The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus' <I>Don't You Fake It</I>
Photo: Virgin Records

Hold on to your allowance this week, kids: This latest batch of new releases has your parents' names written all over it (really — look in the liner notes). Billy Ray Cyrus, Bruce Cockburn, Steve Miller and a cavalry of other aging men you couldn't care less about are lumbering into the racks, and if that's not enough, they're joined by a couple of younger acts pining after the same demographic: Los Lonely Boys and Rodney Atkins.

But if you're feeling adventurous or your tastes skew indie, you're in for some treats too. Here's a host of newcomers you oughta know about:

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus: If you've heard their name, you probably haven't forgotten it. And if you haven't, you probably haven't been watching mtvU, catching Jared Leto's 30 Seconds to Mars on tour or monitoring our You Hear It First reports (shame on you). RJA look to make an indelible imprint with Don't You Fake It, which has their buzz cut, "Face Down," plus "Misery Loves Its Company," "Cat and Mouse" and "Seventeen Ain't So Sweet."

The Bronx: The punks have splattered many a Los Angeles club with their blood, sweat and beers, and now it's time for them to finally unveil their three-years-in-the-making major-label debut. Have no fear, fans — even though this record is also self-titled, it's not the same batch of tracks they put out in 2003. This Michael Beinhorn-produced set has "Transsexual Blackout (The Movement)," "White Guilt" and "History's Stranglers" and is also available as a digipak.

Feist: She birthed her debut, Let It Die, two years ago, but the Broken Social Scene singer is hoping to up the interest with a compendium of remixes and leftovers from the LP. The complementary Open Season features "Simple Story," with legendary singer and Serge Gainsbourg ex-wife Jane Birkin; "One Evening," featuring a piano solo by frequent collaborator Chilly Gonzales; and remixes by the Postal Service, Apostles of Hustle, K-os and more.

MSTRKRFT: Take one of the guys from Death From Above 1979, add DFA's producer and you've got — well, something pretty incomprehensible. The duo have already twiddled knobs for Bloc Party and Wolfmother, and by giving us The Looks, they've provided a handy guide on how to get indie rockers on the club floor. Don't miss "Neon Knights," "Bodywork" and "She's Good for Business."

French Kicks: The Freedom Sneakers have been skulking around Brooklyn, New York, since 1998, but with longtime label StarTime getting a boost from affiliate Vagrant, the refreshed group hopes to boost its album sales by at least Two Thousand. The band recently lost a founding member, the unfortunately named Matt Stinchcomb, but the Kicks have taken on guitarist/keyboardist/percussionist Kush El Amin to fill his seat. Take a stroll with "Basement: D.C." or "England Just Will Not Let You Recover."

More Than You Bargained For: Metalcore fans have been digging Orange County, California's Eighteen Visions for 10 years, but this time around, they have even more to rip into. The band's Machine (Lamb of God, White Zombie)-produced, self-titled LP endowed preorders with five trading cards, a sticker and a poster. In case you missed those goodies, you can still enjoy "Your Nightmare," "The Sweetest Memory" and "Last Night" all the same.

Fans of graphic-novel writer Neil Gaiman are also getting more bang for their buck with Where's Neil When You Need Him?, an unusual collection of songs inspired by Gaiman's stories and characters. Tori Amos, Tapping the Vein, Rasputina, Future Bible Heroes and others chalk up songs about Stardust, Coraline and more, while Gaiman writes the liner notes — alas, he doesn't sing or perform — and "Sandman" artist Dave McKean creates the artwork.

This week there's also more Particle than you could ask for. The L.A. jam band captures its recent reconfiguration with Transformations Live for the People, a two-CD set that immortalizes its February 28 gig at the Music Box at the Fonda in Hollywood. It was at that show that Particle introduced their new five-member roster, a milestone event for which they were joined by Blackalicious, DJ Logic and Joe Satriani. A DVD version of the show, which has three more performances but does not contain either CD, is also due.

Alien Ant Farm are taking a similar approach by putting out their new album, Up in the Attic, in conjunction with a fresh DVD, "Busted." The audio disc features "San Sebastian," "Consti2tion" and "Sleepwalker," while the DVD has 10 videos, a live set from Germany and a "60-minute nude and crude documentary." And if that's not enough, Circuit City's offering a free AAF tee with purchase of the new CD.

Last but not least, Counting Crows and Goo Goo Dolls tour partners the Working Title signed copies of their new release for fans who preordered the disc through Tower. About-Face was produced by Brad Wood (Placebo, Pete Yorn) and the Crows' own David Bryson.

Song Title of the Week:

"Senor Hombre de Tamale" from the Bronx's The Bronx.

Other Notables:

Golden Smog's Another Fine Day: Since 1992, this ensemble's provided an outlet for members of Wilco, the Replacements and Soul Asylum to decompress and mess around. Now they deliver their fourth disc and first for Lost Highway, Another Fine Day, which finds Jeff Tweedy joining forces with the Jayhawks' Gary Louris for a cover of the Kinks' "Strangers" and much more.

Helmet's Monochrome: After bouncing back with 2004's Size Matters on Interscope, the band is already getting another makeover with a new label, Warcon, and two new members, drummer Mike Jost and bassist Jeremy Chatelain. That's not to mention Helmet's unlikely stint on the Warped Tour, where you can expect to hear new config barreling through "Monochrome," "Gone" and other new tracks.

Heather Duby's Heather Duby: The Northwest songstress takes her time with her LPs, issuing one about every three or four years, and for her third she hooked up with one of the region's most vaunted producers, Steve Fisk (Nirvana, Low). Duby has a newcomer in the mix as well: Minus the Bear drummer Erin Tate, who brushes up "Never Even Made a Voyage," "A Sort of Flat Curve" and "Places Shape Lives."

New Releases:

• Alien Ant Farm - Up in the Attic (New Door)
  Buy Now: Up in the Attic (New Door)
  
• Rodney Atkins - If You're Going Through Hell (Curb)
  
• Shane Bartell - Too Soon to Say (Sarathan)
  
• Black Stone Cherry - Black Stone Cherry (Roadrunner)
  
• Bone Crusher - Release the Beast (Body Head Entertainment)
  Buy Now: Release the Beast (Body Head Entertainment)
  
• The Bronx - The Bronx (digipak also available; White Drugs/ Island)
  Read: "The Bronx Strive For Imperfection On Major-Label Debut"
  
• Michael Brook - RockPaperScissors (High Wire)
  
• Cactus - V (Escapi)
  
• Eric Church - Sinners Like Me (Capitol Nashville)
  
• Bruce Cockburn - Life Short Call Now (Rounder)
  
• The Coma Recovery - Drown That Holy End in Wine (Underground)
  
• Albert Cummings - Working Man (Blind Pig)
  
• Billy Ray Cyrus - Wanna Be Your Joe (New Door/ Universal)
  
• Heather Duby - Heather Duby (Sonic Boom)
  
• Eighteen Visions - Eighteen Visions (Epic)
  Buy Now: Eighteen Visions (Epic)
  
• End of a Year - Sincerely (Revelation)
  
• Feist - Open Season (Cherrytree/ Interscope)
  
• Kristy Frank - Freedom (Ruffnation)
  
• French Kicks - Two Thousand (Startime/ Vagrant)
  Buy Now: Two Thousand (Startime/ Vagrant)
  
• Neil Gaiman - Where's Neil When You Need Him? (Dancing Ferret)
  
• Lisa Germano - In the Maybe World (Young God)
  
• Golden Smog - Another Fine Day (Lost Highway)
  Buy Now: Another Fine Day (Lost Highway)
  
• Nicholas Gunn - Beyond Grand Canyon (Gemini Sun)
  
• Helmet - Monochrome (Warcon)
  Buy Now: Monochrome (Warcon)
  
• Hidden Cameras - The Arms of His Ill (EP; Absolutely Kosher)
  
• Joe Jackson - Body and Soul (Fontana)
  
• Janid - Goddess (Dead Ninja)
  
• Jil Station - Still Love (enhanced; Platform Group)
  
• Kokane - Back 2 Tha Clap (SMC)
  Buy Now: Back 2 Tha Clap (SMC)
  
• Los Lonely Boys - Sacred (deluxe edition with DVD also available; Or/ Epic)
  Buy Now: Sacred (Or/ Epic)
  
• Minders - Bright Guilty World (Future Farmer)
  
• MSTRKRFT - The Looks (Last Gang)
  
• Naked Rhythm - Frequency (Caravan)
  
• One Dead Three Wounded - Moving Units (1x1)
  
• Ozric Tentacles - The Floor's Too Far Away (Magna Carta)
  
• Particle - Transformations Live for the People (two CDs; Shout! Factory)
  
• Bill Perry - Don't Know Nothing About Love (Blind Pig)
  
• John Pizzarelli - Dear Mr. Sinatra (Telarc)
  
• The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus - Don't You Fake It (Virgin)
  Read: "The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus: You Can Call Them Sellouts"
  Buy Now: Don't You Fake It (Virgin)
  
• Sinking Ships - Disconnecting (Revelation)
  
• Sissy - All Under (Global Underground)
  
• Jeremy Spencer - Precious Little (Blind Pig)
  
• Stream of Passion - Live in the Real World (two CDs; Inside Out)
  
• Chip Taylor - Unglorious Hallelujah (two enhanced CDs; Back Porch)
  
• The Working Title - About-Face (Universal)
  Buy Now: About-Face (Universal)
  
• Various artists - "John Tucker Must Die" soundtrack (Wind-Up)
  
• Various artists - "The Lady in the Water" soundtrack (Decca)
  
• Various artists - "Monster House" soundtrack (Varèse Sarabande)
  
• Various artists - "You, Me and Dupree" soundtrack (Varèse Sarabande)

Notable Reissues and Archival Material:

• A Flock of Seagulls - We Are the '80s (Arista/Legacy)
  Buy Now: We Are the '80s (Arista/Legacy)
  
• Johnny Adams - The Greatest Johnny Adams R&B Album (Rounder)
  
• Mose Allison - Mose Allison Sings: Rudy Van Gelder Remasters (Prestige)
  
• Bangles - We Are the '80s (Columbia/Legacy)
  Buy Now: We Are the '80s (Columbia/Legacy)
  
• Bow Wow Wow - We Are the '80s (RCA/Legacy)
  Buy Now: We Are the '80s (RCA/Legacy)
  
• Crosby/ Nash - Highlights (Sanctuary)
  
• Richard "Groove" Holmes - Soul Message: Rudy Van Gelder Remasters (Prestige)
  
• Lakeside - Fantastic Voyage (Capitol)
  
• Yusef Lateef - Eastern Sounds: Rudy Van Gelder Remasters (Prestige)
  
• Loverboy - We Are the '80s (Columbia/Legacy)
  Buy Now: We Are the '80s (Columbia/Legacy)
  
• Midnight Star - No Parking on the Dance Floor (Capitol)
  
• Steve Miller Band - Fly Like an Eagle (with DVD; Capitol)
  
• Eddie Money - We Are the '80s (Columbia/Legacy)
  
• Thelonious Monk/ Sonny Rollins - Thelonious Monk/ Sonny Rollins: Rudy Van Gelder Remasters (Prestige)
  
• Mott the Hoople - An Introduction to Mott the Hoople (Fuel)
  
• Oliver Nelson - Screamin' the Blues: Rudy Van Gelder Remasters (Prestige)
  
• The Original Five Blind Boys of Mississippi - An Introduction to the Original Five Blind Boys of Mississippi (Fuel)
  
• Emitt Rhodes - The American Dream (Lilith)
  
• Scandal - We Are the '80s (Columbia/Legacy)
  
• Shalamar - Ultimate Collection (Capitol)
  
• Rick Springfield - We Are the '80s (RCA/Legacy)
  
• Third Eye Blind - A Collection (Rhino)
  Buy Now: A Collection (Rhino)
  
• Venom - Cast in Stone (Castle/ Ryko)
  
• XTC - Apple Box (four-CD box set; TVT)
  
• Various artists - Billboard #1s: Classic Country (Rhino)
  
• Various artists - Dave Hamilton's Detroit Funk - Rare and Unreleased Twisted Funk 1967-1973 (BGP)
  
• Various artists - Doo-Wop Forever, Volume 2 (Empire Musicwerks)
  
• Various artists - Funk N' R&B (three-CD box set; Thump)
  
• Various artists - Playboy Cocktail Mix (Playboy Jazz)
  
• Various artists - Soul Sistas (three-CD box set; Thump)

Music DVDs:

• Alien Ant Farm - "Busted - The Definitive DVD" (New Door)
  
• Anathema - "A Moment in Time" (limited edition comes with CD; Music Video Distributors)
  
• Jeannie Bryson - "Live at Warsaw Jazz Festival" (Music Video Distributors)
  
• Chic - "Live in Amsterdam" (Music Video Distributors)
  
• Del the Funky Homosapien - "The 11th Hour" (Hieroglyphics)
  
• Fatboy Slim - "The Greatest Hits - Why Make Videos" (Astralwerks)
  
• H20 - "One Life, One Chance" (Music Video Distributors)
  
• Neal McCoy - "Live!" (903 Music)
  
• Particle - "Transformations Live" (Shout! Factory)
  
• Stream of Passion - "Live in the Real World" (Inside Out)
  
• Various artists - "Best of Bang Your Head!!! Festival" (two DVDs; Locomotive)
  
• Various artists - "Hot in Here, Vol. 3" (DJ Vlad)
  
• Various artists - "Kung Fu Vs. Hip Hop" (Cleopatra)

Coming Attractions:

July 25:

• Flogging Molly - Whiskey on a Sunday (DualDisc; Side One Dummy)
  
• Jurassic 5 - Feedback (Interscope)
  Preorder: Feedback (Interscope)
  
• Pharrell Williams - In My Mind (Star Trak/ Interscope)
  Read: "Pharrell Williams: Fired Up"
  Preorder: In My Mind (Star Trak/ Interscope)

August 1:

• DMX - Year of the Dog, Again (Sony)
  Read: "DMX Signs With Columbia, Will Release Long-Delayed LP This Spring"
  Preorder: Year of the Dog Again (Sony)
  
• Stone Sour - Come What(ever) May (Roadrunner)
  Read: "Slipknot's Taylor Gearing Up For Stone Sour LP — And Tenacious D Tribute"
  Preorder: Come What(ever) May (Roadrunner)
  
• Various artists - Kidz Bop 10 (Razor & Tie)

August 8:

• Lupe Fiasco - Food and Liquor (Atlantic)
  Preorder: Food and Liquor (Atlantic)
  
• Rick Ross - Port of Miami (Def Jam)
  
• Slayer - Christ Illusion (Warner Bros.)
  Read: "New Slayer Album Might Be Their Fastest Yet"
  Preorder: Christ Illusion (Warner Bros.)

• The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
• The Bronx
• Feist
• Alien Ant Farm
• Eighteen Visions

<i>Snakes on a Plane: The Album</i>
Photo: New Line Records/ Decaydance

What do you get when you cross Samuel L. Jackson, Pete Wentz, the guys from Panic! at the Disco and half of Gnarls Barkley with a bunch of mother-----n' snakes? Why, Snakes on a Plane: The Album of course.

Yes, it's the soundtrack to the film that just won't quit, a mix heavy on MySpace faves including Fall Out Boy, Coheed and Cambria, Panic!, and almost every artist on Wentz's Decaydance Records (which is releasing the album in association with New Line), plus tracks from the All-American Rejects, Jack's Mannequin, the Bronx and Cee-Lo — all remixed by a host of celebrity knob-twiddlers, including FOB frontman Patrick Stump, Cincinnati producer Hi-Tek, Brooklyn DJ Tommie Sunshine and, uh, Louis XIV.

The soundtrack is due in stores on August 15, and the video for the first single, "Snakes on a Plane (Bring It)," by Cobra Starship is already starting to make the rounds (see "Cobra Starship Video Reveals How Those Snakes Got On Samuel Jackson's Plane"). Starship, a new project by Midtown's Gabe Saporta, features a rotating cast of guest performers, and contributors to this track include the Academy Is ... frontman William Beckett, Gym Class Heroes' Travis McCoy, Maja Ivarsson of the Sounds and Rejects' guitarist Nick Wheeler (who played on the song but doesn't appear in the clip).

But aside from that cut, TAI's tune, "Black Mamba," and Cee-Lo's track, "Ophidiophobia," named after the fear of the slithery reptiles, the songs on Snakes: The Album have very little to do with, you know, actual snakes. And while the Cobra Starship video will play during the closing credits, only a handful of the songs will actually appear in the film, which hits theaters August 18.

But according to Wentz, that's not really the point.

"Basically I think the whole concept behind the film is hilarious, and it's something that just kept growing and growing, so I had to be a part of it," he laughed. "I called all my friends and we got some remixes and here it is. To be honest, part of the reason I did this was to meet Samuel L. Jackson."

Track list for Snakes on a Plane: The Album, according to New Line:

• Cobra Starship (with members of the Academy Is ... , Gym Class Heroes, the Sounds and the All-American Rejects) - "Snakes on a Plane (Bring It)"
• Panic! at the Disco - "The Only Difference Between Martyrdom and Suicide Is Press Coverage" (Tommie Sunshine's Brooklyn Fire Remix)
• The Academy Is ... - "Black Mamba" (Teddybears remix)
• Cee-Lo Green and Organized Noize - "Ophidiophobia"
• The All-American Rejects - "Can't Take It" (El Camino Prom Wagon Mix)
• The Sounds - "Queen of Apology" (Patrick Stump remix)
• Fall Out Boy - "Of All the Gin Joints in All the World" (Tommie Sunshine's Brooklyn Fire Retouch)
• Gym Class Heroes - "New Friend Request" (Hi-Tek remix)
• The Bronx - "Around the Horn" (Louis XIV remix)
• Armor for Sleep - "Remember to Feel Real" (Machine Shop remix)
• The Hush Sound - "Wine Red" (Tommie Sunshine's Brooklyn Fire Retouch)
• Jack's Mannequin - "Bruised" (remix)
• Coheed and Cambria - "Wake Up" (acoustic)
• Donavon Frankenreiter - "Lovely Day"
• Michael Franti & Spearhead - "Hey Now Now"
• Trevor Rabin - "Snakes on a Plane — the Theme"

See everything we've got on "Snakes on a Plane".

Check out movies.MTV.com for Hollywood news, photos, reviews, interviews and more.

Want trailers? Visit Movies on MTV Overdrive for the newest, scariest and funniest coming attractions anywhere.

• Cobra Starship Shoot "Snakes On A Plane (Bring It)" Video
• "Snakes On A Plane" Photos

• Fall Out Boy
• Panic at the Disco
• Cee-Lo
• The All-American Rejects
• Coheed and Cambria

"Idol" personalities Simon Cowell, Ryan Seacrest, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson
Photo: George Lange/ FOX

The owners and creators of "American Idol" are being sued by a fan who says the show stole his idea for a Web game based on the singing competition. Adam Pick claims in a lawsuit filed last week in Los Angeles Superior Court that he invented an interactive fantasy game called "Idol Go Home," in which people could reverse the voting process by picking who should get booted instead of who should win. "It's fantasy football with a reality-TV twist," Pick said of the game, which would let users post blogs and photos as well. But after pitching the idea and giving "Idol" a prototype of the site, Pick claims show representatives said they weren't interested, but that Pick could launch his own site. Once he did so, Pick says, "Idol" demanded that he shut down the site, while at the same time, according to his lawsuit, "Idol" modified its site to incorporate Pick's ideas. Pick is seeking monetary damages and an injunction restraining the show from using his idea. Fox had no comment. ...

Prince will be presented with lifetime-achievement honors at the 10th annual Webby Awards, set for June 12 in New York. One of the first artists to release a Web-only album (1997's Crystal Ball), Prince is being recognized for his innovative use of the Internet to distribute music and connect with fans. "Besides being a musical genius, Prince is a visionary who recognized early on that the Web would completely change how we experience music," Webby Awards founder Tiffany Shlain said. Previously announced special-achievement honorees include Gorillaz and the founders of MySpace. ...

Hilary Duff's dog Lola now has her very own blog, hosted in the fan-club-only section of the singer/actress' official site, HilaryDuff.com. And what does the pampered pet of a pop star have to say? So far the Chihuahua has posted her endorsement of a dog-care book written by the owner of a Maltese pal. ... Black Eyed Peas are starring as superheroes who spend their days making candy and their nights defending hip-hop in a series of digital films — a.k.a. online commercials — promoting Snickers. The "digi-sodes" launch Monday on InstantDef.com. ...

When AFI's new album, Decemberunderground, hits stores Tuesday, the most devoted fans might want to pick up four copies. The band has placed one of four different collectible booklets behind the disc's cover insert, each featuring the face of a group member. The limited-edition booklets will be available exclusively in the album's first pressing. ... Rob Thomas and Matchbox Twenty have donated $200,000 to the Consortium for Worker Education, a resettlement agency aiding music education in Gulf Coast high schools affected by Hurricane Katrina, The Associated Press reports. Thomas will also raise money for the fund during his current tour with Jewel, which hits Portsmouth, Virginia, on Wednesday (May 31). Music instruction in school will "groom generations of musicians who are so vital to rebuilding New Orleans, its infrastructure and its culture," Thomas said in a statement. ... Now that he's through sending off ousted "American Idol" contestants, Daniel Powter is hitting the road. The "Bad Day" singer will launch a U.S. tour beginning July 17 at Philadelphia's Theatre of the Living Arts. The trek wraps up with a two-night stand at West Hollywood's Roxy Theater on August 4 and 5. ...

Foo Fighters have added two more dates to their upcoming acoustic jaunt, which the band has nicknamed its "Afoostic" tour. But that's become something of a misnomer, now that the Foos have announced that one of the just-announced shows will be performed electric. That performance will be held August 18 at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa's Event Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey, while the band will play a proper stripped-down set August 15 at the DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. ... Tegan and Sara will release their first DVD, "It's Not Fun. Don't Do It!," August 8. Content includes a full concert shot at the Phoenix in Toronto, a tour documentary filmed by the twin sisters, the making of 2004's So Jealous and all the duo's videos. ...

A National Guardsman who lost his right arm near the shoulder and left arm above the wrist in Iraq filed suit Friday in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, against filmmaker Michael Moore for allegedly including him in "Fahrenheit 9/11" without his permission, claiming defamation and invasion of privacy. Sergeant Peter Damon, who was injured in October 2003, was featured in a 10-second clip in Moore's documentary that depicted him awaiting surgery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. But those 10 seconds of footage were from an interview with NBC News' Brian Williams, and Damon claims that he was never asked, nor did he consent, for the interview to be used elsewhere. Damon says he disagrees politically with Moore and that the interview made it appear as if he were complaining about the war effort instead of talking about the pain he felt when he lost his arms. (Moore has denied any intention to demean the service of U.S. troops through the film.) Damon's seeking $100 million and also named Harvey and Robert Weinstein, Miramax, Lionsgate and NBC in the suit. The Weinsteins, NBC and Lionsgate had no comment. ...

Former Jane's Addiction and Porno for Pyros frontman Perry Farrell will deliver the keynote address at the upcoming CMJ Rock Hall Music Fest, to be held June 14 at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. Farrell's DJ alter ego, Peretz, will man the ones and twos along with Mike Boogie and Prince Paul during the festival's opening-night shindig. ... Original Black Flag singer Keith Morris and onetime Guns N' Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke joined L.A. punks the Bronx onstage for the last show of the band's monthlong residency at Los Angeles' Spaceland Monday night. Clarke produced the Bronx's 2003 self-titled debut. ...

Third Eye Blind's hits have been compiled for a CD/DVD set aptly titled Third Eye Blind: A Collection. The 19-track CD includes "Semi-Charmed Life," "How's It Gonna Be" and "Jumper," along with B-sides and bonus tracks. The DVD features all seven of Third Eye Blind's videos as well as two clips for the previously unreleased "Losing a Whole Year." ... Canadian indie rock veterans Sloan are lining up festival dates in the U.S. and Canada, but they don't plan to kick off a full-fledged tour until the fall. According to a post on the band's Web site, Sloan continue to work on their next album, which is due in September. But fans won't have to wait that long to hear something fresh from the foursome. "Look to criticize the new single in July," the update notes.

05.30.2006

The African nation of Namibia offered Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt the privacy they sought for the birth of their child, and now the couple are giving back. Jolie and Pitt, who welcomed their daughter Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt in Namibia on Saturday, donated $300,000 toward the medical treatment of new babies in the country's hospitals and gave $15,000 for a school and community center in the town of Swakopmund, The Associated Press reports. "We want to contribute to Namibia and the people who have been so gracious to us at this time," the couple said in a statement. ...

Cingular Wireless announced Friday that more than 64.5 million text-message votes were cast throughout the fifth season of "American Idol." That smashes last season's record of 41.5 million. ... The Raconteurs are playing in-stores at Amoeba Music in Hollywood and San Francisco on the same day: June 8. The L.A. show is scheduled for 11 a.m., followed by the San Fran set at 9:30 p.m. ... Still aren't convinced Beck's about to issue his third LP in two years? A post that appeared on Beck.com late last week further confirmed the hard-to-believe accomplishment: "Beck has just completed his new album, which he's been in the studio working on with Nigel Godrich," the post read, referencing the producer who worked on 2005's Guero and 2002's Sea Change. "The album is due out this fall." ...

It turns out Korn haven't decided to axe guitarist Rob Patterson after all. Patterson, who had previously played with Otep, was recruited last year to fill in for Brian "Head" Welch as Korn's touring guitarist. But last week, during the European leg of the band's See You on the Other Side tour, fans noticed Patterson — who plays offstage during Korn shows — had been replaced by Fear Factory guitarist Christian Olde Wolbers. According to the band's management, that lineup was only temporary. "Korn played three shows with their longtime friend Christian to start the tour in Europe, but Patterson is now back at that position." ...

Snow Patrol were forced to postpone a pair of shows — Monday night in Atlanta and Wednesday in Washington, D.C. — in order to give frontman Gary Lightbody's voice a rest. Lightbody made the announcement on the band's site, SnowPatrol.com, writing, "My voice is in pieces. ... When we began the Eyes Open tour in February, I was told by my doctor a few days beforehand that I had laryngitis and it would be best if I took a week off to recover. I told him I didn't have a week, as we had shows pretty much every day." He added that he's seeing a specialist in New York and that the band will make up the postponed shows in mid-August. It's not known if Lightbody's ailment will also force Snow Patrol to bump their upcoming gigs in New York and Philadelphia. ...

Yeah Yeah Yeahs have a cheat planned for their "Cheated Hearts" video: make someone else do the work. The band is looking for a few good fans to take their best shot at Karen O for the next clip from Show Your Bones. According to the announcement posted on the band's site, Yeah Yeah Yeahs are seeking video submissions from people who "dress the part" and "get lost in the song" against a white wall with the track blaring in the background. Entries must be submitted on DV, postmarked by June 12 and include a signed release form. Head to YeahYeahYeahs.com/cheatedhearts for additional tips and a copy of the release. ...

James Blunt, who won the most performed song of the year prize at Thursday's Ivor Novello Awards, called it the "Most Overplayed Song" award while accepting the trophy, and now one radio station is doing its part to keep the former British army officer off the airwaves. Essex FM, an adult-contemporary station serving the eastern English county, has banned Blunt's music, citing listener demand. "We don't have anything against James Blunt," program director Chris Cotton said in a statement on the station's Web site. "We're pleased he's been so successful, but we really need a break. While his songs have been very popular, there is a tremendous amount of industry pressure to play certain artists very frequently. Often this can be out of step with the audience's tastes, which results in songs being overplayed." ...

Actor Paul Gleason, best known for his portrayals of Clarence Beeks in "Trading Places," Deputy Police Chief Dwayne Robinson in "Die Hard," and hard-as-nails Principal Richard Vernon ("Don't mess with the bull, young man. You'll get the horns") in the teen-comedy classic "The Breakfast Club," died Saturday in a California hospital. He was 67. The AP reports that Gleason died of mesothelioma, a rare form of lung cancer linked to asbestos. Gleason appeared in more than 60 films and later in his career made several notable television appearances in TV shows including "Friends" and "Seinfeld." He is survived by his wife, two daughters and a granddaughter. ...

The Rollins Band will team up with Los Angeles punk legends X for the 18-date As the World Burns Tour, which kicks off July 28 in San Francisco and runs through an August 19 stop in Boston. ... Helmet's forthcoming album, Monochrome, has been slated for a July 18 release and will hit stores as the band travels the country on this summer's Warped Tour. The disc, the follow-up to 2004's Size Matters, will feature 10 new tracks including "Swallowing Everything," "410 and Goodbye" and "Money Shot." ... Sleepy Brown, Washington, D.C., duo Panacea and Waco, Texas' the Strange Fruit Project have joined previously announced headliner Big Daddy Kane and Chicago's Lupe Fiasco and Rhymefest on the lineup of the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival, set for June 24 in New York's Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park, located between the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan Bridge. For more information and to register for tickets to the free show, head to the fest's site, BrooklynBodega.com. ...

Gary Glitter is due in a Vietnam court June 15 to appeal his child-molestation conviction, Reuters reports. Glitter's lawyer said the one-day hearing to appeal the singer's three-year sentence will take place at Supreme Court in Ho Chi Minh City. Glitter has been incarcerated in the resort town of Vung Tau since March. ... Gorky's Zygotic Mynci are no more. In a Friday post on their Web site — titled "Gorky's Zygotic Mynci RIP (Rock in Peace)" — the Welsh band, which formed in 1990, announced that it's splitting up. "Richard, Megan, Euros and Pete would like to thank everyone who came to the gigs and bought the records over the years," the statement read. ...

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The Bronx
Photo: MTV News

SANTA MONICA, California — Who can blame the Bronx for trying to downplay the story of their big break — the one where they were suddenly fielding nine record-deal offers after only their second show?

"It's killin' our indie cred!" guitarist Joby Ford said, only half-joking. The fact is, though, their geography might be shaky (the band hails from Los Angeles, not New York), but the Bronx know when history has been written.

"I don't know if we really got ... well, I guess we got courted," Ford said. "There were a few labels that wanted to sign us. I would probably say we met with a lot more than really wanted to sign us. There were some funny things. One label took us to a strip club and spent like $5,000 — and we were like, 'Dude, $5,000! That could feed a country.' "

OK, so their economics could use some work, too. The point is, the Bronx had the kind of beginning most bands can only dream of. After meeting through playing in various other bands, Ford, singer Matt Caughthran, bassist James Tweedy and drummer Jorma Vik joined forces to record a three-song demo that managed to instantly captivate the industry.

The bandmembers might be joking about indie cred, but their actions suggest that they're actually quite serious about it. After signing with Island Def Jam, they insisted on self-releasing their full-length debut and promoting it on the road for two and a half years.

"We didn't really want to come out and just hop on some giant machine right off the bat," Caughthran said. "We wanted to feel our way into it."

"That's where we became a band," Ford added. "And that was more important to us. We had gotten signed so early, we wanted to improve. We're still not really that good, but we're working on it."

There was a downside, however, to all the touring, which included opening for acts from Hot Hot Heat to Social Distortion.

"We showed up to write the record ... and we all looked at each other like, 'I don't even know where I'm at,' " Ford recalled. "Like, 'What do we do now?' "

The Bronx found their motivation in producer Michael Beinhorn (Korn, Soundgarden, Red Hot Chili Peppers) and his Venice, California, studio.

"I fell in love with the place immediately," Caughthran said. "Venice has such a great vibe to it — there's a little bit of everything there. Plus, it was right on the boardwalk, so anytime you needed to escape or boost your creativity or just take a walk, it was all right there at your fingertips. It inspired everything for the record: musically, lyrically."

As with their previous recordings, the band recorded live rather than taking the more common instrument-by-instrument approach, and limited the number of takes to two.

"It's actually a one-take rule," Caughthran joked. "Next record there won't be any takes at all — an all-mental record."

"We record live 'cause we feel that's our strength — or some nights, it's our weakness," Ford interrupted. "It just gives a natural feel to things. We're definitely not fans of perfect records, and we strive to make imperfect records, I guess. Not imperfect, but stuff that has a little more soul, a little more feeling. It just gives it a flavor and makes it a little more interesting, I think."

If there are imperfections, though, they are lost in the self-titled album's brutal but infectious musical landscape, which seesaws from inventive to destructive. The Bronx have yet to pick a first single, but strangely enough, it's an old tune that will be getting the most airplay this spring.

"Heart Attack American," one of the first tracks the band wrote, was selected to be the theme song for the MTV reality show "Call to Greatness" — which premieres Monday (April 3) at 10:30 p.m. on MTV — about a team of brave souls who set out to break as many ridiculous world records as they can.

"It's just a panic song, a freak-out song," Caughthran said. "I wrote it when everything in my life was kinda caving in, so it's just one of those things you write when you're super-frustrated."

As for the band's new album, it's due July 18 with the single set for June 6, as in 6/6/06.

"We were pattin' ourselves on the back for that one," Ford said. "But then we recently found out that Slayer has a record coming out that day, and they're way cooler than us. So they kinda win. We don't think we're that cool anymore."

• The Bronx