Playmates Sandra Hubby and Stephanie Larimore with Duran Duran's Nick Rhodes at <i>Playboy</i>'s Rock the Rabbit party on Tuesday
Photo: Rob Loud/ Getty Images

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."

• Duran Duran

Lindsay Lohan
Photo: Marsaili McGrath/Getty Images

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 organization HeadCount try to meet its new goal of registering up to 200,000 new voters for next year's elections. Check out the list of all the artists supporting HeadCount and sign up to volunteer at the group's Web site, HeadCount.org. ... Would you like Shins with that? Wendy's will soon start bundling free downloads from Rhapsody with burger orders. The fast-food chain plans to give away more than 100 million downloads to people who buy medium and large combo meals, with the songs redeemable at Wendys.com. (Rhapsody is a joint venture with MTV Networks). ...

Metric have slapped together their first-ever DVD, "Live at Metropolis," and plan to roll it out February 12. The disc will showcase the Canadian indie-rockers' performance at Montreal's Metropolis concert hall during their tour in support of last year's Live It Out, and it will also include videos for the album's three singles: "Monster Hospital," "Poster of a Girl" and "Empty." iTunes will have an exclusive preview of the DVD starting in December — for 99 cents, fans will be able to get their hands on three audio tracks from the show, as well as the DVD trailer. ... And if you're a Metric fan in the New York area, you'll likely want to hit up Broken Social Scene's gig at Webster Hall on Wednesday. Metric's Emily Haines will join the band onstage — along with Dinosaur Jr.'s J. Mascis, Scott Kannberg (Pavement), Andrew Kenny (American Analog Set) and others — as it performs BSS songs and selections from core member Kevin Drew's recent Spirit If ... release. ...

Plain White T's plan to keep the momentum going with an upcoming U.K. run and a new album, Billboard reports. After Tom Higgenson and the gang play a series of headlining gigs overseas in January, they'll delve into their next effort, for which they have "about 17 ideas — eight or nine of them are pretty much full songs so far," he told the magazine. "As soon as we get a few days off I'll try to finish the rest of them." ... You're probably already acquainted with James Blunt — after all, he previously participated in VH1's "You Oughta Know" series — but just in case, he's signed up for the tour again. The upcoming "You Oughta Know" stretch will also feature Sara Bareilles, a 27-year-old singer/songwriter who scored big on iTunes with her debut, Little Voice, over the summer. The trek launches February 4 in Seattle and winds down March 4 in Atlanta. ...

Did he really want to hurt him? Troubled ex-Culture Club singer Boy George was charged with false imprisonment on Tuesday (November 13) after police said he allegedly chained a man to a wall in his London home. According to the Daily Telegraph, 28-year-old Norwegian escort Auden Carlsen claims that in April, George (born George O'Dowd), 47, invited him to pose for photographs in his apartment, where George grabbed and chained him. George was released on bail and is scheduled to return to court November 22. ... First Celine Dion teamed with former members of Evanescence for help writing her recently released new album, Taking Chances — and now comes news that the "Power of Love" singer has a secret affinity for ... AC/DC? "I've been a big fan of AC/DC for about 15 years or 20 years — the sound guys introduced me to [their music]," she told the U.K.'s The Daily Telegraph. "I like hard rock and, if I'm doing stadiums, I want the engineers to crank the sound system up high with rock and roll, heavy-metal music — it helps me to get the adrenalin rushing." ...

The stockholders of satellite radio XM voted on Tuesday to approve a merger with competing Sirius Satellite Radio with a preliminary account indicating that 99.8 percent of shareholders gave the marriage a thumbs up, according to a statement issued by XM. The U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Communications Commission still has to approve the merger, which XM is confident will happen before the end of the year. ... MusicWorld, Canada's only remaining music chain, is closing its stores, according to CanWest News Service. The chain, which has been in bankruptcy, is liquidating its 72 stores, and has also announced a change in direction that will involve a stronger online presence and expansion into areas that don't involve music. The Canadian branch of U.K. company HMV is considering purchasing some of the stores, according to CanWest. Sales of CDs, music DVDs and other music items have reportedly dropped 20 percent since last year in the country. ...

Ministry have tapped Meshuggah as the main support act for their goodbye tour, which they're calling the "C U LaTouR." Hemlock are also on the bill for the trek, which kicks off March 28 in Vancouver, British Columbia, and wraps May 8 in Chicago. On a related note, Meshuggah have named their next record, which should be in stores early next year, obZen. ... Hard-rockers Taproot have finished recording their forthcoming LP, Our Long Road Home. "The title is a unique and expressive tribute to our newly found collective freedom of creativity as a band, with no strings attached," the band said in a statement. "It's a tribute to the casual and comfortable settings of being at home with friends and family — a place we love to be." ... Ozzfest 2007 veterans 3 Inches of Blood have booted drummer Alexei Rodriguez after he was allegedly involved in a physical altercation with Saxon drummer Nigel Glockler at the U.K.'s Hard Rock Hell festival over the weekend. The band apologized for Rodriguez's actions in a statement, adding that his actions are in no way "a reflection of our band. Alexei's behavior was appalling and completely unacceptable, and it is our decision to immediately remove him from the band." ...

Uncle Kracker is standing by his claim that he didn't sexually assault a woman in North Carolina, The Detroit News reports. The singer (real name: Matthew Shafer), who made the same assertion after being arrested on the second-degree forcible-sex-offense charge in August, also now says he regrets pleading guilty in September to a lesser charge of misdemeanor assault so he could avoid a trial. He told the News that the 26-year-old woman who was involved in the incident hit him first, and that the incident started when he bumped into her at a club after a concert. Authorities have maintained that Shafer put his hand up her skirt. "There was no sexual anything involved," Shafer told the News. "Assault is a far cry from sexual battery. You can either wait a year, spend 150 grand, go to trial, make more of a debacle out of it, or you can get it over with." In September, he was sentenced to 12 months of probation, ordered to undergo an alcohol assessment and was fined $1,500.

11.12.07

The trial involving Amy Winehouse's husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, has been delayed in light of allegations that he "perverted the court of justice," or the U.S. equivalent of obstruction of justice. He was back in court on Monday (November 12) for a brief hearing, and according to Agence France-Presse, he smiled throughout the session. The trial, previously slated to start Monday, has been adjourned until November 23, and Fielder-Civil — who was arrested last week following a raid on his and Winehouse's London home — is to remain in custody until then. Michael Brown, a 39-year-old who is supposed to stand trial with his friend Fielder-Civil, was not in court on Monday, and a judge issued a warrant for his arrest. BBC News also reports that James King, who was allegedly beaten by Fielder-Civil and Brown in June, was one of the men arrested last week, and that he has also been charged with the aforementioned crime. Fielder-Civil was remanded on technical bail. ...

Teeing with JT: Justin Timberlake has inked a five-year deal with the PGA Tour that will find him hosting a tournament in Las Vegas next year. "Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open," which will be played October 13-19, will help raise funds for the Shriners group, which provides medical care at no charge to children under 18 years old. The singer will play in a celebrity-golf game that week as well. "Raising money to better children's lives while playing golf? I can't think of a better way to pass the time," he said in a statement. ... Timberlake's visibility has also landed him on Barbara Walters' "10 Most Fascinating People of 2007" list, and they'll be seen chatting on an hourlong ABC special set to air December 6 at 10 p.m. ET. Former President Bill Clinton, Jennifer Hudson, Posh Spice and two surprise guests will also appear on the show. ... Could J.K. Rowling top Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore on a competing list, Time's Person of the Year? That's how the voting is shaping up on the Time Web site, although, as it indicates, the editors reserve the right to give the honor to the person of their choosing. Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are also in the running, and the December issue will be on sale December 21. ...

Radiohead have set the North American release date for In Rainbows. The album will hit stores January 1 through the band's own TBD Records (which, as expected, is teaming with ATO Records Group for the release), with "Bodysnatchers" and "Jigsaw Falling Into Place" as the first two singles. According to a press release, more information on the album and the band's tour plans will be announced soon. ... In case teens need an extra incentive to rack up credit-card debt, branded cards featuring Hilary Duff and Usher are on the way, according to Brandweek. Duff is getting a prepaid Visa gift card "aimed to show the young ones how to manage their pocket change (and learn about service fees)," according to the branding-news magazine, while Usher has a Debit MasterCard that features an empowerment message. The Platinum Plus Visa card devoted to Elvis Presley actually has a charitable aspect, as money from it goes to a foundation that helps homeless families. A Kiss credit card is available too. ...

Tom Morello, guitarist for reunited rockers Rage Against the Machine, serenaded some 3,000 people involved in the Hollywood writers' strike outside 20th Century Fox Studios in Century City, California, last week, the Los Angeles Times reports. ... Chiodos, Mindless Self Indulgence and Finch are among the first confirmed bands for next year's Bamboozle Festival, which is scheduled for May 3-4 at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Jack's Mannequin, Less Than Jake, Forever the Sickest Kids, Scary Kids Scaring Kids, I Am the Avalanche and the Starting Line have also been booked for the bill. ... Xzibit has signed on for a tour of duty in Oliver Stone's upcoming Vietnam movie, "Pinkville." The film revolves around the 1968 My Lai Massacre, during which 500 people — mostly women, children and the elderly — were killed by U.S soldiers. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the "Pimp My Ride" host will play a soldier who is convinced he acted ethically when he carried out his orders. ...

My Chemical Romance's Bob Bryar has issued a statement concerning the band's cancellation of a recent gig at the University of Maine, which had prompted school officials to consider legal action against the band. Late last week, the college's newspaper, The Maine Campus, announced that MCR would be paying the student government $20,500 in restitution fees for scrapping the October 27 show. The student government had previously said it would pursue legal action against the band unless it paid all expenses incurred by Monday, arguing that if it did not recoup the money, it would cost more than $2 from each student's activity fee. "We are very sorry about canceling our recent show in Maine. I have been having many problems with my wrists over the past few years," Bryar wrote in his statement. "They have been getting worse but I kept playing. I have seen many doctors to get some relief so I wouldn't have to stop playing. I guess I pushed it too hard this time. During our [recent] show at Maxwell's [in Hoboken, New Jersey], I got a golf ball-sized lump in my wrist, I started to not only have pain, but lose control and feeling in my fingers. I went through a process to control the swelling and attempted to play the show [opening for] Bon Jovi the next day. The Bon Jovi show was really bad for me — I was dropping sticks and could barely hit my drums. After that show, we decided I had to go get immediate treatment. I had to leave the tour. Being the stubborn person I am, I made a last-minute decision to give it another shot on the second Bon Jovi show. It didn't work, [and] we had to cut the set in half. We have a fill-in now as I am getting treatment. He learned the songs in one day." At press time, the identity of Bryar's fill-in was unconfirmed. ...

In a note posted on his Web site late last week, Kid Rock gave props to the head of his security team, Little Bear, for "finding a hidden camera in the dressing room at the show at the Myth Nightclub" in Minneapolis on Thursday night. "Little Bear, who runs SpyOps.net, discovered the device before the show and alerted the authorities, who are now investigating," Rock wrote. TMZ obtained photos of the alleged spycam from Little Bear that appears to indicate it was set up to broadcast on the Internet, but in a statement from the club released to the Star Tribune, the management explained, "The green-room camera in question is part of the venue's security aspect, available for viewing by head of security only ... Rock's allegation that there was some kind of Internet broadcast in progress is simply not true and without foundation." ...

The Broadway stagehands' strike isn't just affecting theatrical productions — Duran Duran's 10-night residence at New York's Ethel Barrymore Theatre has also been stymied by the protest. The band canceled its Saturday night show and moved its Monday and Tuesday gigs to the Roseland Ballroom. "We are really disappointed that we weren't able to finish up the run on Broadway, which has been in the planning for months," singer Simon LeBon said, according to BBC News. "However, we are relieved that there was somewhere else available to us so that we don't have to disappoint our fans by not playing." ... With Army of Anyone's future in doubt — the band, featuring former Filter frontman Richard Patrick and two former members of Stone Temple Pilots, is said to be on "hiatus" — drummer Ray Luzier has opted to handle drum duties during Korn's upcoming European tour, set to begin in early 2008. Luzier replaces Slipknot's Joey Jordison, who in turn replaced Terry Bozzio earlier this year, as the band's touring drummer.

• Pete Wentz's Bar Draws Jay-Z, Ashlee

• Lindsay Lohan
• Fall Out Boy
• Ashlee Simpson
• Beyoncé
• Britney Spears

Lindsay Lohan
Photo: Mark Mainz/Getty Images

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-show run at the Barrymore Theatre in New York during the first two weeks of November to promote the upcoming release of their Red Carpet Massacre album, which drops November 13. The group will play the entire LP — which features production from Timbaland and Danjahandz and a cameo from Justin Timberlake — each night, then sprinkle in some classic hits. Tickets will cost $75, $125 and $150. ... Add the Pipettes to the growing list of bands canceling U.S. treks due to visa problems — the British female pop trio has postponed a series of dates on its upcoming North American tour. The outing was originally set to start Tuesday in Chicago but will now launch October 25 in Los Angeles. ...

David Gilmour says he has no desire to reunite with his Pink Floyd bandmates, despite a recent European poll in which fans clamored for the band to do so. He claims he's focused on his solo career. "I can't see why I would want to be going back to that old thing," he explained recently to Rolling Stone. "It's very retrogressive. I want to look forward, and looking back isn't my joy. I don't know how one puts it, but going back into all that just wouldn't bring me joy. It's my time of life to be selfish — please myself." Last week, digital-music firm Music Choice published a poll in which 26 percent of respondents said Floyd top their list of bands they'd like to see reunite. ...

Tuesday could be a pivotal day in the ongoing war between the Recording Industry Association of America and rogue downloaders. According to Wired magazine, the RIAA will face off in a courtroom with a Minnesota mother in the first copyright jury trial that could set a precedent on the amount of proof a jury would have to consider to find a defendant liable for copyright infringement. The mother, Jannie Thomas, has adamantly claimed she did not download the 1,702 audio files she is accused of sharing on Kazaa in 2005. ...

The Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art has closed "Thanksgiving," an installation of pictures by American photographer Nan Goldin that are owned by Elton John, at the singer's request amid a police investigation over whether a photo of two girls violates child-pornography laws, AP reports. ... A man who pleaded guilty in a plot to extort more than $1 million from Tom Cruise for the actor's stolen wedding photos was found dead in his home, according to an AP report. Investigators believe David Hans Schmidt, 47, who had been under house arrest and faced up to two years in federal prison, committed suicide. He was found dead in his home Friday afternoon after police noticed a tracker placed on him had not moved, and he had not checked in.

09.28.07

Beyoncé's planned concert in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, has been canned amid protests by local Muslim groups, Billboard reports. The groups are reportedly upset that the singer has refused to obey the country's strict dress code for performers, although the November 1 concert's promoter, Pineapple Concert, did not give a reason for the cancellation in a statement issued Friday (September 28). Female performers are not allowed to show skin from the tops of their chests to their knees. In August, Gwen Stefani's concert in the country was also preceded by protests for the same reason — but she reluctantly abided by the guidelines, saying in a press conference before the show that she had made a "major sacrifice." ...

Ludacris, Yung Joc, Angels & Airwaves, Fabolous, Keyshia Cole, the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and Busta Rhymes will hit the stage October 6 at Radio City Music Hall in New York for the Boost Mobile RockCorps volunteer show, to be hosted by Nick Cannon. The concert will act as a reward to 5,000 Big Apple volunteers who have carried out at least four hours of service in their community. Earlier in the day, Luda, along with pro skateboarder Terry Kennedy and snowboarder Keir Dillon, will join 100 NYC volunteers to revitalize Manhattan's DeWitt Clinton Park. ...

R. Kelly's child-pornography trial, which was to have started September 17 in Chicago, doesn't have a new start date in sight. In a status hearing on Friday, the only thing that was determined, according to the state's attorney's office, is the next status hearing date, for November 2. ... Owen Wilson is "doing really well," Ben Stiller told Ellen DeGeneres on her talk show on Friday. "I sort of like to protect his privacy, 'cause I feel like it's his own thing. But he's a really good friend of mine. He's an incredible guy, and I wish him as everybody does, all the best." The two actors were due to begin shooting "Tropic Thunder" this month, but Wilson dropped out of the flick following a suicide attempt in late August. His role has since been filled by Matthew McConaughey. ...

Nicole Richie has enrolled in an alcohol-education program that will last 18 months, according to People. The socialite, who was arrested for driving under the influence in December, reportedly signed up for the SB 38 Alcohol Program on Wednesday. The program involves 52 hours of group counseling; in-person, biweekly interviews; and 12 hours of alcohol education. ... Richie probably won't be too happy to hear about Think Skateboards' fall line of decks. The line's "Jailbaits" series feature her mug shot — and Lindsay's and Paris' — with a thought bubble hovering over each of their heads: Inside the bubble is the phrase, "If only I could Think." ... Joey Fatone, no stranger to Britney Spears, has some words of advice for the troubled singer. "Britney, call me, come over to my house, come to Orlando [Florida], get way from it all ... it's a good thing to get out of L.A.," he recently told "Extra," adding that Spears needs "some time to really heal." Fatone admitted he hasn't seen her in a while, but all the same, he said, "I'm here for you, sweetheart." ...

With Jamie Foxx's "The Kingdom," a flick about a series of terrorist bombings in the Mideast, hitting theaters this weekend, it seems it was only a matter of time before the outspoken actor piped up with his views about U.S. intervention abroad. While promoting the film, he told MSNBC that he doesn't see an end in sight to the Iraq war — and that President Bush's big problem is that he lacks "charisma." "It's not the way America has handled the war, it's the way George Bush has handled it," the actor said. "I think George Bush and the guys that are there just don't have the charisma to pull off the things that they're trying to do. I can understand if you want to go to war, but how do you go to war? They go to war in a high-risk, high-return or high-risk, no-return ... situation. You'll be in Iraq for another 30 years. You can't get out." Foxx added that he's supporting presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama, but that he'll support whoever wins the Democratic nomination. ...

Uncle Kracker (real name: Matthew Shafer) was given a 60-day suspended sentence, 12 months of probation and a $1,500 fine after pleading guilty to an assault charge in a Wake County, North Carolina, court on Friday, local TV station NBC17 reports. He must also complete a substance-abuse assessment as part of the plea deal. Kracker was arrested in August on a second-degree forcible-sex-offense charge after an alleged incident at a downtown Raleigh nightclub called the Ess Lounge. He wound up facing a lesser charge in light of the plea deal. ... Kiefer Sutherland was formally charged with two misdemeanor drunk-driving counts on Friday in Los Angeles. The actor, who is on probation for a drunk-driving charge in 2004, could face up to a year and a half in jail. Sutherland was arrested Tuesday morning in Hollywood after police pulled him over for making an illegal U-turn. ...

U2's Bono accepted the Liberty Medal for his humanitarian work in Africa on Thursday night in Philadelphia, according to The Associated Press. Bono urged Americans to work toward solving the world's problems and spoke of those who are without freedom. "When you are trapped by poverty, you are not free," he said. "When trade laws prevent you from selling the food you grew, you are not free. When you are a monk in Burma this very week, barred from entering a temple because of your gospel of peace ... well, then none of us are truly free." Bono was presented with the award by last year's co-recipient, President George H.W. Bush, at the National Constitution Center. The award carries a $100,000 prize, which the rocker plans to donate to humanitarian organizations. ...

A new Radiohead Web site has popped up hinting that they might be planning a big announcement this weekend. Radioheadlp7.com is displaying a countdown clock, set to expire Saturday morning. Given that the lads have been leaving several coded messages on their Web site regarding their forthcoming seventh set, which they recently finished, some are speculating the new site will spill all of the beans on the outing. Only time will tell. ... Cat Power is blanketing her fans with cover songs again. The indie starlet has lumped together a sequel to her noted 2000 collection, The Covers Record, according to Billboard. The track list has yet to be revealed for Covers II which is due January 22. ...

Ryan Adams reportedly threw another in-concert tantrum, this time at a show Thursday night in Minneapolis, according to AP. The singer/guitarist was reportedly complaining throughout the evening about the sound monitors, at one point moving two of them and other equipment. About an hour and 10 minutes into the show, Adams said he'd be playing his last song and didn't come back for an encore, spurring concertgoers to boo. Four years ago, Adams gave an even more tumultuous performance, during which he also complained about the sound, at the city's First Avenue venue. ...

Evanescence have tapped Australian rockers Sick Puppies as the support act for their upcoming tour, which is scheduled to launch October 23 in Miami and run through December 4 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. ... The reunited Sex Pistols have booked an invite-only gig in Hollywood. The band will take the stage at the Roxy Theatre on October 25 for a show that's being co-sponsored by Indie.103.1, the radio station Steve Jones DJs for, and "Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock," which includes a newly re-recorded version of the Pistols' "Anarchy in the U.K." ...

Remember EMF? Well, as "Unbelievable" — or "crumbelievable" (so goes the Kraft commercial knockoff of the band's song) — as it may sound, the band will reunite for a London gig set for December 18. It will be the first time in five years the boys have performed together in a public forum. The band announced on its Web site that Pop Will Eat Itself's Richard March will take over on bass for original member Zac Foley, who died in 2002 from a drug overdose. ...

According to former Offenders drummer Pat Doyle, his former bandmate, bassist Mikey Donaldson, died in his sleep on Saturday in Barcelona, Spain. He was 46. An official cause of death has yet to be determined. "Mikey is universally regarded as one of the most innovative and inimitable masters of the bass guitar," Doyle said. "He played his Rickenbacker like it was an outsized rhythm guitar. Mikey pioneered an aggressive speed-picking style and liberal employment of bass chords that few have been able to emulate in the past 20 years. He will be sorely missed."

• Lindsay Lohan
• Britney Spears
• Lil Wayne
• Fabolous
• Kanye West

Justin Timberlake
Photo: Scott Gries/Getty Images

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."

• Justin Timberlake
• Duran Duran
• Timbaland

Duran Duran's Simon LeBon (file)
Photo: Dan Tufts

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

• Duran Duran

Duran Duran (file)
Photo: Paul Adams/ duranduran.com

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."

• Duran Duran

Sum 41 (file)
Photo: Christopher Wahl

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

• Sum 41
• Mos Def
• No Doubt
• Pinback
• Frank Black

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, which run through the end of October, until Jones can return. ...

You wouldn't assume the subject of Michael Jackson would consume a roomful of academics, but that's just what happened Friday and Saturday at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. At the first-ever collegiate discussion of the pop star, 18 professors discussed Jackson's life and his impact on pop culture. ... You've heard N.O.R.E. yell "What, what, what?" plenty of times; now get ready for Queens' most unpredictable rapper to yell "Que, que, que?" Nore's been experimenting with the genre of music called "reggaeton" on his new album, Norminacle. The album is set to come out November 16 and the first single is "Oye Mi Canto" with Nina Sky, Daddy Yankee and Gem Star. ...

Kimberley Locke, who's releasing "You've Changed" as the next single from her debut album, One Love, has booked her first solo tour. The outing kicks off Saturday in West Springfield, Massachusetts, and wraps up November 30 in New York. ... In other former "American Idol" contestant news, third-season finalists George Huff and John Stevens have signed major-label record deals. Huff will release a Christmas EP on Warner Bros.' Word Records in November, while Stevens is recording with David Foster for a Valentine's Day release on Maverick Records, another Warner affiliate. ... Lastly, William Hung has set an October 19 release date for his Christmas EP, Hung for the Holidays. The album includes "O Come All Ye Faithful," "Little Drummer Boy," "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer," "Winter Wonderland," "Silver Bells" and "Deck the Halls," along with his cover of Queen's "We are the Champions." ...

The rockers came out Saturday night for a private party at the Los Angeles House of Blues. Joining supergroup Camp Freddy (Dave Navarro, Donovan Leitch, Billy Morrison and Matt Sorum) onstage were Courtney Love, Scott Weiland, Jerry Cantrell and the Sex Pistols' Steve Jones. Jay Leno and Robin Williams also got up, to add a little comic relief to the affair. At the end of the night, the guests all joined in for a rendition of the Stooges' "I Wanna Be Your Dog." ... Johnny Rotten is buggin' out. The former Sex Pistols frontman will host a documentary on insects for the Discovery Channel. The show, which features the man also known as John Lydon interacting with killer bees and leeches, is scheduled to air in the U.K. in November. ...

In what is sure to be the literary event of the year, former Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee will be hitting bookstores across the U.S. on a tour in support of his biography "Tommyland." Lee will be signing copies of the book on the nine-day tour beginning October 25 at the Rockefeller Center Barnes & Noble in New York and ending November 5 at Tower Records on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California. ... Even Billy Bob Thornton likes them. Austin, Texas, orchestral noise-rockers Explosions in the Sky have composed the score to Thornton's upcoming film, "Friday Night Lights." Handpicked by music supervisor du jour Brian Reitzell ("The Virgin Suicides," "Lost in Translation"), Explosions wrote new material and also re-recorded music from their albums The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place and Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Live Forever. The film is due in theaters October 8 and the accompanying soundtrack, which also includes music from Daniel Lanois and Bad Company, is due October 15. ... The Nervous Return's Wake Up Dead, the second release from Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker's La Salle Records, is due Tuesday. The band is celebrating with a show at Cinespace in Los Angeles. ...

• Good Charlotte
• R. Kelly
• Cam'ron
• No Doubt
• Duran Duran

Dallas Austin (file)
Photo: MTV News

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.

• No Doubt
• Duran Duran
• Nas
• Gwen Stefani

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. ...

• Black Eyed Peas
• Britney Spears
• Fat Joe
• Duran Duran

Artists Who've Never Been #1: Ozzy, Kiss, The Cure, More

• David Bowie
• Lemmy Kilmister
• The Smiths
• Morrissey
• The Who

Live 8 Around The World: Good Charlotte, Bjork, Green Day and More

• Audioslave
• Shakira
• Good Charlotte
• Björk
• Green Day

Britney Spears, Ashlee Simpson And More On The 2004 Billboard Awards Red Carpet

• Britney Spears
• Maroon 5
• Ashlee Simpson
• Green Day
• Dave Navarro

Usher, Osbournes, More Arrive At The 2004 MTV European Music Awards

• Usher
• Black Eyed Peas
• Franz Ferdinand
• OutKast
• Gwen Stefani

KROQ's Inland Invasion 3 in Devore, CA Sept 20, 2003

• The Cure
• Duran Duran
• Echo & the Bunnymen
• Soft Cell

Duran Duran Live at Webster Hall in NYC, 8.27.03

• Duran Duran