Duran Duran

Duran Duran And Playboy Team Up To 'Rock The Rabbit,' Celebrate Band's 13th LP

15 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EST

'The new album ... is openly sexualized,' says Playboy editor, who will feature the band in an upcoming music issue.
By Kim Stolz

NEW YORK — Tuesday night, surrounded by the burlesque stars, fashion editors, models and human oddities who frequent New York hot spot the Box, Duran Duran celebrated the release of their 13th album, Red Carpet Massacre. And in this decadent setting, the new-wave veterans announced that they were getting in bed with Playboy for its second annual Rock the Rabbit issue, which contains eight or nine pages of music news and reviews.

Earlier this year, Playboy Enterprises launched Rock the Rabbit, a program that raises funds through T-shirt auctions and events (its charity partner for 2007 is HIV/AIDS-prevention nonprofit LIFEBeat; for 2008 it's Rock the Vote). The program, which combines rock, hip-hop, art and fashion, was rolled out in conjunction with the magazine's March issue. While the first Rock the Rabbit issue included artists such as the Flaming Lips, the Killers and Snow Patrol, Duran Duran have something special in common with the magazine: longevity.

"Duran Duran was perfect for us," said Playboy editor Tim Mohr. "They are legendary and manage to evolve every single year. The new album ... is openly sexualized, and I love how modern it is. The band is constantly bringing its audience forward."

The Box provided a fitting atmosphere for the release party and magazine celebration, which was attended by a diverse crowd that included Ice-T, hotelier (and Uma Thurman ex) André Balazs, and Korn's Jonathan Davis and James Shaffer. "We featured the Box in our December issue," explained Joseph DeAcetis, Playboy's fashion director. "[It] fits everything that Playboy is about — it's exuberant, sexually ambitious and it has a real feel-good vibe."

Along with the other artists on the bill, Duran Duran will create a graphic to be featured on limited-edition Playboy T-shirts, which will be auctioned off, with a portion of the proceeds going to Rock the Vote.

Frontman Simon LeBon was particularly excited about being shot by rock and roll photographer Mick Rock for the issue. "It's not often you get to work with a photographer who is more of a rock star than you are," LeBon said.

While Red Carpet Massacre has largely been viewed as average by critics, its mature electro-sentiment is helped along by producer Timbaland, and it even contains one track, "Nite Runner," with vocals by Justin Timberlake.

"The album is about music life, f--- ups, fun and screwing up in public," LeBon said. "It's about celebrity lifestyle: how nothing is wrong with it, and how nothing is right with it."

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Lindsay Lohan Starts Community Service; Plus Pete Wentz, Ashlee Simpson, Radiohead, Beyonce, Foxy Brown & More, In For The Record

13 Nov 2007 20:33:00 EST

Simpson, others join Wentz for karaoke contest; Radiohead's former label yanks box-set ad; billboard featuring B comes under fire.
By MTV News staff

Lindsay Lohan began her community service at an American Red Cross blood-services facility in a Los Angeles suburb on Monday, People reports. She reportedly arrived at noon, was greeted in the parking lot by members of staff and left at 7 p.m. Lohan must serve 10 days of community service as part of a plea deal she struck in August for her two DUI convictions. ...

Pete Wentz hosted a karaoke contest called "Viva La Karaoke" at his bar Angels & Kings on New York's Lower East Side on Monday night. Karaoke fanatics — including two MTV News producers — tried to impress the judging panel, which consisted of Wentz, designer Tommy Hilfiger and MTV News' Kim Stolz. The hodgepodge crowd included Ashlee Simpson, who was at her beau's side all night; Aussie rockers Jet; Travis McCoy from Gym Class Heroes; and Wentz's Fall Out Boy bandmate Patrick Stump, who serenaded the crowd with R. Kelly's "Space Jam" joint, "I Believe I Can Fly." When asked why he opted for the Kelly song, Stump spilled to MTV News: "That was the only one I knew we had in the karaoke machine." "He did a good job, it was pretty good," Simpson added. "It was funny to watch." ...

Surprise — Radiohead's break with EMI might not have been a clean one. According to the U.K.'s Guardian, the band's former label had been promoting Radiohead's back catalog through a misleading online ad that the label subsequently yanked. The paper reports that people Googling the band's name would encounter an ad reading "Radiohead - New Album 'Rainbow' now available as boxset," referring to the band's recent In Rainbows release, at the top of the search page. But the ad actually directed to the box set of the band's back catalog that is being issued by EMI subsidiary Parlaphone — not the In Rainbows box set the band is putting out. Both box sets are dropping in December at the same price, which led fans to question EMI's motives. "Parlophone were aware of the data source glitch and removed the link immediately," EMI publicist Chris Latham told the Guardian, to which Radiohead's spokesperson — who went unnamed — reportedly replied, "We accept that it was a genuine error and that it has been rectified." Radiohead announced Monday that In Rainbows will arrive in North America in physical form on January 1 via their own TBD Records, which is teaming with ATO Records Group for the release. ...

Beyoncé's planned show in Malaysia was canceled in September after Muslim groups protested her refusal to obey the country's strict dress code for performers. But could the singer also be too controversial for ... the U.S.? According to The Associated Press, some Las Vegas residents are fuming over a billboard of a bikini-clad Beyoncé, claiming the advertisement is too obscene. The ad is for local radio station KWNZ, and some are petitioning to have it taken down. "It's obscene," Pamela Keeney, one of the citizens who take offense to the ad, reportedly said. "I have my two little grandkids coming over here, and they don't need to be seeing that. You can change the channel on the TV, but you can't change that." KWNZ is standing by the billboard and has reportedly received the backing of city spokesman Chris Good. At this point, there are no plans to take down the billboard. ...

Hopefully Foxy Brown fans didn't get too excited when her upcoming album, Brooklyn's Don Diva, bumped up from its originally scheduled December 4 release date to November 20 a couple of months ago — the LP has now been shelved until next year. The jailed rapper's fourth effort is now due February 5. ... Maroon 5 have friends — and they've got photos to prove it. The band performed at the Palms Casino Resort over the weekend, drawing the likes of Avril Lavigne, Deryk Whibley, "Saturday Night Live" star Seth Meyers and more. Maroon 5 posted their personal snaps online. ...

Are you getting into the holiday spirit? So is John Mayer, apparently. The guitarist, whose Mayercraft Carrier Cruise Ship sets sail from Miami early next year, is putting together a December 8 concert that will feature three separate sets: an acoustic performance; songs by his John Mayer Trio; and a final segment that will revolve around Mayer's Continuum album and feature his entire band. Those planning to attend the show, which is benefiting multiple charities, are being asked to bring an unwrapped toy worth $10 or more to benefit Toys for Tots. ...

Beastie Boys, the Roots and R.E.M. are among the fleet of artists who will be docking at the Big Cypress Indian Reservation in the South Florida Everglades for the sixth annual Langerado Music Festival, set to happen March 6-9. Matisyahu, 311, Of Montreal, the National, Shout Out Louds, the Walkmen and others will also play at the throwdown, which will feature 80 acts on five stages. ... Common is hopping aboard the endorsement train — the Chicago MC has allied himself with Lincoln to help market the car company's 2008 Navigator and other brand initiatives. He will appear in TV, radio and print ads for the vehicle, with the first, simply dubbed "Common," debuting nationwide November 25 during NFL Sunday Night Football on NBC. Expect to see more tie-ins between Lincoln and Common's various projects — his concerts, hat lines, books, etc. He will also be appearing on behalf of the company at auto shows and dealer events. But rest assured, Common fans, he's taking on a good cause too: He will get together with fellow Chicago artists Office for a benefit concert to be held January 12 at the Windy City's House of Blues. The event, called the "Chicago Youth Owning Their Future Benefit Concert and Silent Auction," will raise money and awareness for the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship. Office are also slated to perform on Chicago Public Radio on January 9 as part of a new series that will spotlight local talent and be hosted by music critics Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot. ...

In between aimless drives around Los Angeles and trips to court for child-custody hearings, Britney Spears has found time to partner with the photo agency X17 to raise money for UNICEF by auctioning a signed copy of her new album, Blackout, on eBay. In a press release from the agency, Spears said, "I think it's important to give back, and with the release of Blackout, this seemed like the perfect opportunity to give the fans a chance to bid on something to help children everywhere." In other Brit news, Billy Ray Cyrus is the latest celeb to reach out to the troubled singer, according to In Touch. "Honey, you are welcome to a Nashville Thanksgiving at our house," he told the magazine. "We would love to be there for you and we care about you. ... Miley is a big fan and she wants to reach out too. We want her to know that's it's never too late to make things right." And in yet another Britney development, the album artwork for her recently released album, Blackout, might be even more controversial than was originally thought. According to TMZ, the hunky priest in whose lap Spears sits is an "International Male" model. The Catholic League had slammed Spears for the imagery late last month. ... Robin Thicke has canceled all the dates on an upcoming U.S. tour on doctor's orders. According to a note posted on the soul singer's Web site over the weekend, Thicke will have to reschedule the dates "due to doctor-ordered vocal rest until the end of the year." He had been scheduled to start the 14-date tour Sunday in Englewood, Colorado, and play clubs and theaters through a December 13 date in Long Beach, California. ...

A crowd of 1,000 Haitians carried Wyclef Jean on their shoulders through the streets of a slum and to a small-business project he helped establish on Monday, as the former Fugee visited the country for the first time since President Rene Preval named him a roving ambassador in January, AP reports. Jean met with legislators, went with model Petra Nemcova to a school and then spoke with businessmen and foreign ambassadors to plea for aid for the country. "We need all your money, we need all y'all's support, but let's put it to programs ... that teach kids how to move the country forward," he reportedly told the crowd. ... Is Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke too good for Paul McCartney? The former Beatle told the U.K.'s Channel 4 that Yorke denied his request to record a duet. "I asked Thom to do a duet, but he said he couldn't because he only felt happy working on his own and Radiohead's material," McCartney reportedly said. ...

Linkin Park, Angels & Airwaves, Avenged Sevenfold and Bad Religion are among the acts that will take the stage for the first night of Los Angeles rock radio station KROQ's annual Almost Acoustic Christmas shows at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, California. Paramore, Rise Against and Serj Tankian will also perform at the concerts, which are scheduled for December 8-9. ... Maroon 5 and Santana have joined the Dave Matthews Band, O.A.R. and other acts to help nonpartisan

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Lindsay Lohan To Spend Five Days With Father; Plus Britney Spears, Heidi Montag, Lil Wayne, Fabolous, Kanye West & More, In For The Record

01 Oct 2007 20:56:00 EDT

Spears fans want 'More' on iTunes; Montag admits to plastic surgery; Weezy and Fab's show to help spread drinking and driving awareness.
By MTV News staff

Lindsay Lohan's father, Michael, will spend five days with the troubled starlet at a remote lodge in the Utah mountains as part of her recovery, People reports. The two saw each other for the first time in three and a half years when Michael visited Lindsay at the Cirque Lodge rehab center in early September. "It can only help her recovery," Lindsay's mother, Dina, told People in an e-mail of the visit, which is set to begin Tuesday morning. "It's time to mend. He is visiting Lindsay alone because we are giving her dad a chance to make amends." ...

Britney Spears may not have wowed audiences at the VMAs with her dancing, but fans are still apparently digging her music. Spears' current single, "Gimme More," sits atop the digital-sales charts on iTunes and is at #8 on the iPhone ringtone charts, just before former love Justin Timberlake's "SexyBack." ...

Heidi Montag has admitted to Us Weekly that she did indeed undergo breast augmentation and rhinoplasty earlier this year, as had been previously speculated. The "Hills" star told the magazine, "I've always been very insecure about my body. ... If I was with a guy and there was a girl next to me with big boobs, I would be like, 'Oh my God, he's looking at her!' ... I hated my nose too. I have my dad's nose, which is huge." Startlingly, Montag suggested the medical procedures might have mattered even more than life itself. "Right before I went in, I was like, 'What if I don't wake up? Oh, this is scary.' Then I thought, 'I don't care. If I don't wake up, it's worth it.' I just wanted it so badly." ...

Last week was all about partying for September birthday boys T.I., Young Jeezy and Lil Wayne. The three celebrated their birthdays several days ago at T.I.'s Club Crucial in Atlanta with a joint salute to themselves. On Friday, Wayne hosted his official 25th b-day party in Miami with a Harlem Renaissance-themed yacht party called the "Black and White Baller Bash." Diddy, T.I., Juelz Santana and Rick Ross were some of the 300 people cruising with Weezy F. Baby. And on Sunday, Young Jeezy went so fly with his birthday party that he held it in an Atlanta airplane hangar. T.I., Chingy, Jermaine Dupri, Ne-Yo and Yung Joc came out to that bash. ... Speaking of one of those partygoers, Juelz Santana is reaching out to the kids by joining the Stay in School Concert set to go down October 17 at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom. Jim Jones, DJ Cipha Sounds and Lil Mama are also participating in the event, which is being put on by the Entertainers 4 Education Alliance — a nonprofit helping provide at-risk youth with positive alternatives to negative behavior through education. ...

Lil Wayne and Fabolous' Monday (October 1) concert at the University of Florida, Gainesville, will help spread drinking and driving awareness, the campus' Independent Florida Alligator reports. A portion of the proceeds from the show will go to the Corey Dahlem Benevolent Fund, which was set up after the police officer was killed by a drunk driver following the school's basketball-championship game in the spring. ... Hold your breath: Kanye West has started a blog. He recently launched a blog on Kanye UniverseCity and has put up a clip of his recent performance on "Saturday Night Live," party pics, videos by Lupe Fiasco and Feist and more. ...

Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony are doubling their fun with a joint tour, which launched Friday with a two-night stand in Atlantic City, New Jersey, but while the two are hoping their relationship helps their careers, Lopez's former flame Ben Affleck says their romance hurt his acting reputation. "It was probably bad for my career," he told Details of their relationship, which lasted from 2002-'04. "What happens is this sort of bleed-over from the tabloids across your movie work. I ended up in an unfortunate crosshair position where I was in a relationship and [the media] mostly lied and inflated a bunch of salacious stuff for the sake of selling magazines. And I paid a certain price for that." ...

Paula Abdul is getting ready for the seventh season of "American Idol," which starts in January — but she might be expecting something even bigger in the near future. She told USA Today that having children is "the next step in my life," adding that she would like to give birth "definitely within the next two years. I thought by now I'd have three grown children." Adbul, who has been roaming the country as part of the "Idol" auditions, also said: "With modern medicine, people are having kids in their 40s and even up until their late 40s. In their 50s, they're having their second child. If it doesn't happen naturally like that, I would always consider adopting." ... Pamela Anderson's application for a marriage license with former Paris Hilton beau Rick Salomon has been granted by Clark County, Nevada's Marriage License Bureau, according to The Associated Press. The license means the couple can get married any time during the next year. Anderson had previously been married to Kid Rock and Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee. ...

Looks like the Spice Girls haven't lost their "girl power" — the reunited group's London concert, set for December 15 at the O2 arena, sold out in a mere 38 seconds, BBC News reports. Three more dates — for December 16 and 18 and January 2 — have been added to the reunion run and will be sold exclusively to fans via e-mail. ... Ghostface, Rakim and Brother Ali will hit the tarmac together as part of the inaugural Hip Hop Live! tour, which will span an October 29 gig in Los Angeles through a November 21 show in Philadelphia. The innovative show will find the rhyme-slingers backed by a 10-piece instrumental band, the Rhythm Roots Allstars. ... Nikki Sixx, Butch Walker, Felix Da Housecat, Howie B and Kelis have joined the international judging panel for the 2007 Diesel:U:Music Awards, which will take place Wednesday at London's Koko Club. They will vote based on music the participating artists uploaded at Diesel-U-Music.com. ...

Ex-Pantera frontman Phil Anselmo has opened up to Revolver about "Mourn," a "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott tribute track that appears on his band Down's latest album, III - Over the Under. "That's a very hard, hard song for me to really ... honestly, the song speaks for itself," he said. "It's about feeling isolated from my family in Texas, feelings about the obvious ... deep, deep, deep feelings every day. You know, I've been very quiet ever since [Dimebag's death], but it's all good. I decided a while ago that, yes, absolutely there is a proper time to mourn, and that he deserves a celebration of his life, and that's the path that I've chosen. Every action I do, I think of him. Every push-up I do, I think of him. Every time I hit a line, or I'm working in the studio, I can hear him saying, 'You can do better.' So that's what gets me through the hard times, the trying times, is his positivity." ...

Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello's alter ego, the Nightwatchman, has been named the support act for System of a Down frontman Serj Tankian's upcoming North American solo tour. Morello will play his own headlining date October 11 in Nashville and then join Tankian in Chicago (October 12), Toronto (October 14), Boston (October 15), New York (October 17), Philadelphia (October 18) and Atlanta (October 20). ... Deftones frontman Chino Moreno's Team Sleep side project will take to the road in November for a string of gigs. Joining them on the trek will be former From First to Last frontman Sonny Moore, Monster in the Machine and Strata. The tour kicks off November 29 in Orangevale, California, and continues through December 16 in San Francisco. ... The Mars Volta's next album won't drop until next year. Bedlam in Goliath, which had been planned for a fall release, has bumped to January 29 for unknown reasons. ...

Sylvester Stallone and the crew of his "Rambo" sequel, "John Rambo," witnessed firsthand the aftermath of horrific atrocities happening in Myanmar while filming the movie along the country's border, according to AP. "I witnessed the aftermath — survivors with legs cut off and all kinds of land-mine injuries, maggot-infested wounds and ears cut off," Stallone, who returned to the U.S. eight days ago, told the wire service Monday (October 1). "We hear about Vietnam and Cambodia, and this was more horrific." The actor left neighboring country Thailand before the Myanmar government began cracking down on pro-democracy protests last week. ... Nelson Mandela is planning a fifth AIDS awareness concert, for December 1 in Johannesburg, South Africa, AP reports. "I am very delighted that we are engaging the youth in schools, communities and through the media breaking the silence and stigmas around HIV and AIDS and making them realize that the power to beat the pandemic lies in their own hands," Mandela said in a statement. More than 30 to-be-announced international and local acts — and 50,000 concert attendees — are expected for the event, which is being held in conjunction with World AIDS Day. ...

Duran Duran are headed to Broadway. The English new-wave veterans will play a nine

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Justin Loves Sound Of Duran Duran: Collaboration In The Works

21 Sep 2006 06:00:00 EDT

Timbaland producing track; singer also has plans to launch North American solo tour in January.
By Corey Moss

Here's some more future sex music we love the sound of: Justin Timberlake and FutureSex/LoveSounds producer Timbaland have been in the studio with dance-pop pioneers Duran Duran.

The collaboration is still in the early stages, but a spokesperson for Duran Duran said it will appear on the group's upcoming album. "They are currently trying to schedule more time to get together again and finish the project," the spokesperson said. A rep for Timberlake confirmed the collaboration but did not provide further details.

Duran Duran and an "extremely complimentary" Timberlake first met backstage at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards after the band was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award, according to the group's spokesperson.

A year later, at the Brit Awards, Timberlake presented Duran Duran with the Outstanding Contribution to Music Award and later talked about collaborating with them. Duran Duran later decided against it in favor of recording Astronaut, which marked the first album in more than 20 years to feature the original five members (see "Duran Duran Skip Collaborations With Gwen, Justin To Focus On 'The Original Five' ").

Duran Duran, who formed in 1980 and debuted their first single, "Planet Earth," the following year, reconvened their original lineup in 2001. They toured in 2003 (see "Duran Duran Announce North American Tour Dates") and released a new album in 2004 that was three years in the making. Dallas Austin, Don Gilmore and Jason Nevins were among the producers who worked on Astronaut.

In other Justin news, the singer told reporters last week he plans to launch a tour in 2007.

"We're going to begin in January in North America," Timberlake said. "I don't want to say too much about it, but with the creative ideas that I've come up with, it's going to be an amazing show."

Timberlake, who has yet to decide on the opening acts, admits that capturing the energy of his recent shows will be a challenge in the larger venues.

"The trick for me is to find a way to bring the vibe that we've created — myself and my band, with the club show — to an arena," he said. "That's definitely what I'm going after. Whether we can pull it off or not definitely remains to be seen."

For more on Justin Timberlake check out the feature "Justin's Future Shock."

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Duran Duran Launching Astronaut Arena Tour

08 Dec 2004 09:52:00 EST

1980s heartthrobs kicking off North American trek on February 8.
By Alyssa Rashbaum

Duran Duran, the 1980s heartthrobs whose exotic videos were staples on MTV in the channel's early days, are mounting a North American arena tour, beginning February 8 in Puerto Rico.

The Fab Five's Astronaut world tour will touch down for 40 shows, ending in New York on April 13.

Duran Duran recently released Astronaut, their first studio album recorded with the band's original lineup since 1983's Seven and the Ragged Tiger. Their last U.S. tour, in the fall of 2003, was their 25th anniversary 78-03 Tour, which marked the first time Simon LeBon, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor, Andy Taylor and Roger Taylor had played together since the mammoth charity concert Live Aid in 1985.

Duran Duran tour dates, according to the band's official Web site:

2/8 - San Juan, PR @ Coliseo De Puerto Rico
2/11- Sunrise, FL @ Office Depot Center
2/12 - Tampa, FL @ St. Pete Times Forum
2/13 - Jacksonville, FL @ Jacksonville VM Arena
2/16 - Hidalgo, TX @ Dodge Arena
2/17 - Austin, TX @ Performing Arts Center
2/19 - Grand Prairie, TX @ Nokia Live
2/20 - Houston, TX @ Toyota Center
2/22 - Mexico City, MEX @ National Auditorium
2/23 - Monterey, MEX @ Arena Monterey
2/25 - San Diego, CA @ San Diego Sports Arena
2/26 - Los Angeles, CA @ Staples Center
3/2 - San Jose, CA @ HP Pavilion
3/4 - Vancouver, BC @ GM Place
3/5 - Spokane, WA @ Spokane Opera House
3/7 - Calgary, AB @ Pengrowth Saddledome
3/8 - Kelowna, BC @ Prospera Place
3/9 - Everett, WA @ Everett Events Center
3/10 - Portland, OR @ Rose Garden Arena
3/12 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Delta Center
3/13 - Las Vegas, NV @ Hard Rock Hotel - The Joint
3/16 - Denver, CO @ Magness Arena
3/18 - Rosemont, IL @ Allstate Arena
3/20 - Louisville, KY @ The Palace Theater
3/22 - St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center
3/23 - Moline, IL @ Mark of the Quad Cities
3/24 - Auburn Hills, MI @ Palace of Auburn Hills
3/26 - Cincinnati, OH @ Cincinnati Music Hall
3/28 - Columbus, OH @ Veterans Memorial Auditorium
3/29 - Cleveland, OH @ CSU Convocational Center
3/30 - Verona, NY @ Turning Stone Event Center
4/1 - Boston, MA @ Agganis Arena
4/2 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Spectrum
4/3 - Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Casino
4/5 - Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
4/6 - Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
4/8 - Fairfax, VA @ Patriot Center
4/9 - Wilkes-Barre, PA @ Wachovia Arena
4/10 - Atlantic City, NJ @ Borgata Casino
4/13 - New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden

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Duran Duran Skip Collaborations With Gwen, Justin To Focus On 'The Original Five'

18 Oct 2004 20:53:00 EDT

Astronaut finds group maintaining classic sound while modernizing.
By Jennifer Vineyard

Nearly three and a half years since they announced that the original members were reuniting for another go-round, Duran Duran are back with a new album — and it couldn't be soon enough for bass player John Taylor. "It's like we're James Bond," he said. "You've had the Roger Moore version, but Sean Connery is back."

Without the feathered hair, that is. Though the original members of the double-D haven't recorded anything together since 1983, they've managed to stay current. While Astronaut isn't likely to win them any new fans, it's not just a flashback to the '80s, either. Thanks to knob-twiddlers Dallas Austin (TLC, Madonna), Don Gilmore (Linkin Park, Avril Lavigne) and Nile Rodgers (David Bowie, Diana Ross, Duran Duran's "Wild Boys"), the album's swinging pop-rock sound manages to evoke the band's halcyon days and also modernize it a bit, with two songs ("Point of No Return" and the touching "Still Breathing") that owe their moodiness to 9-11. Call it a new maturity, or at least an ability to put the baggage behind them.

"We worked through everything," Taylor said. "And that wasn't all sunshine. It was hard work. Before Simon [LeBon, Duran vocalist] called me to suggest we get back together, I was actually thinking of calling him, but I didn't know how he'd take it. I took it as a sign that he called me first, that we were on the same page. And God knows, we needed a sign."

Originally, Taylor thought they'd get back together for just one event — perhaps it would be broadcast on TV, perhaps it would result in an album. But then he and LeBon did a small show together at New York's Joe's Pub, and were surprised at their reception, and that cinched it. "We tore the roof off," he said. "And I realized I had missed that. I had missed the energy we had together."

So they announced their return, started recording Astronaut in the south of France, started touring, and started shopping for a record deal — in that order (see "Duran Duran Prove They're Not Ready For Vegas Circuit At Tour Opener"). Duran Duran had a prior deal in place with Disney-owned Hollywood Records but decided they would be better off with a fresh start. As Taylor jokes, "It's funny that a record label whose logo is a big pair of ears couldn't hear us." So after Duran Duran proved they could still consistently draw a respectable crowd, they struck a deal with Epic. In all, the boys wrote 30-some songs, whittling down the final contenders to an even dozen. The album is a sort of day-in-the-life, starting with "Sunrise" and running through a gamut of emotions that could be felt in that day.

"You wake up, you have sex — or not," Taylor said. "You get the paper, and you read that, and you think about Iraq, and think, 'Oh my God.' But then you turn on the morning show, and laugh, and it's more ephemeral.

"If I watch a film and it does its job, I'm going to laugh, I'm going to cry, I'm going to feel several different emotions," he continued. "And we should be able to do that with music too."

Duran Duran ultimately decided not to do any collaborations on the album, as they had been considering, with folks like Justin Timberlake and Gwen Stefani. "It would be a distraction," Taylor said. "We've never done that. And I love Gwen as a friend, but that would be a different journey, and it would be all anyone focused on, instead of us, the original five: our look, our sound, our style."

The stakes are higher this time around, Taylor said — instead of already being on top of the world, Duran Duran are trying to find their way back into it. This time, they're not quite the jet-setting playboys from "Rio," as much as they try to recapture that in their video for "Sunrise." And though the years have been kind to them, they were never critics' darlings. "People really underestimate the band," Taylor said. "They just have this image of us, so that the questions I get now are more like, 'So, do you still wear lipstick?' But that's OK. That just makes us want to do what we do best, and get their rocks off."

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New Releases: Sum 41, Mos Def, No Doubt, Pinback, Frank Black, Moving Units, Duran Duran & More

11 Oct 2004 20:27:00 EDT

Canadian punks name new album after peacekeeper who saved their lives.
By Alyssa Rashbaum

This week Sum 41 attempt to immortalize a man who saved their lives. The pop-punk foursome's new album, Chuck, is named for U.N. peacekeeper Chuck Pelletier, who escorted the band out of danger in the Congo.

A merging of the pop sounds of their debut and the harder tones of 2002's Does This Look Infected?, Chuck shows some maturation with the track "We're All to Blame," which was inspired by the band's experience in the Congo.

Mos Def has been making politically and socially charged tracks for years, but it's been five years since he released his last album, Black on Both Sides. New Danger is the rapper's third studio album since he released his debut in 1998.

Duran Duran's last release, 2000's Pop Trash, was hailed by some critics as just that, so four years later, the group hired super-producer Dallas Austin, who said he helped the band get back their beloved '80s sound for Astronaut.

No Doubt are all about giving fans what they want — and some of the stuff they didn't even know they wanted, like B-sides, rarities and remixes. That's what they'll find on Everything in Time, previously only available as part of the band's out-of-print box set, Boom Box.

Also out this week are albums by "Band on the Run" winners Flickerstick (Tarantula); Camper Van Beethoven, who release their first album of original material since 1998; Montreal's the Dears (No Cities Left); L.A. dance-rockers Moving Units (Dangerous Dreams); San Diego quirk-pop experimentalists Pinback (Summer in Abbadon); and indie-pop/ bossa nova outfit A.M. Sixty (Big as the Sky).

Sliding down the record store chimneys as well is the first wave of Christmas albums. Artists who are getting into the holiday spirit early include Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (Everything You Want for Christmas), Chris Isaak (Chris Isaak Christmas) and LeAnn Rimes (What a Wonderful World).

Out Tuesday, October 12:

A.M. Sixty - Big as the Sky (V2)
American Music Club - Love Songs for Patriots (Merge)
Joseph Arthur - Our Shadows Will Remain (Vector)
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy - Everything You Want for Christmas (Vanguard)
Frank Black - Frank Black Francis (spinART)
Read: "New Pixies LP Unlikely, But Another New Track's On The Way"
Blood Brothers - Crimes (V2)
Richard Buckner - Dents and Shells (Merge)
Busted - Busted (Universal)
Camper Van Beethoven - New Roman Times (Vanguard)
Barbara Cue - Rhythm Oil (Sanctuary)
Dears - No Cities Left (spinART)
Denver Harbor - Scenic (Universal)
Celine Dion - Miracle (Epic)
Duran Duran - Astronaut (Epic)
Entrance - Wandering Stranger (Fat Possum)
Flickerstick - Tarantula (Idol)
From Satellite - When All Is Said and Done (Universal)
Gold Chains and Sue Cie - When the World Was Our Friend (Kill Rock Stars)
Holly Golightly - Slowly But Surely (Damaged Goods)
Amy Grant - Greatest Hits 1986-2004 (A&M Records)
Hidden Cameras - Mississauga, Goddam (Sanctuary/Rough Trade)
Mike Holober and the Gotham Jazz Orchestra - Thought Trains (Sons of Sound)
The Ike Reilly Assassination - Sparkle in the Finish (Rock Ridge)
Chris Isaak - Chris Isaak Christmas (Reprise)
Jimmy D. Lane with Double Trouble - It's Time (APO)
Adam Marsland - You Don't Know Me (Karma Frog)
Mos Def - The New Danger (Geffen)
The Mothers Anger - Mothers Anger (Dionysus)
Moving Units - Dangerous Dreams (RX/Palm)
Ali Shaheed Muhammad - Shaheedullah and Stereotypes (Penalty/Ryko)
No Doubt - Everything in Time (Interscope)
Buy Now: Everything in Time (Interscope)
Pain of Salvation - Be (Inside Out U.S.)
Pig Destroyer - Terrifyer (Relapse)
Pinback - Summer in Abbadon (Touch and Go)
Point of Grace - I Choose You (Touch and Go)
Recover - This May Be the Year I Disappear (Universal)
LeAnn Rimes - What a Wonderful World (Curb)
Joe Sample - Soul Shadows (Verve)
Dr. Lonnie Smith - Too Damn Hot (Palmetto)
Jim Snidero - Close Up (Milestone)
Straylight Run - Straylight Run (Victory)
Sum 41 - Chuck (Island)
Read: "Sum 41 Name Album After The Man Who Saved Their Lives"
Buy Now: Chuck (Island)
The Sun - Did Your Mother Tell You (Warner Bros.)
Chris Thile - Deceiver (Sugar Hill)
Trans-Siberian Orchestra - The Lost Christmas Eve (Lava)
Vanessa Williams - Silver & Gold (Lava/Atlantic)
Trent Willmon - Trent Willmon (Columbia)
George Winston - Montana: A Love Story (Windham Hill/RCA Victor)
Wrangler Brutes - Zulu (Kill Rock Stars)
Yohimbe Brothers - The Tao of Yo (Thirsty Ear)
Various artists - Disney's Karaoke Series: Mary Poppins (Walt Disney)
Various artists - Disney's Read-Along: Mary Poppins (Walt Disney)
Various artists - Pure Techno 2 (Water Music)
Various artists - Rugrats Holiday Classics! (BMG/SMG)
Various artists - "Shall We Dance?" soundtrack (Casablanca)
DVD: Phish - "It" (WEA Corp.)
DVD: Various artists - "Apollo at 70: A Hot Night in Harlem" (Rhino)

October 19:

Michael Jackson - The Ultimate Collection (Sony)
Read: "Michael Jackson's Ultimate Box Set Has Demos, Hits, Live DVD"
Jimmy Eat World - Futures (Interscope)
Read: "Jimmy Eat World Say If You Don't Like Futures Right Away, Don't Bother"
Le Tigre - This Island (Universal)
Elliott Smith - From a Basement on the Hill (Anti)
Read: "Elliott Smith's Final Album Due In October"

October 26:

Nick Cave - Abattoir Blues/ Lyre of Orpheus (Anti)
Leonard Cohen - Dear Heather (Sony)
Donnas - Gold Medal (Atlantic)
Read: "The Donnas Take Charge With Gold Medal"
Simple Plan - Still Not Getting Any (Lava)
Read: "Simple Plan Less Simple On Second Album"

November 2:

AFI - AFI (Nitro)
A Perfect Circle - Emotive (Virgin)
Duran Duran - The Singles 1986-1995 (Capitol)
Various Artists - Now That's What I Call Music! 17 (Capitol)

November 9:

Britney Spears - Greatest Hits: My Prerogative (Jive)
Read: "Britney Covers Bobby Brown's 'My Prerogative' For Forthcoming LP"
Ruben Studdard - I Need an Angel (J Records)
Read: "Ruben Studdard Decides Christmas Just Isn't Spiritual Enough"
Vanessa Carlton - Harmonium (A&M Records)
Shania Twain - Greatest Hits (Mercury Nashville

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For The Record: Quick News On Good Charlotte, R. Kelly, Cam'ron, No Doubt, Duran Duran, Jermaine Dupri & More

28 Sep 2004 17:47:00 EDT

By MTV News staff report

Good Charlotte just got a lot smaller. Miniature versions of the five bandmembers are available individually at select Hot Topic and Spencer Gifts retailers, while a limited-edition, autographed box set of all five guys will be available next month exclusively online at www.killertoys.com. Guitarist Billy Martin worked with the manufacturer to create the 8" figures in the band's likeness. ...

R. Kelly won a round in court on Monday, when a Chicago judge ruled that prosecutors have to narrow the time frame in which they accuse him of making child pornography. The indictment gave a window of more than four years — from November 1, 1997 to February 1, 2002 — for which the act could have occurred, but Kelly's lawyers successfully argued that the time frame was so broad it prevented him from giving an alibi. Motions filed by his lawyers also suggest that the tape was made when the girl would have been of age. Kelly is due back in court on November 4. ... Cam'ron's long-delayed album Purple Haze will hit shelves on December 7, according to his spokesperson. The album features appearances by Juelz Santana, Jim Jones and Freekey Zeekey of the Diplomats, Kanye West, Jaheim, Lil' Flip and Twista. Cam'ron also plans to release a "Purple Haze" short film in conjunction with the album. ...

Though you could previously only buy No Doubt's "Live in the Tragic Kingdom" DVD or "Everything in Time," a collection of B-sides, rarities and remixes, as part of their out-of-print box set, Boom Box, they'll be available separately starting October 12. The revamped version of "Live in the Tragic Kingdom," with added bonus footage, is due out next year. Meanwhile, the band's Adrian Young is moonlighting with the Start, filling in for three dates on their upcoming tour since they're in between drummers. Young will play with the band in Anaheim, California, on October 17; Austin, Texas, on October 23; and Dallas on October 24. ... After months of sporadically leaking track names, U2 have announced the full track list for their forthcoming album, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, slated for a November 23 release. In addition to previously revealed song titles like first single "Vertigo" (which is also the lead track on the album) and "Yahweh," other titles include "Miracle Drug" and "Love and Peace or Else." ...

The son of singer Chaka Khan was arrested Friday night in Los Angeles on charges of investigation of murder, after a struggle with a gun resulted in the shooting death of an 18-year-old man. Damien Patrick Holland, 25, was fighting with the victim, whose name was not released at press time, when the gun went off. Holland was being held on $1 million bail on Tuesday (September 28). ... Jermaine Dupri has decided to diversify. The So So Def Records mogul is planning on opening the Def Cafe, a 24-hour eatery in the Buckhead section of his hometown of Atlanta, according to his spokesperson. Dupri describes the cafe as "a very upscale hip-hop healthy cafe [where you can order] wine and a turkey burger or a seafood salad." Dupri also has plans to produce a hip-hop version of the show "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" through his So So Def TV, and to launch a line of toys in the likeness of himself, Da Brat, Bone Crusher and the So So Def logo. There's currently no word on when any of these projects will be completed. ...

Duran Duran will have some spiffy duds on their upcoming world tour if Giorgio Armani has anything to say about it. The Italian designer is collaborating with the bandmembers on their wardrobe, after connecting with them following their "Fashion Rocks!" charity concert at London's Royal Albert Hall last year. "They've always been known for their great fashion statements ... so when [keyboardist] Nick Rhodes got in touch ... I was enthusiastic about being involved," Armani said in a statement. Armani has come up with four looks for the band, incorporating lamé, fine-striped and white silk evening jackets, black dress shirts with ruffles, Pop Art-style geometric prints, Crepe de Chine, denim, sheer black silk shirts, and lots of sequins. ... Following in the illustrious footsteps of Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey, the Barenaked Ladies may get their own variety show. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the band will shoot a pilot for FOX for a show tentatively titled "The Barenaked Ladies Variety Show," which will feature the bandmembers playing caricatures of themselves. ...

Flea, Vince Neil, James Hetfield, No Doubt's Tom Dumont, New Found Glory, Bon Jovi's Richie Sambora and others have donated their jackets and guitar straps to make one-of-a-kind watches to benefit MAP (Musicians Assistance Program). The watches are available in Fred Segal and Barneys locations. ... Courtney Love continues to slowly add dates to her late October outing, giving rise to fans' hopes that she's rescheduling her canceled summer tour. A new Santa Cruz date on October 28 fleshes out the singer's itinerary to four dates thus far, all along the California coast. San Diego, San Francisco and Ventura shows were added last week. After playing with Love this weekend for one of his Camp Freddy shows, Dave Navarro posted on his Web site that she's doing a lot better and that she's been "a pleasure to be around and an incredible presence onstage. Undeniable." ...

If you're sick of having to sift through all those Britney and Ashlee MP3s while trying to find your favorite Vandals tune, the newly launched DownloadPunk.com is here to help. The site offers users a catalog of songs from every branch of the punk genre, including hardcore, emo, metalcore, pop punk, post punk, ska, street punk, indie rock and assorted metal sub-genres. Individual songs are available for download from 79-99 cents while full albums can be purchased from $7.99-$9.99. All downloads are available in both MP3 and WMA formats. ... Oklahoma oddballs the Flaming Lips are well on their way to completing their 12th studio album. With the working title At War With the Mystics, the album is tentatively being scheduled for a summer release and contains such song titles as "Mr. Ambulance Driver" and "Space Bible." Meanwhile, due to the Lips' accelerated recording pace, the group's long-awaited film, "Christmas on Mars," has been pushed back to a December 2005 release. ...

Martin Luther was in Los Angeles over the weekend to shoot a clip for "Daily Bread," from his recently released Rebel Soul Music. The video was directed by newcomer Marshall Tyler. The video's story line is based on the strife between Luther and his girlfriend (played by Nona Gaye) as they move into their first home together and their privacy is invaded by his band's need to rehearse there. The clip also includes cameos from actor/musician Saul Williams, actor Wood Harris, Cody Chesnutt, and ?uestlove and Black Thought of the Roots. They all play members of Luther's band in the video. ... The band best known for joke-rock anthems like "Punk Rock Girl" and "Bitchin' Camaro" are getting back together for a memorial to their late bassist, Dave Blood, who committed suicide in March. The three original members of the Dead Milkmen — Dean Clean, Rodney Anonymous and Joe Jack Talcum — will take the stage November 21 at Philadelphia's Trocadero. Proceeds from the show will benefit an as-yet-unnamed charity. ...

Elvis Costello is apparently not happy about the FBI's piracy warning that appears on his new album, as well as on many other LPs released since the recording industry instituted the voluntary policy earlier this year. Near the FBI's seal on copies of Delivery Man, which dropped last week, is Costello's own comment: "This artist does not endorse the following warning. The FBI doesn't have his home phone number, and he hopes that they don't have yours." ...

09.27.04

There goes the neighborhood. FOX confirmed that it has officially pulled the plug on "Method & Red," the sitcom that starred Method Man and Redman as two fish-out-of-water rappers trying to make it in upper-class suburbia. The network had placed the show on hiatus, but it was long rumored that it would not be back for the 2005 season. ...

Ashanti has finally decided on a new single and album title. The Inc.'s first lady went into the lab with one of her former producers, 7 Aurelius, not too long ago and knocked out some more records, and has since chosen the 7-produced "Only U" as the first offering from her album. The LP, now titled Concrete Rose, is slated for a December 7 release. ... Lil' Flip is being sued by video-game makers Namco America for using sounds from "Pac-Man" and "Ms. Pac-Man" on his hit "Game Over" without permission. The lawsuit alleges the references to drugs and guns in the song is damaging. ...

Marilyn Manson drummer Ginger Fish fell from his elevated drum riser during a performance in Cologne, Germany, on Friday, and suffered a severe concussion and fractured his wrist and cheekbone. His parents will arrive in Cologne on Tuesday to discuss his options for surgery. Fish, who was still hospitalized Monday at press time, is expected to recover in time for the band's fall tour. ... After a decade without a member missing a single show, Slipknot's perfect-attendance record has been broken. Craig Jones (#5) had to withdraw from the band's European tour and return to Des Moines, Iowa, for emergency dental surgery. DJ Sid Wilson will fill in for Slipknot's remaining European dates

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Passing Through Dallas Austin's Lab: Gwen Stefani, Duran Duran, Nas

23 Sep 2004 20:34:00 EDT

Songwriter/producer says Stefani and Duran Duran albums have strong '80s vibe.
By Shaheem Reid

Dallas Austin had low ambitions for his most recent projects. All he wanted to do was turn Gwen Stefani into an '80s mixtape queen, bring Duran Duran back by taking them back, and help Nas become as outspoken as Bono. Easy, right?

So far, so good, according to the producer/songwriter.

"I just finished the Duran Duran record, which is going to be insane. And I just finished the Gwen Stefani solo record — it's off the chain, man," Austin said a few weeks ago in Miami.

The man who helmed some of TLC and Pink's biggest hits said Stefani's LP lives up to the hype, and then some. "Everybody is anticipating it, and it's everything they think it's going to be," he said. "It's myself, Andre 3000, Nellee Hooper and Linda Perry [producing]. It's almost like an '80s mixtape. We go back to some electro-pop, to some breakdance/b-boy stuff, then it goes into stuff like the Cure, then kind of alternative, like the Pretenders."

Dallas says working with Gwen was like spending time with someone during his wonder years.

"She's like a little eighth grader, in a way. She's a sweetheart," he smiled. "She's so used to writing with the band and being in No Doubt — in that mode. This is a new experience for her. We had a chance to collaborate on some really good stuff. She's incredible.

"I always wanted to work with Gwen," he said, when asked how the collaboration came about. "I knew when [I heard] she was going to work on a solo record, that would be the best opportunity for me. So I kinda put in early [to be a part of it]. Plus, I had Fishbone [albums] — once she found out I was an '80s nut, she was like, 'This is it.' We took it from there" (see "Gwen Stefani Warns, 'Watch Out' For Solo LP, Summer Single").

Austin says he's been stuck in a back-in-the-day time warp, between working with Gwen then getting in the studio with Duran Duran.

"I brought that '80s element back to Duran Duran," Austin continued. "I brought that classic sound back to them. Between their harmonies and voices and those sounds, it made everybody have that Duran Duran element. I been in the '80s mix for a minute."

Austin didn't have a time period for the Nas sound he wanted to create, but he did have an idea of where he wants the voice of God's Son to be.

"Nas is the king," Austin said of the MC. "He's made every street record possible. I told him, 'I think it's time for you step up and deliver some information'. He should be the Bono for hip-hop. He's a really good brother and I think people need to hear the messages he has to deliver."

Nas' double LP, Street's Disciple, now has a release date of November 30. Duran Duran, who recorded in London with Austin, are putting their album, Astronaut, out on October 12. Stefani's Love Angel Music Baby is slated to be released later this fall.

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For The Record: Quick News On Paris Hilton And The Black Eyed Peas, Britney Spears, Fat Joe, Duran Duran & More

31 Aug 2004 17:49:00 EDT

By MTV News staff report

Though Haylie Duff has the rights to the song, Paris Hilton is plunging forward with her plans to release "Screwed" as well. She told MTV News that she's cutting a more rock version of the track and is shooting a video for it with director David LaChapelle, for whom she threw a pre-VMA party in Miami's South Beach. Hilton also said she's been working with the Black Eyed Peas on some tracks for her forthcoming album. ...

Britney Spears and her mother, Lynne, have contributed a family recipe for seafood pasta to celebrity cookbook "Star Palate," which benefits the Marsha Rivkin Center for Ovarian Cancer Research and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. "Both Britney and I are committed to doing whatever we can to help further research for this devastating disease, and were honored to support this project in a significant way," the singer's mother said in a statement. The book, which will hit shelves in October, will also include how-to's from Tori Amos, Anastacia, Billy Joel and Alice Cooper, as well as from noted chefs. ... Rancid bassist Matt Freeman is joining Social Distortion as a touring member, replacing longtime member John Maurer, who's left the band. Social Distortion's tour - with Tiger Army in tow - starts September 24 in Corpus Christi, Texas. ...

Sum 41, Fat Joe with Terror Squad, the Donnas and Fabolous are all slated to perform at the Gravity Games, which will be held over two nights in Cleveland on September 17-18. The Donnas and Sum 41 will play Friday, while Fabolous and Fat Joe will play Saturday. The Gravity Games will air on the Outdoor Life Network on September 20 at 9 p.m. ET. A highlight program on CBS will air on September 26. ... One of Ray Charles' many memorable concerts, this one with a full symphony, is being released on DVD. "Ray Charles Live - In Concert With the Edmonton Symphony" was shot in Edmonton, Alberta, in Canada in 1981 and features the late musician performing such songs as "Georgia on My Mind," "I Can't Stop Loving You" and "I Can See Clearly Now." It'll be out on September 21. ...

The Wu-Tang Clan will release their first greatest-hits album on October 26. Wu-Tang Clan's Greatest Hits will include 16 tracks from the group's four albums, including "C.R.E.A.M.," "Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing Ta F' Wit," "Triumph," and "It's Yourz," as well as three rare tracks. ... Moby, Chuck D, Lou Reed, Joan Osborne and a host of others took the stage on Monday night - otherwise known as the opening night of the Republican National Convention - at New York's Beacon Theatre for a concert in support of Planned Parenthood. ...

Duran Duran hope to tell their story in an upcoming tome called "Please, Please Tell Me Now." According to their book proposal, they would chronicle the group's adventures, such as "Nick Rhodes' little-disclosed relationship with Andy Warhol and his bloody bedroom games with Elizabeth Hurley through Simon LeBon's torrid affair and courtship of the model Yasmine to Andy Taylor's journey into the fleshpots of Ibiza." The book would be written in collaboration with rock journalist Stephen Davis. ... The reunited Tears for Fears are planning to release their first album since 1989's The Seeds of Love on September 14. Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith are calling the LP Everybody Loves a Happy Ending; songs include "Closest Thing to Heaven," "Call Me Mellow," "Who Killed Tangerine?" and "Last Days on Earth." ... John Lennon's 1975 album Rock 'n' Roll, which featured him covering songs by Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly, is being reissued on September 27. The new version includes four remastered versions of Lennon's rock covers, and new photography in the liner notes. ...

8.30.2004

Green Day have mapped out some tour dates in support of their upcoming album, American Idiot. The trek, which features New Found Glory on several of the dates, kicks off September 16 at the Henry Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles and works its way around North America before ending November 24 in San Francisco. ...

Jessica Simpson has been added to the lineup of the fifth annual Latin Grammy Awards, airing live Wednesday from Los Angeles. She'll be singing a duet with David Bisbal at the show. A performance featuring Carlos Santana and Los Lonely Boys has also been added. ... The Dave Matthews Band has offered to supply DNA evidence to authorities investigating whether it was one of the group's tour buses that dumped waste on a tour boat in the Chicago River. In a posting on its Web site, DMB said it is fully cooperating, although the driver of the alleged bus (the band was using five in the city at the time) denies involvement. "This driver has been working with us for over five years," the statement said. "In that time he has earned our respect and trust and on a personal level he has become part of the family. In light of that, we take his statements seriously and ask for everyone's patience until we resolve our concerns. ... If we were responsible for what happened, we will work quickly to make amends, with the people on the boat and with Chicago." ...

Actresses Eva Mendes and Mila Kunis co-star in the Strokes' upcoming "The End Has No End" video. Sophie Muller (No Doubt, Maroon 5) directed the clip. ... One day after their performance at the 2004 VMAs, the Polyphonic Spree announced that they're re-releasing Together We're Heavy as a CD/DVD. The album will be re-mixed in 5.1 channel surround sound, and the DVD features extras like music videos and a photo gallery. ...

Raven, whose "That's So Raven" is the top-rated show on the Disney Channel, has signed a development deal with ABC. The former "The Cosby Show" star will likely return to prime time next fall. ... System of a Down are still eyeing a December release for their fourth album. "We're in the thick of it still, doing a lot of overdubs," singer Serj Tankian said. "It's going great. I'm happy with all the songs, the diversity of it." Tankian is also working on mixing a song he and Audioslave's Tom Morello and Brad Wilk recorded in his studio while rehearsing for an Axis of Justice concert. "We started jamming and we did this little jazzy piece with poetry over it and it turned out cool," Tankian said of the track, which will be released on Axis of Justice's Web site. ...

Common, Erykah Badu, ?uestlove from the Roots, Talib Kweli and Bahamadia are featured on Zap Mama's upcoming Ancestry in Progress. Due September 14, the album is the world artist's fifth. ... Two previously unreleased Screaming Trees tunes will be featured on Ocean of Confusion: Songs of Screaming Trees 1989-1996, due November 9. The compilation also features "Nearly Lost You," the Seattle band's biggest hit. ...

David Bowie's releasing his first live concert film in 15 years, "David Bowie - A Reality Tour," on DVD. Filmed over two days in Dublin last November, the 30-song concert special hits stores October 19. The program runs 140 minutes, and includes performances of such songs as "Rebel Rebel," "Fame," "All the Young Dudes," "The Man Who Sold the World," "Under Pressure," "Ashes to Ashes," "I'm Afraid of Americans" and "Heroes." ... Heckled at their third gig at the legendary New York club Max's Kansas City in 1977, the Cramps have since relished rock fame thanks to their twisted blend of psychedelia, rockabilly and punk. As a treat to fans and a testament to their vast catalog, the New York-bred band has compiled two discs' worth of unreleased rare tracks, alternate takes, demos and live performances. How to Make a Monster, due October 19, will coincide with a 34-date U.S. tour that begins September 22. ...

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