Boy George arrives at Snaresbrook Crown Court in London on Friday
Photo: Danny Martindale/ WireImage

The long, sad decline of former Culture Club singer Boy George (born George O'Dowd), continued on Friday (January 16), when a British judge sentenced the flamboyant singer to 15 months in jail for falsely imprisoning and beating a male escort.

George has denied the charge and claimed the victim, Audun Carlsen, had stolen photos from his laptop. The singer, 47, admitted during the trial to handcuffing Carlsen to a bed in April 2007, saying he was doing it to figure out if the escort had purloined the pics.

George, whose family was in court for the proceedings, was also ordered to pay more than $7,400 in court costs. According to the BBC News, Judge David Radford told George he was guilty of "gratuitous violence."

"Whilst I accept that Mr. Carlsen's physical injuries were not serious or permanent, in my view there can be no doubt that your premeditated callous and humiliating handcuffing and detention of Mr. Carlsen shocked, degraded and traumatised him," Radford said. "He was deprived of his liberty and human dignity without warning or proper explanation to him of its purpose, length or purported justification."

After a string of signature hits in the 1980s with the Culture Club, the singer once known for his outrageous cross-dressing and million-selling new-wave dance hits has fallen on hard times, struggling with drug addiction and several arrests. In 2006, he falsely reported a burglary at his New York apartment, where police found drugs. In that case, he was sentenced to community service that involved picking up trash by the roadside.

Carlsen first met George through a gay social-networking site and the two met up for an erotic photo shoot. During that shoot, George believed that Carlsen took some photos off the singer's laptop, and so he later invited him back to his apartment for another shoot, and it was during that time that George, with the help of another man, chained Carlsen to the bed and beat him.

• Boy George
• Culture Club

Notorious B.I.G.
Photo: Bad Boy

The retrial of a wrongful-death lawsuit filed against the City of Los Angeles by the relatives of slain rapper Notorious B.I.G. was postponed on Monday, The Associated Press reports. The trial will now begin January 16, three months later than the date originally set. The postponement will afford Biggie's family's attorneys more time to seek information from the defense to prepare their claim, which alleges that rogue police officers had some involvement in the March 9, 1997, shooting death of the rapper. A mistrial was declared last summer, and U.S. District Judge Florence-Marie Cooper ordered the city to pay Biggie's family $1.1 million in legal fees and expenses earlier this year. ...

Three of Britney Spears' former security guards — who sued the singer in March, alleging she failed to pay overtime and caused them to miss out on meals — must settle their claims through arbitration, a Los Angeles judge ruled Monday. According to AP, the attorney representing guards Silas Dukes, Lonnie DeShawn Jones and Randy Jones plans to appeal the decision. The attorney said the ruling could hurt his clients as two of the three arbitration meetings will be held in New York — while laws in California are more favorable to claimants. The guards contend that they never agreed to arbitrate wage claims, but Spears' lawyer maintains that the contract between the guards and his client's companies, Britney Brands Inc. and Britney Touring Inc., called for all wage disputes to be settled via arbitration. ...

A breach-of-contract lawsuit filed against Michael Jackson by former business associate F. Marc Schaffel in 2004 is headed for trial in Santa Monica, California, with jury selection scheduled to begin July 26, AP reports. Schaffel is seeking $3.8 million for outstanding loans, expenses, cash advances and producing fees, as well as his share of the profits generated by two television specials designed to strengthen Jackson's reputation in the wake of child-molestation allegations. Jackson's attorney says it's Schaffel who owes Jackson, and explained that Jackson cut ties with his former business associate upon learning that Schaffel produced gay pornography. Jackson is not expected to appear in court during the proceedings but will be seen in videotaped depositions. ...

Less than a month ago, when it was announced that Arctic Monkeys bassist Andy Nicholson would not be accompanying the band on its North American tour due to "exhaustion," reports began to spread that he was out of the band. And while a spokesperson for the band's label, Domino Records, originally denied those stories, it looks like they were true. On Monday, the Monkeys posted a statement on their official site, confirming that they had parted ways with Nicholson. "We are sad to tell everyone that Andy is no longer with the band," the statement read. "Nick O'Malley, who stood in for Andy while he was absent from the recent tour of North America, shall carry on playing bass for the remaining shows this summer." ... Culture Club are looking for a new singer. The '80s pop band is planning to get back in the game with a world tour — and without frontman Boy George, the BBC reports. Members Jon Moss, Mikey Craig and Phil Pickett are looking to complete the lineup with three or four "young, great singers," manager Tony Gordon said. The new group is expected to be unveiled at a London event next month. ...

Bad news for Modest Mouse fans expecting to catch the band during its brief West Coast tour this August: The group has postponed the trek, and will instead continue its "feverish pace" to finish its forthcoming album. Modest Mouse are recording in Mississippi with producer Dennis Herring, who helped craft 2004's Good News for People Who Love Bad News. "The group sincerely apologizes for any inconvenience and is looking forward to finishing their new album and rescheduling the dates," the Mouse's Web site reads. "Refunds are available at point of purchase." ... Babyshambles frontman Pete Doherty was fined $1,900 in Stockholm, Sweden, after police found traces of cocaine in his blood, the AP reports. Doherty, who was in Sweden to play at the Hultsfred music festival, was detained following the concert because authorities believed he was under the influence of narcotics. The singer was not in possession of drugs and will not face further charges. ... The BBC has announced the cancellation of "Top of the Pops," a music-chart show that has featured acts including Nirvana, the Beatles and the Spice Girls over its 42-year-run, AP reports. "In a rapidly changing musical landscape, 'Top of the Pops' no longer occupies the central role it once did," read a statement from the BBC. The final show will air July 30. ...

The touring Reggae Sunsplash festival will end its seven-year hiatus on August 10 with a show in West Palm Beach, Florida. Featuring UB40, Toots and the Maytals, Maxi Priest, Third World and Rik Roc, the tour will make 18 stops across the U.S., including shows in Boston (August 19); Cleveland (August 23); Austin, Texas (August 25); and Las Vegas (September 3). The trek wraps up in Salt Lake City on September 4. Reggae Sunsplash is also presenting a show featuring Shaggy, Jimmy Cliff and Wayne Wonder set for August 19 in Yokohama, Japan. ... Portishead have been working on their third album for years, but it seems they've started to pick up the pace a bit. According to a post from Geoff Barrow on the band's MySpace page, the new material is "in a right mess but sounding like [an] album for the first time in years. It [is] nice to think us old gits have a few tunes in us without sounding like coffee table Zero 7." Portishead's last LP, which was self-titled, was released in 1997.

06.19.2006

Two men were charged Sunday with the killing of Gerald Rosic Gadie, the 31-year-old Detroit man who drove Proof to the hospital after the rapper was fatally shot April 11, the Detroit Free Press reports. Gadie was found dead in the basement of his home on May 27. Police say he was shot in an apparent dispute over 20 pounds of marijuana and $7,000 that had been stolen from him earlier that month. John Henry Williams II and Corey Frazier were arraigned on charges of first-degree murder and possession of a firearm during a felony. If found guilty of first-degree murder, the men face mandatory life sentences without parole. ...

Only weeks after giving birth to Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt, Angelina Jolie has revealed to CNN's Anderson Cooper that she and Brad Pitt are planning to adopt again, The Associated Press reports. "We're looking at different countries. It's gonna be the balance of what would be best for Mad and for Z right now," she told Cooper, referencing her two other adopted children, Zahara (who the couple adopted from Ethiopia) and Maddox (Cambodia). ...

Good news for Justin Timberlake fans: Jive Records has announced the name and release date of the singer's second solo LP. FutureSex/LoveSounds is due September 12, and Timberlake plans to preview the album with a U.S. club tour in August. Venues and dates are expected to be revealed in the coming weeks. The first single from Timberlake's second solo LP will be "SexyBack," a track co-written and co-produced by Timberlake, Timbaland and Nate Hills. The song will hit radio July 7. ...

In other big release-date news, Audioslave's third LP, Revelations, has been scheduled for a September 5 in-store date. The effort was recorded at Los Angeles' Henson Studios with producer Brendan O'Brien (Rage Against the Machine, Soundgarden) and will feature a dozen tracks: "Revelations," "One and the Same," "Sound of a Gun," "Until We Fall," "Original Fire," "Broken City," "Somedays," "Shape of Things to Come," "Jewel of the Summertime," "Wide Awake," "Nothing Left to Say but Goodbye" and "Moth." ...

The New Jack Swing Reunion Tour rolled into New York at the Theater at Madison Square Garden on Friday, with headliners Guy breaking out old dance moves like the running man and classic hits like "Groove Me" and "I Like." While Guy performed as their best-known lineup, groups Tony Toni Toné and Blackstreet hit the stage with revamped rosters featuring a couple of new members. ... Two unreleased songs will appear on The Ultimate Luther Vandross, according to AP. "Shine" was produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and "Got You Home" will also accompany the single-disc collection, due August 22. ...

Bruce Willis is the latest celebrity to sue the paparazzi. The actor filed a defamation suit Monday against a photographer who said Willis attacked him outside a restaurant in Los Angeles earlier this month, according to AP. Willis is seeking no less than $1 million in general, special and consequential damages, plus later-to-be-determined punitive damages. ... A screenwriter's lawsuit against George Clooney and Warner Bros. was dismissed by a judge in Paris Monday, AP reports. Stephanie Vergniault had claimed that one of her scripts had been plagiarized for "Syriana," but the judge disagreed. ...

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban have headed back Down Under, but this isn't just an ordinary homecoming. "We are very happy to be back in Australia," the couple said in a joint statement, before revealing: "We have come home to celebrate our wedding with our family and friends." ... The presence of one of President Bush's twin daughters at a Radiohead concert at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York last week has frontman Thom Yorke fuming. In a post to Radiohead's blog, "Dead Air Space," Yorke wrote that the concert was interrupted for several fans thanks to six Secret Service Agents, who cleared a path for the first daughter's exit and "manhandled ... some poor soul." Yorke wrote that the incident left the band with a multiple-choice quandary. "I don't know whether we should be A. honored; B. amused; C. bemused; D. ask if she had a valid ticket; E. object belatedly on moral grounds; F. ask again if she had a ticket and question whether this [is] really what our gigs are about; G. don't blame the daughter for the father; H. shut up and smile." ...

He'll hit the big screen with Game on Friday in "Waist Deep," but Tyrese Gibson currently has a real-life drama on his hands. "Last week, 17 potential songs that were supposed to be released on my upcoming double album Alter Ego — some tracks with me rhyming and some new R&B songs — were stolen from my Headquarter Entertainment offices," Tyrese said in a statement. "These songs not only have been stolen, but they have been leaked on the Internet as well." Tyrese, who says he's working on "getting to the bottom" of the theft, explained that the unfinished tracks have not been mixed and aren't ready for release. "As an artist I feel violated and disrespected." He still plans to have the double LP — featuring one R&B disc and one rap disc — out this fall. ...

Snoop Dogg was joined onstage by "American Idol" title holder Taylor Hicks Saturday, during a performance at Birmingham, Alabama's City Stages festival, The Birmingham News reports. Hicks played the harmonica on "Gin and Juice" and rolled out his famed dance moves with a second appearance later in Snoop's set. ... Previously unreleased tunes from Fall Out Boy, Audioslave, Rob Zombie, Nickelback, Wolfmother, Yellowcard, Mötley Crüe and Papa Roach will be featured on the soundtrack for the upcoming videogame "FlatOut 2," which will be released for the Xbox, PlayStation 2 and PC in August. ...

During a press conference preceding their performance at Tallinn Song Festival Grounds in Estonia on Tuesday, Metallica's James Hetfield said that the songwriting sessions for the group's forthcoming album are "coming along exactly as [they] should. We're not rushing too much. [We're] taking our time. We want this to be just really good. We have a lot of material, which is better than the other way around. We're going to be [at it] a little while. Rick Rubin is the producer, who's done very amazing things with people. So we're pretty excited about his input." Drummer Lars Ulrich recently told BBC Radio 1 that the band's new album's going to be in stores in the summer or early fall of 2007. "I think we've realized that the creative process works a little slower for us than it used to, and we're OK with that," he said. "It's not a bad thing, unless, of course, you're waiting for a record." ...

The reunited Alice in Chains have booked three additional U.S. gigs, adding shows in Del Mar, California (August 18); Kelseyville, California (August 20); and Mansfield, Massachusetts (as part of Locobazooka! radio fest on August 23). Sony Legacy will release the two-disc The Essential Alice In Chains on July 25. The collection will feature 28 tracks, including "Man in the Box," "Rain When I Die," "Heaven Beside You" and "Would?" ... Camp Freddy, the Los Angeles-based covers band that features former Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro and Velvet Revolver's Matt Sorum and Scott Weiland, will be playing a gig in Las Vegas on July 1, with Navarro's new band, the Panic Channel. ...

Iron Maiden have named their forthcoming album. A Matter of Life and Death, recorded with producer Kevin Shirley (H.I.M., Rocket From the Crypt) at Sarm West Studios in London, should hit stores in early September. Shirley said he feels "incredibly privileged to have been around to see this album born and breathe life. There have been only a couple of occasions in my career when the entire process of recording felt so complete — and it is on display here." Frontman Bruce Dickinson is also psyched about the LP, commenting that the effort contains "such a wide scope of musicianship ... and in parts, this album is truly epic. Every one of us has put everything into this record and it's really paid off. However we've had such fun making it that it's almost difficult to believe what we've managed to achieve in the time it took." Look for the album to feature 10 tracks, including "Brighter Than a Thousand Suns," "Out of the Shadows" and "For the Greater Good of God." ...

First, the European leg of the Rolling Stones' Bigger Bang tour survived a rescheduling due to guitarist Keith Richards' brain surgery. Now, fellow guitarist Ron Wood has checked into a London rehab clinic for treatment of alcohol abuse — but that won't alter the tour's planned relaunch on July 11 in Milan, Italy, according to a Reuters report. The Stones' spokesperson confirmed that Wood, 59, checked into a facility this week, but would be ready to perform with the band in Milan. ... Toronto "gay church folk" ensemble the Hidden Cameras will release their third record Awoo on September 19 on Broken Social Scene's Arts & Crafts label. The 13-track disc features the tracks "Death of a Tune," "Hump From Bending" and "The Waning Moon." A North American fall tour is in the works. ... Scottish indie-pop outfit Camera Obscura are coming across the pond in support of their third disc, Let's Get Out of This Country. The 22-date tour begins July 4 in Toronto and wraps up July 30 in Newport, Kentucky. ... Rudy Ray Moore, one of the Original Kings of Comedy, has been hospitalized. The 80-year-old Moore, a.k.a. Dolemite, is in the intensive-care unit of a hospital in Inglewood, California, as he battles "a serious undisclosed illness," according to a press release.

[This story originally published at 11:01 a.m. ET on 06.20.06]

• Notorious B.I.G.
• Britney Spears
• Michael Jackson
• Arctic Monkeys
• Culture Club

Past Best New Artist recipients: Cyndi Lauper, Shelby Lynne, Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, Sheryl Crow, Lauryn Hill, Sade, and Culture Club's Boy George

Alicia Keys, Linkin Park, Nelly Furtado, India.Arie and David Gray are up for the Best New Artist Grammy. Perhaps they should be afraid.

If peer admiration is the best kind of compliment, winning a Grammy is indeed music's highest honor. Determined by the ballots of those who have worked on six or more commercially produced songs — as musicians, songwriters, producers, engineers or in other capacities — the award overlooks critical non-factors such as record sales or radio popularity to identify "true" artistic achievement.

While this form of flattery doesn't exactly get you nowhere, sometimes the ride is over quick. Ask some past winners of the Best New Artist award what their Grammy and a buck will get them and they're liable to point to the McDonald's dollar menu. For others, walking away with a Grammy leads to a road paved with gold and platinum.

Of the genre-spanning "big four" awards — Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year (given to the songwriters) and Best New Artist — expectations hang heaviest on the latter. Like the Rookie of the Year or Heisman Trophy, the Best New Artist award, while recognizing a stellar year, is viewed as a predictor of bigger and better things. And while some have used the honor as a stepping stone, the careers of others have sunk under its weight.

Mariah Carey and Sheryl Crow were each dubbed Best New Artists in the voting years their respective debut albums, Mariah Carey and Tuesday Night Music Club, were released, and while 1990 was the only time she caught Grammy gold, albeit twice (also for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "Vision of Love"), Carey is 37 times platinum in the eight albums since. Crow added to her glory with six more Grammys and 11 platinum plaques from the three albums that followed her 1994 maiden win.

Early '80s artists Sade, Men at Work, Culture Club and Cyndi Lauper also benefited from Best New Artist buzz. Sade continues to strike precious metal, with last year's Lovers Rock certified double platinum, and though the careers of the others faded one or two albums later, it wasn't before they sold millions of copies and produced a flurry of hit singles.

Conversely, winning the Best New Artist award is sometimes a Pyrrhic victory. For every Carey and Crow, there are those for whom the award marked the apex of their careers.

Big things seemed in store for 1991 Best New Artist Marc Cohn. His "Walking in Memphis" was a hit and his self-titled debut was certified gold at the time of the awards ceremony. Unfortunately for the singer/songwriter, "Walking in Memphis" strode alone. Nothing Cohn released off his two successive albums, 1993's The Rainy Season and 1998's Burning the Daze, came close to matching its magnitude, and combined they've yet to sell 500,000 copies, according to SoundScan. Marc Cohn reached platinum status five years later, while its creator works as a session player.

Christopher Cross' "Ride Like the Wind" and "Sailing" blew the 1980 winner into stardom and off the musical map just as quickly. Although his self-titled debut album fostered two other singles, and his "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)," from the movie "Arthur," was a hit, his eight albums since paled in comparison to his first LP, which has been certified five-times platinum. Hootie & the Blowfish (1995) and Arrested Development (1992) are among the others whose careers suffered after taking home the Best New Artist trophy.

Recent recipients Lauryn Hill and Christina Aguilera must surely be feeling the pressure as they prepare their post-Grammy follow-ups, especially considering Shelby Lynne's disappointing après-Grammy showing. I Am Shelby Lynne, the 2000 album that afforded her the award, sold more than 225,000 copies to date, while its successor, last year's Love, Shelby, has yet to break 70,000 in sales.

While the Best New Artist award can hint toward an artist's future success, it may also mark the emergence of a predominant musical style. Like Aguilera's win that punctuated the female teen pop boon of 1999, and LeAnn Rimes' score in the midst of a country crossover trend in 1996, might a victory for India.Arie point toward a neo-soul happening? Would one for Nelly Furtado reclaim the prize for the light, funky ones? If it goes to David Gray or Alicia Keys, who herself might not be a contender if it weren't for Lauryn Hill in 1998, would soul-baring be the new rap-rock? Or would rap-rock persevere as a post-modern outlet for aggression if Linkin Park take home the trophy? We'll have to wait and see.

For more Grammy news, check out the MTV News Grammy Archive.

Stick with MTV News for complete coverage when the Grammys are handed out on Wednesday. You can catch the action live from the red carpet on "Backstage at the Grammys" beginning at 7 p.m. (ET) on MTV, and get up-to-the-minute news and reaction from the stars on MTVNews.com throughout the night.

• Alicia Keys
• Linkin Park
• Nelly Furtado
• India.Arie
• David Gray

Boy George apparently had a brush with death when a 62lb mirror ball came crashing down to the stage during a theater soundcheck.

• Boy George
• Culture Club

Will former President Jimmy Carter pummel Toni Morrison? Will Nashville Pussy hear its name spoken aloud? And perhaps most shocking of all, will Judas Priest win a Grammy?

These are just a few of the burning questions presented when this year's Grammy nominations were announced on Tuesday morning. Sure, many are wondering how many statuettes Lauryn Hill and Celine Dion will make off with when the awards are doled out on February 24, but there are more interesting dramas buried deep within the bowels of NARAS' 95 Grammy categories.

Take category 17 for example, Best Metal Performance, which brings with it the potential for a celebratory march from either Nashville Pussy or Judas Priest who are nominated along with Metallica, Rage Against The Machine, and Rammstein.

Its doubtful that any of those groups will be seated near former President Carter, who is part of a Best Spoken Word field that includes author Toni Morrison, actor Christopher Reeve, NPR favorite Garrison Keillor, and David Holt & Bill Mooney.

Chances are Carter will also be kept clear of another surprise nominee, Kiss, who could pick up its first-ever Grammy. The metal mainstays are up against fellow journeymen Metallica, Pearl Jam, and Jimmy Page & Robert Plant and relative newcomer Marilyn Manson for Best Hard Rock Performance, a development that raises more than a few questions about the need for new blood in rock.

The nomination of the Verve's "Bitter Sweet Symphony" for Best Rock Song also raises a few interesting possibilities. The award is presented to the songwriters behind the winning track, and the Verve shares songwriting credit with Rolling Stones Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, the men behind the sample that "Bitter Sweet Symphony" is based on.

The nominations also packed a few fabulous possibilities for 80s revivalists, as both Cyndi Lauper and Boy George are nominated for Best Dance Recording.

Amid the many questions raised, the Grammy nominations did offer at least one answer. Those who ever wondered how broad the Grammy categories could get were offered a Best Pop Instrumental Performance field that manages to include The Dust Brothers, Bela Fleck, Kenny G, the Pat Metheny Group, and the Brian Setzer Orchestra.

For more Grammy news, check out the MTV News Grammy Archive.

• Boy George
• Culture Club
• Rob Halford
• Judas Priest
• Two

Culture Club is packing up its bouncing 80s melodies and androgynous frontman Boy George for a reunion tour that will kick off on July 23 in Atlanta.

As we first reported in February, the tour will include all four original members, including George and drummer John Moss who split on less than friendly terms in 1986.

Those wounds have apparently healed, as the group will mount a three week tour this summer, and will film a one hour "Storytellers" special for VH1 that will air on June 14. The band will also release a two-CD retrospective chronicling the band's hits from "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me" through "Karma Chameleon" later this year.

If you're looking for a taste of the 80s, here's where Culture Club will be serving it up:

• 7/23 - Atlanta, GA @ Chastain Park
• 7/24 - Raleigh, NC @ Walnut Creek Amphitheater
• 7/25 - Charlotte, NC @ Blockbuster Pavilion
• 7/26 - Virginia Beach, VA @ Virginia Beach Amphitheater
• 7/29 - Manassas, VA @ Nissan Pavilion
• 7/30 - New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall
• 8/1 - Long Island, NY @ Jones Beach Music Theater
• 8/2 - Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center
• 8/5 - Philadelphia, PA @ Mann Music Center
• 8/6 - Wallingford, CT @ Oakdale Theater
• 8/7 - Mansfield, MA @ Great Woods
• 8/8 - Port Jervis, NY @ New Hope Farms
• 8/10 - Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center
• 8/12 - Clarkston, MI @ Pine Knob Music Theater
• 8/13 - Indianapolis, IN @ Market Square Arena
• 8/14 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Coca-Cola Starlake Amphitheater
• 8/15 - Rosemont, IL @ Rosemont Horizon
• 8/16 - Milwaukee, WI @ Wisconsin State Fair

• Boy George
• Culture Club

When reports of the reunion tour first surfaced last month (see "Culture Club Preparing To Tour"), is was unclear if drummer Jon Moss would join in. In the past, Moss had expressed a good deal of anger towards Club frontman Boy George, who once announced that he and Moss had been lovers.

Adding fuel to the band's fiery demise was the fact that George was addicted to heroin, which he admitted publicly at the time of the band's acrimonious split in 1986.

Perhaps those fences have been mended, or perhaps the band is hopping on the rising tide of 80s nostalgia. The band's breakthrough hit "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me" is prominently featured in the new Adam Sandler 80s flashback flick "The Wedding Singer."

• Boy George
• Culture Club

The publication says the band has been approached by the William Morris Agency and quotes the band's manager, Tony Gordon, as saying that the European dates will most likely be in and around June and July. Roughly 50 shows are expected to be booked Stateside, he adds.

It's not known at press time if the reunion involves all four original members. Culture Club was fronted by the flamboyant Boy George and included Roy Hay on guitar, Mikey Craig on bass, and drummer Jon Moss. They formed in 1981 and reached the No. 1 slot shortly after with the hit, "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me." They disbanded acrimoniously in 1986 when a relationship between Boy George and Moss disintegrated and the British tabs revealed the singer's heroin addiction.

Boy George went on to kick his habit and currently records solo and works as a high-profile DJ and record producer on the British dance circuit. Craig also chose to work behind the scenes while Hays and Moss went on to perform in other bands. None of the individuals have come anywhere close to matching the success of Culture Club.

• Boy George
• Culture Club

April 30 [14:00 EST] -- Boy George has successfully defended himself against a lawsuit launched in England by former mate Kirk Brandon, the frontman for defunct punk bands Theater of Hate in the early eighties and later Spear of Destiny.

Brandon had sued Boy George for malicious falsehood over material alleging a gay affair published in Boy George's 1995 autobiography, "Take It Like A Man" and in a song on a Boy George CD, "Unfinished Business."

But a judge in London's high court did not believe Brandon, saying "I do not believe him. I am satisfied he has not been truthful about their physical relationship."

He ruled that Boy George did have sexual relations with Brandon as detailed in the book, and ordered him to pay an estimated £250,000 costs.

Brandon, who says he's bankrupt and cannot pay the costs, later told reporters he intended to appeal the ruling and sue Boy George again, this time in the U.S.. He added he didn't regret taking the action, it had been a matter of honor.

George, whose real name is George O'Dowd, said it was a "great great day for the gay movement."

• Boy George
• Culture Club

Feb. 4 [12:00 EST] -- Former Culture Club centerpiece and 80s icon Boy George was reportedly beaten by bouncers at a club that employs George as a DJ.

According to reports, George, whose real name is George O'Dowd, claims that bouncers outside of London's Ministry of Sound "grabbed me by the throat and dragged me out into the street... They kicked me and punched me and broke my fingernails. They actually beat me up under the poster advertising an album I have done for them."

The club's managing director told reporters that George and his party would not comply with the usual door policy, and Scotland Yard is reportedly investigating the incident.

George produced a dance compilation for the club, titled "Annual 2," with the help of a BBC radio DJ.

• Boy George
• Culture Club