Bright Eyes

Bright Eyes Go To The Opera For Surprise SXSW Show

19 Mar 2011 09:54:37 EDT

Conor Oberst dazzles in a secret gig held at a 130-year-old Austin opera house on Friday.
By James Montgomery

AUSTIN, Texas — When one thinks of Conor Oberst, a 130-year-old opera house probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind. Or the second, for that matter.

And yet, on Friday night at South by Southwest, there was Oberst and his Bright Eyes band, standing beneath the crystal chandeliers and velvet drapes of the Austin Club, a lavish, limestone-layered building first opened in 1878 as the Millett Opera House. The occasion wasn't a wedding or a banquet (both of which the club plays host to on the regular these days), but rather, an AOL Pop Up Show, announced only hours beforehand, much to the delight of fans and SXSWers alike, who lined up early and hoped against hope that they'd be one of the lucky ones to snag a spot inside.

Of course, most were turned away. But the folks who made it past the front doors were treated to a shambling, rambling (though all-too-brief) Bright Eyes set, as Oberst and his six-piece ensemble ran roughshod over songs from the past decade of his songbook.

Needless to say, the band probably felt a little out of place — at one point, after surveying his stuffy surroundings, Oberst joked, "Have you guys ever been to the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland? Very soon the walls will start stretching to the stratosphere" — but if they were uncomfortable, they didn't show it, starting somberly with "An Attempt to Tip the Scales" (from 2000's Fevers and Mirrors) and building steam on "Hot Knives" (from '07's Cassadaga), the former featuring Oberst's warm, warbling vocals and the latter a stirring mix of wiring, winding guitars and wind-swept synths.

"Take It Easy (Love Nothing)" powered along with a pair of drummers, with Oberst flailing and hammering out chords on his electric guitar, and "Jejune Stars" (from his just-released The People's Key disc) was an exercise in frayed, frazzled fret abuse.

Of course, most Bright Eyes fans prefer Oberst's softer side, and they got that on "Beginner's Mind," which he prefaced with, "The next song is about trying not to become a cynical a--hole," and, thanks to some nifty vocal effects, sang as if his voice was at the bottom of a well. He also delivered a shuffling, austere take on "Bowl of Oranges."

He brought things to a hush with the stirring "Poison Oak," which started off whisper quiet, grew louder on winsome guitars, and then positively unspooled into an impressive din, pushed forward by a pealing organ line. The band continued that momentum with "The Calendar Hung Itself," a walloping, clomping stomper featuring dueling drummers and a blaring horn line.

And then, like most Bright Eyes sets, the band finished with "Road to Joy," which built to a froth and then, as Oberst spat, "Let's f--- it up, boys, make some noise!" boiled over into a squall of feedback and horns and organs. The crowd — some of whom had been waiting more than eight hours for this moment — losing their collective mind, surging forward and creating several worried looks amongst the Austin Club staff (thankfully, none of the good china was broken).

And when the band departed from the stage, the crowd chanted for an encore that never came. It was about the only down moment of the evening, but as those fans filed down the building's ornate staircase and out into the Austin night, you got the feeling they weren't focusing on the negative. It just didn't seem proper, given the surroundings.

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Monsters Of Folk Are Serious About Supergroup Success

19 Aug 2009 16:07:00 EDT

'We had to turn it from a pipe dream into a reality,' Jim James says of making a record with Conor Oberst and M. Ward.
By James Montgomery, with reporting by Matt Elias

In 2004, the Monsters of Folk were in need of a new name. Seems their original handle didn't quite roll off the tongue the way they'd hoped.

"We used to have a really long name," MOF'er (and Bright Eyes main man) Conor Oberst laughed. "We were called 'An evening with Bright Eyes, Jim James and M. Ward.' It wasn't very catchy."

"So our road manager just started calling us the 'Monsters of Folk,' because each of our careers have been so storied on folk," fellow Monster (and My Morning Jacket frontman) Jim James added. "It really seemed to fit, especially since it didn't."

And thus, a supergroup was formed ... and not just any supergroup, mind you, but perhaps the most indie-riffic in history. Born after Oberst, James and She & Him's M. Ward joined forces for a brief run of dates in '04, the Monsters added multi-instrumentalist Mike Mogis to the mix and, over the next two years — in between making albums with their other bands — somehow also found time to work on a Monsters of Folk album too.

Sort of.

"A lot of procrastination went into this record," Oberst laughed. "You know, whenever we had time, we'd get into it."

"You know, people's schedules get busy, and we had to turn it from a pipe dream into a reality," James added. "And to do that, we had to commit to some time. Which we eventually did."

The result of those two years is the Monsters' self-titled debut (out September 22), 15 songs of sun-dappled, well-worn (sorta) folk tunes (plus the occasional bubble of electronics). Recorded in Malibu, California, and Oberst's hometown of Omaha, Nebraska, and produced by Mogis, it's an album that tackles topics like love, loss, religion and politics ... all filtered through the respective, reflective lenses of Oberst, James and Ward.

"Everyone came in with ideas and concepts that were then fleshed out by the group. We didn't write these songs specifically for our other bands, we just wrote them because we like writing," Oberst explained. "For me, specifically, I don't think about what I'm going to do with the song before it's written ... I don't really think of anything before it's written. It has to exist before I can ponder what to do with it. So I was writing for different records, and I just chose which ones felt like they'd work for this record."

So will there be another record? Or is this a one-time thing? No one in the Monsters seems to know, though — aside from a tour of North America and Europe in October and November, they've got nothing else on their schedule. That said, it'd be a shame if they let such a killer name go to waste ... especially one they fought so hard to get. Or, you know, something like that.

"There actually was a Monsters of Folk before this Monsters of Folk, and we were really upset because they stole the name from us before we even knew each other. They were on tour in, like, 1997, and we didn't start Monsters of Folk until 2003, but they shoulda known we were gonna get together," James said, a smile stretching across his face. "So we threatened to sic our lawyers on them, and all of a sudden they decided to let us use the name. Which was really cool of them."

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Conor Oberst Leads John Norris Through His Self-Titled LP, Track By Track

04 Aug 2008 20:21:00 EDT

Singer/songwriter discusses the geography in his songs and comparisons to Bob Dylan on the non-Bright Eyes LP.
By

Change is good, as the man Conor Oberst hopes to see in the White House, Barack Obama, reminds us. As for Oberst himself, he's never been big on staying in one place, either ... geographically or musically.

For more than a decade, as the leader of Bright EyesBright Eyes, he's released a string of albums that have seen him torn and heartbroken over matters personal and political (Fevers and Mirrors,Fevers and Mirrors, Lifted ...Lifted ...) and discovering New York, like a good young artist, before deciding he'd had enough (I'm Wide Awake, It's MorningI'm Wide Awake, It's Morning). He's dipped a toe into electronics (Digital Ash in a Digital UrnDigital Ash in a Digital Urn), and last year, country rock (the Four WindsFour Winds EP), lush strings and even a waltz or two (CassadagaCassadaga).

This year, change for Oberst came in the form of a makeshift recording space in a Mexican mountain villa, a patched-together group of musicians — most of whom he'd collaborated with in the past — dubbed the Mystic Valley Band, and a change of label, from longtime home Saddle Creek to Merge. The result is Conor's first solo album in 13 years, one that he is supporting with a tour that brings him and the Mystic Valley crew to the States in the coming weeks.

The new album, due officially August 5 but already leaked, is generally more subdued and certainly more stripped down than Cassadaga, and it wrestles thematically with some of the same ideas that the Bright Eyes record did, including the importance of adventure, exploration, loving life and living it one day at a time. Getting Oberst to talk in depth about the songs, though, was not so easy.

He is the pre-eminent American singer/songwriter of his generation, a guy who, though some may still dispute whether he deserves to be spoken of in the same breath as Guthrie and DylanDylan, certainly has earned his place alongside Elliott SmithElliott Smith, Jeff Tweedy,Jeff BuckleyJeff Buckley and, yes, even Bruce SpringsteenBruce Springsteen himself. But when I met up with Conor earlier in the summer and told him we wanted to do a track-by-track commentary on the album, he gave me the sort of look I imagine I would get if I had said, "Mr. Oberst, I'm afraid we'll need to do a root canal." But he gamely suffered through my queries, and what follows are the best bits of our conversation — his thoughts on select tracks from Conor Oberst.

"Cape Canaveral"

John Norris: There are a lot of tracks that seem to be inspired by one location or another. Can you talk about that one and where it came from?

Conor Oberst: For me, even the songs that don't mention a specific geographical location, in my mind they usually take place somewhere, there's a setting to it. And for whatever reason, it finds its way into the songs a lot. That song is, I guess, more of nostalgia of watching rocket launches on TV, that kind of thing. I've never been to a rocket launch, unfortunately. I'd like to see one though.

"Sausalito"

Norris: "Sausalito," it's kind of like a driving song to me, a little bit of a road song. Any particular inspiration there?

Oberst: The Grateful Dead? I don't know. Yeah, it's definitely an escapist song. I think it makes a lot of sense, road trip ... [Sausalito] is a very beautiful place. As much as it sounds romantic to live on a boat, I don't think I would like it that much. I'm kind of a solid-ground person.

"Get-Well Cards"

Norris: I know probably the single word or name that you would do well without ever hearing again is Dylan. But on "Get-Well Cards," there are moments — because of this kind of spoken/sung thing you do there — where he's who comes to mind. Can you talk about that?

Oberst: That's fine with me. He spits fire, Dylan. So I like his music. "Get-Well Cards," that's actually kind of a beach-inspired song. Hanging out at the beach and kind of daydreaming. ... I guess it's kind of about forgiveness. That's the main gist of that one: forgiveness.

"I Don't Want to Die (In the Hospital)"

Oberst: I think it has a sort of comedic aspect to it. The juxtaposition of the music and what's being sung about I suppose. ... I just think of sort of a stubborn old cowboy man that just wants to go lay in the grass and, you know, die out by the tree or something.

"Eagle on a Pole"

Oberst: That song, there's actually a story behind it. We were on the bus one day and a friend of ours that travels with us and works for the band kind of came out from the back of the bus and said that first line: "Saw an eagle on a pole ... I think it was an eagle." And then this guy Simon Joyner, who is a great songwriter from Omaha and one of my great friends, he was on tour with us and sitting there and he was like, "You know, that's a great name for a song." We kind of had a contest where he wrote a song with that first line, and [then] I did, and a couple of our other friends. We kind of all played them for each other. Simon's is better than mine, but it is a good line to start a song.

"NYC — Gone, Gone"

Oberst: I think of it as a pseudo-spiritual song — stomping feet and clapping hands. I like that it's short too. I don't have many short songs, but I like that about it.

Norris: This is no big rift with New York?

Oberst: No. It is the idea of once you're here, it like ... seems like there's a lot of songs about getting here, then once you're here, [there's a] "Where do you go next?" kind of thing.

"Moab"

Oberst: Moab [Arizona] is an amazing town. ... I'd heard about it and then actually I just drove out there by myself on a whim in between things, and it's uh, yeah, it's ... I wanted to check it out. There's, like, this place, Arches National Park, out there, which has the big blown rock arches, and it's really amazing.

"Valle Mistico (Ruben's Song)"

Norris: "Valle Mistico" [where Conor recorded the album] essentially is an instrumental. It's a horn track. Who's playing on that?

Oberst: This guy Ruben, who worked at Valle Mistico. He used to blow this conch, like a seashell horn. So every night ... there was this mountain that was above the place and he would go up there and blow it and he was just ... we became really great friends with him. It was just a sound we were used to hearing. And you can really hear the sound of the night. 'Cause you blow it and it reverberates off the mountainside, and I just ... it's such a pleasant sound, I wanted to capture it.

"Souled Out!!!"

Oberst: This is a pun, and I don't typically like puns. But it was almost, like, too good to pass up. That's actually the one song that was written start to finish down there. Just kind of jamming. I'm very fond of the drum take in that song, 'cause it was the second time we'd ever played the song and we recorded it. That's always, I think, there's something fresh about it for that reason, because we didn't really know how it went when we recorded it.

"Milk Thistle"

Norris: What's the significance of the name "Milk Thistle"?

Oberst: That's a, you know, an herbal supplement you take for liver protection. That's where it comes from. ... It's, like, to promote liver health.

Norris: [The lyric] "If I go to heaven, I'll be bored as hell," is that sort of an ongoing thing of, like, not worrying about what happens next?

Oberst: Yeah, I guess the logical problem with the idea of heaven [is t

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Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst Captures Nomadic Spirit With First Solo Album In 13 Years, By John Norris

21 Jul 2008 17:03:00 EDT

Singer/songwriter explains why he recorded with new musicians in a small hotel in Mexico.
By

How is a Conor Oberst solo album different from a Bright EyesBright Eyes album?

Well, to begin with, there he is, right on the cover of his self-titled CD. That's a change. For more than a decade, Oberst has released Bright Eyes albums distinguished not only by great music but by beautiful artwork (see: Fevers and Mirrors, Lifted ..., Cassadaga) that bears no trace of the face of the musician himself. So it is momentarily jarring to see Oberst sacked out in a black-and-white photo, having what appears to be a post-nookie siesta in a hammock, while a rail-thin señorita sits by the fire behind him.

But apart from a CD cover, what's the difference between Bright Eyes and Oberst "solo"?

"I guess the main difference is that [multi-instrumentalist and producer] Mike Mogis didn't play on this record, and I didn't feel right calling it Bright Eyes without him playing on it," explained the artist, who over the years has also recorded with other bands including Desaparecidos, Commander Venus and Park Ave. But not in 13 years, since The Soundtrack to My Movie, has Oberst released a solo album.

Never mind that many have long perceived Bright Eyes to be creatively, in essence, a solo project — no more a "band" than, say, Beirut, Badly Drawn Boy or M83. Conor is quick to point that out as a misperception. "Bright Eyes is me and Mike and Nate [Walcott]. The idea of it being a solo project comes from a bio that was written after the first record in 1998 that, because of laziness, we never corrected. But, I mean, pretty much since Lifted ... time, which was, like, 2002, it's more or less been the three of us on virtually every tour and definitely every recording. In my mind, it turned into a band along the way."

That band's numbers swelled last year with the lush strings and backing girls of Cassadaga and its accompanying tour, on which the large onstage posse was decked head-to-toe in white. But once that ran its course, the ever-restless Oberst, who admittedly tends to do things in reaction to what came before, stripped things down, did a string of fall dates with a more back-to-basics rock lineup, and set to work on a batch of songs that he knew he did not want to record in a traditional studio.

"I was looking at places in the States, but then some friends that live in Cuernavaca, Mexico, found this, basically, little hotel with four little houses — kind of a villa setup."

It was called Valle Mistico — Mystic Valley — and so, the group of musicians with whom Conor decamped south of the border, including Andy LeMaster, Nik Freitas, Taylor Hollingsworth, Macey Taylor, Jason Boesel and Bright Eyes' Walcott, became known as the Mystic Valley Band.

"We couldn't have asked for a more relaxing environment to work in," Oberst told me when I met up with him in a Mexican restaurant (I am a master of the obvious) in New York. "It was beautiful every day, and we were outside of this little town called Tepoztlán, more up in the mountains."

Now that hammock starts to make sense. And that relaxed vibe of the recording process translates to the music on the album as well. It's quieter and more spare than his last release, at times even somber. There's "Eagle on a Pole," a pretty reflection on relationships and fidelity; the easy rocking standout "Danny Callahan," an ode to a sick little boy; and "NYC — Gone Gone," a just-over-a-minute Slade-like stomper that's a testament to Conor's desire to get outta town and head down Mexico way.

As much as anything, wanderlust seems to be the theme that continues on from Cassadaga. Where that record found Conor crossing the country, ending up — and hooking up — here and there, the new album sticks with that nomadic approach, with songs that take our hero from Utah ("Moab") to Florida ("Cape Canaveral") to California (the Deadhead-friendly "Sausalito"). The troubadour from smack-dab in the middle of the nation has never much cared for staying in one place.

"I honestly don't like being somewhere for more than a month or two," he said. "It's just ... I'm ready to go. For some reason whenever I go some place new, get a change of scenery, there's always a lot of optimism, and just that idea of turning over a new leaf."

While he has places in both Omaha and New York, he said neither one really constitutes "home," and roommates take care of the houses for him. Nor does being perpetually on the move make for ideal relationships: "I've been taking it a little easier on that front. I had a sort of off-and-on girlfriend for a long time," he said. In fact, it lasted six years but ended last summer: "It never really worked because of my lifestyle."

Another relationship that Conor has not so much terminated as taken leave from is his long-standing affiliation with O-town's Saddle Creek, releasing the new record on another indie stalwart, Merge — home to, among others, M. Ward, Wye Oak, She & Him and Spoon. Conor chalks that decision up to "stirring up the pot, trying something new," but he said not to make too much of it.

"I've done so many records with Saddle Creek, and obviously they're my great fans — there was no falling out or anything. I think I'll certainly work with them again."

But as with most things in his life, Oberst will cross that bridge when it appears on the horizon of the convertible that he's (literally or figuratively) driving from place to place, and he will likely try to keep living in the moment. That carpe diem spirit crept up time and again on his last album, and it's echoed on the new record's closer, "Milk Thistle." So why live so resolutely in the here and now?

"Well, that's all we have really. You can think back and you can try and peek into the future or what your idea of the future is, but this is all we have, you know? It's a gift. That's why it's called the 'present.' "

Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band have begun a world tour that arrives in North America July 25, and the album will be in stores August 5. Visit Rhapsody.com for more information.

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Amy Winehouse Questioned About Pipe Video; Plus Avril Lavigne, Linkin Park, Alicia Keys, Bright Eyes & More, In For The Record

06 Feb 2008 15:22:00 EST

Lavigne says Hillary Clinton victory would be 'awesome'; LP planning another Projekt Revolution; Keys' As I Am reclaims Billboard #1.
By MTV News staff

According to The Associated Press, police in London have questioned Amy Winehouse about a video that surfaced online two weeks ago that purportedly shows the Grammy-nominated singer smoking crack cocaine. No charges have been filed against the singer, but an investigation into the video is said to be ongoing. The video shows Winehouse inhaling fumes from a small pipe during a party at her home. Winehouse checked into a rehabilitation center in late January. ...

Avril Lavigne fans can expect to see outfit changes, backup dancers and the singer covering Joan Jett's "Bad Reputation" on her upcoming five-month world tour, which starts March 5 in British Columbia, RollingStone.com reports. She plans to hole up in L.A. with husband Deryck Whibley of Sum 41 and work on some new material when the tour comes to a close in June. "I want to do more acoustic stuff," she said. "It doesn't mean that's what my next record is going to be, but I'm doing it to get it out." The Canadian singer also chimed in on the presidential election, saying, "I wish I could vote" in the U.S. "I think Hillary might [win]. It'd be f---ing awesome if a chick won!" ...

It took Linkin Park four years to follow up 2003's Meteora with last summer's Minutes to Midnight, but Chester Bennington says fans won't have to wait around as long for LP's next, er, LP. "We sparked a new kind of life into what we do during the writing of ['Midnight']," the frontman told Billboard.com. "We want to keep that going. I think we're in the mode, and I have a good feeling we're going to put another record out really quickly." The four-year break "seemed like a really, really long time to our fans, and it seemed like a really, really long time to us. I don't see that happening again," he added. Bennington also revealed that the band will assemble another edition of its Projekt Revolution tour, which also featured My Chemical Romance and others last year. Bands and dates will be announced in the coming months. Linkin Park head out on a tour with Coheed and Cambria starting Tuesday in Omaha, Nebraska. ...

The latest album-sales figures are in, and Alicia Keys' As I Am will reclaim Billboard's #1 spot, after selling another 61,300 copies. The " Juno" soundtrack — last week's #1 — follows at #2, while the Mars Volta's The Bedlam in Goliath debuts at #3, having sold 54,000 copies in its first week. According to SoundScan, 18 new releases will enter next week's chart, including Bullet for My Valentine's Scream Aim Fire, which opens at #4 with 53,200 sold, and the 2008 Grammy Nominees compilation — which features Amy Winehouse, Kanye West, Justin Timberlake and the Foo Fighters, among others — debuting at #5 with 50,000 in sales. Hannah Montana 2: Non-Stop Dance Party bows at #7 with 40,000 scans, and Vampire Weekend's self-titled debut enters at #17 with 27,500 sold. Opening at #95 with 7,500 copies snatched up is Protest the Hero's latest, Fortress. ...

Eddie Vedder, Tom Morello, Serj Tankian and Bright Eyes have ponied up songs for "Body of War: Songs That Inspired an Iraq War Veteran," a two-CD collection due March 18 that is a companion piece to the documentary "Body of War." The first single is a version of Vedder's "No More" performed with Ben Harper at Pearl Jam's Lollapalooza set last year. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Iraq Veterans Against the War. ... Bright Eyes mainman Conor Oberst sure is getting his fill of politics. Beyond his appearance on the aforementioned comp, he'll also perform at a free rally for Senator Barack Obama on Thursday to help raise awareness about the Democratic presidential candidate. The event — which will also feature M. Ward, Sparta frontman Jim Ward and Secret Life of Sparrows — will go down at Omaha, Nebraska's Slowdown, a venue owned by Saddle Creek Records, Bright Eyes' label. Oberst played a gig in Iowa for the Illinois senator prior to his victory in that state's caucus in early January. ...

Jennifer Lopez is indeed expecting twins — news that was first reported back in October — her father recently confirmed during an appearance on a Spanish-language television show, according to People en Español. "Yes, twins," the actress/singer's father, David Lopez, said on Escándalo TV when asked about the rumor, according to the report. "The thing is, in my family, my sister also had twins, so it's a hereditary thing." He reportedly added that he was thrilled about the news, saying, "Jennifer has yearned to be a mother for many years." Lopez confirmed her pregnancy during a Miami concert in November. ... Striking members of the Writers Guild of America will meet with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers in Los Angeles and New York on Saturday in an effort to end the three-month strike. The WGA presidents said they wouldn't ink a contract with the movie and TV producers until they have met with WGA members and reviewed the terms. ...

Beastie Boys are planning to headline a Music Has Power concert to give a funding boost to New York's Institute for Music and Neurologic Function, which specializes in music-therapy treatments and research. Moby will host the March 4 event. ... R.E.M. premiered their new song "Supernatural Superserious" on New York radio station 101.9 RXP on Tuesday. The track is the first single from the veteran rockers' new album, Accelerate, which is due April 1. ... According to the Toronto Star, a Canadian radio host has filed a lawsuit against the White Stripes, seeking $70,000 for a sample the group used eight years ago. The sample appears on the track "Jumble, Jumble" from the Stripes' second album, 2000's De Stijl. Quebec radio host Dominique Payette claims the Stripes did not have permission to use the 10-second clip of her teen call-in show, in which she talks to an unidentified young girl, and the host believes her privacy has been violated. The suit seeks an injunction that could force the band and its label to remove copies of the album from stores. ... In more upbeat Stripes news, the group will release a Spanish-language version of its third Icky Thump single, "Conquest," on CD and 7-inch on February 19. "Conquista" — credited to "Las Rayas Blancas," amusingly enough — features the duo's first non-English vocal, sung by Jack White of course, and the single features an acoustic mariachi version of "Conquest" on the flipside. ...

American Hi-Fi are plugging away at their fourth studio album, which doesn't have a title or release date yet, in a Los Angeles studio. Singer Stacy Jones is taking on production duties for the effort, which will feature the rockers' reunited original lineup. If you're in Southern California, swing by West Hollywood's Troubadour on April 11, when the band performs at the venue, to get a taste of the new material. ... Swedish progressive-metallers Opeth have christened their next LP Watershed. The record has been slated for a June 3 release and will include the tracks "Heir Apparent," "The Lotus Eater" and "Porcelain Heart." ... Little Rock, Arkansas, Christian metal outfit Living Sacrifice have reunited. Singer Bruce Fitzhugh and drummer Lance Garvin have rejoined guitarist Rocky Gray and bassist Arthur Green and are currently writing material for a new album, due to land in stores later this year.

2.5.08

A few more performers and presenters have been added to Sunday's Grammy Awards, including a duet between Fergie and John Legend and a salute to the pioneers of rock and roll featuring Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard and John Fogerty. Pop-classical heartthrob Josh Groban will team up with opera superstar Andrea Bocelli in their first-ever duet, and Grammy-nominated jazz legend Herbie Hancock will perform a special jazz/classical segment. Among the new list of presenters are Chris Brown, Miley Cyrus, Solange Knowles, George Lopez, Lyle Lovett and Ludacris. ...

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi — the Beatles guru who brought transcendental meditation to the Western world — has died, The Associated Press reports. His death was apparently due to "natural causes, his age," Transcendental Meditation movement spokesman Bob Roth reportedly said. Maharishi's age was thought to be 91. ...

Lindsay Lohan has spoken out publicly for the first time since leaving a recovery center six months ago. In a cover story for the U.K. edition of Glamour, the actress/singer said she's ready to work again and is getting rid of the bad influences in her life. "There are friends that have been hard to hang out with because they've gone done a different path," Lohan, 21, said. "But it's hard because I'm the kind of person who wants to trust everyone." According to an excerpt on People.com, Lohan, who

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T.I. Hearing Postponed; Plus Chris Brown, B2K, Nate Dogg, Jonas Brothers, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari & More, In For The Record

03 Jan 2008 18:32:00 EST

Brown sued for breach of contract; ex-B2K group members respond to controversy; Nate Dogg in a rehab facility after suffering stroke.
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T.I. adjusted his calendar Thursday (January 3) after an Atlanta judge postponed until February 19 a suppression hearing that had been scheduled for Thursday. According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Grand Hustle rapper's lawyers are seeking to have evidence thrown out because they claim it was obtained as a part of an illegal search when T.I. (real name: Clifford Harris Jr.) was arrested in October for allegedly attempting to purchase illegal machine guns. Lawyers for the rapper filed a motion in November stating his vehicle had been searched without a warrant, consent or probable cause. He has been under house arrest awaiting trial after posting a $3 million bond in late October. ...

Chris Brown has hit a bump as he tours across the U.S. — the singer's set designer is suing him for breach of contract, according to TMZ. John Troxtel claims in a federal lawsuit he filed Christmas Eve that while he was paid for some of his labor, "extra work was required and requested." He says an oral agreement was made but that the touring company has refused to make good on its promise. Troxtel, who is seeking more than $1 million in damages, is also reportedly suing Brown for unjust enrichment. ...

Former B2K groupmates Dreux "Lil Fizz" Frederic and Jarell "J-Boog" Houston have released a statement through their publicist regarding the claims of sexual molestation Raz-B made against manager Chris Stokes in recent online videos. "We had nothing to do with the [videos], their release and/or their claims, we are unaware of any inappropriate behavior," the statement read. Raz-B later retracted and apologized for the accusations. Meanwhile, Raz-B's business partner had no comment on a new, recently surfaced tape of Raz-B, his brother Ricky Romance and Stokes, and said he didn't know when it was shot. ...

Nate Dogg suffered a stroke on December 19, according to a coordinator for the hip-hop crooner's recently formed gospel choir, Innate Praise. Reports had circulated that the longtime Snoop Dogg associate had been admitted to Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center in California after suffering a heart attack. Erica Beckwith, however, confirmed to MTV News that Nate Dogg was released on December 26 after being treated for a stroke and is currently in a medical-rehab facility to assist him in his recovery. ...

The Jonas Brothers have inked a fat deal with Live Nation, and it's being called the first of its kind for an up-and-coming group, according to Billboard. The multimillion-dollar agreement will see the band of brothers playing a jaw-dropping 140 shows at theaters and arenas over the next two years. Eight shows have been lined up so far for the Look Me in the Eyes Tour, in Tuscon, Arizona (January 31); Las Vegas (February 1); Los Angeles (February 2); Everett, Washington (February 5); Portland, Oregon (February 6); February 8 (Salt Lake City); El Paso, Texas (February 11); and San Antonio (February 12). ... Radiohead have, according to the U.K.'s The Times, agreed to a deal with iTunes — which some fans may have noticed, given that the band's In Rainbows album is now available through the online store. "In terms of digital income, we've made more money out of this record than out of all the other Radiohead albums put together, forever," Thom Yorke reportedly said about the release. ...

Bono has teamed with Hard Rock for a new tee that is benefitting the Wildlife Conservation Society's Conservation Cotton Initiative, which helps educate impoverished African farmers. The Bono Signature Series T-shirt, which will be available starting Monday at Hard Rock's terrestrial and online shops, is being made available via Edun, a socially conscious clothing company that Bono and his wife, Ali Hewson, launched in spring 2005. ... Bright Eyes mainman Conor Oberst, who toured as part of the Vote for Change Tour in support of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry in 2004, performed at a rally for another Democratic contender, Senator Barack Obama, in Iowa on Tuesday. According to The New York Observer, Oberst played for a crowd of approximately 1,000 Obama supporters and at one point told them, "I met the next president of the United States earlier today." But that's hardly the only star Obama has on his side. Scarlett Johansson was a special guest at a rally for him in Iowa on Wednesday night, according to The Nation. She reportedly spoke with a group of young supporters in Des Moines. ...

The Facebook profile cited in many articles (including MTV News') about Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the late Benazir Bhutto's son, is a hoax, according to a statement from Farahnaz Ispahani of the Pakistan Peoples Party. "The statement that's on [the Facebook profile] is not his statement," he told The New York Times. "It seems genuine but according to Mr. Zardari, and we checked with him, the Facebook statement has not been written by Bilawal." ...

Foo Fighters are following in Justin Timberlake's footsteps — the band is participating in this year's "My Grammy Moment" segment for the February 10 awards ceremony. Unsigned instrumentalists — sorry, singers — are getting the chance to perform with Dave Grohl and the gang as part of an orchestra, with the winner being showcased as the featured instrumentalist. Interested? Record a performance video that is no longer than one minute and reflects your talent and submit it here. A Grammy Awards panel will choose 45 quarter-finalists, after which the public will narrow down the group to semifinalists who will perform with the five-time Grammy-nominated band. ... Christina Aguilera and Katie Holmes, starring side by side in a new flick? Rumors are circulating online that the two have been tapped for an upcoming comedy called "Humboldt Park," but Rene Rigal, who is executive producing the flick, told MTV News in regards to the castings, "We haven't heard anything as of yet." ...

Mark this one with a "WTF?" on your calendar: Keytar-wielding indie-rockers and former You Hear It First artists Mute Math will open for Matchbox Twenty and Alanis Morissette on their Exile in America tour, which runs from January 25 in Hollywood, Florida, through March 18 in Las Vegas. ... Hot Chip will pad their February 5 release, Made in the Dark, with a smattering of shows in April. The British electro-poppers will play nine gigs, from an April 10 one in Philadelphia through an April 24 show in San Francisco. ... Meanwhile, Ween are barreling on with their longest tour in three years. The band will play six gigs in January — from January 23 in Washington, D.C., through January 31 in Orlando, Florida — and is slated to play February 1-2 in St. Petersburg and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, before jetting overseas. ...

Sketch-comedy duo Tim and Eric have a few friends you may know. Maroon 5 bassist Mickey Madden, Phantom Planet frontman Alex Greenwald and the Like singer/guitarist Z have chalked up covers of songs by the pair's fictional Casey and His Brothers group. Check 'em out on TimAndEric.com. ... Sean Penn will head the awards jury at this year's Cannes Film Festival, which is slated for May 14-25. According to AP, the "Into the Wild" director said "a new generation of filmmaking may have begun," and that there seems to be "a rejuvenation of cinema building worldwide." ...

The Offspring are nearly finished with the follow-up to 2003's Splinter. According to a post from frontman Dexter Holland on the punk-rockers' Web site, they're "taking a quick break from recording right now to be with our families. I've got two lyrics to do, a couple more to sing, and various musical tweaks and fixes to get done. Then, we'll be ready to mix." There's no release date for the album yet, but the Offspring "want to thank all our fans who have been so patient, and we want you to know that we've been in the studio nearly every day now for quite awhile working hard to make a great record," the post says. ...

Former Kid 'N Play frontman Christopher "Play" Martin was reportedly hospitalized over the weekend when his car was struck by another vehicle whose driver was wounded by a bullet. According to North Carolina's The News & Observer, the one-time rapper's car was struck after a man — suspected of fleeing from where a home robbery took place — was allegedly fired upon by local police. The man, identified as Raul Riva Aldamo, reportedly died as a result of the gunfire. Martin and his companion, Michelle Gonzales, were released from doctor's care on Wednesday, and according to a rep for Martin, he is at home recovering.

1.2.08

Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump has been named one of the un-sexiest men of 2007 by Boston alt-weekly The Phoenix. He lands at #95 on the list, right next to Larry King and Jon Heder. ...

Prodigy, who will start serving a three-and-

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Jay-Z's November Reign? Mogul Takes On Chris Brown, Cassidy, Angels & Airwaves And More, In New Releases

06 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EST

Also due Tuesday: Ashley Tisdale, Bright Eyes, Ricky Martin, Demon Hunter, Plain White T's, Monster Magnet, Grizzly Bear, Sigur Rós.
By Kurt Orzeck

With 55 days left in the year, here's your quintessential guide to new releases this week ...

The Top Five:

Jay-Z's American Gangster: Like Roger Clemens, Jay keeps coming back out of retirement so he can play again — and he decides on his own watch when it's best to do so. While it's not officially connected with the film of the same name, his perfectly timed American Gangster is sure to enjoy some of the runoff from the film's marketing — did you forget that Jay is a businessman? For proof of how much the music mogul's LP has already been talked about, look no further than Jim Jones, who has already put together a mixtape in response, Harlem's American Gangsta. Jay's sweetheart, Beyoncé, joins him on the concept album, as do Diddy, Lil Wayne, Kanye West, Pharrell, Beanie Sigel, Jermaine Dupri, Bilal, Nas and more.

Chris Brown's Exclusive: Like Jay, fast-rising R&B singer Brown has also been doubling up on publicity — while his new album drops this week, he's going to be chasing it with the November 21 flick "This Christmas." "I am still going to keep it so my younger fans can continue to listen to my music, but I got a couple of joints on there that's for some of the older people," he previously told MTV News of his intentions for the album. And while that supposed Michael Jackson collaboration didn't make it onto the disc, Lil Wayne, Game, Big Boi, Will.I.Am and T-Pain are on the guest list, with Swizz Beatz, Dre & Vidal, Scott Storch and others lending their production talents too. Don't miss the limited-edition version, which also contains a DVD.

Cassidy's B.A.R.S.: The Barry Adrian Reese Story: "It's called B.A.R.S. 'cause I was locked behind bars, I was known for spittin' bars and Barry Adrian Reese is my biological name, so I just felt like it was the perfect title," the rapper recently told MTV News about his new release. Cass already has a club monster on his hands in "My Drink N' My 2 Step" — adding to the album hype, a remix of the track featuring Kanye West, Ne-Yo and Swizz Beatz has also already slipped out, as has the second single, "Innocent Man" (featuring Mark Morrison). John Legend also plays a role on the album, as a guest star on "Celebration."

Angels & Airwaves' I-Empire: That's a lot of hip-hop weight for one week, but repping the rock front is Tom DeLonge's band, which is putting out its second album this week. With an album cover resembling some '80s space movie for kids and a title that already feels outdated, but as DeLonge insisted to MTV News, the band has a "grand vision." A&A fans might want to head over to Best Buy to pick up the package — the version the retail chain is selling has bonus acoustic versions of "Do It for Me Now" and "Everything's Magic."

Bright Eyes' Motion Sickness: Live Recordings: The lauded folk-rock group has issued every one of its releases through Saddle Creek, an indie label out of Omaha, Nebraska, that owes its very existence to the band. But Conor Oberst decided to release their new concert effort on the Team Love label he co-founded in 2003. The 15-track CD — the sixth one Team Love has put out so far — overviews Bright Eyes' early-2005 tours in support of I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning and features a pair of noteworthy cover songs, of Feist's "Mushaboom" and Elliott Smith's "The Biggest Lie."

Five Face-Offs:

Nas and Nazareth: The rapper's controversial new album is still more than a month away, but fans can whet their appetite this week with Greatest Hits, which has two new tracks: "Less Than an Hour," the theme to "Rush Hour 3"; and "Surviving the Times," which features Cee-Lo. But while Nas is going to have to elbow past Jay-Z and Cassidy this week, he should beware another opponent who isn't a rapper: cheesy hard-rock vets Nazareth, whose Hair of the Dog - Live album is getting reissued this week in remastered form.

Ashley Tisdale and the Who: If you never see Nas and Nazareth mentioned in the same sentence, try this one on for size: both the "High School Musical" star and the classic-rock vets are telling tales this week. "There's Something About Ashley: The Story of Headstrong" traces Tisdale's growth from when the writing process for her debut album began through its release and her subsequent tour with the "HSM" gang. "Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who" follows the band throughout its entire career and features interviews with not just the bandmembers but with fans U2, Eddie Vedder and others as well. Fittingly, the Who's two-DVD set runs just slightly longer than Tisdale's: It's 237 minutes long, while hers is roughly an hour.

Ricky Martin and Imani Coppola: Ricky Martin has an interesting strategy this week. He's putting out three versions of his Live: Black & White Tour concert set — a CD, a DVD and a combined CD-plus-DVD package — and yet, according to the Sony Music store, the standalone DVD actually retails for four bucks more than the CD-plus-DVD edition. Curiously, singer/violinist Imani Coppola drops The Black & White Album this week via Mike Patton's Ipecac label (she toured with his Peeping Tom collective). And, believe it or not, the Hives' Black and White Album drops next week.

Demon Hunter and Monster Magnet: One heavy-rock band is battling evil creatures this week while the other is attracting them. Storm the Gates of Hell, the fourth album by Christian metal band Demon Hunter, features a DVD and two bonus tracks on select editions — "No Reason to Exist" and "Grand Finale" — while MM's 4-Way Diablo has 13 doses of slabby goodness.

Kasper Bjørke and Kim Hiorthøy: Two artists with strokes in their names releasing albums the same week? Who woulda thunk it?

Song Title of the Week:

"Candy Sun Smiles" from Oh Astro's Champions of Wonder

Album Cover of the Week:

Kasper Bjørke's In Gumbo

New Releases:

· 60 Watt Kid - 60 Watt Kid (Absolutely Kosher)
· Angels & Airwaves - I-Empire (Geffen) [Buy Now]
Read: "Angels & Airwaves' Revolution Has Begun — Just Wait 29 Years, Tom DeLonge Insists"
· Arp - In Light (Smalltown Supersound)
· Barenaked Ladies - Talk to the Hand: Live in Michigan (enhanced; Shout! Factory) [Buy Now]
· Bear in Heaven - Red Bloom of the Boom (Hometapes)
· Kasper Bjørke - In Gumbo (Plant Music / Defend Distribution)
· Black Swans - Change (digipak; La Société Expéditionnaire)
· Mike Bones - The Sky Behind the Sea (The Social Registry)
· Bottomless Pit - Hammer of the Gods (Comedy Minus One)
· Bright Eyes - Motion Sickness: Live Recordings (Team Love) [Buy Now]
· Chris Brown - Exclusive (deluxe edition comes with DVD; Jive) [Buy Now]
Read: "Pharrell, Will.I.Am Joining Chris Brown's Exclusive Club"
· Buckethead - The Elephant Man's Alarm Clock (TDRS) [Buy Now]
· Jimmy Buffett - Live in Anguilla (two CDs and one DVD; Mailboat) [Buy Now]
· By the End of Tonight + Tera Malos - Complex Full of Phantoms (Temporary Residence)
· Captain & Tennille - The Secret of Christmas (Retroactive Entertainment)
· Cassidy - B.A.R.S.: The Barry Adrian Reese Story (enhanced; RCA) [Buy Now]
Read: "Cassidy Talks About Car Crash, Fatal Gunfight — And Explains Why He's Better Than Ever"
· Citay - Little Kingdom (Dead Oceans)
· The Classic Crime - Seattle Sessions (EP; Tooth & Nail)

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Britney Spears Reportedly Passing Drug Tests; Plus Kiefer Sutherland, Lindsay Lohan, Justin Timberlake, Beyonce & More, In For The Record

09 Oct 2007 21:10:00 EDT

Sutherland to serve 30 days in jail for DUI; Lohan calls rehab 'sobering'; Timberlake, Knowles nominated for American Music Awards.
By MTV News staff

Looks like there's finally some good news for Britney Spears. The singer has been passing her court-ordered random drug tests and has a 50/50 chance of regaining custody of her children, her lawyer Sorrell Trope told People. Also, while Spears has lots of court dates to keep track of these days, she has one less for her calendar this week — her arraignment on misdemeanor driving charges (for hit and run, causing property damage and driving without a valid California license). Though her arraignment was scheduled for Wednesday, a Los Angeles judge decided Tuesday (October 9) that Spears could have until October 25 to enter a plea. The judge also ordered the singer to be booked by police and show proof of that booking by her arraignment, according to a court clerk. Spears' next hearing in her custody case will be the following day, on October 26. ...

Kiefer Sutherland will serve 30 days in Los Angeles County Jail as part of a plea deal in his DUI arrest, The Associated Press reports. He must also enroll in an 18-month alcohol-education class and go to weekly alcohol-therapy sessions for six months. On Tuesday, Sutherland's attorney Blair Berk entered a no-contest plea on the actor's behalf for driving with a blood-alcohol level over the legal limit, though a second misdemeanor DUI charge was dropped. The actor was most recently arrested for driving under the influence in Los Angeles in September — he was already on probation for a DUI arrest stemming from 2004. He will be sentenced December 21. ...

Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé, Linkin Park and — yes, you're reading this right — Daughtry are tied for the most American Music Awards nominations this year, it was announced Tuesday. Each artist earned three nods for various categories. In terms of pop/rock, Akon, Timbaland and Timberlake are facing off for Favorite Male Artist; Beyoncé, Fergie and Avril Lavigne are vying for Favorite Female Artist; Linkin Park, Maroon 5 and Nickelback are competing for Favorite Band, Duo or Group; and Daughtry, LP's Minutes to Midnight and JT's FutureSex/LoveSounds are going head to head for Favorite Album. As for rap/hip-hop, Fabolous, T.I. and Young Jeezy are vying for Favorite Male Artist; Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Pretty Ricky and Shop Boyz for Favorite Band, Duo or Group; and Bone Thugs' Strength & Loyalty, T.I.'s T.I. vs. T.I.P. and Jeezy's The Inspiration for Favorite Album. And on the soul/R&B front, Akon, Ne-Yo and T-Pain are up for Favorite Male Artist; Beyoncé, Fantasia and Rihanna are squaring off for Favorite Female Artist; Beyoncé's B'Day, R. Kelly's Double Up and JT's FutureSex/LoveSounds have been nominated for Favorite Album. There are also Favorite Artist categories for adult-contemporary music (Daughtry, Norah Jones and John Mayer); alternative rock (Linkin Park, My Chemical Romance and the White Stripes) and Latin music (Daddy Yankee, Juan Luis Guerra y 440 and Jennifer Lopez). Daughtry, Plain White T's and Robin Thicke have been noticed for Favorite Breakthrough Artist, while Carrie Underwood landed two country-music noms: for Favorite Female Artist and Favorite Album (Some Hearts). For the first time, the AMAs are opening up voting to the general public online — it began Tuesday on the AMA site and ends November 2. The show, to be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, will be broadcast live at Los Angeles' Nokia Theatre on November 18 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC. ...

John Graziano, the young Marine who was injured in Nick Hogan's car crash in late August, is on life support and will require lifelong care, Florida's St. Petersburg Times reports. According to documents obtained by the newspaper, the 22-year-old Graziano will, at best, be able to open and close his eyes from time to time. His mother is petitioning a judge to let her assume guardianship of her son, who remains in critical condition. A hearing will be held Wednesday. ...

Rehab was a "sobering" experience for Lindsay Lohan, she told In Touch in her first interview since leaving Utah's Cirque Lodge Treatment Center on Friday. The actress also insisted that while she went to the clubs right after finishing a rehab stint in July, she's not going to be rekindling her nightlife anytime soon — to avoid distractions, she'll be staying in Utah until she starts shooting the upcoming flick "Dare to Love Me." "Going out all the time was very self-destructive," she said. "Partying and having all of those pictures taken distracts from the work that I do. It's not why I started acting. I didn't get into acting to be written about. ... I want to act like a woman rather than a teenager. I am doing the best I can." Lohan also opened up about seeing her estranged father for the first time in more than three years, while at Cirque Lodge. "It was really good for me ... it was really important for me to get a connection back with my dad, because I hadn't had that in a while." And if you heard those rumors about Lohan developing a relationship with a man while in rehab ... well, apparently they were true. "Yes, I am seeing someone," she confirmed. "His name is Riley. I am really happy and taking it day by day." The Riley in question is Riley Giles, a 25-year-old snowboarder from California. Last but not least, just as Paris Hilton said she was committing herself to philanthropic efforts after her own debacle, Lohan revealed that she's trying to put together a December trip to Africa with the Red Cross. ...

"Hannah Montana" fans will want to change the channel from Disney to ABC on Tuesday night when Miley Cyrus breaks out a new duet with her father, Billy Ray, on "Dancing With the Stars." The two will perform "Ready, Set, Don't Go" on the results show, with the single hitting country-radio stations immediately afterward. ... What do Diddy, Panic! at the Disco's Ryan Ross and Fred Durst have in common? They've all earned the less-than-distinguished honor of being selected for Blender's "The 40 Worst Lyricists in Rock" list. Will.I.Am, Billy Corgan, Anthony Kiedis, Common, Dashboard Confessional, Timbaland and, of course, Kevin Federline, also make the (F) grade, with Sting landing in the #1 spot. The list appears in the magazine's November issue, which streets October 16. ... Kid Rock commented to Dave Letterman about his ex-wife Pamela Anderson's recent remarriage — she got hitched to Rick Salomon in Las Vegas over the weekend. After making a salty remark about the couple on "The Late Show With David Letterman," he quipped, "I wish them much happiness." ...

Wyclef Jean seems to be the go-to guy for special causes these days. After playing at "CGI and MTV Present: Giving - Live at the Apollo" late last month, he's now been tapped for another special performance, at supermodel Petra Nêmcová's upcoming Heart of Gold Ball benefit auction. The event, to take place Wednesday at Cipriani Wall Street in New York, will have various sports, travel and event packages up for auction. All proceeds will go to Nêmcová's Happy Hearts Fund, which supports education and medical and emotional support for children affected by natural disasters. ... Say what you will about those rumors of Britney Spears putting in an application for a fall-back bartending gig while staying at the Viceroy Hotel in Santa Monica, California, last week. The manager at the hotel's Cameo Bar tells MTV News that while Spears has been there in the past, anyone applying has to have one to two years of fine-dining experience and must pass a drug test. The manager didn't confirm whether Spears had in fact submitted an application. ...

Avenged Sevenfold will play a free gig at the Key Club in West Hollywood, California, on October 20. The set will be taped for later broadcast on MySpace's "The List." Want in? No problem. Just show up in your Halloween costume and get there early — entry to the show will be on a first-come, first-served basis. ... Jimmy Eat World are going all in with their new single "Big Casino," fashioning their Chase This Light album-release party after the gambling concept. On Monday, the band will turn Los Angeles' El Rey Theatre into a faux casino, with fans able to play poker, blackjack, craps and other games for prizes — a flyaway to see the band perform in another city, JEW merchandise, El Rey tickets and more. The band will end the evening with an intimate set as Chase This Light drops at midnight. Entrants will get gambling money and a commemorative poster. ...

Causes, a charity album benefiting three organizations working to stop the genocide in Darfur, will be released on iTunes on November 27 and feature exclusive and rare tracks from Bloc Party, the Shins, Bright Eyes, Animal Collective, the Cure, Death Cab for Cutie, the (International) Noise Conspiracy, Travis and Spoon. All proceeds will go to Doctors Without Borders, Human Rights Watch and Oxfam America. The album will only be available on iTunes for 90 days, though a limited-edition CD can be ordered right here. ... Queens of the Stone Age are booked for "The Late Show With David Letterman"

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Britney Spears' Assistant Served By Kevin Federline; Plus Diddy, Notorious B.I.G., Jennifer Lopez, Amy Winehouse & More, In For The Record

13 Aug 2007 17:25:00 EDT

Diddy to executive produce Biggie biopic; Lopez pegs release date for LP; Winehouse scraps gigs.
By MTV News staff

Britney Spears' assistant was served with court papers Sunday morning to give a deposition in a legal matter between the singer and Kevin Federline. Mark Vincent Kaplan, Federline's attorney, told The Associated Press that Alli Sims will be asked to offer a statement "in connection with the Britney Spears/ Kevin Federline issue," although he didn't elaborate. He added that Sims is "believed to have relevant information" but didn't go into specifics about that either. On Wednesday, Kaplan filed documents in Los Angeles Superior Court for primary physical custody of Federline's two sons with Spears. ...

Diddy will executive produce the upcoming biopic of the Notorious B.I.G., Variety reports. "Soul Food" director George Tillman will be behind the lens for "Unbelievable: The Life, Death and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.," for which an open casting call was launched nationally on Sunday. ...

Jennifer Lopez has pegged October 9 as the release date for her English-language album Brave, her second LP of the year and sixth studio disc overall. The set is highlighted by the just-released single, "Do It Well," and will be produced by J.R. Rotem (50 Cent, Christina Aguilera), among others. J. Lo's other album this year, Como Ama Una Mujer, is the best-selling Spanish-language debut LP ever. ... Amy Winehouse, who was hospitalized last week for severe exhaustion, has scrapped two planned shows in Germany opening for the Rolling Stones, RollingStone.com reports. The singer told Britain's News of the World, "I don't know how to explain what happened. ... I can't remember what I looked like. I couldn't recognize myself. It was terrifying." ...

Smashing Pumpkins, Foo Fighters, Kid Rock and Velvet Revolver will anchor Los Angeles radio station KROQ's Inland Invasion fest — which has been renamed the L.A. Invasion, since its relocation from a venue in Devore, California, to one in Carson. Against Me!, Chris Cornell, Hot Hot Heat, Satellite Party, Paramore and Cypress Hill round out the bill for the show, which will take place September 15. ...

The French publisher of the "Harry Potter" series will not seek damages against a 16-year-old who allegedly posted online an unauthorized French translation of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," publishing house Gallimard Jeunesse said Monday (August 13), The Associated Press reports. The case is still being investigated by French authorities, who will decide whether to bring it to trial. ... Robert Smith of the Cure, Julian Casablancas of the Strokes, Frank Black and Tom Waits will judge this year's International Songwriting Competition, RollingStone.com reports. ...

Bloc Party, Múm, Of Montreal and more have been confirmed for the ninth annual Iceland Airwaves festival, set for October 17-21 in downtown Reykjavík. ... The Shins have beefed up their fall tour schedule with a smattering of new U.S. dates. After playing Seattle's Bumbershoot festival on September 1 and Chicago's Download Festival the following day, the band will take a month off, then hit the road again beginning October 5 in Berkeley, California. From there, the Shins will play more West Coast and Southwest dates before dipping down South and winding their way up the East Coast for a two-day stand at New York's Terminal Five on October 23-24. They'll cap the tour with a pair of gigs at Las Vegas' Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel on October 27-28. ...

Wilco are bumping a pair of concerts because guitarist Nels Cline has come down with the chicken pox, according to the band's site. The Tuesday night show in Duluth, Minnesota, will now be staged September 4, and a concert scheduled for Winnipeg, Manitoba, will be postponed or scrapped entirely. ... "You Hear It First" vets the Shout Out Louds will tour for a month after they drop their new album, Our Ill Wills, on September 11. The indie-pop quintet will embark at the LA Weekly Detour festival in Los Angeles on October 6 and stay on the road through a November 3 show in Dallas. ...

According to Killswitch Engage bassist Mike D'Antonio, the band will head out for a co-headlining run with Lamb of God this winter. Suicidal Tendencies and Every Time I Die are in talks to open the gigs. ... Alice in Chains have been working on its first new material in more than a decade, according to frontman William DuVall. He said working with the band has "been deeply rewarding" and the new material sounds "insane." No word yet on when the reunited grunge rockers will release their next LP. ...

"Big Lebowski" fans who incessantly re-enact scenes and dialogue from the cult flick are about to be able to make their interpretations even lifelike: action figures are on the way. Seven-inch scale figures devoted to the Dude and Walter will be available in October and can be preordered here. ... Barenaked Ladies will host another cruise in 2008 called Ships & Dip III and leaving Miami on January 27. Tickets go on sale March 22. Meanwhile, Lynyrd Skynyrd (with guests the Marshall Tucker Band) are also hosting another cruise, while Sister Hazel and Toad the Wet Sprocket are signed on for Rock Boat VIII. ...

According to the Asbury Park Press, police charged 33 people with underage drinking last week at the Family Values Tour's Wednesday stop at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey. Thirteen others were arrested on various other charges, including resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and assaulting a trooper. In all, 46 people, ranging in age from 16-47, were taken into custody during the gig, which was headlined by tour founders Korn. ... A James Brown trustee accused of misappropriating $350,000 of the late singer's money has resigned, the Chicago Tribune reports. David Cannon turned over a check for the sum at a hearing on Friday. A follow-up hearing has been slated for September 24 as wrangling continues over Brown's estate.

08.10.07

Think 50 Cent is taking his upcoming face-off with Kanye West lightly? In an interview posted on SOHH.com on Friday (August 10), Fiddy threatened to end his rap career if he gets upstaged by 'Ye when their albums go head to head on September 11. "If Kanye West sells more records than 50 Cent on September 11, I'll no longer write music," he said. "I'll write music and work with my other artists, but I won't put out anymore solo albums." 50's Curtis will square off against West's Graduation. ...

Lily Allen has canceled gigs once again, this time because she has strep throat and sinusitis, she says in a post on her MySpace blog. "I'm back in London eating my mum's chicken soup, 'cause I'm afraid the traveling has caught up with me," she wrote in the post. "Before anyone starts trying to accuse me of neglecting my fans, I want to apologise and say how sorry I am, but I can't risk causing any permanent damage." Defending herself further, the singer also posted an image of her holding her doctor's note. ...

D'Angelo received suspended jail sentences Friday after pleading guilty to charges of driving under the influence and driving with a suspended license, AP reports. A Virginia judge revoked his license for 13 and a half months and fined him $1,250, with additional penalties suspended. A reckless-driving charge was dropped. ... Beastie Boys finally said hello to Brooklyn, New York, on Thursday night with — if you can believe it — their first-ever concert in the borough. RollingStone.com reports that the group, which played at McCarren Pool in Greenpoint, aptly opened the set with "Hello Brooklyn" and closed it with "No Sleep Till Brooklyn." ...

Norah Jones, Corinne Bailey Rae and Joss Stone are chipping in for Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino, which arrives in stores September 25. Paul McCartney, Elton John, Robert Plant and other classic-rock vets also salute the bluesman on the two-disc set, the sales from which will go toward buying instruments for public schools in New Orleans, rebuilding Domino's home there and helping other Crescent City-related programs. ... Emma Bunton, a.k.a. Baby Spice, gave birth to a, um, baby boy in London on Friday. It's the first child for the singer and boyfriend Jade Jones, who used to be in a pop act of his own: boy band Damage. ...

Bright Eyes are lighting up their tour schedule with seven additional dates: September 14 (Boise, Idaho); September 15 (Spokane, Washington); September 18 (Fairbanks, Alaska); September 19-20 (Anchorage, Alaska); September 23 (Eugene, Oregon); and September 24 (Chico, California). ... Waiting for a Cure LP? Well, the wait just got a bit longer. The band's new album was supposed to drop earlier this year, got bumped to the fall — and now won't be ready until the spring, Billboard.com reports. The band is busy touring and frontman Robert Smith hasn't finished writing yet. ...

Underoath will hit the road with Every Time I Die, Maylene and the Sons of Disaster and Poison the Well for a fall tour beginning September 22 in Houston and ending November 6 in Orlando, Florida. ETID, who are still on the Sounds of the Underground Tour, will drop their new Ferret release The Big Dirty on September 4. Earlier this week, they posted "No Son of Mine" — a track from the Steve Evetts-produced (Dillinger Escape

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10 Aug 2007 20:50:00 EDT

Allen scraps tour dates again; D'Angelo pleads guilty to DUI; Beasties play first show ever in Brooklyn, New York.
By MTV News staff

Think 50 Cent is taking his upcoming face-off with Kanye West lightly? In an interview posted on SOHH.com on Friday (August 10), Fiddy threatened to end his rap career if he gets upstaged by 'Ye when their albums go head to head on September 11. "If Kanye West sells more records than 50 Cent on September 11, I'll no longer write music," he said. "I'll write music and work with my other artists, but I won't put out anymore solo albums." 50's Curtis will square off against West's Graduation. ...
Lily Allen has canceled gigs once again, this time because she has strep throat and sinusitis, she says in a post on her MySpace blog. "I'm back in London eating my mum's chicken soup, 'cause I'm afraid the traveling has caught up with me," she wrote in the post. "Before anyone starts trying to accuse me of neglecting my fans, I want to apologise and say how sorry I am, but I can't risk causing any permanent damage." Defending herself further, the singer also posted an image of her holding her doctor's note. ...
D'Angelo received suspended jail sentences Friday after pleading guilty to charges of driving under the influence and driving with a suspended license, The Associated Press reports. A Virginia judge revoked his license for 13 and a half months and fined him $1,250, with additional penalties suspended. A reckless-driving charge was dropped. ... Beastie Boys finally said hello to Brooklyn, New York, on Thursday night with — if you can believe it — their first-ever concert in the borough. RollingStone.com reports that the group, which played at at McCarren Pool in Greenpoint, aptly opened the set with "Hello Brooklyn" and closed it with "No Sleep Till Brooklyn." ...
Norah Jones, Corinne Bailey Rae and Joss Stone are chipping in for Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino, which arrives in stores September 25. Paul McCartney, Elton John, Robert Plant and other classic-rock vets also salute the bluesman on the two-disc set, the sales from which will go toward buying instruments for public schools in New Orleans, rebuilding Domino's home there and helping other Crescent City-related programs. ... Emma Bunton, a.k.a. Baby Spice, gave birth to a, um, baby boy in London on Friday. It's the first child for the singer and boyfriend Jade Jones, who used to be in a pop act of his own: boy band Damage. ...
Bright Eyes are lighting up their tour schedule with seven additional dates: September 14 (Boise, Idaho); September 15 (Spokane, Washington); September 18 (Fairbanks, Alaska); September 19-20 (Anchorage, Alaska); September 23 (Eugene, Oregon); and September 24 (Chico, California). ... Waiting for a Cure LP? Well, the wait just got a bit longer. The band's new album was supposed to drop earlier this year, got bumped to the fall — and now won't be ready until the spring, Billboard.com reports. The band is busy touring and frontman Robert Smith hasn't finished writing yet. ...
Underoath will hit the road with Every Time I Die, Maylene and the Sons of Disaster and Poison the Well for a fall tour beginning September 22 in Houston and ending November 6 in Orlando, Florida. ETID, who are still on the Sounds of the Underground Tour, will drop their new Ferret release The Big Dirty on September 4. Earlier this week, they posted "No Son of Mine" — a track from the Steve Evetts-produced (Dillinger Escape Plan, Sepultura) effort — on their MySpace page. ... Queens of the Stone Age will not perform as part of Samsung and AT&T's free Summer Krush series on Monday in Los Angeles, as previously reported by Billboard.com. Plain White T's will play the gig instead. ...
As promised, Pearl Jam have posted the edited and unedited videos of their performance of "Daughter" at Lollapalooza on their Web site. Some segments of the performance were missing in AT&T's live "Blue Room" webcast, including critical remarks frontman Eddie Vedder made about President Bush. A spokesperson for AT&T recently told MTV News the omissions were not intentional and were mistakenly made by a webcast vendor. ...
Spoon, Coheed and Cambria, Devin the Dude and others have been confirmed for this year's CMJ Music Marathon, going down October 16-20 in New York, Billboard.com reports. UNKLE will play one of their first gigs ever with a live band, and surprise VMA Video of the Year nominees Justice will also hit up the fest. ... Franz Ferdinand, Hot Chip, Deerhoof, Grizzly Bear and David Byrne are among the acts who are contributing performances of songs written by David Shrigley for Worried Noodles, an unusual package containing two CDs and a hardcover book by the Scottish artist. The book of words and drawings was previously issued and caught the attention of the musicians, who have chalked up new songs for the set. ...
Martin Scorsese's Rolling Stones flick is rolling into next year. The film, originally slated for an August 26 theatrical release, will open in April instead, to allow the band more time to promote it. ... Speaking of rock docs, IFC has secured the rights to "Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten," a flick about the former Clash frontman that will hit select theaters November 2 and be televised on the cable channel thereafter. ... An unreleased Mick Jagger song produced by John Lennon in Los Angeles in 1973 will surface on The Very Best of Mick Jagger, due October 2. Jagger recorded the song, which has been on bootlegs for decades, with a cast of all-stars that included Harry Nilsson, Jack Bruce, Al Kooper and others. ...
In honor of the 40th anniversary of the release of Pink Floyd's first album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, a special edition of the album will be released August 28. The three-disc collection will look like a cloth-covered book, and include remastered stereo and mono versions of the album plus bonus tracks. The effort will also include a 12-page reproduction of Syd Barrett's notebook. ... Notorious ex-David Bowie manager Tony Defries will release his autobiography, Gods and Gangsters, in 2008. Also known for his work with the Beatles and Stevie Wonder, Defries is best remembered for helping to fashion the string of iconic characters rolled out by Bowie in the 1970s, as well as helping launch the solo careers of Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, Luther Vandross and John Mellencamp. ... The world's leading record label, Universal Music Group, has announced that it will experiment with offering a large part of its catalog for download without copy protection at least through January. According to The New York Times, Universal (home to 50 Cent, Amy Winehouse and Akon) will offer the songs without DRM through RealNetworks, Wal-Mart, Amazon.com, Google and some artists' sites — but not on top download service iTunes.
08.09.07
Gwyneth Paltrow wasn't so into the initial idea of singing onstage last year with Jay-Z at London's Royal Albert Hall, she admitted to W magazine for its September issue. "Jay was playing at the Albert Hall on my birthday, and he said, 'Will you sing on this song?' " the actress told the mag. "At first I didn't want to do it!" Paltrow also talked a little about her husband, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, who was also onstage for the strange collabo. "When Chris gets home, we're not going to do anything other than what any regular couple does," she said. ...
A day after Amy Winehouse canceled two European festival dates following a trip to a London hospital to deal with what her label termed "severe exhaustion," a spokesperson for the singer said doctors have ordered Winehouse to rest in bed. For now, she's still expected to perform at the Virgin Festival in Toronto on September 8 as well as a string of U.S. dates in September. Winehouse's spokesperson would not comment on British tabloid reports that said the collapse that lead to the singer's hospitalization was possibly drug-related. ...
A woman is peeved that no one from Britney Spears' camp has contacted the woman about her car, which the singer was seen driving into earlier this week in Studio City, California. Kim Robard-Rifkin told CelebTV.com on Wednesday that, "It was simply like my car didn't matter to her, my inconvenience didn't matter to her." Robard-Rifkin, who filed a police report Thursday (August 9), added, "I'm not asking for money. I'm not asking for a new car. ... I simply want my car fixed, the same as I would fix somebody's car if I had done that." ...
Hilary Duff is branching out. The singer/actress has partnered with Michaels stores for Stuff by Hilary Duff, a new fashion-crafts line that includes bracelets, necklaces, charms, patches and more. All Michaels stores will host in-store demonstrations of the products on August 26 from 1-3 p.m. local time. ... An "American Idol" hopeful went into labor during her audition on Monday at Texas Stadium and had contractions as she was singing, People reports. After that, Antoria Gillon, who was taken to a local hospital, gave birth to a healthy son. She will be on the next round of the show. ...
John Mayer has been confirmed for the upcoming season of "Austin City Limits," Pitchfork reports — but the program will be heavily weighed toward indie-rock acts too. Bloc Party, Arcade Fire, Decemberists, Regina Spektor and Wilco have also been booked for th

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