The Grateful Dead

Will.I.Am Gathers Common, Nick Cannon, Scarlett Johansson For Barack Obama Video

04 Feb 2008 18:22:00 EST

OK Go, Grateful Dead members lend support with concerts.
By Gil Kaufman

While Barack Obama barnstorms the country trying to drum up votes in advance of Super Tuesday, a wildly diverse cross section of musical supporters, including the Black Eyed Peas' Will.I.Am, OK Go and former members of the Grateful Dead, are lending a hand. One of the biggest Obama-boosting efforts comes courtesy of Will.I.Am, who recently teamed with director Jesse Dylan (son of Bob Dylan) to release a music video called "Yes We Can." The Bob Marley-like anthem turns the Illinois senator's January 8 New Hampshire primary-night address into lyrics performed by Will, as well as almost 40 other actors, celebrities and athletes, including John Legend, Kate Walsh, Aisha Tyler, Amber Valletta, Taryn Manning, Nicole Scherzinger, Common, Scarlett Johansson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Herbie Hancock and Nick Cannon.

The song was recorded less than a week ago in Los Angeles, and the "We Are the World"-style video features the stars reciting or singing along to the Obama speech on top of a stark black background, with intercut clips of the candidate delivering the address as Legend croons the refrain: "Yes we can!" Since it was posted on Friday, it has already garnered more than a million views on YouTube and 10 million on the host site, YesWeCanSong.com, according to a spokesperson for the project. Explaining his inspiration for the song, Will wrote in an accompanying blog post on the site that he was in a recording studio watching one of the presidential debates and feeling torn between candidates when the idea struck him. "I was never really big on politics ... and actually, I'm still not big on politics," he wrote. But "the outcome of the last two elections has saddened me ... on how unfair, backwards, upside down, unbalanced, untruthful, corrupt and just simply, how wrong the world and politics are. ... So this year I wanted to get involved and do all I could, early."

But lacking a clear choice, as he suspected many people were, Will said he was ready to wait for a candidate to emerge as the (presumably Democratic) nominee without his help. "And then came New Hampshire ... and I was captivated ... inspired," he wrote. "I reflected on my life and the blessings I have and the people who fought for me to have these rights and blessings. And I'm not talking about a 'black thing,' I'm talking about a 'human thing.' Me as a 'person,' an American."

He said Obama's speech made him think of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, Abraham Lincoln and "all the others that have fought for what we have today ... what America is 'supposed' to be ... freedom, equality and truth." One week later, the New Hampshire speech, which "touched [his] inner core like nothing in a very long time," began taking shape as the song. He called some friends to help out, and a week after that, the song and video were recorded. "I produced this song to share my newfound inspiration and how I've been moved," he wrote. "I hope this song will make you feel love and think and be inspired just like the speech inspired me." Among the other notables in the clip: Adam Rodriguez, Alfonso Ribeiro, Austin Nichols, Ed Kowalczyk, Eric Balfour, Esthero, Harold Perrineau, Johnathon Schaech, Kelly Hu, Maya Rubin, Tatyana Ali and Tracee Ellis Ross. Will isn't the only one feeling Obama these days. On Monday night (February 4) in New York, former Shudder to Think bandmates Craig Wedren and Nathan Larson are reuniting for the "Barack Rock" show at the Bowery Ballroom. The gig, presented by GetUpAndVote.com, will also feature OK Go, Nina Persson (the Cardigans), Joan as Police Woman and the comedy troupe Stella (Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter and David Wain), plus some unannounced surprise guests. It comes on the heels of last month's Fall Out Boy-curated Obama fundraiser in Chicago, during which bassist Pete Wentz had kind words for his hometown presidential candidate. And it's not just indie rockers who are singing the praises of Obama. Monday night will also bring a show at the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco by former Grateful Dead members Bob Weir, Mickey Hart and Phil Lesh, who will perform their first show together since 2004 in honor of the Illinois senator. The gig is being promoted as a one-night-only reunion.

Also on Monday, Pearl Jam's members — Eddie Vedder not included — posted online a reworked version of "Rock Around the Clock" called, you guessed it, "Rock Around Barack." Guitarist Stone Gossard, who handled singing duties for the recording, said in a statement that the '50s classic "had a transforming effect on American music. At that time, rock and rhythm and blues music was traditionally only played on black radio. ... So here's to ... the breaking down of cultural barriers."

Obama also picked up an endorsement from the hip-hop community on Monday, when veteran rapper Q-Tip released a statement endorsing the senator. The rapper listed several reasons — including the Iraq war, blows to America's image overseas, toxic products on store shelves and an economic meltdown — which contributed to his feeling that the country needs to "break out of old habits and politics as usual."

[This story was originally published at 3:08 p.m. on 02.04.08]

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Britney Spears Single Is Released; Plus Eve, 50 Cent, Owen Wilson, Snoop Dogg, Kanye West & More, In For The Record

30 Aug 2007 21:00:00 EDT

Eve can't get used to alcohol-monitoring device; 50 wants Hillary Clinton as president; Wilson reportedly slit wrists.
By MTV News staff

Britney Spears' new single, "Gimme More," premiered Thursday night (August 30) on Z100 and subsequently surfaced on the New York radio station's Web site. She opens the song by singing, "It's Britney, b---h," and producer Danjahandz closes it by saying, "Bet you didn't see this coming." In related news, "Access Hollywood" reports that a source told the news site that Spears' manager Larry Rudolph — who had been in hiding — has finally been subpoenaed in the singer's child-custody dispute with ex-husband Kevin Federline. ...

Eve and 50 Cent are featured on the double-cover of Rap-Up's September/October issue, and both rappers do plenty of talking inside. For her part, Eve talked about her DUI arrest, fellow female rappers and her plans to start a family. While she didn't comment directly on the case, she did confirm that Sean Penn visited her while she was in jail but said he did not bail her out. Eve lashed out at Don Imus — "he's old enough to know better" — but only had good things to say about Lil' Kim, Foxy Brown, Lauryn Hill — and Dr. Dre. "Me and Dre will always forever be cool. There's a respect, musically. ... We get in [the studio] and it's like shadowboxing." The magazine hits stands Tuesday. Eve talked more directly about her troubles with the law when People caught up with her Tuesday night at a nightclub in Las Vegas. She said she can't get used to the alcohol-monitoring ankle bracelet she is being forced to wear. "When they told me I was getting it on, I thought it was going to be like a beeper, but it's like a pair of Bose headphones," she told the mag. She will be allowed to remove the bracelet on September 8. ...

Also featured in Rap-Up is 50 dishing about a handful of female artists. He said Beyoncé is "definitely hot" and called Ciara "talented" but dumped on rumored love interest Mya ("I don't think she's ever gonna be a success"). Fiddy also reiterated that he doesn't beef with Jay-Z and Diddy; riffed on his September 11 competitor, Kanye West; and also shared his feelings on the president. "Me and George Bush were both actually born on July 6, he's just a little older than me. And he does have a talent: He has less compassion than a regular human being." He added, "Me and George Bush are so different. ... I actually go to war, when I go to war. Bush just sends [people] to war. When I took a trip to Iraq — 'cause I went to perform for the soldiers in Iraq — they had the same vehicles that I ride around in New York." While he's not crazy about President Bush, 50 did reveal who he would like to be the successor: "I'd like to see Hillary Clinton be president. It would be nice to see a woman be the actual president and ... this is a way for us to have Bill Clinton be president again, and he did a great job during his term." ...

According to "Access Hollywood," an attorney for Owen Wilson told the TV show that the actor didn't overdose on drugs but rather slit his wrists during his failed suicide attempt on Sunday. The lawyer, who is not named, said Wilson had been taking antidepressants and was not aware of any other drugs in his system at the time of the incident. ...

Snoop Dogg will host this year's MTV Europe Music Awards, to be held in Munich, Germany, on November 1. "I've called up the homeys from east to west and I guarantee it's gonna be off tha chain, ya dig," Snoop told MTV U.K. Foo Fighters and British pop singer Mika are set to perform at the ceremony, which will have a new category this year: New Sounds of Europe. ... Miami's Bang! Music Festival is getting a big dose of Chicago music. Kanye West and Smashing Pumpkins will headline the extravaganza, which has ballooned to two days this year. The Bravery, Riverboat Gamblers and others are also confirmed for the fest, to be held at Miami's Bayfront Park Amphitheater. ... T-Pain is adding a twist to Baby Bash's Cyclone by appearing on the new Lil Jon-produced single of the same name. The Latino rapper also rubs elbows with producer J.R. Rotem, Danity Kane's Aundrea Fimbres and Paula DeAnda on the disc, which streets October 16. ...

Hulk Hogan's son Nick Bollea has posted on his MySpace page a message to fans regarding the Sunday night car accident that left 22-year-old passenger John Graziano critically injured. "I want to thank everyone who has sent their support to me. Right now I would like to ask all of you to focus your prayers on my friend John," reads the post. His sister Brooke expressed similar sentiments in a post on her own MySpace page: "You have all been so sweet to reach out to me and my family during this time. As you guys may know, Nicky has been released from the hospital, but my best friend John is still in the hospital. Every single prayer helps John heal, so please, keep praying and don't give up." ...

Ethereal Icelandic rockers Sigur Rós have pieced together a pair of releases for November 6. Hvarf/Heim is a double-CD: Hvarf encompasses five new recordings of songs — some previously unreleased — from various junctures in the band's career. Heim features six live acoustic versions of songs from Sigur Rós' four albums. A DVD is also on the way — "Heima" follows the group as it performed a series of free concerts in its native Iceland last summer. ...

Bob Marley's family intends to sue Universal Music Group and Verizon Wireless over a recently announced deal in which the companies said they plan to use some of the reggae legend's songs for products including ringtones, Billboard.com reports. Fifty Six Hope Road Music Limited, the company owned by Marley's family, told the news outlet that the companies' agreement was signed without the family's permission and doesn't mesh with Marley's Universal contract. A statement sent in response by Universal said the label hadn't received a suit and claimed, "We are offering Bob Marley ringtones through Verizon in accordance with the terms of a long standing contract between Bob Marley and UMG." ...

El DeBarge — a member of R&B squad DeBarge — was arrested Sunday for investigation of domestic violence, AP reports. The singer (real name: Eldra DeBarge) is being held without bail at a jail in Los Angeles because he has two previous warrants for his arrest in narcotics cases. ... The driver involved in the car crash that killed "A Christmas Story" director Bob Clark and his son has pleaded no contest to two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, AP reports. Hector Velazquez-Nava will be sentenced September 27 and faces up to six years in prison.

08.29.07

Say what you will about those supposed Britney Spears tracks floating around online, but the singer is planning to debut the first single from her new album as early as this weekend. The single is called "Gimmie More," was produced by Danjahandz and is an up-tempo dance track — and is also the song for which the singer was seen shooting a video last month. "It's about feeling good, celebrating womanhood," Danja told MTV News earlier this year. "And if you don't dance to it, I really don't know what you're listening to. It's a new Britney." In related news, Spears will host the grand opening of Las Vegas nightclub LAX at the Luxor on Friday. DJ AM — who, along with Christina Aguilera, is an investor in the club — will man the decks. And the infamous Versace gown Spears was supposed to wear during her aborted OK! magazine shoot went up for auction on eBay on Wednesday (August 29). USA Today reported that bidding on the dress started at $5,700, with proceeds going to Mothers Against Drunk Driving. ...

Amy Winehouse can add the VMAs to the growing list of shows she won't be playing this year. The U.K. starlet — who last week postponed her U.S. tour until 2008 — has canceled her scheduled performance at the awards show on September 9. ... Lindsay Lohan plans to meet with her estranged father, Michael, while she is in rehab, a source told People.com, according to the site. People.com says multiple sources have revealed that Lohan's lawyer Blair Berk is helping negotiate Michael Lohan's visit to the Cirque Lodge in Sundance, Utah. ...

Christina Aguilera is on for the Emmy Awards. The singer will perform the Tony Bennett standard "Steppin' Out (With My Baby)" with the jazz legend at the ceremony, which will air September 16 on Fox. The two sang the song together on the TV special "Tony Bennett: An American Classic," which is nominated for eight Emmy Awards. ...

Gwen Stefani has gotten together with Hewlett-Packard for a creative twist on her Harajuku Lovers line. Starting Wednesday at HP.com/Gwen, fans can make and print CD labels, stationary and more by mashing HL content into their own customized designs. ... Jay-Z and Eve hosted a Rocawear party at the Venetian in Las Vegas on Tuesday night in celebration of the weeklong Magic Fashion Convention. The shindig — which was sponsored by Giant magazine and Mercedes-Benz — also featured cameos by Nick Cannon, Travis Barker and Young Jeezy, among others. ...

Lil Wayne is being sued by a concertgoer who alleges that she was knocked to the ground and trampled at the rapper's October show at Baltimore's Morgan State University, according to the Baltimore Sun. Tyrique Layne, who was a student at the university at the ti

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For The Record: Quick News On Eminem, Lindsay, Joey Fatone, Slayer, Nickelback, Bright Eyes & More

19 Dec 2006 21:21:00 EST

Em, Kim Mathers finalize divorce; Lohan film seeks California extras; Fatone reconsiders 'Dancing' offers.
By MTV News staff

Eminem and Kim Mathers finalized their second divorce Tuesday (December 20), The Associated Press reports. The two parties will divide their property under terms of a private settlement and will share custody of Hailie Jade Scott, who is 10 years old. Eminem did not comment after the brief hearing, but Circuit Judge Antonio P. Viviano said the couple "conducted themselves with dignity and respect. All in all, they are a very fine couple to deal with." ...

If you've wanted to share the screen with Lindsay Lohan but are a bit lower down on the star ladder, this could be your chance. A Lohan thriller tentatively titled "I Know Who Killed Me" is seeking extras (18 and over, with ID) available to film key scenes in San Luis Obispo, California. The open call will be held Tuesday from 5-10 p.m. at Maggie's Diner in San Luis Obispo. ...

What's good for Drew Lachey is apparently good for Joey Fatone. The 'NSYNC member told Orlando, Florida, radio station WTKS-FM on Friday that he'd like to appear on the hit TV show "Dancing With the Stars," AP reports. Fatone said producers of the show had asked him three times to appear, but that he'd turned it down. Now that the show has become a hit, he's reconsidered. "I like doing it because it's challenging," Fatone said of dancing. "Can you imagine me wearing those stupid tuxes?" ...

A February 13 release date has been set for the Unholy Alliance collection, a CD/DVD set chronicling the Slayer-anchored tour's July 13 stop in Vancouver, British Columbia. The discs will include performances from all of the bands on the trek's bill: Slayer, Lamb of God, Mastodon, Children of Bodom and Thine Eyes Bleed. The DVD also includes backstage footage and band interviews. ... The Warner Music Group is about to get a bit more hardcore. The home of soft-rocker James Blunt has agreed to pay $73.5 million to acquire a majority stake in heavy-metal label Roadrunner Music Group, home to Slipknot, Megadeth and Nickelback. Roadrunner, based out of Amsterdam, will be a freestanding label within the Atlantic Records Group, already home to hard acts Metallica and Staind. ...

As he is wont to do, Bright Eyes — a.k.a. indie wunderkind Conor Oberst and whoever he feels like playing with — will release not one but two recordings (at least) next year. On March 6, they'll drop Four Winds, a six-song EP featuring six new tracks, including "Reinvent the Wheel," "Smoke Without Fire" and "Cartoon Blues." Then, on April 10, they'll release the full-length Cassadaga, featuring guest appearances by M. Ward, Gillian Welch and former Sleater-Kinney drummer Janet Weiss. The album — which was recorded in New York; Los Angeles; and Lincoln, Nebraska — is actually named after a Florida town that is commonly known as "The psychic center of the world." ...

You Hear It First alums and Woodie Award winners Plain White T's have set aside a chunk of 2007 for touring. The gang will head out for a March 4 gig in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and follow through until a May 2 concert in Chicago. ... Another band of up-and-comers, Mewithoutyou, will hit the road for a co-headlining jaunt with Sparta on February 22 in Omaha, Nebraska. That 22-date trek ends March 19 in St. Louis. ... In more tour news, Badly Drawn Boy has sketched out a North American run that will see him hitting Philadelphia March 3 and wind down in Vancouver, British Columbia, on March 27. ... And finally, the reunited Lemonheads will check in again with another leg come early '07. Evan Dando and company will hit Carrboro, North Carolina, on January 25 and conclude the tour in Hoboken, New Jersey, on February 24. ...

It was cool while it lasted. On Monday, members of the Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin, the Doors and Santana sued the owner of Wolfgang's Vault, which has been offering streams of hundreds of rare concert recordings from major rock stars on its Web site. According to Reuters, the bands are claiming the site was illegally offering the recordings by artists ranging from A Flock of Seagulls to Bob Marley, the Clash, the Who and Bob Dylan — some of the thousands it acquired from the vault of late concert promoter Bill Graham — in order to stimulate sales of its concert T-shirts, photos and vintage posters. The suit was filed against Vault owner William Sagan, who bought Graham's assets for $5 million three years ago. ... In related news, the Dead and Doors will receive lifetime-achievement Grammys prior to the awards show on February 11, AP reports. Folk icon Joan Baez, jazz great Ornette Coleman, opera singer Maria Callas, soul stalwarts Booker T. and the MG's and departed country hero Bob Willis will also receive the honor. ...

Stacie Orrico has finished the video for her new single, "I'm Not Missing You." The song is featured on Beautiful Awakenings, an album she co-wrote many songs to that is due January 16. Orrico's self-titled album, which earned her a Grammy nomination, came out in 2003. ... Doing a sitcom for VH1 in which she played herself apparently wasn't enough reliving for Tori Spelling.The former "Beverly Hills 90210" starlet is writing a memoir as well, in which she'll discuss her childhood privileges, tabloid misperceptions, success and regrets in a humorous and self-deprecating way. The yet-untitled book is due for publication in spring 2008 by Simon Spotlight. ...

Legendary soul label Stax is relaunching in 2007 to mark the golden anniversary of its 1957 formation. The recording home of such R&B luminaries as Otis Redding, Sam and Dave and Isaac Hayes plans to release 20 CDs and DVDs in the new year, including new music from Hayes and Angie Stone. ... A warrant was issued by immigration officials Monday for Yoko Ono's driver, Koral Karsan — who was arrested last week and charged with attempted grand larceny after he allegedly threatened to kill Ono and her son Sean Lennon and release personal audio recordings unless he was paid $2 million. According to AP, immigration officials issued the warrant to determine if the native of Turkey is in the U.S. legally. ... Joseph Barbera, an animator who co-created dozens of cartoon series — including "The Flintstones," "Tom and Jerry," "Yogi Bear" and "Scooby Doo" — with creative partner William Hanna, died Monday in Los Angeles of natural causes. He was 95.

12.18.2006

Justin Timberlake will perform with an unsigned artist at the Grammy Awards via a new contest put on by Yahoo! Music and the Recording Academy. My Grammy Moment will allow fans to vote for their favorite unsigned act at Yahoo! Music, and the three finalists will also be able to participate in a variety of music-education initiatives put on by the Recording Academy. ...

Even without a new album out, Britney Spears is #1. But the chart the singer is topping is probably not one she was hoping for. ViralVideoChart.com has released a list of the top viral videos of the year, and Spears has locked up the top two spots. A clip of her burping and babbling about time travel was seen more than 3 million times, followed by the infamous footage of soon-to-be ex-husband Kevin Federline apparently getting the news of his impending divorce via text message, which clocked 2 million hits. The Spears and Federline clips were followed by comedian Michael Richards' racist stage rant and footage of Lindsay Lohan dissing Paris Hilton. To make matters worse, Spears also earned the mantle as 2006's worst celebrity dog owner, according to a poll of dog-magazine readers. "She once had three Chihuahuas ... and never left home without at least one of them on her arm," Hilary O'Hagan, editor of The New York Dog and The Hollywood Dog said in a statement The Associated Press. "As soon as she met K-Fed and had kids, [the dogs] disappeared." ...

Ex-Guns N' Roses guitarist Izzy Stradlin joined the band for five songs during its Sunday gig in Los Angeles, Reuters reports. Stradlin — who left the fold 15 years ago but has made sporadic appearances at GN'R reunion shows — played and sang harmonies to "Paradise City," "Patience," "Nightrain," "Used to Love Her" and "Think About You." ... Pay no mind to the speculation that Korn's days may be numbered. Nothing could be further from the truth, frontman Jonathan Davis wrote in a blog post. Since the announcement last week that drummer David Silveria was "taking a break" from Korn, fans have been wondering if they should be worried about the band's future. "He really needed to take a break," Davis wrote. "He was very burnt out. He will not be on this record [we're working on at the moment] or tour, but will be back for the next one, if ready. Until then, we will have a fill-in drummer. We are NOT breaking up, this is not the last album. Everything is fine, this is only temporary." ...

By now, Michael Jackson fans should know to always make backup plans. After promising to appear at an expensive Christmas party for fans on Tuesday in Tokyo, Jackson has postponed the event until next year so he can add another date to the meet-and-greet, according to a Reuters report. The party for 1,600 fans that was to include dancers, a band and gospel singers will now take place on March 8 and offer more tickets at the top prices. Platinum ticket holders were promised a chance to meet Jackson and take a photo with him for a mere $3,428 each. Buyer beware — Jackson will not perform at the show but w

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For The Record: Quick News On Lil' Kim, Usher, Queen Latifah, Matchbox Twenty, Grateful Dead, Phantom Planet & More

05 Aug 2003 17:30:00 EDT

By MTV News staff report

Lil' Kim has been attached to star in a new movie, "National Lampoon's Bouncers," opposite Vivica A. Fox. The flick, which will start shooting before the end of the year in New York, was written and produced by Full Force, onetime songwriters and singing crew who also helped develop "House Party" and "House Party II." ...

The new album from Usher, Confessions, will now be released on November 18. Usher's fifth album was previously scheduled to drop on the singer's birthday, October 14. ... If you're a full-figured gal who can't seem to find bras that don't look like rocket launchers, fear no more — Queen Latifah's got your back. Adding lingerie spokesperson to her growing list of titles, she'll be promoting four new bras by Curvation that will up the comfort and style of plus-sized women. In turn, the company will contribute to the Lance Owens Foundation, her late brother's charity, which provides scholarships for kids. ...

Rapper Ras Kass, serving time in a Los Angeles prison for a DUI violation, released an open letter to the hip-hop community over the weekend blasting his former record company, Priority Records, for failing to release his last two albums, Van Gogh and Golden Child. Ras promises four new records by the end of the year, courtesy of indie labels and bootleggers: The Re-Up, a compilation of outtake recordings; Catch Me If You Can, the album he recorded while a fugitive; and both lost Priority albums. ... The 10 finalists from "American Idol" spinoff "American Juniors" will release their first single Tuesday. The record includes two mixes of a cover of Kim Wilde's 1982 hit "Kids in America," and "One Step Closer," written by producer Cathy Dennis (Kelly Clarkson). ...

On the heels of their career-reviving song "Unwell," Matchbox Twenty have selected the upbeat track "Bright Lights" as their next single. The track hits radio next week; video plans remain in the works. ... Marilyn Manson and Exene Cervenka will exhibit pieces of their art at "Cruel and Unusual: An Exhibition to Benefit the West Memphis Three" from September 6-20 at Sixspace Gallery in Los Angeles. Ex-Dead Kennedys singer Jello Biafra will provide a taped lecture for the event. An opening-night reception will be hosted by Winona Ryder. ...

Beth Orton's B-sides and rarities collection, The Other Side of Daybreak, will include a cover of "O-O-H Child," made popular by the Five Stairsteps, as well as Roots Manuva's remix of "Daybreaker" and a live acoustic version of "Concrete Sky," among others. The album is due September 2. ... Following their stint on Ozzfest, which concluded July 30, and their current tour with Taproot, which runs through the end of the month, Revolution Smile will open European dates for A Perfect Circle and Deftones. Filling their Ozzfest void is Chimaira, who joined the tour last week. ...

The Very Best of the Grateful Dead, a 17-track career-spanning retrospective, is set for release September 16. The LP features favorites such as "Sugar Magnolia," "Fire on the Mountain" and "Ripple." ... Phantom Planet have lost their star drummer. On Monday, Jason Schwartzman posted on the band's Web site, www.phantomplanet.com, that he's left the band "to pursue other things," namely, acting (he had previously made a name for himself for his lead role in "Rushmore"). Phantom Planet were halfway through recording their follow-up to 2002's The Guest with producer Dave Fridmann when Schwartzman gave notice, so he will appear on the new album, due in January, but not on all of the songs. Phantom Planet have started rehearsing with a new drummer, Jeff Conrad, for their upcoming set at the Sunset Junction Street Fair in Los Angeles on August 24. In the meantime, the band's track "California" can be heard as the theme song for the "The OC," which premieres Tuesday (August 5) on Fox. ...

Superstar DJ Paul Van Dyk will promote his October 7 release, Reflections, with a U.S. tour beginning August 28 at New York's Central Park Summerstage and ending November 4 in Las Vegas. The follow-up to his 2000 studio album, Out There and Back, includes the overseas hit "Nothing But You." ... With the hipster gauge firmly redlined, Brooklyn, New York, indie label StarTime International, home to Northern State, the Natural History and Brendan Benson, has teamed up with Fader magazine and formed a new label called Stifle. Every four weeks a new 12-inch dance-rock single will surface. The first, Stifle001, due August 12, features two remixes of the French Kicks' "Close to Modern" by Eucho and DJ Smash. The Streets' "Weak Become Heroes," remixed by Röyksopp and 3 Friends featuring Lisa Shaw, will follow on September 9. Remixes of tracks by VHS or Beta, the Ends and Ted Leo are on the horizon. ...

08.04.2003

He's got the album, the DVD, the mixtapes, the tour, the videos, the shoe line — and now 50 Cent's got the clothes. In the ever-expanding 50 empire, the superstar rapper has launched his G-Unit clothing label in partnership with Ecko Unlimited. The first line — available now for the fall season — consists of five T-shirts emblazoned with different G-Unit logos. ... (Click for photos)

Mötley Crüe singer Vince Neil turned himself in to Nevada police and posted a $1,000 bond, according to the Lyon County district attorney's office. Neil's attorney has yet to make arrangements for Neil to appear in court to face charges of misdemeanor battery for allegedly attacking a prostitute at a brothel last month, so no date has been set yet. ... N.E.R.D.'s follow-up to their Short List Prize-winning In Search Of ... is due November 18 and will be titled Fly or Die. ...

Sepultura's new record, Roorback, will come out August 26. The disc was produced by Steve Evetts at Mosh Studios in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and will include a cover of U2's "Bullet the Blue Sky." Select pressings will also feature a bonus CD consisting of covers of songs by Jane's Addiction, Massive Attack, Devo, Exodus and Hellhammer. Sepultura plan to tour North America in October. ... Killer Mike will join Baltimore Ravens star Jamal Lewis for Giving Back Day in the Park Saturday at Adamsville Recreation Center near Atlanta. They will hand out free school supplies to underprivileged children. ...

Third Eye Blind, LeAnn Rimes and Tracy Chapman are among those slated to perform at the two-day One World One Heart festival, sponsored by Ben & Jerry's ice cream and Rock the Vote. Other artists scheduled to play the fest, to be held August 23-24 in Bethel, New York, include George Clinton & Parliament/Funkadelic and Hootie and the Blowfish's Darius Rucker. ... Canadian pop-punkers Gob want you to be in the video for "Oh! Ellin," the second single from their latest album, Foot in Mouth Disease. Interested parties should show up at Vancouver's Clark Park Tennis Courts on Wednesday morning. ...

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For The Record: Quick News On No Doubt, Great White, Nelly, Radiohead, Norah Jones, Jerry Garcia & More

25 Feb 2003 16:28:00 EST

By MTV News staff report

The surviving members of Great White have been subpoenaed to appear for questioning before a Rhode Island grand jury, according to CNN. Criminal charges may be filed in connection with the band's pyrotechnic fire disaster that killed 97 people, including guitarist Ty Longley, during a performance last Thursday at the Station club in West Warwick, Rhode Island. ...

No Doubt had a few surprises up their ever-fashionable sleeves at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York Monday night. The group, which picked up its first Grammy on Sunday for "Hey Baby," was joined by Incubus singer Brandon Boyd and guitarist Mike Einziger on the Police classic "Message in a Bottle." Bush leader Gavin Rossdale then took the stage to duet with his wife, Gwen Stefani, on U2's "The Sweetest Thing." No Doubt plan to take some time off before beginning work on their Rock Steady follow-up. ...

"Real World: Las Vegas" cast member Alton Williams was arrested on Saturday after attempting to punch the manager of a North Carolina bar during a Make-a-Wish Foundation charity event. The incident began when Williams, who was wearing angel wings for the benefit, got into a verbal disagreement with some of the bar's patrons, and then escalated when bouncers and the manager got involved. ...

Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea and guitarist John Frusciante will appear on Ziggy Marley's new album, Dragonfly, due April 15. Incubus DJ Chris Kilmore also makes a cameo appearance. ... Cypress Hill, Eric Clapton, Ben Harper and the late Jerry Garcia are just a few of the artists set to appear on a tribute album to reggae legend Peter Tosh, who died in 1986 at the age of 43 when he was shot to death in his home. The Peter Tosh Tribute Album is scheduled for release in December. ...

The Flaming Lips, winners of the Best Rock Instrumental Performance at Sunday's Grammy Awards, are inviting fans to send in bizarre performances and other video footage for a documentary in the works. Further details are available on the band's Web site, www.flaminglips.com. ...

Nelly, Fabolous and Tyrese are among the guests on Brian McKnight's upcoming sixth album, U Turn, due March 25. Carl Thomas and Kirk Franklin also contributed to the follow-up to 2001's Superhero. ... Sevendust are in the studio working on the follow-up to 2001's Animosity, which they hope to release in late summer or early fall. An untitled demo of their progress can be heard at www.newandactive.com. ...

Jesse Harris, the songwriter behind Norah Jones' multiple-Grammy-winning hit, "Don't Know Why," has a summer release planned for The Secret Sun, his fourth album with his band the Ferdinandos. Jones makes an appearance on the album, playing piano and singing on "What Makes You." ... Bright Eyes will hit the road for at least 30 dates beginning April 1 in Boulder, Colorado. So far, the outing is scheduled to wrap May 11 in the band's hometown of Omaha, Nebraska. ...

Pubescent pop star Aaron Carter has been named Celebrity Grand Marshal of the Krewe of Endymion for the 37th annual New Orleans Mardi Gras parade. The Carter Family, Kool and the Gang, and Creedence Clearwater Revisited will also be in attendance at the March 1 event. ... If Jay-Z declared "Streets Is Watching," U.K. MC Mike Skinner is giving fans the opportunity to reciprocate in kind. Skinner, a.k.a., the Streets, will embark on a seven-city tour of the U.S., beginning March 11 in Los Angeles and ending March 22 in Miami, to support his hipster-acclaimed LP, Original Pirate Material, released in October. ...

02.24.03

Juvenile pleaded guilty on Friday to charges of aggravated battery, battery on a law enforcement officer, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest without violence and was sentenced to 75 hours of community service. The charges stemmed from an incident which occurred in March 2001 when the rapper was arrested for knocking a man unconscious with a champagne bottle and grabbing a police officer outside a Miami comedy club. ...

The neo-soul dream team was out in full force for a jam session after the Grammys on Sunday. Common and Erykah Badu hosted an after-party at New York's B.B. King's Blues Club, where Raphael Saadiq played guitar, Me'Shell Ndegéocello rocked the bass and Brian McKnight stroked the keyboard. Meanwhile, Mos Def, Musiq, India.Arie (who was carried onstage like a queen), Bilal and the evening's party hosts took turns jumping on the mic. ... The Diplomats are set to film the first video from their Diplomatic Immunity LP. Production on "Gangsta Music" ramps up in New York on March 8 and 9. ...

System of a Down's Shavo Odadjian wrote and recorded some basslines for a recording by KCUF, an unsigned endeavor of his friend/sideshow attraction Crazy White Sean. Korn's Munky also appears on a track, and when — and if — the album gets released, Slipknot's Sid Wilson intends to work on a remix. ... Electro pioneers Fischerspooner, Ladytron and Felix Da Housecat are among the artists featured on Electro Kills, due April 22. Les Rhythmes Digitales founder and Madonna collaborator Jacques Lu Cont remixed Felix's "Silver Screen Shower Scene" for the compilation. ...

A previously undiscovered recording by Mick Jagger, John Lennon and Ringo Starr, a 1974 cover of the blues song "Too Many Cooks," sold for $2,230 at an online auction Thursday. The unlabeled acetate was found at the bottom of a box of records 34-year-old Tom Fisher bought four years ago for $32. ... Director Todd Haynes ("Velvet Goldmine," "Far From Heaven") has gotten the green light from Bob Dylan to use the rock legend's music in a biopic about his life. The times won't be the only thing changing; Dylan will be portrayed by seven different actors, including a black woman and an 11-year-old boy. ...

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For The Record: Quick News On Ashanti, B2K, 'American Idol 2,' Aerosmith, Jane's Addiction, Jimi Hendrix & More

12 Feb 2003 16:57:00 EST

By MTV News staff report

Ashanti, Fat Joe and B2K are among the artists scheduled to perform at a benefit for boxer Evander Holyfield's Main Event children's charity in Atlanta on February 15. Jadakiss, Baby and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony are also on the bill. ...

Memorable "American Idol 2" semifinalist Frenchie Davis has been cut from the contest because Fox discovered she worked for an adult Internet site four years ago. Davis will be replaced on the show airing February 25. ... "Platinum," network television's first drama set in the world of hip-hop, will premiere on UPN April 15 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, following a sneak peek at the series airing the day before. MTV will re-air each weekly episode seven to 10 days after UPN's broadcast. ...

Jane's Addiction are promising their long-awaited new album by summer. "We don't know a release date ... but we can guarantee it will be out before Lollapalooza," singer Perry Farrell said. ... A live version of Weezer's "Why Bother," Ben Kweller's previously unreleased "It's Not There" and songs from Phantom Planet and AM Radio are featured on A Benefit for Petra Haden, a fundraiser for the That Dog violinist who was severely injured when hit by a car in August 2000. Beck, Jack Black and Matthew Sweet have raised money in the past for Haden, who also recorded with Green Day, the Rentals and Luscious Jackson. ...

Aerosmith closed out a benefit party for three major charities at Boston's Charles Hotel Regattabar on Saturday by playing a 10-song set. Highlights came when Dan Aykroyd stepped onstage for a song and Michael J. Fox picked up a guitar and joined the band for a version of Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode," which Fox performed in the 1985 film "Back to the Future." The event was organized by Fox, Denis Leary and former NHL player Cam Neely. ... The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) recently wrote a letter to Aerosmith asking for permission to use the song "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" for an anti-meat TV campaign. If approved, the song would be featured in a commercial about fighting the condition gynecomastia, otherwise known as "man breasts," by becoming a vegetarian. Says PETA: "Gynecomastia is the accumulation of breast tissue caused by excessive qualities of estrogenlike substances that can be traced to meat, milk and eggs." ...

The surviving members of the Grateful Dead, who retired the group's name after the death of frontman Jerry Garcia and dubbed themselves the Other Ones, are now calling themselves the Dead, according to the Associated Press. Guitarist Bob Weir, bassist Phil Lesh, and drummers Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart will begin using their new moniker — which has served as their unofficial nickname for years — at a Valentine's Day benefit concert in San Francisco. ... The remains of legendary rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix have been moved from their initial site to a new elaborate memorial in the same burial ground, Greenwood Memorial Park and Cemetery, just outside Seattle, according to the AP. While the first grave site was marked only by a simple flat stone reading "Forever in Our Hearts - James M. Jimi Hendrix 1942-1970," the new memorial features a granite dome nearly 30 feet high supported by granite columns trimmed in "rainbow" marble. ...

Former Black Flag singer Keith Morris appears on a track called "We've Had Enough" on the Alkaline Trio's new album, Good Mourning. Due May 13, the project was produced by Joe McGrath (Blink-182) and Jerry Finn (Green Day). ... O.A.R. are working on their fifth album, the studio effort In Between Now and Then, with producer John Alagia. The roots-rock quintet's major-label debut is set to drop May 27, with a bonus DVD that includes live versions of two new tracks, as well as a concert take on the gig staple "That Was a Crazy Game of Poker." The live material will be recorded at a February 18 show at New York's Irving Plaza. ...

Postpunk quintet Sense Field are working on their as-yet-untitled successor to 2001's Tonight and Forever in their Dense Flies studio, located in El Segundo, California. Produced by Brad Wood (Smashing Pumpkins, Pete Yorn), the LP is due in early August. ... Depeche Mode's Martin Gore and David Gahan have set spring release dates for their upcoming solo albums. Gore's Counterfeit2, a collection of covers of John Lennon, Lou Reed and Iggy Pop songs, is due April 28, while Gahan's as-yet-untitled debut is set for June 2. ...

02.11.03

P. Diddy, Snoop Dogg, DMX, Ice Cube and the Cash Money Millionaires are among the rappers who appear in "Hip-Hop Story: Tha Movie," the first production from NBA star Nick Van Exel's RapRock Films, due February 11. Smoot, the film's star and Van Exel's partner in the company, will release his debut on July 8 and will also appear on the movie's soundtrack, due April 22. ...

Avril Lavigne, Pink, Usher and the Clipse will be the first artists to participate in Arista Records' new DVD singles series. The DVDs, due March 11 and packaged in CD jewel cases, will feature two videos apiece, along with bonus material. ... On February 7, the third anniversary of Big Pun's death, his widow, Liza Rios, announced the establishment of the Big Pun Foundation at a press conference in the Bronx, New York. The non-profit organization will establish social programs for inner-city youth. ...

The debut album by the Mars Volta, the electronic-inspired offshoot of defunct At the Drive-In, is set for a June release. While the album remains untitled, its packaging will be designed by Storm Thorgerson, who's worked on classic covers such as Pink Floyd's The Division Bell and Wish You Were Here and the Cranberries' Bury the Hatchet. ... Professional wrestler Curt "Mr. Perfect" Hennig, who came to prominence in the late '80s and early '90s with the American Wrestling Association and the World Wrestling Federation, was found dead in his hotel room in Brandon, Florida, on Monday at the age of 44, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. The cause of death has yet to be determined. In 1999, the Minnesota native embarked on a "West Texas Rednecks" gimmick with World Championship Wrestling that saw him team up with country artist Chad Brock against the No Limit Soldiers (including Master P and Silkk the Shocker) and record two songs, "Rap Is Crap" and "Good Old Boys." ...

According to his lawyer Robert Simels, former drug kingpin and Murder Inc. associate Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff remains in custody awaiting a February 28 court hearing in Baltimore for a gun-possession charge. He is also awaiting a hearing on another New York-based gun charge. In related news, Jon Ragin, McGriff's partner for his independent film "Crime Partners," who was arrested and indicted during last month's FBI Murder Inc.-related raids, will be arraigned in Brooklyn, New York, on February 14 for one count of money laundering. ...

... And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead have recorded five new tracks for an EP due March 25 on Interscope Records. Titled The Secret of Elena's Tomb, the album will feature a track called "All Saints Day" and another dubbed "Mach Schau." ... The Smoking Popes will finally release The Party's Over, the covers album recorded before their split in 1998 featuring songs by Elvis Presley, Willie Nelson, the Byrds and others, on March 25 on Double Zero Records. The same label is releasing a Smoking Popes tribute album the same day with songs from the Ataris, Bad Astronaut, Death on Wednesday and more. ...

Jill Sobule, who "Kissed a Girl" in 1995, is on the verge of a comeback, recording her first album in three years and performing two songs on Wednesday's episode of "The West Wing." Creator Aaron Sorkin is apparently a fan of the singer/songwriter. ... Canadian indie-rock supergroup the New Pornographers will release their second album, Electric Version, May 6 through Matador Records in the U.S. The group, whose members include Neko Case, Carl Newman (Zumpano), Kurt Dahle (Limblifter), John Collins (Thee Evaporators) and cartoonist/filmmaker Blaine Thurier, have added guitarist/keyboardist Todd Fancey (Limblifter) in place of founding member Dan Bejar (Destroyer), whose singing and song contributions on Electric Version were limited. ... Aforementioned alt-twang chanteuse Neko Case has launched the second leg of her U.S. tour in support of her 2002 release, Blacklisted. The 15-date trek, which began on February 6 in Chicago, will end March 30 in Seattle at the Experience Music Project. ...

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Grateful Dead Book Sings Band's History As American Metaphor

13 Aug 2002 07:52:00 EDT

'A Long Strange Trip' was written by jam band's publicist, Dennis McNally.
By Richard B. Simon

NOVATO, California — Unlike your typical celebrity tell-all, Dennis McNally's "A Long Strange Trip: The Inside History of the Grateful Dead" reads like a history book — well, a really cool, sort of psychedelic, rock and roll history book.

A trained historian, as well as the band's longtime publicist, McNally uses the improvisational rock phenomenon's occasionally sordid history to tell the story of America in the equally sordid late 20th century.

"If you know enough about a person's life and you can integrate it with history, you can tell the story of an era," McNally said recently at the Dead's rehearsal complex in Marin County, California. "When you say 'the '60s,' you generally mean the San Francisco Haight-Ashbury scene, and there are certainly parallels between that and the Grateful Dead scene. ... [After the commercial success of 1987's In the Dark, featuring 'Touch of Grey'], the scene, which is an ecological system the way the Haight-Ashbury was, became overwhelmed with too many new people, ... and it fell apart."

McNally's lens zooms in and out between Grateful Dead land and the world at large in such a way that the Dead's story feels allegorical — their story analogous not only to that of 1960s San Francisco, but to the American experience as a whole. And the Dead appear in the strangest places in history.

While guitarist Jerry Garcia had a side job in 1964, transcribing tapes of controversial comedian Lenny Bruce's live act for use in Bruce's defense against obscenity charges, lyricist Robert Hunter was among the first batch of guinea pigs to be dosed by the CIA with the experimental mind-control drug LSD. When 1972 presidential candidate George McGovern asked the Dead to play the White House if he were to win, the Dead responded, "We won't play until you legalize marijuana."

Oh, sure, it's about rock history too. The Dead played at Woodstock, though few know it because they didn't allow the promoters to film or record their set. And not only did the Dead's free concerts in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park and on Haight Street inspire the Rolling Stones to stage the disastrous Altamont festival, some of their friends helped promote the fiasco (and the Dead's friendship with the Hell's Angels didn't help matters much, either).

Interspersed within the straight narrative are "interlude" chapters that describe life on the road in the '80s and '90s and a backstage view of a typical show, from equipment load-in to the wee hours, when the trucks speed off to the next town.

Along with stories of how classic songs and albums were birthed, McNally presents the ugly, such as the band's inability to confront the late Garcia's descent into heroin addiction. McNally said that while he tried to remain fair to subjects who are, after all, his friends, he omitted no details that are crucial to the big story — nor did any bandmembers ask him to, he said.

Garcia himself asked McNally to write the Dead's history in 1980. The guitarist was a fan of McNally's "Desolate Angel: Jack Kerouac, the Beat Generation and America," and both men perceived a similarity between the beats and the Dead scene.

"Kerouac really was Jerry's hero," McNally said. "And Jerry was always much more of a beatnik than a hippie. ... I saw these connections between these two great social phenomena and, fortunately for me, so did Jerry."

With "publicist" added to his job description in 1984, McNally spent the next decade touring with the band, unearthing what amounts to more than 600 pages of great stories.

In line with its title, "A Long Strange Trip" offers plenty of acid trip tales, but the notion of Dead history as free-for-all drug fest is tempered by McNally's discussion of the intellectual and metaphysical ideas that drove the bandmembers' explorations into the chemical and musical unknown.

While the Grateful Dead were often perceived as drug-addled hippies noodling around for too-long stretches between poorly sung lyrics, McNally shows us that the Dead's intellectual-spiritual approach to music set them apart from their '60s rock peers. He underscores this difference by quoting no less an authority than jazz legend Miles Davis, who, despite his utter scorn for most rock musicians, digs Garcia and his knowledge of jazz and describes hanging out with the Dead at the Fillmore in 1970 as a good-time learning experience.

McNally maintains that their philosophical approach places the Dead firmly in the long tradition of American bohemianism that includes the beat generation, poet Walt Whitman and author Henry David Thoreau. But even while Garcia was conscious of such a connection, McNally stressed that it was no matter of ego.

"Jerry always made a very clear distinction between what the Grateful Dead was and him as an individual," McNally said. "His opinion of himself as an individual was that he was a bumbling doofus who was lucky not to have to work a straight job."

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Surviving Grateful Dead Members Announce U.S. Tour

07 Aug 2002 15:23:00 EDT

Other Ones will kick off trek November 14 in Roanoke, Virginia.
By Gil Kaufman

The sound you might have heard this week was that of Deadheads busting out their mothballed tour gear and seeing if they can still fit into those faded tie-dyes and backless peasant tops.

Since fans played it cool over last weekend's two-day reunion festival of the surviving members of the Grateful Dead in Wisconsin (see "Surviving Grateful Dead Members Reunite For First Time Since Garcia's Death"), the ultimate jam group is returning the favor and taking their show back on the road.

Seven years after the death of legendary guitarist/singer Jerry Garcia, the Other Ones — guitarist/singer Bob Weir, bassist Phil Lesh, drummer Bill Kreutzmann and percussionist Mickey Hart — have kept their promise to mount a U.S. tour this fall. The 13-city outing will kick off November 14 in Roanoke, Virginia, and is currently slated to run through December 2 in Rosemont, Illinois, according to the group's Web site.

The Other Ones used their first full reunion shows last weekend — Hart, Weir and Lesh have performed as the Other Ones, sans Kreutzmann, since Garcia's death — as a test to see if their fans could peacefully assemble. Walworth County, Wisconsin, authorities initially denied the band a permit for the shows — billed as "Terrapin Station: A Grateful Dead Family Reunion — at East Troy, Wisconsin's Alpine Valley Music Theatre based on fears that tens of thousands of ticketless fans would show up and cause havoc (see "Wisconsin Officials Revive Dead Reunion Show").

As with the Wisconsin shows, keyboardists Jeff Chimenti and Rob Barocco and guitarist/singer Jimmy Herring will fill out the band's roster.

Other Ones tour dates:

11/14 - Roanoke, VA @ Roanoke Civic Center
11/15 - Washington, DC @ MCI Center
11/16 - Albany, NY @ Pepsi Arena
11/18 - Boston, MA @ FleetCenter
11/19 - Boston, MA @ FleetCenter
11/20 - East Rutherford, NJ @ Continental Airlines Arena
11/22 - Hartford, CT @ Hartford Civic Center
11/23 - Philadelphia, PA @ First Union Spectrum
11/24 - Philadelphia, PA @ First Union Spectrum
11/26 - New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
11/27 - Cleveland, OH @ Gund Arena
11/29 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Mellon Arena
11/30 - Auburn Hills, MI @ Palace of Auburn Hills
12/1 - Indianapolis, IN @ Conseco Fieldhouse
12/2 - Rosemont, IL @ Allstate Arena

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Surviving Grateful Dead Members Reunite For First Time Since Garcia's Death

05 Aug 2002 17:23:00 EDT

Billed as 'The Other Ones,' core members of band play two nights in East Troy, Wisconsin.
By Richard B. Simon

EAST TROY, Wisconsin — Despite local fears of an out-of-control Deadhead invasion, the reunited members of the Grateful Dead staged a triumphant return over the weekend, playing two nights of good ol' rock and roll amid the grassy fields and grain silos at the crossroads of America.

The two-day festival, billed as Terrapin Station - The Grateful Dead Family Reunion, marked the first time all four core members of the improvisational rock powerhouse shared a bill — going by the moniker "The Other Ones" — since the death of Jerry Garcia in 1995.

Guitarist Bob Weir, bassist Phil Lesh, and drummers Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart had spent recent weeks criss-crossing the country separately with their own bands before joining forces here at the Alpine Valley Music Theater, playing to 35,000 jubilant fans in the Midwestern summer swelter.

"I want to thank you all for having the faith to join us in this adventure, and make it a community," a visibly pleased Lesh told the concertgoers, many of whom traveled from as far as California, Florida, New York and Texas, filling the hotels and campgrounds between Chicago and Milwaukee.

The concerts were nearly cancelled last month after local authorities predicted that over 100,000 ticketless fans would show up for the Dead's legendary party scene — but fears of unbridled mayhem were largely unfounded. According to local news outlets, the Walworth County Sheriff reported some 300 arrests over the weekend, mostly minor (though expensive) citations for marijuana possession.

Still, security around the amphitheater was tight. Interstate rest areas were closed for miles around, and tow trucks lined the highway medians, apparently prepared to prevent derelict Volkswagen buses from piling up roadside. Guards stopped every car to check that each passenger held a ticket before allowing passage into the vast fields that served as parking lots.

Inside the lots, the scene was swinging, though notably more subdued than on Dead tours past. Dreadlocked teenagers fresh off the String Cheese Incident tour mixed with tie-dyed doctors, bikers, lost dogs, mechanics, and families with rugrats, wandering the aisles amid mellow tailgate hangouts, cars blaring a surprisingly wide assortment of tunes, and the impromptu vending zones known collectively as "Shakedown Street."

To warm up for two headlining Other Ones sets each night, Hart's Bembé Orisha, Kreutzmann's Trichromes, Weir's Ratdog, Phil Lesh and Friends, and Dead lyricist and troubadour Robert Hunter tag-teamed the main stage, highlighting different facets of the reborn Grateful Dead collective. The set lists were coordinated against repeats, and on Sunday, Ratdog played the rare and complexly orchestrated "At a Siding" portion of the "Terrapin Station" suite, then the Other Ones picked up the 1978 opus at an earlier movement, "Lady With a Fan."

Friends such as Jorma Kaukonen, Karl Denson, and hot upshot jam band the Disco Biscuits filled a second stage, while members of the Dead and their extended family fielded questions from a "conversation stage." A steamy exhibition hall showcased relics of Dead lore such as Garcia's 1968 concert amplifier, outsize stage props from tours past, album artwork and original master tapes from the band's legendary Vault. Vendors filled the entry concourse, peddling tie-dyed clothing, hemp jewelry, books, CDs and other goodies.

Trials for a tentative fall Other Ones tour, the shows coincided with what would have been Garcia's 60th birthday — and the seventh anniversary of his death. While in past Other Ones incarnations the iconic guitarist's presence was sometimes felt as a palpable void, the new band reinvented the Grateful Dead sound to simultaneously embrace and move beyond Garcia's shadow. Without the lead guitarist in the de-facto bandleader role, the music was subtle and rhythm-based, with Weir and Lesh taking turns steering the band. Guitarist Jimmy Herring played a mix of Garcia's and his own lines, but rarely grabbed the reins. Two keyboardists worked in tandem, Jeff Chimenti washing Hammond organ swells, while Rob Barraco twinkled electric piano tones.

"In a way, they're reasserting their relevance," said Mike Shay, 27, of New York. "This is all about reminding the fans and themselves who they are. It's all about their roots. The music becomes really literal. They aren't just playing those songs."

The Other Ones' Saturday set was upbeat, with the songs indeed seeming to tell the story of the past seven years — a rough road along which Garcia died (and along with him the Grateful Dead, as it were), Lesh nearly died of liver failure, and the veteran musicians had bickered publicly about the direction of the Other Ones and the group's business entity. Slamming through tunes such as "Iko Iko," "That's It for the Other One," "One More Saturday Night," and especially on the long-dry-docked "Born Cross-Eyed," the Other Ones displayed chops tighter even than the Dead's in their later days.

At the end of Sunday's easy-rolling set, the Other Ones lined up and did a few Rockettes-style chorus line kicks, then huddled into a group hug and jumped up and down en masse, clearly signaling a new beginning — and, likely, a fall tour.

For more sights and stories from concerts around the country, check out MTV News Tour Reports.

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Wisconsin Officials Revive Dead Reunion Show

01 Jul 2002 15:42:00 EDT

Surviving Grateful Dead members will play together August 3, 4 in East Troy.
By Alyssa Rashbaum

The Grateful Dead will be allowed to keep on truckin'.

On Friday officials in Walworth County, Wisconsin, reversed an earlier decision and granted a permit for Grateful Dead reunion shows on August 3 and 4 at the Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy.

The event, called Terrapin Station Featuring the Other Ones, will be the first performance by Grateful Dead members Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann as an ensemble since Dead leader Jerry Garcia's death in 1995.

Concert promoter Clear Channel's request was initially rejected, the Walworth County Board Executive Committee said, due to concern for the health and safety of, and security problems potentially caused by, the 200,000 fans expected to descend on a venue equipped to hold only 35,000.

In a statement released Monday (July 1), Clear Channel spokesperson Larry Wethers said the company is "committed to providing a safe, enjoyable, live entertainment event." Wethers added that Clear Channel "will continue to work closely with the Walworth County Sheriff's Department on many aspects of managing a safe show."

Since both shows are sold out, Clear Channel is urging fans without tickets to steer clear of the venue. "Anyone without a ticket will not be allowed on the premises. No exceptions," vowed Wethers. Furthermore, he assured fans that no tickets will be available on the day of the show.

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

30 Mar 2007 00:00:00 EDT

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

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