Five Finger Death Punch
Photo: The FIRM

Get a bunch of longhairs together, add beer, toss out the names of a few bands and, by golly, you'll have yourself a healthy — albeit profanity-filled — debate on the merits of what constitutes true, honest-to-goodness "metal."

It's something unique to the genre, because metal fans are among music's staunchest. They're the true definition of "dedicated," and when you enter such debates, you'd better come prepared. Metalheads — popular media portrayal aside — will back up their arguments with song titles, riffs, release dates, groupie names and analogies (i.e.: "They're metal like Godsmack are metal.")

Now, for some die-hards, but certainly not all, Five Finger Death Punch — which features former members of Motograter and W.A.S.P. — wouldn't quite make the metal grade. And that's fine. Everyone's entitled to an opinion — and Hungarian guitarist Zoltan Bathory, one of the band's founding members, has a couple of his own.

"We had a song ['The Bleeding'] that somehow touched so many people, and became really successful on the radio, but it's like a hate song, and it is pretty heavy," Bathory said of the single — which is hovering in the top 10 on the Active Rock chart — from their latest album, The Way of the Fist. "It's the lightest song on our record, but at the same time, we have really brutal pieces on this record.

"We have really heavy songs, and I think we're a straight-up heavy-metal band with a hint of thrash metal — maybe a hint of the Euro stuff in there, but that's pretty much what we are," he said, adding that mainstream rock radio shunned the band as "too brutal" for months before "The Bleeding" took off. "No one thought we'd have a chance for commercial success of any kind. For f---'s sake, guys, isn't that the plan? As a band, we are kind of walking the line, you know? If you're into Slayer, you buy this record, and you won't be disappointed, because we thrash pretty hard. But we have a [melodic] singer, so we please both worlds. I would hope that the real metalheads understand that and realize, 'Hey, this can be an opening for other bands to come,' and we can bring metal back to the mainstream."

The success of "The Bleeding" on commercial rock radio wasn't the work of a major label promo push, Bathory explained. Only a few jocks were spinning the record at first, and "it kind of spread like wildfire." People started calling in to request the track.

"No way I would ever compare us to Metallica, but it's kind of like when they did the black album, and then all of a sudden, everybody was like, 'Oh, it's not really Metallica,'" he said. "I admit I was one of the guys, but it was a moment of jealousy, because I thought, 'Now they will be really popular, and all the geeks will like them.' People can point at this band and say it's not 'real metal,' but I have confidence. A life's worth of work went into this record, and these are songs I've had forever. When I finished this record, I thought, 'I don't even care where this goes, because I love this record.' It's exactly what I wanted to say, and I'm really proud. There are Internet kids with lots of opinions — the dungeon dwellers that never left their bedrooms. If they're basing their opinion on ['The Bleeding'], yes, probably, people would say it's 'commercial rock.' "

It's been something of a crazy mercurial rise for Five Finger. Their debut album hit stores last July, and already they've done huge arena tours with the likes of Korn. Next up, the band will be touring with Disturbed before heading out with that band again on the inaugural Rockstar Energy Mayhem tour, with Slipknot and others.

"We have to be somewhat accessible," Bathory explained. "Disturbed is accessible to people. Korn is accessible to people. We are heavier than these bands. My crowd is people who love Pantera, Metallica, Maiden — all the Euro stuff; that's our crowd. If someone else doesn't like it, who cares?"

The guitarist said fans will need to wait some time for Five Finger's next opus, as he thinks they'll be out on the road for a while on this first release. But for now, before the guys head out with Disturbed, you can catch them on tour with Drowning Pool and Nonpoint, through April 23 in Norfolk, Virginia.

The rest of the week's metal news:

Death-metal legends Obituary have been forced to cancel their upcoming tour with Dying Fetus, Origin and Thy Will Be Done for "reasons beyond our control." They will reschedule the trek for this fall, the band said. ...

What better way to honor the memory of the great "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott than sporting duds he designed? Over on the Dimebag Hardware Web site, you can order threads created by the late Pantera shredder. It's been more than three years since Dime was gunned down at the Alrosa Villa nightclub in Columbus, Ohio. ...

Last week, we brought you news on In Flames, and the colorful cover of their new LP, A Sense of Purpose. But now you can actually listen to the whole record on their MySpace page, before you buy it on April 1 — and you will buy it. ...

Another week, another band biting the dust: Michigan metallers Still Remains. Yep, they're done. In a statement, the band announced that its swan song would be at this year's Cornerstone Festival. "No, we don't hate each other or want to punch each other in the face," the band assured us. "It's just time for us to move on to different things in our lives." ...

Death Angel? Check. God Forbid? Check. Soilent Green and Light This City? Check and check. Ah, yes, another kickass tour, which kicks off in Flint, Michigan, on May 1, and runs through June 11 in New York. Guest list, anyone? ...

There's more hardcore in the house over at Century Media, following this week's announcement that the almighty Terror have inked with the label. Terror's third LP, The Damned, the Shamed, will hit stores on June 10. ...

Two of Neurosis' masterminds are readying solo efforts. Frontman Scott Kelly's second solo recording, The Wake, will be released May 5, and guitarist Steve Von Till's latest, the awesomely titled A Grave Is a Grim Horse, comes out two weeks later.

• Five Finger Death Punch
• Obituary
• Dimebag Darrell
• Pantera

Big Boi
Photo: Bryan Bedder/ Getty Images

Big Boi is stitching together his upcoming album, Sir Luscious Left Foot, which will be released separately from Andre 3000's own new project and be followed by a proper Outkast release. Big Boi told Vibe.com that fans can expect to hear the first single from his effort at midnight on New Year's Eve. "I want all the stuff to be '08, everything to be brand new," he said. "I'm going to put 12 songs on [Sir Luscious Left Foot], I'm finished with like nine right now. Production is by Organized Noize." ...

The White Stripes trekked heavily in support of Icky Thump this year, but could those have been the band's final tours ever? "If we didn't ever tour again, it doesn't matter to me," Jack White told the Los Angeles Times in an interview that ran in the paper's Sunday edition. "There's so many different aspects to being creative that it doesn't matter if one component is changed. Because it's been changing all the time since the band started." The frontman insisted, however, that he will tour with his side project the Raconteurs for their yet-untitled second album, which he reportedly said is halfway done and due in '08. ...

Amy Winehouse previously announced that she had scrapped her remaining concert dates and public appearances for the year, but a little thing called the Grammy Awards has changed all that. "Amy is grateful and excited about the nominations, and she is planning to attend [the ceremony]," her publicist, Tracey Miller, confirmed to MTV News on Monday (December 10). But while Winehouse may be all smiles over her six nominations, she probably isn't too pleased about an open letter her mother reportedly sent to the British tabloid News of the World. In the letter, Janis begged her daughter to come home and get some help. She explained why she hadn't gone public until now, writing, "People will wonder why I haven't run down to whatever hotel you're staying in, scooped you up and taken you home for a hot bath and a steaming bowl of chicken soup. It's because your father and I know what you're like, Amy. We want to help you, but we know that unless you want to be helped — unless you come to us — anything we tried would be in vain." And though she admitted she's not the #1 fan of Winehouse's troubled husband, Blake Fielder-Civil — currently in jail following an arrest last month on charges of allegedly trying to interfere with a trial on an assault charge — Janis Winehouse said she knows Amy has made her choice. "Blake your husband might not be my favourite person — you know that, Amy — but he's your choice, and I would never say anything about him to hurt you. ... If your relationship is meant to be, it will survive." Janis Winehouse wrote that she thinks early fame has overwhelmed her daughter and that it has "dizzied" and "muddled" her mind. "For a moment, forget you're a superstar. You're also young and vulnerable. Remember you're just an ordinary human being, not stronger than any of the rest of us. You think you're strong enough to get through this on your own, darling, but you're not." The letter comes less than a week after Winehouse was photographed walking through the streets of London in a bra and jeans in the early morning hours. "We were terrified after we saw those pictures of you earlier this week, wandering the freezing streets of London at dawn in your underwear. All I wanted to do was rush into those pictures and wrap you up in a big, warm blanket." ...

Good news for Bow Wow fans: The singer plans to return to his his tour with Chris Brown, Sean Kingston, Soulja Boy, Lil Mama and others starting Thursday in Memphis, Tennessee. According to a statement issued by his publicist, Bow Wow is still recovering and, as it turns out, his recent rush to the hospital didn't stem from exhaustion, as was previously thought, but rather an appendix infection. ... Jessica Simpson is ganging up with Stride Rite Children's Group for the design, development, manufacturing and distribution of a line of tween kicks. The footwear collection will debut in 2008 and feature current Simpson women's styles in youth sizes, as well as youth-specific silhouettes. The footwear will be available at major department stores and specialty retailers. ...

Green Day may have done it again. A '60s-inspired band called Foxboro Hot Tubs have posted a six-song EP on FoxboroHotTubs.com that bears all the hallmarks of the Green Day sound. Songs like "Stop Drop and Roll," "Mother Mary" and "Ruby Room" trade snarling political anthems for bouncy, poppy melodies and sweet "Ooh, ooh" and "Bah, bah, bah" backing vocals, with a lead singer who sounds like a cardigan-sweater-wearing Billie Joe Armstrong. Green Day have not officially confirmed that the six songs available for free download on the site are their handiwork, but four years ago they pulled a similar stunt with their side project the Network. ...

Led Zeppelin's wildly anticipated reunion show went down Monday night in London, but before it did came news of the band's backstage rider, which includes requests for tea, coffee and an ironing board, according to reports. Also, according to the Los Angeles Times, Randy Phillips, the chief executive of AEG Live, which organized the concert, said he'll head from Los Angeles to England to "meet with Bill Curbishley, the band's manager, and hand him a huge offer" for a possible tour. "The reality is, Zeppelin has not agreed to a tour," he told the paper. "They want to play this show and see how it goes, how it feels, and then go from there. There's nothing firm yet, but maybe afterward." ... Eric Avery, the bassist and co-founder of Jane's Addiction, will issue a solo LP, Help Wanted, April 8. The set will include guest spots by Garbage's Shirley Manson, Taylor Hawkins of the Foo Fighters and Red Hot Chili Pepper Flea. ...

Troubled ex-"American Idol" finalist Jessica Sierra wouldn't be able to perform at a holiday tribute to U.S. troops in Washington, D.C., on Friday, even if she wanted to. According to The Associated Press, organizers of the concert said the 22-year-old singer has been uninvited from the show, in light of her recent arrest and current jailing over charges of disorderly intoxication and resisting arrest after a scuffle at a Tampa, Florida, bar on December 1. "While we appreciate Ms. Sierra's past efforts to support U.S. troops, including performing for them in Iraq on Independence Day, it is quite obvious that Ms. Sierra needs to devote a great deal of time to putting her life back together," Retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Buzz Patterson said in a statement released Friday. ...

Members of DevilDriver, Lamb of God, Soilwork and Killswitch Engage honored the memory of late Pantera/Damageplan guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott on Saturday by performing a cover of Pantera's "Five Minutes Alone" during the bands' gig at the Nokia Theatre in Dimebag's hometown of Grand Prairie, Texas. The performance happened on the three-year anniversary of Dimebag's death. ... Marilyn Manson has unveiled the dates for his upcoming U.S. run. The trek is set to kick off January 19 in Orlando, Florida, and run through February 25 in San Diego. No support acts have been announced yet. ...

The Deftones have completed about six to eight songs for their next LP, according to an online post from the band. "We've taken a different approach to writing this record than we have the past few years, and so far it's been a lot of fun," the statement reads. "The material seems to be flowing freely, and each song is different from the other. We feel like we're accomplishing what we set out to do, which is to write a record that pushes boundaries for us creatively." ... The Mars Volta have lined up shows in support of their forthcoming LP, The Bedlam in Goliath. The band kicks off its tour December 31 in San Francisco and has dates booked through January 27 in Boulder, Colorado. ...

Perez Hilton wants Lindsay Lohan's friend Samantha Ronson to fork over $93,000 for attorneys fees after his lawyers successfully defended him in the Los Angeles DJ's lawsuit against the blogger, according to Los Angeles TV affiliate KNBC. In her suit, Ronson alleged Hilton defamed her when his site reported that she might have owned the cocaine discovered in Lohan's car when the singer was arrested. Ronson claims that Hilton's depiction of her as a "disloyal, dishonest friend who 'sold out' and 'set up' her friend Lohan for personal financial gain" was nothing but libel. ... Phil Spector's murder retrial is likely to be delayed until September because the only remaining Spector attorney from the original trial, a lawyer who is involved in two death-penalty cases, is unavailable until the fall. In a separate development, the music producer hired a new lawyer late last week. A mistrial in Spector's case was declared in late September after jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict. ...

The Universal Music Group has become the final one of the four major labels to sign a deal providing its music to social-networking site imeem. Like the others, the home of Amy Winehouse, 50 Cent and U2 will allow free streaming of full songs in exchange for a cut of imeem's advertising revenue, according to Forbes.com. This gives imeem an advantage over sites like MySpace, where Universal has restricted its song and video streams to 90 seconds in length.

12.7.2007

You probably didn't take Ashlee Simpson as a fan of Salvador Dalí, but the famed artist's surrealism is exactly the look she went for in her new video, according to Billboard.com. The singer shot a clip for "Out of My Head (Ay Ya Ya)," the Timbaland-produced first single from her yet-untitled March album, on Thursday. "One of my favorite artists is Salvador Dalí," she told the site. "You'll see a little bit of that surrealism in [the clip]. There's a bit of 'Being John Malkovich' in there too. It's a little out there." Simpson also said she will title the album during the holidays and hopes to kick off a small-club tour in February. ...

Kanye West has backed out of what would have been his first concert on U.S. soil since the unexpected death of his mother, Dr. Donda West, last month. The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that West dropped off the bill for the KDWB Jingle Ball at the Target Center slated for Friday night (December 7) in Minneapolis with only a few days' notice, due to an unspecified "family matter." "American Idol" runner-up Blake Lewis and Fabolous will fill in for West on the bill, which also includes Avril Lavigne, Timbaland, Good Charlotte and Jordin Sparks. "We tried to get [West] on the air to explain all this to fans, but he refused," said Rob Morris, the station's program director. "We did everything we could to save this thing." ...

West, Avril Lavigne, Common and Coldplay are just a few of the many celebs who have pitched in for Waxploitation's new Darfur Benefit Auction, which launched Thursday. Lavigne, Com, the Flaming Lips, Norah Jones, Nickelback and Deftones signed guitars for the auction; 'Ye, Coldplay, Gnarls Barkley, Bloc Party, TV on the Radio, Wilco, the Decemberists, Aesop Rock, Macy Gray, Thievery Corporation and Gorillaz signed other items; and there are additional items from Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lupe Fiasco, Don Cheadle, and Bam Margera. All proceeds will go to Doctors Without Borders, Human Rights Watch and Oxfam America. ...

Speaking of eBay charity auctions, Gorillaz's Damon Albarn, Robert Plant, Belle and Sebastian's Stuart Murdoch, PJ Harvey and others have written and signed postcards for a British one that's currently up. One of Plant's postcards quizzically has just two words above his John Hancock: "Mitigating circumstances." Daddy G of Massive Attack and actress Helen Mirren also pitched in for the effort, which is raising money for Carers UK, an organization that gives financial and emotional support to individuals who provide unpaid health and social care. ...

J.K. Rowling has posted a new entry on her Web site, calling out the launch of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" at the National History Museum in London and insisting that the book is her fave of the series. "As for mourning Harry — and I doubt I will be believed when I say this — nobody can have felt the end as deeply as I did. The writing of 'Harry Potter' has been inextricably linked with my life for 17 years, and saying goodbye has been just as tough as I always knew it would be." Rowling also revealed that a documentary surrounding her is on the way. "J.K. Rowling - A Year in the Life," which will air later this month in the U.K., shadows the author working on "Deathly Hallows," on tour and at the launch. ...

After visa issues forced Velvet Revolver to cancel their tour of Japan, and "health issues" forced the band to postpone its Australian tour — a week after the DUI arrest of singer Scott Weiland — the group has announced a New Year's Eve show at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom. The band also said that part of the proceeds from a limited-edition T-shirt sold at its Wednesday benefit with Alice in Chains at Universal City, California's Gibson Amphitheatre will be donated to victims of the recent Southern California fires. Meanwhile, the Australian tour dates have been rescheduled for February and will kick off with a show on the 15th in Brisbane. ... It was a rare bit of good legal news for Kid Rock this week when a judge in New Orleans dismissed Louisiana musician Troy Landry's claim that the rapper's song "Somebody's Gotta Feel This" was too similar to one of his songs. According to The Associated Press, U.S. District Judge May Ann Vial Lemmon said the works were not "so strikingly or substantially similar as to preclude independent creation." Landry sued Rock (born Robert Ritchie) and Atlantic Records in 2004, claiming that an eight-second snippet of "Feel This" that was featured in a beer commercial was similar to a song Landry released on a 1994 record. ...

Madonna is suing the board and management company of her luxury New York apartment — which includes a 6,000-square-foot duplex, a gym and a beauty salon — for not allowing her to expand it into a neighboring apartment, according to the Daily News. In a recently filed summons, the singer reportedly accuses the board and management company of breach of contract for holding up the sale of the other apartment. ... In other Madge news, Billboard.com reported Thursday that her new album would be called Licorice and drop in late April, but her label is saying not so fast. "Wrong title. Release date wrong etc.," Warner Bros. spokeswoman Liz Rosenberg told Reuters. She did not, however, appear to deny the reported participation of Kanye West and Pharrell on the effort. ... Björk has reunited with director Michel Gondry — who got behind the camera for some of the singer's best-known videos, including "Human Behaviour" and "Army of Me" — for a new clip, RollingStone.com reports. The collaboration, for her song "Declare Independence," marks their first hookup in 10 years. ...

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band have lined up three gigs he'll play in the summer at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, according to Billboard.com. Sixty-six Springsteen concerts have reportedly sold out at the venue in the past, and the upcoming gigs will be held July 27, 28 and 31. ... So is that much-rumored new studio album by the Pixies still in the works? "Helll no," Kim Deal recently told RollingStone.com about participating on a potential new effort. "Because I don't want to," she added. She said she didn't think her bandmates wanted to make one either. "I was kind of waiting for [Frank Black and guitarist Joey Santiago] to get together and do demos, and they never did." ... "Wire" fans, there's another reason to get psyched, beyond the upcoming launch of the show's new season: Two soundtracks are on the way, Pitchfork reports. ... And All the Pieces Matter - Five Years of Music From "The Wire" will include music and dialogue from the lauded HBO show; tracks by Steve Earle, Solomon Burke and others; as well as variations of Tom Waits' "Down in the Hole" theme sung by the Blind Boys of Alabama and others. Beyond Hamsterdam: Baltimore Club Tracks From "The Wire" will highlight underground B-More rappers like Rod Lee, Tyree Colion and Diablo. Both discs drop January 8, two days after the new season starts airing. ...

Will Smith, Ralph Macchio wannabe? Believe it or not, the "I Am Legend" actor is entertaining the idea of a "Karate Kid" remake, according to AP. While there aren't many more details yet on that shocker, there is some more news on the "I Am Legend" front: The flick's theatrical release in China is being held up due to the country's plan to temporarily ban American movies in an effort to help China's domestic-film industry. ... Kiefer Sutherland, who has served three of the 48 days he has been sentenced to spend in jail, is a "model prisoner," said Officer John Balian, a spokesman for the Glendale City Jail in California, according to People.com. Sutherland reportedly spent Thursday folding jail laundry and has been assigned to serve meals to the other inmates. "He's not happy to be here," Balian said. "But you can tell from his demeanor that he's sorry and takes responsibility for what he's done." ...

A fifth person has been charged with conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice in the case involving Amy Winehouse's husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, BBC News reports. James Kennedy is due in court Friday. ... Billy Joel has released a new anti-war song — though the piano man isn't heard singing on the track. Instead, 21-year-old New York singer/songwriter Cass Dillon handled the duties. Joel thought "somebody young, about a soldier's age," should be heard on "Christmas in Fallujah," he recently told AP. The track went on sale on iTunes starting Tuesday, and net proceeds are going to Homes for Our Troops, a charity group that constructs homes for wounded Iraq and Afghanistan vets. ...

Hip-hop icon MC Lyte is prepping the debut from her new group, Almost September, which also features producer/DJ Jared Lee and singer Whitey White. Manager "Blue" Williams said the trio have a "grown-up rap" feel that mixes Lyte's rhymes with soulful funk akin to the Brand New Heavies. The group's first single, "Beautiful," will be available on iTunes before the end of the year. ...

Drowning Pool bassist Stevie Benton has been diagnosed with Bell's Palsy, an often-temporary neurological disorder that causes paralysis of the face, after being rushed to the hospital Thursday. According to a statement from his publicist, Benton felt ill during the band's Wednesday night show in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and has been ordered to stay off the road for at least six weeks. "I'm really bummed that because of this, we can't perform this last string of shows," he said in the statement. "I want to thank the fans for their continued support."

[This story was originally published at 1:17 pm E.T. on 12.10.2007]

• Big Boi
• Amy Winehouse
• Led Zeppelin
• Green Day
• Foo Fighters

Christina Aguilera
Photo: RCA

Christina Aguilera told The Associated Press she's been reading scripts with the hopes of launching an acting career. "I am looking forward to moving into another form of what I feel is another creative outlet for me and that would be acting," she said. Without shedding light on which scripts or roles she is considering, she added, "[Acting] is something that, when I attempt to do it, I want to do it right so it's important for me that I do choose the right first role for myself." ...

50 Cent is embroiled in another feud — he and Shaniqua Tompkins, mother of his 10-year-old son, Marquise Jackson, are wrangling over child-support payments, AP reports. The rapper's monthly payments of $25,000 for child support and household expenses aren't enough for Tompkins, whose lawyer Raoul Felder says, "[50 is] worth tens and tens of millions of dollars." On the other hand, the rapper's lawyer Brett Kimmel told the Daily News, "Her demands keep escalating." 50 showed up to a family court in Long Island, New York, on Friday in an armored SUV with a satellite dish. Closed-door hearings are scheduled to continue this week. ...

"American Idol" hopefuls, it's time to start warming up those pipes — auditions for the seventh season of the show will begin July 30 at San Diego's Qualcomm Stadium. Wristbands will be given out from July 28 until 8 a.m. on the 30th. Auditions will continue at Dallas' Texas Stadium (August 6); Omaha's Qwest Center (August 10); a to-be-determined venue in Atlanta (August 14); Charleston, South Carolina's North Charleston Coliseum (August 18); Miami's AmericanAirlines Arena (August 22); and Philadelphia's Wachovia Complex (August 27). ...

Britney Spears and Rosie O'Donnell, together at last? According to People, Spears' choreographer told the magazine the singer will join Cyndi Lauper and others onstage Saturday at Los Angeles' Greek Theatre for a stop on the True Colors concert tour, which has sometimes featured O'Donnell playing drums. In a video blog shot during a stop in Texas, O'Donnell said, "Brit, if you're watching, honey, you and me — we're gonna share, like, a backstage moment, 'cause I love you, kid!" O'Donnell, who is expected to perform standup at the show, said Spears' alleged appearance was news to Lauper, whose representative declined to comment to People. ...

Rihanna, Ne-Yo, Kelly Rowland and John Legend will join Nigerian artists in Africa next month for the Thisday Festival, which celebrates the 200th anniversary of the abolishment movement this year. The event unfolds July 14-15, and many of the participating artists are visiting the country for the first time. "I've heard nothing but good things and can't wait to get over there and give back some of the love that I've been given from over there," Ne-Yo said in a statement. "It's an honor and a pleasure to even get the opportunity to visit, let alone perform. ...

Paris Hilton was having some trouble late last week squaring away her first post-jail interview, but the problem was cleared up over the weekend thanks to CNN's Larry King. The famed host will talk with the heiress in a one-hour interview slated to air Wednesday, less than 24 hours after her release. "I am thrilled that Larry King has asked me to appear on his program to discuss my experience in jail, what I have learned, how I have grown and anything else he wants to talk about," read a statement issued by Hilton's spokesperson. "It will be an honor to do his show." Another statement served to quash rumors about money being involved: "Contrary to media reports, Paris Hilton is not being paid for any television interview. Nor is Paris being paid for any collateral, including video and photographs related to any television interview." ...

Diddy, Nas, Suge Knight, Penélope Cruz and Erykah Badu were just a few of the A-listers who holed up in Hollywood's Roosevelt Hotel to see the first of Prince's "3121 Live" concerts on Saturday, according to the Los Angeles Times. Prince tried to get Nas on the mic, but the rapper turned down the offer by simply saying, "I love Prince." Badu tried to participate but bailed on the mic, while former Prince collaborator Nikka Costa was game — she joined him for "Purple Rain." ... Joey Fatone is hosting NBC's "The Singing Bee," a sing-along variety game show that will premiere July 10 at 9:30 p.m. ...

Saigon hosted a Remy Martin-sponsored Black Music Month event Friday at Jay-Z's 40/40 Club in New York. The Brooklyn rapper/actor also took to the stage to perform and at the end of the night donated $10,000 to the In Arms Reach charity foundation. ... Warner Music Executive Vice President Kevin Liles met with President Bush at the White House late last week for Black Music Month. ... Reverend Run will be honored as a BMI Icon at the songwriters' organization's seventh annual Urban Awards, to take place September 7 at Las Vegas' New York New York Hotel & Casino. Run will join past recipients of the award, such as James Brown, Little Richard, L.A. Reid and Babyface. ...

Forensics expert Lynne Herold testified Monday (June 25) that Phil Spector might have been walking or running toward actress Lana Clarkson — instead of standing in front of her — when she was fatally shot, AP reports. Under questioning by the defense, the prosecution witness said Spector might have been moving at the time of the shooting. ... Tom Sizemore is going behind bars for a long time. On Monday, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Cynthia Rayvis sentenced the actor to 16 months in state prison for violating drug probation, AP reports. Sizemore "abused the privilege of probation" and "needs to be in a lockdown setting," said Rayvis, who suggested he be sent to San Diego County's R.J. Donovan Correctional Facility because of its notable drug-treatment program. ...

The publicity firm representing the family of "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott has issued a statement regarding Zac Crain's forthcoming biography of the late Pantera/Damageplan guitarist. In the statement, Dime's family claims it "has not authorized nor cooperated with Crain" on "Black Tooth Grin: The High Life, Good Times, and Tragic End of 'Dimebag' Darrell Abbott," which is set for release on November 5. The family adds: "Mr. Crain did not know Dimebag personally. Mr. Crain's request to the family was denied. Among other reasons, during his tenure as music editor of the Dallas Observer, Mr. Crain wrote nothing but negative reviews about Pantera's music." The book claims to be "the first biography of 'Dimebag' Darrell," and chronicles the guitarist's rise with Pantera. ...

The Cure have announced dates for a U.S. tour this fall, which will coincide with the release of the band's yet-untitled LP. The tour will launch September 13 in Tampa, Florida, and run through October 17 in Dallas. In the meantime, the Cure continue to hammer away at the LP. ... Cameron Diaz has something to say to Peruvians: sorry. The actress apologized over the weekend for toting around a bag with a red star and "Serve the People" written in Chinese — a symbol and communist phrase that evoke memories of the Maoist Shining Path. The insurgency's fight against Peru's government in the '80s and early '90s left 70,000 people dead. "I sincerely apologize to anyone I may have inadvertently offended," she said in a statement e-mailed to The Associated Press. "The bag was a purchase I made as a tourist in China and I did not realize the potentially hurtful nature of the slogan printed on it." ... iTunes is now the third-biggest music retailer in the U.S., according to a new survey by NPD Group. The Apple store has a nearly 10 percent market share, leaving it behind Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (15.8 percent) and Best Buy Co Inc. (13.8 percent) but ahead of Amazon.com Inc. (6.7 percent) and BestBuy.com (1.1 percent).

06.22.2007

After years of being followed by the paparazzi and gracing the covers of tabloids, it looks like Paris Hilton might have some publicity problems once she leaves jail. An ABC News executive told The New York Times on Friday (June 22) that the network has rejected an offer from the Hilton family to conduct Paris' first post-prison interview. The channel's initial request for an interview — which included a $100,000 fee for personal photos and videos of the heiress — was rejected for a more lucrative deal with NBC, ABC News executives told the Times. NBC reps said the network never had a commitment with the Hiltons and its news division doesn't pay for interviews. ABC News execs also said Paris reached out to Barbara Walters from prison on Thursday night, but Walters' producer decided ABC News was no longer interested in the interview. Paris will be released from jail on Tuesday, the Los Angles County Sheriff's Department announced Friday. ...

The Rage Against the Machine slow-leak reunion tour continues with a just-announced headlining gig at the Halloween-weekend Voodoo Music Experience festival in New Orleans (October 26-28). Along with fellow headliners Smashing Pumpkins and Dr. John, more than 110 bands will perform at the event, including Fall Out Boy, Common, Wilco, Kings of Leon, M.I.A., Gym Class Heroes, Coheed and Cambria, Spoon, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Sinead O'Connor, Plain White T's, Paolo Nutini, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Ben Harper, Mute Math and Motion City Soundtrack. ...

For Rihanna, it's Barbados. Avril Lavigne has the guitar to thank. And Kelly Clarkson does it all for Steven Tyler. In Style focuses on women in music for its July issue, with seven artists sharing what inspires them to get creative. Carrie Underwood said she's making hits now because of women who paved the way — "Tammy Wynette, Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton. ... They are the reason I'm here!" — while Nelly Furtado said she's inspired by Latin music, explaining that singing in Spanish makes her sound "more sensual, soulful, dramatic, passionate." Ashlee Simpson goes to the beach to prepare to record ("I just take my journal and chill."), and Rihanna goes home to soak up Barbados' "laid-back vibe." Guitars give Avril "the best feeling" ("I have a lot of energy, so I love to grab one and rock out"), while Eve turns to high fashion when she wants a rush ("A hot dress is like a hot song — both of these things make me feel amazing"). And Clarkson is just trying to keep up with Aerosmith's frontman. "Steven has the perfect voice, but I have no idea how he keeps it," she said in the magazine. "He came to my show once ... and I tried to impress him. I ended up throwing my voice out." Visit InStyle.com for behind-the-scenes video of the seven-artist photo shoot. ...

The Spice Girls want to set the record straight on those reunion rumors — but not until Thursday. 19 Entertainment announced Friday that the group will "make an official announcement to the world regarding future plans on Thursday, June 28." ... In other Spice-y news, a DNA test has proven that Eddie Murphy is the father of Melanie "Scary Spice" Brown's 2-month-old daughter, Brown's rep told People. The rep said Brown received the results of the June 11 test on Thursday but declined to comment further. Brown gave birth to Angel Iris Murphy Brown on April 3 and has long contended that Murphy is the child's father. ...

Green Day have designed a limited-edition T-shirt to benefit Amnesty International. The shirt — which will be sold exclusively at Hard Rock Cafe locations around the world starting Monday — features frontman Billie Joe Armstrong shredding on the front, the signatures of the three members of the band on the back, and incorporates the words "Working Class Hero," the John Lennon tune the band covered for the Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur album. ... Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Robin Thicke and Carlos Santana will perform at a benefit concert to raise funds for a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. memorial at Washington, D.C.'s National Mall. Russell Simmons, Quincy Jones and Tommy Hilfiger organized the show, which will be held September 18 at New York's Radio City Music Hall. ...

Backstreet Boys have set October 31 as the release date for their yet-untitled sixth album, according to a spokesperson. The group's follow-up to 2005's Never Gone will be the first effort since the departure of longtime member Kevin Richardson last summer. ... There was nothing remotely sexy about those Memorial Day weekend pictures of Lindsay Lohan passed out in a friend's car wearing a gray hoodie. But edgy clothing company American Apparel — notorious for its cheeky ads featuring scantily clad teens — figured out that Lohan was "modeling" one of its designs in the paparazzi pics, so it decided to post the shot on a company blog and paste up a tabloid cover featuring the shot in a Manhattan store to help move a pile of the $40 "flax fleece" sweatshirts, according to The New York Times. ...

That mix CD the Bush twins gave the president for Father's Day could land them a lawsuit for copyright violation. According to the Boing Boing blog, Florida attorney Mitchell Silverman, who read an Associated Press story about how the twins made a CD for the president to listen to while working out, sent a letter to the head of the Recording Industry Association of America's director of investigative services. "President George W. Bush's daughters made him a presumably illegal compilation CD, a so-called 'mix CD,' as a Father's Day present," Silverman wrote. "This is a serious violation of copyright. As you know, whichever of your member organizations that are right-holders for the copied musical works may be entitled to statutory damages of $150,000.00 per musical work copied. I hope and expect that you at the RIAA will display the same vigor in prosecuting this matter and protecting the rights of your rights-holders that it has displayed in enforcing those rights against other alleged violators."

• Christina Aguilera
• Paris Hilton
• Diddy
• Nas
• Prince

Type O Negative
Photo: SPV

A haunting portrait of Grigori Rasputin — the Siberian mystic who was influential in the later days of Russia's Romanov dynasty — graces the cover of Type O Negative's Dead Again, the Brooklyn metallers' first collection of fresh material since 2003's Life Is Killing Me. For frontman Peter Steele, going with Rasputin's image as the LP's art was a no-brainer, for several reasons.

"He's, like, probably the best-looking Type O Negative member," Steele joked. "He really puts us to shame. Also, I feel a kind of special affinity with him. The guy was an Orthodox Russian, and I'm a Roman Catholic. He was an alcoholic, a drug addict, a womanizer. ... He got into fights after Mass, and the communists couldn't kill him. The Bolsheviks tried to assassinate him a whole bunch of times and failed, and I thought, 'Man, this guy gets away with it. He dodges a bullet with everything he f---ing does, and so do I.' Plus, Rasputin was able to cure hemophilia, and that comes into the blood theme — you know, Type O Negative. And he looks like one of us — he hasn't bathed in two months, he's unshaven and he hated the world."

The bigger question, though, is what took Type O so long to churn out some new tunes. For three years, little was heard from the band, beyond unconfirmed reports that Steele had died (he hadn't, by the way). The delay, Steele explained, was partly fueled by the bandmembers' escalating ages and personal responsibilities. According to Steele, "Life happened," and sometimes life can make being in a rock band damn near impossible.

"There was also a period there where we were in renegotiations with Roadrunner Records, and that kind of fell through," he offered. "I was in a psychiatric institute for a while, too, and I went through rehab [for cocaine, alcohol and 'Burger King']. As the band has gotten older, you have wives and kids and house payments and divorces and separations and all this other f---ing sh-- that goes on, so when we'd schedule rehearsals, they'd start revolving around, 'Well, can we find a babysitter?' It just becomes more and more complicated."

Steele said he was also grappling with the deaths of several people who were close to him, including his mother and late Pantera/Damageplan guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott (see "Dimebag Darrell, Four Others Killed In Ohio Concert Shooting"). "It was like a slap in the face with a frozen hand," he said of his losses. And, of course, there was that brief stint at Riker's Island that kept him, um, tied up. (While Steele wouldn't discuss his incarceration in detail, he did say that he'd been arrested for "accidentally punching someone in the face 50 times.")

His mother's death, Steele said, was a major eye-opener for him, and it made him "realize my own mortality. That's why this forthcoming album has more of a punky, hardcore edge, because I'm pissed off at life 'cause I know I'm going to f---ing die. I just want to beat up the reaper." Still, the singer said, Dead Again — which is set for a March 13 release — is perhaps Type O's "least negative" work to date.

"I believe that this forthcoming album is more about revelation in one's life and dealing with frustration," he said. "It's about leaving the past behind and trying to move on — trying to grow up. I'm 45, but my motto has always been, 'Act your shoe size,' " which, for Steele, is 15.

Dead Again clocks in at more than 77 minutes and boasts 10 tracks, including "Tripping a Blind Man," "These Three Things" and "An Ode to Locksmiths." The most difficult part of making the record, Steele said, was coming up with the lyrical content.

"After writing almost 100 songs, I have to think of other subjects to write about," he said. "It's like, 'OK, women, fire, wolves, ghosts, Dracula, Frankenstein, swamp things — what the f--- else is there, you know?' It was hard to come up with subject matter."

The one song Steele struggled with the most was "Halloween in Heaven," which features Lycia's Tara VanFlower. The song, he said, was written for Dimebag but doesn't explicitly name the slain axeman. "Dimebag was a very close friend of Type O, but I didn't want to exploit his name because it was so soon after his death," Steele said. "I didn't want people to think I was making money off of this man's tragic death, but he's in a much better f---ing place, there's no doubt. It was out of love for him that this song was written."

Type O began recording the effort back in August, and Steele said this time around, it was a completely different process for his band.

"This album was done quite differently from the past two or three," he said. "The last album we'd done with live drums was [1993's] Bloody Kisses. Everything after that was a drum machine. I've always felt that that sounded a little — even though most people didn't realize it was programmed drums — but just to me, it sounded synthetic. I'd have to write all the songs and then come down to the band, rehearse them, and the drums would be programmed. With this new album, I went in clean. I didn't have any ideas. We just let the tape roll, and we'd start jamming. I'd write a part and ask if the guys liked it. There was band input this time, and this album has a more live and — dare I say — positive attitude to it. It sounds like you've got four guys playing together at once. That's kind of refreshing after 17 years, even though it feels like 17 centuries."

• Dimebag Darrell Photos

• Type O Negative
• Dimebag Darrell

Down
Photo: Elektra

Guitarist Pepper Keenan is driving through New Orleans' beleaguered Lower Ninth Ward, and even though he's done so hundreds of times before today, he still can't believe that more than 17 months after Hurricane Katrina touched down, the city he lives in — the city he loves — is still in such disarray.

"It looks like something out of a different country," Keenan said over the telephone, with anguish in his voice. "I just can't see how they're gonna figure this sh-- out. They can put 10 gazillion dollars into Baghdad, but nothing's changed around here. Dude, I am driving past houses, and it just looks like the house threw up all over the street. It's sickening."

But Keenan hasn't abandoned New Orleans. In fact, it's here, in this ravaged metropolis, that he and the rest of his band Down have been writing material for what will be the sludge metallers' third full-length album. For now, they're simply calling the effort — which producer Warren Riker (Crowbar, Sublime) has signed on to helm — Down III. Katrina's devastating aftermath has helped inspire a great many of the 18 tracks they've composed for the LP, the band's first since 2002's Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow.

"It's been a rough couple of years for everyone in this band," Keenan said. "We've been through a lot. We're trying to use all of that but really keep a positive energy and write some killer, heavy sh-- for people. I feel like the story of New Orleans ain't been told, and I wouldn't mind telling it from our point of view. Not that I want to use the band as a political platform, but we do have a certain voice and I think that the people we'll be talking to [with this record] are people who will understand."

Phil Anselmo, singer for Down and ex-Pantera frontman, has been penning the disc's lyrics. The album will be the band's first since Anselmo underwent back surgery in late 2005.

"Phil's really good at [lyrics]," Keenan said. "Several songs address Katrina's aftermath and how life changes on you, man. We've got a lot of ammunition for this one, I'll put it that way — a lot of things have not necessarily gone right for everybody these last couple of years. Everybody's just trying to stay positive. We're not writing Christian songs. These are still angry, frustrated songs."

Down began writing material for the LP well before the storm hit. Like most of the city's residents, the bandmembers — Keenan, Anselmo, guitarist Kirk Windstein, bassist Rex Brown and drummer Jimmy Bower — were displaced by Katrina, which inevitably delayed Down III's creation.

"We weren't allowed back here for months," Keenan said. "By the time we got back, everything was in shambles. It was a year before we even spoke again. We were all knocked off-track. But this band doesn't ever seem to die. It's just this energy that keeps us alive."

Another track addresses the death of Anselmo's former Pantera cohort, "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, who was gunned down in 2004 while performing with Damageplan in Columbus, Ohio. The guitarist was shot five times at point-blank range and died onstage (see "Dimebag Darrell, Four Others Killed In Ohio Concert Shooting"). Anselmo has remained quiet on the matter ever since.

"He's got a lot of demons he needs to get off his chest," said Keenan, who also fronts Corrosion of Conformity. "This is gonna be a hard record for us to make because there's just a lot of emotional things going on. I think we'll all be better after we get this thing done. But Phil's got one beautiful song about Dime that really surprised me. When I heard it, I was pretty watery-eyed. Those [Pantera days] were beautiful days for him. The whole song is pretty intense, and it's actually a heavy song. That's the wild thing about it — it's not a ballad or anything."

Down plan to begin recording the album February 15. They'll take about a month off, first to tour Canada with Heaven and Hell, the band that is reuniting Ronnie James Dio with his former Black Sabbath bandmates (see "Half Of Black Sabbath Reunite With Dio; Tour Begins In March"). That trek, which will also feature Megadeth, kicks off March 11 in Vancouver, British Columbia. Then Down will play four headlining gigs between March 30 (Worcester, Massachusetts) and April 2 (Washington, D.C.).

"It's Heaven and Hell — we have to do it," Keenan said. "It's a good excuse for us to get out there and expose ourselves again."

After the tour wraps, Down will return to the studio to track the remainder of Down III, which the guitarist said could be out by summer's end. "Once we get in the studio, we shouldn't be more than six, seven weeks," he said. "We've already spent all the time [writing it] — we're just getting ready to bang the sh-- out."

Keenan says some of Down's fans are going to be surprised by how much the band "went backwards" on this LP.

"We've progressed a lot, but we didn't forget those first Down demos," he said. "We still get off on those big, giant, heavy riffs. But at the same time, we're not afraid to play acoustic guitars in a circle. It's not a one-direction evolution for us."

As far as Corrosion of Conformity are concerned, Keenan says he's still recovering from the recording of 2005's In the Arms of God and has no immediate plans to do anything with the band.

"We've had interest from a bunch of labels to do another record, but that last record took a lot out of me," he said. "I want to be more cautious about the next move COC does, if [we do] anything at all."

• Vinnie Paul Opens Up About Dimebag

• Down
• Dimebag Darrell

Nelly Furtado
Photo: Scott Gries/Getty Images

Nelly Furtado will host the 2007 Juno Awards — Canada's take on the Grammys — April 1. Nominees for the music prizes will be revealed February 6. ...

Ja Rule is heading back to the big screen. The rapper/actor will be featured in the independent film "Don't Fade Away," starring former "O.C." regular Mischa Barton, Variety reports. ... Kellie Pickler will fill in for Barbara Walters on "The View" on Thursday and Friday. Kathy Griffin, who has been harsh on past "American Idol" contestants, is a guest on Friday. ...

Shares of beauty retailer Elizabeth Arden Inc. slipped Friday, and Britney Spears and Hilary Duff could bear some responsibility, according to an Associated Press report. Financial analyst Gary Giblen said the brand is losing its "magic touch" due to the disappointing start of Duff's With Love fragrance, and warns that while Spears' fragrance sales have been strong, her recent run of negative publicity could put her brand in peril. ...

Jennifer Lopez fans, mark your calendars: An April 3 release date has been set for the singer's Spanish-language album, Como Ama Una Mujer. The video for the first single, "Que Hiciste," will premiere February 5 on MTV. And over on the J. Lo acting front, "Bordertown" — a thriller co-starring Lopez and Antonio Banderas — is one of 26 films scheduled to screen at the Berlin International Film Festival. The annual movie event runs February 8-18 in the German capital. ...

Lindsay Lohan was a no-show at school Tuesday morning (January 16) — but she wasn't cutting class. A shoot for "I Know Who Killed Me" — an in-production thriller starring Lohan — was scheduled to take over San Luis Obispo High School in Southern California Monday night through Tuesday morning, but it was postponed. No new date has been selected. ... Lily Allen, Muse, Corrine Bailey Rae, Arctic Monkeys, Thom Yorke, Kasabian, Snow Patrol and Gnarls Barkley have all received multiple Brit Award nominations, Agence France Presse reports. The awards ceremony will take place February 14. ...

R. Kelly has one less legal issue to worry about. The R&B singer has settled a dispute with his neighborhood over a guardhouse he built in front of his gated estate in the Chicago suburb of Olympia Fields. Kelly had filed a civil suit against village board trustees since they had rejected his permit request to build the guardhouse — a request he made only after it was already built — while the village board had sued him for violating local zoning laws. Now the singer has agreed to drop his lawsuit, the village board has dropped its lawsuit as well, the guardhouse has been torn down and Kelly has agreed to pay more than $20,000 to cover attorney fees and code-violation fines. ...

Pantera drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott will be joined by Motörhead's Lemmy Kilmister, Shadows Fall's Jason Bittner, Slipknot's Paul Gray, Anthrax's Scott Ian and others for an all-star jam session in honor of late Pantera/ guitarist — and Abbott's brother — "Dimebag" Darrell Saturday at the Hilton Hotel in Anaheim, California. The performance will be preceded by a Coffin Case fashion show, featuring the Coffin Girl models presenting the Dime Hardware apparel line. ... Kaiser Chiefs have set a March 27 release date for Yours Truly, Angry Mob. Produced by Stephen Street (Blur, the Smiths), the album features the single "Ruby," which charted in the U.K. after only three days of play. ...

V2 — the U.S. label home of artists including the White Stripes, Raconteurs, Moby, Mercury Rev and Stereophonics — abruptly closed its doors on Friday, laying off about 35 people at its New York headquarters, according to a spokesperson. The label's owner, Sheridan Square, has announced plans to focus on its digital and catalog business, which includes the Stripes material as well as recordings from a number of acquired labels, including roots-focused Artemis and Tone-Cool and avant-hip-hop outlet Ropeadope Records. ... A lawsuit filed Wednesday against Michael Jackson by a Beverly Hills, California, pharmacy has been resolved, Jackson's spokesperson said Friday. Jackson's unpaid prescription-drug bill — topping $100,000 over two years — has been paid, according to a rep, who chalked the outstanding debt up to a problem with the management of Jackson's finances. The singer filed suit against his former business managers last month. ...

Although Marcos Curiel has rejoined former band P.O.D., his other project, the Accident Experiment, will continue to tour and record. "I can't be in two places at once [but] please continue to spread the word about the Accident Experiment," Curiel said in a statement. The group is re-releasing its debut EP, Arena, April 10 with two additional tracks. ... Killswitch Engage were forced to postpone stops in London; Bristol, England; and Paris over the weekend, after guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz sustained a serious back injury and frontman Howard Jones was diagnosed with a chest infection. Dutkiewicz underwent back surgery soon after meeting with physicians, and "is doing fine and resting comfortably," the band reports. Killswitch's current European tour will go on, with ex-Soilwork guitarist Pete Wichers filling in for Dutkiewicz. ...

Deadsy, the band fronted by Elijah Blue — son of Cher and rocker Gregg Allman — have announced the departure of bassist Ashburn Miller. "We have left it on good terms and wish each other the best," a statement from the band reads. "This decision in no way compromises our dedication to musical and theatrical excellence. This was the right decision for Ashburn where his interests and endeavors are concerned, and likewise for Deadsy." Jens Funke has been enlisted as Miller's replacement. ... The Recording Industry Association of America let Patricia Santangelo off the hook on piracy claims last month, and now her daughter is paying the $30,750 price. AP reports that 20-year-old Michelle Santangelo was ordered by a federal judge on Wednesday to pay $750 for each of the 41 songs she is accused of illegally sharing. Attorneys for the RIAA and Santangelo declined comment on Friday. It's unknown whether the default judgment — issued because the younger Santangelo didn't respond to the recording companies' claims — will end the case.

01.12.2007

Katharine McPhee will make a guest appearance on TV's "Ugly Betty" two days after her debut album drops. The "American Idol" runner-up will play herself on the show, which will air February 1 on ABC. Her self-titled LP drops January 30. ...

Until they come up with a way to bottle her voice, Christina Aguilera fans have to settle for perfume. The singer has teamed up with Procter & Gamble to create a fragrance line. "I love trying new things in my music and in fashion," Aguilera said in a statement. "To have a perfume of my own is the beginning of an exciting adventure." ...

Even more presenters have been announced for the Golden Globe Awards, even though the ceremony is right around the corner. Diddy, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Steven Spielberg, Renée Zellweger and Jessica Biel will participate in the show, to air live on NBC Monday at 8 p.m. ET. ... Paula Abdul will have her hands full with "American Idol" and an upcoming movie based on the popular doll line Bratz in the coming months, but she's still managed to find space for a reality show based on her life. The new Bravo series has a working title of "Hey Paula!" and is set to debut later this year. ...

Nelly Furtado stopped by the fictional town of Llanview, Pennsylvania (located in a New York studio), last month to film a guest spot on "One Life to Live." Furtado — who recently played the daughter of immigrant parents on the Portuguese soap "Floribella" — will appear as herself on "One Life," performing the songs "Say It Right" and "Promiscuous." The singer will also have a speaking role, and she said she plans to fit in more "little acting things" in between stops on her world tour, which launches February 16 in Manchester, England. "I've gotten to come closer to a lot of my dreams coming true this year, and this is a goal of mine that's slowly coming true," she said. "I'm just getting my feet wet acting, but I love it. I'm really thrilled, because it's challenging and different. I like anything that makes me feel that fear, where I have to push myself. I'm on cloud nine!" Furtado's "One Life to Live" episode airs February 23 at 2 p.m. ET on ABC. ...

Playing a princess in the animated film "Arthur and the Invisibles" was a very new experience, Madonna told "Today" on Thursday. "I just loved the idea of playing a character where I can create a fantasy world that has nothing to do with who I am or what people associate with me." An artist, a mother, a hard-working Michigan native? Not exactly. "They perceive me as a queen, not a princess." Later that day on "Late Show With David Letterman," the singer addressed the queen-size outcry over her adoption of a Malawi boy. "There's over a million orphans in Malawi, and in my opinion the laws need to change because these children need to be rescued," Madonna said. "My social worker said, 'Good luck. You're going to be making it up as you go along.' She didn't say don't do it, but she just said expect challenges, and, boy, did we get them." ...

The 5-year-old son of James Brown is not included in the late singer's will, The Associated Press reports. Attorneys for Brown confirmed that James Brown Jr., the singer's son with partner Tomi Ray Hynie, was not named in the document, which provides for six of Brown's children. The will was read Thursday in South Carolina but has not been filed in probate court. ... Ciara has sorted out her next single. She'll shoot a video for "Like a Boy" later this month, and the track is scheduled to hit airwaves in early February. An R. Kelly remix of "Promise" debuts on radio next week. ... Rev up the treadmills. OK Go will shoot the video for their next single, "Do What You Want," in Los Angeles next weekend, with singer Damian Kulash directing the clip. The band guests on an episode of NBC's "Las Vegas" Friday (January 12). ...

In March, MJS Music Publications will issue "A Vulgar Display of Power: Courage and Carnage at the Alrosa Villa," a book that examines the murder of Pantera guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott and the events of December 8, 2004. The book "peers into the twisted mind and background of [Nathan Gale,] a killer intoxicated by psychotic rage and driven by the voice of the beast inside his head," and "attempts to make sense of what appears to be a senseless act," according to a press release. The book will also concentrate on "the inspirational selflessness of those who died trying to help others" during the fatal shootout. ... Chevelle will release their third major-label studio album, Vena Sera, April 3. Michael "Elvis" Baskette, who produced 2004's This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In) and 2002's Wonder What's Next, returned to helm the project, which includes the first single, "We Enough Alone." ...

Toni Braxton is suing ex-manager Barry Hankerson, claiming he owes her $10 million after convincing her to leave longtime label Arista and sign to his Blackground Records, AP reports. Hankerson used "underhanded double-talk" to convince the singer that "Arista was not interested in working with her anymore, while telling Arista that Braxton no longer wanted to record for Arista." A telephone listing for Blackground was not in service, according to AP. ... Dispatch have become the first independent band to sell out New York's Madison Square Garden. The jam group, which broke up three years ago, is getting back together for two benefit concerts to be held at the venue. "Dispatch: Zimbabwe" will be held July 13-14, and all proceeds will go toward fighting disease, famine and social injustice in the country. ... The Allman Brothers Band will continue their long-running spring tradition of performing at New York's Beacon Theater with 13 shows there from March 22 through April 7. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famers are hoping to make the shows available online via a live multi-camera webcast. ...

The debut album by Perry Farrell's latest project Satellite Party has shifted from a March release to May 15. The LP has also been renamed: Satellite Party is now Ultra Payload. It features Fergie, Flea and many others. ... LCD Soundsystem have pegged March 20 as the release date for their new LP, Sound of Silver. The band's sophomore effort was recorded last summer at a farm in upstate New York and includes "North American Scum," "Get Innocuous" and "New York I Love You but You're Bringing Me Down." ... Yours to Keep, the debut solo album from Strokes guitarist Albert Hammond Jr., has been out in the United Kingdom since October, but it's finally hitting U.S. shores. The disc, due March 6, will feature a dozen cuts, including "Cartoon Music for Superheroes," "Call an Ambulance" and "Postal Blowfish." ... Ex-American Music Club frontman Mark Eitzel has a quick tour mapped out, playing four dates in New York from January 18-21, a pair in Massachusetts the following two days and additional shows in Philadelphia (January 24) and Arlington, Virginia (January 25).

• In Focus: Lindsay Lohan

• Nelly Furtado
• Ja Rule
• Britney Spears
• Hilary Duff
• Jennifer Lopez

Pearl Jam's <i>Pearl Jam</i>
Photo: J-Records

Jamming the Airwaves: Pearl Jam's "World Wide Suicide" has been holding strong at modern-rock radio, and with J Records ruler Clive Davis backing the band, expect big things from the group's first studio disc in four years. The once-enigmatic Eddie Vedder tears into President Bush on the new single with the lyrics "A handsome face that the president took for granted/ Writing checks that others pay," but he doesn't stop there, chewing out the administration on "Army Reserve," "Unemployable" and "Inside Job." The band's nurtured a political bent over the years, but this time people will probably be listening.

Married to the Mobb: While Pearl Jam are hoping for a rebirth after aligning themselves with a new music mogul, so are Mobb Deep with 50 Cent. In a week bristling with major rock releases, Mobb are carving out some space for beats with Blood Money, their first release for 50's G-Unit Records. Prodigy told MTV he had to shave some blasphemous lyrics off "Pearly Gates" at the label's request, but the duo did sneak a couple of unlisted tracks onto the disc: "Have a Party," featuring 50 Cent and Nate Dogg, and a remix of 50's "Outta Control" featuring Mobb Deep. In fact, the record may as well be listed as a joint release between Mobb and G-Unit, what with Tony Yayo, Lloyd Banks and Young Buck all making featured appearances. And toward the end of the record — which Havoc partially devotes to his fallen brother, Todd "T.J." Muchita — they hook up with Mary J. Blige for "It's Alright."

Tool Time: Never ones to miss the opportunity for biting sarcasm, Tool may have titled their first album in almost five years 10,000 Days because of how long it's taken to crank out the thing — but, if we're splitting hairs here, it's only been a mere 1,448. While rock competitors Pearl Jam are caught up in the so-called "post-9/11 world," Tool don't seem to be, even if this is their first release since the monumental event — in classic Tool style, the record presses the compact disc up against its 80-minute mark and features darkly mystical tracks like "Jambi," "Lipan Conjuring" and "Rosetta Stoned."

Spare a Dime: Fans still mourning "Dimebag" Darrell may find some healing with the release of a CD and DVD featuring the departed Pantera guitarist, which are being released on brother/ Pantera drummer Vinnie Paul's own Big Vin Records a few weeks later than first anticipated. The title of Pantera's 1990 album, Cowboys From Hell, finds new meaning with the project Rebel Meets Rebel, which partnered reuniting Darrell, Paul and Pantera bassist Rex Brown with Willie Nelson/ George Jones songwriter David Allan Coe. It's a record, as Paul says in a press release, that Darrell once joked he hoped to put out "before the old man [Coe] kicks the bucket." The DVD "DimeVision, Vol. 1: That's the Fun I Have" is more straight-up Darrell, a visual tribute that cobbles together unseen archival concert footage with "Jackass"-style home-video antics and more.

Thursday Comes Two Days Early: Sure there are some big releases dropping this week, but what about all that scrumptious enhanced content? Well, look no further than Thursday's A City by the Light Divided, which finds the band drifting away from that emo thang and, with the addition of a permanent keyboard player, moving into broader territory. The limited-edition digipak will have some video goodies, while those who downloaded the record on iTunes got a bonus track, and the ones who shelled out for it at Tower Records were gifted with a free 7-inch.

Jewel of the Pile: Like a diamond in the rough, Jewel's sixth record, Goodbye Alice in Wonderland, may very well be drowned out by this week's louder releases. But give her some rock credit where it's due: She did re-record the LP with Green Day producer Rob Cavallo after she wasn't happy with the first go-round, even if, on "Satellite," she says rock and roll can't mend her broken heart.

Aussies Vs. Brits: This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Statute of Westminster, a measure that officially cut off most of the constitutional connections between Australia and the United Kingdom (technically it wasn't adopted until 1942). But that doesn't mean there can't be some good-natured rivalry between the commonwealth and its mother country.

And while we're on the subject of mothers, Wolfmother and their self-titled debut lead this week's pack — hardee har har — of Aussie releases. Fresh off a Coachella performance that got them some front-page notice in Sunday's edition of The Los Angeles Times, the power trio keep it feral on tracks like "Where Eagles Have Been" and "White Unicorn." Also busting out from the Land Down Under are Lostep, a Melbourne two-piece who have been enmeshed in the Global Underground DJ community but are finally stepping out with their debut, Because We Can. Decoder Ring — six musicians and a live projectionist who makes live montages with three concurrent projectors — provide the soundtrack for "Somersault," a coming-of-age movie set in New South Wales, as their first U.S. release. And singer/songwriter Audrey Auld Mezera is chiming in with In the House, a two-disc live set she recorded in Sebastopol, California, late last year with Nina Gerber.

On the other side of the world, Gomez chalk up How to Operate, their first studio effort for Dave Matthews' ATO Records, which they crafted with producer Gil Norton (Foo Fighters, Pixies). Charlatans UK head out with the reggae-heavy Simpatico, their first U.S. release in five years. The band has said the disc was heavily influenced by Joe Strummer and Gram Parsons, and it's already cracked the charts in their homeland. Lewes singer/songwriter David Ford's I Sincerely Apologize for All the Trouble I've Caused was also released first overseas, but it's getting a major-label push in the U.S., even though Ford recorded the whole thing on his G4. English duo the Boy Least Likely To, who have been getting heavy play on Los Angeles tastemaking radio station KCRW-FM, are taking the humble route by releasing their word-of-mouth The Best Party Ever at a low price in Coalition of Independent Music Stores. It comes with a bonus disc containing two extra tunes, "Rock Upon a Porch With You" and "Grubby Little Memory." And World Party's Dumbing Up is also notable: Frontman Karl Wallinger opted to issue the LP on Seaview Records after breaking his previous label contract when he discovered the label, his former band and U.K. megastar Robbie Williams created an alternate version of his song "She's the One," which subsequently won Single of the Year at the Brit Awards.

Song Title of the Week:

"You Suck! But Your Peanut Butter Is OK" from None More Black's This Is Satire

Other Notables:

Ministry's Rio Grande Blood: Al Jourgensen's calling the latest blast from his band "an all-out aural assault against the occupying forces of demagoguery and complacency." He dishes the anti-GW dirt on "The Great Satan," "Fear (Is Big Business)" and "Lieslieslies," enlisting comrade Jello Biafra for "Ass Clown" and, more surprisingly, a retired drill sergeant named Sergeant Major for Jourgensen's salute to soldiers, "Gangreen."

Brian Littrell's Welcome Home: The Backstreet Boy's new label isn't making many overt references to his affiliation with the boy band, instead focusing on his rebirth as a Christian artist. In a recent press release, the CEO of Provident Music Group said: "Brian [is] a forthright, sincere person of God. This is what Brian was built to do." Like-minded songs include "Grace of My Life," "Angels and Heroes" and "Jesus Loves You."

The Black Keys' Chulahoma: The Songs of Junior Kimbrough: Akron, Ohio's only pair of white guys playing swamp blues resurface with a six-song set devoted to their muse, the late Mississippi blues great Junior Kimbrough. Guitar/singer Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney rework their 'brough's "Work Me," "Have Mercy on Me" and "Meet Me in the City."

Roy Hargrove's Nothing Serious and the RH Factor's Distractions: Hargrove's double-dipping this week. Nothing Serious is the hard-bopper's first acoustic-jazz set in six years, and he works with a backup quintet on songs like "A Day in Vienna" and "Devil Eyes"; the RH Factor is his neo-soul group, and they run through four chapters of "Distractions," plus "Kansas City Funk" and "Bullsh--."

New Releases:

• Merrie Amsterburg - Clementine & Other Stories (Q Division)
• Apiary - Lost in Focus (Metal Blade)
• Andrey Dergatchev - "The Return" soundtrack (ECM)
• Jon Auer - Songs From the Year of Our Demise (Pattern 25)
• Baby Dayliner - Critics Pass Away (Brassland)
• Nik Bärtsch's Ronin - Stoa (ECM)
• Beethoven's Wig 3 - Many More Sing-Along Symphonies (Rounder)
• The Black Keys - Chulahoma: The Songs of Junior Kimbrough (digipak EP; Fat Possum)
  Buy Now: Chulahoma: The Songs of Junior Kimbrough (Fat Possum)
• Blue Dogs - Live at Workplay (Black River)
• The Boy Least Likely To - The Best Party Ever (Too Young to Die; with bonus disc; available only at Coalition of Independent Music Stores)
• Brandtson - Hello Control (digipak; The Militia Group)
• The Charlatans UK - Simpatico (Sanctuary)
  Buy Now: Simpatico (Sanctuary)
• Clear Static - Clear Static (Maverick)
• Court & Spark - Hearts (Absolutely Kosher)
• Billy Cox & Buddy Miles - The Band of Gypsys Return (Image Entertainment)
• D-Block - Mix Tape (with DVD; Koch)
• Decoder Ring - "Somersault" soundtrack (Bella Union)
• Devotchka - Curse Your Little Heart (EP; Ace Fu)
• Phil Driscoll - Drops of Praise (Koch)
• Dysrhythmia - Barriers & Passages (Relapse)
• The Elms - The Chess Hotel (Universal South)
• Enslaved - Run (Candlelight)
• Alejandro Escovedo - The Boxing Mirror (Back Porch)
• First Blood - Killafornia (enhanced; Trustkill)
• David Ford - I Sincerely Apologise for All the Trouble I've Caused (Red Ink)
• Gadget - Funeral March (Relapse)
• Gomez - How We Operate (ATO)
  Buy Now: How We Operate (ATO)
• Roy Hargrove - Nothing Serious (Verve)
• Homeless J. - Three Seconds to Gaze (Selectric)
• Izzy - In Awe of You (Koch)
• Jewel - Goodbye Alice in Wonderland (Atlantic)
• Greg Joseph - American Diary (digipak; High Wire)
• Brian Littrell - Welcome Home (Reunion)
• Lostep - Because We Can (Global Underground)
• Rockie Lynne - Rockie Lynne (Universal South)
• Robin McKelle - Introducing Robin McKelle (Cheap Lullaby)
• Audrey Auld Mezera & Nina Gerber - In the House (two CDs; Reckless)
• Ministry - Rio Grande Blood (digipak; 13th Planet/ Megaforce)
  Buy Now: Rio Grande Blood (digipak; 13th Planet/ Megaforce)
• Mobb Deep - Blood Money (Interscope/ G-Unit)
  Read: "Throwback: Mobb Deep"
  Buy Now: Blood Money (Interscope/ G-Unit)
• Mon Frere - Blood Sweat & Swords (Cake)
• Gary Moore - Old New Ballads Blues (Eagle)
• Greg Murray - Tymes Ten (Bus Stop)
• Marykate O'Neil - 1-800-Bankrupt (digipak; Nettwerk/ 71 Recordings)
• None More Black - This Is Satire (Fat Wreck Chords)
• Gregory Page - Love Made Me Drunk (digipak; Seedling)
• Glen Phillips - Welcome Home (digipak; High Wire)
• Pearl Jam - Pearl Jam (J)
  Read: "Pearl Jam, Post-'Therapy': 'The Sex Is Better Than Ever!' "
  Buy Now: Pearl Jam (J)
• Glen Phillips - Mr Lemons (digipak; High Wire)
• Rebel Meets Rebel - Rebel Meets Rebel (Big Vin)
  Read: "Vinnie Paul Ready To Release Dimebag's Rebel Music "
• The RH Factor - Distractions (Verve)
• Sadus - Out for Blood (Mascot)
• Scar Symmetry - Pitch Black Progress (Nuclear Blast America)
• Soil - True Self (DRT)
• Starkweather - Croatoan (Candlelight)
• Sunset Rubdown - Shut Up I Am Dreaming (digipak; Absolutely Kosher)
• Thursday - A City by the Light Divided (digipak due same day; Island)
  Read: "Thursday Frontman Says He Doesn't Want To Exploit My Chemical Romance, But ..."
  Buy Now: A City by the Light Divided (Island)
• Andy Timmons Band - Resolution (Favored Nations)
• Tool - 10,000 Days (Volcano)
  Buy Now: 10,000 Days (Volcano)
• Ralph Towner - Time Line (ECM)
• Up Bustle & Out - City Breakers: 18 Frames Per Second (Collision Cause Chap)
• The Warning - All Systems Dead (Punk Core)
• Carnie Wilson - A Mother's Gift: Lullabies From the Heart (Big 3)
• Wolfmother - Wolfmother (Interscope)
  Read: "Wild Afros, Raging Riffs, Trippy Lyrics: Wolfmother Live Up To Their Name"
  Buy Now: Wolfmother (Interscope)
• World Party - Dumbing Up (with DVD: Seaview)
• Yyrkoon - Unhealthy Opera (Osmose)
• Zombi - Surface to Air (Relapse)
• Various artists - Before the Rise (three CDs; BCD)
• Various artists - The Royal Dan: A Tribute (Tone Center)

Notable Reissues and Archival Material:

McHouston Baker - Mississippi Delta Dues (Fontana)
• Chi-Lites - The Ultimate Chi-Lites (Brunswick)
• Eric Clapton - Guitar Legend: The Very Best of the Early Years With the Yardbirds/ The Immediate All Stars/ John Mayall's Bluesbreakers (Metro)
• Nat King Cole - The Very Best of Nat King Cole (Capitol)
• Deep Purple - Live at Montreux 1996 (Eagle)
• Manu DiBango - The Very Best of Manu DiBango: African Soul (Fontana)
• Eleven Hundred Springs - Bandwagon (Palo Duro)
• Al Green - The Belle Album: Expanded Edition (Capitol)
• Albert Hammond - Albert Hammond/ 99 Miles From L.A. (BGO)
• Hirax - Not Dead Yet (Black Devil)
• Humble Pie - The Best of the Immediate Years (Metro)
• Furry Lewis - Fourth and Beale (Fontana)
• Wes McDonald - Guest (Skybucket)
• Molly Hatchet - The Deed Is Done (Gott Discs)
• Morrison-Williams - Morrison-Williams (Palo Duro)
• Helen Reddy - The Woman I Am: The Definitive Collection (Capitol)
• Django Reinhardt - Memorial (two CDs; Empire Musicwerks)
• Roswell Rudd/ Toumani Diabate - Malicool (Fontana)
• Darryl Lee Rush - Llano Ave. (Palo Duro)
• John Stewart - An Introduction to John Stewart (Fuel)
• Taste - Taste (Fontana)
• Phil Vassar - Greatest Hits (Arista)
• Jackie Wilson - The Ultimate Jackie Wilson (Brunswick)

Music DVDs:

• Deep Purple - "Live at Montreux" (Eagle Vision)
• Dimebag Darrell - "DimeVision, Vol. 1: That's the Fun I Have" (Big Vin)
• Emerson, Lake & Palmer - "The Birth of a Band - Isle of Wight Festival, Saturday, August 29 1970" (Eagle Vision)
• The Four Tops - "From the Heart - 50th Anniversary Celebration" (Image Entertainment)
• Howard Jones - "20th Anniversary Greatest Hits" (Koch)
• Transatlantic - "Building the Bridge/ Live in America" (Metal Blade)
• Willowz - "See In Squares" (Sympathy for the Record Industry)

Coming Attractions:

May 9:

• Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere (Downtown)
• The Isley Brothers - Baby Makin' Music (Island)
• Korn - Live & Rare (Epic)
• Nick Lachey - What's Left of Me (Jive)
  Buy Now: What's Left of Me (Jive)
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium (two CDs; limited edition with DVD also available; Warner Bros.)
  Read: "Chili Peppers Stoked About New Album, Possible Kanye Tour"
  Buy Now: Stadium Arcadium (Warner Bros.)
• Snow Patrol - Eyes Open (A&M)
  Read: "Snow Patrol Turn 'Candy-Assed' Music Into Beastly Arena Rock"
  Buy Now: Eyes Open (A&M)

May 16:

• Ashley Parker Angel - Soundtrack to Your Life (Universal)
  Buy Now: Soundtrack to Your Life (Universal)
• Cam'ron - Killa Season (limited-edition version with DVD and two bonus tracks also available; Rap-a-Lot)
  Read: "Mixtape Monday: LL Cool J Stays Hungry, Cam'ron Delivers A Preview"
  Buy Now: Killa Season (Rap-a-Lot)
• Hoobastank - Every Man for Himself (Island)
  Read: "Hoobastank Find Inspiration For New LP In Scott Weiland's Cold Shoulder"
  Buy Now: Every Man for Himself (Island)
• Christina Milian - So Amazin' (enhanced; Def Jam)
  Buy Now: So Amazin' (Def Jam)
• The Raconteurs - Broken Boy Soldiers (V2/ Third Man)
  Read: "Jack White: Don't Call The Raconteurs A Side Project"
• Rock Kills Kid - Are You Nervous? (Reprise)
  Read: "Rock Kills Kid Bring Music From Windowless Room To Radio"

May 23:

• Angels & Airwaves - We Don't Need to Whisper (Geffen)
  Read: "Tom DeLonge Spills More About Angels & Airwaves' Plans For World Domination "
• The Dixie Chicks - Taking the Long Way (Columbia)
• Pink - "Live in Europe" (La Face)
• The Walkmen - Hundred Miles Off (Record Collection)

• Pearl Jam
• Mobb Deep
• Tool
• Dimebag Darrell
• Thursday

Vinnie Paul
Photo: MTV News

Launching his own record label and releasing an album's worth of material that had been in the can going on three years was imperative for former Pantera/ Damageplan drummer Vinnie Paul.

Big Vin Records and the upcoming self-titled debut from Rebel Meets Rebel restored meaning to his life. The album is a dozen tracks of countrified metal featuring controversial country singer David Allan Coe and the guitar prowess of Paul's late brother, "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott.

It has eased some of the pain Paul's been grappling with since his brother's onstage slaying at an Ohio nightclub in December 2004 (see "Dimebag Darrell, Four Others Killed In Ohio Concert Shooting").

"It's something that me and Dime really wanted to do a long time ago, but we were so busy with everything, we never could," Paul explained. "When Atlantic [Damageplan's label] passed on the Rebel Meets Rebel record because they didn't know what to do with it, I was like, 'I'm not gonna go shop this. This just fell right in my lap, and it's time for me to start this record label that I've been thinking about and, you know, put it all together.'

"It is a lot of work, trust me," he continued. "Getting on a tour bus and riding around the United States and playing for an hour and a half a night is a lot easier than this stuff. But it's fun to be able to learn both sides of the business."

There was also Dimebag's legacy to consider. His work on Rebel Meets Rebel isn't merely a footnote — it's yet another chapter in the life of one of the guitar's greatest advocates, Paul said.

"His guitar playing on this record is incredible," Paul said. "The cool thing about this record is, a lot of times when you're making metal, everything operates kind of like a machine. It's like chung, chung, chung — it's just power. And with this kind of record, it has a Rolling Stones vibe. Everybody can kind of cut loose, play what they want, and all the people really interact instead of it all kind of being one big gigantic tank moving in one direction.

"So [there was] a lot of freedom involved in making this record," Paul said. "And it gave me something to look forward to and to live for because I've never done anything without Dime. ... It's been a long road for me to get to this point where I feel I can move on in my life. And that's what I'm doing, man."

Rebel Meets Rebel, which also includes Paul behind the kit and erstwhile Pantera member Rex Brown on bass, will hit stores May 2, as will "Dimevision, Volume 1," a DVD culled from footage Dimebag had shot with a camcorder over several years on the road and at home. Paul said there will be other "Dimevision" releases down the road — it's just a matter of sifting through the tapes and organizing the material.

"It's in the total spirit of the Pantera videos," Paul said. "I mean, he's the dude that pretty much — in my opinion, a lot of people's opinions — created 'Jackass.' He never got any credit for it, but it's him, his stellar guitar playing and just being the clown that he is."

Rebel Meets Rebel and "Dimevision, Volume 1" are only the beginning for Big Vin Records. Paul said he has about 5,000 demo tapes to listen to. "I haven't really heard what I'm looking for yet," he said. "I want something that's out there. I want something that's different."

For now, though, he's focused on Rebel Meets Rebel, the closest fans are going to get to another Pantera record.

"This record, when you put it on, there's a lot of fun there. And with Rex, it has our trademark [Pantera] sound. When the three of us get together and play, there's no other band that sounds that way. It's just us performing with a different singer, especially not only a different singer but a different genre totally," he said. "It's out there, but it's cool. I don't think hard-core country fans are going to like it. I don't think hard-core metal fans are going to like it. But I think anybody that listens to a wide variety of music will totally dig it. ... I think all of our Southern roots really came together on it."

Even without Dime around to play guitar, Paul said there's a chance Rebel Meets Rebel could tour — so long as he can tap someone gifted enough to tackle the riffs. "I have a couple of people in mind that were really close to Dime and would be perfect for it," he said. "But we're just going to put out the record first and see how that goes. And then if the fan response was really, really good, I think it'd be fun to go play those songs live because they'd be killer songs live."

At the time of Dimebag's death, Paul said Damageplan had finished recording the band's sophomore disc — it sits in his house, mixed, but still needs vocals. The drummer said he has no intention of letting the songs collect dust. He's just not sure what to do with the tracks next.

"What we recorded was really, really kick-ass," Paul said. "With every band, their first record is kind of them getting settled, and their second record becomes the one that really blows up. Me and Dime just recorded all those songs ourselves. He played bass on them and guitar, and I played drums. We produced them together. They're really kick-ass. I really haven't decided what I want to do with them. I've thought about having a bunch of Dime's favorite singers sing on all the songs, which would be really cool. Or have Pat Lachman sing on them and have them be the [second] Damageplan record."

Paul said he's also looking forward to "Six-String Masterpiece: The Dimebag Darrell Art Tribute," which is being sponsored by Dean Guitars, "the kind of guitar my brother made famous."

More than 50 musicians and artists — including Marilyn Manson, Derek Hess, the Deftones, Alice in Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell, Linkin Park's Chester Bennington and Mike Shinoda, Dave Grohl, Slayer's Kerry King, Moby, James Hetfield of Metallica, Billy Corgan, Audioslave's Tom Morello, Zakk Wylde, Rob Zombie, Tommy Lee, Ted Nugent, Sum 41, and various members of Korn and Slipknot — were presented with a Dean Guitar and asked to paint it. The finished guitars will go on tour as a mobile exhibit, and next year they'll be auctioned off, with the proceeds earmarked for charity. One of the guitars even features the artwork of Kelly Clarkson.

"A lot of people went, 'How does she fit into this picture?' " Paul said. "True story: She used to wait on me and Dime at a comedy club in Fort Worth, Texas, back in the day before she made it on 'American Idol' and all that. So we didn't really know her, but we had met each other, and it was really cool that she did a tribute."

For more on the life of "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, check out the feature "Remembering Dimebag."

• Dimebag Darrell
• Vinnie Paul
• Damageplan
• Pantera

"Dimebag" Darrell Abbott
Photo: Vaughn Youtz/Getty Images

On the one-year anniversary of the shooting spree that took the life of Damageplan/ Pantera guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott and four others, Abbott's family has filed a lawsuit against the Columbus, Ohio, club where he was killed.

The suit against the Alrosa Villa nightclub was brought on behalf of the Abbott family by Dimebag's brother/bandmate, Damageplan drummer Vinnie Paul, and by Damageplan tour manager Chris Paluska and drum tech John Brooks, who were injured in the shooting, according to the trio's lawyer, Gerald Leeseberg.

"The central allegation of the lawsuit is that there was inadequate security provided at the music venue given the nature and size of the crowd and previous incidents at the club involving criminal activity," Leeseberg said. The lawyer cited police and media reports about earlier incidents at the metal club involving criminal activity, fighting, handguns and the firing of weapons.

On December 8, 2004 ex-Marine Nathan Gale rushed the stage at the club and opened fire with a 9mm gun, killing Dimebag, Damageplan bodyguard Jeff "Mayhem" Thompson, fan Nathan Bray and club worker Erin Halk, and injuring two — Paluska and Brooks (see "Dimebag Darrell, Four Others Killed In Ohio Concert Shooting").

Leeseberg said one of the other claims in the suit is that the security that was provided performed "horribly" in that they were aware of Gale's suspicious behavior prior to the shooting. "They watched him scale the security fence and gain access to the club and for reasons to be determined, he was allowed to go through the crowd and begin firing a weapon," Leeseberg said. "He was carrying a weapon and 50 rounds of ammunition, all of this with the knowledge of security that this individual was behaving strangely and they did nothing to stop him."

Leeseberg said the suit cites an incident eight months earlier in nearby Cincinnati in which security at a venue where Damageplan were playing identified Gale as a suspicious person and subdued him. In that incident, at the venue Bogart's, Gale was dragged off the stage during a Damageplan show on April 8, 2004 after he caused nearly $2,000 in damage to stage lights and other equipment during a struggle with police.

At the Alrosa Villa, eyewitnesses said Gale had been acting strangely before the show, first blocking the club's parking lot exit with his car, then pacing back and forth on the Villa's front lawn as the opening act played.

Leeseberg said the suit argues that steps could have been taken to intervene and stop Gale and that a metal detector at the front door would have deterred people with guns from coming into the venue. "If you have a gun, you wouldn't go through a metal detector," he said. "And if you are mentally ill and don't appreciate that if you have a gun it will go off, you will get caught."

However, Gale, who had a history of mental illness, did not enter the club through the front door, where a metal detector might have been placed. He jumped a low wall near the back and entered through a stage door after rushing by security guards. Leeseberg said that in allowing Gale to illegally enter the club, security failed to do its job. "They are supposed to stop that because security guards saw him do that [climb the fence]," he said. "One of the security guards said that he didn't want to mess with him [Gale] because he was a big dude."

Because of Ohio laws governing civil damages, the lawsuit seeks more than $25,000 in damages, though Leeseberg speculated that the actual amount of compensatory damages a jury could award the Abbott family and Paluska and Brooks for economic losses and pain and suffering would likely be "substantially" higher. In addition to waiting for the final, 600-page police report on the incident, Leeseberg said December 8 was also chosen as a date to file the suit for symbolic reasons.

Alrosa owner Eric Cautela could not be reached for comment, but in an earlier interview with local station WBNS, he reportedly admitted his security force wasn't prepared to stop a man bent on killing.

"My security guards aren't supposed to stop a bullet. They get paid $10-$12 an hour. They aren't paid to take a bullet," Cautela told the station last June.

The Alrosa will be closed on Thursday and Friday in honor of the anniversary of the murders.

For an in-depth interview with Vinnie Paul, see "Dimebag Darrell: A Brother Remembers." For a feature where Dimebag's friends and peers remember the good times and great shreds, see "Remembering Dimebag."

Click here for more on the tragic death of Dimebag Darrell and the Ohio club shooting.

[This story was originally published at 8:13 am E.T. on 12.08.2005]

• Dimebag Darrell
• Pantera
• Damageplan

• Dimebag Darrell
• Pantera
• Damageplan