Boy George arrives at Snaresbrook Crown Court in London on Friday
Photo: Danny Martindale/ WireImage

The long, sad decline of former Culture Club singer Boy George (born George O'Dowd), continued on Friday (January 16), when a British judge sentenced the flamboyant singer to 15 months in jail for falsely imprisoning and beating a male escort.

George has denied the charge and claimed the victim, Audun Carlsen, had stolen photos from his laptop. The singer, 47, admitted during the trial to handcuffing Carlsen to a bed in April 2007, saying he was doing it to figure out if the escort had purloined the pics.

George, whose family was in court for the proceedings, was also ordered to pay more than $7,400 in court costs. According to the BBC News, Judge David Radford told George he was guilty of "gratuitous violence."

"Whilst I accept that Mr. Carlsen's physical injuries were not serious or permanent, in my view there can be no doubt that your premeditated callous and humiliating handcuffing and detention of Mr. Carlsen shocked, degraded and traumatised him," Radford said. "He was deprived of his liberty and human dignity without warning or proper explanation to him of its purpose, length or purported justification."

After a string of signature hits in the 1980s with the Culture Club, the singer once known for his outrageous cross-dressing and million-selling new-wave dance hits has fallen on hard times, struggling with drug addiction and several arrests. In 2006, he falsely reported a burglary at his New York apartment, where police found drugs. In that case, he was sentenced to community service that involved picking up trash by the roadside.

Carlsen first met George through a gay social-networking site and the two met up for an erotic photo shoot. During that shoot, George believed that Carlsen took some photos off the singer's laptop, and so he later invited him back to his apartment for another shoot, and it was during that time that George, with the help of another man, chained Carlsen to the bed and beat him.

• Boy George
• Culture Club

Boy George
Photo: Ferdaus Shamim/ WireImage

Former Culture Club singer Boy George (born George O'Dowd) was convicted by a London jury on Thursday of imprisoning a male escort in his apartment in 2007.

According to Sky News, prosecutors claimed that George restrained Norwegian escort Audun Carlsen, 29, with handcuffs in the singer's London apartment on April 28, 2007. Then, as Carlsen fled the apartment after a nude photo shoot, George beat him with a metal chain, the jury found.

George, 46, did not testify in the trial, but admitted to police that he handcuffed Carlsen to a bad while trying to investigate whether someone had tampered with one of his home computers. George said he believed that Carlsen had removed from the computer some photos George had taken of him during a previous meeting. Carlsen testified that during their April meeting, George called him into his bedroom, jumped on him, wrestled him to the ground and began beating him. He told the court that George dragged him across the floor toward a bed and shackled him to a hook drilled into the wall.

Jurors were shows pictures of welts on Carlsen's head and injuries to his arm, but the singer denied hitting him and suggested Carlsen received the marks because he was HIV-positive. Sky News reported that when the verdict was read, George's "mouth dropped and his friends in the public gallery gasped."

The '80s pop star was released following the verdict and is due back in court for sentencing on January 16. The judge in the case indicated that jail was "the more likely option" for him. It's the latest setback for the flamboyant George, who has struggled with a serious heroin addiction and several drug-related arrests, including one in Manhattan in October 2005 in which police found cocaine in his apartment after he called them to report a burglary.

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Lindsay Lohan
Photo: Marsaili McGrath/Getty Images

Lindsay Lohan began her community service at an American Red Cross blood-services facility in a Los Angeles suburb on Monday, People reports. She reportedly arrived at noon, was greeted in the parking lot by members of staff and left at 7 p.m. Lohan must serve 10 days of community service as part of a plea deal she struck in August for her two DUI convictions. ...

Pete Wentz hosted a karaoke contest called "Viva La Karaoke" at his bar Angels & Kings on New York's Lower East Side on Monday night. Karaoke fanatics — including two MTV News producers — tried to impress the judging panel, which consisted of Wentz, designer Tommy Hilfiger and MTV News' Kim Stolz. The hodgepodge crowd included Ashlee Simpson, who was at her beau's side all night; Aussie rockers Jet; Travis McCoy from Gym Class Heroes; and Wentz's Fall Out Boy bandmate Patrick Stump, who serenaded the crowd with R. Kelly's "Space Jam" joint, "I Believe I Can Fly." When asked why he opted for the Kelly song, Stump spilled to MTV News: "That was the only one I knew we had in the karaoke machine." "He did a good job, it was pretty good," Simpson added. "It was funny to watch." ...

Surprise — Radiohead's break with EMI might not have been a clean one. According to the U.K.'s Guardian, the band's former label had been promoting Radiohead's back catalog through a misleading online ad that the label subsequently yanked. The paper reports that people Googling the band's name would encounter an ad reading "Radiohead - New Album 'Rainbow' now available as boxset," referring to the band's recent In Rainbows release, at the top of the search page. But the ad actually directed to the box set of the band's back catalog that is being issued by EMI subsidiary Parlaphone — not the In Rainbows box set the band is putting out. Both box sets are dropping in December at the same price, which led fans to question EMI's motives. "Parlophone were aware of the data source glitch and removed the link immediately," EMI publicist Chris Latham told the Guardian, to which Radiohead's spokesperson — who went unnamed — reportedly replied, "We accept that it was a genuine error and that it has been rectified." Radiohead announced Monday that In Rainbows will arrive in North America in physical form on January 1 via their own TBD Records, which is teaming with ATO Records Group for the release. ...

Beyoncé's planned show in Malaysia was canceled in September after Muslim groups protested her refusal to obey the country's strict dress code for performers. But could the singer also be too controversial for ... the U.S.? According to The Associated Press, some Las Vegas residents are fuming over a billboard of a bikini-clad Beyoncé, claiming the advertisement is too obscene. The ad is for local radio station KWNZ, and some are petitioning to have it taken down. "It's obscene," Pamela Keeney, one of the citizens who take offense to the ad, reportedly said. "I have my two little grandkids coming over here, and they don't need to be seeing that. You can change the channel on the TV, but you can't change that." KWNZ is standing by the billboard and has reportedly received the backing of city spokesman Chris Good. At this point, there are no plans to take down the billboard. ...

Hopefully Foxy Brown fans didn't get too excited when her upcoming album, Brooklyn's Don Diva, bumped up from its originally scheduled December 4 release date to November 20 a couple of months ago — the LP has now been shelved until next year. The jailed rapper's fourth effort is now due February 5. ... Maroon 5 have friends — and they've got photos to prove it. The band performed at the Palms Casino Resort over the weekend, drawing the likes of Avril Lavigne, Deryk Whibley, "Saturday Night Live" star Seth Meyers and more. Maroon 5 posted their personal snaps online. ...

Are you getting into the holiday spirit? So is John Mayer, apparently. The guitarist, whose Mayercraft Carrier Cruise Ship sets sail from Miami early next year, is putting together a December 8 concert that will feature three separate sets: an acoustic performance; songs by his John Mayer Trio; and a final segment that will revolve around Mayer's Continuum album and feature his entire band. Those planning to attend the show, which is benefiting multiple charities, are being asked to bring an unwrapped toy worth $10 or more to benefit Toys for Tots. ...

Beastie Boys, the Roots and R.E.M. are among the fleet of artists who will be docking at the Big Cypress Indian Reservation in the South Florida Everglades for the sixth annual Langerado Music Festival, set to happen March 6-9. Matisyahu, 311, Of Montreal, the National, Shout Out Louds, the Walkmen and others will also play at the throwdown, which will feature 80 acts on five stages. ... Common is hopping aboard the endorsement train — the Chicago MC has allied himself with Lincoln to help market the car company's 2008 Navigator and other brand initiatives. He will appear in TV, radio and print ads for the vehicle, with the first, simply dubbed "Common," debuting nationwide November 25 during NFL Sunday Night Football on NBC. Expect to see more tie-ins between Lincoln and Common's various projects — his concerts, hat lines, books, etc. He will also be appearing on behalf of the company at auto shows and dealer events. But rest assured, Common fans, he's taking on a good cause too: He will get together with fellow Chicago artists Office for a benefit concert to be held January 12 at the Windy City's House of Blues. The event, called the "Chicago Youth Owning Their Future Benefit Concert and Silent Auction," will raise money and awareness for the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship. Office are also slated to perform on Chicago Public Radio on January 9 as part of a new series that will spotlight local talent and be hosted by music critics Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot. ...

In between aimless drives around Los Angeles and trips to court for child-custody hearings, Britney Spears has found time to partner with the photo agency X17 to raise money for UNICEF by auctioning a signed copy of her new album, Blackout, on eBay. In a press release from the agency, Spears said, "I think it's important to give back, and with the release of Blackout, this seemed like the perfect opportunity to give the fans a chance to bid on something to help children everywhere." In other Brit news, Billy Ray Cyrus is the latest celeb to reach out to the troubled singer, according to In Touch. "Honey, you are welcome to a Nashville Thanksgiving at our house," he told the magazine. "We would love to be there for you and we care about you. ... Miley is a big fan and she wants to reach out too. We want her to know that's it's never too late to make things right." And in yet another Britney development, the album artwork for her recently released album, Blackout, might be even more controversial than was originally thought. According to TMZ, the hunky priest in whose lap Spears sits is an "International Male" model. The Catholic League had slammed Spears for the imagery late last month. ... Robin Thicke has canceled all the dates on an upcoming U.S. tour on doctor's orders. According to a note posted on the soul singer's Web site over the weekend, Thicke will have to reschedule the dates "due to doctor-ordered vocal rest until the end of the year." He had been scheduled to start the 14-date tour Sunday in Englewood, Colorado, and play clubs and theaters through a December 13 date in Long Beach, California. ...

A crowd of 1,000 Haitians carried Wyclef Jean on their shoulders through the streets of a slum and to a small-business project he helped establish on Monday, as the former Fugee visited the country for the first time since President Rene Preval named him a roving ambassador in January, AP reports. Jean met with legislators, went with model Petra Nemcova to a school and then spoke with businessmen and foreign ambassadors to plea for aid for the country. "We need all your money, we need all y'all's support, but let's put it to programs ... that teach kids how to move the country forward," he reportedly told the crowd. ... Is Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke too good for Paul McCartney? The former Beatle told the U.K.'s Channel 4 that Yorke denied his request to record a duet. "I asked Thom to do a duet, but he said he couldn't because he only felt happy working on his own and Radiohead's material," McCartney reportedly said. ...

Linkin Park, Angels & Airwaves, Avenged Sevenfold and Bad Religion are among the acts that will take the stage for the first night of Los Angeles rock radio station KROQ's annual Almost Acoustic Christmas shows at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, California. Paramore, Rise Against and Serj Tankian will also perform at the concerts, which are scheduled for December 8-9. ... Maroon 5 and Santana have joined the Dave Matthews Band, O.A.R. and other acts to help nonpartisan organization HeadCount try to meet its new goal of registering up to 200,000 new voters for next year's elections. Check out the list of all the artists supporting HeadCount and sign up to volunteer at the group's Web site, HeadCount.org. ... Would you like Shins with that? Wendy's will soon start bundling free downloads from Rhapsody with burger orders. The fast-food chain plans to give away more than 100 million downloads to people who buy medium and large combo meals, with the songs redeemable at Wendys.com. (Rhapsody is a joint venture with MTV Networks). ...

Metric have slapped together their first-ever DVD, "Live at Metropolis," and plan to roll it out February 12. The disc will showcase the Canadian indie-rockers' performance at Montreal's Metropolis concert hall during their tour in support of last year's Live It Out, and it will also include videos for the album's three singles: "Monster Hospital," "Poster of a Girl" and "Empty." iTunes will have an exclusive preview of the DVD starting in December — for 99 cents, fans will be able to get their hands on three audio tracks from the show, as well as the DVD trailer. ... And if you're a Metric fan in the New York area, you'll likely want to hit up Broken Social Scene's gig at Webster Hall on Wednesday. Metric's Emily Haines will join the band onstage — along with Dinosaur Jr.'s J. Mascis, Scott Kannberg (Pavement), Andrew Kenny (American Analog Set) and others — as it performs BSS songs and selections from core member Kevin Drew's recent Spirit If ... release. ...

Plain White T's plan to keep the momentum going with an upcoming U.K. run and a new album, Billboard reports. After Tom Higgenson and the gang play a series of headlining gigs overseas in January, they'll delve into their next effort, for which they have "about 17 ideas — eight or nine of them are pretty much full songs so far," he told the magazine. "As soon as we get a few days off I'll try to finish the rest of them." ... You're probably already acquainted with James Blunt — after all, he previously participated in VH1's "You Oughta Know" series — but just in case, he's signed up for the tour again. The upcoming "You Oughta Know" stretch will also feature Sara Bareilles, a 27-year-old singer/songwriter who scored big on iTunes with her debut, Little Voice, over the summer. The trek launches February 4 in Seattle and winds down March 4 in Atlanta. ...

Did he really want to hurt him? Troubled ex-Culture Club singer Boy George was charged with false imprisonment on Tuesday (November 13) after police said he allegedly chained a man to a wall in his London home. According to the Daily Telegraph, 28-year-old Norwegian escort Auden Carlsen claims that in April, George (born George O'Dowd), 47, invited him to pose for photographs in his apartment, where George grabbed and chained him. George was released on bail and is scheduled to return to court November 22. ... First Celine Dion teamed with former members of Evanescence for help writing her recently released new album, Taking Chances — and now comes news that the "Power of Love" singer has a secret affinity for ... AC/DC? "I've been a big fan of AC/DC for about 15 years or 20 years — the sound guys introduced me to [their music]," she told the U.K.'s The Daily Telegraph. "I like hard rock and, if I'm doing stadiums, I want the engineers to crank the sound system up high with rock and roll, heavy-metal music — it helps me to get the adrenalin rushing." ...

The stockholders of satellite radio XM voted on Tuesday to approve a merger with competing Sirius Satellite Radio with a preliminary account indicating that 99.8 percent of shareholders gave the marriage a thumbs up, according to a statement issued by XM. The U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Communications Commission still has to approve the merger, which XM is confident will happen before the end of the year. ... MusicWorld, Canada's only remaining music chain, is closing its stores, according to CanWest News Service. The chain, which has been in bankruptcy, is liquidating its 72 stores, and has also announced a change in direction that will involve a stronger online presence and expansion into areas that don't involve music. The Canadian branch of U.K. company HMV is considering purchasing some of the stores, according to CanWest. Sales of CDs, music DVDs and other music items have reportedly dropped 20 percent since last year in the country. ...

Ministry have tapped Meshuggah as the main support act for their goodbye tour, which they're calling the "C U LaTouR." Hemlock are also on the bill for the trek, which kicks off March 28 in Vancouver, British Columbia, and wraps May 8 in Chicago. On a related note, Meshuggah have named their next record, which should be in stores early next year, obZen. ... Hard-rockers Taproot have finished recording their forthcoming LP, Our Long Road Home. "The title is a unique and expressive tribute to our newly found collective freedom of creativity as a band, with no strings attached," the band said in a statement. "It's a tribute to the casual and comfortable settings of being at home with friends and family — a place we love to be." ... Ozzfest 2007 veterans 3 Inches of Blood have booted drummer Alexei Rodriguez after he was allegedly involved in a physical altercation with Saxon drummer Nigel Glockler at the U.K.'s Hard Rock Hell festival over the weekend. The band apologized for Rodriguez's actions in a statement, adding that his actions are in no way "a reflection of our band. Alexei's behavior was appalling and completely unacceptable, and it is our decision to immediately remove him from the band." ...

Uncle Kracker is standing by his claim that he didn't sexually assault a woman in North Carolina, The Detroit News reports. The singer (real name: Matthew Shafer), who made the same assertion after being arrested on the second-degree forcible-sex-offense charge in August, also now says he regrets pleading guilty in September to a lesser charge of misdemeanor assault so he could avoid a trial. He told the News that the 26-year-old woman who was involved in the incident hit him first, and that the incident started when he bumped into her at a club after a concert. Authorities have maintained that Shafer put his hand up her skirt. "There was no sexual anything involved," Shafer told the News. "Assault is a far cry from sexual battery. You can either wait a year, spend 150 grand, go to trial, make more of a debacle out of it, or you can get it over with." In September, he was sentenced to 12 months of probation, ordered to undergo an alcohol assessment and was fined $1,500.

11.12.07

The trial involving Amy Winehouse's husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, has been delayed in light of allegations that he "perverted the court of justice," or the U.S. equivalent of obstruction of justice. He was back in court on Monday (November 12) for a brief hearing, and according to Agence France-Presse, he smiled throughout the session. The trial, previously slated to start Monday, has been adjourned until November 23, and Fielder-Civil — who was arrested last week following a raid on his and Winehouse's London home — is to remain in custody until then. Michael Brown, a 39-year-old who is supposed to stand trial with his friend Fielder-Civil, was not in court on Monday, and a judge issued a warrant for his arrest. BBC News also reports that James King, who was allegedly beaten by Fielder-Civil and Brown in June, was one of the men arrested last week, and that he has also been charged with the aforementioned crime. Fielder-Civil was remanded on technical bail. ...

Teeing with JT: Justin Timberlake has inked a five-year deal with the PGA Tour that will find him hosting a tournament in Las Vegas next year. "Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open," which will be played October 13-19, will help raise funds for the Shriners group, which provides medical care at no charge to children under 18 years old. The singer will play in a celebrity-golf game that week as well. "Raising money to better children's lives while playing golf? I can't think of a better way to pass the time," he said in a statement. ... Timberlake's visibility has also landed him on Barbara Walters' "10 Most Fascinating People of 2007" list, and they'll be seen chatting on an hourlong ABC special set to air December 6 at 10 p.m. ET. Former President Bill Clinton, Jennifer Hudson, Posh Spice and two surprise guests will also appear on the show. ... Could J.K. Rowling top Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore on a competing list, Time's Person of the Year? That's how the voting is shaping up on the Time Web site, although, as it indicates, the editors reserve the right to give the honor to the person of their choosing. Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are also in the running, and the December issue will be on sale December 21. ...

Radiohead have set the North American release date for In Rainbows. The album will hit stores January 1 through the band's own TBD Records (which, as expected, is teaming with ATO Records Group for the release), with "Bodysnatchers" and "Jigsaw Falling Into Place" as the first two singles. According to a press release, more information on the album and the band's tour plans will be announced soon. ... In case teens need an extra incentive to rack up credit-card debt, branded cards featuring Hilary Duff and Usher are on the way, according to Brandweek. Duff is getting a prepaid Visa gift card "aimed to show the young ones how to manage their pocket change (and learn about service fees)," according to the branding-news magazine, while Usher has a Debit MasterCard that features an empowerment message. The Platinum Plus Visa card devoted to Elvis Presley actually has a charitable aspect, as money from it goes to a foundation that helps homeless families. A Kiss credit card is available too. ...

Tom Morello, guitarist for reunited rockers Rage Against the Machine, serenaded some 3,000 people involved in the Hollywood writers' strike outside 20th Century Fox Studios in Century City, California, last week, the Los Angeles Times reports. ... Chiodos, Mindless Self Indulgence and Finch are among the first confirmed bands for next year's Bamboozle Festival, which is scheduled for May 3-4 at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Jack's Mannequin, Less Than Jake, Forever the Sickest Kids, Scary Kids Scaring Kids, I Am the Avalanche and the Starting Line have also been booked for the bill. ... Xzibit has signed on for a tour of duty in Oliver Stone's upcoming Vietnam movie, "Pinkville." The film revolves around the 1968 My Lai Massacre, during which 500 people — mostly women, children and the elderly — were killed by U.S soldiers. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the "Pimp My Ride" host will play a soldier who is convinced he acted ethically when he carried out his orders. ...

My Chemical Romance's Bob Bryar has issued a statement concerning the band's cancellation of a recent gig at the University of Maine, which had prompted school officials to consider legal action against the band. Late last week, the college's newspaper, The Maine Campus, announced that MCR would be paying the student government $20,500 in restitution fees for scrapping the October 27 show. The student government had previously said it would pursue legal action against the band unless it paid all expenses incurred by Monday, arguing that if it did not recoup the money, it would cost more than $2 from each student's activity fee. "We are very sorry about canceling our recent show in Maine. I have been having many problems with my wrists over the past few years," Bryar wrote in his statement. "They have been getting worse but I kept playing. I have seen many doctors to get some relief so I wouldn't have to stop playing. I guess I pushed it too hard this time. During our [recent] show at Maxwell's [in Hoboken, New Jersey], I got a golf ball-sized lump in my wrist, I started to not only have pain, but lose control and feeling in my fingers. I went through a process to control the swelling and attempted to play the show [opening for] Bon Jovi the next day. The Bon Jovi show was really bad for me — I was dropping sticks and could barely hit my drums. After that show, we decided I had to go get immediate treatment. I had to leave the tour. Being the stubborn person I am, I made a last-minute decision to give it another shot on the second Bon Jovi show. It didn't work, [and] we had to cut the set in half. We have a fill-in now as I am getting treatment. He learned the songs in one day." At press time, the identity of Bryar's fill-in was unconfirmed. ...

In a note posted on his Web site late last week, Kid Rock gave props to the head of his security team, Little Bear, for "finding a hidden camera in the dressing room at the show at the Myth Nightclub" in Minneapolis on Thursday night. "Little Bear, who runs SpyOps.net, discovered the device before the show and alerted the authorities, who are now investigating," Rock wrote. TMZ obtained photos of the alleged spycam from Little Bear that appears to indicate it was set up to broadcast on the Internet, but in a statement from the club released to the Star Tribune, the management explained, "The green-room camera in question is part of the venue's security aspect, available for viewing by head of security only ... Rock's allegation that there was some kind of Internet broadcast in progress is simply not true and without foundation." ...

The Broadway stagehands' strike isn't just affecting theatrical productions — Duran Duran's 10-night residence at New York's Ethel Barrymore Theatre has also been stymied by the protest. The band canceled its Saturday night show and moved its Monday and Tuesday gigs to the Roseland Ballroom. "We are really disappointed that we weren't able to finish up the run on Broadway, which has been in the planning for months," singer Simon LeBon said, according to BBC News. "However, we are relieved that there was somewhere else available to us so that we don't have to disappoint our fans by not playing." ... With Army of Anyone's future in doubt — the band, featuring former Filter frontman Richard Patrick and two former members of Stone Temple Pilots, is said to be on "hiatus" — drummer Ray Luzier has opted to handle drum duties during Korn's upcoming European tour, set to begin in early 2008. Luzier replaces Slipknot's Joey Jordison, who in turn replaced Terry Bozzio earlier this year, as the band's touring drummer.

• Pete Wentz's Bar Draws Jay-Z, Ashlee

• Lindsay Lohan
• Fall Out Boy
• Ashlee Simpson
• Beyoncé
• Britney Spears

Hilary Duff
Photo: Evan Agostini/ Getty Images

Hilary Duff's relying on neither her sister nor her boyfriend for help with her next album. While Haylie helped write songs on her debut, she's sitting out this time, as are Joel and Benji Madden, who had produced the three new songs on Hilary's Most Wanted greatest-hits collection. "They're working on their own album," Hilary explained. "I'm writing most of the stuff this time. It's kind of just Kara [DioGuardi, a frequent Hilary collaborator] and me writing, and then going in the studio and recording." While it's still "very early on," she said, she's going in a new direction, "more dancey ... but really hip-hop because we're using a lot of real instruments." "I don't know exactly how to explain what we're doing, but it's fun and funky and different, something new for me," she said. "It's really cool." In the meantime, Hilary has unveiled her newly designed Stuff by Hilary Duff fall collection, as well as HilaryOnRed.com, a new Web site for her fashion line. The site will feature a fashion show on Tuesday in which she'll offer up commentary while seven young runway models showcase each new look to the tune of the singer's new single, "Play With Fire." ...

"American Idol" hopefuls should bone up on the classics, if Simon Cowell's favorite songs are any indication of what he wants to hear in auditions. The judge, who shared his all-time favorites on BBC Radio 4's "Desert Island Discs," revealed eight top tracks — and only one, Daniel Bedingfield's "If You're Not the One," was released in the past 30 years. Tops for Cowell is Bobby Darin's "Mack the Knife," which he called "the best song ever made, ever produced, ever sung." Herb Alpert's "This Guy's in Love With You" is his pick for "sexiest song ever," while he named Charles Aznavour's "She" among "the most beautiful songs of all time." Cowell said he'd also choose to bring a mirror on his island adventure — "because I'd miss me." ...

Kate Hudson and the Black Crowes' Chris Robinson are separating after being married for six years, The Associated Press reports. The couple have a 2-year-old son, Ryder Russell Robinson. ... Travis Barker's ex Shanna Moakler is dusting herself off and hitting the dance floor next month for ABC's "Dancing With the Stars." The former Miss USA will be facing off against "High School Musical" star Monique Coleman; singers Willa Ford and Sara Evans; talk-show host Jerry Springer; football legend Emmitt Smith; actors Vivica A. Fox, Mario López, Harry Hamlin, Joe Lawrence; and conservative talking head Tucker Carlson in the ballroom-dancing competition, the third season of which premieres September 12. ...

Dancer/rapper/model Kevin Federline is a man of many hats, and now he's adding record executive to the mix. Federation Records, a joint venture between Federline and manager Dan Dymtrow, will release — you guessed it — K-Fed's own Playing With Fire as its inaugural LP. Federline's single "Lose Control" is scheduled to arrive at radio August 21, the morning after he performs the track as the closing act of the Teen Choice 2006 awards show. ... Joanna, fresh off Teen People's Rock & Shop Mall Tour, has been named the opening act for Nick Lachey's fall tour, which kicks off September 20 in Albany, New York. Joanna's debut, This Crazy Life, is due Tuesday, while her single "Let It Slide" is already at radio. ...

After shooting a special acoustic show for this week's performance night of "Rock Star: Supernova," the final eight rockers on the show hosted a mid-season party at their Los Angeles mansion. The finalists entertained guests with an impromptu jam session featuring Magni and Toby Rand dueting on U2's "Where the Streets Have No Name," Dilana (with help from Storm Large) delivering the Janis Joplin staple "Me and Bobby McGee" and Ryan Star debuting one of his own tunes. ... Former Pantera drummer Vinnie Paul is teaming up with Mudvayne's Chad Gray and Greg Tribbett, and Nothingface's Jerry Montano and Tom Maxwell, for a new project that has yet to be named. In a bulletin on Nothingface's MySpace page, Montano said the material that the new group has been working on "is amazing," and that the still-unnamed act's album should be out in the spring, followed by a U.S. tour. ...

Having spent most of the summer abroad, the Strokes will return to North America later this month to kick off a string of live shows. The band has four gigs set in Mexico between August 30 and September 3, and will play Toronto on September 10. The Strokes mark their return to the U.S. with a September 12 performance in Boston and have headlining shows scheduled in Ithaca, New York (September 17); Norfolk, Virginia (September 19); Pompano Beach, Florida (September 24); Kansas City, Missouri (October 1); Albany, New York (October 6); and Hampton Beach, New Hampshire (October 8). The Strokes will also open for Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers in Chicago (September 14-15); Gainesville, Florida (September 21); Atlanta (September 22) and Los Angeles (September 26). ... Brooklyn, New York, rockers TV on the Radio are hitting the road in support of their upcoming album, Return to Cookie Mountain, which is due September 12. The 25-date North American trek kicks off September 14 in New Orleans and comes to a close November 21 in Philadelphia. The tour includes stops at the Austin City Limits Music Festival on September 16 and a two-night stand at New York's Irving Plaza on November 17 and 18. ...

The Used claim the album they've been recently working on will be "the best record we have ever written." In an online post, bassist Jeph Howard described the writing process as "amazing ... I'm really so stoked." The band has written 22 songs, and Howard explained that "the record is coming along better than ever and we all feel more strongly about the Used than we ever have." No word yet on when the LP will surface. ... More dates have been revealed for Atreyu's upcoming trek with From First to Last, Every Time I Die and Chiodos. The tour will hit San Diego on October 6; Lake Buena Vista, Florida, on October 15; Seattle on November 14; and Hollywood on November 20. ... Dates for Eighteen Visions' upcoming tour with Bullet for My Valentine, Escape the Fate and Drop Dead, Gorgeous are beginning to trickle out. The run will be making stops in Dallas (September 22); Austin, Texas, (September 23); Houston (September 24); Lake Buena Vista, Florida (September 27); and St. Petersburg, Florida (September 29). Additional stops will be announced in the coming weeks. ...

Last week's foiled terrorist plot targeting U.K.-to-U.S. flights has made traveling by plane a pain — just ask Snow Patrol. Two of the band's gigs — an Auburn, Washington, show scheduled for last Saturday and a Portland, Oregon, performance on last Sunday — were scratched when just two members of the five-man band were able to cross the Atlantic in time for the performances. "Continued delays and problems securing new flights have made it impossible for [frontman Gary Lightbody, drummer Jonny Quinn and bassist Paul Wilson] to arrive in time for the concerts," the band said in a statement. "Snow Patrol regrets any inconvenience or disappointment it has caused its fans." There's no word yet on when the band will reschedule the missed gigs, but the Patrol expect to make the show they have scheduled for Tuesday in Boston. ... The Rolling Stones have canceled a concert scheduled for Monday in Valladolid, Spain, after Mick Jagger was ordered to rest his voice. The singer has laryngitis, the band said in a statement, while a spokesperson for the show's promoter said the gig isn't likely to be rescheduled. "I am very sorry to be canceling this show," Jagger apologized to ticket holders in a statement posted on the band's Web site. "I always love playing in Spain, but unfortunately, I have no other choice." ... Boy George reported for duty at New York's Department of Sanitation on Monday (August 14) at 7.a.m., and was soon sweeping up trash and leaves from city streets before a crowd of journalists and photographers, AP reports. The singer, who was ordered to perform community service after pleading guilty to reporting a false incident earlier this year, quickly began to clash with the media. "Go home," the former Culture Club frontman told reporters. "This is supposed to be making me humble. ... I just want to do my job."

08.11.2006

Jessica Simpson is asking fans to help determine the second single from her new album A Public Affair, due August 29. Fans can listen on her Web site and vote between "If You Were Mine," "The Lover in Me," "I Belong to Me," "B.O.Y.," "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" and "I Don't Want to Care." ...

As Beyoncé's September 5 B'Day draws nearer (her actual birthday is one day earlier), the singer has "Ring the Alarm" set as the second single from her second solo album. The video for "Alarm," directed by Sophie Muller (Shakira, No Doubt), is scheduled to premiere this month. ...

A judge denied a bid by the family of Notorious B.I.G. to expand its wrongful-death lawsuit against the city, The Associated Press reported Friday (August 11). The family requested last month that the lawsuit also include claims that an on-duty police officer was at the site where the killing occurred, but U.S. District Judge Florence-Marie Cooper denied the motion. Cooper said there was "no admissible evidence that [the officer] was on duty ... at the scene of the murder." ...

Tego Calderón has firmed up an August 29 release date for his Atlantic Records debut, The Underdog/ El Subestimado. Reggae king Buju Banton and reggaetón guru Don Omar are among the guests. ... Wyclef Jean is teaming up with Asian pop star Sun. The Fugees rapper is producing the singer's next album. ...

NBA star Ron Artest, fresh off touring with Fat Joe, will release his debut hip-hop album, My World, on October 24. Mike Jones and Allure are among the guests. ... Aly & AJ's "Chemicals React" has been translated into the Sims' native language of Simlish for "The Sims 2: Pets," due October 17. A video for the track is featured on the group's new deluxe edition of Into the Rush. ... Actress/model Jaime King is the new face for Jay-Z's Rocawear line, joining supermodel Naomi Campbell. She is currently featured with Naomi and Jay in the fall holiday ad campaign, which was shot in Aspen, Colorado. "Jay-Z thinks they are two females that represent the Rocawear lifestyle," a Rocawear rep said. ...

New York's Radio City Music Hall is big, but not big enough to contain all of Harry Potter's fans. Millions missed out on J.K. Rowling's juicy question-and-answer session earlier this month at the "An Evening With Harry, Carrie & Garp" charity event benefiting the Haven Foundation and Doctors Without Borders. MTV News gave the scoop on Rowling's talk last week (see "J.K. Rowling Reveals Further Details About Final 'Harry Potter' "), but if you want to experience it for yourself — along with readings by Stephen King and John Irving — the event is being streamed in its entirety on Friday at Video.MSN.com. Select highlights will be available on demand starting Saturday. ...

When Paris Hilton first created her watch line, she designed a limited-edition selection of luxury timepieces priced in the $100,000 range — fair for an heiress, but a little out of regular folks' reach. Now Hilton and Abazias Diamonds are branching out with a ready-to-wear range of watches priced from $138-$230 with style names including Love Horseshoe, Naked Eyes and Bikini — that one has two faces. ... A previously unreleased solo track from Dave Grohl is among the songs featured on the soundtrack to "Rising Son, the Legend of Skateboarder Christian Hosoi," due November 14. New Slightly Stoopid and Murs songs are also included, alongside contributions from Queens of the Stone Age and Gnarls Barkley. ... Kanye West isn't the only star lending his shine to the Rolling Stones' A Bigger Bang fall tour. Dave Matthews Band and Van Morrison are joining the Stones as openers for select dates of the band's latest North American leg. DMB will support the group's Seattle (October 17) and El Paso, Texas (October 20), stops, while Morrison will open in Vancouver, British Columbia (November 3), and Oakland, California (November 5). West's previously announced opening spot for the Stones in Halifax, Nova Scotia, will be boosted by performances by Alice Cooper and Sloan. ...

Portishead's Geoff Barrow is a bit of a thorny curmudgeon — and he's the first to admit it. After fans suggested that au courant beatmaker Danger Mouse produce the long-awaited follow-up to Portishead's self-titled sophomore disc, issued in 1997, Barrows took to the band's MySpace blog to scoff at the idea (in poorly written fashion). "I'd rather poo in my mums suday roast than have Danger Mouse produce a Portishead record, no offence like," he wrote. A few days later, cooler heads prevailed when he appeared contrite — or at least somewhat. "Just to let you know after my rants the other day that were reported about a certain producer. I dont rate myself better or above anyone else. It was purely in responce to a message that suggested he should produce our album and also to be honest I'm a grumpy old f--- who hates everything and Gnarls Barkley." ... "Sleep Well, Drive Carefully: On the Road with Death Cab for Cutie" will kick off Starz Cinema's monthly music series. The documentary, directed by Justin Mitchell and featuring a backstage peek at life on tour, will air August 28 at 10 p.m. ... Jane's Addiction, Mastodon, Seemless, Codeseven and the Fall of Troy are among the artists whose music will be featured in the Xbox 360 game "Saints Row," which will land in stores August 29. ...

New York indie-rockers the Walkmen just released their third album, A Hundred Years Off, in May. But during the arduous recording of that disc — in their downtime — the 'Men recorded another LP: an entire reworking of Harry Nilsson's classic 1974 album Pussy Cats (produced by John Lennon). The note-for-note re-creation, Pussycats Starring the Walkmen, is due October 24. ... Connecticut hardcore stalwarts Hatebreed will be forced to skip the last date on this summer's Ozzfest. Hatebreed are missing the August 13 show in West Palm Beach, Florida, due to a death in bassist Chris Beattie's family. "[Beattie's] grandfather George had become ill and subsequently passed away yesterday," a statement from the band read. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Chris, his family and those who were close to George. May he rest in peace. Please understand our circumstances." ... And now an indie-rock riddle: What do you get when you add a member of Destroyer and the New Pornographers (Dan Bejar), the singer of Wolf Parade and Sunset Rubdown (Spencer Krug) and a founder of Frog Eyes (Casey Mercer)? The answer is Swan Lake. The newly formed group will release its debut full-length, Beast Moans, on November 21. The 13-track disc was produced by the bandmates and friends — who are also former roommates.

• Vinnie Paul
• The Strokes
• The Used
• Snow Patrol
• Boy George

Lil Jon
Photo: John Shearer

Lil Jon's long-awaited entry into adult cinema, "Lil Jon's Vivid Vegas Party," hit video stores this week after months of delays wrought by legal entanglements. According to a press release, Jon was instrumental in every aspect of the DVD, "from coaching the actresses in their fine art to writing a sensual score to accentuate the story line." The DVD is available in "explicit and non-explicit versions" and is the first of two flicks featuring the self-appointed King of Crunk alongside a bevy of adult-film starlets. Jon does not "act" in the movie, although he does pop up "throughout the film during its many intimate scenes and at one point exclaims, 'I love my job!' " ...

Diddy announced Tuesday that he will launch a young women's sportswear line, adding to his Sean John apparel collection, which already boasts sportswear for men. Sean John will team with G-Ill Apparel Group to distribute the contemporary collection, set to debut in spring 2007. ...

Only in Paris Hilton's world could a court issue a restraining order against the actress/celebutante that forces her to stay at least 100 yards away from an event producer who claimed she threatened him — unless they're at a party together, in which case the distance is shortened to 25 feet. According to The Associated Press, a court commissioner signed off on the unusual three-year order against Hilton, 25, who must stay away from 37-year-old party planner Brian Quintana. Quintana testified last month that Hilton harassed and threatened him after their friendship ended. ...

Metallica will perform a number of classic Black Sabbath tunes in homage to the Ozzy Osbourne-led metal legends, who are part of 2006's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction. The members of Metallica will also introduce Sabbath during the 21st annual induction ceremony, set for Monday in New York. A post on Metallica's Web site states that Sabbath "wrote the book on heavy music, and like many other snot-nosed kids, we read it religiously over and over again. For all of us in Metallica, Black Sabbath are a major influence not only on our music, but on our lives." Kid Rock will also be on hand to present inductees Lynyrd Skynyrd, while Sting will introduce A&M Records founders Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss. ...

Boy George pleaded guilty to a charge of third-degree false reporting on Wednesday (March 8) in a deal that saved him from going to jail. According to an Associated Press report, the former Culture Club singer (real name George O'Dowd) agreed to pay a $1,000 fine, enter a drug-rehabilitation program in England and perform five days of community service in Manhattan to resolve his arrest last year on a cocaine charge. George, 44, was arrested in October after calling 911 to report an alleged burglary of his Manhattan apartment, and when police arrived they found a small pile of cocaine next to his computer. The charge of criminal possession of a controlled substance was dropped as part of the plea bargain. ... In other legal news, New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer filed a lawsuit Wednesday against one of the nation's largest radio chains, Entercom Communications, claiming that it engaged in payola by accepting gifts, trips and cash in exchange for playing certain songs on its 105 stations, according to an AP report. The move signals a switch from Spitzer's previous suits, which have targeted record labels he said used payola to gain airtime. An Entercom spokesperson denied the charges. ...

Smash Mouth singer Steve Harwell has been added to the cast of VH1's "The Surreal Life 6," which already includes Poison's C.C. DeVille, '80s video stalwart Tawny Kitaen and Sherman Helmsley of "The Jeffersons." Smash Mouth's upcoming single, "Story of My Life," is featured in the show, according to the band's publicist, and all the castmembers will appear in the song's video. ...

Good news for fans of Snow Patrol: The countdown to a new album is on. Reps for their label, Interscope Records, have confirmed that the Patrol's new LP, Eyes Open, will hit stores May 9. The albums features 11 cuts, including the first single, "Hands Open," and "Chasing Cars," a song Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody has singled out as a personal favorite. Other tracks include "Beginning to Get to Me," "Make This Go on Forever" and "Headlights." ...

Saves the Day will precede the April 4 release of their forthcoming album, Sound the Alarm, with a 51-date North American tour, which kicks off Wednesday in Santa Cruz, California. The final stop on the trek will be May 7 in East Rutherford, New Jersey, as part of the Bamboozle Festival. ...

Vendetta Red announced Tuesday that they've decided to throw in the towel, confirming months of speculation that the band was inactive. The group released a statement via its MySpace page but offered no explanation as to what caused the split. Vendetta Red will perform for the last time April 8 at El Corazón in Seattle. ...

Argentinean director Alejandro Chomski ("Hoy y Mañana") has been tapped to direct "Reggaeton," which is being co-produced by Jennifer Lopez's Nuyorican Productions. According to Variety, the movie is expected first out of the gate in what is shaping up to be a bumper crop of films based on the bilingual hip-hop/Latin/reggae hybrid style of music. It is slated to begin filming in New York and Puerto Rico in the spring.

03.07.2006

The night before "Crash" scored the Academy Award for best picture, the 26th annual Golden Raspberry Awards — prizes that no one in the movie business vies for — were handed out. The biggest Razzie "winner" was "Dirty Love," written by and starring Jenny McCarthy. The film took trophies for Worst Picture and Worst Screenplay; McCarthy was named Worst Actress, and ex-husband John Asher took the prize for Worst Director. Rob Schneider scored Worst Actor for "Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo," while Hayden Christensen was named Worst Supporting Actor for "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith." Paris Hilton's work in "House of Wax" was recognized with a Worst Supporting Actress Razzie; Will Ferrell and Nicole Kidman were named the Worst Screen Couple for their roles in "Bewitched"; "Son of the Mask" took the award for Worst Remake or Sequel; and Tom Cruise and fiancee Katie Holmes were named Most Tiresome Tabloid Target. ...

Bobby Brown was arrested in Webster, Massachusetts, Friday on misdemeanor charges of unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and having an uninsured trailer, The Associated Press reports. The minor violations, which date back 14 years, were noticed when a police officer conducted a routine warrant check. The 37-year-old singer was released on a $40 bond after being held for about an hour. ... Gordon Parks, a writer, musician, photographer and director best known for helming the movie "Shaft," died Tuesday (March 7) at the age of 93, according to the AP. As a photojournalist, Parks shot for such publications as Life magazine, though his most famous image — 1942's "American Gothic," showing a female black janitor holding a broom and a mop in front of the American flag — came while he was documenting life in America alongside such legendary shooters as Dorothea Lange and Walker Evans at the U.S. Farm Security Administration. His first film, "The Learning Tree," came in 1969 and was based on one of his own novels. "Shaft," an iconic detective drama now referenced in countless hip-hop songs and eventually remade with Samuel L. Jackson, followed two years later. ...

Former Blink-182 guitarist Tom DeLonge has settled on a release date and title for the debut album by his new band Angels & Airwaves — well, almost. According to a spokesperson for A&A's label, Geffen Records, the record is tentatively titled We Don't Need to Whisper but will most definitely be in stores May 23. ... That same day brings the debut album from the Raconteurs, the retro-leaning project featuring the White Stripes' Jack White, singer/songwriter Brendan Benson and two members of the Greenhornes. Their album is called Broken Boy Soldiers and features 10 tracks, including "Hands," "Intimate Secretary" and "Blue Veins." The first single from the album, "Steady as She Goes," is available on a limited-edition seven-inch starting Tuesday. ... Yellowcard have added several shows to their Virgin College Mega Tour, including stops in San Diego (April 18), Salt Lake City (April 21) and Wichita, Kansas (April 24). New Capitol labelmates Mae are opening. ... The Red Hot Chili Peppers have unveiled the album art for their forthcoming double LP, Stadium Arcadium, on their Web site. The Chilis have also posted a teaser trailer for Arcadium — featuring a snippet from the disc's first single, "Dani California" — as well as a 30-second downloadable "Dani" ring tone. Stadium Arcadium lands in stores May 9. ...

Pearl Jam have revealed the track list for their upcoming self-titled LP, which is scheduled to drop May 2. Thirteen cuts, including "Life Wasted," "Marker in the Sand" and "Wasted Reprise," will appear on the LP. The first single, "World Wide Suicide," has been posted to the band's bootleg site. ... Bad Boy rapper Black Rob (born Robert Ross) remains in the Bergen County Jail in Hackensack, New Jersey, after authorities picked him up on a fugitive warrant on February 24. Manhattan district attorney's office spokesperson Edison Alban said the MC — who had agreed to turn himself in January 24 to begin serving a two-to-six-year prison sentence on a felony charge for possession of stolen property — is awaiting a date for an extradition hearing. ... Daddy Yankee is the latest artist to partner with Reebok. His shoe and apparel line launch Wednesday. ... Elton John's annual AIDS Foundation Oscar party raised $2.9 million for the fight against HIV — almost triple the amount from a year ago, according to a spokesperson for the event. John Legend performed and sang a duet with John on "Ordinary People" and "Rocket Man." ... For one week, Sirius Satellite Radio is devoting an entire station to the music of Pink Floyd and guitarist David Gilmour. Classic rock channel the Vault started the Gilmour marathon Monday, just in time for Tuesday (March 7)'s release of the guitarist's third solo album, On an Island, his first studio outing in more than two decades. ...

A woman is being held without bond on a murder charge in connection with the stabbing death of former Jackson 5 drummer Johnny Jackson, who was found dead in his home in Gary, Indiana, on Wednesday. Yolanda Davis, 44, told police that she stabbed Jackson, 54, with a steak knife when he lunged at her during a fight, according to The Associated Press. Davis could face up to 65 years in prison if she is convicted. ... Paul Rachman's documentary "American Hardcore," a film that recounts the evolution of America's hardcore punk movement from 1980 to 1986, has been picked up by Sony Pictures Classics, according to Reuters. The movie, which screened at this year's Sundance Film Festival and will be featured at this month's South by Southwest Film Festival, includes concert footage featuring Black Flag, Bad Brains, Jerry's Kids, Suicidal Tendencies and Wasted Youth. Inspired by Steven Blush's book "American Hardcore: A Tribal History," the documentary is expected to hit theaters this fall. ...

Overcast, an influential, erstwhile Massachusetts metal band that counted among its members Killswitch Engage bassist Mike D'Antonio and Shadows Fall frontman Brian Fair, will regroup after eight years apart for a special appearance at this year's New England Metal and Hardcore Festival, set for April 28-30 in Worcester, Massachusetts. According to the band's Web site, it will also return to a recording studio in May to breathe new life into more than 10 classic Overcast tunes and record two previously unreleased cuts, all of which will appear on the forthcoming Reborn to Kill Again. Killswitch guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz (who has produced LPs for Unearth and Underoath) will helm the project. There's no word yet on when the disc will surface, but discussions with several labels are ongoing. ... Political punkers Anti-Flag have teamed up with U.S. Representative Jim McDermott, a Democrat from Washington state, to urge congressional leaders to fund a study on the use of depleted uranium as munitions. The band released a new song, "Depleted Uranium Is a War Crime," through the After Downing Street coalition's Web site. According to the band, the song is a critique on the military's use of the deadly chemical "without studying its long-lasting and detrimental effects to humanity." The cut will appear on the group's forthcoming For Blood and Empire LP, which is due March 21. ...

Saliva will perform at this year's Elvis Presley Festival, which is set for June 2-4 in Tupelo, Mississippi. According to The Associated Press, rockabilly, country and gospel acts the Dempseys, Cowboy Mouth, Jeff Bates, Travis LeDoyt, Chris Cagle, Chely Wright and the Landmarks join Presley's backing vocalists the Jordanaires in the lineup for the eighth annual event. ... Murderdolls frontman Wednesday 13 has entered a North Carolina recording studio, where he's started tracking the follow-up to last year's Transylvania 90210: Songs of Death, Dying, and the Dead. He's written more than 30 tracks for his sophomore solo outing so far, including "Buried With Children," "My Home Sweet Homicide" and "Morgue Than Words." Wednesday 13 will be producing the effort, which could surface in late spring. Wednesday's also recorded two covers ("Burn the Flames" by Roky Erickson and Motörhead's "R.A.M.O.N.E.S."), but it's not clear whether either track will appear on the as-yet-untitled LP. ... A federal judge has ordered Rod Stewart to hand over more than $3 million to a Las Vegas casino where the singer was supposed to perform in late December 2000. Stewart canceled the gig, claiming he was unable to sing due to a recent throat surgery, and the Rio Hotel and Casino filed a breach-of-contract suit to recoup to the $2 million advance the singer was paid. According to The Associated Press, Stewart was ordered to cough up an additional $153,483 in contempt-of-court sanctions and legal costs for withholding information from attorneys representing Harrah's Entertainment before the start of last year's trial. The court also awarded Harrah's more than $1 million in interest, penalties, and related legal expenses.

[This story was orignally published at 9:05 a.m. ET on 03.08.2006]

• Lil Jon
• Diddy
• Metallica
• Snow Patrol
• Boy George

Boy George
Photo: Olaf Heine

To the surprise of many Americans, Boy George has established a reputation as one of the world's more renowned DJs following the 1986 breakup of Culture Club, the band with whom he became one of the world's more flamboyantly familiar figures during the 1980s.

"I was at a dinner party last night," he said, laughing, "and a woman asked me what I do now. I told her I sit around and look at old videos of myself — and do some occasional carpentry.

"But really," he continued, "it's nice to not have that sort of popularity anymore. I make a much better living DJing than I ever made with Culture Club, and now I don't have to worry about the tabloids. It used to be that I would be on the front page whenever I fell or farted in public. Now they only put me in when something really terrible happens — like when that mirrorball fell on my head." Although Boy George may not be looking for Culture Club-era notoriety in the States for his DJ career, he wouldn't mind a little more recognition for it. His solo albums released here have enjoyed only marginal success. And of those, only 1991's Martyr Mantras displayed his electronic-music proficiency clearly. With the 1999 release of Galaxy Mix on Ministry of Sound's label, however, it became clear that Boy George wasn't merely "dabbling" in DJing. The double-disc collection focused on the mainstream side to George's dancefloor taste, featuring cuts from Armand Van Helden, Fatboy Slim and Underworld alongside edgier artists such as Soulsearcher and Paul Johnson as well as Boy George compatriots Amanda Ghost and Kinky Roland. Although released in the UK, Galaxy Mix also clued in many Americans that Boy George wasn't a nostalgia act quite yet.

"When I come to America, the general public is usually like, 'I love "Karma Chameleon,"'" he said. "It's really too difficult to explain what I've been doing for the past 15 years. But the people who are into the music know what I've been doing, and that's what's really important." With the release of George's first u.s. mix-CD, an entry in the Essential Mix series, the reputation he's garnered in England via his radio show, club dates and compilations may finally reach this side of the Atlantic. Where Galaxy Mix focused on more mainstream tracks, Essential Mix is an aptly titled distillation of what Boy George as a DJ is all about. "Compilations have become so common in the U.K. now that there's an insider-trading feel to it all," said George of Galaxy Mix's flavor. "If you want to license one track from a major, they force you to take two or three more you don't want. Essential Mix is more representative of what George does in a club than on his radio show. And while artists such as Kinky Roland or Cultural Diversion (essentially Culture Club on a techno tip) are associated with his More Protein label, the single-disc collection, part of DJ Pete Tong's "Essential" series, focuses on the underground. "It's hard for underground talent to get the attention it deserves," George said. "DJing is liberating in that you can play pretty much whatever you want to. You're not bound by charts or radio. You play what works and sounds good." From the bassbin-busting twin assault of "Future Sound of Retro" and "Some Say She's Retro" (by Lee Combs and Dark Globe, respectively) and the hard-hitting "Second Coming" by Wave to the frothy funk of Boogie Macs' version of "Girl From Ipanema" and the ragga breakstep of "Here Come the Lick Again" by Suburban Lick, Essential Mix shows off George's versatility and sense of humor. It also demonstrates his knack for mixing up records for the club environment. "The mix was definitely done live. But," he laughed, "I'm a very anal person — perhaps too anal. So a lot of tweaking went on afterward. Tightening up bits, taking out boring parts, making things hit a little harder. After all, if you ask someone to spend 15 dollars or whatever on a CD, you should make it as good as you can. "

• Boy George

Boy George apparently had a brush with death when a 62lb mirror ball came crashing down to the stage during a theater soundcheck.

• Boy George
• Culture Club

Will former President Jimmy Carter pummel Toni Morrison? Will Nashville Pussy hear its name spoken aloud? And perhaps most shocking of all, will Judas Priest win a Grammy?

These are just a few of the burning questions presented when this year's Grammy nominations were announced on Tuesday morning. Sure, many are wondering how many statuettes Lauryn Hill and Celine Dion will make off with when the awards are doled out on February 24, but there are more interesting dramas buried deep within the bowels of NARAS' 95 Grammy categories.

Take category 17 for example, Best Metal Performance, which brings with it the potential for a celebratory march from either Nashville Pussy or Judas Priest who are nominated along with Metallica, Rage Against The Machine, and Rammstein.

Its doubtful that any of those groups will be seated near former President Carter, who is part of a Best Spoken Word field that includes author Toni Morrison, actor Christopher Reeve, NPR favorite Garrison Keillor, and David Holt & Bill Mooney.

Chances are Carter will also be kept clear of another surprise nominee, Kiss, who could pick up its first-ever Grammy. The metal mainstays are up against fellow journeymen Metallica, Pearl Jam, and Jimmy Page & Robert Plant and relative newcomer Marilyn Manson for Best Hard Rock Performance, a development that raises more than a few questions about the need for new blood in rock.

The nomination of the Verve's "Bitter Sweet Symphony" for Best Rock Song also raises a few interesting possibilities. The award is presented to the songwriters behind the winning track, and the Verve shares songwriting credit with Rolling Stones Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, the men behind the sample that "Bitter Sweet Symphony" is based on.

The nominations also packed a few fabulous possibilities for 80s revivalists, as both Cyndi Lauper and Boy George are nominated for Best Dance Recording.

Amid the many questions raised, the Grammy nominations did offer at least one answer. Those who ever wondered how broad the Grammy categories could get were offered a Best Pop Instrumental Performance field that manages to include The Dust Brothers, Bela Fleck, Kenny G, the Pat Metheny Group, and the Brian Setzer Orchestra.

For more Grammy news, check out the MTV News Grammy Archive.

• Boy George
• Culture Club
• Rob Halford
• Judas Priest
• Two

Culture Club is packing up its bouncing 80s melodies and androgynous frontman Boy George for a reunion tour that will kick off on July 23 in Atlanta.

As we first reported in February, the tour will include all four original members, including George and drummer John Moss who split on less than friendly terms in 1986.

Those wounds have apparently healed, as the group will mount a three week tour this summer, and will film a one hour "Storytellers" special for VH1 that will air on June 14. The band will also release a two-CD retrospective chronicling the band's hits from "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me" through "Karma Chameleon" later this year.

If you're looking for a taste of the 80s, here's where Culture Club will be serving it up:

• 7/23 - Atlanta, GA @ Chastain Park
• 7/24 - Raleigh, NC @ Walnut Creek Amphitheater
• 7/25 - Charlotte, NC @ Blockbuster Pavilion
• 7/26 - Virginia Beach, VA @ Virginia Beach Amphitheater
• 7/29 - Manassas, VA @ Nissan Pavilion
• 7/30 - New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall
• 8/1 - Long Island, NY @ Jones Beach Music Theater
• 8/2 - Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center
• 8/5 - Philadelphia, PA @ Mann Music Center
• 8/6 - Wallingford, CT @ Oakdale Theater
• 8/7 - Mansfield, MA @ Great Woods
• 8/8 - Port Jervis, NY @ New Hope Farms
• 8/10 - Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center
• 8/12 - Clarkston, MI @ Pine Knob Music Theater
• 8/13 - Indianapolis, IN @ Market Square Arena
• 8/14 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Coca-Cola Starlake Amphitheater
• 8/15 - Rosemont, IL @ Rosemont Horizon
• 8/16 - Milwaukee, WI @ Wisconsin State Fair

• Boy George
• Culture Club

When reports of the reunion tour first surfaced last month (see "Culture Club Preparing To Tour"), is was unclear if drummer Jon Moss would join in. In the past, Moss had expressed a good deal of anger towards Club frontman Boy George, who once announced that he and Moss had been lovers.

Adding fuel to the band's fiery demise was the fact that George was addicted to heroin, which he admitted publicly at the time of the band's acrimonious split in 1986.

Perhaps those fences have been mended, or perhaps the band is hopping on the rising tide of 80s nostalgia. The band's breakthrough hit "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me" is prominently featured in the new Adam Sandler 80s flashback flick "The Wedding Singer."

• Boy George
• Culture Club

MTV 20th Anniversary Party

• Black Rob
• Boy George
• Huey Lewis
• Foxy Brown
• Blaque