Moses, Smell the Roses' Mike Byrne
Photo: myspace.com/taylorharmonphotography

Smashing Pumpkins leader Billy Corgan said he was looking for some new blood when he announced open auditions earlier this year to replace departed drummer Jimmy Chamberlin. And, according to Pumpkins fan site Hipsters United, the great Pumpkin — at this point the only remaining original member of the band — might have found his man in unknown 19-year-old drummer Mike Byrne.

Corgan blogged on Friday that he has found the band's "drummer of the future," explaining that he's still on target to release new music in October. "I've worked with him so far for one week, and all indications are really good that he's the man for the job," Corgan wrote of the unnamed drummer. "Going to work with him some more before it becomes official. Whoever takes the job has quite big shoes to fill, no doubt about it."

Smashing Pumpkins rep Mitch Schneider confirmed to MTV News on Tuesday (June 9) that Corgan is working with Byrne in the studio on demos. "I think he's an incredibly gifted drummer, and so far things are going really well," Corgan said, according to Schneider's statement.

The Hipsters United site quickly dug up some evidence that Corgan was referring to Byrne, who reportedly sits behind the kit for Oregon band Moses, Smell the Roses, in his blog post. Among the evidence is that the Berklee College of Music freshman — who was just 1 when the band's debut album Gish was released — wrote on his MySpace page in mid-May that he was "with the Pumpkins till next Saturday." He then updated his status on Monday to say, "Mike is off for another couple weeks at Pumpkin camp."

Ben Spees, a friend who is recording the latest Moses album, Tweeted on Friday about Corgan's blog post, writing, "Billy Corgan posted about Mike in his blog. Drummer of the future."

If he does make the lineup, Byrne — who reportedly has had only four years of drum lessons — would be the youngest member of the band, led by 42-year-old Corgan. New guitarist Jeff Schroeder is 35, and new bassist Ginger Pooley is 29. A spokesperson for the Pumpkins had no comment at press time.

Either way, it would be a big step up for Byrne, whose band just played a May 29 house show in Beaverton, Oregon. He appears to be having some fun with all the speculation, judging from the gig Moses posted on MySpace for December 31, 2010: "Billy Corgan's House w/Frank Zappa and David Crowder Band." The cost of the gig? $10,000.

[This story was originally published at 4:34 p.m. ET on 06.09.2009]

• The Smashing Pumpkins
• Billy Corgan

Lil Wayne after his arrest in Boise, Idaho, on October 5
Photo: Ada County Sheriff's Office

Lil Wayne was arrested in Boise, Idaho, Friday night on a felony fugitive charge issued in Georgia for allegedly possessing a controlled substance, The Associated Press reports. Wayne, who was booked into the Ada County Jail, was expected to miss a scheduled concert Saturday night because his charges made him ineligible for bond. As a result, an Ada County sheriff's deputy told AP, the jail has been flooded with angry calls from fans. The 25-year-old rapper, born Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., is set to be formally charged Tuesday. ...

"This about to get ugly, this about to go crazy." First T.I. had his way with Britney Spears, and now it's Lil Mama. The diminutive rapper is about to drop a remix of Spears' single "Gimme More," in which she gives the singer some props but spends most of the song boasting about her own skills: "I'm what's hot. Ever see 'G-Slide'? I can bring it back." (Listen here for a preview of the track.) Lil Mama then calls out the "followers," saying she has no competition because she's "so far ahead of my time." And, in what could be an analysis of why Spears has had so many troubles as of late, Lil Mama says, "People always going to tell you what you want to hear," that there's been "too many yeses, not enough noes, not enough real," which means even "the best get torn." Who knew the dance track could be a cautionary tale as well? As Lil Mama raps, "You've been warned by the voice of the young." ...

K-Fed may have physical custody of his children with Spears, but People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is urging him to take the custody battle to the doghouse. In a letter faxed to Federline on Thursday, PETA President Ingrid Newkirk requested that he ask the judge for custody of the couple's pets. "It's no secret that Ms. Spears' impetuous 'pet' purchases and lack of caretaking skills have been a serious concern of ours," she wrote, noting that in 2006 the singer was "the overwhelming choice" for worst celebrity dog owner in polls conducted by New York Dog and Hollywood Dog magazines. Newkirk was also concerned that Britney's latest dog, London, was more of an "accessory" and noted that the Los Angeles chapter of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals had already investigated the dog's lack of veterinary care after breaking his leg when he was stepped on. "As a father, your main concern is the comfort and stability of your children," Newkirk wrote. "London and the other animals whom the boys consider to be part of the family have provided that comfort and stability ... being separated from the animal friends whom they share a bond with is undoubtedly traumatic for them." ...

Jennifer Lopez has a lot more on her hands than just a new album and joint tour with husband Marc Anthony: The couple are expecting twins, TMZ.com reports. The children would be the first for the pair; Anthony has a daughter and two sons from two previous relationships, one of which resulted in marriage. Lopez and Anthony launched their En Concierto trek in late September and will continue on it through a November 2 date in Miami. Her new album, Brave, drops Tuesday. ... The Spice Girls have cooked up their first single in seven years, called "Headlines," according to BBC News. "It's a Spice Girl classic," Geri Halliwell told the news outlet. We are so proud of it. We started putting words down before we even had the finalised 'yes' from everyone." The Girls' reunion world tour launches December 2 in Vancouver, British Columbia, and will be preceded by their Greatest Hits set, due in stores November 20. ...

Owen Wilson briefly attended the Los Angeles premiere of "The Darjeeling Limited," his new movie with director Wes Anderson, on Thursday night, according to People. He reportedly avoided the red carpet and instead entered the theater through a private entrance, after which he joined co-stars Jason Schwartzman and Anjelica Huston, and Natalie Portman (who starred in an Anderson-directed short film tied to "Limited"), onstage. Anderson introduced Wilson as "my best friend," and the audience reacted with strong applause. "I've never made a movie without him. And I hope I never have to," Anderson added. It was Wilson's first major public appearance since he was hospitalized following what police deemed a suicide attempt. ...

Kanye West and designer Takashi Murakami, who have collaborated together on 'Ye's album covers, are putting their heads together again for a collection of gold, manga-style pendants, according to Women's Wear Daily. The rapper wore a diamond-studded one out to Givenchy's in New York earlier this week, according to WWD. "They'll be more accessible, they won't be all diamonds," he reportedly said. "The eyes are not perfectly done. Murakami cringes when he sees the eyes." ... Kid Rock tested out a handful of new songs at a surprise show at Emerald Theatre in Mount Clemens, Michigan, on Thursday night, according to The Detroit News. The show, which ran more than two hours long, had reportedly been announced less than 24 hours earlier, and tickets sold out in five minutes. ...

Beyoncé must be breathing a little easier — the singer hasn't encountered opposition from Muslim groups in Indonesia over her planned November 1 concert there, according to Reuters. She won't have to follow a strict dress code, which she would have had she performed in Malaysia, the country previously scheduled to host the show. ... Ginuwine has filed a lawsuit in New York against King Music Group Inc., according to AP. In the suit, the R&B star claims he was tricked into signing a contract with a record label that didn't even exist. He said he was persuaded to ink the deal back in May, and according to the contract, he was to receive $1.75 million, including a $500,000 advance, to record his first album for the label. But five months later, he hasn't put out any material and hasn't been paid a dime. The lawsuit claims there's no corporate record for King Music Group Inc. anywhere in New York, California, Florida or Tennessee. The filing charges breach of contract, fraud and negligent misrepresentation, and seeks $4 million in damages. ...

Brad isn't the only previously defunct project Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard is reuniting — he's also bringing back Green River, an early Seattle grunge act that featured PJ's Jeff Ament, and Mudhoney's Mark Arm and Steve Turner. The band has scheduled one reunion gig, for Sub Pop's 20th anniversary concert next summer. ... The reunions continue with news that Eve 6 have also been resurrected, three years after splitting up. The group plans to write and record its next full-length effort early next year, with a full North American headlining tour expected to follow. ... And it's been nearly 10 years since we've heard new music from Portishead, but it seems the act is finishing up its third studio album — although it might not sound like you'd expect. According to band principal Geoff Barrow, the still-untitled effort will feature new elements. "It sounds pretty different from what we have done before," he wrote on the band's Web site. "I don't think the fondue society will be happy." ...

Of Montreal, Ween, Sebadoh, Caribou and Man Man are among the initial list of bands for the spring All Tomorrow's Parties shindig, set to take place in England over the course of two weekends in May. Dates, as well as 24 more artists, will be announced for the event, which is being co-curated by ATP and Pitchfork. ... Carbon/Silicon — the band featuring the ex-Clash singer/guitarist Mick Jones and former Generation X bassist Tony James — will release their debut album, The Last Post, October 23. The band formed in 2004. ...

Just like Magic, Bruce Springsteen might have another LP on the way. The Boss, who just issued his new album this week, has a pile of leftovers "that I think are great songs and should end up somewhere, but they just didn't quite fit with this group," producer Brendan O'Brien told Billboard.com. Springsteen has already put out four albums in the last five years, with 2002's The Rising ending a seven-year studio dry spell. On a more bizarre note, an Olympic equestrian is suing Springsteen for breach of contract after the rocker allegedly reneged on a deal to a horse worth $850,000. Todd Minikus filed a suit Thursday in a Florida court, claiming Springsteen and wife Patti Scialfa had put a $25,000 deposit on the horse but later reconsidered buying the animal for their daughter. ...

Isaac Hanson left a Dallas hospital on Friday after recovering from surgery for a pulmonary embolism, caused by a blood clot in the extremities breaking away and traveling to the lungs. The eldest member of Hanson expects to make a full recovery and is due to be released from the hospital Friday (October 5). The band's agents and promoters are trying to reschedule makeup days for the shows it missed. ... Shaggy lives! The dancehall star will perform "Church Heathen" at the Samuel Peters/ Jameel McCline World Boxing Council heavyweight fight at New York's Madison Square Garden on Saturday. The song is featured on his new CD, Intoxication, out November 13.

10.04.07

Nick Cannon has split up with his fiancee, Victoria's Secret model Selita Ebanks, according to People. "Selita and Nick are taking a break to focus on their careers but still very much love each other and remain the best of friends," Ebanks' representative Melissa Raubvogel told the magazine. In early May, Cannon and Ebanks became engaged after the actor took her on a ride in a chauffeured Rolls-Royce Phantom to New York's Times Square — right across the street from the MTV offices — where "Selita, will you marry me?" appeared on the giant Jumbotron. ...

A year after Jadakiss was arrested in Yonkers, New York, and hit with drug and gun charges, prosecutors have dropped the case against the rapper (born Jason T. Phillips) and his co-defendant, Kristian Smith. The Associated Press reports that the Westchester Country district attorney's office asked a judge to dismiss the charges against 'Kiss last week, less than a month after a jury acquitted a third man who was arrested in the case. Darnell Frazier was cleared when DNA tests didn't link any of the three men to the guns found in the car. The rapper's lawyer said it was a "travesty" that the case went as far as it did and that the charges have affected his career. ...

After stunning the music world with their pay-what-you-want download scheme for their upcoming album, In Rainbows, Radiohead are putting the finishing touches on a major-label deal to get the album in stores as well. In an interview with BBC Radio 4, the band's managers said they expect to sign a deal within the week. "We've got about seven days to sort it out. We tend to fly by the seat of our pants," co-manager Chris Hutton said. "The band are incredibly proud of this record and feel that it deserves to be brought into the mass marketplace. That's why we need a record company who have that infrastructure to deliver the CD." ...

Did "Hannah Montana" fans get cheated? Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel is seeking documents from five ticket-sale sites as he investigates whether a fast sellout of a Miley Cyrus concert violated scalping laws, AP reports. Frustrated parents have complained about scalpers selling tickets at four to five times the face value. McDaniel has given the companies 20 days to respond and, on September 21, issued a consumer alert warning parents to research who was selling the tickets before purchasing them. The city council in Kansas City, Missouri, is also looking into the sales. ...

Billy Corgan is stepping up to help the family of Dr. Robert Moog preserve the late electronic-synthesizer pioneer's legacy. The Bob Moog Foundation, which was created after his death in 2005, is planning a Bob Moog Museum and trying to preserve decaying Moog artifacts — schematics, Moog prototypes, reel-to-reel tapes and beyond. "I directly appeal to any musician who has been touched by the work of this great man and spirit to help contribute to the foundation, to please help preserve the work and legacy of Dr. Moog before time has taken an irreversible toll on his archives," Corgan said in a statement. "I humbly also ask any fan of electronic music to consider a donation to the foundation, in recognition of his influence on many of your favorite musical artists." ...

Modest Mouse are still hungry — even though the group has toured extensively in support of March's We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, it has pieced together another road itinerary. Issac Brock and his crew will start with a two-night stand in Spokane, Washington, on Halloween and end with a show in New Orleans on December 15. Man Man and Love as Laughter will open all dates. Also, the band's AOL Spinner Session debuts Friday, while its MySpace video campaign — a 10-day event that will include the premieres of four MM clips — begins Wednesday. ... Ben Lee is also plotting a trek, to hype his recently released CD, Ripe. He'll hit the road November 1 in Santa Barbara, California, and bring his tour to a close December 13 in San Diego. ...

M.I.A. recently spent a couple of days making beats and rhymes with girls at a juvenile-detention center in Australia via Heaps Decent, an initiative that gives a boost to indigenous and underprivileged youth hoping to break into the music biz. According to a post on the Heaps Descent MySpace page, the yet-untitled song they created will soon be released, with all proceeds going to the initiative. M.I.A. screams "popo mind control!" on the hook of the song, according to the post, but its title is not yet known. ...

Can't wait until November 13 for the Killers B-sides album, Sawdust? Well, you can get a taste of what the band has in store with its just-released cover of the Joy Division song "Shadowplay." The Killers' label has posted a stream of the track right here. ... Nirvana's historic "MTV Unplugged in New York" performance is finally coming to DVD. Due November 20, the disc will contain the 66-minute unedited show — including "Something in the Way" and "Oh, Me," which were featured on the accompanying CD but not in the show when it originally aired. Previously unreleased rehearsal and documentary footage will flesh out the set. ...

It seems like just about everybody has something to say about Britney Spears these days. On the Thursday (October 4) broadcast of "Oprah," Sinéad O'Connor sympathized with Spears, reportedly saying, "She had two babies within the space of two years, [there] doesn't seem like a terrible amount of support from the people around her," according to AP. She later added: "I think to attack someone as a mother is very dangerous. I would say that's what puts a young girl on a precipice which is very, very dangerous, in my opinion. Some people may end up really regretting the way they're treating her." ...

And Deborah Gibson — who, like Britney, was a one-time teen queen — has given her two cents on the matter to "Entertainment Tonight." "I think this is probably Britney's lowest point now ... and maybe it'll be what she needs to get herself back together. And then maybe she will regain custody. That's what I hope. I think that has to affect you on such a primal level, to have your kids taken away, so maybe this is the wake-up call that she needs. ... I really think people see Britney as little girl lost. A girl who did not have a childhood, which I can relate to in a way, and she started even younger publicly. ... She's rebelling. She's living her life in reverse in a way." ...

Isaac Hanson, 26, the eldest member of Hanson, remained hospitalized Wednesday night after complaining of chest and shoulder pain following a performance Tuesday night at the House of Blues in Dallas. AP reports that Hanson was taken to Baylor University Medical Center on Tuesday night after the show and was reported to be in stable condition. A Dallas TV station, KDFW, reported that Hanson was diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism, caused by a blood clot in the extremities breaking away and traveling to the lungs. ... Los Angelenos have an extra incentive to keep their cars parked and instead take public transportation to the LA Weekly Detour festival on Saturday. Those who bring their Saturday Metro tickets to the Goldenvoice booth at the fest will be able to enter a contest for free Coachella 2008 tickets. Bloc Party, Justice, Turbonegro and more are heading up this year's Detour fest. ...

Don Imus is close to finishing a deal that would get him back on the air, according to Variety. The controversial shock jock has an impending deal with Citadel Broadcasting that would deny any move to satellite radio — earlier this year, Sirius Satellite Radio expressed interest in Imus. Citadel is owned by ABC Radio, which syndicates conservative talk-show host Sean Hannity and others. ... A man has been arrested in Los Angeles in conjunction with the theft of confidential photos and computers being used for "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." The man, whose identity has not been released, was taken into custody after a sting operation in which the man intended to sell some of the photos, police told AP. ...

The Recording Industry Association of America scored a victory on Thursday when a jury decided that a Minnesota woman had in fact shared copyrighted music online and ordered her to pay $222,000 in damages, AP reports. The six record companies had alleged that Jammie Thomas had shared 1,702 songs online, and the jury ordered her to pay the companies $9,250 for each of the 24 songs that had been focused on in the case. Thomas, her attorney and the jury declined to comment afterward, according to AP, but the RIAA's lead attorney, Richard Gabriel, said, "This does send a message, I hope, that downloading and distributing our recordings is not OK." It was the first-ever file-sharing case to go to trial in the RIAA's four-year campaign to stop illegal downloading.

• Lil Wayne
• Lil Mama
• Britney Spears
• Kevin Federline
• Kanye West

Lindsay Lohan
Photo: Stephen Shugerman/ Getty Images

The news happens all the time, even while you're enjoying your weekend. Check out this brief rundown to bring you up to speed this morning — a quick heads up from your friends at MTV News.

Here's what we've got:

Kanye West won't say who he's working with on new Lil Wayne music, but he's reserving the bragging rights. "We already made some songs that are incredible," Kanye told us. "I'm not going to tell you who's on them, but I can talk my sh--, 'cause we already got a couple of bangers under the belt." Elsewhere in Mixtape Monday, Young Jeezy says he'll drop everything to supply a verse for a friend in need, Fabolous explains why he released different tracks for different regions and Lil' Mama talks about getting under Rihanna's "Umbrella." ...

Ludacris, Kelly Clarkson and Fergie were among the artists who lit up the stage at Saturday's Wango Tango. The L.A.- area radio fest had plenty of action offstage too, with Kelly getting real with us about those record-label-battle rumors ("This time everybody made a big deal about the label and I disagreeing with the record, but that's happened every record,") and Robin Thicke revealing 50 Cent's dirty little secret. ...

The Game was arrested late Friday in Los Angeles after LAPD searched his house for three hours. He was taken in on suspicion of making threats in connection with a February incident at a basketball game, posted $50,000 bail and was released early Saturday. ...

And despite a 60 percent dive, "Spider-Man 3" is still the box-office champ. The web-slinging sequel earned $60 million over its second weekend, coming out miles ahead of its closest competitors, zombie sequel "28 Weeks Later" and Lindsay Lohan dramedy "Georgia Rule." Next week, Spidey faces much stiffer competition in the form of "Shrek the Third."...

Quote of the Day: "Kanye's about to be on some whole different global superstar sh--. ... Some Spice Girls sh--." — Devo Springsteen on Kanye West's Graduation

Here's what everyone else is talking about:

Lindsay Lohan is being sued by a photographer who alleges that the actress hit him with her car in New York on March 13, E! Online reports. Giovanni Arnold filed the claim on Thursday — a day after Lohan joked about the incident on "The Late Show With David Letterman," and is seeking unspecified damages for "sustained severe and permanent personal injuries," according to the claim. ...

Bobby Brown says he was "for all intents and purposes, homeless" after he split with Whitney — and that's why he's only responding now to a divorce filing that was finalized on April 24. According to "Access Hollywood," Bobby filed a claim challenging the divorce's custody ruling, which currently gives Whitney full custody of daughter Bobbi Kristina. A court date is set for June 15. ...

Microsoft previewed "Halo 3" for select gamers on Friday in San Francisco and New York, and the reviews were mixed, Reuters reports. "The graphics can use some work," EvilAvatar.com's Nicholas Puleo said. "It's not standout." The game starts beta testing Wednesday, and Stephen Totilo will have his full report on the preview this morning. ...

Candy Spelling has known Paris Hilton for most of her life, so what better way to reach out to the heiress after her sentence than via an open letter on TMZ.com? Candy, mom of Tori and widow of TV mogul Aaron, advises Hilton to cool off with the (reported) self-defense training ("not a good message to fellow inmates") and realize how lucky she is. "In most situations, your privileged life works to your benefit," Candy's note notes. "You are a young woman who can add more to her community than establishing new definitions for infamy." ...

Unlike Paris, Black Eyed Peas' Taboo doesn't have to worry about jail after his run-in with police in March. People reports that the rapper, who will be arraigned May 25 on two misdemeanor drug charges after being caught with marijuana following a traffic accident, faces a maximum $200 fine and no jail term if he's found guilty. ...

Reanimating Smashing Pumpkins and cracking down on some criminally overzealous fans apparently isn't action enough for Billy Corgan. He's also making music with the Scorpions, guitarist Rudolf Schenker said in an interview with French music mag Rock Hard. Corgan sings on the track "The Cross," featured on the band's latest album, according to fan blog ScorpsNews.com (via Blabbermouth.net). ...

Live Aid/ Live 8 organizer Bob Geldof told Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant that he hopes the July 7 Live Earth shows are a success — but he doesn't get the point. "But why is [Gore] actually organizing them?" Geldof asked, according to an Associated Press report. "To make us aware of the greenhouse effect? Everybody's known about that problem for years. We are all ... conscious of global warming."...

After announcing last week that Panic Channel singer Steve Isaacs was fleeing Los Angeles, leaving the band's future uncertain, Dave Navarro followed up with a message on his 6767.com site about the band's upcoming plans — and news that the group is no longer with Capitol Records. "Steve is going to come out here for an extended leave from the East with his ideas and contribute to what we have done, with the sole purpose of cranking out another Panic Channel record," Navarro wrote, adding that TPC are free from their "personal slavery to a failing corporate industry. ... It's not only Capitol. ... It's all of them." ...

Nicolas Cage has been cast in the Brian DePalma sequel "The Untouchables: Capone Rising," Variety reports. ... Tracy Morgan is a wanted man in Florida, The Miami Herald reports. Miramar police would like to speak with the actor after a disc jockey accused him of being too hands on during an appearance at a radio station on Friday. DJ Sandy Domingo filed a complaint with police alleging misdemeanor battery. Police said they have no plans to arrest Morgan, and just want to hear his side of the story. ...

And Fox doesn't find the parody "The O.J. Simpsons" all that funny. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the network home of "The Simpsons" has ordered Broadcaster.com to remove three animated clips -- including one titled "If I Did It," a reference to the book O.J. wrote about his ex-wife's murder (the printing was canceled by a Fox-owned publisher) -- which re-imagine the series starring the infamous football star. Broadcaster.com is reviewing the demand, and while the clips come up in searches on the site, they do not play.

• MTV News RAW: Bobby Brown

• Lindsay Lohan
• Whitney Houston
• Bobby Brown
• Paris Hilton
• Black Eyed Peas

Smashing Pumpkins' Billy Corgan
Photo: Warner Bros.

According to the Smashing Pumpkins Web site, "It's official. The Smashing Pumpkins are currently writing songs for their upcoming album, their first since 2000."

The popular 1990s rockers have been tipped to reunite for months, ever since leader Billy Corgan took out a full-page ad in the Chicago Tribune last summer announcing his intentions to re-form the band (see "Billy Corgan Says He Wants To Re-Form Smashing Pumpkins"). In December, he posted another cryptic message on his MySpace page, which read, "The surprise I have in store for you all will be announced soon enough. Hold on to your horses. After all, good things surely come to those who wait. Don't you just love the suspense?"

Otherwise, Corgan has been mum on when or how the reunion will take place and who will join him on the second go-round. The only other new information on the official Web site is that "no release date has been set yet, but the band plans to begin recording this summer."

A source close to the group confirmed last week that the Pumpkins were in "pre-production" mode, but did not discuss who would be in the band's lineup for the new album and expected tour. Corgan has been estranged from original bassist D'Arcy Wretzky for more than seven years, since she left the band prior to the release of 2000's Machina/ The Machines of God. She was replaced by former Hole bassist Melissa Auf Der Maur, who told MTV earlier this year that she would be happy to rejoin the group (see "Smashing Pumpkins Reunion Is Under Way, According To Sources"). The status of guitarist James Iha, who has also had strained relations with Corgan over the years, is also unknown.

The last original recording from the Pumpkins, Machina II: The Friends and Enemies of Modern Music, was released on the Internet as a free download in 2000. On December 2, 2000, the band played what Corgan said would be their last-ever show, at the club that helped launch their careers more than 12 years earlier, Chicago's Metro.

Days before the group's final show, Corgan was asked if there was any chance that Wretzky might make a surprise appearance and signal a thaw in their relationship. He joked, "Obi-Wan [Kenobi] has a better chance of playing with us."

Then again, he opened that last, epic 4-hour show with the quip, "Welcome to the last gasp of the Smashing Pumpkins" and said in the days after the gig, "This is the last time I will play all these songs for the rest of my life." At the time, he said he had discussed it with the group's other members and they'd all decided that they would never play live together again (see "Pumpkins Circus Folds Up With Epic Show").

But never seems to have come sooner than Corgan thought, as the one person who is definitely on board is his long-time right hand man and the group's muscular drummer, Jimmy Chamberlin (see "Smashing Pumpkins Drummer On Reunion: 'I'm In, And I'm Excited' "). (A spokesperson for Azoff Management confirmed in February that Corgan and Chamberlin had signed on with the firm as the Smashing Pumpkins.) Chamberlin was also the drummer for Corgan's short-lived post-Pumpkins group, Zwan.

Earlier this year, Auf Der Maur said Corgan has been working on material that will, at some point, surface in the form of a new Smashing Pumpkins album. "From what I understand, Billy [will be] making a Pumpkins record over the next little while," Auf Der Maur told MTV News. "Everyone knows Billy doesn't need too many people to make a Pumpkins record, other than Jimmy [Chamberlin, longtime Pumpkins drummer] — who he has [on board]."

Auf Der Maur said she's game for a reunion. "My services are there for him whenever he needs them," she said in February. "Assuming I'm not on tour — but even then, we can cross paths. I love the Pumpkins, and to play those songs again would be nothing but fun for me. It was a big part of my life."

• The Smashing Pumpkins
• Billy Corgan
• Zwan
• Auf Der Maur

Coldplay's Will Champion, Chris Martin and Jonny Buckland (file)
Photo: Roland Magunia/Getty Images

The British invasion of Billboard's albums chart will carry on for a third straight week, according to the latest SoundScan figures.

England's favorite rock sons — the Chris Martin-led melodic quartet Coldplay — continue to outsell the rest of the music industry's current players with their third studio release, X&Y. The LP, which managed to clear the 1-million-sold hurdle in two weeks, achieved third-week scans of more than 186,000 and holds the top spot despite a 42 percent sales plummet.

As the latest figures reveal, it was a rather languid week for retail, with practically every album in the top 200 having experienced some sort of sales deceleration. One of the few gainers this most recent sales week, My Chemical Romance, jumped from the chart's #79 to #58, thanks to a 7 percent sales upsurge for their latest offering, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge; the disc moved close to 17,000 units.

The reduction in cash-register activity aside, many big records did make positive chart moves. Mariah Carey's The Emancipation of Mimi, for instance, climbs two positions to this week's #2, selling 131,000 plus after 11 weeks out. The Black Eyed Peas' Monkey Business finishes as the chart's #4, thanks to sales of more than 103,000, up one from last week's #5 spot. But Dave Grohl's Foo Fighters fall from #2 to #3, with second-week sales of 116,000 for their fifth disc, In Your Honor.

It was a solid week for debuts, but none performed as strongly as the self-titled LP from Hotlanta MCs Boyz N Da Hood. The record opens at #5, with scans of more than 101,000. Oakland-born songstress Keyshia Cole's Way It Is follows at #6, moving nearly 89,000 its first week out. Dexter Holland's Offspring check in at #8, with the band's retrospective Greatest Hits release; opening-week sales totaled 70,000 and change. The second solo effort from Cash Money constituent Birdman, Fast Money, debuts at #9, with sales of close to 65,000.

Haunted Cities, the latest from the Tim Armstrong and Travis Barker collaboration the Transplants, opens as the chart's #28, having sold close to 34,000 during its first week in stores. Smashing Pumpkins mastermind Billy Corgan's first crack at a solo career, TheFutureEmbrace, finishes at #30, with first-week scans of more than 32,000. No Limit Records head Master P takes the #39 slot, with debut week sales of more than 25,000 for his latest, Ghetto Bill. The Warrior's Code, the fresh batch of punk tunes from Boston brawlers the Dropkick Murphys, is the only other debut LP to break into the top 50.

Backstreet Boys, who've returned to pop's forefront following a five-year break, slip four spots on this most recent sales chart to #7, having opened the previous week at #3 with their new one, Never Gone; the album suffered a 73 percent sales plummet, finishing out week two with less than 79,000 scans. The chart's #10 belongs to System of a Down's Mezmerize, which sold close to 63,000 copies — enough to keep original "American Idol" winner Kelly Clarkson's Breakaway out of the top 10. Clarkson checks in at #11, with sales of more than 61,000.

Gwen Stefani's Love, Angel, Music, Baby continues to soar off store shelves, coming in at #12 with nearly 61,000 scans, followed by country king Toby Keith's Honkytonk University at #13 with sales of 58,000 plus. 50 Cent's The Massacre is in at #14 with 54,000 units sold, and Shakira's Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 takes #15 with sales of 50,000 and then some.

Other noteworthy debuts popping up on this most recent Billboard sales list include TLC's re-released Now & Forever: The Hits, opening at #53 with close to 18,000 scans; Clutch's Robot Hive/ Exodus debuting at #93, with sales of just under 13,000; Dredg's Catch Without Arms comes in at #124, selling 9,000 plus; Sugar Ray's Best Of opens at #138 with 7,600 scans; and the Bam Margera-compiled Viva La Bands debuts at #141, with over 7,500 units claimed.

For an in-depth feature on Coldplay, check out "Coldplay: The Quiet Revolution."

• Coldplay
• Mariah Carey
• Boyz N da Hood
• Foo Fighters
• Black Eyed Peas

Jimmy Chamberlin (file)
Photo: Warner Bros.

Two down, two more to go.

Alt-rock icon Billy Corgan came one step closer this weekend to resurrecting his Smashing Pumpkins now that drummer Jimmy Chamberlin is on board. Less than a week after declaring — in a full-page advertisement in Tuesday's Chicago Tribune — his desire to re-form the defunct band, it appears that Corgan's Pumpkins reunion could become a reality.

On Friday, Chamberlin told the Chicago Sun-Times that he's back in the fold and is raring to go. But Chamberlin's cooperation comes as little surprise, given his chummy relationship with Corgan — and the fact that the two have worked together post-Pumpkins. Both were members of the short-lived Zwan, and Chamberlin appears on Corgan's solo debut, TheFutureEmbrace.

Chamberlin is the first of Corgan's former musical conspirators to confirm his return to the band. Whether guitarist James Iha and bassist D'Arcy Wretzky would follow suit, Chamberlin couldn't say.

"All I can say is that the Smashing Pumpkins are Billy, James, myself and D'Arcy," the drummer told the Sun-Times. "In an ideal world, that's what it will end up being. The hope is that everybody will come to the table, but I can only speak for myself in saying that I'm in, and I'm excited."

Chamberlin did tell the paper that he has not spoken to Wretzky since her departure from the band in August 1999, but does exchange e-mails with Iha regularly. The topic of a Pumpkins reunion has never come up, Chamberlin said, but "I intend to reach out to him."

Corgan and Chamberlin have been kicking the reunion idea around for some time, the drummer said, but he didn't know whether the singer had spoken with the remaining former Pumpkins. Chamberlin does think that Corgan "opened the door" for their return with the newspaper ad (see "Billy Corgan Says He Wants To Re-Form Smashing Pumpkins").

"It's still all very new, and I don't know if anybody really knows what's going on," Chamberlin told the daily. "We really haven't sat down at the table and figured out the nuts and bolts."

Corgan's ad stated, "I have made plans to renew and revive the Smashing Pumpkins. I want my band back, and my songs, and my dreams."

The Pumpkins disbanded in 2000 (see "Smashing Pumpkins To Disband At Year's End"), with two Grammys and millions in record sales to their credit.

• The Smashing Pumpkins
• Jimmy Chamberlin
• Billy Corgan

Billy Corgan (file)
Photo: Warner Bros

Last month, Billy Corgan scoffed at the notion of his former band, the Smashing Pumpkins, ever reconciling and regrouping.

"You won't see the four Smashing Pumpkins onstage again," he told MTV News (see "Billy Corgan Tries To Sound Un-Pumpkins, But Not Totally, Just A Bit, Maybe").

Now it seems Corgan is singing a different tune.

In a full-page advertisement in the Tuesday (June 21) morning edition of his hometown newspaper, the Chicago Tribune, the alt-rock leader declared his plans to bring back the band. (Click here to see the ad).

"For a year now, I have walked around with a secret, a secret I chose to keep," the ad — signed "Rock on and may God bless you! Billy Corgan" — reads. "But now I want you to be among the first to know that I have made plans to renew and revive the Smashing Pumpkins. I want my band back, and my songs, and my dreams."

The ad, essentially a love letter to the Windy City, doesn't provide any additional information on what form the resurrected band might take, or whether Corgan would be rekindling the fire with the Pumpkins' original lineup — drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, guitarist James Iha and bassist D'Arcy Wretzky. There also was no indication in the missive as to a timeline for the Pumpkins' rebirth.

The group disbanded in 2000 (see "Smashing Pumpkins To Disband At Year's End"), with two Grammys and millions in record sales to their credit. Corgan and Chamberlin worked together post-Pumpkins in Zwan, which split shortly after releasing its debut album in 2003 (see "Zwan Gone: Billy Corgan Opts For Solo Career").

The Pumpkins' final performance — a four-and-a-half hour, 36-song extravaganza — came on December 2, 2000, with fans traveling from as far away as Japan to send Corgan's crew off (see "Pumpkins Circus Folds Up With Epic Show").

Corgan's solo debut, TheFutureEmbrace, hit record store shelves Tuesday.

A spokesperson for Corgan could not be reached at press time.

• The Smashing Pumpkins
• Billy Corgan

Birdman's <I>Fast Money</I>
Photo: Universal

His new album doesn't hit stores for almost two months, but Kanye West is already making his presence felt in record stores. The rapper/producer's skills are featured on new albums from three R&B, soul and hip-hop up-and-comers this week.

West produced "I Changed My Mind," the first single from R&B newcomer Keyshia Cole's debut album, The Way It Is. Cole, who also enlisted jailed MC Shyne for the track, had once gotten her musical tutelage from none other than MC Hammer. For soul singer Leela James, Kanye collaborated on a pair of tracks on her debut album, A Change Is Gonna Come. James, who defines her sound as "back-porch soul," also worked with Raphael Saadiq and Wyclef Jean on the disc. North Carolina-bred hip-hop trio Little Brother, meanwhile, got a nod from West on "I See Now," a track off The Chittlin Circuit 1.5.

Out Tuesday, June 21:

• All Good Funk Alliance - On the One (Sunswept)
• Amici Forever - Defined (RCA Victor)
• Eric Benét - Hurricane (Reprise)
• B.G. - Life After Cash Money: Chopped and Screwed (Koch)
• Birdman - Fast Money (Universal Motown)
  Read: "Baby Keeps It Down-Bottom With Fast Money"
• Tracy Bonham - Blink the Brightest (Rounder)
• Boom Bap Project - Reprogram (Rhymesayers)
• Boyz N da Hood - Boyz N da Hood (Bad Boy)
• Wade O. Brown - All Night, All Love (Groove United/33rd Street)
• Laura Cantrell - Humming by the Flowered Vine (Matador)
• Chicago Blues Harmonica Project - Diamonds in the Rough (Severn)
• Cintron - Back in the Day (Ark 21)
• Corey Clark - Corey Clark (Bungalo)
  Read: "Corey Clark Nabs Scott Storch, Peas Members For His 'Hot To Death' LP"
• Clutch - Robot Hive/Exodus (DRT Entertainment)
• Keyshia Cole - The Way It Is (A&M/Interscope)
  Read: "Keyshia Cole Has Kanye, Shyne On LP, Proof That Stalking MC Hammer Pays Off"
• Billy Corgan - The Future Embrace (Reprise)
• DBG'Z - P'hissed Off! (Bungalo)
• Down to the Bone - Spread Love Like Wildfire (Narada)
• Dredg - Catch Without Arms (Interscope)
  Read: "Stone Age Success Means Brighter Future For Prog-Rockers Dredg"
• Dropkick Murphys - The Warrior's Code (Epitaph)
• Stacey Earle and Mark Stuart - Communion Bread (Funzalo)
• Eldissa - What a Difference ... Disco Meets Acoustic Lounge (Le Maquis/Dreyfus)
• Evergreen Terrace - Sincerity Is an Easy Disguise in This Business (Eulogy)
• Foreign Born - In the Remote Woods (EP, StarTime International)
• Gothminister - Empire of Dark Salvation (Dancing Ferret)
• John Hiatt - Master of Disaster (New West)
• Chris Hillman - The Other Side (Sovereign Artists)
• Leela James - A Change Is Gonna Come (Warner Bros.)
• Mark Knopfler - One Take Radio Sessions (EP, Warner Bros.)
• Patti LaBelle - Classic Moments (Def Jam)
• Left Alone - Lonely Starts & Broken Hearts (Epitaph)
• Little Brother - The Chittlin Circuit 1.5 (Koch)
• Lost Boyz - Forever (Contango)
• Luca - You Win Again (Funzalo)
• Master P - Ghetto Bill: The Best Hustler in the Game (Koch)
• Mayday - Bushido Karaoke (Saddle Creek)
• Me'Shell Ndegeocello Presents the Spirit Music Jamia - Dance of the Infidel (Shanachie)
• Method Man Presents Street Life - Street Education (X-Ray)
• Stina Nordenstam - The World Is Saved (V2)
• The Offspring - Greatest Hits (Sony)
• Ol' Dirty Bastard - The Definitive Ol' Dirty Bastard Story (Rhino)
• On Broken Wings - It's All a Long Goodbye (Eulogy)
• David Poe - Love Is Red (The LAB)
• Prodigal Sunn - Return of the Prodigal Sunn (Free Agency/Godz Inc.)
• Ra - Duality (Universal)
• Ratchets - Heart of Town EP (Hell Bent)
• Redwalls - De Nova (Capitol)
  Read: "Redwalls Bring The Sound Of Liverpool To Lake Michigan"
• Sasha - Fundacion NYC (Global Underground)
• Special Generation - Take It to the Floor (reissue, Bungalo)
• Al Stewart - A Beach Full of Shells (Appleseed)
• Stutterfly - And We Are Bled of Color (Maverick)
• Télépopmusik - Angel Milk (Capitol)
• Kevin Toney - 110 Degrees and Rising (Shanachie)
• Trini - Like No Other (reissue, Empire)
• The Vanity Project - The Vanity Project (Flagship)
• Gene Watson - Then and Now (Koch)
• Matthew West - History (Universal South)
• Wiggles - Sailing Around the World (Koch)
• Without Gravity - Tenderfoot (One Little Indian)
• Wooden Wand and the Vanishing Voice - XIAO (Troubleman Unlimited)
• Various artists - Bam Margera Presents: Viva la Bands (456 Enterprises)
  Read: "Skater Bam Margera's Latest Trick: Making Bands Blow Up"
• Various artists - Instrumental Icons: Music of Lil Jon (Fastlife)
• Various artists - Look at All the Love We Found: A Tribute to Sublime (Cornerstone)
• Various artists - Ultimate Trance Remixed (Water Music)
• Various artists - "Herbie Fully Loaded" soundtrack (Hollywood)
• Various artists - "My Summer of Love" soundtrack (Milan)
• Various artists - "Rize" soundtrack (Social Capital)
• DVD: "Foo Fighters: Guardian Angels" (Chrome Dreams)
• DVD: "Placebo: Androgyny" (Chrome Dreams)
• DVD: Blindside - "Ten Years Running Blind" (DRT Entertainment)
• DVD: Cruxshadows - "Shadowbox" (Dancing Ferret)
• DVD: Kool Keith - "Global Enlightenment Part 1" (Music Video Distributors)
• DVD: Lamb of God - "Killadelphia" (Epic)
• DVD: Sarah Jane Morris - "In Concert" (Music Video Distributors)
• DVD: Ian Parker - "Whilst the Wind: Live" (Music Video Distributors)
• DVD: Various artists - "Metalmania 2004" (Music Video Distributors)

June 28:

• DMX - Here We Go Again (Ruff Ryders)
  Read: "Mase Advises DMX To Rap Again, Wait For The Lord's Call"
• Fountains of Wayne - Out-of-State Plates (Virgin)
  Read: "Fountains Of Wayne To Spout 26-Song Rarities Collection, Tour In June"
• Longwave - There's a Fire (Red Ink)

July 5:

• R. Kelly - TP3 Reloaded (Sony)
• Sufjan Stevens - Illinois (Asthmatic Kitty)
• Various artists - "Fantastic Four" soundtrack (Wind-Up)

July 12:

• All-American Rejects - Move Along (Interscope)
• Black Dahlia Murder - Miasma (Metal Blade)
• Bow Wow - Wanted (Sony)

• Corey Clark
• Keyshia Cole
• The Offspring
• Ol' Dirty Bastard
• Clutch

Billy Corgan
Photo: MTV News

Billy Corgan thinks the whole "musicians going solo" thing is nothing if not egoistic. He's of the mind that bands, in general, work much better as wholes than they do as individual parts. Still, that certainly didn't stop the alt-rock giant from building TheFutureEmbrace, the first collection of material from a band-less Billy.

But Corgan says he was very careful, creatively, in his overall approach to the project.

"I tried to be conscious of what makes most solo records not that listenable," he said. "If you listen to a solo record by someone in a band you really like, you end up kind of listening for the band. So my thing was to sort of avoid that. If I do alternative guitar rock — what you would expect — it sounds like Smashing Pumpkins. So let's not pretend. I tried to really just do something very different. Of course, it's still reminiscent of some of my past work with Pumpkins, like '1979.' It's got those kinds of feelings in it, but I certainly think the guitar work and the lyrics and stuff, it kind of moves in this whole other direction."

Corgan recorded TheFutureEmbrace, the album he says he's always wanted to make, in his hometown of Chicago. The LP features contributions from longtime musical associate Bjorn Thorsrud as well as Bon Harris of Nitzer Ebb fame, ex-Filter member Brian Liesegang, former Pumpkins drummers Jimmy Chamberlin and Matt Walker, and the Cure's Robert Smith, who appears on "To Love Somebody," a cover of the classic Bee Gees track.

"When the Cure were in Chicago for their Curiosa Tour, Robert had come by my house and we sat up all night playing guitars and shooting the whatever and so the idea came up about stuff we wanted to work on together," Corgan explained. "One thing was about working on my solo record. So when we finished all the songs, as I listened to every song, I was thinking, 'OK, what could Robert do?' The only song that seemed really right was this [Bee Gees] cover — and my version kind of sounds like the Cure anyway. So I called him up and had to talk him into it. But he did an amazing job and it's pretty cool. When we sing together, it's weird. You can't really hear my voice, and you can't really hear his. It's sort of this other voice, which you wouldn't have figured because our voices are so distinctive."

TheFutureEmbrace, slated for release on June 21, is awash with futuristic, electronica components that, oftentimes, overwhelm Corgan's still-impressive guitar work. The disc sounds very much like an intentional homage to the bleak bands Corgan says helped pave the way for his own success — bands like the Cure, Joy Division and Echo and the Bunnymen.

"I've gone off on these massive Easter egg hunts, of trying to come up with a new sound," he said. "Having kind of walked away from the Pumpkins and now, Zwan, this is my way of sort of trying to get reinvigorated with guitar music. This is not a move against rock and roll. It's actually a move toward rock and roll, because I feel like I'm very excited about rock again. [With this record, I] just completely dove into the ocean and I'm saying, 'OK, I'm willing to take on whatever, but whatever I'm going to do, it's going to be new.' I can't go back to just doing what I used to do. So in a weird way, I tied one arm behind my back, and I've tried to figure out how to fight my way out of a corner."

Corgan's scheduled to play 10 dates in Europe next month, and says he'll do the same Stateside. The shows will be very specific, he says, "very future-leaning," technologically advanced productions that will incorporate, in some manner, elements from cabaret theater: "It will either be a smashing success or a complete car crash, but either way, it'll be interesting," he said.

In the meantime, Corgan said he's been writing his autobiography, which he's spent the last month or so posting to his blog in bits and pieces. He also said he's been helping Courtney Love with the material for her forthcoming album; the pair have spent a few days in both Los Angeles and Chicago "writing songs" that Love recorded with a tape recorder. "I don't know how that's going to sound, but I've been getting reports that it's going really well."

When asked about the possibility of a Smashing Pumpkins reunion somewhere down the road, Corgan chuckled to himself. He smiled for a minute as he contemplated the whole crazy idea, but quickly turned serious.

"When people ask me about a Smashing Pumpkins reunion, to me, they're asking two things," he responded. "One, 'Will we ever see the Smashing Pumpkins as we remember them onstage?' And two, 'Gee, it's probably going to sound like we remember, right?' And the answer to both questions is no. You won't see the four Smashing Pumpkins onstage again. That's not going to happen. Secondarily, even if you saw the Smashing Pumpkins, it would continue to pick up where we left off, which is an extremely progressive, aggressive and not easy to understand unit."

• Billy Corgan

John Mayer and his friends in Maroon 5 plan on spending the summer together on the road. The artists, who've played several shows together in the past, kick things off July 2 in Milwaukee and continue through August 29 in Atlanta. ...

When a family in West Des Moines, Iowa, rented its house to Slipknot last week to use for the "Duality" video shoot, a little damage was expected, and since the family was planning to gut the house anyway to renovate it, that was OK. But the homeowners had no idea how extensive the devastation would be. The list of items the family is asking the band to replace or fix includes: windows throughout house, entire kitchen, driveway, lawn, front door, rugs, gutters, back door, window frames, basketball backboard, ceiling, chandelier and picnic tables. ... The Tipping Point, the Roots' follow-up to their Grammy-nominated album, Phrenology, is due June 29 and will be preceded by the single "Don't Say Nothin'." Producer Scott Storch, underground MC Jean Grae and comedian Dave Chappelle guest on the album. ...

A 21-year-old Texas college student has accused "Girls Gone Wild" producer Joe Francis of rape. The woman alleges Francis spiked her drink and raped her in his South Beach hotel room in Miami over the weekend of March 12. Although she couldn't remember what happened the night before, she assumed the next morning that she was raped because Francis told her they already had sex. Miami Beach police are investigating the charges, but an arrest warrant has yet to be issued. Francis denies the charges, according to his spokesperson. ...

James Brown, Chris Rock ... and Morrissey? A number of legendary performers have played the Apollo Theater in New York, and now the former frontman for the Smiths will be doing a five-night residency at the legendary Harlem venue. Morrissey will be there May 3-4 and May 6-8. ... A recording of a John Lee Hooker set that had been lost for 50 years, Jack O' Diamonds, will be packaged with Hooker's upcoming DVD, "Come & See Me," due May 18. The album was recorded during a private performance in someone's dining room in 1949. ...

From Autumn to Ashes and Atreyu will crash and wail as they stagger through a path of destruction on an upcoming tour that kicks off April 26 in Tempe, Arizona. The trek will continue through May 13 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. ... In addition to writing with Taproot and finishing his first solo album, Billy Corgan cowrote three tracks on Breaking Benjamin's second album, We Are Not Alone Here, due June 29. "It was the experience of a lifetime," singer Ben Burnley said in a statement. "He stressed 'thinking outside the box' and that's how we came up with 'Forget It,' which moves up a half-step every verse and chorus. Structurally and melodically, it's very cool." ...

Clinic have scheduled a North American tour for May, even though their third full-length album (and their debut for Universal), tentatively titled Winchester Cathedral, won't be out until August at the earliest. The tour begins May 8 in Brooklyn, New York, and ends May 23 in San Diego. ... The Velvet Underground's 1972 album, Live at Max's Kansas City, will be re-released in an expanded edition on June 8. The LP, culled from a 1970 audience recording of the Velvets' last show (until they briefly reunited in the 1990s), will feature a bonus disc of previously unreleased material. ...

Fastball's fourth album, Keep Your Wig On, is due June 8. Fountains of Wayne's Adam Schlesinger, Sheryl Crow songwriter Jeff Trott and ... And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead producer Mike McCarthy conspired to produce the record. ... More than 73 songs were recorded for Amen's new album, Death Before Music, due May 18, before singer Casey Chaos pruned the crop down to 15. The LP follows 2000's We Have Come for Your Parents. ...

03.30.2004

Cheers to the Lou. J-Kwon has kept his promise to keep the remix to his hit "Tipsy" "so so St. Louis." He just finished a new version of his track featuring Chingy and Murphy Lee. ...

U.S. District Judge Ronald Lagueux has ruled that all civil suits filed regarding the 2003 Station nightclub fire in West Warwick, Rhode Island, will be handled in federal court. The judge announced his ruling on Monday, stating that the federal court system has authority to handle cases involving accidents in which 75 people or more died and a defendant lives in a different state than the one in which the accident took place. ... Country legend Loretta Lynn's first album in four years, Van Lear Rose, features a guest appearance by the White Stripes' Jack White, who also produced and arranged some tracks. After the Stripes' White Blood Cells was dedicated to Lynn, the singer opened for the band and sang several duets with Jack at a New York show last year. Preceded by the single "Portland, Oregon," Van Lear Rose is due April 27. ...

Ja Rule, Omarion, Courtney Love, MC Lyte, Ice-T and Jermaine Dupri were among the celebs who came to New York's Spice Market on Monday to celebrate the release of Janet Jackson's new album, Damita Jo. ... Missy Elliott's "Pass That Dutch" and Christina Aguilera's "Fighter" will be the leading contenders at the 13th annual Music Video Production Association Awards with six nominations each. Dave Meyers ("Pass That Dutch"), Floria Sigismondi ("Fighter"), David LaChapelle (No Doubt's "It's My Life"), the Malloys (Metallica's "St. Anger") and Sophie Muller (Pink's "Trouble") will vie for Director of the Year at the ceremony, May 20 at the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles. ...

Queens of the Stone Age will release a limited-edition EP called Stone Age Complication on April 20. The disc will feature six B-sides, half of which will be covers: the Kinks' "Who Will Be the Next in Line," Subhumans' "Wake Up Screaming" and the Cramps' "The Most Exalted Potentate of Love." The collection will also feature the U.N.K.L.E. remix of "No One Knows" and the two originals "Born to Hula" and "The Bronze." Only 25,000 copies of the EP will be printed, and the disc will only be available at select retail outlets. ... Metallica fans in Sweden are trying to convince government officials to erect a stone in memory of late Metallica bassist Cliff Burton. The fans have named the project "Cliff in Our Minds." Burton died in a 1986 bus accident near Ljungby, Sweden. ...

Ryan Adams has released a three-song EP called Moroccan Role which is only available through iTunes. The disc features the previously unreleased tracks "Ah Life," "I'm Coming Over" and "Don't Even Know Her Name." ... Reunited San Francisco thrash metal band Exodus will launch a North American tour on April 10 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The dates, which run through May 9 in Santa Ana, California, will be to support the band's new album, Tempo of the Damned. ...

Erich "Mancow" Muller, a syndicated shock jock from Chicago, has sued a listener for filing multiple indecency complaints against his morning show. Mancow is accusing Chicagoan David Smith of filing more than 60 FCC complaints and pressuring sponsors to leave the show, and is seeking $3 million and a court order to stop him from filing more complaints. Mancow has been fined for six different shows as part of the FCC's recent crackdown on so-called offensive broadcasting. ... Dax Shepard from "Punk'd" is making his second guest appearance on "Life With Bonnie" this week. Though he last played a young director on an episode that aired just a month ago, Shepard this time takes on the role of a plastic surgeon who leaves his mark on Bonnie Hunt. The episode, called "Nip, Tuck and Roll," airs Friday at 9:30 p.m. ET on ABC. ...

Members of the Spice Girls and 98 Degrees are turning up the heat for the Broadway production of "Rent." Melanie Brown, a.k.a. Scary Spice, will be taking on the part of Mimi, starting April 16, and Drew Lachey, a.k.a. Nick's brother, will be taking the part of Mark, a role Joey Fatone once filled. Brown's stint will run through September, the month Lachey joins the cast, which means they'll overlap for a few weeks. ... The Polyphonic Spree have set a July 13 release date for Together We're Heavy, the many-membered group's second album. Tripping Daisy/ PJ Harvey collaborator Eric Drew Feldman produced the album for the Spree, who are about to hit the road with David Bowie. ...

Swedish melodic death-metal band In Flames will launch a tour with Killswitch Engage on May 3 in Pontiac, Michigan. Dates run through May 11 in Vancouver, British Columbia. In Flames' new album, Soundtrack to Your Escape, comes out April 6; the third Killswitch Engage record, The End of Heartache, will be released May 11. ... Late-'80s industrial/thrash band Prong will begin a tour of North America on April 29 in Sacramento. Dates run through May 29 in Fort Collins, Colorado. The stint will be the band's first in eight years. Prong's latest LP, Scorpio Rising, came out in November. ...

• Maroon 5
• The Roots
• Slipknot
• Morrissey
• The Velvet Underground