Kevin Federline
Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Britney Spears' assistant was served with court papers Sunday morning to give a deposition in a legal matter between the singer and Kevin Federline. Mark Vincent Kaplan, Federline's attorney, told The Associated Press that Alli Sims will be asked to offer a statement "in connection with the Britney Spears/ Kevin Federline issue," although he didn't elaborate. He added that Sims is "believed to have relevant information" but didn't go into specifics about that either. On Wednesday, Kaplan filed documents in Los Angeles Superior Court for primary physical custody of Federline's two sons with Spears. ...

Diddy will executive produce the upcoming biopic of the Notorious B.I.G., Variety reports. "Soul Food" director George Tillman will be behind the lens for "Unbelievable: The Life, Death and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.," for which an open casting call was launched nationally on Sunday. ...

Jennifer Lopez has pegged October 9 as the release date for her English-language album Brave, her second LP of the year and sixth studio disc overall. The set is highlighted by the just-released single, "Do It Well," and will be produced by J.R. Rotem (50 Cent, Christina Aguilera), among others. J. Lo's other album this year, Como Ama Una Mujer, is the best-selling Spanish-language debut LP ever. ... Amy Winehouse, who was hospitalized last week for severe exhaustion, has scrapped two planned shows in Germany opening for the Rolling Stones, RollingStone.com reports. The singer told Britain's News of the World, "I don't know how to explain what happened. ... I can't remember what I looked like. I couldn't recognize myself. It was terrifying." ...

Smashing Pumpkins, Foo Fighters, Kid Rock and Velvet Revolver will anchor Los Angeles radio station KROQ's Inland Invasion fest — which has been renamed the L.A. Invasion, since its relocation from a venue in Devore, California, to one in Carson. Against Me!, Chris Cornell, Hot Hot Heat, Satellite Party, Paramore and Cypress Hill round out the bill for the show, which will take place September 15. ...

The French publisher of the "Harry Potter" series will not seek damages against a 16-year-old who allegedly posted online an unauthorized French translation of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," publishing house Gallimard Jeunesse said Monday (August 13), The Associated Press reports. The case is still being investigated by French authorities, who will decide whether to bring it to trial. ... Robert Smith of the Cure, Julian Casablancas of the Strokes, Frank Black and Tom Waits will judge this year's International Songwriting Competition, RollingStone.com reports. ...

Bloc Party, Múm, Of Montreal and more have been confirmed for the ninth annual Iceland Airwaves festival, set for October 17-21 in downtown Reykjavík. ... The Shins have beefed up their fall tour schedule with a smattering of new U.S. dates. After playing Seattle's Bumbershoot festival on September 1 and Chicago's Download Festival the following day, the band will take a month off, then hit the road again beginning October 5 in Berkeley, California. From there, the Shins will play more West Coast and Southwest dates before dipping down South and winding their way up the East Coast for a two-day stand at New York's Terminal Five on October 23-24. They'll cap the tour with a pair of gigs at Las Vegas' Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel on October 27-28. ...

Wilco are bumping a pair of concerts because guitarist Nels Cline has come down with the chicken pox, according to the band's site. The Tuesday night show in Duluth, Minnesota, will now be staged September 4, and a concert scheduled for Winnipeg, Manitoba, will be postponed or scrapped entirely. ... "You Hear It First" vets the Shout Out Louds will tour for a month after they drop their new album, Our Ill Wills, on September 11. The indie-pop quintet will embark at the LA Weekly Detour festival in Los Angeles on October 6 and stay on the road through a November 3 show in Dallas. ...

According to Killswitch Engage bassist Mike D'Antonio, the band will head out for a co-headlining run with Lamb of God this winter. Suicidal Tendencies and Every Time I Die are in talks to open the gigs. ... Alice in Chains have been working on its first new material in more than a decade, according to frontman William DuVall. He said working with the band has "been deeply rewarding" and the new material sounds "insane." No word yet on when the reunited grunge rockers will release their next LP. ...

"Big Lebowski" fans who incessantly re-enact scenes and dialogue from the cult flick are about to be able to make their interpretations even lifelike: action figures are on the way. Seven-inch scale figures devoted to the Dude and Walter will be available in October and can be preordered here. ... Barenaked Ladies will host another cruise in 2008 called Ships & Dip III and leaving Miami on January 27. Tickets go on sale March 22. Meanwhile, Lynyrd Skynyrd (with guests the Marshall Tucker Band) are also hosting another cruise, while Sister Hazel and Toad the Wet Sprocket are signed on for Rock Boat VIII. ...

According to the Asbury Park Press, police charged 33 people with underage drinking last week at the Family Values Tour's Wednesday stop at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey. Thirteen others were arrested on various other charges, including resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and assaulting a trooper. In all, 46 people, ranging in age from 16-47, were taken into custody during the gig, which was headlined by tour founders Korn. ... A James Brown trustee accused of misappropriating $350,000 of the late singer's money has resigned, the Chicago Tribune reports. David Cannon turned over a check for the sum at a hearing on Friday. A follow-up hearing has been slated for September 24 as wrangling continues over Brown's estate.

08.10.07

Think 50 Cent is taking his upcoming face-off with Kanye West lightly? In an interview posted on SOHH.com on Friday (August 10), Fiddy threatened to end his rap career if he gets upstaged by 'Ye when their albums go head to head on September 11. "If Kanye West sells more records than 50 Cent on September 11, I'll no longer write music," he said. "I'll write music and work with my other artists, but I won't put out anymore solo albums." 50's Curtis will square off against West's Graduation. ...

Lily Allen has canceled gigs once again, this time because she has strep throat and sinusitis, she says in a post on her MySpace blog. "I'm back in London eating my mum's chicken soup, 'cause I'm afraid the traveling has caught up with me," she wrote in the post. "Before anyone starts trying to accuse me of neglecting my fans, I want to apologise and say how sorry I am, but I can't risk causing any permanent damage." Defending herself further, the singer also posted an image of her holding her doctor's note. ...

D'Angelo received suspended jail sentences Friday after pleading guilty to charges of driving under the influence and driving with a suspended license, AP reports. A Virginia judge revoked his license for 13 and a half months and fined him $1,250, with additional penalties suspended. A reckless-driving charge was dropped. ... Beastie Boys finally said hello to Brooklyn, New York, on Thursday night with — if you can believe it — their first-ever concert in the borough. RollingStone.com reports that the group, which played at McCarren Pool in Greenpoint, aptly opened the set with "Hello Brooklyn" and closed it with "No Sleep Till Brooklyn." ...

Norah Jones, Corinne Bailey Rae and Joss Stone are chipping in for Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino, which arrives in stores September 25. Paul McCartney, Elton John, Robert Plant and other classic-rock vets also salute the bluesman on the two-disc set, the sales from which will go toward buying instruments for public schools in New Orleans, rebuilding Domino's home there and helping other Crescent City-related programs. ... Emma Bunton, a.k.a. Baby Spice, gave birth to a, um, baby boy in London on Friday. It's the first child for the singer and boyfriend Jade Jones, who used to be in a pop act of his own: boy band Damage. ...

Bright Eyes are lighting up their tour schedule with seven additional dates: September 14 (Boise, Idaho); September 15 (Spokane, Washington); September 18 (Fairbanks, Alaska); September 19-20 (Anchorage, Alaska); September 23 (Eugene, Oregon); and September 24 (Chico, California). ... Waiting for a Cure LP? Well, the wait just got a bit longer. The band's new album was supposed to drop earlier this year, got bumped to the fall — and now won't be ready until the spring, Billboard.com reports. The band is busy touring and frontman Robert Smith hasn't finished writing yet. ...

Underoath will hit the road with Every Time I Die, Maylene and the Sons of Disaster and Poison the Well for a fall tour beginning September 22 in Houston and ending November 6 in Orlando, Florida. ETID, who are still on the Sounds of the Underground Tour, will drop their new Ferret release The Big Dirty on September 4. Earlier this week, they posted "No Son of Mine" — a track from the Steve Evetts-produced (Dillinger Escape Plan, Sepultura) effort — on their MySpace page. ... Queens of the Stone Age will not perform as part of Samsung and AT&T's free Summer Krush series on Monday in Los Angeles, as previously reported by Billboard.com. Plain White T's will play the gig instead. ...

As promised, Pearl Jam have posted the edited and unedited videos of their performance of "Daughter" at Lollapalooza on their Web site. Some segments of the performance were missing in AT&T's live "Blue Room" webcast, including critical remarks frontman Eddie Vedder made about President Bush. A spokesperson for AT&T recently told MTV News the omissions were not intentional and were mistakenly made by a webcast vendor. ...

Spoon, Coheed and Cambria, Devin the Dude and others have been confirmed for this year's CMJ Music Marathon, going down October 16-20 in New York, Billboard.com reports. UNKLE will play one of their first gigs ever with a live band, and surprise VMA Video of the Year nominees Justice will also hit up the fest. ... Franz Ferdinand, Hot Chip, Deerhoof, Grizzly Bear and David Byrne are among the acts who are contributing performances of songs written by David Shrigley for Worried Noodles, an unusual package containing two CDs and a hardcover book by the Scottish artist. The book of words and drawings was previously issued and caught the attention of the musicians, who have chalked up new songs for the set. ...

Martin Scorsese's Rolling Stones flick is rolling into next year. The film, originally slated for an August 26 theatrical release, will open in April instead, to allow the band more time to promote it. ... Speaking of rock docs, IFC has secured the rights to "Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten," a flick about the former Clash frontman that will hit select theaters November 2 and be televised on the cable channel thereafter. ... An unreleased Mick Jagger song produced by John Lennon in Los Angeles in 1973 will surface on The Very Best of Mick Jagger, due October 2. Jagger recorded the song, which has been on bootlegs for decades, with a cast of all-stars that included Harry Nilsson, Jack Bruce, Al Kooper and others. ...

In honor of the 40th anniversary of the release of Pink Floyd's first album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, a special edition of the album will be released August 28. The three-disc collection will look like a cloth-covered book, and include remastered stereo and mono versions of the album plus bonus tracks. The effort will also include a 12-page reproduction of Syd Barrett's notebook. ... Notorious ex-David Bowie manager Tony Defries will release his autobiography, Gods and Gangsters, in 2008. Also known for his work with the Beatles and Stevie Wonder, Defries is best remembered for helping to fashion the string of iconic characters rolled out by Bowie in the 1970s, as well as helping launch the solo careers of Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, Luther Vandross and John Mellencamp. ... The world's leading record label, Universal Music Group, has announced that it will experiment with offering a large part of its catalog for download without copy protection at least through January. According to The New York Times, Universal (home to 50 Cent, Amy Winehouse and Akon) will offer the songs without DRM through RealNetworks, Wal-Mart, Amazon.com, Google and some artists' sites — but not on top download service iTunes.

• Britney Spears
• Kevin Federline
• Jennifer Lopez
• Amy Winehouse
• The Smashing Pumpkins

50 Cent
Photo: Bryan Bedder/ Getty Images

Think 50 Cent is taking his upcoming face-off with Kanye West lightly? In an interview posted on SOHH.com on Friday (August 10), Fiddy threatened to end his rap career if he gets upstaged by 'Ye when their albums go head to head on September 11. "If Kanye West sells more records than 50 Cent on September 11, I'll no longer write music," he said. "I'll write music and work with my other artists, but I won't put out anymore solo albums." 50's Curtis will square off against West's Graduation. ...

Lily Allen has canceled gigs once again, this time because she has strep throat and sinusitis, she says in a post on her MySpace blog. "I'm back in London eating my mum's chicken soup, 'cause I'm afraid the traveling has caught up with me," she wrote in the post. "Before anyone starts trying to accuse me of neglecting my fans, I want to apologise and say how sorry I am, but I can't risk causing any permanent damage." Defending herself further, the singer also posted an image of her holding her doctor's note. ...

D'Angelo received suspended jail sentences Friday after pleading guilty to charges of driving under the influence and driving with a suspended license, The Associated Press reports. A Virginia judge revoked his license for 13 and a half months and fined him $1,250, with additional penalties suspended. A reckless-driving charge was dropped. ... Beastie Boys finally said hello to Brooklyn, New York, on Thursday night with — if you can believe it — their first-ever concert in the borough. RollingStone.com reports that the group, which played at at McCarren Pool in Greenpoint, aptly opened the set with "Hello Brooklyn" and closed it with "No Sleep Till Brooklyn." ...

Norah Jones, Corinne Bailey Rae and Joss Stone are chipping in for Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino, which arrives in stores September 25. Paul McCartney, Elton John, Robert Plant and other classic-rock vets also salute the bluesman on the two-disc set, the sales from which will go toward buying instruments for public schools in New Orleans, rebuilding Domino's home there and helping other Crescent City-related programs. ... Emma Bunton, a.k.a. Baby Spice, gave birth to a, um, baby boy in London on Friday. It's the first child for the singer and boyfriend Jade Jones, who used to be in a pop act of his own: boy band Damage. ...

Bright Eyes are lighting up their tour schedule with seven additional dates: September 14 (Boise, Idaho); September 15 (Spokane, Washington); September 18 (Fairbanks, Alaska); September 19-20 (Anchorage, Alaska); September 23 (Eugene, Oregon); and September 24 (Chico, California). ... Waiting for a Cure LP? Well, the wait just got a bit longer. The band's new album was supposed to drop earlier this year, got bumped to the fall — and now won't be ready until the spring, Billboard.com reports. The band is busy touring and frontman Robert Smith hasn't finished writing yet. ...

Underoath will hit the road with Every Time I Die, Maylene and the Sons of Disaster and Poison the Well for a fall tour beginning September 22 in Houston and ending November 6 in Orlando, Florida. ETID, who are still on the Sounds of the Underground Tour, will drop their new Ferret release The Big Dirty on September 4. Earlier this week, they posted "No Son of Mine" — a track from the Steve Evetts-produced (Dillinger Escape Plan, Sepultura) effort — on their MySpace page. ... Queens of the Stone Age will not perform as part of Samsung and AT&T's free Summer Krush series on Monday in Los Angeles, as previously reported by Billboard.com. Plain White T's will play the gig instead. ...

As promised, Pearl Jam have posted the edited and unedited videos of their performance of "Daughter" at Lollapalooza on their Web site. Some segments of the performance were missing in AT&T's live "Blue Room" webcast, including critical remarks frontman Eddie Vedder made about President Bush. A spokesperson for AT&T recently told MTV News the omissions were not intentional and were mistakenly made by a webcast vendor. ...

Spoon, Coheed and Cambria, Devin the Dude and others have been confirmed for this year's CMJ Music Marathon, going down October 16-20 in New York, Billboard.com reports. UNKLE will play one of their first gigs ever with a live band, and surprise VMA Video of the Year nominees Justice will also hit up the fest. ... Franz Ferdinand, Hot Chip, Deerhoof, Grizzly Bear and David Byrne are among the acts who are contributing performances of songs written by David Shrigley for Worried Noodles, an unusual package containing two CDs and a hardcover book by the Scottish artist. The book of words and drawings was previously issued and caught the attention of the musicians, who have chalked up new songs for the set. ...

Martin Scorsese's Rolling Stones flick is rolling into next year. The film, originally slated for an August 26 theatrical release, will open in April instead, to allow the band more time to promote it. ... Speaking of rock docs, IFC has secured the rights to "Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten," a flick about the former Clash frontman that will hit select theaters November 2 and be televised on the cable channel thereafter. ... An unreleased Mick Jagger song produced by John Lennon in Los Angeles in 1973 will surface on The Very Best of Mick Jagger, due October 2. Jagger recorded the song, which has been on bootlegs for decades, with a cast of all-stars that included Harry Nilsson, Jack Bruce, Al Kooper and others. ...

In honor of the 40th anniversary of the release of Pink Floyd's first album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, a special edition of the album will be released August 28. The three-disc collection will look like a cloth-covered book, and include remastered stereo and mono versions of the album plus bonus tracks. The effort will also include a 12-page reproduction of Syd Barrett's notebook. ... Notorious ex-David Bowie manager Tony Defries will release his autobiography, Gods and Gangsters, in 2008. Also known for his work with the Beatles and Stevie Wonder, Defries is best remembered for helping to fashion the string of iconic characters rolled out by Bowie in the 1970s, as well as helping launch the solo careers of Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, Luther Vandross and John Mellencamp. ... The world's leading record label, Universal Music Group, has announced that it will experiment with offering a large part of its catalog for download without copy protection at least through January. According to The New York Times, Universal (home to 50 Cent, Amy Winehouse and Akon) will offer the songs without DRM through RealNetworks, Wal-Mart, Amazon.com, Google and some artists' sites — but not on top download service iTunes.

08.09.07

Gwyneth Paltrow wasn't so into the initial idea of singing onstage last year with Jay-Z at London's Royal Albert Hall, she admitted to W magazine for its September issue. "Jay was playing at the Albert Hall on my birthday, and he said, 'Will you sing on this song?' " the actress told the mag. "At first I didn't want to do it!" Paltrow also talked a little about her husband, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, who was also onstage for the strange collabo. "When Chris gets home, we're not going to do anything other than what any regular couple does," she said. ...

A day after Amy Winehouse canceled two European festival dates following a trip to a London hospital to deal with what her label termed "severe exhaustion," a spokesperson for the singer said doctors have ordered Winehouse to rest in bed. For now, she's still expected to perform at the Virgin Festival in Toronto on September 8 as well as a string of U.S. dates in September. Winehouse's spokesperson would not comment on British tabloid reports that said the collapse that lead to the singer's hospitalization was possibly drug-related. ...

A woman is peeved that no one from Britney Spears' camp has contacted the woman about her car, which the singer was seen driving into earlier this week in Studio City, California. Kim Robard-Rifkin told CelebTV.com on Wednesday that, "It was simply like my car didn't matter to her, my inconvenience didn't matter to her." Robard-Rifkin, who filed a police report Thursday (August 9), added, "I'm not asking for money. I'm not asking for a new car. ... I simply want my car fixed, the same as I would fix somebody's car if I had done that." ...

Hilary Duff is branching out. The singer/actress has partnered with Michaels stores for Stuff by Hilary Duff, a new fashion-crafts line that includes bracelets, necklaces, charms, patches and more. All Michaels stores will host in-store demonstrations of the products on August 26 from 1-3 p.m. local time. ... An "American Idol" hopeful went into labor during her audition on Monday at Texas Stadium and had contractions as she was singing, People reports. After that, Antoria Gillon, who was taken to a local hospital, gave birth to a healthy son. She will be on the next round of the show. ...

John Mayer has been confirmed for the upcoming season of "Austin City Limits," Pitchfork reports — but the program will be heavily weighed toward indie-rock acts too. Bloc Party, Arcade Fire, Decemberists, Regina Spektor and Wilco have also been booked for the PBS series, which will start airing in October. ... The lineup for the first-ever Monolith Music Festival, to be held September 14-15 at Denver's historic Red Rock Amphitheatre, will include the Flaming Lips, Kings of Leon, the Decemberists, Editors, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Spoon, Cake, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, the Brian Jonestown Massacre, Das EFX and many more acts. ...

Thrice have pegged October 16 as the release date for The Alchemy Index: Vols. I & II - Fire & Water, the first two parts of a four-volume concept effort. The other two chapters, Vols. III & IV - Earth & Air, will be released in the spring. Both sets will be issue by Vagrant, the new label the band calls home after parting ways with Island in June. Earlier this year, frontman Dustin Kensrue called the Alchemy project "daunting" in an interview with MTV News. ... If you've been exchanging MySpace messages with Chris Cornell in recent weeks, chances are you were dealing with an imposter. The real Cornell logged onto his MySpace page on Wednesday to clear up matters. "Over the past several months, several incidents have taken place where others felt the need to engage in activities pretending to be me," he wrote. "I have been wanting to make a clear statement to fans, friends and anyone this may concern." He added the confounding remark, "Under no circumstances, under any name or address, do I or have I ever communicated or corresponded with anyone online or otherwise." ...

Want to get up close and personal with Velvet Revolver? You can get your chance for $250, thanks to meet-and-greet packages being offered for the hard-rock group's Tuesday gig at the Tweeter Center in Mansfield, Massachusetts. The package includes a VIP laminate, personal photograph with the band, exclusive 8x10 color poster and autograph. ... Three unaired Alice in Chains performances taped during the band's "Unplugged" session in April 1996 are being unearthed for a revitalized version of the package, Billboard.com reports. The new Unplugged will drop September 18 and feature a bonus DVD boasting "Angry Chair," "Frogs" and "The Killer Is Me." ...

Expect to catch an eyeful of U2 rehearsing songs from their new album in "Here It Is," a documentary about the band's longtime producer Daniel Lanois that is set to debut at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, RollingStone.com reports. The feature film captures Lanois and the band in a studio in Morocco, with Billy Bob Thornton, Willie Nelson and others making guest appearances. ... Ricky Martin wants to start creating "a family of many colors" this year by adopting "one [child] from each continent," the singer told reporters Wednesday in his Puerto Rico homeland. The 35-year-old Martin is not married. ...

A fifth woman will be allowed to testify that Phil Spector threatened her with a gun, the judge in the music producer's trial ruled Wednesday, the Los Angeles Times reports. Former Spector employee and girlfriend Devra Robitaille was expected to testify Thursday after jurors returned from a tour of Spector's mansion in Alhambra, California, where he allegedly killed actress Lana Clarkson. The defense — which on Wednesday called to the stand a neuropathologist who said the way Clarkson's body was found was consistent with a suicide — objected strongly to the decision to let Robitaille testify.

• 50 Cent
• Lily Allen
• Spice Girls
• Bright Eyes
• The Cure

D'Angelo
Photo: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images

According to R&B crooner D'Angelo, he's recovering at home following last week's car accident, and he can't wait to return to the studio to finish his forthcoming record.

"I banged up my ribs, but other than that, I'm fine," the Grammy Award-winning singer told The Associated Press on Monday night from his home in Midlothian, Virginia. The singer sustained bruised ribs and some contusions, according to his attorney and business advisor, L. Londell McMillan.

D'Angelo said he was released from Richmond's Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center on Friday, just days after the September 19 accident along Virginia's Route 711 (see "Singer D'Angelo Seriously Injured In Car Crash").

McMillan issued a statement yesterday afternoon assuring fans that D'Angelo, born Michael Eugene Archer, was doing well and "is anxious to finish the recording of his soul masterpiece that the world has patiently awaited."

The singer's last album, Voodoo, was released in 2000.

The news of D'Angelo's release from the hospital's Intensive Care Unit comes after comments made Monday morning by Sergeant Kevin Barrick, a Virginia State Police spokesperson, who explained that the musician was still being treated for injuries characterized as "critical" in a press release issued over the weekend.

Calls to Virginia State Police for comment were not returned by press time.

D'Angelo was rushed by Med-Flight helicopter to VCU Medical Center soon after last week's accident, a single-car crash that took place just before 8 p.m. on September 19. Barrick said D'Angelo's 2003 Hummer was headed east on Route 711 in Virginia's Powhatan County when it ran off the road and slammed into a fence before overturning.

Barrick said D'Angelo, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected from the vehicle. Another person inside the Hummer, Lynne Sellers, also sustained significant injuries; she was taken by ambulance to VCU Medical Center, where she was treated and released days later.

Police investigating the wreck are still unsure who was operating the vehicle when it crashed; according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the Hummer is registered to D'Angelo's brother, who lives in New York.

D'Angelo told the AP that Sellers was at the wheel when the Hummer skidded off the highway. Beyond that, he said, "I don't really remember anything" about the crash.

Two weeks ago, D'Angelo was handed a suspended prison sentence after being convicted of cocaine possession. In April, the singer was fined $250 and given a 90-day suspended jail term after pleading guilty in Virginia District Court to charges of marijuana possession and driving under the influence of alcohol (see "D'Angelo Pleads Guilty To Charges Of DUI, Drug Possession"); his driver's license was revoked for one year.

• D'Angelo

D'Angelo
Photo: Eufloria/MTV.com

Grammy Award-winning R&B crooner D'Angelo was seriously injured last week in an automobile accident along Route 711, a heavily trafficked highway in the singer's native Virginia.

D'Angelo, born Michael Eugene Archer, was transported by helicopter to Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center in nearby Richmond, according to Sergeant Kevin Barrick, a Virginia State Police spokesperson. While Barrick said Monday morning that D'Angelo was still being treated for his injuries and still in critical condition, his attorney and business advisor, L. Londell McMillan, said he'd been released on Friday.

"He's home and bugging us about getting back in the studio," McMillan said Monday. "He's fine. He had some bumps and bruises; he bruised a couple of ribs. But he's fine — he's cool. The cops got it wrong. He's home. He's playing his instruments and wants to record. This is an unbelievable business, man."

The single-car crash happened the evening of September 19, just before 8 p.m. Barrick said that D'Angelo's 2003 Hummer, headed east on Route 711 in Virginia's Powhatan County, ran off the road and slammed into a fence before overturning.

D'Angelo, one of the founding fathers of the neo-soul movement of the 1990s and perhaps best known for his steamy track and video "Untitled (How Does It Feel)," was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle. Another person inside the Hummer, Lynne Sellers, also sustained significant injuries. She was taken by ambulance to VCU Medical Center, where she was treated and released, according to Barrick.

Police would not provide additional information on the accident, as it's still under investigation. It's not clear whether D'Angelo or Sellers was driving the SUV at the time of the crash.

D'Angelo's criminal attorney, Ned Mikula, wouldn't provide specifics on the singer's condition or his injuries, but did say he has met with D'Angelo's family at the hospital. "They're praying and hoping for the best," Mikula said. "Knowing his strong constitution, I know he'll pull through. All I can say is his family's cautiously optimistic that he will survive and fully recover."

The accident occurred one week after D'Angelo stood before a Chesterfield Circuit Court judge and pleaded no contest to one count of felony cocaine possession; the 31-year-old singer was given a three-year suspended sentence, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. D'Angelo was arrested back in January outside Richmond on drunk-driving and drug-possession charges (see "Singer D'Angelo Arrested On Charges Of Drunk Driving, Drug Possession") when, during a routine traffic stop, police discovered marijuana and cocaine inside his vehicle.

In April, D'Angelo, who hasn't released an album in more than five years, pleaded guilty in Virginia District Court to charges of marijuana possession and driving under the influence of alcohol (see "D'Angelo Pleads Guilty To Charges Of DUI, Drug Possession") — charges stemming from that same arrest earlier this year. He was fined $250 and given a 90-day suspended jail term for the DUI conviction; his driver's license was also suspended for one year. He was also arrested in 2002 for reckless driving (see "D'Angelo Resists Arrest On Charges Of Assault, Aggressive Driving").

[This story was originally published at 7:37 a.m. ET on 09.26.2005]

• D'Angelo

Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl (file)
Photo: John Stanton/Getty Images

After much suspense, Foo Fighters and Weezer finally have some tour dates confirmed. Their joint trek, which has been talked about for months, had only gotten as far as a list of target markets last week, but on Monday afternoon (July 18) a spokesperson for the tour released the first confirmed cities and venues: September 8 at Atlanta's Gwinnett Arena; September 10 at Sunrise, Florida's Office Depot Center; September 11 at Tampa's St. Petersburg Times Forum; September 13 at The Woodlands, Texas' C.W. Mitchell Pavilion; September 14 at Austin's Frank Erwin Center; and September 15 at Dallas' Smirnoff Center. ...

System of a Down shot the video for their next single, "Question!," earlier this month in Los Angeles with bassist Shavo Odadjian and Howard Greenhalgh (Soundgarden, Muse) co-directing. The clip's concept, based on a dream Odadjian had, ruminates about reincarnation and the cycle of life in a sort of surreal fairy tale, as the band performs in an opera house. "The subject of death is universal — what is death? What happens afterwards? To me, it's very mystical," frontman Serj Tankian said. ...

The Backstreet Boys shot the video for their next single, "Just Want You to Know," this past weekend in Los Angeles with director Marc Klasfeld. Klasfeld co-wrote the treatment for the clip with the group's Kevin Richardson. ... Rapper Common's sex-fantasy single, "Go," is getting a steamy remix courtesy of Jay Dee, who produced two songs for the Chicago rapper's recent album, Be. The reworking will be notable for more than just sultry pillow-talk, though — it'll also feature the return of D'Angelo, the troubled crooner who, save for a DUI arrest last November, hasn't been heard from since a 2002 collaboration with singer Raphael Saadiq. ...

Outkast's Big Boi and Cypress Hill are among the artists heading up the Flavor 2 Savor concert series, a four-city tour that kicked off Friday in Minneapolis with Gavin DeGraw and Aslyn. The tour will bounce between the four cities with alternating acts, continuing Tuesday in Washington, D.C., (with Common and Lyfe) and Thursday in Philadelphia (Q-Tip), then resuming August 17 in New York (with Talib Kweli, Res and Jean Grae) and finishing up September 17 in Philadelphia (with Cypress Hill). ... Silkworm drummer Michael Dahlquist was killed after an allegedly suicidal woman deliberately crashed her car into the vehicle carrying Dahlquist and two other Chicago musicians at an intersection in Skokie, Illinois, on Thursday. Jeannette Sliwinski, 23, was charged with first-degree murder and was being held under guard at a hospital after she was denied bond on Friday, according to The Associated Press. Police said the woman was driving at speeds of about 70 mph and ran three red lights before ramming into the 2001 Honda Civic carrying the musicians. Sliwinski was not seriously injured in the crash, and Cook County Assistant State Attorney Colleen Daly said prosecutors may seek the death penalty. ...

Much like Nine Inch Nails and Weezer before them, Death Cab for Cutie are taking to MySpace.com to premiere the first single from their upcoming album. "Soul Meets Body," off of Plans (due August 30), can be heard on the band's MySpace page from Monday (July 18) until Friday. ... Pixies guitarist Joey Santiago has been holed up in a studio writing the original music for Showtime's upcoming comedy series "Weeds," which debuts August 10. "Weeds" stars Mary-Louise Parker, who makes ends meet by dealing pot to the neighborhood. Santiago, who has also composed for "Undeclared" and "Crime and Punishment in Suburbia," hopes to continue scoring post-Pixies. "This is a lot of fun and something I can continue to do when I'll embarrass my kids by being onstage," Santiago said. Santiago also wrote the theme for the Cartoon Network's "Sunday Pants," which will premiere on September 25. ...

Susie Castillo of "TRL" is slated to co-host "Miss Teen USA," along with "Passions" star Galen Gering, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on August 8. Aaron Carter and Kimberley Locke will perform at the competition, which will air live on NBC at 9 p.m. ET. ... Also in MTV VJ news, congratulations are in order for Kennedy — the onetime "Alternative Nation" host is now a mom. Her baby girl, named Pele Valentina Lee, was born on July 1 and is "so damn cute" and "so damn sweet," according to her proud mother. ...

The X Games are coming — daredevil athletes will converge in Los Angeles for the Summer X Games, featuring the best in skateboarding, inline skating, BMX biking, motocross jumping, wakeboarding and other extreme sports. The games will be televised on ABC August 6-7, 3-6 p.m. ET both days. ... The Grammy Awards will air on CBS for the next five years — the network just signed an extension on its broadcasting agreement with the Recording Academy that will keep the awards show on CBS through 2011. The current agreement was set to expire after the next ceremony, in 2006. ...

07.15.2005

"The Dukes of Hazzard" star Johnny Knoxville doesn't care for being the subject of gossip-column fodder, but he realizes the rumors about him sleeping with his castmate Jessica Simpson could be worse, he says in GQ's August issue. (Click for photos.) "I'm not going to sit here and whine about it," he said. He has nothing but praise for Simpson, calling her "nice and open and sweet," but as far as rumors of a romance are concerned, "It's not true," Knoxville told GQ. "Jessica and I are just friends. She's a great girl and all that, but all the rumors — I just kind of take it in stride. But it's kind of hurtful to the families that are involved." ...

Shaggy's got Olivia on board for the first single from his forthcoming album, Clothes Drop, due out September 20. The only female member of the G-Unit shot the video for "Wild 2nite" with Shaggy in Brooklyn, New York, recently with X directing (Usher, Ying Yang Twins). Other tracks on the album include "Shut Up and Dance" (produced by and featuring the Black Eyed Peas' Will.I.Am), "Would You Be" (featuring reggae singer Brian Gold), and "Back in the Dayz" (featuring Rayvon, who sang with Shaggy on his hit "Angel"). The album was recorded in Jamaica, the West Indies and New York, with producers Sly and Robbie, Scott Storch and others. ...

Queen Latifah performed Thursday night in a Secaucus, New Jersey, Wal-Mart parking lot to launch her Curvation Project Confidence Awards, an offshoot of her VF Intimates Curvation brand of intimate apparel for curvaceous women. The Confidence Awards are a nationwide search for women who project confidence, and the winner will be awarded a $10,000 grant to support a program or project of her choice. To enter or nominate others, visit curvation.com. "I credit much of who I am today to the confidence I was given as a child," Queen Latifah told the crowd. "Strong, independent women like my mother and grandmother showed me the power of believing in myself and now I want to pass this message on." ...

P. Diddy can't get enough reality TV. He's got another show in the works, this time, a hip-hop reality sitcom about the life and family of Reverend Run from Run-DMC, which will begin airing on MTV in October. "Run's House" is a full house — he's got five kids, ages 9 through 21 — so Diddy's co-executive producer Russell Simmons calls it "Father Knows Best on Steroids." "Rev. Run is a legend and one of the most interesting individuals I know," Diddy said. "He's destined to become America's next biggest reality show star! He's going to show the world what hip-hop family life is really like." ... Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's third album, Howl, will hit stores on August 23. The group's 19-date U.S. trek in support of the LP will launch September 12 in San Francisco and end October 8 in Los Angeles. ...

Sigur Rós have completed their new album, Takk (which translates as "thanks" in Icelandic), the follow-up to 2002's (). Due September 12, the 11-track disc is sung in Icelandic; previously, the material was sung in the made-up language of "Hopelandish," which singer Jon Thor Birgisson created. Takk's release will be preceded by the launch of a 23-date North American tour, which kicks off August 9 in Hawaii and ends October 5 in Los Angeles. ... Five-piece indie pop outfit the Decemberists have unveiled all 36 dates on their upcoming Flight of the Mistle Thrushes Tour. The trek kicks off on September 11 in San Francisco, with Sons and Daughters and Petra Haden's Sell Out Choir opening. The tour hits Los Angeles, Phoenix, Atlanta, Houston, Washington, D.C., and New York, where the Decemberists will pick up a new support act, Cass McCombs; he finishes out the remainder of the tour, which stops in Boston, Cincinnati and Chicago before wrapping in Denver on October 23. ...

• System of a Down
• Backstreet Boys
• Common
• D'Angelo
• OutKast

Easy Mo Bee (file)
Photo: Robert Milazzo

Producer Easy Mo Bee, who has worked with Notorious B.I.G., Alicia Keys and LL Cool J over the years, is hoping to use his connections to preserve the legacy of jazz great Miles Davis.

Easy was the last person to work with him before he fell ill, having produced Davis' 1991 Doo-Bop album. Now he's working on a new version with vocals from modern artists weaved into the music.

"It's not just about remixing, it's about making something that means something," Easy said. He cited Quincy Jones' 1989 album, Back on the Block, which featured several pop, hip-hop and jazz guests, including several who were no longer living. "Everyone connected would have to have a [musical] connection to Miles. Alicia. I could see Mos Def fitting in. Jill Scott. Or I would give anything to work with D'Angelo."

Easy is just starting the project and has yet to lock down artists, but he hopes musicians recognize the importance of keeping Davis' name in the spotlight.

"With Jimi [Hendrix], his estate remains so active to this day," Easy said. "Miles Davis' estate, there's a lot more stuff that should be released. People should really know more about him. Maybe with an effort like this, we can achieve that."

In the meantime, Easy Mo Bee brought old and new music together with his remix of the Temptations' 1971 hit "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)," which was released May 24 on a collection called Motown Remixed. Easy is also in the studio with Mos Def and just turned some tracks in for the Game's next album. "He's doing an N.W.A-type of project and Dre wanted to recapture that feel, so I have classic-style tracks," he said.

The producer is launching his own label, Easy Mo Records, as well. "I'm reading my royalties statements and all of the different areas where the records are selling, and it's like, 'This isn't a joke, I need to take advantage of my name being out there,' " Easy said. "And I want to remain in control. I've never been into the cookie-cutter thing."

• Easy Mo Bee
• D'Angelo
• Alicia Keys
• Game
• Mos Def

D'Angelo (file)
Photo: Eufloria/MTV.com

D'Angelo pleaded guilty in Virginia District Court on Wednesday to charges of marijuana possession and driving under the influence of alcohol, according to The Associated Press.

The R&B singer, whose real name is Michael Archer, was pulled over in a Richmond suburb in January on suspicion of drunk driving. Police searched the car during a traffic stop and found marijuana and .029 grams of cocaine.

D'Angelo, 31, was fined $250 and given a 90-day suspended jail term for the DUI conviction, and his driver's license was suspended for one year. This was not his first case of reckless driving (see "D'Angelo Resists Arrest On Charges Of Assault, Aggressive Driving").

The singer also waived a preliminary hearing regarding a third charge of cocaine possession, a felony. D'Angelo received a $50 fine and another 10-day suspended jail term for the marijuana charge, and his license was suspended for an additional six months.

Archer appealed the marijuana-possession and DUI convictions to the Chesterfield Circuit Court.

• D'Angelo

Britney Spears and Kevin Federline (file)
Photo: Getty Images

Kevin Federline — a.k.a. Mr. Britney Spears — shows he's a real romantic in a cover story in the March issue of Details (his more famous wife also takes part). (Click for photos from Details.) In it, we discover he likes to use the word "ass" a lot, Spears sometimes uses the odd phrase "motherchucker," and she thinks Rolling Stone and Us Weekly publisher Jann Wenner is a "big old fat man." The couple also insist their love is for real. "That's why I married him, because he's not a shallow mother----er Hollywood actor guy," Spears said. "She's f---ing proud of me," Federline boasted. "I could be sitting at home doing nothing. I could be playing video games." Speaking of doing nothing, Federline said that he's giving up dancing as a job because "I've done it, dude." Instead, he hopes to start a clothing company called Pair a Dice, because the couple have matching dice tattoos. "I want to do some cool casual stuff, like jeans and T-shirts and sweat suits," he told the magazine. "And then I also want to hit the flip side — high-end, classy stuff, too." ... Meanwhile, the BBC has restricted the airing of the steamy ad for Britney's Curious perfume until after 7:30 p.m., according to a spokesperson for the Broadcast Advertising Clearance Centre. Less racy edits of the commercial — which features a scantily clad Spears fantasizing about the man in the hotel room next door — can air before the restricted time. ...

Christian Bale, Katie Holmes, Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman and others will reprise their film roles from the upcoming "Batman Begins" in the video game of the same name. Due June 17, the game challenges players to step into the shadows of Gotham City's perilous criminal underworld as DC Comics' legendary Dark Knight, played by Bale, and use fear as their ultimate weapon. ... R&B singer D'Angelo's court date has been pushed back once again. The Grammy-winning artist was scheduled to be arraigned on charges of drunk driving and drug possession last Friday, but the date has been postponed to April 13. The charges stem from a January 9 incident in which D'Angelo was stopped for a traffic violation near his hometown of Richmond, Virginia. At the stop, his car was searched and officers found substances believed to be cocaine and marijuana. ...

Slim Thug's major-label debut, Already Platinum, has been pushed back to March. The Houston MC has decided to return to the studio to record new material after songs from the original version of the album were leaked. No word yet on an exact release date. ... Pete Rock, Rupee and Doug E. Fresh will lead a host of hip-hoppers at the Rap for Relief tsunami benefit concert at New York's B.B. King's Blues Club on February 22. Other acts scheduled to perform include Rahzel, Buckshot, J-Live, the High & Mighty, C-Rayz Walz and Sean Price. All proceeds from the concert will go to the Red Cross. Tickets are $20 in advance and extra donations will be accepted at the club that night. ...

Distillers frontwoman Brody Dalle might have killer pipes and a tattoo that prominently displays the f-word, but one thing she doesn't have anymore is a drummer. In a post on TheDistillers.com, Andy Granelli — who played drums on the Distillers' most recent record, 2003's Coral Fang — wrote that he was leaving the group to devote more time to his other band, Darker My Love. "I am writing in to say that I have officially quit the Distillers," Granelli said. "I started Darker My Love ... as an outlet for us to play exactly what we wanted to, without compromise. So I feel now it is my time to go back to that." A spokesperson for the band had no information on who would be replacing Granelli. ... Vanessa Williams will show some love for her country when she sings the national anthem at NASCAR's Daytona 500 on Sunday. The singer will also take part in a tribute to America, during which she will sing "America the Beautiful." Joining her in the tribute will be Brian Wilson, Five for Fighting's John Ondrasik, and Clint Black. ...

With the biggest awards show in the film industry less than two weeks away, "The Aviator" took home the top honor of Best Film at England's equivalent of the Oscars. The Howard Hughes biopic also garnered the Best Actress in a Supporting Role award for Cate Blanchett, and several technical awards at the British Academy of Film and Television Awards on Saturday. Jamie Foxx won Best Actor for "Ray," while "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" won Orange Film of the Year, the only award chosen by the general public. ... The Clash's Joe Strummer, who died in 2002 of a heart attack, was honored on Saturday with a train named for him in the U.K., according to The Associated Press. The Strummer train, dedicated on Saturday at a railway station in Bristol, joins a long list of trains that have been named after famous people for the last 200 years in England. ...

Falling short of your daily recommended dose of 1950s biker-flick-inspired rock and roll? Well, you're in luck. Because on May 3, retro Danish rockers the Raveonettes will drop Pretty in Black, the follow-up to their 2003 album, Chain Gang of Love. The first single from the new record is "Love in a Trashcan." ...

02.11.2005

For Valentine's Day, Britney Spears expressed her romantic side by posting a letter Friday (February 11) on her fan site about her life with Kevin Federline. "I fall more and more in love with Kevin every day," she wrote. "We've been away from each other for a week now and I think I'm losing my mind! It's the longest we've been apart from one another." But it's Federline's work schedule keeping them apart, she says, not hers. She's been at home in Kentwood, Louisiana, with her mother while her husband has been posing for the March issue of Details. "The pictures are so hot!" she bragged. "Stay away, girls!" In the meantime, Spears has been playing mom by shopping for "the cutest dresses" for Kori, Federline's daughter with Shar Jackson, as well as dressing her dogs in Von Dutch clothing ("I think my dogs are so much cuter than Tinkerbell"). She's still having trouble training her dogs, which is "kind of bad because we have white carpets." And she hopes to build a dream house right behind her mom's home in Kentwood once she starts a family of her own. ...

Paris Hilton will fill out Barbara Eden's harem pants when she guests on "American Dreams" as the "I Dream of Jeannie" star. The episode airs March 16 at 8 p.m. on NBC. ... Martin Bashir's 2003 documentary on Michael Jackson, "Living With Michael Jackson," helped bring down the pop star and spark a criminal investigation. Now, Bashir, who has since become an ABC News correspondent, has a follow-up, called "Michael Jackson's Secret World," which will air as a two-hour special edition of "Primetime Live" on February 17 at 9 p.m. ET. It will include new interviews, details, and further allegations about Jackson's friendships with boys. ...

Before the major unveiling of his new live lineup at the Coachella Festival on May 1, Trent Reznor will get some road work in with Nine Inch Nails on a trio of West Coast dates: March 23 in Fresno, California; March 24 in Reno, Nevada; and March 25 in Davis, California. The band will also play a pair of dates in London on March 30 and 31. NIN's upcoming album, With Teeth (May 3), will be preceded by the single "The Hand That Feeds," due out in April. ... Several of Los Angeles' most renowned lyricists — Ras Kass, Kurupt, Jayo Felony and newcomer Scipo — came to party at Hollywood's Highland club Thursday night. Talib Kweli also joined the fray. Meanwhile, downstairs, the Roots, Common and Musiq competed against each other at a bowling alley. ...

On Wednesday, Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx won his case against Vans Incorporated for using his picture without permission, according to "Celebrity Justice." "Somebody has to stand up, and I was willing to spend my own money and my own time to stand up for myself and other people," he told "Justice." The company reportedly ran an ad featuring Sixx in the sports magazine Thrasher without informing the musician. The jury awarded Sixx $600,000 plus interest. ... "Nirvana - Nevermind: Classic Album," a DVD documenting the making of Nirvana's breakthrough release, is due March 22. Along with a documentary featuring interviews with bassist Krist Novoselic, drummer Dave Grohl and producer Butch Vig, the DVD will include mini-docs on Grohl joining the band, the album's artwork and the song "Drain You." ...

Tricky is getting back into the acting game — the trip-hop godfather is guesting on four consecutive episodes of "Girlfriends," starting March 21. Tricky plays Finn Robinson, the leader of a band holding auditions for a new singer, who is impressed by an impromptu performance by Lynn (played by Persia White). The show airs Mondays at 9 p.m. on UPN. ... Nine days after their Coachella performance, Austin, Texas, indie-rockers Spoon will release their fifth album, Gimmie Fiction, on May 10. The follow-up to 2002's Kill the Moonlight will feature 11 tracks, including "My Mathematical Mind" and "I Turn My Camera On." ... After a brief tour last month, Sub Pop act the Album Leaf — who have quickly become a favorite on "The O.C." — will hit the road again next month. The three-week tour starts in Phoenix on March 13 and ends April 3 in Montreal. ...

• Britney Spears
• D'Angelo
• The Distillers
• Slim Thug
• The Clash

Ja Rule (file)
Photo: Peter Kramer

Ja Rule recently revealed that "Caught Up" will be his next single. He's shooting the video this week in Miami. ... R&B singer D'Angelo's arraignment on charges of drunk driving and drug possession has been pushed back to February 11. The charges stem from a January 9 incident in which the singer was stopped for a traffic violation near his hometown of Richmond, Virginia. A subsequent search of his vehicle turned up substances believed to be cocaine and marijuana. ...

Jennifer Lopez is providing a glimpse at her first-ever fashion show, which will debut her fall clothing line, in an hour-long special set to air on MTV. "Jennifer Lopez: Beyond the Runway" will document the singer/actress running her clothing company while juggling her other career duties as her show at Olympus Fashion Week approaches. "I've had a passion for fashion for so long," Lopez said in a statement. "I am that girl who comes from the street, who comes from the Bronx, but has traveled the world and can bring all of those glamorous qualities, so it's like a sexy street glamour." The special airs February 24 at 10 p.m. ET. ... Mos Def, Macy Gray and Robert Bradley are not just in "Lackawanna Blues," an HBO film premiering February 12, they also each contributed new music for the soundtrack, due February 8. Mos plays a charismatic club band leader and Bradley portrays a blues singer in the flick. ...

Dave Matthews Band bus driver Stefan Wohl was charged in Chicago on Wednesday with reckless conduct and pollution for allegedly dumping waste onto passengers aboard a boat on the Chicago River as his bus crossed a bridge over the waterway in August, according to newswire reports. Wohl, 42, turned himself in and was released; a hearing is scheduled for March. The charges each carry a penalty of up to a year behind bars. ... System of a Down, Beastie Boys and Korn are among the artists who have donated items to a Waxploitation Records-sponsored auction (www.ebay.com/sudanrelief) to raise money for the victims of genocide in Sudan. Good Charlotte, Limp Bizkit, the Donnas, Tom Morello and Rob Zombie are also participating. ... Raphael Saadiq, Jon B. and Tank are among the R&B stars set to perform at a tsunami benefit Thursday at the Derby in Los Angeles. Calvin Richardson and former "American Idol" finalist Corey Clark are also performing, and the Youngbloodz and Truth Hurts are expected to be in attendance. ...

Juliette Lewis is heading back into the studio later this month with her band to record a full album, which they'll produce themselves and release May 31. Juliette and the Licks previously released a five-song EP called Like a Bolt of Lightning, which was only available online but will now hit stores on January 25. Meanwhile, the actress has collaborated with Southern California footwear company DVS Shoe to create the "Juliette" shoe for the summer/fall line (hitting stores in June). ... Tom Petty gets lucky during his upcoming guest stint on "King of the Hill," in which he'll provide the voice of Luanne's new love interest, named, well, Lucky. The rocker will appear in three episodes starting February 13 at 7 p.m. ET on FOX. ...

An all-star metal band featuring members of Disturbed, Iron Maiden, Ministry, the Misfits, Murderdolls, Type O Negative, AC/DC, Orgy, Danzig, Fear Factory and others will unite Thursday at the Hard Rock Cafe in Beverly Hills, California, for a benefit for the Raven's Heart Foundation. Prong, Ours, Uncle Dad (featuring former members of Guns N' Roses and Quiet Riot) and a Thin Lizzy tribute band are also performing. ... Jill Scott's Blues Babe Foundation will hold a fund-raiser on Sunday at Philadelphia's Saks Fifth Avenue. Event patrons will be able to take part in a silent auction featuring items from Scott, Destiny's Child, Patti LaBelle and Teddy Pendergrass, among others. The Blues Babe Foundation, launched in 2002 and named after Scott's grandmother, was established as a means to nurture the artistic and academic pursuits of lower-income, college-bound students of color. ...

Contrary to speculation due to their longtime inactivity, Portishead are still very much alive. It's been eight years since the trip-hoppers' self-titled sophomore record, but the Bristol, England, group has nearly completed its third album. Portishead will play a rare live show with Massive Attack at the Bristol Academy on February 19 to support tsunami-relief efforts. ... The Slits' classic 1979 album, Cut, will be re-released Tuesday via Koch Records. Formed in 1976 and led by then 14-year-old Ari Up, the pioneering female punk rockers cemented their place in history by joining the Clash's 1977 White Riot Tour. Two bonus tracks appear on the record: "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" and "Liebe and Romanze." ...

For every kid who can recite song lyrics word-for-word but can't commit school-related information to memory, Kaplan Test Prep and Defined Mind have created a CD of vocabulary-filled rock, hip-hop and R&B tracks as an SAT study aid. A slew of up-and-coming independent artists were asked to pen songs that featured at least 20 SAT-level vocabulary words for inclusion on the Vocabulary Accelerator disc. The result? Lyrics like "At this proximity you are deleterious to my tranquility" and "I am resplendent in the day/ Scoff at all that is in my way." Students can check out www.kaptest.com for more information. ... While he's recorded four previous albums on his own, Graham Coxon's first post-Blur solo LP, Happiness in Magazines, is set for a Tuesday release. The 13-track album, produced by longtime Blur producer Stephen Street, will feature the single "Freakin' Out." Despite rumors, Coxon says he has absolutely no plans to rejoin Blur. "There would be no need to go back. I'm in a new phase now," he said. ...

01.18.2005

Ashlee Simpson has bought her first home, in Studio City, California, which she's sharing with two of the girls who appeared as her friends in her video for "La La." "It's so much fun," she recently told MTV Europe. "We've been decorating it and everything, it's kinda got like a retro vibe. Hopefully when I'm home next month, I'll be able to do some work around the house. I am the messiest in the house, by far. My girlfriends are messy, too, but I win. I take the cake!" ...

Meanwhile, sister Jessica has autographed a sky-blue sweatshirt for an auction to benefit the Skin Cancer Foundation. The clothing, which can be seen at www.yogaforce.com, will be auctioned off in May, which is also Skin Cancer Awareness month, at www.auctiondrop.com. ... Jessica's husband, Nick Lachey, has signed to Jive Records, and will document the process of working with the label, recording songs and promoting the album on his upcoming still-untitled solo reality show, which is set to premiere on MTV in April. "Viewers will see a different side of me than in 'Newlyweds,' " he said in a statement, "and be able to understand exactly what goes into the making of an album. I look forward to sharing this experience with my fans." ...

Pharrell Williams and Reebok have decided to end their brief licensing relationship. Pharrell signed with Reebok in December 2003 to launch his Ice Cream footwear and Billionaire Boys Club clothing lines. As a result of the separation, Reebok will continue to sell Ice Cream sneakers through June 30. Pharrell sued Reebok International for more than $4 million last month, claiming the sportswear giant didn't produce clothing meeting BBC's standards and failed to distribute the clothing line to stores by an agreed-upon deadline. Pharrell will announce future plans for both lines shortly. ... It's been years since we've heard from Xscape, the quartet that Jermaine Dupri discovered and helped bring to platinum fame, but now they're in the studio working on a new album called Unchained for Warner Bros., minus member Kandi Burruss. Sisters LaTocha and Tamika Scott have once again joined forces with Tameka "Tiny" Cottle, and they've added a new member, Keisha Miles. Besides their album, the ladies are also shopping a reality show called "Unchained," which would document their realignment. ...

Eddie Vedder, Rob Zombie, Vincent Gallo, Nicolas Cage, Rick Rubin and other celebs joined several hundred black-T-shirted fans to memorialize Johnny Ramone with a larger-than-life statue of the punk rock pioneer at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery on Friday (click to see exclusive photos from the event). Zombie took credit for the statue (which he designed), Vedder called Ramone a "father figure" and Gallo wondered why Ramone had so many good friends while being such a tough guy. ... After four years of declining global music sales due to, among other factors, the abundance of illegal file-sharing, online music stores may now have a hand in increasing sales in 2005. According to Reuters, the market expects to see a 1 percent increase in 2005 with the help of online music sales and music DVDs. That may seem like a minor increase, but it could return the industry's sales levels to $39 billion (from the $32.1 billion in 2004) over the next six years, a number not seen since before the advent of file-swapping services and inexpensive CD burners. ...

With keynote speaker Robert Plant already on board, the lineup for the annual South by Southwest Music Festival in Austin, Texas (March 16-20) is coming together. Among the hundreds of roots, rock, hip-hop, pop and dance acts on the bill are Elvis Costello, Bloc Party, Death From Above 1979, Ditty Bops, Dogs Die in Hot Cars, the Donnas, Doves, Fatboy Slim, the Futureheads, Hot Hot Heat, Billy Idol, the Kills, Aimee Mann, the Raveonettes, Sleater-Kinney and the Soundtrack of Our Lives. ... British indie-rockers the Futureheads are crossing the pond for a series of North American tour dates. Their trek kicks off on February 21 in Washington, D.C., and makes stops in cities including New York, Philadelphia, Boston and Los Angeles before winding up in Dallas on March 19. ...

Interpol might earn the title of indie road warriors at this rate. Still supporting their sophomore album, Antics, the gloomy New York rockers are taking to the road yet again on a 16-date North American trek with Blonde Redhead. The tour commences February 7 in Cincinnati and ends February 28 in Philadelphia. ... After supporting Interpol on their fall tour, the Secret Machines are ready to hit the road on their own in support of their major-label debut, Now Here Is Nowhere. The Dallas trio's first full-blown North American tour will comprise 27 dates starting in Toronto on February 2 and then wrapping up a month later in New York on March 5. ...

Ted Nugent did his part to make sure one high school band could rock out for President Bush in his inaugural parade. The Motor City Madman played a benefit concert on Saturday at the Crawford High School gym in Texas' McLennan County, where he now lives, to help the school's band — the only Texas high school band invited to participate — raise enough money to travel to Washington, D.C., to perform in the parade. The show raised about $19,000, according to the town's newspaper, the Waco Tribune-Herald, which covered the cost of the trip and will allow the band to get new uniforms and a new sound system for its school gym. ... Afro'd prog-rockers the Mars Volta will release their second disc, Frances the Mute, on March 1. The follow-up to De-loused in the Comatorium will feature 77 minutes of music spanning across five songs, three of which will be broken up by movements and passages, much like an orchestral suite. The first single will be "The Window." ...

• Ja Rule
• Jennifer Lopez
• Mos Def
• System of a Down
• Portishead

D'Angelo in Chesterfield police custody
Photo: Chesterfield Police Department

R&B singer D'Angelo was arrested on charges of drunk driving and drug possession near his hometown of Richmond, Virginia, on Sunday.

D'Angelo, born Michael Eugene Archer, was stopped in a Richmond suburb for a traffic violation, but after searching his vehicle, police found substances they believed to be cocaine and marijuana, Chesterfield police Captain Karl Leonard told The Associated Press.

Both substances were reportedly sent to laboratories to be analyzed.

D'Angelo, who won two Grammy Awards in 2000, has run into trouble on the road before. In November 2002, a woman alleged the singer cut her off in a lane leading to a shopping mall and then repeatedly and recklessly switched lanes. When police came to his home to serve him with misdemeanor charges of aggressive driving, the singer refuted the allegations and was further charged with resisting arrest (see "D'Angelo Resists Arrest On Charges Of Assault, Aggressive Driving").

D'Angelo is due in court on Tuesday to be arraigned on charges of drunken driving, marijuana possession and possession of a controlled substance.

• D'Angelo

• D'Angelo