Elliott Yamin
Photo: Nick Spanos

A bit of "American Idol" trivia: Josh Abraham, a seasoned rock producer who has helmed albums for 30 Seconds to Mars, Staind and Velvet Revolver, is the cousin of season-five finalist Elliott Yamin.

And more than that, Abraham is one of several studio wizards lending their talents to Yamin's self-titled debut, due March 20. DJ Lethal of Limp Bizkit, Stargate (Beyoncé), Michael Mangini (Joss Stone) and Derek Bramble (David Bowie) are among the others.

"It's an eclectic mix of just different sounds for every listener out there — for the ['Idol'] viewers, for the young cats, for everyone in between," Yamin said. "We worked with so many different ideas and sounds ... and it's not your typical-sounding album."

Lethal helmed the first single, "Movin' On," which Yamin recorded before he hit the road on the American Idols Live Tour last summer (see "Taylor Dusts Off Harmonica, Kellie Puts Country Spin On 'Grease' For 'Idol' Tour"). And while the title may bring to mind similarly named post-"Idol" songs like Kelly Clarkson's "Breakaway," he swears it's not about the show.

"You know, I never did actually think about that," he said. "I guess I am moving on, but none of this would be possible without that show. I'm forever in debt to that show."

Truthfully, the single is about "trying to get this girl's attention and she's not giving you any rhythm, so you're just ready to move on," Yamin said. "It's got an uptempo, dance vibe to it."

Other tracks on the album include second single "Wait for You," the bluesy ballad "Take My Breath Away" written by John Mayer guitarist David Ryan Harris, and the socially conscious "Find a Way."

Yamin also covers Leon Russell's "A Song for You," which Yamin's idol, Donny Hathaway, recorded in 1971 and which brought Paula Abdul to tears when Yamin sang it on "Idol."

"I have a throwback voice," Yamin said. "People listen to my voice and tell that I'm really influenced by that era, by that genre of music. We did a good job of modernizing that to a certain extent on some songs, but I'm always going to stay true to my style and choice of music. I don't think we compromise that at all."

With his album taking up the majority of his time, Yamin has not watched much of the latest "Idol" season, but he made sure to catch the premiere. "I just felt really proud, knowing what I went through and being on the other side again and knowing what everybody else is going through right now," he said. "You know, we're in a class of our own. It's a really cool feeling."

Yamin, who roomed with Taylor Hicks throughout the season, talks to the winner "all the time," as well as the rest of the top 10. "As cliché as it sounds, we are like a family — especially the guys," he said. "Us five guys on tour really bonded, and I miss them all."

As for his advice to this year's finalists: "I would just tell them to sing what you want to sing. Don't compromise your style or your taste," he said. "And become really thick-skinned, because it is a good crash course of how the business really is."

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

• Elliott Yamin
• DJ Lethal
• Limp Bizkit

Darryl "DMC" McDaniels
Photo: Arista

Who says multiplatinum rock stars only collaborate with other current chart-toppers?

As Limp Bizkit search for a guitarist to replace Wes Borland (see "Limp Bizkit Scouring 22 Cities For New Guitarist") and frontman Fred Durst continues to sign and mentor new bands to platinum success, Bizkit turntablist DJ Lethal is embarking on a project with rapper Darryl "DMC" McDaniels of Run-D.M.C.

And DMC didn't even have to ask. When DJ Lethal found out the hip-hop pioneer was working on a new disc — which DMC hopes to have in stores this spring — the Bizkit spinner approached with demos and asked to be involved.

"I went over to his house, and he started playing me tracks, and it was so crazy," DMC enthused Wednesday. "The records that he played me were so perfect for the records I had already written. He did three tracks on the album, and they're incredible."

Maybe so, but just don't expect songs from the tentatively titled Homicidal, Suicidal & Political to sound anything like classic Bizkit. It'll be more like classic rock. DMC is forming songs around snippets of Neil Young's "Old Man," Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's "Ohio," the Rolling Stones' "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and Pink Floyd's "Us and Them," though instead of using recorded samples, DMC may hire live musicians to replay the passages.

"I don't think it's a record where I'm gonna be saying, 'I'm the king of rock, and I'm the best rapper. Run-D.M.C.'s the greatest,' " said DMC. "I did that already. I've got more important things to do with this music. The stuff that I'm writing now is more like John Lennon and Bob Dylan."

Many of the classic-rock-inspired tracks are not done, but DMC and Lethal have completely revamped a version of the Beatles' "Come Together." "I'm using that hook, and I'm rapping about, you know, don't kill the whales," said DMC. "I guess people that are against fur are gonna be happy. That record is really dealing with the environment and let's not fight each other. Let's not accuse each other and just come together."

The second track with Lethal is an energetic cut called "What's Wrong," which features a guest rap by Napoleon of the Outlawz.

"I'm talking about what's going on in the world today: kids killing each other, bringing guns to school, everybody taking ecstasy," said DMC. "The name of the record first was gonna be What's Wrong With These Kids Today?, but I didn't want to alienate myself because we all do the same things no matter what generation it is — sex, drugs, everything. Basically I'm kind of like the older guy [in the song], but I'm still doing those things, and Napoleon, he's the younger guy, and we talk about everybody in between."

The final song Lethal worked on will either be called "Negative and Positive" or "My Life." The uncharacteristically dark track addresses DMC's recent battles with substance abuse and depression, which worsened after the last Run-D.M.C. album, Crown Royal (2001).

"It's a real personal song about how I struggle with suicide, alcoholism and drugs," he explained. "Sometimes I just want to go out there and take a gun and kill people. You know, there's always a time when you're sitting at home and you've had something in your job that's messing with you or something in your life. It could be your wife, your kids, your boss. And you just go, 'I wanna kill motherf---ers.' I was at this point where I thought I was gonna really go through with that. And then it was like, 'All right, I don't really want to harm anybody. Let me just take this gun and put it to my own head.' Then I was like, 'Nah, I don't wanna do that. Let me just drink myself to death.' "

Though he didn't brood in silence, even his bandmates didn't realize how close to the edge he had slid.

"I was always thinking to myself, 'Let me go get my gun.' And I would always make jokes around Run. I'd say, 'Yeah, man, see what's gonna happen tomorrow. I'm gonna pull my gun out and kill all y'all.' And Run would always go, 'D, don't kill me, man. I got five kids and they love me. I'm not ready to leave.' And I would say I was joking, but those thoughts were coming from somewhere. I really meant it. I just never let myself go there."

DMC's rage stemmed largely from his frustration with the Crown Royal sessions, in which he was hardly involved, and not by choice. Intent on evolving, DMC wanted edgy raps and innovative music, but his bandmates were more intent on capturing the energy and bounce of their '80s classics like Raising Hell (see "Run-DMC: Kings Of Pain").

"Everybody was saying, 'Aw, D, you ain't rhyming no more. Your voice is gone. Nobody likes what you're writing about,' because I was writing from my experience and I wanted my music to grow. I don't want to be still rhyming about driving around in cars. I don't want to rhyme about stuff I don't do."

Right when DMC felt as confused and disillusioned as he thought he could get, he found out he was adopted. The news sent him into a self-destructive tailspin.

"I was definitely bugging out," he said. "My dad told me because I was working on my book ['King of Rock'], so I had to ask my mother where I was born and what time. And my dad was like, 'I think he's prying,' so they called me back and said, 'Don't you know, you remember you was adopted?' They said they told me when I was 5 years old, but I don't remember. I was like, 'Damn, what else is gonna happen in my life?' "

Last winter, around the time he hit rock bottom, DMC started writing the songs for Homicidal, Suicidal & Political and was surprised to find the work extremely therapeutic. To come to terms with his adoption, he remade Harry Chapin's "Cat's in the Cradle." Within months of that he had more than 100 different parts written for various songs. DMC now has 11 songs finished and wants to record at least two more before he shops the record around to labels.

Having vented his aggression on his new album, DMC seems to be at least hitting the entrance ramp of the road to recovery. This year he plans to promote the disc with a solo tour and will also tour with Run-D.M.C. In addition, he's getting ready to search for his real parents and plans to become a spokesperson for adoption agencies.

"All of this has really given me something to live for," he said. "I can't commit suicide. Look, my life's a mystery now, and if I leave I'll never be able to solve that mystery."

• Run-D.M.C.
• Limp Bizkit
• DJ Lethal

Fred Durst
Photo: Interscope

The track list for Limp Bizkit's remix album, New Old Songs, due December 4, has surfaced, though fans looking forward to a contribution by departed guitarist Wes Borland may be disappointed.

The face-painted axeman's remix of "Break Stuff," which DJ Lethal touted as one of the album's highlights in early October, is absent from the LP's lineup, according to an Interscope spokesperson. Lethal described Borland's remix as "the most drastic" reinterpretation of any track then being considered for New Old Songs, likening it to "Squarepusher [and] Aphex Twin — just loud and really crazy" (see "Timbaland, P. Diddy, Neptunes Do It Their Way On Bizkit Remix LP"). Lethal has also rendered his own variation on the Significant Other tune for the album, which he said has more of a club sound.

Borland left his Bizkit bandmates in mid-October (see "Limp Bizkit And Wes Borland Part Ways").

Other tracks included on New Old Songs are the Neptunes' remix of "N 2 Gether Now" (featuring Method Man), Bubba Sparxxx guesting on Timbaland's rearrangement of "Rearranged" and Garbage drummer Butch Vig's reorganized "Nookie."

New Old Songs track list, according to Interscope Records:

• "Nookie" (remix by the Neptunes)
• "Take a Look Around" (featuring E-40 & 8Ball, remix by Timbaland)
• "Break Stuff" (remix by DJ Lethal)
• "My Way" (remix by P. Diddy)
• "Crushed" (remix by Bosko)
• "N 2 Gether Now" (featuring Method Man, remix by the Neptunes)
• "Re-Arranged" (featuring Bubba Sparxxx, remix by Timbaland)
• "Getcha Groove On" (featuring Xzibit, remix by DJ Premier)
• "Faith" (featuring Everlast, remix by Fred Durst and Josh Abraham)
• "My Way" (remix by DJ Lethal)
• "Nookie" (remix by Butch Vig)
• "Counterfeit" (remix by DJ Lethal)
• "Rollin' " (remix by DJ vs. the Track Mack)
• "My Way" (remix by DJ Premier)
• "My Way" (remix by William Orbit)
• "My Way" (remix by Dub Pistols)

• Limp Bizkit
• N.E.R.D.
• Method Man
• Diddy
• Bubba Sparxxx

DJ Lethal
Photo: MTV

Where can you find Method Man converting the dance classic "Pop Muzik" into a hip-hop anthem, as well as Fred Durst and Aaron Lewis vibing on trip-rock a la Portishead?

On DJ Lethal's upcoming solo debut.

The Limp Bizkit beatmaster is wrapping up work on the project, with the help of a growing roster of guest stars. In addition to Meth, Durst and Lewis, he's recorded tracks featuring Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington, Dilated Peoples, Ol' Dirty Bastard, High & Mighty's Mr. Eon, Tha Liks, Kurupt and Planet Asia. He also has a track planned for Scott Weiland and is courting Snoop Dogg to appear on the song that features Kurupt.

"I'm just trying to cover all areas — I've got the underground hip-hop, overground hip-hop, underground rock, overground rock," Lethal said Wednesday. "The thing that's going to set it apart is me — my beats ... This is definitely the future of DJ Lethal."

Though he has about 15 tracks finished, Lethal hopes to knock out a few more before work on the next Limp Bizkit record kicks into high gear. Lethal's album is tentatively slated to hit shelves in February or March on his own Lethal Dose Records, in conjunction with Geffen and Durst's Flawless imprint (see "DJ Lethal Busy With Debut From MC Rock, Solo Album").

Durst appears on a track called "When It Rains," which has a "hip-hop-meets-Portishead-meets-old-school-rock vibe," Lethal said. Lewis' still-untitled track has a similar feel, with out-in-front vocals and guitar work by Nine Inch Nails' Danny Lohner. Bennington's song, also untitled, stays in the vein of Linkin Park's rap/rock fusion.

Meth's track is a take-off on M's 1979 hit, "Pop Muzik," with the rapper substituting the lyric, "Let's talk about pop, pop music," with "Let's talk about hip-hop music."

"It's what you want to hear from Method Man," Lethal said. "It's going back to like 1993, 1994, 1995 Method Man — just ripping the track."

The Meth collaboration happened in New York in August at the beginning of a particularly inspired time for Lethal. "I rented D&D Recording Studio, which is total New York, grimy — nothing works and there's graffiti everywhere. It was awesome, it just had that feeling — I'm in New York, I'm with Method Man ... I stayed there for about a week, 'cause it just felt so good. It was actually a longtime dream of mine 'cause I never really got to post up in New York and just work on music."

Lethal obtained the music featuring another Wu-Tang Clan member, Ol' Dirty Bastard, from Dirty's business associates. The DJ said he was unsure exactly when it was recorded but suspected it was from a Wu-Tang session shortly before ODB's incarceration on drug charges (see "ODB Sentenced To Two To Four Years In Crack Case").

It won't exactly be the only old material on the album. While much of the record has taken shape since Limp Bizkit came off the road in June, Lethal's been carrying around musical ideas for the project for years.

"Over the years, I make hundreds and hundreds of beats, but most of the time I don't have a way to just let it out," he said. "I'm not like a beat whore, like some of these guys who are sleeping in front of hip-hop studios and trying to push their beat tapes and CDs and slaggin' out beats like they're nothing. Me, when I make my tracks, I keep 'em; I just wanna save 'em. I'm definitely playing catch-up on a lot of stuff that I never got to put out there."

• Limp Bizkit
• DJ Lethal
• Method Man
• Staind