Ghostface Killah's <I>The Big Doe Rehab</i>
Photo: Island Def Jam

The eight days of Hanukkah begin at sunset Tuesday (December 4), and in commemoration of the holiday, we've lined up the week's eight biggest new releases:

Ghostface Killah's The Big Doe Rehab
December 4 matters more to Ghost than to a lot of the artists dropping new releases this week, mainly because he actually had to put up a fight to keep the date. While he told Mixtape Monday in October that his seventh studio album had been cemented for a December 4 release date "for the longest [time]," he came to discover that the new Wu-Tang Clan album, The 8 Diagrams, had been pegged for the same date. But apparently in an effort to appease Ghost, RZA delayed the latter disc a week — which likely made him as content as he appears on his new CD's album cover. He has most of his fellow Clan along for the ride — RZA's nowhere to be found, though — as well as Beanie Sigel, Chrisette Michele and others on the follow-up to Fishscale, which was widely ranked as one of the best rap releases of 2006.

Wyclef Jean's Carnival II: Memoirs of an Immigrant
Ghost's guest list pales in comparison to Wyclef's, which isn't just longer but runs the gamut in terms of music genres. Mary J. Blige, Lil Wayne, Serj Tankian, T.I., Norah Jones, Akon, Shakira, Chamillionaire and even Paul Simon play a role on the release, which features a bonus big name on pretty much every track. Pick up the deluxe edition for even more guest-star goodness — Weezy, 'Kon, Raekwon and more are featured on some of the extra CD's five additional tracks and three videos. The iTunes version of Carnival II has yet another bonus track, while the Best Buy edition comes with three Rhapsody Original extras.

DJ Drama's Gangsta Grillz: The Album
There's yet another red-hot guest list in the mix this week, and it's the one featured on Drama's long-overdue studio-LP debut. Diddy, Outkast, T.I., Young Jeezy, Lil Jon, Wayne, the Clipse, Yung Joc, Pharrell, Paul Wall and Nelly all piled onto the disc. The effort was delayed a few times due to Drama's much-publicized studio raid earlier this year and controversy over his well-known moniker, which left him time to come up with another banger or two. "What a better time to drop than during the holidays, a week and a half after Thanksgiving?" Drama recently told Mixtape Monday. "I call myself 'Mr. Thanksgiving.' "

Mariah Carey's "The Adventures of Mimi" DVD
Mirroring Justin Timberlake — who released his new "FutureSex/LoveShow - Live From Madison Square Garden" DVD only through Best Buy a couple of weeks ago — Mimi has stepped up with her own exclusive double-DVD release for the chain. Her first video package since 2000's "#1's" collection captures her October 8, 2006, concert in Anaheim, California, with 19 performances, behind-the-scenes clips, a tour documentary, a karaoke-style feature and more.

Nelly Furtado's Loose: The Concert
Furtado is feeling a bit more generous than Carey — the singer is not only releasing her concert set wide, she's also issuing it in both CD and DVD form. The former item finds Furtado running through 11 of her best-known songs while on her recent European and U.S. tours in support of Loose — including "I'm Like a Bird" and "Promiscuous" — while the expanded DVD has her covering Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" and chalking up a bunch more songs, including "Turn Off the Light" and "Powerless." In case fans need even more incentive to grab the DVD instead, it comes with a half-hour's worth of behind-the-scenes video footage with the pop star.

Styles P's Super Gangster (Extraordinary Gentleman)
We've been streaming for free the third solo effort from the D-Block member, a disc that has "Blow Ya Mind" (featuring Swizz Beatz) as its first single. But that's not the only guest P has in tow — he also tapped one of his December 4 competitors, Ghostface, as well as Beanie Sigel, Akon, Jadakiss and others. "I'm just trying to be the MC and come with good, old-fashioned street soul music," he recently told Mixtape Monday of the vibe of the effort, which marks his debut on Koch Records. "I really feel like the '90s era."

Godsmack's Good Times, Bad Times ... Ten Years of Godsmack
The hard-rock band has sold about 11 million albums in the U.S. since it formed 11 years ago, and with a dozen or so singles that rock radio has probably burned into your brain, a greatest-hits collection is only fitting. Also "good timing," so to speak — given Led Zeppelin's recent reunion — is Godsmack's cover of the classic-rockers' "Good Times, Bad Times," which kicks off the 16-song menu. Aficionados will likely want to grab the CD-plus-DVD edition, which features the band performing acoustically at the House of Blues in Las Vegas.

Blake Lewis' Audio Day Dream
Last but not least, the beatboxing "American Idol" alumnus steps up with his first album — for which he claimed to MTV News that he had invented a whole new genre. "I call it '2080,' because it's a mix of all the great pop music that's inspired me," he said of the disc, which blends funk, soul, rock and pop. The sixth-season finalist's album is led by the single "Break Anotha," which was co-written with and produced by Ryan "Alias" Tedder of One Republic, as well as other tracks Tedder helped craft. J.R. Rotem produced and co-wrote "What'cha Got 2 Lose?" with Lewis and fellow "Idol" finalist Chris Richardson, while none other than Lupe Fiasco — who cranks out his own new album, Lupe Fiasco's "The Cool," in a couple of weeks — is featured on "Know My Name."

That's a Rap: Hip-hop heads have a lot on their plate this week — in addition to all the above, there's also a new album from Scarface, Made, that features guest spots from (surprise!) Lil Wayne and T.I. Scarface's last album did well, reaching #12 on the Billboard albums chart and selling more than 300,000 copies, but with hardly any promotion behind his new effort, it's going to be tough for him to score a repeat performance. Also back in stores is Too Short, whose Get Off the Stage is coming under the radar as well — probably because it's the last release he's putting out through Jive. It features E-40, the Pack and more.

There's plenty more bristling on the archival front too, chiefly the new two-part The Best of 2Pac collection. The discs are being sold separately and feature one unreleased song and one new remix apiece: Part 1: Thug has "Resist the Temptation" and a new mix of "Dear Mama" featuring Anthony Hamilton, whose original version was nominated for a Grammy Award; while Part 2: Life contains "Dopefiend's Diner," which finds 2Pac using a vocal sample of the melody line from Suzanne Vega's "Tom's Diner," and an acoustic remix of "Thugz Mansion."

Mack 10, Fiend and Westside Connection are also getting some love from the vaults with best-of collections, while some of Eazy-E's most memorable guest spots were culled for Featuring Eazy-E. An expanded 20th-anniversary edition of N.W.A's Straight Outta Compton is also hitting stores — with five bonus slices, including a live performance of "Compton's N the House" by Dr. Dre and MC Ren, and covers of Compton tracks by Snoop Dogg, C-Murder, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Mack 10 and WC. And repping newer talent is TVT's Crunk Hits Vol. 4 comp, which has the latest crunk classics by T.I., Lil Jon, Chris Brown and more.

Song Title of the Week:

"Conjunctions, Conjunctions, Everybody Loves Them" from Memphis May Fire's Memphis May Fire

Album Cover of the Week:

Ex-Boyfriends' three different "Clue"-themed covers for In With

Other Notables:

Various artists' "Live Earth: The Concerts for a Climate in Crisis"
In case you weren't privy to the landmark 7/7/07 event, a little guy named Al Gore is trying to raise awareness about a little issue called global warming. Backing him up at the concerts were about 100 of the world's best-known musicians whose performances across the globe were whittled down for the two-hour broadcast captured on this two-DVD/one-CD set. The first video disc spotlights John Legend, Beastie Boys, Black Eyed Peas, Snow Patrol and more; the second one has Rihanna, Foo Fighters and the Smashing Pumpkins, among others; and the CD includes tunes by Madonna, John Mayer, Keane, the Police and others. The net proceeds from the sale of the package go to the Alliance for Climate Protection.

Daft Punk's Alive 2007
The Parisian house duo had a huge year, ruling at Lollapalooza and getting a big boost from Kanye West. Their new live album — the release of which was delayed in the U.S. due to production issues — tries to put all that energy into disc form by immortalizing the act's first show in their hometown in 10 years. The two-disc version comes as a bound book and houses an extra enhanced CD with five songs from Daft Punk's encore, as well as 50 pages of photos and a video of "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger," which 'Ye lifted for his song "Stronger."

Lamb of God's Sacrament - Deluxe Producer Edition
Not crazy about the metal titans' latest disc, the genre's top-selling album last year? Well, why not rework it yourself? That's what the guys are offering this week — a version of the disc with the studio tracks isolated, separated and prepared for use on Macs or PCs. Fans can rearrange or mix up the music at their whim, which means they'll have no reason to complain if they're still not happy with songs like "Walk With Me in Hell" and "Foot to the Throat."

New Releases:

· 4 Bonjour's Parties - Pigments Drift Down to the Brook (Mush)
· Aloha - Light Works (Polyvinyl)
· Ben's Brother - Beta Male Fairytales (Virgin)
· Bodies of Water - Ears Will Pop & Eyes Will Blink (Thousand Tongues)
· Bonde do Rolê - Marina Gasolina (EP; Domino)
· Daft Punk - Alive 2007 (limited-edition version comes with bonus CD; Virgin) [Buy Now]
· DJ Drama - Gangsta Grillz: The Album (Atlantic) [Buy Now]
Read: "DJ Drama May Lose His Name, But He'll Always Have Outkast"
· Ex-Boyfriends - In With (Absolutely Kosher)
· Food for Animals - Belly (Hoss)
· Nelly Furtado - Loose: The Concert (Geffen) [Buy Now]
· Ghostface Killah - The Big Doe Rehab (Def Jam [Buy Now]
· Isis - Holy Tears (EP; Ipecac)
· Wyclef Jean - Carnival II: Memoirs of an Immigrant (Best Buy edition comes with three Rhapsody Original bonus tracks; Columbia) [Buy Now]
Read: "T.I. Kick-Starts Wyclef Jean's LP; Mary J. Blige, Akon Tagging Along"
· Blake Lewis - Audio Day Dream (Arista/J) [Buy Now]
Read: "'American Idol' Runner-Up Blake Lewis Creates Own Genre On A.D.D. Debut"
· Memphis May Fire - Memphis May Fire (Trustkill)
· Shane Newville - Formless (Syntax)
· Rademacher - Stunts (self-release)
· Scarface - Made (Asylum) [Buy Now]
· Chris Schlarb - Twilight & Ghost Stories (Asthmatic Kitty)
· Shipwreck - Rabbit in the Kitchen With a New Dress On (None)
· Styles P - Super Gangster (Extraordinary Gentleman) (Koch) [Buy Now]
· Tender Forever - Wider (K)
· Too Short - Get Off the Stage (Jive) [Buy Now]
· Armin van Buuren - Universal Religion 2008: Live From Armada at Ibiza (Ultra)
· Rufus Wainwright - Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall (with DVD; Geffen) [Buy Now]
· Woelv - Tout Seul dans la Forêt en Plein Jour, Avez-Vous Peur? (K)
· The Wreckers - Way Back Home: Live From New York City (with DVD; Warner Bros.)
· Various artists - Night Owls 4 - A Shot in the Dark (Syntax)
· Various artists - To the Fallen Records Presents Country: Volume I and Rock: Volume I (To the Fallen)
· Various artists - "P.S. I Love You" soundtrack (Atlantic)
· Various artists - "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story" soundtrack (Columbia)

Notable Reissues and Archival Material:

· 2Pac - The Best of 2Pac: Part I - Thug and Part 2 - Life (Interscope) [Buy Now]
· Trace Adkins - Greatest Hits, Volume II: American Man (Capitol)
· Jason Aldean - Relentless (with bonus "Soundcheck" DVD; available exclusively at Wal-Mart)
· David Bowie - David Bowie Box (10-CD box set; ISO/Columbia) [Buy Now]
· James Brown - The Singles: Volume Four - 1966-1967 (limited-edition two-CD set; Hip-O-Select) [Buy Now]
· Nick Drake - Fruit Tree (box set with three CDs and one DVD; UMe/Fontana) [Buy Now]
· Eagles - Desperado; Eagles Live (two CDs); Eagles Greatest Hits: Volume 2; Hotel California; On the Border; One of These Nights; The Long Run; Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 and the two-CD The Very Best Of (Asylum) [Buy Now]
· Eazy-E - Featuring Eazy-E (Capitol/Priority)
· Fiend - The Best of Fiend: Mr. Whomp Whomp (Capitol/Priority)
· Godsmack - Good Times, Bad Times ... Ten Years of Godsmack (also available with DVD; Republic) [Buy Now]
· Billie Holiday - Rare Live Recordings 1935-1959 (five-CD box set; ESP Disk Ltd.)
· Lamb of God - Sacrament - Deluxe Producer Edition (with bonus CD of audio tracks that have been isolated, separated and prepared for use on Mac or PC; Epic)
· The Libertines - The Best Of: A Time for Heroes (Rough Trade) [Buy Now]
· Lindisfarne - The Very Best of Lindisfarne (Caroline)
· Mack 10 - The Best of Mack 10: Foe Life (Priority) [Buy Now]
· N.W.A - Straight Outta Compton - 20th Anniversary Edition (Capitol/Priority) [Buy Now]
· Westside Connection - The Best of Westside Connection: The Gangsta, the Killa and the Dope Dealer (Capitol/Priority)
· Various artists - Crunk Hits Vol. 4 (TVT)
· Various artists - 20 Years of Nuclear Blast (Nuclear Blast)

Music DVDs:

· Mariah Carey - "The Adventures of Mimi" (two DVDs; Best Buy exclusive) [Buy Now]
· Brian Eno - "77 Million Paintings by Brian Eno" (two DVDs; Hannibal)
· Nelly Furtado - "Loose: The Concert" (Geffen) [Buy Now]
· Pelican - "After the Ceiling Cracked" (with CD; Hydra Head)
· Scissor Sisters - "Hurrah: A Year of Ta-Dah" (Universal) [Buy Now]
· The Marshall Tucker Band - "Carolina Dreams Tour '77" (Shout! Factory/Ramblin'; one DVD and two CDs)
· Rufus Wainwright - "Rufus! Rufus! Rufus! Does Judy! Judy! Judy!: Live From the London Palladium" (Geffen)
· Various artists - "Live Earth: The Concerts for a Climate in Crisis" (two DVDs and one CD; Reprise)

Digital Releases:

· Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - American X: Baby 81 Sessions (limited-edition EP; available exclusively at ThinkIndie.com)
· Echo and the Bunnymen - B-Sides and Live (2001-2005) (Cooking Vinyl)
· Interpol - Interpol Live (EP; available exclusively at ThinkIndie.com)
· John Lennon - "John Lennon Video Album" (available exclusively at Starbucks via the iTunes Digital Release card; Capitol/EMI Music Marketing)
· Nassiri - Holiday Collection (self-release)
· Professor Murder - Professor Murder on a Desert Island (free EP; RCRD LBL)
· Various artists - Through the Wilderness: A Tribute to Madonna (Manimal Vinyl)

Coming Attractions:

December 11:
· Bow Wow and Omarion - Face Off (also available with bonus DVD; Columbia) [Preorder]
Read: "Bow Wow Says His Face Off With Omarion Will Mean A 'Whole Bunch Of #1 Records' "
· R. Kelly - "Trapped in the Closet, Chapters 1-22" DVD (Jive) [Preorder]
· Mario - Go (J) [Preorder]
· Wu-Tang Clan - The 8 Diagrams (Best Buy edition comes with exclusive DVD; Def Jam) [Preorder]
Read: "Wu-Tang Clan's 'First-Ever Cleared Beatles Sample' Claim Is Incorrect"

December 18:
· Christina Aguilera - "Back to Basics: Live and Down Under" (RCA) [Preorder]
· Mary J. Blige - Growing Pains (Geffen) [Preorder]
Read: "Mary J. Blige Says She's 'Just Fine' With Her New Album, Losing 'Umbrella' To Rihanna"
· Chamillionaire - Mixtape Messiah 4 (Universal) [Preorder]
· Chingy - Hate It or Love It (Disturbing Tha Peace) [Preorder]
· Rivers Cuomo - Alone: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo (Geffen)
· Lupe Fiasco - Lupe Fiasco's the Cool (Atlantic) [Preorder]
Read: "Lupe Fiasco's Cool World: Tragedy Meets 'Mad Poppy Beats'"
· Rick Ross - Trilla (Def Jam) [Preorder]

December 25:
· Various artists - "High School Musical 2": Non-Stop Dance Party (Disney)
· Various artists - "Young Frankenstein: The New Mel Brooks Musical" (Decca Broadway)

• Ghostface Killah
• Wyclef Jean
• Mariah Carey
• Nelly Furtado
• DJ Drama

Madonna
Photo: Dave Hogan/ Getty Images

Madonna arrived in Malawi on Monday (April 16) with David Banda, the Malawian boy she is adopting, to continue her charity work in the country, Reuters reports. The visit is fueling rumors the singer wants to adopt a second child. ...

Jennifer Lopez hopes to tour in support of Como Ama Una Mujer, she told MTV Europe — and reveals that she'll have more music out before the year is up. "I have an [English-language] album that's coming out this year that I'm finishing up right now," she said. "First single in June, so it's a big musical year for me." ... Two Anna Nicole Smith diaries up for auction over the weekend failed to sell, ABC News reports. They're now available for a minimum big of $25,000 apiece at Dallas' Heritage Auction Galleries. ...

Senator Hillary Clinton isn't about to get embroiled in the Sanjaya Malakar hubbub, The Associated Press reports. When asked about the "American Idol" hopeful on a New Hampshire radio station, the Democratic presidential candidate diplomatically replied, "Well, you know, people can vote for whomever they want. That's true in my election, and it's true on 'American Idol.' " ... Kirsten Dunst, Tobey Maguire and other "Spider-Man 3" castmembers strolled down the red carpet at film's world premiere in Tokyo on Monday, Reuters reports. ...

Lil Jon even represents Atlanta on ice. He's currently blogging about his love for hockey's Atlanta Thrashers at NHL.com, and revealed that while it's his 8-year-old son that actually plays the game, Jon's got his own place on the NHL team. "[Atlanta goalie] Kari Lehtonen actually has my picture on the back of his helmet," Jon wrote in a recent post. "We always go in the locker room to say 'what's up' to him before a game." Jon admits that he hasn't been following the Thrashers' every move this season, but he's tuning back in for the playoffs — and hopes to see the team bring the Stanley Cup to ATL. The Thrashers are currently in the first round of playoffs, down 2-0 in a best-of-seven series. ...

M-1 of Dead Prez appeared on Fox News' "Your World With Neil Cavuto" on Friday afternoon to debate hip-hop's role in the Don Imus scandal. The political-minded MC said drawing a parallel between rap lyrics and the racially insensitive remarks that cost Imus his job is like "comparing apples and oranges." Cavuto countered, "If Imus uses the expression and then you use the expression, you've both said 'ho,' " but M-1 noted that he didn't use the word "ho" in his lyrics. The rapper added that there's "something wrong" with offensive language being used whether it's by Imus or in hip-hop, but asserted that there is a difference between Imus' words and rap lyrics due to the "historical relationship of oppression" between black and white Americans. ...

Barry Gibb, the former Bee Gee who in 2006 bought the Johnny Cash Tennessee house that burned down last week, says he and his wife will rebuild a new home nearby. "Linda and I have decided to build our own home on the higher ground surrounding the Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash home and the original foundations shall be kept intact and preserved for the people of Hendersonville and the people of Nashville," he said in a statement obtained by AP. ... A woman injured in a car crash involving Godsmack frontman Sully Erna has had her condition upgraded to serious, according to North Andover, Massachusetts' Eagle-Tribune. Lindsay Taylor, 25, was in a coma and on life support following Wednesday's collision. Taylor was a backseat passenger in a Toyota Camry that was struck from behind by a Hummer H3 driven by Erna, who was not injured in the accident. The crash remains under investigation by state police, but so far, no citations or charges have been filed against any of the drivers involved. ...

Nickelback have raised almost $400,000 for Amnesty International and International Children's Awareness Canada via their aptly titled new single "If Everyone Cared." ... Ben & Jerry's will be releasing a new ice cream inspired by Queen. Called Bohemian Raspberry, it's the latest in a series of music-themed flavors, including Phish Food and Cherry Garcia. Sales of the ice cream will benefit the Mercury Phoenix Trust, which was established to combat AIDS worldwide. ... DJ Clue, Ray J and Lance Armstrong were among the partygoers who helped Q-Tip celebrate his birthday in New York on Saturday. The surprise party was held at a downtown Manhattan loft. ... Richard Gere is getting some serious flak in India after kissing and hugging Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty at a recent AIDS-awareness event, AP reports. Angry throngs burned effigies of the American actor in New Delhi and Mumbai, while protests broke out elsewhere in the country. ...

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge warned prospective jurors in the trial of Phil Spector on Monday that the proceedings will not be a chance for them to have their "15 minutes of fame," AP reports. The prospective jurors were to be directly questioned by lawyers on Monday afternoon, with a focus on the questionnaire answers they provided when screened a month ago. ... The Village People's policeman is off the hook, AP reports. Victor Willis was arrested last month after his girlfriend accused him of choking and threatening her. Maria Velasquez, a spokeswoman for the San Diego City Attorney's Office, said the case would not be pursued for "evidentiary reasons." ... Don Ho, the man who came to personify Hawaiian music, died on Saturday in Honolulu at age 76. Ho, best known for his kitsch classic "Tiny Bubbles," with which he opened and closed each show, died as a result of heart failure, according to The New York Times. Ho was a tourist staple on Waikiki at the Ohana Waikiki Beachcomber hotel for more than 40 years, performing his signature song and telling jokes and hosting his own ABC variety series, "The Don Ho Show," from 1976-77. His daughter, Hoku, who released her own hit album in 2000, was often featured in his live show.

04.13.2007

Gwen Stefani as a brunette? The singer told Harper's Bazaar that she's considered coloring her hair brown — "Then I said, 'Nah, I'm gonna milk this blond as long as I can." The singer also spoke up on the future of her career. "Some days, I think there's no way to get away with this any longer," she said in an interview published in the magazine's May issue, on newsstands April 24. "I still feel like that sometimes, even though it's been 20 years. But then some days, I just feel really inspired and I really believe in everything. It's like the 15 minutes just keep getting longer." ...

Keeping up with the Joneses got that much more difficult Friday (April 13) with news from Steven Spielberg and George Lucas that Shia LaBeouf has officially been cast in the fourth installment of the "Indiana Jones" series. "We are excited about bringing Shia into our Indy family," Spielberg said in a post on IndianaJones.com. The announcement ends weeks of "Will he or won't he?" speculation, much of it fueled by LaBeouf himself. The 20-year-old "Disturbia" star had previously denied his involvement when news of the casting first leaked and recently told MTV News, "I haven't been presented with the idea. I haven't been approached." In the Friday post on IndianaJones.com, LaBeouf said, "I was hoping the rumors were true, so I couldn't be more thrilled. To be cast in an Indiana Jones film is like grabbing the brass ring and holding on for the ride. I can't wait to take that giant step in front of the Indy cameras." "Indiana Jones 4" will be released worldwide May 22, 2008. ...

A judge has granted C-Murder permission to attend his first book-signing event to promote his street-lit novel "Death Around the Corner." The rapper, currently under house arrest, will participate in the signing during the New Orleans Jazzfest on May 5 at the one of the city's largest black-owned bookstores, Community Book Center. ... A judge has delayed a custody hearing over Anna Nicole Smith and Larry Birkhead's baby, The Associated Press reports. The decision was made to allow the deceased model's mother, Virgie Arthur, more time to negotiate a private-visitation arrangement with Birkhead. In related news, two Smith diaries will be auctioned as scheduled on Saturday, despite her former partner Howard K. Stern's claim that they are stolen property. ...

Ozzy fans, be on the lookout: Select copies of his Black Rain album will contain a code giving the owners first chance at seats for Ozzfest. The specially marked copies will be available at retail stores May 22 but can be preordered in the meantime. The code is good for two tickets, with supplies limited, and will be effective four days before the general public has access to tickets on June 12. ... James Blunt is in the clear. The singer/songwriter will not be charged for allegedly driving over someone's foot after leaving a party in February, AP reports. ...

Fred Durst misses being the frontman for Limp Bizkit, and according to a blog post, he'd like to head out on the road and stage "a landmark event." Durst said, "I would love to do a tour with the original Limp Bizkit" lineup, which no longer includes guitarist Wes Borland, who left the band to launch his own project, Black Light Burns. Limp haven't toured the States since 2003. "Imagine that me and Wes could work things out together and be a band again, friends again," Durst wrote in the post. "We had so many wonderful times. I am proud to say that I have learned so much from my mistakes and it has taken a long time to evolve to this place where I finally let myself be healed. Without Limp Bizkit, I would have never gotten here. Without Wes, I wouldn't know what it is like to work with the best." ...

Julian Lennon, the eldest son of John Lennon, has sold his stake in his father's compositions for the Beatles, according to The Wall Street Journal. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but a source told the paper that the shares of the catalog were "significant." The deal for the songwriting income generated by the Lennon compositions was made with Primary Wave Music Publishing, which last year paid an estimated $50 million for a 50 percent stake in the music-publishing catalog of late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. ...

Muse frontman Matt Bellamy has spoken out against the Live Earth gigs, saying that it might be hypocritical to stage the event, aimed at raising climate awareness worldwide, when it could have an adverse affect on the climate. "Private jets for climate change, not sure about it, that seems to be a bit on edge really," he told the BBC. Ashok Sinah, a director of Stop Climate Chaos, responded to defend. "They have to reduce carbon emissions, we have to reduce carbon emissions, and in just the same way that we may look at a pop star and say, 'You use more carbon than I do,' people from Africa could look at us and think, 'We don't go flying around everywhere.' I have met people in Africa who haven't even made a phone call, let alone get on a plane." Sinah also noted that the concerts were just the beginning of a larger overall campaign. "We have got to make sure that the people that come to us post-concert are actively engaged and get involved in the campaign." ...

Trey Anastasio pleaded guilty to a felony charge of attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance on Friday, avoiding a possible 14-year prison term. AP reports that Anastasio, 42, accepted a plea deal in his felony drug case that will require the singer to serve 12-15 months in New York's drug court program, during which he'll make weekly court appearances, submit to drug testing and perform community service. The charges stem from a December arrest in which police claim he was found in possession of heroin and an anti-anxiety drug prescribed to someone else and was driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol. ... Heather Locklear's second rock marriage has officially ended. The actress' divorce from Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora was finalized Wednesday, according to an AP report. She filed for divorce from Sambora in February 2006 after 11 years of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences.

• Madonna
• Jennifer Lopez
• Lil Jon
• Dead Prez
• Godsmack

Madonna
Photo: Dave Hogan/ Getty Images

Lots of people go nuts over H&M clothes, but Madonna is enough of a fan to make her own. The singer has signed on to design a line of clothes and accessories called the M by Madonna women's wear collection for the Swedish fashion giant. H&M has provided Madonna, her band and dancers with offstage clothing for her recent tour, and the singer has been the face of the chain's advertising campaign this year. "I've made no secret of my love of fashion over the years," Madonna said in a statement on her Web site. "Working with Margareta [van den Bosch, the company's head of design] and H&M was an exciting and new creative challenge for me. I'm really happy with the results and look forward to wearing M by Madonna along with the rest of the world." The line will launch in March. ...

Bow Wow is acting as principal for a day at Schurr High School in Montebello, California, on Thursday (December 7). The rapper is planning to have breakfast with students, read announcements over the loudspeaker, visit some classrooms, give a pep talk to the school's football team, meet with students participating in the pageant, stop by the blood drive and give a live performance. ...

Expect to hear Snoop barking a new tune on the "Arthur and the Invisibles" soundtrack, hitting stores January 9. The rapper contributes "Go Girl," while Jewel chalks up her "Quest for Love" and Elijah chip in "It's a Beautiful Day." The rest of the soundtrack is rounded out by contributions from the London Symphonic Orchestra & the Metro Voices. ... December is shaping up to be a busy month for songwriter/producer Sean Garrett. The man behind Beyoncé's "Check on It" and Chris Brown's "Gimme That" will hit the studio with R. Kelly on Friday in Chicago and plans to work with the R&B artist through Monday. Then Garrett is off to Atlanta, where he'll collaborate with Whitney Houston from Tuesday through December 14. The producer will also reteam with Chris Brown in a New York studio from December 15-19. ...

Former Backstreet Boy Kevin Richardson is working on a new project: a baby. The singer/actor, who will next appear onstage in the Toronto production of "Chicago," told MTV News that he and his wife are planning to start a family soon. ... Aly & AJ are hard at work on their second album. "It's definitely still going to be Aly and I, it's just we've grown up and I think the music has grown up with us," AJ said. ... Sean Paul is also laying down new tracks: The dancehall star has been recording his next album in Jamaica since September. "I'll probably be finished by April next year, probably come out in June," he said. ... Clinic have set a January 23 Stateside release date for their fourth album, Visitations. The British band is touring North America beginning March 2 in Los Angeles and wrapping up March 12 in Toronto. ...

If you dug "My Block: The Bay," there's a new comp you should get dumb with: Hyphy Hits, due January 9. The 20-track collection calls on the Bay Area's hottest hip-hoppers to introduce hyphy, their own crunk-and-screw-like blend, to the masses. Expect to find E-40, Keak Da Sneak, Mistah F.A.B., Mac Dre and many others on the set. ... Singer/songwriter Jason Mraz has a digital-only release hitting JasonMraz.com on Tuesday. Selections for Friends was recorded in July during his Songs for Friends Tour and touches on new material, classics and more obscure tracks. "God Rests in Reason" includes spoken-word elements from Khalil Gibran, a reputed poet who has never appeared in a song before. ...

Godsmack frontman Sully Erna will release "The Paths We Choose," his personal memoir, on February 7. According to the book's Web site, the tome isn't just a tell-all about life as a touring frontman. "It's about his life growing up, and all the struggling, suffering and sinning along the way. It's about the good times, and the time he almost gave it all up. It's about the people he loves and the ones who betrayed him, the bands he lived for and the mistakes that seemed like good ideas at the time. But most of all, it's about his never-ending passion for music." ... Garbage will issue a greatest-hits collection titled Absolute Garbage on March 19. Look for the set to feature 17 tracks, including "Only Happy When It Rains," "Stupid Girl" and "Bleed Like Me." The band continues to be on indefinite hiatus. ...

Soon-to-be Fall Out Boy tourmates Permanent Me have aligned themselves with another big name: producer Matt Squire. The Panic! at the Disco and Cute Is What We Aim For collaborator helmed the New York newcomers' debut, After the Room Clears, which will drop January 23. Permanent Me are currently touring with Monty Are I, the Summer Obsession and the Outline. ... Bayside have completed work on their forthcoming album, The Walking Wounded. No official release date has been cemented yet, but the LP is expected to surface in February. ... Puddle of Mudd also recently wrapped recording a new album: their yet-untitled third effort, which is slated for release in the spring. The band expects to tour heavily in 2007 to support the LP. ...

New York hardcore legends Sick of It All are the subject of the upcoming tribute album Our Impact Will Be Felt, which will hit stores February 3 and feature contributions from Sepultura, Bouncing Souls, Bleeding Through, Rise Against and others. To celebrate the release, Sick of It All will hit the road later this month with Hatebreed for a brief five-gig stint that kicks off in Washington, D.C., on December 26 and runs through December 30 in New Haven, Connecticut. The band will also open for AFI for four shows next year: February 5 in New Orleans; February 9 in Columbus, Ohio; February 11 in Cincinnati; and February 15 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. ... Finger Eleven will follow up their 2003 self-titled effort — which went gold — with Them vs. You, due March 20. The album is said to blend rock with country and funk elements.

12.06.2006

Gwen Stefani wants to be a part of what you listen to and what you look like, and now she's stepping into the world of scent. "Creating a fragrance is one of the most prestigious things a designer can do," the singer said in a press release announcing her L.A.M.B. brand's entry into the fragrance field. "For me it's another thing you can wear and another thing I can creatively be a part of." Stefani will team up with Coty Inc. for the scent, which will debut in fall 2007. ...

The Good Charlotte documentary "Fast Future Generation" will be released December 26 on DVD. The film, which premiered in January at the Sundance Film Festival, follows the band on tour in Japan. ... Christina Aguilera has signed on to perform live in Times Square for "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve 2007," airing on ABC. Clark and Ryan Seacrest are co-hosting. ...

Katharine McPhee shows her sexy side on the cover of Shape, wearing a red cleavage-baring bathing suit that exposes her midriff. The "Idol" runner-up also talks about battling an eating disorder and developing a new workout regimen in the cover story — her first one. "At the time of the 'American Idol' tryouts [August 2005], I was out of control, binging and sometimes purging up to seven times a day," she said. The singer checked herself into Los Angeles' Eating Disorder Center of California, where she was encouraged to eat apples with peanut butter and Snickers bars every day. "I had to eat them every day to get over the excitement," she said. "Now I rarely crave them." The Shape issue hits stands this week, while McPhee's debut album — which she's still working on — is due January 30. ...

Plotting Ashlee Simpson's next musical move is going to be "very tricky," producer/ Geffen Records chairman Ron Fair told MTV News. "She is a really great singer, and I think she proved that on her last record," he said. "She's in a very tight spot. She's got an extremely famous sister. Everything they do is magnified by the press. ... It's very hard to do anything if you're under that kind of scrutiny." But don't count the younger Simpson — who Fair called "a real star" — out just yet. "Our company is going to work with her and we're going to figure out how to overcome those prejudices ... because she deserves to be heard and she deserves a shot." ...

Nelly Furtado will perform a private all-ages concert Friday in Los Angeles. Want in? Take a photo of yourself with a copy of Furtado's Loose and e-mail the pic to loosenup@geffen.com along with your name, age and location. Winners will be selected at random throughout the week. And if you're willing to pay your way in — for charity — a two-ticket package featuring meet-and-greet passes and an autographed copy of Loose is up for bid Wednesday (December 6) at Universal Music's eBay store. Proceeds benefit the Land Conservancy of British Columbia. ... Tuesday was a busy breakup day in the world of Hollywood couples. People reported that Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn are calling it quits after more than a year together. The magazine also announced the end of "O.C." stars Adam Brody and Rachel Bilson's offscreen romance. ...

You don't have to win "America's Next Top Model" to rep for Cover Girl. Rihanna has joined Queen Latifah and Molly Sims as one of the faces of the makeup line. The singer, whose mother was once a makeup artist, will shoot her first ad this month. The campaign will launch in the summer. ... Aimee Mann commenced her Christmas Variety Show in San Francisco Tuesday night. The tour — which also features Grant-Lee Phillips, comedian Paul F. Tompkins ("Best Week Ever," "Mr. Show") and "SNL" castmember Fred Armisen on select dates — winds down December 20 in Alexandria, Virginia. ...

Thursday, Fear Before the March of Flames, Murder by Death and Heavy Heavy Low Low will hit the road together next month for a 15-date East Coast run. The tour gets underway in Hartford, Connecticut, on January 18, with dates scheduled through February 3 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. ... Taking Back Sunday will head out with Underoath and Armor for Sleep on a 38-date North American tour that kicks off February 22 in State College, Pennsylvania. The trek is scheduled to run through April 7, but the location of the final show has yet to be determined. ...

Frontman Ben Perri has left Long Island, New York, hardcore outfit From Autumn to Ashes, forcing drummer Francis Mark to take over that role. According to a Mark-penned post on the band's MySpace, Perri seemed to lose interest in the group during the recording of 2005's "appropriately titled" GGGarth Richardson-produced Abandon Your Friends. Mark says Perri didn't write any lyrics for the effort after assuring the rest of the band that he would, was a no-show at practice and ditched FATA before they took off to play Baltimore. "In the middle of recording the best album of our career, and just two weeks before our tour of Australia, Ben quite literally abandoned his friends," the post read. ...

Dog Fashion Disco are calling it quits and have booked a farewell show for January 13 in Baltimore. "It was a hard decision to make," the band said in a statement, "but after 10 years of constant dedication and touring, it is time to pursue other interests." Frontman Todd Smith added, "I always told myself if it stopped being worth the effort, I would gracefully bow out and that's exactly what I'm doing. I'm not going to get into details exactly why everything is ending because it really doesn't matter." ...

MySpace announced Tuesday that it is partnering with Sentinel Tech Holding Corporation to deploy a database with the names and descriptions of convicted U.S. sex offenders within the next 30 days. The move, which comes in response to repeated reports about solicitations from predators on the social-networking site, is an attempt to block sex offenders from the site by using an automated system to search for matches between the database and MySpace user profiles and delete those profiles. The database will be updated every month and include details such as names, age, hair color, height, scars and tattoos.

• Madonna
• Bow Wow
• Snoop Dogg
• R. Kelly
• Aly & AJ

Godsmack's Sully Erna
Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

It's been little more than a month since the release of Godsmack's latest studio outing, and it's going to be another three months before the New England hard rock collective's American fans get a chance to experience this new material in a live setting.

While most rockers chase the release of a record with a healthy dose of U.S. touring, the Sully Erna-led outfit didn't — and won't in the coming weeks. But before fall begins, Godsmack will, at long last, hit the road for a 25-date U.S. trek that's set to launch August 25 in Dallas — and they'll be bringing rocker/horror king/road warrior Rob Zombie along for the ride.

Godsmack — whose fourth LP, IV, debuted atop Billboard's album sales chart early last month (see "Godsmack Finishing Up 'Killer' Fourth LP, Working On Football Theme") — have forged an alliance with Zombie, and the two acts will be traveling the nation for a two-month stretch. The tour's finale is set for October 1 in Concord, California. Tickets for the entire tour go on sale Saturday through Ticketmaster.

Drummer Shannon Larkin said this fall tour is Godsmack's way of thanking its fans for being so loyal — and generous with their dough.

"Debuting at #1 was a testament to our fanbase," he said. "They ran out and bought the album the first week and made us #1, which, you know, we will give back to them this fall when we come back on tour. We'll give back to crowd for going out and buying our record and making us #1. We're bringing the biggest show we've ever brought to America, and we're going to be bringing Rob Zombie out with us. So, it's going to be an amazing thing. Hopefully, we can return the love to our rabid fanbase, and so we have to bring a great show to these people."

In a statement, Erna said that the band's "fans should expect the biggest Godsmack spectacle yet. This tour will be a virtual, visual, and aural circus. Expect the unexpected when we hit your town." According to a press release, Zombie will be setting the stage during each stop on the tour, turning the venue "into a funhouse of mystery and madness as creatures walk the stage of pyrotechnics, smoke, and mirrors. This is a no-holds barred show so hold on for the ride."

Larkin said Godsmack will spend much of this summer concocting a worthy set list, one that'll satisfy the fans who've been with them since the beginning as well as those who've just discovered the 'Smack.

"With the band having — what, 13 top 10 rock hits? — we want to play all the hits, of course, but you don't want it to be just all radio songs," Larkin said. "You want to put some deep cuts on there, and you want to get some songs from the new record that we're so attached to and love so much, because it's fresh and new to us" — like the first single, "Speak" (see "Godsmack Burn Rubber In Rock-And-Roll-Style 'Bling Video' "), and the forthcoming second single, "Shine Down." "It's hard to cram all this stuff into one set, so we're being very meticulous about picking our set list," Larkin explained. "We don't want to be that band that plays too long either, and we're thinking of maybe having multiple set lists. There are a good 10 songs we have to play every night — "Voodoo," the staples of the set."

The drummer said that Godsmack jumped at the chance to tour this fall with Zombie: "As soon as it was Rob Zombie, we were sold, because he's not only an icon in rock but I'm such a huge fan of horror movies, and his films are just amazing."

This summer, in addition to working on his numerous film projects (see "Rob Zombie Resurrecting Michael Myers For New 'Halloween,' "), Zombie will be heading out with thrash metal icons Anthrax for the "American Witch" tour (see "Rob Zombie Teaming With Anthrax For North American 'Witch' Hunt"), which kicks off June 30 in El Paso, Texas, with dates running through August 4 in Salem, Oregon. Zombie — whose Educated Horses debuted at #5 on Billboard's chart in April — will be accompanied by a backing band featuring former Marilyn Manson guitarist John 5, bassist Matt "Piggy D" Montgomery, and drummer Tommy Clufetos.

Godsmack/ Rob Zombie tour dates, according to Godsmack's publicist:

• 8/25 - Dallas, TX @ Smirnoff Music Center
• 8/26 - Selma, TX @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
• 8/27 - Houston, TX @ C.W. Mitchell Pavilion
• 8/30 - Atlanta, GA @ HiFi Buys Amphitheatre
• 8/31 - Charlotte, NC @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
• 9/2 - Bristow, VA @ Nissan Pavilion
• 9/3 - Camden, NJ @ Tweeter Center at the Waterfront
• 9/4 - Darien Center, NY @ Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
• 9/7 - Mansfield, MA @ Tweeter Center
• 9/8 - Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center
• 9/9 - Wantagh, NY @ Nikon at Jones Beach Theater
• 9/12 - Milwaukee, WI @ Marcus Amphitheatre
• 9/13 - Clarkston, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theater
• 9/15 - Noblesville, IN @ Verizon Wireless Music Center
• 9/16 - Tinley Park, IL @ First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
• 9/17 - Maryland Heights, MO @ UMB Bank Pavilion
• 9/19 - Kansas City, MO @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
• 9/20 - Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks
• 9/22 - Las Vegas, NV @ Theatre Under The Stars at Hard Rock
• 9/23 - Phoenix, AZ @ Cricket Pavilion
• 9/24 - Albuquerque, NM @ Journal Pavilion
• 9/27 - Auburn, WA @ White River Amphitheatre
• 9/29 - Marysville, CA @ Sleep Train Amphitheatre
• 9/30 - Irvine, CA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
• 10/1 - Concord, CA @ Sleep Train Pavilion

• Godsmack
• Rob Zombie

Godsmack
Photo: Universal

The three men known collectively as Rascal Flatts weren't able to pull off four weeks at the top of the Billboard albums chart. Instead, the trio took a pounding from IV, the fourth serving of dude-rock cooked up by Massachusetts' own Godsmack.

The Sully Erna-led rockers weren't the only ones to help derail the Flatts' three-week express run. Four other new releases managed to crack the top five, jolting Rascal's Me & My Gang to the #6 slot. The Flatts album sold 111,000 copies last week, bringing its four-week sales total to over 1.3 million.

According to SoundScan figures released Wednesday (May 3), Godsmack's IV — one of six LPs that will debut in the top 10 on the new chart — sold 211,000 copies during its first week to open at #1. The album is the second of the band's career to debut on top, as 2003's Faceless claimed a first-place win with 267,000 scans. Awake, Godsmack's 2000 release, bowed at #5 with 256,000 copies sold, making IV the band's third-best debut performer.

Louder Now, the latest offering from Long Island, New York, melodic hardcore outfit Taking Back Sunday, falls in at #2 after netting first-week sales of close to 158,000. Although it is TBS' highest-charting debut, Louder Now was outsold by 2004's Where You Want to Be, which opened at #3 with 164,000 scans.

Bruce Springsteen's latest offering, the folk album We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions, follows at #3 with sales topping 149,000. The Boss' 2005 album, Devils & Dust, debuted at #1 with more than 222,000 sales. Chicago R&B crooner Avant's Director, another new release, pops up at #4 with 123,000 scans, followed at #5 by Barbados-born R&B singer Rihanna's A Girl Like Me, which netted week-one sales of 115,000.

The soundtrack to the Disney Channel original movie "High School Musical" follows the Flatts, sliding four spots to #7 with 106,000 sales. The 21st addition to the Now That's What I Call Music! franchise — featuring hit singles from Mariah Carey, Black Eyed Peas, Kelly Clarkson and Fall Out Boy — follows at #8, with 98,000 copies sold. The #9 slot belongs to the Goo Goo Dolls' Let Love In, the band's first album in four years, which racked up sales nearing 83,000.

Rounding out the top 10 — and proving once again that "American Idol" isn't only beneficial to the show's contestants, but also helps out the program's coaches — is Andrea Bocelli's Amore, which climbs 15 spots to #10 with 74,000 scans. Sales of the disc experienced a 208-percent boost following Bocelli's appearance on last week's "Idol."

Next week's albums chart is crammed with fresh faces, with 14 new releases cracking the top 200. Coming in at #13 is gospel group MercyMe's Coming Up to Breathe, which generated more than 58,000 scans its first week out. All the Road Running, the collaborative release from Dire Straits' Mark Knopfler and country icon Emmylou Harris — which took seven years to craft — follows at #17 with 47,000 copies sold.

The Streets' The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living opens in the #68 spot with 13,000 scans, while R&B singer/songwriter Amel Larrieux's Morning checks in at #74 with nearly 12,000 in sales. Lewis Black's latest comedy album, The Carnegie Hall Performance, opens at #144 with 6,000-plus scans. The Secret Machines' Ten Silver Drops surfaces in the #159 spot with close to 6,000 copies sold, and DJ Tiësto's In Search of Sunrise 5: Los Angeles bows at #164 with sales topping 5,000.

• Godsmack
• Taking Back Sunday
• Rihanna
• Bruce Springsteen
• Avant

Rihanna's <i>A Girl Like Me</i>
Photo: Def Jam

Wasting No Time: It's only been eight months since Def Jam princess Rihanna stepped out with her Music of the Sun debut, but that's not keeping the singer from already pumping out her second record. Look for "Break It Off," a duet with Sean Paul, and "Dem Haters" (featuring Dwayne Husbands) — or, if you're in a collectible mood, check out the import-edition bonuses "Coulda Been the One" and "Who Ya Gonna Run To" (Japan), the original versions of "If It's Lovin' That You Want" and "Pon De Replay" (U.K.), and the "Full Phatt Remix" of "Pon De Replay."

Taking Back Take Over: Despite having sold more than 1.4 million copies of their two indie-label releases, Taking Back Sunday are hoping for even bigger numbers with their Warner Bros. debut, Louder Now. The punk band's "Liar (It Takes One to Know One)" is a lot darker than what fans are used to, while singer Adam Lazzara has called "What It Feel Like to Be a Ghost" a song about "a pre- pre-midlife crisis."

Folked Up: Everyone knows Bruce Springsteen is one boss rocker, but he's spending his 21st record sowing his folk roots on We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions, featuring 13 traditional tracks affiliated with acoustic legend Pete Seeger. The E Street Band are nowhere to be found on songs like "Oh, Mary, Don't You Weep" and "Froggie Went A-Courtin'," but Bruce introduces his new set of players in the half-hour's worth of video content on the flipside. The DualDisc version also has a special booklet with notes from the big guy, plus the bonus tracks "Buffalo Gals" and "How Can I Keep From Singing."

Oh God: For his band's fourth studio effort, Godsmack singer Sully Erna holed up in his Spiral Recordings Studio in Los Angeles — not Boston, where they're from — to sit at the decks and twiddle the knobs for the first time. The dudes sifted through 40 songs and settled on 11, including the first single, "Speak"; "Livin' in Sin"; and "Voodoo Too," a quasi-sequel to the 1998 tune "Voodoo." Wicca awesome.

Streets Hits the Pavement: The Streets is the latest artist to stream his entire album, Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living, for free on MySpace prior to its store release, and he's gone a step further by throwing some new videos on there too. Mike Skinner comes clean about everything from speeding around Vegas in a Ferrari without a license to sleeping with an unnamed female pop star on songs like "Pranging Out," "Never Went to Church" and "Fake Streets Hats."

California Civil War: If L.A. and San Fran ever wanted to duke it out musically, this'd be the week. From the Southland comes the Vacation's self-titled American Recordings debut, originally titled Band From World War Zero and released in the U.K. last year but now spruced up by Rick Rubin; "Betty Blowtorch and Her Amazing True Life Adventures," an expanded edition of the DVD chronicling the ill-fated potty-mouths; and the 13-song The Stories Are True digipak by street punks Time Again, who tread the path blazed by Rancid and TSOL.

From the Bay is Pick a Bigger Weapon, the latest batch of controversial tunes by leftist hip-hoppers the Coup that includes "Babyletshaveababybeforebushdosomethingcrazy" and "My Favorite Mutiny" and features guest spots by Audioslave guitarist Tom Morello, Talib Kweli and Jello Biafra; pure-pop collective Push to Talk's colorful eponymous first release; the self-explanatory Bay Area Funk 2: Funk and Soul Essentials From San Francisco, Oakland, and the Bay Area, featuring Project Soul, Mary Love and Soft Touch; the dronish Conference of the Birds by meditative metallers Om; and the Invaders compilation, which features sludge-meisters High on Fire. The North wins this civil war too.

Fighting for a Cause: A handful of comps try to bring attention to important topics this week, beginning with Voices From the Frontline, a 24-track journal of spoken-word confessions and songs by U.S. troops stationed in Iraq. The frank recordings include love letters back home, existential musings and harrowing near-death experiences with improvised explosive devices. Part of the proceeds go to Operation AC, a nonprofit group that provides soldiers with noncombat supplies.

The two-disc audio-and-video set "Red, Hot + Blue: A Tribute to Cole Porter" doubles, oddly enough, as both a salute to the eminent American composer and a benefit for AIDS research and relief. U2, Tom Waits, Sinéad O'Connor and the Neville Brothers redo classic compositions on the CD — which originally came out as a standalone set — while directors Jonathan Demme, Wim Wenders and Jim Jarmusch contribute clips that address the impact of AIDS on the DVD, also featuring interviews with Richard Gere and John Malkovich. All proceeds from the set go to the Red Hot Organization.

Last but not least is Unexpected Dreams - Songs From the Stars — no, not Dreamz — a 14-track set that gives actors Scarlett Johansson, Jennifer Garner, Teri Hatcher and Ewan McGregor an excuse to belt out a few choice numbers with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. John Stamos singing "Goodnight My Angel" should be reason enough to nab this gem, which supports the Philharmonics' educational arm, Music Matters.

Meet the Metalheads: There's a deluge of heavier-than-thou debuts this week, including threatening Sacramento, California, metalheads Abominable Iron Sloth's nine-track self-titled LP; doom-lovin' Black Cobra's Bestial; Austin, Texas, heavy rockers Cardinale's 31:13; and German classic-metal mavens Motorjesus' Deathrider. Enjoy.

Song Title of the Week:

"The Song We Used to Call 'Wasting Time' " from the Riverboat Gamblers' To the Confusion of Our Enemies

Other Notables:

The Secret Machines' Ten Silver Drops: The New York psych-otics nod to avant-gardists Kraftwerk and La Dusseldorf on their second outing, which consists of eight songs revolving around isolation that were mixed by Alan Moulder (Nine Inch Nails, Yeah Yeah Yeahs). The eight-minute "Daddy's in the Doldrums" highlights the set of effects-heavy tunes, which also features the slightly more upbeat "Lightning Blue Eyes" and "I Hate Pretending."

Amel Larrieux's Morning: Larrieux hails from L.A., but her third opus melds straight-up R&B and soul with Middle Eastern and West African sounds. The Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter and Groove Theory member spends the title track ruminating on insomnia, uses innovative sound delays on "Mountain of When," and devotes the last track, "Weary," to hardworking bachelors everywhere.

... And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead's Live Slew: The exhaustively named Austin, Texas, post-rockers have an even more exhaustive heap of limited-edition live discs this week, including 12 individualized 2005 gigs from their hometown, Detroit, San Francisco and Boston. Call it pulling a Pearl Jam.

New Releases:

• 10 City Run - Somethin' Else (Universal South)
• Abominable Iron Sloth - Abominable Iron Sloth (Goodfellow)
• ... And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead - Axis Nightclub - Boston, MA 4/12/05, 'Canes - San Diego, CA 5/28/05, Canopy Club - Urbana, IL 4/21/05, Emo's - Austin, TX 4/30/05, Fillmore - San Francisco, CA 5/25/05, First Ave - Minnesota, MN 4/25/05, Granada Theater - Lawrence, KS 4/27/05, Gypsy Tea Room - Dallas, TX 4/29/05, Irving Plaza - New York NY, 4/10/05, Majestic Theater - Detroit, MI 4/20/05, Metro Smart Bar - Chicago IL 4/22/05, Sokol Auditorium - Omaha NE 4/26/05 (limited-edition sets; Instant Live)
• Natacha Atlas - Mish Maoul (Beggars)
• Avant - Director (Geffen)
  Buy Now: Director (Geffen)
• Bob Belden - "Three Days of Rain" soundtrack (Sunny Side)
• Tab Benoit - Brother to the Blues (Telarc)
• Black Cobra - Bestial (At a Loss)
• Blanco Diablo - Paper Poison Revolution (Rock Ridge)
• The Cardinal Sin - Hurry Up and Wait (Grey Flight)
• Cardinale - 31:13 (Arclight)
• Chas Mtn - Hugs (Western Vinyl)
• Christ.O - Vanden Plas (Inside Out)
• Clan of Xymox - Breaking Point (Metropolis)
• The Coup - Pick a Bigger Weapon (Epitaph)
• The Drips - The Drips (White Drugs)
• Eleventh Dream Day - Zeroes and Ones (Thrill Jockey)
• Elf Power - Back to the Web (Rykodisc)
  Buy Now: Back to the Web (Rykodisc)
• Fermata - Vessel (EP; Dough Main)
• The Fever - In the City of Sleep (Kemado)
  Buy Now: In the City of Sleep (Kemado)
• Filastine - Burn It (Soot)
• Freeheat - Back on the Water (Planting Seeds)
• Godsmack - IV (Republic)
  Read: "Godsmack Finishing Up 'Killer' Fourth LP, Working On Football Theme"
  Buy Now: IV (Republic)
• The Golden Gods - ... The Thorny Crown of Rock and Roll (Control Group)
• Goo Goo Dolls - Let Love In (Warner Bros.)
  Buy Now: Let Love In (Warner Bros.)
• Eddy Grant - Reparation (Ice)
• Groove Collective - People People Music Music (digipak; Savoy Jazz)
• Günther - Pleasureman (digipak; Rhino)
• Danielle Howle - Thank You Mark (Valley)
• Jehro - Jehro (Recall)
• Jeff Healey & the Jazz Wizards - It's Tight Like That (Stony Plain)
• Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris - All the Roadrunning (Warner Bros.)
• Gregg Kowalsky - Through the Cardial Window (Kranky)
• Amel Larrieux - Morning (Bliss Life)
  Buy Now: Morning (Bliss Life)
• The Late Cord - Lights From The Wheelhouse (EP; 4AD)
• Cheikh Lô - Lamp Fall (Nonesuch)
• Michy Mano - Cool Side of the Pillow (Enja Justin Time)
• Rose Melberg - Cast Away the Clouds (Double Agent)
• MercyMe - Coming Up to Breathe (Columbia)
• Paolo Mojo - Balance 009 (two CDs; EQ)
• Moonspell - Memorial (special edition; Steamhammer/ SPV)
• Motorjesus - Deathrider (Locomotive)
• Nobody & Mystic Chords of Memory - Tree Colored See (Mush)
• The Obsessed - Lunar Womb (Meteor City)
• Om - Conference of The Birds (Holy Mountain)
• One Bad Son - This Aggression Will Not Stand (Versailles)
• OSI - Free (Inside Out)
• Push to Talk - Push to Talk (Doghouse)
• RadioVipers - The Morning Sunburst (Versailles)
• The Rakes - Capture/ Release (V2)
• Rihanna - A Girl Like Me (Def Jam)
  Read: "Rihanna Getting In Touch With Her Rock Side For Next LP"
  Buy Now: A Girl Like Me (Def Jam)
• Rin' - Inland Sea (Domo)
• Riverboat Gamblers - To the Confusion of Our Enemies (Volcom)
• Rachael Sage - The Blistering Sun ... (Mpress)
• The Secret Machines - Ten Silver Drops (Reprise)
• Shooting at Unarmed Men - Yes Tinnitus (Too Pure/ Beggars)
• Silent Civilian - Rebirth of the Temple (Mediaskare)
• Bruce Springsteen - We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions (DualDisc also available; Columbia)
  Buy Now: We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions (Columbia)
• Starlight Mints - Drowaton (digipak; Barsuk)
  Buy Now: Drowaton (Barsuk)
• Stars and Stripes - One Man Army (I Scream)
• The Streets - Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living (Vice)
  Buy Now: Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living (Vice)
• Jimmy Sturr - Greatest Hits of Polka (Rounder Select)
• Survivor - Reach (Frontiers)
• Taking Back Sunday - Louder Now (Warner Bros.)
  Read: "Taking Back Sunday Say Debuting At #800 Wouldn't Bother Them"
  Buy Now: Louder Now (warner Bros.)
• Michael Talbott & the Wolfkings - Freeze-Die-Come to Life (Antenna Farm)
• The Terms - Small Town Computer Crash (Maple Jam)
• Irma Thomas - After the Rain (Rounder)
• Time Again - The Stories Are True (digipak; Hellcat)
• Nestor Torres - Dances, Prayers & Meditations for Peace (Heads Up)
• The Vacation - The Vacation (American/ Warner Bros.)
  Read: "Meet The Vacation: A Band Not Afraid To Bleed For Rock"
• Tom Verlaine - Around and Songs and Other Things (Thrill Jockey)
• Violet Nine - Any Wonder (PKG Entertainment)
• Voices & Organs - Orphanage (Western Vinyl)
• The Waybacks - From the Pasture to the Future (Compass)
• Various artists - Bay Area Funk 2: Funk and Soul Essentials From San Francisco, Oakland, and the Bay Area (Luv N'Haight)
• Various artists - Invaders (Kemado)
• Various artists - It's So Easy: A Millennium Tribute to Guns N' Roses (Versailles)
• Various artists - The Projekt Almost Free CD (digipak; Projekt)
• Various Artists -- Unexpected Dreams - Songs From the Stars (Rhino)
• Various artists - Voices From the Frontline (Crosscheck)
• Various artists - "Halo 2 Original Soundtrack: Volume 2" (Sumthing Else)

Notable Reissues and Archival Material:

• Agoraphobic Nosebleed - PCP Tornado (three-inch CD with second CD; Hydra Head)
• Rance Allen - Stax Profiles (Stax)
• Ass Ponys - Okra Years (two CDs; Shake It)
• Booker T & The MG's - Stax Profiles (Stax)
• Cinderella - Gold (Mercury/ Universal)
• The Cowsills - Painting the Day: The Angelic Psychedelia of the Cowsills (Él)
• Marianne Faithfull - Fuel Presents an Introduction to Marianne Faithfull (Fuel)
• Feist - Open Season: Remixes and Collabs (Arts & Crafts)
• Eddie Floyd - Stax Profiles (Stax)
• Helloween - Chameleon (two CDs with seven bonus tracks), Pink Bubbles Go Ape (with four bonus tracks) and Walls of Jericho (two-CD reissue with Helloween EP and bonus track) (Sanctuary Classics)
• k.d. lang - Reintarnation (digipak; Rhino)
• Howard Keel - Fuel Presents an Introduction to Howard Keel (Fuel)
• Doug Kershaw - Fuel Presents an Introduction to Doug Kershaw (Fuel)
• Albert King - Stax Profiles (Stax)
• Little Milton - Stax Profiles (Stax)
• Mama's Boys - Power & Passion (Gott Discs)
• Otis Redding - Stax Profiles (Stax)
• Frankie Ruiz - Gold (two CDs; Universal Latino)
• Rush - Gold (Mercury/ Universal)
• Scorpions - Gold (two CDs; Hip-O)
• Solas - Reunion: A Decade of Solas (with DVD; Compass)
• Johnnie Taylor - Stax Profiles (Stax)
• Ten Tenors -- Tenology (Rhino)
• Carla Thomas - Stax Profiles (Stax)
• Rufus Thomas - Stax Profiles (Stax)
• Various artists - Classic African-American Ballads From Smithsonian Folkways (Smithsonian Folkways)
• Various artists - Disco Remixed 2 (Empire Musicwerks)
• Various artists - Hip-Hop Gold (Hip-O)
• Various artists - Jazz Vocalists: Hear & Now (Concord)
• Various artists - Moments to Remember: The Golden Hits of the '50s and '60s (three CDs; Shout! Factory)
• Various artists - That's Entertainment! The Ultimate Anthology of MGM Musicals (six CDs; Rhino)

Music DVDs:

• After the Fire - "Live at Greenbelt" (Music Video Distributors)
• Bernard Allison - "Energized - Live in Europe" (Music Video Distributors)
• Anti-Flag - "Death of a Nation" (Music Video Distributors)
• Arena - "Smoke & Mirrors" (Music Video Distributors)
• The Beatles - "Liverpool" (two DVDs; Arts Magic)
• Betty Blowtorch - "Betty Blowtorch and Her Amazing True Life Adventures" (Cinema Libre)
• Cam'ron - "Killa Season" (Asylum/ Rap-a-Lot)
• Candido - "Hands of Fire" (Music Video Distributors)
• Captain Beefheart - "Under Review" (Sexy Intellectual)
• Mariah Carey - "Unauthorized: Definition of a Diva" (Music Video Distributors)
• Rosemary Clooney - "Great Women Singers of the 20th Century" (Kultur)
• DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist - "Freeze" (Freeze)
• D.O.A. - "Positively D.O.A.: Live" (Cherry Red)
• Exodus - "A Ray of Sunshine" (Music Video Distributors)
• Gun Club - "Live at the Hacienda" (Cherry Red)
• Head Cat - "Rockin the Cat Club: Live From the Sunset Strip" (Cleopatra)
• Joe Pro - "Still Crunk" (Joe Pro)
• Landmarq - "Turbulence: Live in Poland" (Music Video Distributors)
• Likehell - "The Unbelievably True and Amazingly Accurate Story Behind Rock's Most Legendary Supergroup" (S.O.S. Productions)
• Metallica - "Kill Em All to St. Anger: The Ultimate Critical Review" (Classic Rock Legends)
• Nico - "All Tomorrow's Parties: Nico Live" (Cherry Red)
• Joel Plaskett Emergency - "Make a Little Noise" (Maple)
• Refused - "Refused Are F---ing Dead" (Epitaph)
• Steel Pulse - "Introspective" (United States Distributors)
• Turbo - "The History: 1980-2005" (Music Video Distributors)
• The Velvet Underground - "Under Review" (Sexy Intellectual)
• Various artists - "Black History Part 1" and "Part 2" (Music Video Distributors)
• Various artists - "Cornbread Presents Street Heat, Volume 17: Got Drank? Hosted by Bun B" (Cornbread)
• Various artists - "Dancehall Boom Dynamite" (Iriedvd.com)
• Various artists - "Groupies: The Movie" (Cleopatra)
• Various artists - "Heartbeat Video Culture Splash" (Heartbeat)
• Various artists - "Island Explosion '06 Part 1" and "Part 2" (Music Video Distributors)
• Various artists - "King of Kings: Unite the People" (Music Video Distributors)
• Various artists - "Metal's Dark Side, Volume 1: The Hard and the Furious" (Music Video Distributors)
• Various artists - "Original Dancehall Jam Jam Part 1," "Part 2" and "Part 3" (Music Video Distributors)
• Various artists - "Punk Icons: The Ultimate Collection" (Classic Rock Legends)
• Various artists - "Red, Hot + Blue: A Tribute to Cole Porter" (with CD; Shout! Factory)
• Various artists - "Street Dogg 2: The Adventure Continues" (Music Video Distributors)
• Various artists - "Unity Splash Part One" and "Part Two" (Music Video Distributors)
• Various artists - "West Kingston Jamboree Part 1" and "Part 2" (Music Video Distributors)

Coming Attractions:
May 2:

• Mobb Deep - Blood Money (Interscope)
  Read: "Mobb Deep, 50 Cent Get Tattoos To Prove Their Loyalty"
  Buy Now: Blood Money (Interscope)
• Pearl Jam - Pearl Jam (J)
  Read: "Pearl Jam, Post-'Therapy': 'The Sex Is Better Than Ever!' "
• Thursday - A City by the Light Divided (Island)
  Read: "Thursday Frontman Says He Doesn't Want To Exploit My Chemical Romance, But ..."
  Buy Now: A City by the Light Divided (Island)
• Tool - 10,000 Days (Volcano)

Buy Now: 10,000 Days (Volcano)

May 9:

• The Isley Brothers - Baby Makin' Music (Island)
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium (two CDs; limited edition with DVD also available; Warner Bros.)
  Read: "Chili Peppers Stoked About New Album, Possible Kanye Tour"
  Buy Now: Stadium Arcadium (Warner Bros.)
• Snow Patrol - Eyes Open (A&M)
  Read: "Snow Patrol Turn 'Candy-Assed' Music Into Beastly Arena Rock"
  Buy Now: Eyes Open (A&M)

May 16:

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

• Rihanna
• Taking Back Sunday
• Godsmack
• Bruce Springsteen
• Secret Machines

Godsmack's Sully Erna and Shannon Larkin
Photo: MTV News

Godsmack frontman Sully Erna wanted to keep things simple when it came to the video for "Speak," the first single from IV, due April 25.

No bank-breaking special-effects wizardry — not even a single explosion. He didn't want the clip to correlate in any way with the song's lyrics. He just wanted it to "emphasize power, because we feel it's a powerful song," he said.

The end result, according to Erna, is "basically the white, rock and roll version of the 'bling' video," but instead of using Escalades and pimped-out Mercedes Benzes, "we brought in some awesome muscle cars and a bunch of my buddies from New England that do these amazing stunts on motorcycles, and it just became about fast cars, hot rods, burnouts, wheelies and rock and roll."

The video, which was shot March 7 off the Las Vegas Strip, features babes, tricked-out vehicles and close-up shots of scorching roads.

"We hung out for the day," Erna said. "Nothing was choreographed. It was really cool. We just got to light up the tires all day long. And as a band, the first half of the day, we got to hang around and watch these people go off on these killer machines and do the most insane stunts we've ever seen live."

At this point, Godsmack are still up in the air about what track they'd like to release as the second single. But as for their next video, they've got a few ideas involving actor Chazz Palminteri, who happens to be one of Erna's poker buddies.

"I have become pretty close with Chazz, and he loves the band and he really wants to direct a video. It's the one thing he hasn't gotten under his belt," the singer said. "We're going to wait for something really special [with the second video] and do something special together. Hopefully, he'll ... make it look like a 'Goodfellas' video or something. The guy directs major feature films. I trust him."

In the meantime, the Godsmack dudes have two albums they're preparing to release: IV and the debut disc from Another Animal, a side project featuring drummer Shannon Larkin, bassist Robbie Merrill and guitarist Tony Rambola, which should surface before summer's end. The disc will borrow from the 20-some surplus tracks Godsmack members wrote for IV that didn't make the final cut.

"We hooked up with [Dropbox guitarist] Lee Richards and [Ugly Kid Joe's] Whit Crane, and while not all of the material is leftover Godsmack material, a lot of it was," Larkin said. "A lot of it was real metal. We're more a hard-rock band, Godsmack. So a lot of those riffs we threw to the side. Working as a side project on these songs is nice, because you don't have the pressure of being in this multiplatinum thing, where everybody's really looking at you and there is anticipation. With Another Animal, we can just go in and be musicians."

American Godsmack fans will have to wait until the fall to catch the band live. Larkin said the group's lined up several gigs in South America, Australia, Japan, Canada and Mexico this summer but will be back in the U.S. in September to "burn your frickin' face off, man."

The band did entertain an offer from the Ozzfest camp but decided to pass. There's no word yet on who'll be opening for the 'Smack, but Erna said they're considering a number of different bands. "If this album is half as special as we think it's gonna be, we're gonna come in September with a really big, bad-ass rock show," he said. Look for tickets to go on sale in July.

The new album was written during a rough period in Erna's life. Within the last year, he's given up drinking and smoking, endured relationship woes, and waged a legal battle against "contractors that screwed me over" on work that he had done to his house.

"There were a lot of things that were desensitizing me, making me numb," he said. "I was going through a lot of really hard problems." Meanwhile, the rest of the band "was off writing, and I was kind of off doing my own thing. I'd come in every once in a while with this little black cloud around me, and these guys did a pretty good job trying to keep my spirits up. But I was just not in the headspace. I couldn't write."

In time, Erna pulled himself out of the funk, and that's when the "floodgates opened."

Several of the tracks, Larkin said, are epic, atmospheric and bluesy. Other tracks are signature Godsmack. The song "Hollow" is an all-acoustic number with mandolins and a duet between Erna and singer Lisa Guyer. "It's like a modern version of [Led Zeppelin's] 'Battle of Evermore,' " Sully said.

Track list for Godsmack's IV, according to the band's Web site:

• "Livin' in Sin"
• "Speak"
• "The Enemy"
• "Shine Down"
• "Hollow"
• "No Rest for the Wicked"
• "Bleeding Me"
• "Voodoo Too"
• "Temptation"
• "Mama"
• "One Rainy Day"

• Godsmack

Godsmack's Sully Erna
Photo: Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images

Sully Erna isn't going to miss 2005 at all: The Godsmack frontman characterized the year as "the worst of my life." Along with a whole host of relationship woes, Erna quit drinking, put the cigarettes down and exorcised several "negative" individuals and influences from his life.

However, it was also a seriously productive year for him and his band. "The results are so amazing," he said of the album Godsmack plan to release in late April. Although Erna had served as a co-producer on the band's three previous outings, for this one he rode solo in the producer chair. In about a month, he'll be finished with the final mix, at around the same time the album's first single will hit rock radio.

"It's a killer record, and I'm really curious to see what the public's going to think of it," Erna said, noting that he feels the album is his band's first true attempt at sonic experimentation. "It's still Godsmack — I don't think it's lost the integrity of what Godsmack has built our career off. The toughness of the sound is still there. But we've expanded a little bit more. After [2003's] Faceless, we started to spread our wings a bit and reintroduce guitar solos and stuff like that. The acoustic record [2004's The Other Side] was a departure and it was very well received. It opened up a new audience for us — a lot more adults were coming to the shows, bringing their kids and having a glass of wine. That gave us a permission slip to take it to the next level."

Which, according to Erna, is exactly what Godsmack did. The record, which he said has a working title of Four, will introduce a "blues edge" to the band's brawny sound.

"It will perk people's eyebrows up again," he said. "The first couple of records were kind of the same record, in a sense. They were sort of bordering that metal sound and then the third record had more rock mixed into it. [The Other Side] really softened up the sound. This one is more rock and roll, and some songs are very epic, in a Tool[-ish] sense. Some songs are like old-school Godsmack, like 'Bad Religion.' It's going to service the core fans and introduce some new music to those fans. It's also going to recruit a bigger and broader audience, because the songwriting has matured so much."

Erna said the band wrote 35 tracks for the album and recorded 17. Between 11 and 13 of those will make the cut, including "Speak," which he said will probably wind up being the first single.

"We've got a few in the running, but the band seems to like 'Speak' because it's melodic in the chorus and the opening's really tough," he said. "The drum groove is killer. The verses are cool and mystical. It's got a little bit of everything Godsmack has done over the years." Other titles likely to make the album include "Livin' in Sin," "Shine Down" (which comes complete with "killer harmonica") and "Voodoo Too."

"It wasn't even done intentionally," he said, "but it's sort of like the sequel to 'Voodoo,'" from the Smack's self-titled 1997 album. "It's got the same vibe. It's very tribal and cool-sounding."

The leftover material may surface in time — without Erna. The singer said that while the songs weren't appropriate for the album, the rest of the band is considering forming a Sully-less side project that would release an album but not tour. And Erna's got a few side interests, as well: In addition to producing demos for several up-and-comers, he's working on a track for his favorite team: the New England Patriots.

A few years back, Erna said Jonathan Kraft, the Patriots's vice chairman and president, contacted him. "He wanted to use 'I Stand Alone' as the team's theme song, but he asked me if we could change it to 'We Stand Alone,' " the singer, fresh from belting out the national anthem before the Patriots' loss Sunday to the Miami Dolphins, said. "I tried [to re-work it], but it sounded goofy. But I've got this cool instrumental I wrote [for the new album], and I may insert some sort of a chant for the fans or player sound bites."

• Godsmack

Boston Red Sox fans at Fenway Park for game 1 of the World Series — as well as the 20 million people expected to watch the game on TV Saturday night — will get to hear the "The Star-Spangled Banner" sung by cave-mouthed Beantowner Steven Tyler. "It's been an amazing year for the Sox," the Aerosmith frontman said in a statement, "and I can't wait to show the world how we do it in Boston." ... Meanwhile, several members of the Red Sox team, fresh from their ALCS win against archrivals the New York Yankees, joined Godsmack onstage at a private party near Fenway Park Thursday to celebrate. Ball players Johnny Damon, Mark Bellhorn, Kevin Millar, Dave McCarty and others helped sing the finale "I Stand Alone." "For us, it's all about Boston right now," frontman Sully Erna said in a statement, "and having them perform with us was just simply amazing." ...

Outkast's Big Boi is trying to single-handedly save the struggling football program at Middle Tennessee State University. The MTSU Blue Raiders are just 2-4 this season, and attendance is at an all-time low. According to NCAA rules, in order for a football program to remain in the top I-A division, it must average 15,000 fans a game. MTSU has averaged only about 14,000 for their first two home games. So the college scheduled a free Big Boi concert immediately following this weekend's home game against Idaho. The only catch — students must first sit through the entire game. ... Lil Scrappy was questioned Thursday by police in Carrollton, Georgia, about a shooting in a local club. Two people were wounded after an altercation broke out at Club 31 in Carrollton. According to reports, an argument led to a fight between people onstage and shots were fired. The "No Problem" rapper was questioned and released. ...

Gwen Stefani has finally narrowed down which of her many collaborations made the cut for her forthcoming solo album, Love, Angel, Music, Baby, due November 23. She's teamed up once again with Eve on a track produced by Dr. Dre called "Rich Girl." Also on the album are songs with the Neptunes, Tony Kanal, Andre 3000, Wendy and Lisa, and Peter Hook and Bernard Sumner of New Order. ... Christina Aguilera has ventured into the fashion world before — inspiring Versace and modeling D-Squared2 in Milan — but now she's going full throttle and designing her own line. She'll be launching a children's and 'tween apparel line in Europe now that she's signed an agreement with British-based Basic Box Ltd. The line will include clothes as well as accessories and is expected to launch in the spring. ...

The City of Angels is apparently "too comfortable" for Limp Bizkit. The band is packing its bags and heading "up north" to an undisclosed studio to begin recording its fifth album, according to a post on limpbizkit.com. The as-yet-untitled LP will feature the return of guitarist Wes Borland, who left the band prior to last year's Results May Vary, and producer Ross Robinson, who worked on 1997's Three Dollar Bill, Y'all. As for Borland's long-awaited solo album, it's 75 percent done, the guitarist wrote on his own Web site, and he hopes to resume work on it after the Limp album is done, probably in mid-January. ... Bono began his appearance at the World Affairs Council of Oregon — where he was scheduled to talk about the AIDS crisis in Africa — on a lighthearted note. The singer announced that a briefcase full of notes and lyrics for U2's album October, which was stolen from him 23 years ago when the band played in a Portland club, was returned. According to The Oregonian, Bono called the returned notes "an act of grace." Turns out the missing papers — stolen by a group of women hanging out with the band backstage at the club — were in the attic of a rental house in Tacoma, Washington. U2 fan Cindy Harris found the notes in 1981 but didn't know how to contact the band to return them. In 2003, she and a friend managed to track down U2's management to return the briefcase. ...

Britney Spears got an extension to reply to a lawsuit that had been due Friday (October 22). A Salt Lake City judge had ordered the singer to respond to the complaint filed by Zoller Laboratories (the maker of Zantrex-3, which Spears was photographed spilling in an airport a year ago), but all parties agreed on Thursday that she could have more time to respond to the pre-emptive lawsuit filed by the drug maker, which claims she's threatened to sue them for using her image without permission. Spears now has until November 24 to reply. ... Ween have been forced to cancel their upcoming Midwest tour due to "a problem within the band that requires an immediate intervention for the health, welfare and safety of one of its members." Posting on the Ween Web site, band manager Greg Frey wrote that "for this member, years of touring have taken their toll ... This is very sad, but if something is NOT done now, the consequences could be even more dire than the cancellation of these dates." No further information was provided, but Frey wrote that all tickets will be refunded. The tour was scheduled to begin October 31 in Boulder, Colorado. ...

After a few months' rest, the Strokes are back to capturing their cool on record. The band has begun recording its third album in New York with producer Gordon Raphael, who worked on the first two. ... Camper Van Beethoven have run into a bit of hard luck while on tour north of the border. On Wednesday morning, as the bandmembers slept at Montreal's Hotel Lord Berri, thieves broke into their van, stealing 11 guitars, some amps and most importantly, multi-instrumentalist Jonathan Segel's violin, which, according to a post on the band's Web site, "has been with Camper for 20 years now, and has great sympathetic value." There is a $1,000 reward for information which leads to the recovery of the band's gear. ...

New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer is on a payola crusade and is going after major labels for influencing which songs get played on the radio, according to a New York Times article in Friday's edition. Citing sources, the Times claimed the four major labels were served with subpoenas to turn over their contracts with independent radio promotion companies, which pitch new music to stations. ... Eddie Vedder has been added to the lineup for Neil Young's annual Bridge School Benefit, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday in Mountain View, California. The Pearl Jam singer joins a roster that includes Young, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Paul McCartney, Sonic Youth, Ben Harper, Tony Bennett, Los Lonely Boys and Tegan & Sara. ...

The Polyphonic Spree shot scenes this week for an upcoming episode of "Las Vegas." In the show, airing December 6, Molly Sims' character wants to join the 23-member group. ... The release date for Jet's upcoming DVD has been moved to November 23. Meanwhile, the Australian rockers have added a Halloween show in Chicago, which will be their final U.S. date of the year. The Donnas, who are joining the band at special radio shows in New York and Atlanta on October 29 and 30, respectively, will also open in Chicago. ...

Madonna has signed on to voice a character in the animated movie "Arthur," based on a series of children's books by French filmmaker Luc Besson, who is directing. Madonna will voice Princess Selenia, a character who travels with 10-year-old Arthur to a mysterious forbidden city. ... Vendetta Red's second major-label release, Sister of the Red Death, produced by Howard Benson (Hoobastank, P.O.D.), is due in early 2005. The Seattle rockers will preview the new material on a headlining tour beginning October 25 in Houston, as well as on a supporting trek with Chevelle through mid-November. ...

10.21.2004

The dirt just got thrown on the Yankees' graves and already Damon Dash is tossing his 2004 authentic A-Rod jersey. But he's got a good reason to: Roc-A-Fella Records has aligned itself with MLB.com and will participate in a celebrity auction for charity. Several artists from the Roc, including Kanye West and N.O.R.E., are donating their very own sports gear for the cause. ...

Destiny's Child, Usher, Ashlee Simpson and Chingy are among the headlining performers for the upcoming Radio Music Awards, airing live from Las Vegas on NBC October 25 at 9 p.m. Also on the bill for the RMA show — to be co-hosted by Carson Daly and Molly Sims — are Ciara, Ryan Cabrera, Alanis Morissette and Janet Jackson, who is being honored with a Radio Legend Award. ... Ashlee Simpson and Ciara (via their singles "Pieces of Me" and "Goodies") also make an appearance on the next and 17th volume of Now That's What I Call Music! Now 17 also includes tracks by Nelly ("My Place"), Terror Squad featuring Fat Joe ("Lean Back"), the Beastie Boys ("Ch-Check It Out"), Franz Ferdinand ("Take Me Out"), Black Eyed Peas ("Let's Get It Started") and others. The LP hits stores November 2 ... Simpson, meanwhile, is moving on with her next single, which will be the title track from her debut album, Autobiography. She'll shoot the video for the song November 1-2. ...

The Game finally has a release date for his album — January 18 — but he doesn’t have the title he originally picked. The G-Unit rapper's N.W.A Volume 1 is now going to be called The Documentary. ... The Hip-Hop Summit Action Network (HSAN) will honor the community work of Mary J. Blige, Ludacris and the Ludacris Foundation, Anheuser-Busch Inc. and MTV's Choose or Lose campaign at its second annual Action Awards benefit dinner. The event, to be held October 28 at the Lighthouse in New York, will raise proceeds for the HSAN. The organization debuted the Action Awards last year, honoring the works of Jay-Z and P. Diddy, among others. ...

Sean Paul, Kevin Lyttle and newcomer Rupee are among those featured on the soundtrack to "After the Sunset." Due October 26, the reggae-inspired soundtrack to the Pierce Brosnan and Salma Hayek film will also feature classic reggae tracks from Shaggy, Dawn Penn and Junior Murvin. Atlantic Records and New Line Cinema will donate 10 percent of the profits generated by the soundtrack to the Caribbean Tourism Organization Relief Fund, established by the Caribbean Tourism Organization to provide monetary support to the victims of hurricanes Frances, Ivan and Jeanne. ... Following years of slumping sales mostly blamed on piracy and illegal file-sharing, the music industry is showing signs of improvement. In the first half of 2004, CD shipments increased by more than 10 percent from the same six-month period the year before, the first time that has happened in five years. The industry isn't exactly celebrating just yet, however — CD shipments are still down by 9.3 percent when compared to 2001. ...

One of Kurt Cobain's idols, Sonic Youth singer/guitarist Thurston Moore, has written the liner notes for the forthcoming Nirvana box set, With the Lights Out, due November 23. ... Moby is working on not one, but two albums. He's written so many songs that he's hoping his record label will agree to release both LPs in March. He describes the first CD as being more song-oriented ("Some conventional. Some not. But songs.") and the second as being more ambient. "Ambient might be a dirty word in some circles, but I love the idea of subtle, melodic, atmospheric music that can exist in the fore or background," he posted on his Web site, hinting that he might also cover New Order's "Temptation." ...

Sixteen-year-old Skye Sweetnam has been tapped to open for pop heartthrob Ryan Cabrera on his three-week tour that begins November 2 in Columbus, Ohio. Sweetnam hits the road in support of her first album, Noise From the Basement, and Cabrera is touting his debut, Take It All Away. ... After taking it back to 1985 for their latest single, Bowling for Soup have delved a bit further into pop culture's archives, recording a remake of the "Gilligan's Island" theme song for the TBS reality series "The Real Gilligan's Island." The song (and the TV show) will premiere on November 30. ... A.J. McLean of the Backstreet Boys is planning a line of sunglasses and jewelry to launch next year, according to his mother, Denise. "He is in negotiations now with a couple of people," she posted on her Web site. ...

For the third time, the release date of Judas Priest's long-awaited new album has been pushed back, from January 4 to February 1. The as-yet-untitled LP will be the band's first in 15 years with singer Rob Halford at the helm. ... Three months after dropping their greatest-hits set, The Greatest Songs Ever Written (By Us), on November 9, NOFX will start a single-of-the-month club. Details have yet to be finalized, though fans may be given the chance to create artwork for the 7-inch singles. ...

Half-British, half-American, all sleazy guitar-and-drums duo the Kills have a new album due in stores in February, but in the meantime, you can catch them on a brief U.S. tour, beginning November 20 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and ending December 4 in Seattle. ... In case you missed it the first time around, the Go-Go's are reissuing their last record, God Bless the Go-Go's, originally released in 2001 as their first album of new material since 1984's Talk Show. God Bless is out November 2. ...

• Godsmack
• OutKast
• Lil Scrappy
• Christina Aguilera
• Limp Bizkit

Godsmack (file)
Photo: Universal

They're not in any hurry for their current single, "Running Blind," to slow down at radio, but that's not going to stop Godsmack from releasing "Touché" as their next single on July 13.

The song, co-written and recorded with Dropbox singer John Kosco and guitarist Lee Richards, is a bluesy rock number with tribal rhythms and haunting vocal harmonies. And it marks the first collaboration between Godsmack frontman Sully Erna and Dropbox, who are signed to his Realign Records label (see "Godsmack Frontman Puts A Singer Into Ex-Bandmate's Dropbox").

"That song was a lot of fun to do," Erna said. "It was really cool for me as a singer because I got to trade off on the verses and then harmonize on the choruses with John, who's an amazing vocalist. He has a really intense and soulful voice, and working with him really helped me to sing better myself. It was the first time I had ever sang with someone else, and it was a great experience."

"Touché" was already partly written when the Dropbox guys joined Godsmack in the studio in Hawaii, where they were recording the EP The Other Side.

"As soon as we started doing it," Richards said, "[Godsmack's] Shannon [Larkin] got behind the percussion and Robbie [Merrill] started hammering bass lines for it. ... We were all really excited. We knew it was going to be a special song."

The lyrics for "Touché" were penned by Erna and Kosco. While sharing a creative vision is sometimes difficult for two different lyricists, both found they could easily relate to the grudge-filled messages in the song. "It's about the times when someone says one thing to you, and then you're like, 'Hey, I wasn't too happy about what you said about that.' And it's like, 'You know, what? Touché. I'm gonna challenge you. If you're not gonna give me what I want, then I'm not gonna give you what you want.' "

"Touché" may have been the first collaboration between Godsmack and Dropbox, but it probably won't be the last. Erna, Richards, Larkin and Sevendust guitarist Clint Lowery have been talking about working on a side project together, and Kosco, Richards, Larkin, Merrill and Godsmack guitarist Tony Rombola have been writing together while on the road.

"We've done some stuff that's leaning towards being a Temple of the Dog kind of record or a Mad Season kind of record," Richards said. "It's a complete departure from Dropbox and Godsmack. It's just a bunch of songs we've collected through the years that we haven't been able to do with these bands but are finally able to work with."

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