Jessica Simpson (file)
Photo: Columbia

Jessica Simpson takes another stab at conquering the charts this week with the release of a revamped In This Skin. The "collector's edition" repackaging includes a few new tracks, including an acoustic version of current single "With You," and a DVD with memorable moments from the first season of "Newlyweds."

Adding Southern flava of a different kind to the mix, Cee-Lo comes with his long-awaited second album, Cee-Lo Green ... Is the Soul Machine, featuring producers such as Timbaland and the Neptunes. And Baby Bash breathes new life into Tha Smokin' Nephew with a chopped and screwed edition, cashing in on a trend that's rapidly gaining momentum.

Nineties feel-good rockers Hootie & the Blowfish return with a greatest-hits album — and before anyone asks if they even had a second album, let alone enough songs for a collection, it's actually been 10 years since lead singer Darius Rucker and company hit the scene. In addition to chart-toppers such as "Hold My Hand" and "Let Her Cry," the album also contains the band's remake of "Goodbye Girl," the theme song for the television adaptation of Neil Simon's play of the same name.

And in the spirit of oldies-but-goodies revisited, '80s mainstay Cheap Trick release Essential Cheap Trick, for all those people trying to relive pop's most colorful decade.

Out Tuesday, March 2:

• All State Champion - It Is Nothing to You (Five One)
• Artimus Pyle – F---ed From Birth (Prank)
• Baby Bash - Tha Smokin' Nephew: Screwed & Chopped (Universal)
• Branford Marsalis - Steep Anthology (Sony)
• Clint Black - Spend My Time (Equity Music Group)
• Cee-Lo - Cee-Lo Green ... Is the Soul Machine (Arista)
  Read: "Neptunes, Ludacris Help Cee-Lo Operate His Soul Machine"
• Cheap Trick - Essential Cheap Trick (Sony)
• Death Comet Crew - This Is Riphop (Troubleman Unlimited)
• Drift - Ribs Is Touchin (Lightyear)
• Get Up Kids - Guilt Show (Vagrant)
  Buy Now: Guilt Show (Vagrant)
• Here Kitty Kitty - This Is Broken (Lorelei)
• Hootie & the Blowfish - The Best of Hootie & the Blowfish, 1993 Thru 2003 (Atlantic)
• Keith Javors - Mo' City Jungle (Zoho)
• Just Jack - The Outer Marker (TVT)
• Jeff Kelly - From the Swan in the Hallway (Hidden Agenda)
• Kill Me Tomorrow - The Garbageman and the Prostitute (Gold Standard Laboratories)
• Denise LaSalle - Love Talkin' (Malaco)
• Layo & Bushwacka! - All Night Long (End Recordings)
• The Living End - Modern Artillery (Reprise)
• Lone Pigeon - Schoozzzmmii (Cargo/Revolver)
• Lunasa - The Kinnitty Sessions (Compass)
• Mahjongg - Machinegong (EP, Cold Crush)
• Kitty Margolis - Heart & Soul: Live in San Francisco (Mad-Kat)
• Dominic Miller - Shapes (Decca)
• Cyril Morin - Western Pansori (Milan)
• PBR Allstars - Buck and Roll Volume One (Universal South)
• Jessica Simpson - In This Skin (reissue, Columbia)
  Read: "Jessica Simpson Plans Breathtaking In This Skin Re-Release"
  Buy Now: In This Skin (Columbia)
  
• Sissel - My Heart (Decca)
• Lisa Sokolov - Presence (Laughing Horse)
• Sunny Jain Collective - Mango Festival (Zoho)
• Sweetback - Stage 2 (Sony)
• Taxi Chain - Smarten Up! (Northernblues)
• Dulcie Taylor - Mirrors and Windows (Black Iris)
• Various artists - Tha Down Low (Razor & Tie)
• DVD: Dave Gahan - Live Monsters (Rhino)
• DVD: Sissel - In Concert: All Good Things (Decca)
• DVD: Xzibit - Strong Arm Steady (Fortress)

March 9:

• BT - Music From and Inspired by the Film "Monster" (Digital Sound)

March 23:

• Johnny Cash - Life (Sony)
• Knoc-Turn'Al - The Way I Am (LA Confidential/Elektra)
• Pastor Troy - By Any Means Necessary (Universal)

March 30:

• Janet Jackson - Damita Jo (Virgin)
  Read: "Janet Jackson Making Sexiest Album Yet, Producer Says"
  Buy Now: Damita Jo (Virgin)

April 6:

• Rahzel - Rahzel's Greatest Knockouts (Readyrock)
  Buy Now: Rahzel's Greatest Knockouts (Readyrock)

• Jessica Simpson
• Cee-Lo
• Hootie & the Blowfish
• Baby Bash
• The Get Up Kids

Outkast will perform during player introductions at the NBA All-Star game, taking place February 15 at Los Angeles' Staples Center. Prior to tip-off, Christina Aguilera will sing the U.S. national anthem and Nelly Furtado will take on the Canadian anthem. The game will be televised on TNT at 8 p.m. ET ...

Rumors started circulating that Britney Spears was seeking help after she was spotted late last week at two Southern California medical facilities — Centinela Hospital in Inglewood and Parkside Medical Center in Santa Monica — but her rep says that there's nothing wrong with the singer. Rather, her mother, Lynne Spears, had the appointments, and the singer was merely tagging along. In the meantime, ABC Family is moving forward with their adaptation of the twosome's book, "A Mother's Gift," called "Holly" in its telepic version. Lindsey Haun, the daughter of Air Supply guitarist Jimmy Haun, has been cast as the Britney-like character, with Virginia Madsen set to play her mom. Production starts in Toronto this week. ... The Cure have been added to this year's Coachella lineup, joining previously announced artists Radiohead, Kraftwerk and a reunited Pixies at the annual event, which takes place May 1-2 in Indio, California. Robert Smith and company will headline the festival's second night. ...

Jadakiss registered to vote for the first time on Monday at "Good Morning America" 's Times Square studios as part of the "One Mind, One Vote" program, set up to support Russell Simmons' Hip-Hop Summit Action Network's voter-registration initiative. LL Cool J, Loon, Bad Boy's Da Band and Jada's LOX teammate Styles were also on hand. ... Ex-Limp Bizkit guitarist Wes Borland and Nine Inch Nails multi-instrumentalist Danny Lohner are likely to appear on the forthcoming album by Rob Zombie, expected to drop near the end of 2004. Lohner is also working on the soundtrack to the forthcoming flick "Hellboy" and has worked with Helmet frontman Page Hamilton on the soundtrack to "Saw," an upcoming horror movie scored by Lohner's NIN bandmate Charlie Clouser. ...

One of Bono's greatest heroes growing up was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., whose words and deeds inspired the singer to honor the late civil-rights activist with the U2 song "Pride (In the Name of Love)." On Saturday in Atlanta, King's widow, Coretta Scott King, returned the honor, presenting Bono with the Salute to Greatness Award. The singer was praised for his efforts to promote AIDS awareness, facilitate funding for those suffering from the disease and to relieve Third World debt. ... A fan's remix of a rare Radiohead song, "Follow Me Around," has become a favorite among the group's legion of followers. Pawel Osmolski took a version of the song frontman Thom Yorke performed solo acoustic at a KROQ holiday show and built a "full band" version around it at his home studio. After releasing it online, his version has showed up on many radio and tastemaker charts in the U.K. No word on whether the band has heard it or whether there are plans to release it as a B-side. ...

Breakdancers and b-boy crews from around the globe will exhibit and compete at the World B-Boy Championships on February 7-8 at Wembley Arena in London. Slick Rick and Ludacris will headline the closing concert in what will be Slick Rick's first performance in the land of his birth in almost two decades. Meanwhile, the Clipse have recorded a theme song for the event, called "Fabulous," which will be available on a special B-Boy Championship compilation to be released that week. ... After nine years with the band, Oasis drummer Alan White has been served his walking papers. White replaced original member Tony McCarroll for the recording of 1995's (What's the Story) Morning Glory? The Britpop band claims not to be currently looking for a replacement, and guitarist Noel Gallagher has been playing drums on early demos for Oasis' next album, expected to drop later this year. ...

SoCal punk vets the Vandals have hitched their wagon to a portion of this summer's Vans Warped Tour and will perform alongside Bad Religion, New Found Glory, Taking Back Sunday and many others. Meanwhile, Non Phixion and Lordz of Brooklyn are among the unsigned and independent acts slated to play the Code of the Cutz stage, the hip-hop performance area that's been part of the tour for the past two years. ... The flap between the family of late Beatle George Harrison and the doctor who was treating him when he died appears to be over. Harrison's family, which had accused Dr. Gilbert Lederman of coaxing Harrison to autograph his son's guitar while he lie dying, has agreed to drop the lawsuit against him if he disposes of the guitar. ...

Former Smashing Pumpkins/ Zwan frontman Billy Corgan will join Mott the Hoople frontman Ian Hunter, Giant Sand's Howe Gelb, Calexico and the Jayhawks in contributing to the two-disc Por Vida, a benefit album to help singer/songwriter Alejandro Escovedo cover his medical expenses as he battles Hepatitis C. The LP is due in April. ... A head-on collision with two parked cars can't stop Andrew W.K. The hyperactive hipster drove into the sedentary sedans while filming an episode of his upcoming MTV2 series. The cars were totaled but Andrew walked away without much damage. ...

Former Judas Priest drummer Dave Holland claimed in a British court Monday that he did not attempt to rape a mentally impaired teenager to whom he was giving drum lessons. He said that he was bisexual and simply assumed the teenager was, too. ... The Offspring will play a free outdoor concert on January 27 in Aspen, Colorado, following the conclusion of the 2004 ESPN Winter X Games. ...

Sex Pistols frontman Johnny Rotten (a.k.a. John Lydon) will take part in the British reality series "I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here." The show, which starts airing January 26, will feature Rotten duking it out in the Australian outback with a host of quasi stars. ... Aerosmith have announced dates for a lengthy North American tour with power pop veterans Cheap Trick. The first show will be March 11 in Lubbock, Texas, and the two bands will remain on the road through June 28 in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. ...

Following Johnny Santos' departure earlier this month, Spineshank are on the hunt for a new vocalist. Those interested in screaming for the Shank are asked to send music, photo and bios to: Scott Koenig c/o King Artist Management; N. Kings Rd # 102; West Hollywood, CA 90069; or they can e-mail to Spineshanksinger@aol.com. ...

01.16.2004

Beenie Man was moved from the Spanish Town Hospital in St. Catherine to the private St. Joseph's Hospital in Kingston, Jamaica, on Thursday after undergoing surgery following his single-car accident earlier that morning. In a statement, police said they believe Beenie Man was speeding in his Hummer and not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident, which occurred along a stretch of the Mandela Highway that was under construction. He is expected to stay in the hospital for at least three weeks. ...

Ron O' Neal, who starred as the uptown drug dealer Youngblood Priest in the 1972 blaxploitation classic "Superfly," died Wednesday night after a lengthy bout with cancer. He was 66. While the film was criticized for glorifying the lifestyle of the inner-city drug dealer, O'Neal's character was celebrated by a generation of rap stars, such as Snoop Dogg, who mimicked his sartorially regal street style in his music videos. ... Willie Nelson and Toby Keith will perform at the Super Bowl XXXVIII pre-game show on February 1 at Reliant Stadium in Houston. They join previously announced acts Aerosmith and Josh Groban. ...

A hearing held on Thursday to determine whether C-Murder will get a new murder trial has been postponed until Wednesday. According to the rapper's attorney, the court is awaiting testimony from one of the key prosecution witnesses who appeared in the original trial. The witness was expected to appear at the hearing, but the prosecution claimed that it could not locate her to serve her with a subpoena. The defense is now trying to track the witness down to do so. In the previous hearing on December 12, prosecuting attorneys argued that they did not know that the witness was a convicted felon and had no method of finding out this information because her criminal record had been expunged. At the hearing this week, it was established that the witness' criminal record was on file, accessible, and had been there for over a year. ...

Aaron Carter, singer and brother of Backstreet Boy Nick Carter, dropped his request for legal emancipation from his parents after meeting with a family lawyer on Sunday. The request stemmed from allegations that his mother, Jane Carter, had taken more than $100,000 from his bank account without permission. Only two days later, Jane, who separated from Aaron's, father, Robert in March, was arrested for assaulting her estranged husband's new girlfriend, Ginger Elrod. Carter allegedly broke a window to get into her husband's home and then attacked Elrod, pulling her from the bed by her hair and beating her. ... Michelle Branch and Gavin DeGraw are going to college — 18 of them, in fact. They, along with newcomers Joe Firstman and Michael Tolcher, will hit the road this spring on the Virgin College Megatour. Besides the performances, concertgoers can experience an interactive village and receive special giveaways. A full itinerary is expected to be announced next month. ...

The 14th Annual Tibet House Benefit concert hosted by composer and artistic director Philip Glass will feature ex-Talking Heads singer David Byrne, Kinks frontman Ray Davies, Bright Eyes, Keb' Mo', Yo La Tengo as well as a few surprise guests. The show will take place on February 25 at New York's Carnegie Hall. ... R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe and Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst will appear on the debut album from Now It's Overheard, a band fronted by Oberst's bandmate, guitarist Andy Lemaster. The album, called Hold on Love, is due March 9. ...

SoCal punks Pennywise will hit the road once again to support From the Ashes, their seventh album, which dropped in September. The five-week trek begins January 21 in Atlanta and runs through February 29 in Minneapolis. Guttermouth, Bleed the Dream and Stretch Arm Strong will open the shows. ... A new collection of music from late Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia and mandolin virtuoso David Grisman, Been All Around This World, will be released on March 23. The seventh release culled from collaborations between the two will include covers of Bob Dylan's "The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest" and James Brown's "It'll Go Crazy." ...

Following a successful reunion tour last fall, Primus will play another 14 shows starting February 24 in Kansas City, Kansas, and running through March 13 in Washington, D.C. The band is playing with its original lineup for the first time since 1996. ... Skye Sweetnam, whose single "Billy S." was featured on last summer's "How to Deal" soundtrack, will release her debut album, Noise From the Basement, on April 20. The 15-year-old co-wrote and recorded the album in the basement of her parents' home with 21-year-old multi-instrumentalist James Robertson. Included are a cover of Blondie's "Heart of Glass" and the girl-power anthem and first single "Number One," which Eric Valentine (Good Charlotte) co-produced. ...

• OutKast
• Britney Spears
• Jadakiss
• Cheap Trick
• The Cure

As Britney Spears tries to move on from her little adventure in Las Vegas, she starts rehearsals this month for her upcoming tour, now dubbed the Onyx Hotel Tour. So what's the Onyx Hotel? As a post on the singer's Web site explains, it's a "unique, mysterious hotel powered by an onyx stone," where guests who enter shine their own light into the gemstone and make their fantasies come to life. "It's a vibrant, whimsical place where wondrous dreams are realized, and the darkest of secrets are revealed," the post reads. Fans will have to wait until March 2, when Spears kicks off the tour in San Diego, to find out how that works. ... Meanwhile, Britney will always have Vegas, and Vegas will always have her ... on wax. Spears' likeness at Madame Tussauds has been given wedding regalia of a sort — in the form of a veil, a bouquet and a garter belt, making it an instant tourist attraction, where men have been getting down on one knee to propose. ...

The flow of information in the Michael Jackson case is now up to a judge. The district attorney's office filed a request this week for a gag order to prohibit Jackson, his attorney Mark Geragos and others with connections to the case from talking to the media. Geragos plans to file a motion opposing the gag order on Monday. The media, on the other hand, is fighting for access for more information, as six news organizations — CNN, FOX News, CBS, ABC, NBC and The New York Times — have jointly filed papers requesting that certain court documents be unsealed. Meanwhile, an attorney representing the family of Jackson's accuser has filed a formal complaint about the leak of a confidential child-welfare agency memo, which was posted on the Smoking Gun Web site last month. ...

Josh Groban has joined the Super Bowl pre-game lineup, the NFL announced Thursday (January 8). Groban will perform "You Raise Me Up" accompanied by an 80-person choir prior to Beyoncé's rendition of the national anthem. The Super Bowl, which takes place February 1 in Houston, will be televised on CBS at 6 p.m. ET. ... A Perfect Circle will launch a spring tour on March 18 in Salt Lake City. Dates run through April 16 in Chicago. No support acts have been announced. Next week the band will begin its European tour. ...

On Tuesday, Station club fire survivor Joe Kinan left a rehabilitation center in Boston to continue his recovery at home. Kinan, who is the last survivor to leave the hospital, suffered major burns over much of his upper torso and arms and lost fingers and parts of his nose and ears in the blaze. ... Fans can see as well as hear Incubus when the band's sixth album, A Crow Left of the Murder, drops February 3. A limited number of copies will include video clips of the band's performances on last summer's Lollapalooza Tour and at Neil Young's Bridge School Benefit concert in October. ...

Mandy Moore played a brief surprise set Wednesday night at the relatively intimate Knitting Factory, following the Hollywood premiere of her romantic comedy "Chasing Liberty." Dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, in stark contrast to the gown she was wearing just a few hours before, Moore apologized to the crowd for losing her voice as she made her way through six songs from her recent covers album, Coverage. ... The owner of a Baja Fresh restaurant franchise in Austin, Texas, has decided against demolishing a wall painted with a popular mural by local artist Daniel Johnston. Why does anyone care? Both the artist and the mural, titled "The Frog," were a favorite of late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, who once wore a T-shirt bearing a picture of the mural (www.hihowareyou.com). After protests by numerous locals, the restaurant owner, John Oudt, decided to stop the wall's demolition. ...

Electronic producer Danger Mouse has plans to create The Grey Album, a mash-up record that combines the vocals from Jay-Z's recently released The Black Album with new beats crafted from samples of the Beatles' classic The White Album. Danger Mouse is calling this an "art project/experiment" and does not have official plans to distribute the work in stores when it is completed in February. ... "The Beatles' First U.S. Visit," a new DVD due February 3 in the U.S. and February 9 internationally, will feature never-before-seen footage of the band's 1964 two-week tour of the United States. Albert and David Maysles shot the documentary, which is being released to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the tour. ...

Avenged Sevenfold, IMA Robot and the Beautiful Mistake are the latest additions to this summer's Vans Warped Tour lineup. The annual summer trek, whose marquee acts include New Found Glory, Coheed and Cambria and Bad Religion, kicks off June 25. Meanwhile, the inaugural Warped Tour Japan has added Andrew W.K. to its bill. That trek, which features the Bouncing Souls, Poison the Well and Thursday, begins Saturday in Tokyo. ... Jason Mraz, Shelby Lynne, Joe Jackson, the All-American Rejects, John Doe, Clem Snide, Morcheeba and DJ sets by Tommy Lee, Perry Farrell and Sasha are just a few of the musical attractions at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival, talking place January 15-25 in Park City, Utah. The Metallica documentary "Some Kind of Monster" and "Dig," a documentary on the parallels and sometimes tumultuous relationship of the Dandy Warhols and Brian Jonestown Massacre, are among the music-minded film highlights. ...

MC5's Wayne Kramer, Faith No More's Billy Gould, Rise Against's Tim McIlrath and Anti-Flag's Christopher Barker, who is a cofounder of the Underground Action Alliance, are hosting a rally for their Punkvoter organization Sunday in Des Moines, Iowa, home of the first caucuses, January 19. "I'm coming to Iowa to carry a message of change to punk rockers, and to all young people, that government policies are out of control," the anti-Bush Kramer said in a statement. "Come to the aid of our country now. Hear the facts and work together to influence change." ... Aerosmith and Cheap Trick will hit the road together starting in March and running through June. The only announced show is April 18 in Quebec, but more dates will be announced soon. Aerosmith will be touring behind their upcoming blues record, tentatively titled Honking on Bobo, and Cheap Trick will be supporting their 2003 album, Special One. Both discs were produced by Jack Douglas, who has worked on and off with both bands since the '70s. ...

Singer/songwriter Howie Day continues to tour in support of his second album, Stop All the World Now. A 13-date trek begins February 6 in Washington, D.C., after which Day will take the stage with Barenaked Ladies for a one-off show on March 5 in Lexington, Kentucky. ... Not many besides Fantômas fans can appreciate the brilliance of an album that contains just one song. Delirium Cordia, which has been pushed back to a January 27 release date, is just that — one epic, 55-minute opus that can only stem from the twisted minds of singer Mike Patton; the bassist in his former band Mr. Bungle, Trevor Dunn; Melvins guitarist Buzz Osbourne; and Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo. ... Vast's third album will be the first release on Carson Daly and former Loud Records co-owner Jonathan Rifkind's 456 Entertainment. The LP, titled Nude, is due February 24. …

01.07.04

He's a semi-pro basketball player now, but Master P is making a play to be a rap artist again. He's readying the release of a new album, Good Side Bad Side, which will include a DVD movie of the same name, a practice he promises with all future No Limit releases. In the meantime, he's finishing two other flicks, "Uncle P," in which he co-stars with his son Lil' Romeo, and "Still Bout It," the sequel to his 1997 movie, "I'm Bout It." ...

In collaboration with MTV's Choose or Lose, Rock the Vote will host their annual Rock the Vote Awards on February 7 at the Hollywood Palladium. The pre-Grammy bash/fund-raiser will feature performances by the Black Eyed Peas and N.E.R.D. ... Tracks from nominees for the 46th annual Grammy Awards are packaged on the compilation 2004 Grammy Nominees CD, due January 20. The 21-track album includes Beyoncé's "Crazy in Love," Coldplay's "Clocks" and Eminem's "Lose Yourself," among others. ... The Rooney concert may be sold out in the OC, but you can rock out with Marissa, Ryan and the rest of the gang from the TV series "The O.C." right from your living room. The band will appear as special guests on the FOX show on Wednesday (January 7). ...

A solo song by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and a previously unreleased 1971 performance of "All the Madmen" by David Bowie will be included on the soundtrack for the movie "Mayor of the Sunset Strip." The flick tells the story of Los Angeles DJ Rodney "On the Roq" Bingenheimer, who helped break numerous bands over the years. The album comes out March 18 and the film hits screens March 26. ... The estate of late Beatles guitarist George Harrison has filed a $10 million lawsuit against the doctor who treated Harrison in his final days. The suit, which was filed on Tuesday in Brooklyn Federal Court, claims Dr. Gilbert Lederman coerced the rock legend to autograph a guitar for the doctor's teen son, and further asserts that the doc had to help Harrison hold the pen and guide it across the instrument. ...

The overweight lover will be in the house this spring. After producing records for everyone from Cash Money to Ludacris to P. Diddy, Jazze Pha has finally decided to release his debut, Big Love, in the next few months. Helping the rotund performing producer on his LP are Snoop Dogg, Nelly, T.I. and Big Boi. ... Ghostface, who's dropped the "Killah" from his moniker, will drop his next album, The Pretty Tony Album, on March 2. This will be Ghost's first album for his new label, Def Jam. The video for the leadoff single, "Run," which features Jadakiss, is being shot in New York this weekend. ...

The Black Crowes are no more, but the Robinson boys seem to be flying high. Guitarist Rich Robinson plans to debut new material at a handful of tour dates beginning January 15 in Trenton, New Jersey. He'll be backed by a trio that includes drummer Bill Dobrow of his first post-Crowes project, Hookah Brown. Brother Chris, meanwhile, is readying a band of his own. The unnamed project features Stone Temple Pilots' Eric Kretz and brothers Robert and Dean DeLeo. And on Wednesday, Chris' wife, actress Kate Hudson, gave birth to Ryder Russell Robinson (8 lbs., 11 oz.) in Los Angeles. ... For those about to face off in the squared circle — as well as those who just like to watch — the WWE has got just the thing to fire you up. WWE Originals, due January 13, features original songs by top pro wrestlers, including Chris Jericho, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Booker T and Kurt Angle. The set also features a DVD on the making of the album. ...

Frank Black, in the process of getting his old band the Pixies back together, is set to deliver the keynote address at the fourth annual DIY Convention: Do It Yourself In Film, Music & Books, taking place February 5-7 in Hollywood. Black will speak about his career, the state of the entertainment industry and his plans for 2004. ... '80s hard rockers Tesla will release the new studio album Into the Now on March 9. The band has been working with producer Michael Rosen for the past two years and has concocted 12 songs, including the tracks "Look @ Me," "Heaven Nine Eleven" and "Mighty Mouse." ...

Thin Lizzy will return to the road at the end of January. The first date is January 30 in Salt Lake City, and the band will headline through February 7 in Spokane, Washington. The group will be joined the next day by Deep Purple, and the rock legends will continue to tour together through March 1 in New York. ... Now that he's joined Ozzy Osbourne's band, former Rob Zombie bassist Rob "Blasko" Nicholson has parted ways with Page Hamilton's newest incarnation of Helmet. Guitarist Chris Traynor will be handling bass duties in the studio for the time being. ...

Sense Field have decided to call it quits. "Each of us is ready to go off on our own and try different paths in life. There are no hidden reasons for the split," reads a statement on their Web site. The California band, which featured singer Jonathan Bunch and guitarist Chris Evenson from the seminal hardcore band Reason to Believe, released two full-length albums through Revelation, a record through Warner Bros. and two through Nettwerk, including last year's Living Outside. ... Dope bassist Sloane "Mosey" Jentry has quit the band to settle down with his girlfriend, according to a post on the band's Web site. He has been replaced by Powerman 5000's Adrian for Dope's tour, which starts January 9 in Columbus, Ohio. Dates run through February 21. Following the tour, the band will seek a full-time replacement. ...

• Britney Spears
• Michael Jackson
• A Perfect Circle
• Josh Groban
• Cheap Trick

The Neptunes and Fatboy Slim have remixed the Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil." The remixes, released in conjunction with the band's European summer tour, will hit overseas radio next week. ...

The all-star lineup of the Rolling Stones' Toronto gig keeps growing. The Tea Party and Blue Rodeo will now join Justin Timberlake, AC/DC, Rush, the Guess Who, Sam Roberts, the Flaming Lips, Kathleen Edwards, the Isley Brothers, Sass Jordan and La Chicane at the extravaganza, which will take place on July 30 at an old military base. ...

In support of their album A Mark, a Mission, a Brand, a Scar, due August 12, Dashboard Confessional have announced new dates for their fall tour. The band is covering more territory, hitting up venues on the West Coast, and ending up in St. Paul, Minnesota, on October 7. ...

For those who think the music of the Pretenders is for the birds: Vocalist Chrissie Hynde was arrested in Paris on Wednesday for protesting the inhumane treatment of chickens by fast-food chains. The singer and various members of the animal-rights group PETA were blocking traffic and smearing blood-red paint across the window of a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant. Hynde was taken to a local police station and released an hour later. ...

Cake have announced dates for the second Unlimited Sunshine Tour, which this time around will include Cheap Trick and the Detroit Cobras, among others. The outing kicks off September 2 in Atlanta and wraps up September 20 in Universal City, California. ...

07.15.2003

Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose wandered into the Crazy Horse Too in Las Vegas Wednesday morning (July 16) and treated the nearly empty strip club to a preview of tracks from his band's long-delayed Chinese Democracy album. In addition to blasting new cuts over the club's PA system, Rose also visited the VIP room, ordered champagne and signed autographs, according to an employee. ...

Justin Timberlake's "Rock Your Body," along with songs from Jennifer Lopez, B2K and Jay-Z, are featured on Now That's What I Call Music! Vol. 13, due Tuesday. Coldplay, Sum 41 and Godsmack are among the rock bands on the album. ... Courtney Love has joined forces with manga publisher Tokyopop for a comic based on her life. The series, "Princess Ai," follows the adventures of the princess of a mysterious land who disguises herself as a performer and takes refuge in the nightclubs of Kabushiki-cho. Love's character uses the stage both to express herself and hide from attackers. Story lines and dialogue will revolve around Love's lyrics. The creative director for "Princess Ai" is D.J. Milky ("Karma Klub") and the character designer is Ai Yazawa ("Paradise Kiss"). ...

Metallica will play a one-off gig between Summer Sanitarium shows on August 6 at Salt Lake City's USANA Amphitheatre. Tickets go on sale Saturday. ... U2 frontman Bono received an honorary law degree from Dublin's Trinity College on Friday in recognition of his Drop the Debt campaign and his commitment to human rights in the developing world. ...

Along with working on Britney Spears and Shakira's next albums, producers the Matrix have time allotted with a wide range of other acts, including New York garage rockers the Mooney Suzuki, pop stars Ronan Keating and Christina Milian, and TV Eyes, featuring members of Beck's band, Air and Jellyfish. Samantha Moore, Darius, Busted, Keaton Simons and Swollen Members are also on the production trio's plate. ...

A nonprofit group called Station Fire Fund has been started by survivors of the February blaze at Rhode Island's Station club that killed 100. The organization will benefit the families of victims killed or injured in the fire. So far, the Station Fire Fund has raised $10,000 and provided $8,000 to pay for funerals, medical care, bills and groceries. ... Tommy Stinson — former bassist for the Replacements and current bassist for the new Guns N' Roses — is hitting the road for a three-week club tour in late August. The trek kicks off August 24 in Albany, New York, and continues through September 13 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Meanwhile, Stinson is finishing up his upcoming solo record, which includes contributions from A Perfect Circle drummer Josh Freese, GN'R guitarist Richard Fortus, keyboardist Dizzy Reed, guitarist Dave Philips and saxophone player Jason Freese. ...

ZZ Top's Mescalero, which had been slated for release in the spring, will now drop in the U.S. on September 9 via RCA. The boogeyrock journeymen are currently touring in Europe with the Rolling Stones. ... Neil Young's upcoming release, Greendale, is scheduled to hit stores on August 19. Crazy Horse drummer Ralph Molina and bassist Billy Talbot join Young on the album, which will also be released as a DVD in September. ...

• The Neptunes
• The Rolling Stones
• Dashboard Confessional
• Justin Timberlake
• Chrissie Hynde

50 Cent just keeps on giving. His fans who purchased his DVD "The New Breed" will be now be able to get even more extras: According to 50's spokesperson, if you have the DVD you can log onto www.50cent.com beginning next week and see the uncensored version of 50's "Many Men" video (which has not aired yet), hear unreleased music from the Queens MC and download a 50 freestyle to your mobile phone, among other perks. ...

Just what sort of homegrown horticulture is Blink-182 bassist/vocalist Mark Hoppus into? Find out in October, when he appears on the Home and Garden Television special "Rock Gardens," which features musicians talking about and offering tours of their private gardens. Also confirmed for the show are Jefferson Airplane/Starship's Grace Slick and the Monkees' Micky Dolenz. ...

Guitarist Daron Malakian, who is spending his time during a System of a Down hiatus producing Bad Acid Trip (one the bands signed to Serj Tankian's Serjical Strike Records), is also putting together his own label through Columbia Records. Amen will likely be the first band he signs. ... Scott Weiland has co-produced nine of the 11 tracks on Florida rock band Cinder's debut album, Break Your Silence, due June 10, according to Stone Temple Pilots' Web site. Weiland also wrote lyrics and sings on a tune called "Lush." ...

A Tribe Called Quest will unearth "The Night He Got Caught" and some other never-before-released songs on Hits, Rarities and Remixes, due June 17. The album will also include classics like "Check the Rhyme" and "Scenario," and remixes of "Oh My God" and "Lyrics to Go." ... Rah Digga and Russell Simmons will be among the guest speakers at City Hall Park in New York on Wednesday at The Source Youth Foundation's second annual Campaign for Summer Jobs Youth Action Day. The organization works to ensure funding for a summer youth employment program. ...

Iron Maiden and their zombie mascot Eddie are returning to the road. The band's first U.S. date, July 25 in Holmdel, New Jersey, will follow a lengthy European tour. Two other New York-area shows and two California performances have been scheduled, the last of which is August 29 in Concord, California. Additional shows will follow. The Give Me Ed ... Til I'm Dead Tour also features Dio and Motörhead. ... Terence Trent D'Arby will release his first album since 1995, Jackpot, on June 3. The 19-track disc was produced by D'Arby (a.k.a. Sananda Maitreya), and features collaborations with Glen Ballard and Dallas Austin. ...

Cheap Trick will release their first album in six years on July 8. Special One, issued by the band's own Cheap Trick Unlimited Records, was recorded last year by producer Chris Shaw (Bob Dylan, Sheryl Crow) with help from Dan "The Automator" Nakamura (Gorillaz, Handsome Boy Modeling School), Steve Albini (Breeders, Pixies) and Jack Douglas (Aerosmith, Alice Cooper). ... Sony Music is giving fans a crack at making the ultimate Bob Dylan record. The company is offering a long list of Dylan singles, rarities and live recordings to fans through www.custommixcd.com, and inviting them to pick 12 songs and one of numerous pieces of cover art to complete the package at a cost of $15 plus shipping and handling. ...

Call it your one-stop shopping tour for all your downtempo electronic needs. One-man lap-pop artists, comrades and labelmates Four Tet (Kieran Hebden) and Manitoba (Dan Snaith) will embark on a joint North American tour starting May 22 in Minneapolis in support of their new albums Rounds and Up in Flames, respectively. Snaith will leave the tour after the June 1 date in Philadelphia, and will be replaced by Cincinnati turntablist Boom Bip. Click-hop artist Prefuse 73 will join the gearhead friendly trek on select dates. After the tour, Hebden will work with Beth Orton on the follow-up to her 2002 LP, Daybreaker, and then remix the track "Scatterbrain" from Radiohead's upcoming Hail to the Thief. ...

Cocteau Twins co-founder Robin Guthrie will release his first solo album, Imperial, in time for summer. The influential ethereal guitar pop group's early albums Garlands, Head Over Heels, Treasure and Victorialand were recently remastered by Guthrie and will be released before the end of the year. ... Swing band Big Bad Voodoo Daddy have recorded what they are calling a love letter to the music of New Orleans. Save My Soul is due July 8 and will be promoted with a national tour. ... Famed label Sire Records, which had released albums by the Ramones and Talking Heads before its partnership with London Records rolled over in 2001, will ride again with new signee the Von Bondies. The label had previously been around in name only on Warner Bros.-distributed releases of the Burning Heart/Epitaph imprint, such as LPs from the Hives and Distillers. ...

04.24.03

Eminem and Nas will receive awards at Saturday's Detroit Hip-Hop Summit at Cobo Arena. Em will be given the Outstanding Achievement Award for charitable contributions to Detroit, while Nas will receive the Heroes Award for "I Can," an "inspiring song in which he empowers young people to believe they can be whatever they aspire to be," according to organizers. ...

Jack Black plays the Mooney Suzuki's road manager in the group's new video for "In a Young Man's Mind." And to repay the comedian, the garage band will appear in Black's upcoming Tenacious D movie. ... Flawless Records signees the Revolution Smile and Detroit rapper Marz have been added to Ozzfest's second stage. Revolution Smile are enlisted for the first half of the tour, June 28 to July 25. Onetime Insane Clown Posse associate Marz then assumes the position from July 30 to August 28. New Zealand garage rockers the Datsuns will also bolster the tour, opening up the main stage for five dates between July 20 and 30. ...

Winona Ryder was in the VIP section at the Primal Scream show in New York on Wednesday. The diminutive actress leaned over the railing to watch the band, but left her perch after the fourth song. Near the end of the night, vocalist Bobby Gillespie dedicated a song to Ryder, who had apparently been backstage drinking the band's beer. ... After months of arduous negotiations, Jane's Addiction have signed with Capitol Records, which will release the band's third studio album, Hypersonic, in July. ...

Wayne Wonder has teamed up with hip-hop's eighth wonder for a remix. Wayne enlisted the services of LL Cool J for a new version of the reggae hit "No Letting Go." Cool J took the opportunity to give light to his new artist Duchess, who appears on the song as well. ... Patti LaBelle is working like a woman half her age. She's finishing up her still-untitled first album for her new label, Def Jam Classics. So far Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, R. Kelly, 7 Aurelius, Wyclef Jean and the duo of Andre Harris and Vidal Davis have either produced tracks or are slated to hit the lab with the singing legend. ... Meanwhile, LaBelle is on the road promoting her cookbook, "Lite Cuisine," which will drop around Mother's Day. She'll kick off her summer tour on May 30 in Oakland, California, with Jaheim and Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly. ...

With the Oscars moving next year to February 29, around the time the Grammys are normally held, the Recording Academy is bumping up its annual awards show to February 8. In a chain reaction effect, the American Music Awards have moved from January back to November 16, 2003. ... MC Lyte, whose Da Undaground Heat Vol.1 is due May 6, will appear on the April 29 episode of UPN's new hip-hop drama, "Platinum," and may play a recurring role in the show. "I feel the series depicts the hip-hop game in a real authentic way," the rapper said. Ginuwine will guest in the same episode. ...

With their "Harder to Breathe" single picking up steam, Maroon 5 have been added to the John Mayer and Counting Crows summer tour. The soulful rockers will join the outing July 7 in Denver, after a co-headlining trek with up-and-coming singer/songwriter Jason Mraz. ... The second album by Mike Patton's group Tomahawk, Mit Gas, will come out on May 6. Afterward, the former Faith No More vocalist will focus on finishing the third disc by his other main band, Fantômas, titled Shaq Owns You and tentatively scheduled for release in September. ...

The Colorado venue Red Rocks Amphitheatre, where bands such as U2 and Radiohead have performed legendary shows, will reap the proceeds from the 10-track LP Red Rocks Amphitheatre: Carved in Stone. Featuring live contributions from Phish, Dave Matthews Band, the String Cheese Incident and Widespread Panic, all recorded between 1994 and 2002, the album is available at all Best Buy outlets and online at www.bestbuy.com. ... Influential '80s funk metal band Living Colour will release their first album in 10 years on September 22. The band will record through June, and will hit the road for a two-week tour that starts May 15 in Irvington, New Jersey, and ends May 30 in Poughkeepsie, New York. ...

Paul McCartney has provided one of his previously unreleased songs for use in the film soundtrack for "The In-Laws." "A Love for You" was originally recorded in 1971. The LP will also contain a previously unreleased version of "Live and Let Die" and "I'm Carrying," which was on Wings' 1978 record, London Town. ... Trip-hop pioneer Tricky will issue his new album, Vulnerable, on June 17. The moody, confessional disc features vocals by Italian singer Costanza Francavilla and includes a cover of XTC's "Dear God." ...

Tony Hawk is tweaking some elements of his Boom Boom Huck Jam music and extreme sports tour before taking it out again this fall. "We'll have a whole new ramp setup and more choreography," he said recently. "That was an element people really enjoyed from the first one." ... Local H will release an EP titled No Fun May 27 on the band's new label, Chicago indie Thick Records. The collection includes three new tracks and covers of tracks by the Ramones, Primal Scream and the Godfathers. ... Beautiful Creatures guitarist Michael Thomas has left the band. In a post on the group's official Web site, he said the parting was amicable. The group has made no plans to replace him and will still play Thursday's show (April 24) in Los Angeles. ...

• 50 Cent
• System of a Down
• A Tribe Called Quest
• blink-182
• Cheap Trick

Cheap Trick's Tom Petersson
Photo: Robert Matheu

Cheap Trick want their fans to know that bassist Tom Petersson is not a member of the power-pop collective Swag, and that he only played on two tracks on the band's Catchall album.

The Rockford, Illinois, rockers issued a statement Wednesday apologizing to any of its fans who were misled into thinking that Petersson is the bassist on Catchall's entirety. The statement said that Petersson merely sat in with some old friends — Swag members Robert Reynolds of the Mavericks, Sixpence None the Richer member Jerry Dale McFadden, former Wilco drummer Ken Coomer and singer Doug Powell — on a couple of the album's tracks, even though the Yep Roc/Plug Records release lists him as a band member.

Petersson has never been a member of the group, according to a Cheap Trick spokesperson.

Cheap Trick said they are considering taking legal action against Yep Roc, Plug and Redeye Distribution for misleading album buyers by including Petersson's name on a sticker on the CD packaging and mentioning him prominently in press materials. The band, which is on tour in Europe, claimed in their statement that efforts to settle the situation amicably have failed.

"Yep Roc Records has always proceeded in good faith in dealing with all parties involved and will continue to do so to resolve matters," label spokesperson Glenn Dicker said.

The original incarnation of Swag, which also included Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen and the Mavericks' Paul Deakin, issued a well-received vinyl single called "Sweet Lucinda," a tribute to singer/songwriter Lucinda Williams. The current line-up played a handful of live dates this spring, with different bass players at different shows (see "Members Of Swag Coordinate Schedules For Brief Tour").

• Cheap Trick

Joey Ramone
Photo: MTV News

Blondie, Cheap Trick, the Cramps and the Misfits will be among the artists honoring Joey Ramone at a New York concert on May 19, the day the late punk icon would have turned 50.

Those acts will join the Independents (an act long championed by Joey) and Ramone's brother Mickey Leigh at the sold out "Life's a Gas — Joey Ramone's Birthday Bash," set for New York's Hammerstein Ballroom. Leigh — one of the event's organizers — will take the stage with his group Stop as well as with longtime Ramones producer Daniel Rey.

A spokesperson for the Birthday Bash said organizers are still talking to other acts about performing at the event.

In addition to the live performances, an event spokesperson said other artists will take part via videotaped messages which will be played at the show. Ramone himself will be the subject of a video profile that will be shown at the concert.

Organizers are also putting together a roster of speakers for the event.

When plans for the Birthday Bash were announced last month, organizers did not name any acts, saying they want fans to show up to honor Ramone, not to see a specific band (see "Bands, Fans To Celebrate Joey Ramone's 50th Birthday").

The hugely influential punk figure — whose impact can still be seen with bands such as Blink-182 and Green Day — died on Easter Sunday after a seven-year fight with lymphatic cancer (see "Punk Pioneer Joey Ramone Dead At 49", "Joey Ramone Laid To Rest").

To see Joey and the rest of Queens' favorite sons at one of their final stage performances together - a gig at New York’s legendary CBGB - check out this streamed concert. [Courtesy of www.popwire.com].

• Joey Ramone
• Blondie
• Cheap Trick
• The Cramps
• The Ramones

Swag

NASHVILLE — It's not often, say the members of all-star ensemble Swag, that artists can form a band just for the hell of it and have some fun.

But that's what this assemblage of players from the Mavericks, Wilco, Cheap Trick and Sixpence None the Richer are doing with their one-off group and their new album, Catch-All. "We're having fun," Robert Reynolds of the Mavericks said. "Recording was like a slumber party, where nobody's funny about anything. There's no 'You're stepping on my guitar part.' This was comfortable. This is low-budget, with no compromise to what you're doing. We all play music for a living in major-label situations. Now we're making music just for the sake of making music." This current incarnation of Swag is made up of Reynolds, sometime-Maverick and Sixpence None the Richer musician Jerry Dale McFadden, Cheap Trick's Tom Petersson, former Wilco drummer Ken Coomer, and Nashville musician and singer Doug Powell. An earlier version of the group — which then included Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen, the Mavericks' Paul Deakin and steel player Richard McLaurin — issued a vinyl single as a tribute to Lucinda Williams. "Sweet Lucinda," backed with "Every Little Truth," was a Nashville best-seller and garnered much attention.

With such Nashville friends as power popster Bill Lloyd and guitarist Kenny Vaughan, the current lineup got together, jammed and turned on the tape machine. The atmosphere was so loose, Reynolds said, that an answering machine message from his then-wife, country star Trisha Yearwood, is included (on purpose) in one song.

"If you look closely at that collage of stuff that we put together for the album cover," Reynolds said, "you'll see my wedding ring on there." "We made the record ourselves," he said, "and then we started figuring out who could put it out, and put out a few feelers. We had a couple of feelers from major labels, but decided we didn't want that. Yep Roc [Records] genuinely liked the record." The result is a highly melodious amalgam of new power-pop songs, sounding very much like a new Paul McCartney work. Songs such as "I'll Get By" and "Ride" jangle and jump out of the speakers. Word about the group spread quickly.

"Other indies were interested, but I think they felt they could play off the fame factor, whatever it might be," McFadden said.

Yep Roc "really liked the music," Reynolds added, "and not just because of who was involved. They weren't into it to sell a few records just by throwing some names around." Because of each bandmember's involvement in other groups, organizing a tour is hardly a simple task.

"I don't really know what'll happen, with the record out, once we have to start really playing these dates we promised," Reynolds said. "It's been a scheduling nightmare, and there's no management for the group — we've been reluctant to get that official.

"We don't know Ken's schedule. ... Jerry Dale will have to see what's happening with Sixpence None the Richer. Doug, the other singer/guitar player, is a little freer, but he's got responsibilities to make ends meet at home, with a wife and two children. Cheap Trick is busier than ever right now, so Tom Petersson is in the heart of it." The Swag tour begins with an album release party at Nashville's 12th & Porter on Tuesday and then the group will head to the South by Southwest music conference to play Austin, Texas' Continental Club on Thursday.

Swag tour dates as provided by their record label:

• 3/13 - Nashville @ 12th & Porter
• 3/15 - Austin, TX @ Continental Club
• 3/16 - Houston, TX @ Rudyard's
• 3/18 - Memphis, TN @ Hi-Tone
• 4/06 - Chicago, IL @ Abbey Pub
• 4/07 - St. Louis, MO @ Rocket Bar
• 4/18 - Washington, DC @ Black Cat
• 4/19 - Philadelphia, PA @ Khyber
• 4/20 - New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge
• 4/21 - Hoboken, NJ @ Maxwell's
• 4/22 - Cambridge, MA @ Middle East Club

• The Mavericks
• Cheap Trick
• Wilco
• Sixpence None The Richer

Cheap Trick
Photo: Chuck Jones

To commemorate their 25th year together, rockers Cheap Trick are celebrating with an aptly titled double-live album, Silver. Set for release on February 27 by Cheap Trick Unlimited Records, the 29-track set — recorded during an August 1999 concert in Rockford, Illnois (see "Cheap Trick Anniversary Fest To Feature Art Alexakis, Slash, Others") — includes at least one song from each of the band's thirteen albums, offering something for fans of the band's mainstream work ("I Want You to Want Me," "The Flame") as well as early material ("Oh, Candy," "Gonna Raise Hell").

Guests who turned up for the Silver Anniversary Homecoming Concert at Rockford's Davis Park also appear on the album. Smashing Pumpkins' Billy Corgan plays guitar alongside Rick Nielsen on "Just Got Back," while former Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash and Everclear's Art Alexakis join the band for "You're All Talk" and "Day Tripper," respectively.

Others who appear on the discs include Jon Brant, who temporarily replaced bassist Tom Petersson from 1980-1988; band offspring Miles and Daxx Nielsen and Holland and Ian Zander (the latter two, children of singer Robin); members of the Rockford Symphony Orchestra, who add strings to "Dream Police" and "The Flame"; the Harlem High School Choir from Loves Park, Illinois, and Rockford's Phantom Regiment Drum Corp. Plans for a DVD version of Silver are in the works, according to a spokesperson for the band.

Here's the album's track listing: "Ain't That a Shame"
"I Want You to Want Me"
"Oh, Candy"
"That '70s Song"
"Voices"
"If You Want My Love"
"She's Tight"
"Can't Stop Falling Into Love"
"Gonna Raise Hell"
"I Can't Take It"
"Take Me to the Top"
"It All Comes Back to You"
"Tonight It's You"
"Time Will Let You Know"
"World's Greatest Lover"
"The Flame"
"Stop This Game"
"Dream Police"
"I Know What I Want"
"Woke Up With a Monster"
"Never Had a Lot to Lose"
"You're All Talk"
"I'm Losing You"
"Hard to Tell"
"Oh Claire"
"Surrender"
"Just Got Back"
"Day Tripper"
"Who D'King"

• Cheap Trick
• The Smashing Pumpkins
• Everclear
• Slash

The power-pop legends of Cheap Trick will kick off Minneapolis' annual Hennepin Avenue Block Party with an outdoor performance on its main stage on July 14.

The band's appearance at the event, described as one of the biggest free summer concerts in the Midwest, will officially begin the Minneapolis Aquatennial's "Ten Best Days Of Summer" celebration, which runs from July 14 to July 23 and is expected to draw 50,000 attendees.

Last year, the band's original lineup of singer Robin Zander, guitarist Rick Nielsen, bassist Tom Petersson, and drummer Bun E. Carlos Carlos released the live album "Music For Hangovers" on its own label, Cheap Trick Unlimited.

After promoting the album on such Web sites as Amazon.com, the four men went on to share stages with Smashing Pumpkins singer Billy Corgan and the Foo Fighters, among others (see "Cheap Trick Gets Help From Smashing Pumpkins And Amazon.com For Live Album"). The group can also be heard performing the theme song (a version of Big Star's "In The Street") to the Fox TV series "That '70s Show."

Cheap Trick's July 14 performance at the Hennepin Avenue Block Party will begin at 6:00 p.m. (ET).

• Cheap Trick