer Rocky Gray's resignation went public. A spokesperson for Lee would not confirm the nuptials on Wednesday, but John Lee — Amy's dad — confirmed to EvanescenceFan.net that his daughter tied the knot Sunday during a very private ceremony. ... Korn frontman Jonathan Davis and wife, Deven, welcomed their second son, Zeppelin, two weeks ago, according to various reports. The child joins the couple's other son, Pirate, as the newest member of the Davis kith. ...

As expected, Static-X have been added to the bill for this summer's Ozzfest, alongside headliner Ozzy Osbourne, Lamb of God, Lordi and others. Of course, this year's fest will be free for fans, and the news comes just days before the distribution of ticket codes begins Saturday. Ozzfest launches July 12 in Seattle. ... English rockers New Order are no more, according to bassist Peter Hook. In a post on Hook's MySpace page, he wrote that revealing the band's demise was a relief and that he hated keeping the split a secret. Hook appears on the debut LP from Perry Farrell's Satellite Party, Ultra Payloaded, which hits stores on May 29. He has also formed a new band, Freebass, with former Smiths bassist Andy Rourke and Stone Roses/ Primal Scream member Mani. ...

This year's Austin City Limits (September 14-16) festival is packed with major talent. The Texas fest will feature White Stripes, the Killers, Björk, Amy Winehouse, Queens of the Stone Age, Muse, Bloc Party, Arcade Fire, Wilco, Bob Dylan, My Morning Jacket, Arctic Monkeys, Joss Stone, Spoon, Heartless Bastards, Yo La Tengo, Joseph Arthur, Peter Bjorn & John, the Decemberists, Paolo Nutini, Regina Spektor, M.I.A., Butch Walker, Ben Kweller, Kaiser Chiefs, LCD Soundsystem and about 100 other acts ranging from bluegrass to jam band, techno, country and gospel. ... Hot Hot Heat's forthcoming LP, Happiness, LTD, has been slated for a September 11 release. The album was produced by the band, along with Rob Cavallo (My Chemical Romance, Green Day), Butch Walker (Pink, Avril Lavigne) and Tim Palmer (Ozzy Osbourne, H.I.M.). ...

Tool have added several new dates to their touring schedule. The band will make stops in Cape Girardeau, Missouri (June 16); Evansville, Indiana (June 17); Sioux City, Iowa (June 25); Cincinnati (June 29); Youngstown, Ohio (July 1); Grand Rapids, Michigan (July 5); Huntington, West Virginia (July 7); and Mansfield, Massachusetts (July 12). ... Chevelle have been forced to postpone their current tour until further notice following the theft of the band's equipment trailer. Containing all the band's gear, the trailer was stolen Wednesday from the Clarion Dallas Park Central Hotel in Dallas. Most of the stolen goods were labeled "Chevelle," and the band has asked that anyone who notices the gear being sold on eBay report the matter to police. ...

Tim Roth is bulking up the cast of "The Incredible Hulk." The actor, who will play the green-eyed monster Abomination in the summer 2008 flick, joins Edward Norton as Bruce Banner/ the Hulk and Liv Tyler as Betty Ross. ... "The Terminator" is returning, but Arnold won't be back — and neither will director James Cameron, Variety reports. Halcyon Co. has bought out the franchise for an undisclosed sum from feuding producers Andy Vajna and Mario Kassar and is targeting "Terminator 4" for a summer 2009 release. Castmembers and a director have not been hired yet, but "Terminator: Rise of the Machines" scribes John Brancato and Michael Ferris have already penned a script. "T3" executive producer Moritz Borman will produce the fourth installment as well. ...

No thanks for smoking: The Motion Picture Association of America announced Thursday that smoking will be factored into movie ratings, the Los Angeles Times reports. "There is broad awareness of smoking as a unique public-health concern due to nicotine's highly addictive nature, and no parent wants their child to take up the habit," MPAA Chief Executive Dan Glickman stated. Depictions that glamorize smoking may receive a higher rating, according to the organization. ... During Wednesday night's "American Idol" results show, host Ryan Seacrest announced an upcoming spinoff contest that will seek the best band in the land. Groups of all ages and styles hoping to vie for that title were encouraged to send in their demo tapes for the tentatively titled "The Search for the Next Great American Band," with information on submissions available on the official "Idol" Web site. No airdate for the show has been announced. ...

Sculptor Daniel Edwards, who famously made a life-size nude of Britney Spears giving birth, now has Paris Hilton in his sights. According to Reuters, he has crafted a sculpture of the heiress dead, naked and holding a cell phone in one hand. "It's really kind of a wakeup call for anybody who really pays attention to Paris Hilton close enough that they might end up emulating her," Edwards said of the piece, which is called "The Paris Hilton Autopsy." ... The New York Dolls will play a full set for their fallen comrade at the seventh annual Joey Ramone Birthday Bash, to be held May 19 at the Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza. Slinky Vagabond, featuring members of the Sex Pistols, Blondie and David Bowie's touring band, will also perform. ...

Brad Pitt's green building project in New Orleans began construction Thursday, AP reports. An environmentally friendly house, based on the winning design in a competition Pitt staged, is expected to be finished in August and is intended to serve as a model for redevelopment in the area. "I'm crying out for one of our leaders to really make this a priority," Pitt, who is in Prague, said in a statement. ... Jason Wahler has checked into rehab, according to People. The "Laguna Beach" star was sentenced to 60 days in county jail and 36 months' probation after pleading no contest to misdemeanor-battery charges in March. ...

Michael Moore, who has been unabashed in his disdain for the Bush White House, is facing an investigation by the U.S. Treasury Department over his latest film, the health-care exposé, "Sicko." AP reports that the Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker is under scrutiny for taking ailing 9/11 rescue workers to Cuba for treatment earlier this year, allegedly without the proper clearance from the government. The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control notified Moore in a May 2 letter that it was conducting a civil investigation for possible violations of the U.S. trade embargo restricting travel to Cuba, AP reports. "Sicko" premieres May 19 at the Cannes Film Festival and hits U.S. theaters on June 29.

05.09.2007

Fergie previewed her solo show Tuesday night with a private concert for contest winners at Franklin High School in Seattle. Her 20-date Verizon VIP Tour — which is skipping paper tickets in favor of cell phone photo-message passes — officially kicks off May 21 with a show in Pittsburgh. Following shows in cities including Cleveland (May 23), Atlanta (June 2), Dallas (June 6) and New York (June 21), the tour will wrap up July 24 in Portland, Oregon. Fergie is also Seventeen's June cover girl, and contributed a "Letter to Me at 17" to the magazine. The 32-year-old calls out her 17-year-old self's "giant bangs" and "bad perm" but congratulates her for not compromising her principles or disrespecting her body. "Sure, you'll be a giant flirt and wear sexy clothes, but you'll never take it to an unhealthy level and act on it," she says in the note. Fergie also warns young Stacy about the rough patches ahead (massive debt, drug addiction) and tells her to stay strong for the big bright spots in her future (Black Eyed Peas, solo success, Josh Duhamel). "Don't worry," she concluded. "You'll always come back to your roots." ...

Paris Hilton is "ready to face the consequences of violating probation," she said in a statement released Wednesday afternoon (May 9) by her attorney, according to The Associated Press. "I do not expect to be treated better than anyone else who violated probation. However, my hope is that I will not be treated worse." The heiress, who has retained a new attorney, DUI specialist Richard Hutton, said she felt the "need to correct what I believe are misperceptions about me." She added that she is not "above the law." ...

Jay-Z swung by New York's City Hall on Wednesday to watch his mother receive a proclamation from the City Council for her "outstanding contributions to the community," AP reports. Gloria Carter oversees the Shawn Carter Scholarship Fund, which offers higher-education aid and mentoring programs for disadvantaged youth, and she helped victims of Hurricane Katrina recover in Houston in 2005. "Very proud of her," Jay-Z said as they left the Council Chambers. ... Diddy, Nelly Furtado and Tom Jones have joined the lineup for the Concert for Diana, a July 1 event that will be held at Wembley Stadium in London to commemorate what would have been the late Princess of Wales' 46th birthday. Kanye West, Pharrell, Elton John, Lily Allen, Joss Stone and Duran Duran are also on the bill. ...

Akon has released a statement in the wake of a video that surfaced online and allegedly featured him dancing suggestively with an underage girl onstage in Trinidad. His statement also comes amid sponsor Verizon pulling out of Gwen Stefani's The Sweet Escape tour, which the rapper has been a part of. "I want to sincerely apologize for the embarrassment and any pain I've caused to the young woman who joined me onstage, her family and the Trinidad community for the events at my concert in Port of Spain on April 12," he said in the statement. "It was never my intention to embarrass or take advantage of my fans in any way, especially those under the age of 18. That is why we tried to make sure that the club did not admit anyone under 18 in the audience. Somehow, that standard was not met. Again, I apologize to those concerned and to all my fans and I pledge to all that we will strive to make sure this type of incident does not happen again." A spokesperson for Verizon confirmed to MTV News that the company has backed out of not just the Stefani tour but a new V Cast cell phone campaign that was set to feature Akon. The spokesperson stated the decision was made for a variety of reasons, not solely the underage-dancing incident. ...

A third woman has now testified that Phil Spector pulled a gun on her in the past, AP reports. Stephanie Jennings said in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday that the record producer previously threatened her with a gun and held her hostage in a hotel room. When she called 911, "[Spector] made the comment that, 'You can call your mom all you want, she can't help you now,' " Jennings said, adding that he didn't realize she was calling the emergency number. Spector was gone by the time police arrived, according to Jennings, and they didn't take her claims seriously. "They were treating me as if I was a call girl," she said. Jennings said she did not press charges and that Spector later invited her to subsequent parties. ...

Katharine McPhee and Kelly Rowland performed a musical tribute to the Bee Gees on Tuesday night as the group was honored at the BMI Pop Awards. The Gibb brothers were saluted as BMI Icons at the event, which was held in Beverly Hills, California. ... Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith is ganging up with an unlikely ally — ex-Black Sabbath frontman Glenn Hughes — for a performance at West Hollywood, California's Whisky a Go Go on June 2. The two worked together on Hughes' solo project from last year, Music for the Divine. This is the singer's first performance in support of the album. ...

Mandy Moore will perform "Extraordinary" on the season finale of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" on May 20. The "Makeover" team will spend the two-hour show rebuilding the home of a single mother with two adopted, HIV-positive sons and lending a hand at Camp Heartland, which helps children with HIV. ... Chrisette Michele, who was featured on singles by both Jay-Z ("Lost One") and Nas ("Can't Forget About You") earlier this year, will open for Musiq Soulchild on tour. The two hit the road beginning July 6 in Baltimore and make stops in cities including Chicago (July 11), Philadelphia (July 20) and Los Angeles (August 4) before wrapping things up August 6 in San Francisco. ...

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah will be in Los Angeles Thursday and Friday shooting scenes for "The Great Buck Howard," a film starring John Malkovich, Tom Hanks and Emily Blunt. CYHSY will play themselves in the film and contribute new songs as well. ... Is Ozzy Osbourne taking a tip from Stephen Colbert and the Decemberists? The Ozzman is asking fans to craft the video for his new single, "I Don't Wanna Stop," using performance footage of him and his band that was shot on green screen from seven angles. The winning entry will be serviced as the official clip for the song. Get your hands on the hi-res footage right here. ... Coheed and Cambria are beginning recording sessions for their next LP with producer Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Stone Sour) in Los Angeles. Bassist Michael Todd, who left the band last August citing unspecified "personal reasons," has returned to the fold, and will contribute to the tentatively titled No World for Tomorrow. The disc should surface this fall, and will be the final chapter in the ongoing saga of Coheed and Cambria Kilgannon, the main characters in a story that wraps all the band's concept albums into one.

Related Artists

Bobby Valentino Vs. Bjork, Plus Bone Thugs, Paris Bennett, Elliott Smith, H.I.M. & More, In New Releases

8 May 2007 06:01:00 EDT

Also due Tuesday: Sea and Cake, Bad Plus, Sea Wolf, Shannon Wright, Travis, Master P, Radiohead.
By Kurt Orzeck

Bobby Valentino's Special Occasion
Photo: Def Jam

With everyone still reeling from Saturday's riveting de la Hoya/ Mayweather match — we wanted more blood, but UFC has been spoiling us — what better time for another edition of New Releases face-offs? Here are the record-bin battles you can expect to see this week:

Calling Timbaland - Fight for the Crown: Bobby Valentino's Special Occasion vs. Björk's Volta
>>> The Mississippi R&B singer made a stunningly auspicious debut with his 2005 eponymous LP, which peaked at #3 on the Billboard albums chart. Valentino has invited even more friends to his new Special Occasion — Timbaland ("Anonymous"), Fabolous ("Let Him Go") and Ludacris ("Rearview [Ridin']") among them. Also featured is a cover of Babyface's "Soon as I Get Home," as well as a boatload of hit-making producers and songwriters: Sean Garrett, Bryan Michael-Cox, Dre & Vidal, Timbaland and Rodney Jerkins.

>>> Björk's Volta is also spewing with collaborators, chiefly producer Timbaland, who is behind three of the tracks: "Earth Intruders," "Innocence" and "Hope." With Antony Hagerty of Antony and the Johnsons duetting on two songs — "The Dull Flame of Desire" and "My Juvenile" — plus a 10-piece brass section, a band from the Congo and other diverse guests, Björk is ready to break out. That her last studio LP, 2004's Medúlla, was her highest-charting one yet in the U.S. only helps poise her for even greater success.

As Not Seen on TV - The "Idol" Contest: Paris Bennett's Princess P vs. Paula Abdul's Greatest Hits: Straight Up!
>>> While Jordin, LaKisha, Blake and Melinda keep hashing out on season six of "American Idol," one of last year's contenders doesn't want you to forget about her. Fifth-place finisher Bennett has at last dished up her solo debut, named after the nickname Ryan Seacrest endowed her with during the competition. Adding even more frothy "Idol" goodness is a guest spot by fellow contender Kevin Covais on "Let Me Rap"; other tracks on the LP, partly produced by Rodney Jerkins, include "All Hail the Princess," "Burnt Up" and "Get Bizzy."

>>> Meanwhile, "Idol" judge Abdul doesn't want you to forget that she's got pipes of her own — her Greatest Hits: Straight Up! bundles together 18 selections by the Grammy-winning singer, including "Opposites Attract," "Forever Your Girl" and "Rush, Rush." The clips for her six #1 singles are also coming out this week, so be on the lookout for MC Skat Kat.

A Bone to Pick - The Rap Battle: Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's Strength & Loyalty vs. Bone Brothers' Bone Brothers 2
>>> Cleveland's Thugs have clocked roughly 40 million CDs sold worldwide, but they've been on the wane lately — last year's Thug Stories barely scraped the top 25 on the Billboard albums chart. But with a new label — they were on Koch but now call Interscope home — and a litany of high-profile peeps lending support (Mariah, Akon, Bow Wow, Swizz Beatz, Will.I.Am), the now-trio are aiming a bit higher. The Best Buy edition of Strength & Loyalty, originally called The Bone Thugs Story, has the exclusive cut "Just Vibe," while Hastings Entertainment's version features an exclusive "I Tried" remix.

>>> While those guys are hoping for a resurgence, two other bros — founding members Bizzy Bone and Layzie Bone — have a few things of their own to say with Bone Brothers 2. While Layzie has kept it real with Bone Thugs, Bizzy has since been ousted — which should make the first song on their LP, "Bone Thugs-N-Harmony," pretty interesting. Also featured is "We Are Warriors," "Thugs Need Luv" and "Bone Thug 4 Life."

Lest You Forget - Vying in the Vaults: Elliott Smith's New Moon vs. H.I.M.'s And Love Said No: The Greatest Hits 1997-2004
>>> Smith fans got a raft of unreleased material with 2004's From a Basement on the Hill, which culled 15 songs the singer/songwriter was on the verge of releasing before he passed away in 2003. Digging a little deeper, his label Kill Rock Stars has chalked up 24 more songs he recorded from 1994 to 1997, including "Looking Over My Shoulder," "All Cleaned Out" and an early version of "Miss Misery." Let's just pray that this is the final word on Smith and that his estate doesn't plunder the vaults ad nauseum à la Jeff Buckley's.

>>> While New Moon showcases material up through 1997, Finnish goth gushers H.I.M. begin at that year and take their best-of set through 2004. The band pours its heartagrams out on two new songs, "And Love Said No" and a cover of — yes, they really did it — Neil Diamond's "Solitary Man." Fans pining for more unreleased material can hold their collective breath for two weeks, when Uneasy Listening Vol. 2 hits stores.

Ahoy, Mateys — Battle on the High Seas: The Sea and Cake's Everybody vs. Sea Wolf's Get to the River Before It Runs Too Low
>>> While Chicago indie cognoscenti Sam Prekop, Archer Prewitt and John McEntire are always rearing their heads in one form or another — via side projects, collaborations, etc. — it's taken them four long years to crank out another opus. This one marks the first time in the band's 14-year history that it's looked outward for production help — the honors go to Brian Paulson (Wilco, Slint). Songs include "Up on Crutches," "Middlenight" and "Introducing."

>>> Look deeper in the underground ocean and you'll find Sea Wolf, who got their handle from the Jack London book of the same name. Roaming California troubadour Alex Brown Church is actually the man at the heart of the band, and he sews together guitar, cello and other lush sounds for his five-song debut EP. "You're a Wolf," "The Garden You Planted" and "I Don't Know if I'll Be Back This Time" are featured on the disc, which is issued by the red-hot Dangerbird Records (Silversun Pickups, All Smiles).

Yo Momma - Family Feud: Mother Mother's Touch Up vs. Mothernight's Mothernight
>>> Last Gang Records — which brought you Metric and Death From Above 1979 — rolls out the carpet for its latest hopefuls, Vancouver, British Columbia's jazz- and classical-influenced popsmiths Mother Mother. Better yet, they really are a family affair — singer/guitarist Ryan Guldemond is the brother of singer Molly. Their first set was produced by New Pornographers collaborator Howard Redekopp and features "Polynesia," "Oh Ana" and "Ball Cap."

>>> Also being introduced are Mothernight, an industrial-metal band from Warsaw that sounds nothing like the above. Fronted by Freya, the four-piece found a strange time to put out its maiden release — after all, Kurt Vonnegut, who wrote a book called "Mother Night" died less than a month ago. The song titles featured on Touch Up, however, don't quite mesh with Vonnegut's dark comedy — among them are "Someone to Feed On," "Shadowsblack" and "Infect Your Soul."

Song Title of the Week:

"Crackle Rotcha Tee Thout" from Chasing Victory's Fiends

Other Notables:

Lavender Diamond's Imagine Our Love
These country folksters have been making some pleasant noise in their Los Angeles hometown and beyond lately, and Matador is hoping they become the label's next Belle & Sebastian or New Pornographers. Giving Lavender Diamond — who are led by cool singer Becky Stark — an extra boost is their recent performance at South by Southwest, overseas deal with Rough Trade and recent tour with the Decemberists.

The Mary Timony Band's The Shapes We Make
Timony's former band Helium were one of Matador's key '90s linchpins, as a matter of fact, but after many subsequent years of obscurity, she's hoping to rebound with this release produced by Jawbox's J. Robbins. Timony enlists keyboards, banjos, analog synths, the melotron, viola, and even an old Casio PT1 for the LP, which was crafted in Robbins' Baltimore studio and Timony's attic studio in her Washington, D.C., home.

Wooden Stars' People Are Different
This Canadian band nabbed the Juno Award for Best Alternative Album for its collaborative effort with Julie Doiron in 2000 — and it celebrated the prize by disbanding for four years. Now the Wooden Stars are shining bright again with their first release in eight years, which sounds something like XTC jamming with the Clash. If these guys can count the Arcade Fire among their fans, surely they can count you as well.

New Releases:

· Keren Ann - Keren Ann (Blue Note)
· The Bad Plus - Prog (Heads Up)
· Bassnectar - Underground Communication (Om)
· The Bellamy Brothers - Jesus Is Coming (Curb)
· Paris Bennett - Princess P (306)
Read: "Idols Now: Paris Bennett Debut Includes Rapper ... Kevin Covais?"
· Steve Bertrand - Pain Is a Megaphone (enhanced; Icon)
· Björk - Volta (Atlantic) [Buy]
Read: "Tsunami, Timbaland Help Shape Bjork's Forthcoming Volta"
· Bone Brothers - Bone Brothers 2 (Real Talk/ Koch)
· Bone Thugs-N-Harmony - Strength & Loyalty (Full Surface/ Interscope) [Buy]
Read: "Bone Thugs Dropping Two New LPs; Second Disc To Feature Dre, Kanye, Mariah"
· The Boggs - Forts (Gigantic) [Buy]
· The Brakes - The Beatific Visions (enhanced; Rough Trade)[Buy]
· The Breakers - Here for a Laugh (Funzalo)
· The Brokedowns - New Brains for Everyone (Thick)
· Chanticleer - And on Earth, Peace: A Chanticleer Mass (Warner Classics)
· Chasing Victory - Fiends (Mono vs Stereo)
· Circus - Labertino (Locomotive)
· The Clientele - God Save the Clientele (Merge)
· Dan Deacon - Spiderman of the Rings (Carpark)
· Linda Draper - Keepsake (Planting Seeds)
· Earthless - Rhythms From a Cosmic Sky (Tee Pee) [Buy]
· Edge of Dawn - Enjoy the Fall (Metropolis)
· Electrelane - No Shouts No Calls (Too Pure)
· DJ Encore - Unique (Koch)
· The Exies - A Modern Way of Living With the Truth (Eleven Seven)
· Fields - Everything Last Winter (Atlantic)
· Scott Fisher & 1 a.m. Approach - Step Into the Future (1 a.m. Approach)
· Foreverinmotion - The Beautiful Unknown (111)
· Sage Francis - Human the Death Dance (Epitaph)
· Lisa Gerrard - Silver Tree (High Wire)
· Goon Moon - Licker's Last Leg (Ipecac)
· Great Lake Swimmers - Ongiara (Nettwerk)
· Harper - Day by Day (Blind Pig)
· Dave Hole - Rough Diamond (Blind Pig)
· The Ike Reilly Assassination - We Belong to the Staggering Evening (Rock Ridge)
· Jackiem Joyner - Babysoul (ARTizen)
· Kotipelto - Serenity (Candlelight)
· Jimmy LaFave - Cimarron Manifesto (Red House)
· Lavender Diamond - Imagine Our Love (digipak; Matador)
· Fred Lonberg-Holm Trio - Terminal Valentine (Atavistic)
· Hamilton Loomis - Ain't Just Temporary (Blind Pig)
· Lord Belial - Revelation (Regain)
· Maxïmo Park - Our Earthly Pleasures (Warp)
· Antsy McClain and the Trailer Park Troubadours - Trailercana (DPR)
· Mother Mother - Touch Up (Last Gang)
· Mothernight - Mothernight (Locomotive)
· Mystery Jets - Zootime (Dim Mak)
· Neon Horse -- Neon Horse (Tooth & Nail)
· New Years Day - My Dear (enhanced; TVT)
· No Second Troy - Narcotic (None)
· Page France - Page France and the Family Telephone (Suicide Squeeze)
· Chuck Ragan - Los Feliz (Side One Dummy)
· Rush of Fools - Rush of Fools (Midas)
· Sage Francis - Human the Death Dance (Epitaph)
· The Sea and Cake - Everybody (Thrill Jockey)
· Sea Wolf - Get to the River Before It Runs Too Low (EP; angerbird)
· Richard Shindell - South of Delia (self-release)
· The Stranger's Six - A Date With Daylight (Orange Peal)
· Barbra Streisand - Live in Concert 2006 (two CDs; Columbia)
· Tarwater - Spider Smile (Morr)
· The Mary Timony Band - The Shapes We Make (Kill Rock Stars)
· Travis - The Boy With No Name (Epic)
· Bobby Valentino - Special Occasion (Def Jam) [Buy]
Read: "Bobby Valentino Looks Out For The Ladies With New Album, Jean Line"
· The Voyces - Kissing Like It's Love (Planting Seeds)
· Wax Tailor - Hope & Sorrow (Decon)
· Weatherbox - American Art (Doghouse)
· Wooden Stars - People Are Different (Sonic Unyon)
· Shannon Wright - Let in the Light (Quarterstick)
· Yacht - I Believe in You. Your Magic Is Real. (Marriage)
· Various artists - New Arrivals, Vol. 2 (MPress)

Notable Reissues and Archival Material:
· Paula Abdul - Greatest Hits: Straight Up! (Virgin/EMI) [Buy]
· The Coasters - The Definitive Soul Collection (Rhino) [Buy]
· Easy Rider - Lo Mejor de Easy Rider (Locomotive)
· The Heptones - Sweet Talking (Heartbeat/Rounder) [Buy]
· H.I.M. - And Love Said No: The Greatest Hits 1997-2004 (Universal Republic)
· Jethro Tull - The Best of Acoustic Jethro Tull (Capitol/EMI)
· Carole King - Love Makes the World - Deluxe Edition (two CDs; Rockingale)
· KMFDM - Adios and Symbols (Metropolis)
· Dave Mason - Live at XM Satellite Radio - The Deluxe Edition (Friday Music)
· Master P - Ghetto D - 10th Anniversary Edition (two CDs; Priority)
· Radiohead - Com Lag (2Plus2IsFive) (enhanced EP; Capitol) [Buy]
· The Rascals - The Definitive Pop Collection (Rhino)
· Leo Sayer - The Definitive Pop Collection (Rhino)
· Elliott Smith - New Moon (two CDs; Kill Rock Stars) [Buy]
· Terry Strafford - Say, Has Anyone Seen My Sweet Gypsy Rose (Koch)
· Tankard - Disco Destroyer (Locomotive)
· Dale Watson - The Little Darlin' Sessions (Koch)

Music DVDs:
· John Coltrane - "Trane Tracks: The Legacy of John Coltrane" (Jazz Movie Classics) [Buy]
· Dinosaur Jr. - "Live in the Middle East" (Image)
· The Knack - "On Stage at World Cafe Live" (Decca)
· Living Colour - "On Stage at World Cafe Live" (Decca)
· Rhett Miller - "On Stage at World Cafe Live" (Decca)
· David Poe - "On Stage at World Cafe Live" (Decca)
· Baden Powell - "Self Portrait - 1990" (DRG)
· Rainbow - "Up Close and Personal" (with book; Hurricane)
· Spooky Tooth - "Nomad Poets - Live in Germany 2004" (Koch)
· Thin Lizzy - "Up Close and Personal" (with book; Hurricane)
· Grover Washington Jr. - "Live From Atlantic City" (Immortal)

Coming Attractions:

May 15:
· Megadeth - United Abominations (Roadrunner) [Preorder]
· Linkin Park - Minutes to Midnight (Warner Bros.) [Preorder]
Read: "Linkin Park Finish Apocalyptic Album, Revive Projekt Revolution Tour"
· Wilco - Sky Blue Sky (enhanced; Nonesuch) [Preorder]

May 22:
· Tim Armstrong - A Poet's Life (with bonus DVD; Hellcat)
· The Bravery - The Sun and the Moon (Island) [Preorder]
· KRS-One and Marley Marl - Hip Hop Lives (Koch)
· Maroon 5 - It Won't Be Soon Before Long (Octone) [Preorder]
Read: "Maroon 5 Back With 'Harder' Album After Adam Levine Gets Sick Of Partying"
· Ozzy Osbourne - Black Rain (Epic)

May 29:
· Les Claypool - "Fancy" DVD (Prawn Song) [Preorder]
· Danzig - The Lost Tracks of Danzig (two CDs; Megaforce) [Preorder]
Read: "Glenn Danzig Preps 'Final' Tour, Film, Box Set And, Uh, Dolls"
· R. Kelly - Double Up (Jive) [Preorder]
Read: "New R. Kelly LP Includes Akon, Jeezy, 'Flirt' — But No 'Closet' Till July"

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Hey 50 Cent, T.I., Beasties: If New Album Is Your 'Baby,' Why'd You Name It That?!

3 May 2007 06:01:00 EDT

Our merciless panel of baby-name experts weighs in on album titles.
By James Montgomery, with additional reporting by Kurt Orzeck

Photo: Barry Brecheisen/ Alex Smith

If you interview enough musicians, you begin to hear the same phrases used over and over again. The bass player's sudden departure is always "amicable." The new album is always "the best thing we've ever done." Tours are always canceled due to "exhaustion."

But perhaps no cliché is more abused than referring to an album as a "baby," particularly if the band has just parted ways with a major label, is attempting to emerge from the shadow of a well-known producer — or is Angels & Airwaves. And while, yeah, we get the metaphor, it makes us wonder why so many artists are saddling their most precious offspring with such flat-out terrible names.

It's a trend that seems to be gathering steam, as we're now being treated to a bunch of doozies. The upcoming Beastie Boys record will apparently be called The Mix-Up, which sounds like the title of an awful Usher movie or some "Learn to DJ at home!" VHS tape you'd pick up at a yard sale for 50 cents. Speaking of 50 Cent, his Curtis brings to mind a poorly penned autobiography — or one of those films in which a giant anthropomorphic rabbit wreaks havoc on our unsuspecting hero. And Interpol's Our Love to Admire reads like something straight out of a community-college poetry course.

Anyone familiar with children born in the past decade can attest that bad names are hardly limited to the music industry. As evidenced by the current glut of baby-naming Web sites, there's no shortage of people looking to name their spawn something like Beaufort or Makynzi.

So we spoke with a few of the nation's (well, a few of the Web's, anyway) foremost onomasticians — that means "one who studies the origin of proper names of persons or places," you dirtbags — to get their takes on some of this year's most poorly titled albums and to try to understand why good people choose bad, bad names.

50 Cent, Curtis

Anabel Conner, BabyNamesWorld.com: I'm guessing that this is a namesake. [Bingo! 50's real name is Curtis Jackson.] It's not hard to spell, has great nickname potential — a total winner. Curtis is an English-derived surname that became accepted long ago as a first name. It means "courteous." The name-nerd in me gives 50 thumbs-up.

Gary Petrie, BabyNameGuide.com: Curtis means "polite or courteous." Jackson means "God is gracious." James, which is 50 Cent's middle name, has the most profound meaning: "Move from the usual place; to leave a homeland."

Arctic Monkeys, Favourite Worst Nightmare

Conner: Don't call your kid something negative. It is proven that people respond positively to certain names and negatively to others. No one likes nightmares, not even their most favorite one. Your favorite nightmare is still not a good dream. For shame, Arctic Monkeys!

Brooke Wheeler, BabyCenter.com: Don't pick a long name that won't fit into those little boxes on the driver's license form.

Beastie Boys, The Mix-Up

Conner: I think the Beastie Boys are going for something very unique — they're the trendsetting parents. Many parents we advise want to be just like the Beastie Boys when naming their kids. However, that usually doesn't give their kids any advantage. Parents who do "the mix up" on their kids' names usually go for something like throwing a traditional male name on a girl. Some of the most popular examples today are Kennedy (masculine name of Gaelic derivation meaning "misshapen head"), Jameson (meaning "son of James") or the third-most-popular girls' name in the U.S. today, Madison (which is of an English surname meaning "son of Maud").

Wheeler: Starting a name with "the" is a little too common now. Why not "mix it up" by popping in a tasty adjective instead, like "fresh," "hot" or "thumpin' "?

Björk, Volta

Conner: Björk's the Hippie Parent. Many parents choose names that try to sound crunchy and eco-conscious. Volta is an Italian habituation name (meaning that people were given surnames based on where they lived), and it was routinely given to those who lived by a bend in a road or river. The name is literally translated into Italian as "bend" or "curve," so it is much less dramatic than it seems.

Petrie: The name Volta might have come from voleta, which means "covered by a veil." But Volta is usually a surname. It was the surname of the Italian inventor who invented the battery to produce electricity. With Björk's last few albums having been more serious, we feel that she wanted a more fun, upbeat and electrifying album.

Wheeler: Good — it's cool, mysterious and easy to spell, but mind the nickname potential: You could get "Re-Volta" out of this.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Baby 81

Conner: Poor kid. According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby is currently the 954th most popular name for a baby in this country. This is most likely due to people being unable to pick a name for their child at all and leaving the hospital with no name. Come on. You get lots of time to prepare.

Wheeler: Too generic. Remember, your baby is special, and it's your responsibility to name him memorably.

Interpol, Our Love to Admire

Conner: I would have to say that they are going for something romantic or Victorian but were somehow missing the mark. It's an awkward title, and in name-nerd language, we would say the flow is off. Our Love to Admire sounds like a little girl dressed in pink who loves to play with My Little Ponies and sleep in a lacy canopy bed.

Wheeler: Many-worded names can sound too fancy. Keep it simple, folks.

M.I.A., Kala

Conner: Many times, people pick a name just because it sounds good. "Kala" kind of has a pleasant sound, so I can see why it would attract parents. It's one of those names that has two entirely different origins. Not only is it masculine (yup, that's right — sounds like a lady but is all man) in its Indian form — mainly a Hindu reference meaning "art" — but it is also of Hawaiian origin and used for both sexes. For a female, it means "lady." For a male, the meaning is "the sun."

Petrie: Kala is a Hawaiian name meaning "sun," and Mia is also a name meaning "wished-for child." I ran a phonetics search for Mia and Kala together, and the answer was Karmina, which means "song." Now we're getting somewhere.

Wheeler: Pronunciation could be confusing: Kah-lah? Kay-la? Kay-ay-el-ay? Don't pick a name that strangers will butcher when they speak it.

Queens of the Stone Age, Era Vulgaris

Conner: I don't think they were going for this, but Era is an Albanian feminine name that essentially means "air." It's also a Latin-based noun that indicates the passage of time, and I am sure that is what they are going for. This is basically saying, "Today is vulgar" or "This is a vulgar time." Unfortunately any kid named this is going to grow up hating life.

Petrie: This has to be a reflection of the times: "The Vulgar Era." If you perform a phonetics search at BabyNameGuide.com for Era and Vulgaris, the answer is Vegas, which can be used as a boys' name. A coincidence, maybe?

Wheeler: A bit too exotic and complex. Can your baby really live up to this name? Remember a name can be a burden or a blessing!

Rick Ross, Trilla

Conner: The made-up name is the name-nerd's nightmare. Every day I have people come to me asking, "What does my name mean?" And it just means nothing because someone threw down some Scrabble tiles and tried to piece something together that sounds pretty. Rick Ross must have a pocketful of tiles.

Wheeler: Intriguing. Easy to pronounce, yet could have multiple meanings. It's straightforward, yet it keeps us guessing.

Spoon, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga

Conner: Absolutely not. Back to the drawing board, Spoon. I went to school with a kid named Todd Todd Todd. Hard to believe parents do this, but they do. Why, Spoon, why? Parents like you make name-nerds cringe.

Petrie: Even though Spoon are from Texas, we believe their heart really lies in Georgia. Why else would they repeat the initials GA so many times? Georgia is a girls' name that means "farmer." Maybe their new album will produce a great crop.

Wheeler: I think this album may get beaten up in the schoolyard and have his lunch money stolen.

T.I., T.I. vs. T.I.P.

Conner: Initials are really important — please make sure your kid's initials don't spell something stupid. This kid would be called Q-Tip every day. Initials don't give off a friendly vibe. Come on, T.I. You can do better than this.

Wheeler: Punctuation within names is a huge trend, but one can go overboard.

White Stripes, Icky Thump

Conner: Jack named his daughter Scarlet White. What a kooky dichotomy. I've seen worse, but I would have advised against [the album name]. Icky Thump is going to get pushed around on the playground. It's kind of like calling your kid Stinky: Choosing a "different" name might seem cool to you, but your child, however, has no choice in the matter.

Wheeler: Never pick a name you have to explain constantly.

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