Metallica's Death Magnetic
Photo: WEA/ Reprise

For three weeks in a row, Metallica have managed to maintain a stranglehold over the entire record industry. A number of artists have tried to remove the metal icons' latest set, Death Magnetic, from atop the Billboard albums chart, and all have failed — even as sales of the disc continue to shrink. Young Jeezy, Jessica Simpson, Ne-Yo, and even squeaky-clean 16-year-old Disney Channel star Demi Lovato have come along to challenge Metallica's sales prowess, but their attempts have consistently fallen short of the legendary riff-engineers, who hadn't released a record in five years.

You know, it's sad but true.

While losing out to Metallica may have hurt Ne-Yo the most (his Year of the Gentleman falls one spot to #3 on next week's chart, with 83,000 sold), Lovato, whose debut LP Don't Forget opens at #2 this week, probably won't take the loss too badly. She is, after all, a closet metalhead. Lovato's silver-medal finish with 89,000 scans came as sales of Death Magnetic sagged 61 percent to 132,000.

Since its release three Fridays ago, sales of Death Magnetic have been reported at 959,000, according to Nielsen Soundscan, so chances are good the set will eclipse the 1 million-sold mark when this week's sales are released on October 8.

Lovato's inaugural offering was among 24 new releases making their impact on next week's Top 200, and one of five to enter the chart in the top 10. Pussycat Dolls' Doll Domination comes in at #4, while Kings of Leon's Only by the Night bows at #5. (Note: SoundScan initially listed Kings of Leon at #4 and Pussycat Dolls at #5, but revised those numbers later on Wednesday.) R&B artist Jazmine Sullivan's Fearless opens at #6, with sales of 66,000, and fellow R&B crooner Joe's Joe Thomas, New Man debuts at #8, selling 54,000 copies.

The remainder of the top 10 is rounded out by some of the year's biggest sellers: Kid Rock's Rock N Roll Jesus sold 60,000 more copies, to finish at #7; Young Jeezy's The Recession ends up at #9, with 40,000 scans; and the Jonas Brothers' A Little Bit Longer climbs one spot to #10, with 36,000 sold.

Also new to next week's chart are TV On The Radio's Dear Science, which enters at #12 with 32,000 scans, and the Cold War Kids' Loyalty to Loyalty, which sold 22,000 units, and opens at #21. Jenny Lewis' Acid Tongue follows at #24, with 21,000 copies scanned. Pink Floyd's David Gilmour debuts at #26, selling 19,000 copies of his Live in Gdansk. The Plain White T's' Big Bad World enters the chart at #33, selling 15,000-plus, and Thievery Corporation's Radio Retaliation comes in at #35, with 14,000 sold.

The second soundtrack from "Sex and the City," called Volume 2: More Music — a collection featuring Ciara, Craig David, Janet Jackson, Ingrid Michaelson and Amy Winehouse — enters at #45 with 11,500 scans. Z-Ro's Crack makes its debut at #48, after selling 10,500 copies. Everlast returns to the Top 200 at #78, selling 6,600 copies of his Love, War and the Ghost of Whitey Ford, while Mogwai's Hawk Is Howling opens at #97, with 5,600 sold. Lastly, just making the cut at #196, is Gucci Mane's Hood Classics, which sold close to 3,000 units.

[This story was originally published at 1:44 pm E.T. on 10.01.2008]

• Metallica
• Buckcherry
• Jessica Simpson
• Ne-Yo
• Pussycat Dolls

Metallica's Death Magnetic
Photo: WEA/ Reprise

For three weeks in a row, Metallica have managed to maintain a stranglehold over the entire record industry. A number of artists have tried to remove the metal icons' latest set, Death Magnetic, from atop the Billboard albums chart, and all have failed — even as sales of the disc continue to shrink. Young Jeezy, Jessica Simpson, Ne-Yo, Buckcherry and even squeaky-clean 16-year-old Disney Channel star Demi Lovato have come along to challenge Metallica's sales prowess, but their attempts have consistently fallen short of the legendary riff-engineers, who hadn't released a record in five years.

You know, it's sad but true.

While losing out to Metallica may have hurt Ne-Yo the most (his Year of the Gentleman falls one spot to #3 on next week's chart, with 83,000 sold), Lovato, whose debut LP Don't Forget opens at #2 this week, probably won't take the loss too badly. She is, after all, a closet metalhead. Lovato's silver-medal finish with 89,000 scans came as sales of Death Magnetic sagged 61 percent to 132,000.

Since its release three Fridays ago, sales of Death Magnetic have been reported at 959,000, according to Nielsen SoundScan, so chances are good the set will eclipse the 1 million-sold mark when this week's sales are released on October 8.

Lovato's inaugural offering was among 24 new releases making their impact on next week's top 200, and one of five to enter the chart in the top 10. Kings of Leon's Only by the Night bows at #4, having sold 74,000-plus, just beating the Pussycat Dolls' Doll Domination, which follows at #5 with week-one scans clocked at just under 74,000. R&B artist Jazmine Sullivan's Fearless opens at #6, with sales of 66,000, and fellow R&B crooner Joe's Joe Thomas, New Man debuts at #8, selling 54,000 copies.

The remainder of the top 10 is rounded out by some of the year's biggest sellers: Kid Rock's Rock N Roll Jesus sold 60,000 more copies, to finish at #7; Young Jeezy's The Recession ends up at #9, with 40,000 scans; and the Jonas Brothers' A Little Bit Longer climbs one spot to #10, with 36,000 sold.

Also new to next week's chart are TV on The Radio's Dear Science, which enters at #12 with 32,000 scans, and the Cold War Kids' Loyalty to Loyalty, which sold 22,000 units, and opens at #21. Jenny Lewis' Acid Tongue follows at #24, with 21,000 copies scanned. Pink Floyd's David Gilmour debuts at #26, selling 19,000 copies of his Live in Gdansk. The Plain White T's' Big Bad World enters the chart at #33, selling 15,000-plus, and Thievery Corporation's Radio Retaliation comes in at #35, with 14,000 sold.

The second soundtrack from "Sex and the City," called Volume 2: More Music — a collection featuring Ciara, Craig David, Janet Jackson, Ingrid Michaelson and Amy Winehouse — enters at #45 with 11,500 scans. Z-Ro's Crack makes its debut at #48, after selling 10,500 copies. Everlast returns to the Top 200 at #78, selling 6,600 copies of his Love, War and the Ghost of Whitey Ford, while Mogwai's Hawk Is Howling opens at #97, with 5,600 sold. Lastly, just making the cut at #196, is Gucci Mane's Hood Classics, which sold close to 3,000 units.

• Metallica
• Buckcherry
• Jessica Simpson
• Ne-Yo
• Pussycat Dolls

Ruinedmusic.com founders Bryan Bruchman and Mary Phillips-Sandy.
Photo: Bryan Bruchman

Like a lot of dot-com success stories, the idea for Ruined Music came over a casual lunch. Only, this was not businessmen or even buddies, but a couple discussing their relationship.

"We were talking about all the songs that we would not be able to listen to anymore if we were to break up," co-founder Mary Phillips-Sandy recalled. "Bryan [Bruchman, boyfriend and co-founder] is a musician. I love music. We made mixtapes for each other in the beginning. So there's a lot of music that we share and have shared as our relationship grew. And the list of songs that would be ruined would be a very long one."

(See what Ruined Music is all about, and watch Bono and others sound off on the songs they can't listen to anymore, in this video.)

Phillips-Sandy left the lunch still mulling over the topic and eventually put her thoughts to paper, writing the story of an early boyfriend who had ruined Simon & Garfunkel's "Cecilia" for her forever. As a writer and editor by day, she then convinced a few friends to write similar essays, which she and Bruchman began posting May 1 on the Web under the address RuinedMusic.com.

Within weeks, the two were being bombarded with essays, and they now post three new pieces a week from ruined-music victims around the world.

"The word of mouth has been really incredible," Phillips-Sandy said. "People love to talk about it and I think that really proves to us that it is in fact something that we all have in common."

In just over six months, RuinedMusic.com has amassed a sizable audience and become a favorite link for popular music blogs like Stereogum.

"I think there's an element of voyeurism for sure," Phillips-Sandy said. "People like to read about other people's tragedies. But there's also an element that people can relate to it and feel compassion. And a lot of the stories we've gotten have just been really funny, especially the ones from high school, awkward teenage things. There's a cringe factor, but the stories that we post are well-written, funny and a good read."

Although a majority of the essays chronicle bad breakups, Ruined Music's founders encourage all stories about music being ruined.

"People have sent us brief stories about people being in car accidents, where like, 'This song was playing while I rolled my car three times,' " Bruchman said. "Others are about friends, a relationship but not necessarily lovers. And just general time periods. A lot of songs associated with high school, where some people don't have the best experience."

"We had a great story from a guy who was performing at a high school talent show and he and his friends tried to cover the song and failed miserably, got booed off the stage and nowadays that song just makes him feel really lousy when he hears it," Phillips-Sandy added. "I guess the idea is that forces beyond your control can take away your enjoyment of a song, and that's not fair, so tell us about it and maybe you'll feel better."

And that, along with some good entertainment, is Phillips-Sandy and Bruchman's motivation for keeping RuinedMusic.com going.

"People have told us it's been cathartic," Phillips-Sandy said. "We've definitely heard that somehow telling your story, getting it out in public, being able to laugh about it, knowing you're not alone, that that can make things better for people. And if the site works that way for people, that's great, because no one should lose a song they like because of something someone else does."

And that includes actual musicians themselves. So, in an attempt to make a few of our favorite stars feel better, we decided to publish their ruined-music stories ...

Jacoby Shaddix of Papa Roach "I'll tell you a ruined song, dude. It was 'Look What the Cat Dragged In' by Poison. And it was when I was 16, I was losing my virginity. My mother walked in the room while that song was playing. It wasn't a very good experience. So 'Look What the Cat Dragged In' just reminds me of lying on my bed butt-naked and my mom looking at me like, 'Oh my God!' And I'm like, 'Oh my God!' Embarrassing."

Bono of U2 "A good friend of mine, DJ Howie B, was playing with us when we played Nuremberg [Germany]. And we played in this place in Nuremberg where all the Nazis were buried. And Howie B was very angsty about playing there. And I said, 'Look, music will chase the demons out of this place.' And he wasn't sure he could do it. And I said, 'Well, it's up to you, you know.' And my idea is, let's make fun of the Nazis. So I heard him go on, and he played [the Three Degrees'] 'When Will I See You Again.' And now I can't listen to that song without thinking about Nazis."

Brandon Flowers of the Killers "My ex-girlfriend, two girlfriends back, really liked to listen to Suede a lot. And they're a good band, but I can't listen to Suede without thinking of her, and I really don't want to think of her. That kind of has ruined Suede for me."

Keith Nelson of Buckcherry "I have an ex-girlfriend and her ringtone on my cell phone was 'I Walk the Line' by Johnny Cash. And every time she would call me the song would start playing, and I can't listen to the song anymore. It's been ruined."

Carl Newman of the New Pornographers "There was an album from the mid-'90s by a band called the Scud Mountain Boys called Dance the Night Away, which is this really mellow kind of heartbreaking record. And I listened to it all through this breakup and it served its purpose. And I loved it during that breakup, but then it was like, 'I will never listen to that album ever again,' 'cause if I did I knew it would take me back to this hideous place. Thank God for that album, but I just want it to disappear now."

Jake Shears of Scissor Sisters "God bless the Rolling Stones, but did they really have to do the Microsoft ad? Did they really need the money? Because now whenever I hear 'Start Me Up,' I think of Microsoft. It's just sad."

• Ruined Music: Bono, Others Feel Your Pain

• U2
• Scissor Sisters
• Papa Roach
• The Killers
• Buckcherry

Buckcherry's Josh Todd
Photo: Michael Buckner/ Getty Images

DEVORE, California — Second chances are rare in rock and roll. Second chances spurred by a song called "Crazy Bitch" are even more uncommon.

Still, with the track's surprise success — it has reached #3 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock singles chart and #59 on the Hot 100 — the seemingly forgotten Buckcherry have made a certifiable comeback.

"It's like sweet revenge," singer Josh Todd said backstage at KROQ's Inland Invasion, where Buckcherry were opening for heroes Guns N' Roses (see "Guns N' Roses Take On Aguilera, Chester Bennington Joins Alice In Chains At Inland Invasion"). "Nobody really wanted anything to do with us when we started this whole [comeback] process, and eventually we changed everybody's mind by staying on the road and putting out a record that we feel is really great. And the timing just worked out. So it's awesome that we have a second chance."

Buckcherry debuted in 1999 with the single "Lit Up," a #1 Mainstream Rock smash, and their self-titled full-length went gold. Time Bomb, the band's 2001 follow-up, however, fell on deaf ears, and by 2002 they had pretty much disbanded.

Todd and guitarist Keith Nelson nearly made their first comeback — what would have been a big one — a few years later after playing a show with former Guns N' Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum. "There was a lot of buzz around town," Todd recalled. "We just thought it would be a good idea to start a band. So we started a band for about a month, but it didn't work out, and then that kind of became Velvet Revolver. I think it was something where Slash just wasn't into it."

Todd next pursued a solo career with 2004's You Made Me, another commercial disappointment, and went more than a year without talking to Nelson. "Then he reached out to me one day, because I had some stuff just going on in my personal life, and we just started talking as friends," Nelson said. "And once we felt comfortable with re-establishing our friendship, it was a matter of time before we get in a room and just see what happens. And the three new members of the band are the first three guys that we called."

"After the first rehearsal was over, we said, 'If anybody wants to be in this band, show up tomorrow with studio rent,' " Todd remembered. "And everybody showed up."

One of the first songs the band learned was one Todd wrote while driving around Los Angeles after coming off the Time Bomb tour in 2002. "The Paris Hilton sex tape was going around and I just thought it was hilarious how someone could launch their career with a homemade porno," Todd said. "Then I started reminiscing about girls in my past, and I think everybody's got a crazy bitch in their little black book. And that's what it's about."

After finishing the album, 15, named after the number of days Buckcherry spent recording and releasing it in Japan, satellite and Internet radio stations got copies of "Crazy Bitch" and started spinning it.

"We absolutely did not think it was the first single; in fact we were all set to go with a different song," Nelson said. "Then it became the #1 most-requested song on satellite radio and we were forced to furnish a clean version for regular radio. That was April, and ever since then it's been crazy. It's October now, and we are still talking about 'Crazy Bitch.' "

Not that he's complaining. "We've been at this long enough to know that this is a really good thing," Nelson added. "We just really hope that the depth of the record gets exploited, because we think that the record is a lot more than just 'Crazy Bitch.' "

That might have to wait though, as Buckcherry just shot a new video for "Crazy Bitch," replacing the low-budget raunch-fest the band made to create more Internet buzz. The original also stemmed a lawsuit from a minor who said the band coerced her into appearing in a sexually-explicit video, but Buckcherry contend she used a fake ID and signed a consent form to appear in the clip.

"It's a little bit different, but there's still some nastiness going on," Todd promised of the second version of the video.

When the time comes, the band plans to release "Next to You" as 15's second single — a song with a theme similar to that of "Crazy Bitch." "We're real deep," Todd said.

In the meantime, Buckcherry have been on the road since November and plan to stay there "until the wheels fall off," according to Nelson. "We get a lot of people at the shows that don't even know that we have three records out," Todd added. "But that's really cool for us, because it just broadens the whole fanbase. We've been having a lot of fun."

• Buckcherry

LL Cool J
Photo: Jason Campbell

Ladies may love James Todd Smith — better known, of course, as hip-hop icon-turned-actor LL Cool J. But apparently not enough of those ladies ventured into record stores last week to pick up a copy of LL's 11th studio LP, Todd Smith. Instead, it was Rascal Flatts' adoring fanbase — female or otherwise — that stepped up to the proverbial plate for a second straight week, ringing up another 345,000 copies of the country trio's latest offering, Me & My Gang, to keep the Flatts on top of the next Billboard albums chart.

According to the latest SoundScan totals, those Rascals have surpassed the 1 million copies sold mark, making Me & My Gang 2006's year's sole release to break that barrier within two weeks. Last week, the disc opened at #1 with nearly 722,000 scans, which earned it the distinction of being the year's healthiest week-one sales performer. And that's all great news for Rascal Flatts. For LL, on the other hand, it's not so good.

With Todd Smith selling just 116,000 copies its first week out, J finds himself debuting at the chart's #6 opening — despite the album's inclusion of guests such as Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Lopez, Jamie Foxx, Teairra Marí, 112, Ginuwine, Freeway, Mary Mary and Juelz Santana. It's not LL's finest opening; 2000's G.O.A.T. Featuring James T. Smith: The Greatest of All Time bowed at #1 with 209,000 scans, and 2002's 10 debuted at #2 with sales of 154,000 plus. The most recent of his previous outings, 2004's The DEFinition, opened as Billboard's #4 entrant, selling more than 173,000 copies.

This week's #2 spot belongs to another of country music's most beloved artists: Toby Keith. His White Trash With Money is the week's highest-charting debut, with sales nearing 330,000. Right behind Toby is the 21st chapter in the Now That's What I Call Music! compilation series, which features hits from artists including Mariah Carey, the Pussycat Dolls, Black Eyed Peas, Kelly Clarkson and Fall Out Boy. That album scored week-two sales of 293,000 and change, slipping one spot to #3.

The soundtrack to the Disney Channel original movie "High School Musical" holds the chart's #4 opening, with yet another 256,000 copies flying off store shelves — pushing total sales of the album past the 1.5 million sold mark during the disc's 14th week in stores. T.I.'s King drops two spots this week to #5, with 136,000 scans, while Tim McGraw's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2: Reflected, slides two to #7, racking up an additional 116,000 copies sold. Pink's fourth studio outing, I'm Not Dead, slips two to #8, selling close to 90,000 copies.

	Jay? Nas? Biggie? Pac? Find out where LL Cool J ranks in MTV's top 10 'Greatest MCs Of All Time.'

Canadian songwriter Daniel Powter's self-titled debut lands in the #9 slot, with week-one sales reported at little more than 89,000. Never heard of Powter? Well, his hit single "Bad Day" has become the exit theme for booted contestants on this season's "American Idol," so his top-10 debut comes as little surprise. James Blunt's Back to Bedlam follows at #10, with 83,000 scans.

There were a number of other noteworthy newcomers to the chart in what was a strong week for retail in general. Queen's Stone Cold Classics collection bows at #45 with 27,000 copies sold (The band also had an "Idol" connection, with their songs serving as the theme for last week's performances). In at #46 (selling just 77 fewer copies than Queen) is The Capitol Albums, Vol. 2, a 92-track box set featuring reissues of the Beatles' 1965 American releases The Early Beatles, Beatles VI, Help!, and Rubber Soul. The third album from Los Angeles hard rockers Buckcherry, 15, checks in at #48 with 26,000 scans.

Cam'ron Presents DukeDaGod - Dipset: The Movement Moves On, which features selections from Cam'ron, Juelz Santana, Hell Rell and the rest of the Dipset clique, opens at #53 with 23,000 units sold. MTV2 Headbanger's Ball: The Revenge, a metal-heavy compilation featuring Mudvayne, Korn, Slipknot, Opeth, Lacuna Coil and a host of others, debuts at #60 with 21,000 scans. Built to Spill's You in Reverse follows at #63, selling 19,000 copies, while Saves the Day's Sound the Alarm bows at #67 with more than 18,000 scans. The Eagles of Death Metal's second LP, Death by Sexy, owns the #113 slot with 11,000 scans, and rockers Calexico open at #156 slot, selling almost 8,000 copies of their latest, Garden Ruin.

• LL Cool J
• Rascal Flatts
• Daniel Powter
• Toby Keith
• Cam'ron

Constantine Maroulis
Photo: Vince Bucci/Getty Images

Constantine Maroulis has split from his pre-"American Idol" band, Pray for the Soul of Betty. "Right now he's working on too many solo projects to be fair to the band," his spokesperson said. "It was time to move on, and the fans have been supportive." Maroulis is working on a solo album, a television pilot and an indie film. ...

VotefortheWorst.com is at it again. The Web site, which encourages readers to call in for the "American Idol" contestant they deem least worthy of the title, is backing Kevin Covais this time around. And what if the 16-year-old, nicknamed "Chicken Little," gets the boot? A post on the site reads: "Don't worry, Pickler. If Kevin goes home, we'll be back." The campaign, which aims to "keep around an entertaining antagonist" picked Scott Savol last year. ... Barry Manilow, who helped "Idol" hopefuls prepare for Tuesday night's 1950s theme, will be front and center when one of his advisees is knocked out of the competition Wednesday (March 22). Manilow, whose The Greatest Songs of the Fifties was certified platinum this week, will perform "Love Is a Many Splendored Thing" on this week's elimination show. ...

Moby will issue a live DVD, "Moby Live — The Hotel Tour 2005," April 18. Recorded in Belgium in May and directed by George Scott, the disc also has a handful of videos and two unreleased short films. Last but not least, the set features a CD with Hotel tracks reinterpreted by Mylo, Tiga, Steve Angello, Booka Shade and Axwell. ... The Coachella documentary — aptly titled "Coachella" — will be released on DVD April 18. Previously seen in limited theatrical release only, the Drew Thomas-directed film features performances by Radiohead, the Pixies, the Flaming Lips, Arcade Fire and a slew of other bands. A bonus DVD features interviews from many of the festival's veterans, including Belle and Sebastian, the Libertines and the Bravery. ...

The first-ever PJ Harvey DVD, "PJ Harvey on Tour: Please Leave Quietly," will hit stores May 2. Directed by Maria Mochnacz, the disc features performances and behind-the-scene footage taken from Harvey's 2004 tour supporting Uh Huh Her. Two previously unreleased tracks, "Uh Huh Her" and "Evol," will also be included, as will Harvey's video diaries and a lengthy interview. ... The second annual AutoRox Awards roll into Las Vegas April 7, with Ice Cube at the wheel. Whips chosen by a panel of auto-industry pros, members of the media and car-enthusiast celebrities will be honored in categories including Best Luxury Car and Chick Magnet. Cube will host the ceremony and perform "Chrome and Paint" and "Why We Thugs" from his upcoming LP, Laugh Now, Cry Later. The awards show airs April 18 at 10 p.m. on Spike TV. ...

Buckcherry will release Fifteen, their first studio album in four years, April 11. The Los Angeles rockers are promoting the record — and their current single, "Crazy Bitch" — with a tour that kicked off this week in Los Angeles and wraps up June 10 in Kansas City, Missouri. ... The self-titled LP from the Drips, the band featuring Distillers guitarist Tony Belivaqua and the Bronx's Matt Caughthran and Joby J. Ford, will hit stores April 25. It was recorded over two days this past summer. The band will perform March 24 in Glendale, California. ...

Soulful songstress Leela James recently finished shooting the video for her second single, "Good Times," in Los Angeles. The throwback-themed clip was helmed by Coodie and Chike, the same directorial team that has worked with Kanye West and Mos Def. James also recently unleashed a digital six-track EP, Leela James: Live in New Orleans, exclusively on iTunes. The set tracks a November 2004 gig at the Big Easy's House of Blues, where the singer previewed joints from her acclaimed 2005 debut, A Change Is Gonna Come. It will be available at other online retails outlets starting in April. ... British grime rapper and Jay-Z signee Lady Sovereign is deep into production on her still-untitled debut album. Before heading out to SXSW, the diminutive MC was working with Beastie Boy Ad-Rock (who worked with Sov on a British-only EP) and had already cut records with the Neptunes, according to a spokesperson for her label. The album is expected later this year. ...

Ex-Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach's been hard at work on his forthcoming solo album, which Spitfire plans to release in July. According to a post on Bach's Web site, he's got 13 songs written so far and summer and fall tours are in the works. "[This year] is gonna kick ass," Bach wrote. ... Detroit soul singer Robert Bradley will release his first full-length live album April 11. What About That: New Year's Eve in Bloomington was recorded a the Bluebird in Bloomington, Indiana, and finds the blind singer backed by an expanded, 10-piece version of his band, the Blackwater Surprise.

03.21.2006

Who knew Ashlee Simpson could surf? The singer is hitting the waves for the "Kelly Slater Celebrity Surf Invitational," airing on MTV March 25 at 4:30 p.m. and also featuring Jack Osbourne and Ashley Parker Angel. Braxton Olita, Simpson's bandmate and boyfriend, came along for the special — "He's my love!" she told Jane magazine for its April cover story. (Check out photos from the spread right here.) Simpson's relationship with Braxton first came to light following her collapse in Japan in December, but she's been dating him since the summer. The reason for the collapse remains in dispute, as she now claims in Jane that she was sicker than reported at the time. "I was dehydrated. I had bronchitis. Who knows exactly what it was? I think it was just complete exhaustion." And apparently celebrity status doesn't equal celebrity care. "I didn't go to a nice emergency room — I ended up in one with blood on the walls," she tells the mag. ...

Fans already clamoring for New Edition's 2008 reunion tour will have their appetites sated sooner than later — the Bobby Brown-led group has agreed to perform at this year's Essence Music Festival in Houston, according to The Associated Press. Diddy, Chris Brown and Jaheim were also just added to the July 1-3 bill, which already included participants Mary J. Blige, Steve Harvey, LL Cool J and Jamie Foxx. ...

Former Bad Boy Records rapper Shyne will have to wait a bit longer to find out if his assets will be unfrozen, so he can pay off some legal bills and help out his family. Lawyers for the MC — who now goes by the name Moses Michael Leviy — are trying to get an exemption from New York's "Son of Sam" law, which is blocking Leviy from gaining access to a $500,000 advance he got from his former record label. A hearing on the motion was delayed for at least two weeks on Monday when the judge in the case was forced to recuse himself because of a conflict of interest. As it turns out the judge's brother-in-law was once represented by the same firm that is seeking some funds from Shyne. ...

Constantine Maroulis has signed on for his first movie role. "I can't tell you too much about it yet, but it will be a super-sexy indie feature and [the filmmakers] have been really avid about making me a part of it," he said. "They want me to supervise the music as well and want some of my music to be [included]." ... Maroon 5 have contributed a cover of the Bill Withers classic "Lovely Day" to the soundtrack of "Hoot," due April 18 on Jimmy Buffett's Mailboat Records. Buffett plays a small part in the comedy, which is about a man fighting to save endangered owls, and has several tracks on the album alongside G. Love, Toots and the Maytals and Mofro. ...

Diddy's Bad Boy South has partnered with Southern hip-hop label Block Enterprises for the release of several albums, beginning with one by Yung Joc, whose "It's Goin Down" is a recent mixtape favorite. New Joc City is due in May. ... Former Destiny's Child singer LeToya (she's dropped her last name, Luckett) will release her self-titled solo debut July 18. Scott Storch worked on the album, which features guest appearances from fellow Houstonians Mike Jones, Paul Wall, Bun B and Slim Thug. ...

It used to be that you couldn't find a Red Hot Chili Peppers track on iTunes to save your life. But the Peppers have finally given in to the digital-music market, making their entire back catalog available for 99 cents a track. All the Chilis albums are also being made available — with bonus tracks — along with videos and short documentary downloads. Fans will have to wait until May 9 to download Stadium Arcadium, the band's forthcoming double LP; the discs are nicknamed "Jupiter" and "Mars." ... The album art for Tool's next album, 10,000 Days, has been posted on the band's Web site. Once again Tool called on artist Alex Grey — who crafted the art for 2001's Lateralus and whose daughter appears in "The Shaggy Dog" — to come up with the cover design. The 77-minute, 11-song 10,000 Days is due in stores May 2. ...

Having already released two full-length albums in 2005 — Digital Ash in a Digital Urn and I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning — the super-prolific Bright Eyes, a.k.a Conor Oberst, is already working on another effort. At Monday night's "Bring 'Em Home Now" concert in New York, Oberst said he's written new material but doesn't feel the need to rush it out until 2007. (See snaps from the concert right here.) "We have a bunch of songs recorded and we are going to put out a record probably next year," he said. "The music's good. It keeps my life turning around." ... At the same event freak-folk rocker Devendra Banhart said he's been switching musical gears in his new home in Mexico. "We're working on some weird stuff inspired by the tropicalista movement in Brazil, Caetano Veloso, Os Mutantes ... that whole movement is really special to us because it is about embracing where you are from but also being open to other cultures and other things." ...

Thursday's A City by the Light Divided, due May 2, will feature 11 tracks: "The Other Side of the Crash/ Over and Out (Of Control)," "Counting 5-4-3-2-1," "Sugar in the Sacrament," "At This Velocity," "We Will Overcome," "Arc--Lamps, Signal Flares, a Shower of White (The Light)," "Running From the Rain," "Telegraph Avenue Kiss," "The Lovesong Writer," "Into the Blinding Light" and "Autumn Leaves Revisited." ... 3 Doors Down and Lynyrd Skynyrd, both Southern-rock giants but from two different eras, will co-headline a 15-city trek. The Double Trouble Summer Tour kicks off June 25 in Cincinnati and wraps up July 22 in Biloxi, Mississippi. ... Five more dates have been added to this summer's Unholy Alliance Tour, featuring Mastodon, Lamb of God, Children of Bodom, Thine Eyes Bleed and headliners Slayer: June 9 (Denver), June 19 (Cincinnati), June 24 (Dallas), June 30 (Cleveland) and July 16 (Salem, Oregon). ...

With "Rock Star" winner J.D. Fortune behind the mic, INXS will embark on a second leg of their Switched on Tour April 21 in Memphis, Tennessee. The outing ends June 1 in Vancouver, British Columbia. ... In the immortal words of Ice Cube in the film "Anaconda," "There's snakes out there this big?" Yes there are, and apparently they're infesting planes too, judging from the "Snakes on a Plane" trailer that's making the rounds online. Aspiring musicians take note: New Line Cinema wants you to compose the theme song for the flick. If you're eager to make songs for Samuel L. Jackson to bash snakes to, submit them to TagWorld.com/SnakesonaPlane by April 11 and they'll be taken into consideration.

• Ashlee Simpson Poses In "Jane" And Surfs For Kelly Slater
• "Bring 'Em Home Now" Concert In New York

• Constantine Maroulis
• Moby
• Radiohead
• Ice Cube
• Buckcherry

DJ Muggs
Photo: Columbia

So does DJ Muggs wanna be a rock superstar? Or a rap superstar?

Neither, actually.

Cypress Hill's smokey beat architect and the producer behind House of Pain's "Jump Around" is heading more in the direction of ambient superstar, if there is such a thing.

For his first proper solo album, due in April, Muggs has concocted a dark collection of multilayered electronic music more in line with the Juxtapose album he did with Tricky than anything from his longtime rap group.

"This is a DJ record, no hip-hop at all," Muggs said Tuesday from his Los Angeles studio. "It's very electronic, with some rock in it. It's very experimental."

The album, titled Dust, features guest appearances by "a very bluesy" Everlast, former Afghan Whigs singer Greg Dulli and former Buckcherry singer Josh Todd. A newcomer named simply Amy also provides vocals on about half of the tracks.

Muggs is eyeing either "Rain" or "Faded" — both Todd collaborations — to be the first single. "He's going to surprise you," the producer said of Todd. "You wouldn't even know it's him."

The unlikely duo, who met through mutual friends, have also collaborated on material for Todd's next project. Since the release of Cypress Hill's Stoned Raiders last fall, Muggs has also produced a song for Zack de la Rocha's solo album and a few tracks with the Wu-Tang Clan's GZA, but most of his time has been spent on Dust.

"[I'm] trying to push the boundaries of music," Muggs said. "A lot of it right now is, you can only do hip-hop or only do rock. I like the old days where artists would explore and do things with artists in India or [use] African drums, like the Beatles. Right now, nobody is going to be ready for my record."

Muggs has found a believer in Anti, the Epitaph imprint home to Tom Waits' most recent releases. The label signed him without even hearing a demo.

After he finishes sequencing Dust later this month, Muggs will reconvene with Cypress Hill to record their seventh studio album. He may also tour solo, depending on the demand.

"Any time an artist does something out of character, everyone's like, 'Whoa,' " he reflected. "But that's where my mind is, and I don't expect anyone to see my mind. I've done rock and hip-hop, and I'm going to continue to grow. ... It's just a natural progression. Cypress set the pace for a lot of that trip-hop sh-- and things going on in Europe."

• Cypress Hill
• Buckcherry

Pharrell Williams of the Neptunes and N.E.R.D. has added PETA to his roster by recording a downloadable outgoing voicemail message that implores listeners to be kind to animals. The message can be heard now on peta2.com and soon on the answering machines of PETA supporters. ... Radiohead have pegged Friends of the Earth to act as their representatives at next month's Earth Summit in South Africa and are encouraging fans to submit to the organization's audio petition for more accountability for industrial pollution. Singer Thom Yorke posted a message online saying, "It is not good enough to preach about the trickledown effect of economic growth if your house is being washed away, your child has skin cancer, you can't get clean water and the weather is changing beyond recognition, forever." ...

Following a round of choice Ramones reissues last year, Rhino Records is bringing back four more gems on August 20: the Phil Spector-produced End of the Century (1980), Pleasant Dreams (1981), Subterranean Jungle (1983) and Too Tough to Die (1984). The reissues will also include rare demos, radio spots and a cover of the Rolling Stones' "Street Fighting Man." ... Chicago's Thrill Jockey Records, America's home to post-rock bands such as Tortoise, the Sea and Cake and Mouse on Mars, is celebrating 10 years of making electronic blips for the kids by throwing a three-day birthday bash in New York City from September 5-7 at Irving Plaza and the Bowery Ballroom, with Tortoise headlining the first two nights and the Sea and Cake headlining the third. Thrill Jockey chose to celebrate in NYC instead of their hometown of Chicago because "the bands play here a lot." ...

Widespread Panic guitarist Michael Houser has a terminal form of cancer, he told fans on Tuesday in a letter posted on his band's Web site. The group has replaced Houser on their current tour, and the guitarist said he hopes to get back to playing sometime in the future. ... Guy/ Blackstreet honcho/superproducer Teddy Riley now has the less glamorous job of filing for protection from creditors in bankruptcy court. According to the Associated Press, Riley filed to reorganize his finances under Chapter 11 of the federal bankruptcy law, as he did not have enough money to cover his increasingly high income-tax liabilities. ... Ben Folds will release a live album recorded during his spring solo tour on October 8. The track list for Ben Folds Live, which has not been finalized, will feature hits from his solo debut and his group's previous albums, along with B-sides such as "The Secret Life of Morgan Davis." ...

The Crystal Method will release their first mix album, Community Service, July 23 on Ultra Records. The collection will include remixes by the duo of their own favorites and hits by P.O.D. and Garbage, along with tracks by Orbital and the Plump DJs. ... Trance DJ Sasha (of Sasha & Digweed fame) will tour the States this fall in support of his first studio album, Airdrawndagger, due August 6 on Kinetic Records. The first single is titled "Wavy Gravy." ... Speaking of Sashas, Kittie collaborated with Sasha Konietzko of KMFDM on a remix of "Safe," from their latest album, Oracle, which will be released this fall. Konietzko has remixed tracks for Korn, Metallica and White Zombie, among others. ...

Buckcherry have split because "[frontman Josh Todd] was no longer having fun being in Buckcherry, and the process of making the new record had become quite disappointing to him," according to a written statement. "He thought it best to move on at this time." ... Queensrÿche belter Geoff Tate sang the blues last week after his saxophone was stolen from the Birch Hill Nite Club in Old Bridge, New Jersey. Anyone with information is encouraged to e-mail president@queensryche.com, and while there's no cash reward, a Queensrÿche Empire platinum album signed by the singer will be gifted to whoever helps to recover the beloved instrument. ...

07.16.02

The Strokes have dropped off their first three dates of the Weezer/Dashboard Confessional tour (July 15-17) because of "a band member sustaining an injury," according to their Web site. The group hopes to rejoin the tour July 29 for the last two shows with Weezer before beginning a mini-tour with the White Stripes. ... Blink-182's Tom DeLonge and his wife, Jen, welcomed Ava Elizabeth DeLonge into the world on Monday morning. The couple's daughter weighed in at just over 7 pounds. ... Former Faith No More vocalist Mike Patton recently told the East Bay Express that he was invited to sing for INXS in 1997, following the death of frontman Michael Hutchence. The current Fantômas and Tomahawk singer told the paper that he laughed at the request and made the band rather upset. ...

Although you can't sell your soul to the devil, you can rent it out to the highest bidder — Local H will auction off a private concert on eBay starting July 17. The minimum bid is $500 to cover travel expenses, and the auction closes on July 26. ... Following their August club tour to promote A Rush of Blood to the Head, Coldplay will return to the States for a September trek of larger venues. The second outing begins September 4 in Seattle, a week after the album is due. ... A free Fatboy Slim concert on England's Brighton Beach on July 13 erupted in chaos when 250,000 people showed up to party in a location that was equipped for about 60,000. A 26-year-old woman who fell over a railing and onto the lower esplanade is still in critical condition. ... Travis drummer Neil Primrose, who hurt his back July 7 in a fall in Belfort, France, is recovering following a July 10 operation. Doctors successfully treated Primrose for multiple fractures to his upper vertebrae, and the drummer is currently walking around. ...

The Young And The Hopeless, the second album from Baltimore pop-punk act Good Charlotte, is due October 1. Meanwhile, the group has written the theme song for MTV's new animated series, "The Undergrads." ... The Apples in Stereo are busy this year, releasing their fourth full-length album, Velocity of Sound, on October 8 through SpinART Records and touring with Clinic from September through the middle of October. The band also plans to produce a video for the lead track off the record, "Please." ... Pulp singer Jarvis Cocker married Camille Bidault-Waddington on July 13 in a private ceremony in Northern France. Pulp's We Love Life, which came out in the U.K. last October, will be released in America on August 20. ...

With a take of $52.8 million, Paul McCartney has grossed the most of any tour so far this year, according to industry mag Pollstar. He was followed by the Billy Joel/ Elton John package, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, 'NSYNC, Dave Matthews Band, the Eagles, Green Day with Blink-182, Britney Spears, Jimmy Buffett and Barry Manilow. ... Speak of the devil — the bass-playing former Beatle will return to the road for his Back in the U.S. Tour starting September 21 in Milwaukee and winding up October 29 in Phoenix. McCartney will bring his 36-song set to cities he missed last time around on the first leg of his Driving U.S.A. Tour. ...

Former the Verve frontman Richard Ashcroft will release Human Conditions, the follow-up to his solo debut Alone With Everybody, in October. Guests include Beach Boys mastermind Brian Wilson, Talvin Singh and DJ Shadow. ... Soul Asylum frontman Dave Pirner will kick off a 13-date tour July 27 in Columbus, Ohio, to promote his debut solo album, Faces & Names. The album is due July 30. ... Canadian metallic emocore outfit Grade have called it quits, according to the band's management. They'll play three more shows before going their separate ways.

• N.E.R.D.
• Radiohead
• The Ramones
• Buckcherry
• Widespread Panic

Slipknot
Photo: Roadrunner

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines — Staind, Slipknot, Tantric, Buckcherry and others are contributing tracks to NASCAR's Crank It Up compilation.

Due to hit stores in June, the collection is "designed and built for racing fans," according to a label statement, and includes a plethora of rock outfits playing covers of high-speed, rubber-burning favorites.

Recently dissolved industrial rockers Fear Factory weigh in with their reworking of gearhead Gary Numan's classic '80s ode to four-wheelers, "Cars." Les Claypool offers up the song most likely to be played on an upright bass: the rockabilly classic "Hot Rod Lincoln." Meanwhile, "Lit Up" Los Angeles rockers Buckcherry will take on Willie Nelson's cross-country staple "On the Road Again."

Slipknot have also been slated for the album, though their cover choice has yet to be announced. Staind will contribute a previously unreleased track for the compilation, adding a taste of something new for all those backseat woofers and tailgate parties.

Among the other songs up for restoration are Tracy Chapman's 1988 hit "Fast Car" (by Darwin's Waiting Room) and Billy Ocean's "Get Outta My Dreams (Get Into My Car)" (by Fenix TX), which you may remember from the '80s Corey Haim/Corey Feldman slapstick first date joint "License to Drive."

Slayer are expected to peel out a cover of Deep Purple's 1972 classic "Highway Star," though their participation has not yet been confirmed.

Additional artists are still being lined up for the project, which will be released by MCA Records in conjunction with NASCAR and Fox TV.

Tracks confirmed thus far for Crank It Up, according to the label:

• Nonpoint - "Circles"
• Darwin's Waiting Room - "Fast Car"
• Fenix TX - "Get Outta My Dreams (Get Into My Car)"
• Tantric - "Cross the Line"
• Buckcherry "On the Road Again"
• (hed) pe - "Crosstown Traffic"
• Gov't Mule - "Drivin' Rain"
• Fear Factory - "Cars"
• Les Claypool - "Hot Rod Lincoln"

• Slipknot
• Staind
• Fenix TX
• Gov't Mule
• Darwin's Waiting Room

Jimi Hendrix
Photo: Don Nix/Authentic Hendrix LLC

Several performers from last year's gangbuster Jimi Hendrix jam session at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will get to re-Experience the magic at this year's Street Scene festival in San Diego.

Last September 12, an all-star concert featuring former Hendrix bandmates Billy Cox (bass) and Mitch Mitchell (drums) as well as members of Kid Rock, Double Trouble and Buckcherry celebrated the opening of the Jimi Hendrix Surround Sound Theater and Museum and the release of the box set The Jimi Hendrix Experience.

The Street Scene performance on September 8 will feature Hendrix's post-1969 rhythm section, the Band of Gypsys (Cox and drummer Buddy Miles), performing alongside a roster of guitarists including Kenny Olson of Kid Rock, Doyle Bramhall, Eric Gales and Cesar Rosas of Los Lobos.

Rich Robinson of the Black Crowes, Police guitarist Andy Summers, Jonny Lang and the Reverend Horton Heat may step onboard as well, according to the Band of Gypsys' manager, who is still confirming artists for the tribute.

Non-guitarists who will participate include Stevie Ray Vaughan's rhythm section of Tommy Shannon (bass) and Chris Layton (drums) and Living Colour vocalist Corey Glover, the manager said. He also said he hopes some of the artists already scheduled to play Street Scene — including Counting Crows, Taj Mahal and the Phantom Blues Band, Soulive, G. Love & Special Sauce and the Long Beach Dub Allstars — will also show up.

"This kind of collaboration doesn't happen anymore," said event organizer John McDermott, catalog manager of the Experience Hendrix foundation. "So we're invoking Jimi's legacy to make it happen. The goal is to continue to reach out to music fans of all ages and make them aware of Jimi's music."

In addition to witnessing the all-star jam, Street Scene attendees can visit the Red House Exhibit, a traveling museum of Hendrix memorabilia.

Other acts scheduled to play the 2001 Street Scene include Outkast, James Brown, En Vogue, the Offspring, P.O.D., Burning Spear and his Burning Band, Cake, Big Head Todd & the Monsters, Sugarcult, Third World, Eek-a-Mouse, Rollins Band, Cheap Trick, X, Social Distortion, Doug E. Fresh, Jurassic 5, Whodini, the Fixx, Berlin and Rufus Wainwright.

• Jimi Hendrix
• Kid Rock
• Los Lobos
• Buckcherry
• The Black Crowes

KROQ's Inland Invasion: Devore, CA, September 23, 2006

• 30 Seconds To Mars
• Guns N' Roses
• Alice in Chains
• Atreyu
• Buckcherry