Justin Timberlake
Photo: Gareth Cattermole/ Getty Images

The Roots' ?uestlove has a lot on his plate, but the top priorities are clear: masterminding the 10th Roots album, Rising Down, and overseeing a yet-untitled Al Green album.

"I know Justin wants to be a part of this project," ?uest said of Justin Timberlake's probable contribution to Green's LP. "Anthony Hamilton did some honorary background vocals. Corinne Bailey Rae wrote two songs. She's a monster songwriter. We also have been talking to Justin's people now. Both he and Al are from Memphis. D'Angelo will be a part of this record as well."

?uest said he's been working on Green's album for three years, but due to their conflicting schedules, only about three months' worth of work has been done.

"It's been putting gray hair in my afro," 'Love laughed. "I'm not producing, I'm reducing it. I'm trying to take him back to 1974 — very dry, very dirty, very grassroots sound. One of the biggest mistakes of modern technology, it doesn't sound gritty, doesn't sound raw. A lot of the favorite records we sample from today, those were recorded in studios that were very lackluster. Those weren't the best studios in the world. Pretty much, I want this album to sound very cheap, very dirty ... the vibe the Amy Winehouse album gave you. More than just the song, the creative aspect. I wanted the engineering to feel like it was made 30 years ago."

The Philadelphia producer said Green's album should be out next spring, around the time the Roots' next project launches on April 29 (see "?uestlove Says New Roots LP Was More Stressful Than Backing Jay-Z, Chappelle").

"We are 55 percent finished," ?uest said. "I will say this is an electric record, more synthy. The darks are darker and the lights are lighter. But all I know is making quality hip-hop stylistically. We tried to do something we never did before. Kamal had to be the sacrificial lamb this time. The one instrument that has defined the Roots has been the Fender Rhodes [electric piano]. This is the first year he's had to change his instrumentation and try other sounds out. We have a bunch of keyboards and synthesizers we're using on this record. It feels like the musical equivalent of 'Blade Runner' sometimes. We've also added a horn section."

This month, the Roots start the VH1 Hip Hop Honors Tour, where they will be playing their own hits as well as backing sets by Big Daddy Kane and MC Lyte. ?uestlove said he'll eventually work on an LP by Common and Q-Tip and go back in on D'Angelo's third album (he's currently doing the liner notes for the re-releases of D's Brown Sugar and Voodoo).

Hungry for more hip-hop coverage? Sink your teeth into our "Hottest MCs in the Game" feature.

• 2007 VMA Nominee: Justin Timberlake

• Justin Timberlake
• The Roots
• Al Green

John Mayer
Photo: David Paul Morris/ Getty Images

It's clear just from listening to John Mayer's Continuum that he's got a lot to say.

Filled with songs about life and death, love and loss, anger and apathy, it's a smoky and — at times — simmering disc that gleefully tosses his status as a frat-guy favorite out the window, recasting the 29-year-old axeman as a cocksure-yet-world-weary blues crooner with a book of songs and a bag of licks for these terrorizing times.

The record — for which Mayer received three of his five Grammy noms, including a nod for Album of the Year — (see "Mary J. Blige, Chili Peppers Top Grammy Nominations List") — is an intense, sophisticated and certifiably accomplished effort, for sure. But to call it Mayer's most mature is to sell both the man — and his music — short. Ever since 2003's Heavier Things, he's been crafting songs that delve deeper than your average sorta-crunchy/ sorta-dreamy popsmith. But with Continuum, you can tell he's finally, well, matured.

"I believe that the album is a turning point; because from the artwork to the recording process to the songs John wrote, it's an abandonment of one thing and a declaration of another," said Steve Jordan, Mayer's drummer/co-producer on Continuum. "This thing is really all about music — the whole 'pop idol' thing is fine and all, but this album is not reliant on that. It's like it says in the liner notes: 'Music by John Mayer.' Because that's what this album is all about."

Recording began in earnest with a late-night session in January 2005 featuring Mayer, Jordan and bassist Pino Palladino. That session not only berthed a version of Jimi Hendrix's "Bold as Love," but also the John Mayer Trio, who would tour for the better part of a year and begin to work on songs that appear on Continuum (see "John Mayer Trio Geek Out With Live Album, Rolling Stones Jokes"). And then, toward the end of that year, the band would begin work on the record — work that proved to be fruitful, to say the least.

"We recorded enough material for two studio albums, and we had debated for about a week whether or not we were gonna make it a double album. But we decided that we'd rather have one excellent album as opposed to one good double album," Jordan laughed. "And it was an unusual situation, because we ended up taking some songs off the record that would be hits that people would die for. And as a producer, it was strange, because you're hired to make hit records, and then you're taking hit songs off the record.

"But basically, it came down to John wanting particular songs on the album and me wanting particular songs on the record, and so we had to make an agreement to just take 'em both off," he continued. "And as soon as that happened, the record came together and had this wonderful mood ... this really sexy feel. John feels it's even more of an R&B album, but I think it's a groove-based pop album."

Sessions would continue for more than eight months, with Mayer and Jordan crisscrossing the continent (the album was recorded at four different studios in New York, Los Angeles and Memphis) and striving to build upon that mood. It was a goal Mayer had from the beginning of Continuum, and he took it upon himself to carry it though the entire process. In addition to stepping behind the control board for the first time, Mayer also snapped some of the photos inside (including one of a studio on which he's scrawled the phrase "This is what my heart looks like") and co-designed the album's somber, minimalist artwork.

"He wanted to make something that was timeless but also steeped in the times of the moment," Jordan said. "The lyrics John seemed to gravitate towards were about inner exploration. Explaining himself now. Expressing how he feels now at this point in his life and career, what he's seeing going on around him. There are a couple of tunes that he kind of conveys a social commentary, and that's something he had never done before, and that was a concern for him: whether or not people would listen to him."

And Mayer would express those concerns to Jordan during breaks in the recording process at Right Track Studios in the heart of NYC. The two would take late-night strolls though Times Square, getting lost in conversations that would eventually end up in songs like "Waiting on the World to Change" and "Gravity," two of Continuum's strongest — and most personal — moments.

"John and I would just walk in Times Square and talk about life and my take on spirituality and stuff like that. It was all about exploration. Certain things were happening to him for the first time, and we just talked about things that made each other click," Jordan said. "We were getting to really know and learn about each other, to forge this really strong bond. And that was a real fond memory of making this record."

Another of those memories occurred down in Memphis, in a rickety brick building known as Royal Studios. Since opening in 1957, it's been home to a host of soul legends, including Al Green, Ike & Tina Turner and O.V. Wright. And on a whim, Jordan decided to call his old friend, venerable producer "Papa" Willie Mitchell, to see if Mayer could record a track down there. And, as luck would have it, Mitchell said yes.

"Down in Memphis, it was really magical. John had written this song, and it was great, and I suggested we go down there and put a Willie Mitchell horn arrangement on it," Jordan said. "So we got down there and we're in this studio where Al Green recorded all these great albums, and I said, 'Since we're down here, and we got the horns on and they're sounding real great, why don't you sing a bit too?' So John gets into the vocal booth — the same booth where Al Green sang — and Willie broke out this RCA Ribbon microphone, the only mic Al sang on. And he allowed John to sing on it. [John] was really honored and inspired. We all were. And I think that was sort of the perfect metaphor for making this album: Old and new. Timeless."

Get the story behind the other Album of the Year nominees:

• Justin Wanted To Channel Coldplay On FutureSex/LoveSounds
• Gnarls Barkley Didn't Expect Anyone Else To Like St. Elsewhere
• Dixie Chicks Had 'Nothing To Lose,' Took Long Way
• Chili Peppers Experiment With Sounds, Wu-Tang Beats On Stadium Arcadium

The show's over but there's plenty of Grammy hotness here on MTVNews.com. Check out photos of the hottest red-carpet and onstage action; join our reporters as they hit all the Grammy week parties; and let us know what you think about the performers, winners and losers. Plus see videos of all the nominees on MTV.com and check out exclusive video footage from the big night right here.

• Grammys Backstage: Get Cozy!
• Grammys Red Carpet: Fire-Starters
• Grammy Race: Can Mayer Sprint Past JT?

• The 49th Annual Grammy Nominees
• 49th Annual Grammy Awards Performers And Presenters

• John Mayer
• Al Green

John Mayer
Photo: David Paul Morris/ Getty Images

It's clear just from listening to John Mayer's Continuum that he's got a lot to say.

Filled with songs about life and death, love and loss, anger and apathy, it's a smoky and — at times — simmering disc that gleefully tosses his status as a frat-guy favorite out the window, recasting the 29-year-old axeman as a cocksure-yet-world-weary blues crooner with a book of songs and a bag of licks for these terrorizing times.

The record — for which Mayer received three of his five Grammy noms, including a nod for Album of the Year — (see "Mary J. Blige, Chili Peppers Top Grammy Nominations List") — is an intense, sophisticated and certifiably accomplished effort, for sure. But to call it Mayer's most mature is to sell both the man — and his music — short. Ever since 2003's Heavier Things, he's been crafting songs that delve deeper than your average sorta-crunchy/ sorta-dreamy popsmith. But with Continuum, you can tell he's finally, well, matured.

"I believe that the album is a turning point; because from the artwork to the recording process to the songs John wrote, it's an abandonment of one thing and a declaration of another," said Steve Jordan, Mayer's drummer/co-producer on Continuum. "This thing is really all about music — the whole 'pop idol' thing is fine and all, but this album is not reliant on that. It's like it says in the liner notes: 'Music by John Mayer.' Because that's what this album is all about."

Recording began in earnest with a late-night session in January 2005 featuring Mayer, Jordan and bassist Pino Palladino. That session not only berthed a version of Jimi Hendrix's "Bold as Love," but also the John Mayer Trio, who would tour for the better part of a year and begin to work on songs that appear on Continuum (see "John Mayer Trio Geek Out With Live Album, Rolling Stones Jokes"). And then, toward the end of that year, the band would begin work on the record — work that proved to be fruitful, to say the least.

"We recorded enough material for two studio albums, and we had debated for about a week whether or not we were gonna make it a double album. But we decided that we'd rather have one excellent album as opposed to one good double album," Jordan laughed. "And it was an unusual situation, because we ended up taking some songs off the record that would be hits that people would die for. And as a producer, it was strange, because you're hired to make hit records, and then you're taking hit songs off the record.

"But basically, it came down to John wanting particular songs on the album and me wanting particular songs on the record, and so we had to make an agreement to just take 'em both off," he continued. "And as soon as that happened, the record came together and had this wonderful mood ... this really sexy feel. John feels it's even more of an R&B album, but I think it's a groove-based pop album."

Sessions would continue for more than eight months, with Mayer and Jordan crisscrossing the continent (the album was recorded at four different studios in New York, Los Angeles and Memphis) and striving to build upon that mood. It was a goal Mayer had from the beginning of Continuum, and he took it upon himself to carry it though the entire process. In addition to stepping behind the control board for the first time, Mayer also snapped some of the photos inside (including one of a studio on which he's scrawled the phrase "This is what my heart looks like") and co-designed the album's somber, minimalist artwork.

"He wanted to make something that was timeless but also steeped in the times of the moment," Jordan said. "The lyrics John seemed to gravitate towards were about inner exploration. Explaining himself now. Expressing how he feels now at this point in his life and career, what he's seeing going on around him. There are a couple of tunes that he kind of conveys a social commentary, and that's something he had never done before, and that was a concern for him: whether or not people would listen to him."

And Mayer would express those concerns to Jordan during breaks in the recording process at Right Track Studios in the heart of NYC. The two would take late-night strolls though Times Square, getting lost in conversations that would eventually end up in songs like "Waiting on the World to Change" and "Gravity," two of Continuum's strongest — and most personal — moments.

"John and I would just walk in Times Square and talk about life and my take on spirituality and stuff like that. It was all about exploration. Certain things were happening to him for the first time, and we just talked about things that made each other click," Jordan said. "We were getting to really know and learn about each other, to forge this really strong bond. And that was a real fond memory of making this record."

Another of those memories occurred down in Memphis, in a rickety brick building known as Royal Studios. Since opening in 1957, it's been home to a host of soul legends, including Al Green, Ike & Tina Turner and O.V. Wright. And on a whim, Jordan decided to call his old friend, venerable producer "Papa" Willie Mitchell, to see if Mayer could record a track down there. And, as luck would have it, Mitchell said yes.

"Down in Memphis, it was really magical. John had written this song, and it was great, and I suggested we go down there and put a Willie Mitchell horn arrangement on it," Jordan said. "So we got down there and we're in this studio where Al Green recorded all these great albums, and I said, 'Since we're down here, and we got the horns on and they're sounding real great, why don't you sing a bit too?' So John gets into the vocal booth — the same booth where Al Green sang — and Willie broke out this RCA Ribbon microphone, the only mic Al sang on. And he allowed John to sing on it. [John] was really honored and inspired. We all were. And I think that was sort of the perfect metaphor for making this album: Old and new. Timeless."

Get the story behind the other Album of the Year nominees:

• Justin Wanted To Channel Coldplay On FutureSex/LoveSounds
• Gnarls Barkley Didn't Expect Anyone Else To Like St. Elsewhere
• Dixie Chicks Had 'Nothing To Lose,' Took Long Way
• Chili Peppers Experiment With Sounds, Wu-Tang Beats On Stadium Arcadium

The show's over but there's plenty of Grammy hotness here on MTVNews.com. Check out photos of the hottest red-carpet and onstage action; join our reporters as they hit all the Grammy week parties; and let us know what you think about the performers, winners and losers. Plus see videos of all the nominees on MTV.com and check out exclusive video footage from the big night right here.

• Grammys Backstage: Get Cozy!
• Grammys Red Carpet: Fire-Starters

• 49th Annual Grammy Awards Performers And Presenters

• John Mayer
• Al Green

Brooke Valentine's <I>Chain Letter</i>
Photo: Virgin

Stand back — there's about to be a "Girlfight" and a "Riot" among the artists included in this week's new releases.

R&B singer Brooke Valentine, featured on MTV's "You Hear It First," has been building major buzz around the release of her album Chain Letter, with the help of debut single "Girlfight." Lil Jon and Big Boi have her back on the song, while the late Ol' Dirty Bastard lent a hand to another track, "Blah, Blah, Blah."

Indie-pop up-and-comers the Kaiser Chiefs are ready to do battle with their LP Employment and its single "I Predict a Riot." The debut album from the Leeds, England-bred quintet combines classic Britpop sounds with dance-rock and undeniably catchy hooks.

The singles compilation Now 18 will also put up a strong fight this week. The album includes Gwen Stefani's "What You Waiting For?," Lindsay Lohan's "Rumors," Destiny's Child's "Soldier," Ashanti's "Only U," Omarion's "O," John Legend's "Used to Love U" and Good Charlotte's "I Just Wanna Live," among others.

Their last studio album was out in 2001, but Sweden's the Soundtrack of Our Lives are back this week with Origin Vol. 1. Trivium represent for metal with their second album, Ascendancy. Australian blues-infused outfit John Butler Trio release their second LP as well, called Sunrise Over Sea, while energetic Parisian dance-music duo Daft Punk put out their fourth album, Human After All.

Also out this week are albums by Keren Ann (Nolita), the Blind Boys of Alabama (Atom Bomb), Dishwalla (Dishwalla), Al Green (Everything's OK) and Long-View (Mercury).

Out Tuesday, March 15:

• Keren Ann - Nolita (Metro Blue/Blue Note)
• Avila Brothers - The Mood: Soundsational (Thump)
• Baby Bash - Super Saucy (Universal Motown)
• Ron E. Beck - Soul Cry (Thump)
• Biirdie - Morning Kills the Dark (Pop Up)
• Blind Boys of Alabama - Atom Bomb (Real World)
• Blood or Whiskey - Cashed Out on Culture (Punkcore)
• David Bowie - David Live (Virgin)
• David Bowie - Stage (Virgin)
• John Butler Trio - Sunrise Over Sea (Atlantic)
  Buy Now: Sunrise Over Sea (Atlantic)
  
• Celtic Fiddle Festival - Play On (Green Linnet)
• Coughs - Fright Makes Right (Load)
• Daft Punk - Human After All (Virgin)
  Buy Now: Human After All (Virgin)
  
• Matt Darey - Point Zero (Varese Sarabande)
• Devin Davis - Lonely People of the World, Unite! (Mousse)
• Dishwalla - Dishwalla (Orphanage)
• Dr. Dog - Easy Beat (National Parking)
• Eagles - Eagles (Rhino)
• Al Green - Everything's OK (Blue Note)
• Mary Haskell - Inspired Standards - Good for the Soul (Insight)
• Holy Shroud - Ghost Repeaters (Level-Plane)
• Hope 7 - Hope 7 (Trauma)
• Kaiser Chiefs - Employment (Universal)
  Read: "Kaiser Chiefs 'Predict A Riot,' Music Press Predicts Franz Ferdinand-Like Success"
  Buy Now: Employment (Universal)
  
• Kamelot - The Black Halo (Steamhammer US)
• Konks - The Konks (Bomp)
• Miranda Lambert - Kerosene (Epic Nashville)
• Nguyen Le Quartet - Walking on the Tiger's Tail (HighNote)
• Long-View - Mercury (Columbia)
• Los Lobos - Live at the Fillmore (Hollywood)
• Curtis Mayfield - Mayfield: Remixed — The Curtis Mayfield Collection (Rhino)
• Marian McPartland & Friends - 85 Candles — Live in New York (Concord)
• New Monsoon - Live at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival (SCI Fidelity)
• Gruff Rhys - Yr Atal Genhedlaeth (Sanctuary)
• Joanne Shenandoah - Skywoman (Silver Wave)
• The Soundtrack of Our Lives - Origins, Vol. 1 (Republic Records)
• Steely Dan - Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz Radio Broadcast (Concord)
• Paul Taylor - Nightlife (Peak/Concord)
• Tierra Santa - Apocalipsis (Locomotive)
• Trivium - Ascendancy (Roadrunner)
• Ultralyd - Chromosome Gun (Load)
• Urban Knights - VI (Narada Jazz)
• Brooke Valentine - Chain Letter (Virgin)
  Read: "Don't Mess With 'Girlfight' Singer Brooke Valentine: Lil Jon And Big Boi Have Her Back"
  Buy Now: Chain Letter (Virgin)
  
• Patrick Wolf - Wind in the Wires (Tomlab)
• Various artists - DJ Afrowax Presents: eVolution (VI Music)
• Various artists - Drum Nation 2 (Magna Carta)
• Various artists - "NASCAR in 3D: The IMAX Experience" soundtrack (Shout! Factory)
• Various artists - Now That's What I Call Music! 18 (Epic)
• Various artists - "Robots" soundtrack (Varese Sarabande)
• Various artists - Soldiers of the 213 (Thump)
• Various artists - Subdivisions (Magna Carta)
• DVD: Asleep at the Wheel - "Live at Billy Bob's" (Image)
• DVD: Various artists - "Magic Moments: The Best of '50s Pop" (Shout! Factory)

March 22:

• Bloc Party - Silent Alarm (Atlantic)
  Read: "Franz Ferdinand Give Bloc Party A Leg Up"
  Buy Now: Silent Alarm (Atlantic)
  
• Moby -Hotel (V2/BMG)
  Read: "Moby Takes Aim At Nick And Jessica With 'Beautiful'"
  Buy Now: Hotel (V2/BMG)
  
• Queens of the Stone Age - Lullabies to Paralyze (Interscope)
  Read: "Queens Of The Stone Age Keep LP, Tour Shrouded In Mystery"
  Buy Now: Lullabies to Paralyze (Interscope)

March 29:

• Beck - Guero (Geffen)
  Read: "Finished Version Of That Beck LP You Downloaded Due In March"
  Buy Now: Guero (Geffen)
  
• The Bravery - The Bravery (Island)
  Read: "The Bravery Bring Today's Technology To Yesterday's Sounds"
  Buy Now: The Bravery (Island)
  
• Will Smith - Lost & Found (Interscope)
  Read: "Will Smith Has 'Sumthin' For Eminem' On New LP, Due In March"
  Buy Now: Lost & Found (Interscope)

April 5:

• Faith Evans - First Lady (Capitol)
• Hot Hot Heat - Elevator (Sire)
  Read: "Hot Hot Heat's Ups And Downs Inspire Elevator"
• Various artists - Music from the O.C. Mix 4 (Warner Bros.)

• Brooke Valentine
• Kaiser Chiefs
• Daft Punk
• The Soundtrack Of Our Lives
• Al Green

They don't call him the Boss for nothing. Bruce Springsteen was the touring champion this year, pulling in almost $116 million from 47 shows, concert industry magazine Pollstar reported in its year-end sales data. Springsteen's single-year figures were the second highest of all time; in 1994 the Rolling Stones brought in $121.2 million. This year the veteran rockers took in $38.5 million, earning them a #14 ranking. ...

Don Was, who has produced albums by the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, the Black Crowes and the B-52's, has formed a TV and home video production company called M101. The first project from the company is the high-definition television series "Music Room," which will feature music legends performing with contemporary artists. In the two-hour pilot, "Music 101: The Green Room," Al Green will be joined by Mary J. Blige and Hall & Oates, among others. There is no launch date for the series. ... Fu Manchu will record the theme song for the upcoming Jesse James movie "West Coast Choppers," singer/guitarist Scott Hill wrote on the band's Web site. The track will be called "I'm Gettin' Away (Away From It All)." Five of the band's previously released songs will also be featured on the soundtrack. ...

The Recording Academy will present lifetime achievement awards to a number of musicians at the 2004 Grammys. Classical pianist Van Cliburn, Motown sound architects the Funk Brothers, children's music composer Ella Jenkins, bebop tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins, swing band leader Artie Shaw, and folk guitarist and songwriter Doc Watson will all be honored. Also receiving lifetime achievement awards: jazz producer Orrin Keepnews, radio host Marian McPartland, and songwriters Gerry Goffin and Carole King. ... Clearly smitten with Redman and Method Man's thespian skills, FOX has picked up an as-yet-untitled television show starring the two rappers. The sitcom features Red and Meth as themselves, living in a white suburb of New Jersey. The show was based on an idea from Method Man. ...

Tommy Hill, a.k.a. John Wilson, of rap group the RAM Squad was arrested Tuesday evening and charged with drug dealing and possession after his Philadelphia home was raided by police. Authorities believe Wilson sold drugs out of his home and through dealers in the Richard Allen Homes projects, which the RAM Squad got their name from (the Richard Allen Mob). Wilson is also thought to have ties to Philly mob boss Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino. ... Factory 81 have broken up following the departure of bassist Kevin Lewis and drummer Andy Cyrulnik. The hardcore metal outfit's only album, Mankind, came out in 2000. ...

12.23.03

Ozzy Osbourne has been taken out of the Wexham Park Hospital intensive-care unit and placed in a private clinic to recuperate from the injuries he sustained in an ATV crash on December 8, according to a statement from the Osbournes. The former wildman of rock fractured his collarbone, eight ribs and a vertebra in his neck in the accident, which occurred on his Buckinghamshire estate in southern England. Last week, Sharon Osbourne said it would probably take Ozzy six months to fully recover. ...

Hip-hop's greatest storyteller, Slick Rick, will headline his own "Welcome Home" concert in Brooklyn, New York, on January 9. The old-school icon was recently freed from an INS detention center after 17 months while he awaited deportation. Several of Slick Rick's legendary peers are expected to perform at the event but none have yet been confirmed. ... Gang Starr's DJ Premier and Guru are sorting through tracks for a greatest-hits collection due next year. In 1999, the seminal hip-hop duo released the double-disc Full Clip: A Decade of Gang Starr, but this collection would include newer tracks, B-sides, remixes and at least one new track. ...

Perhaps inspired by all those Priceline.com commercials, in which he sang alongside established rockers, William Shatner is working on a new music album, and he's beaming up some talented artists, including Henry Rollins and Joe Jackson, to help him out. Ben Folds will produce the project, which will likely come out next year. The former Starship Enterprise captain has been in Nashville recording the LP and recently weighed in on the project via his Web site: "I am attempting excellence in music. I feel like I'm almost there, but I'll have to wait for all of you to tell me if I have reached excellence or not." ... Singer/guitarist Justin Hawkinsof British hair metal revivalists the Darkness will address England on MTV Europe on Christmas Day at 3 p.m., the same time the queen of England delivers a speech to her subjects on BBC1. Over the past year, the Darkness have become rock icons across Europe; in North America they remain an acquired taste. ...

On the heels of Rob Halford's return to the band, Judas Priest will release a box set called Metalogy on March 9. The box will feature three or four CDs and may include a live DVD. Judas Priest are working on new material with Halford as well. Tim Owens, who sang on the last two Priest records, is now a member of Iced Earth, whose new album, The Glorious Burden, will be released January 13. ... Murderdolls singer Wednesday 13 will launch a line of merchandise next year that will include shirts, bags, stickers and patches. The product line will feature "The Thirteen Dead Kids" logo, cartoon renderings of 13 dead children drawn in red and black. Wednesday 13 came up with the idea during the downtime that followed this year's tours with Iron Maiden and Stone Sour. ...

The Presidents of the United States of America are re-releasing their self-titled debut album (featuring "Lump" and "Peaches") with five bonus tracks (including a new song called "Some Postman") and a DVD. Titled Extra Super Double Bonus Thrill Pack, the collection is due February 16. ...

• Bruce Springsteen
• Al Green
• Mary J. Blige
• Hall & Oates
• Redman

Eddie Vedder inducts the Ramones into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.
Photo: VH1

NEW YORK — A mohawked Eddie Vedder put the regal Waldorf-Astoria hotel in a punk rock state of mind Monday night when he inducted the Ramones into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (check out Kurt Loder's take on the Hall's history here).

Nearing the end of his 17-minute speech, Vedder said, "After this, I'm sure the evening will move quickly, but it's the Ramones and it's punk rock and I'm just about finished and I hope you're OK with that." The crowd's response included some jeers and boos.

"Apparently you're not. F--- you," he replied.

But overall, the night was filled with special moments — including a Talking Heads induction and reunion as well as posthumous inductions of Joey Ramone and Chet Atkins — even though the ceremony was also plagued by technical difficulties and long delays (the delays will be edited out when VH1 broadcasts the event on Wednesday).

There was no question about the content of Vedder's speech, which was called "brilliant" by those who followed him. But as well spoken as the Pearl Jam singer was in his call to remember how the Ramones revitalized rock and how desperately that needs to happen again, he was also slow, pausing and mumbling through passages.

"They were armed with two-minute songs that they rattled off like machinegun fire," Vedder said, "and it was enough to change the Earth's revolution. Now it's Disney kids singing songs written by old men and being marketed to 6- and 7-year-olds, so some kind of change might have to happen again soon."

Vedder's speech set the tone for the evening, but for capturing the spirit of the Ramones, masters of the short and sweet, Green Day did the trick. The pop-punk trio saluted their forefathers with efficiency, blasting through "Rockaway Beach," "Teenage Lobotomy" and "Blitzkrieg Bop" without speaking to the crowd or to reporters backstage.

For the most part, the Ramones kept it light, with bassist Dee Dee Ramone joking, "I'd like to congratulate myself and thank myself and give myself a big pat on the back. Thank you, Dee Dee, you're wonderful."

Drummer Tommy Ramone, however, reiterated that the honor did mean a lot to the band, especially since it was something their late singer had wanted. "The honor of our induction ... means a lot to us. But it's really meant everything to Joey." He continued that thought backstage, saying it was one of the last things he talked about with Joey before the singer's death last April.

Talking Heads put aside their legendary acrimony and performed for the first time in 18 years. Joined onstage by CBGB owner Hilly Kristal, the band thanked just about everyone who had nurtured, fed or paid them over the years, including the rock hall itself, "for giving this band a happy ending," drummer Chris Frantz said.

Latter-day touring members of the band, including Bernie Worrell of Parliament/Funkadelic and Steve Scales, joined on two-thirds of the set, which consisted of "Psycho Killer," "Burning Down the House" and "Life During Wartime." "This is a song completely inappropriate at this time," singer David Byrne said before launching into "Life During Wartime," "but then again, maybe it is appropriate."

Witnesses to the band's performance started wondering if talk of a full-fledged reunion would also be appropriate. After all, Byrne actually seemed relaxed playing with his former bandmates, with little to no trace of the self-conscious and idiosyncratic moves that comprised his so-uncool-he's-cool Talking Heads persona. Content to move in sync with Tina Weymouth's able bass playing, Byrne instead painted a picture of ease.

Backstage, Byrne said the choice of songs helped "smooth things out." "We just played what we imagined people wanted to hear," he said. "This wasn't the time to pull out obscure numbers." Would there ever be such a time again? Guitarist Jerry Harrison said that they would think about that later. "We haven't played together for a really long time," Frantz added, "and I think we're all grateful to have a happy night like this and to have a good vibe."

Good vibes weren't hard to find in the evening's other performances, which started off with an orchestrated version of "Shaft," conducted and then sung by inductee Isaac Hayes. Dressed in a silky pajamalike outfit, Hayes led Paul Schaffer's band in a long prelude to his famous theme song. Waving his arms around, Hayes acted out instrument parts as if he were playing them himself, adding a sense of spunk to his funk.

Inducted later in the evening, Hayes warned young rap and hip-hop artists to avoid being blinded by the money. "It's not all about bling bling and all the gold and Cristal," he said. "Don't slip into the traps, and don't forget about your 'hood."

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers took it a little easy on their renditions of "Last Dance With Mary Jane" and "American Girl." Petty didn't reach for the slightly higher register he usually sings those songs in, and instead dropped it down a notch, bearing a resemblance to his presenter's father. "Before Tom came along, a lot of singer/songwriters were stuck with the label the 'new Dylan,' " presenter Jakob Dylan said. "Tom's vision was so strong that when I came along, I was called the 'new Petty,' when actually I may have been the only one who deserved the burden of being called the 'new Dylan.' "

The closing all-star jam turned out to be neither all-star nor a jam. Many of the evening's performers, inductees and presenters — from the Ramones and Green Day to Anthony Kiedis (who inducted Talking Heads) and Alicia Keys (who inducted Hayes) — didn't participate.

The first song of the finale, Al Green's soul classic "Take Me to the River," had to be done twice, since audio problems made it difficult to hear the full mix the first time around. Some of the pairings for the rest of the jam made sense — presenter Darlene Love joining inductee Gene Pitney on "He's a Rebel," which he wrote for her group, the Crystals — but having Matchbox Twenty's Rob Thomas (pulled from the audience) duet with Jewel (who inducted Brenda Lee) was less to do with the event than with positioning. Still, it didn't dilute their tribute to George Harrison on "Here Comes the Sun."

Other inductees included Chet Atkins (as a sideman) and Jim Stewart (as a non-performer).

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony airs Wednesday at 9 p.m. on VH1.

• Pearl Jam
• Eddie Vedder
• The Ramones
• Green Day
• Talking Heads

India.Arie
Photo: Motown

Newcomers and old-timers alike, from India.Arie to Patti LaBelle, will gather for special performances at next week's Grammy Awards ceremony.

Arie, R&B singers Brian McKnight and Al Green, and gospel star Hezekiah Walker will perform what the Recording Academy called Thursday (February 21) an "inspirational segment" at the 44th annual awards show February 27 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

LaBelle, a two-time Grammy winner, will join Christina Aguilera, Pink, Lil' Kim, Mya and Missy Elliott on "Lady Marmalade," a song she took to the top of the charts in 1975 and the pop stars remade with massive success for last year's "Moulin Rouge" soundtrack.

Also added to the premier music awards show is a duet between Billy Joel and Tony Bennett on "New York State of Mind," a classic song that took on new meaning after Joel performed it at the September 11 telethon "America: A Tribute to Heroes." Joel and Bennett, who have won 14 Grammys between them, are nominated this year for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for their version of the song on Bennett's album Playin' With My Friends: Bennett Sings the Blues.

Previously announced performers include U2, 'NSYNC with Nelly, Outkast, Alicia Keys, Alejandro Sanz with Destiny's Child, Dave Matthews Band, Train, Bob Dylan, Alan Jackson and a tribute to the "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack (see ).

Don Henley and Trisha Yearwood, together nominated for the Best Country Collaboration with Vocals Grammy for "Inside Out," have been added to a list of presenters that includes Britney Spears, Janet Jackson, Gwen Stefani, Ja Rule, Kid Rock and others, according to the Recording Academy.

Arie is second only to U2 for most nominations with seven. The neo-soul singer is the only artist competing in all four of the top categories: Album of the Year, Best New Artist, Record of the Year and Song of the Year (the latter two for "Video").

McKnight will compete in five categories, including Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song for "Love of My Life" and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for "My Kind of Girl" with Justin Timberlake.

Green will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, while Walker is nominated for Best Gospel Choir or Chorus Album for Love Is Live!

Joel, a former Grammy Legend Award winner, will accept the 2002 MusiCares Person of the Year award from the Recording Academy at a Los Angeles dinner two nights before the Grammys. Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora, Matchbox Twenty's Rob Thomas and Nelly Furtado will perform in honor of Joel's accomplishments as a musician and humanitarian.

Comedian Jon Stewart will host the Grammys, which will be broadcast on CBS at 8 p.m.

For more Grammy news, check out the MTV News Grammy Archive.

• India.Arie
• Patti Labelle
• Brian McKnight
• Al Green
• Tony Bennett

Al Green
Photo: Carol Friedman

Legendary soul man Al Green will receive the Rhythm and Blues Foundation's Lifetime Achievement Award at the organization's 12th annual Pioneer Awards in October. Other honorees include jump blues innovator Louis Jordan, "Rescue Me" singer Fontella Bass and Motown songwriting team Holland/Dozier/Holland.

Green, who released a hits collection and autobiography last year both entitled Take Me to the River, is responsible for such soul classics as "Love and Happiness," "Let's Stay Together" and "Belle." He's spent the past 25 years dividing his time between performing, recording and preaching at his Full Gospel Tabernacle church in Memphis, Tennessee.

In addition to her 1965 smash "Rescue Me," Bass recorded a handful of hits for the Checker label including "You'll Miss Me (When I'm Gone)" and "Don't Mess Up a Good Thing," a duet with Bobby McClure. Since then she's devoted most of her time to gospel, recording and touring with her group the Voices of St. Louis.

Saxophonist Big Jay McNeely and singer Dee Dee Sharp are the other individual performer honorees, while the Emotions — who had a #1 pop and R&B hit in 1977 with "Best of My Love" — will receive a Group award.

Jordan, who will receive a Legacy Tribute award, was responsible for dozens of R&B hits, including "Beans and Cornbread," "Choo Choo Ch' Boogie" and "Caldonia." Lamont Dozier and brothers Brian and Eddie Holland, who were responsible for many of Motown's 1960's hits, will receive a Songwriter award along with New Orleans pianist Allen Touissant, who wrote hits for Irma Thomas and Etta James and produced LaBelle's "Lady Marmalade" and Dr. John's "Right Place, Wrong Time." The R&B Foundation was founded in 1988 to provide emergency medical assistance and other financial help to seminal artists from the 1940s, '50s and '60s.

• Al Green
• Louis Jordan
• Fontella Bass
• Big Jay McNeely

Sonicnet Music News

Jam rockers the Dave Matthews Band highlighted the second of two sold-out shows at Chicago's Soldier Field on Friday by performing with soul legend Al Green, but some members of the audience were less than pleased.

The group played a version of Green's classic "Take Me to the River" twice during its 90-minute set. They recorded the song for the upcoming IMAX video, "All Access" which will also feature Kid Rock, Moby, Santana and others at mid-show and during their encore to make sure they had adequate footage.

"You've been such a great crowd, we didn't think you'd mind if we brought Mr. Al Green back on stage," frontman Dave Matthews said. "You're all going to be in a movie."

The 50,000 fans who were packed tightly into the colossal stadium cheered, though it was easy to hear the group's fans, most of whom were not even born during Green's early '70s heyday, make snide comments such as, "Who is this Al Green guy?" and "Not him again."

Green, dressed in a gold sequined jacket and dancing around the stage with James Brown-like pizzazz, seemed out of place at the concert, which was a sea of Abercrombie & Fitch and Budweiser logos.

"Dave was great, but why the hell was Al Green there?" said 24-year-old Dennis Swart of Minneapolis. "It didn't help we had to listen to the same song twice. What kind of team screws up so bad you have to redo a song to get it on tape?"

"I didn't pay to see Al Green, especially not to see him play the same song twice," said Jennifer Harris, 23, of Chicago.

The crowd was much more receptive to the Dave Matthews Band's signature solo-packed jams, which were prominent from the opening "Tripping Billies" to the closing "Ants Marching."

In between, the band, which kicked off its summer tour June 19 at the Polaris Amphitheater in Columbus, Ohio, played several of its hit singles and three songs from its upcoming album.

"Grey Street," a new, slower tune highlighted by Matthews' gentle voice, fit nicely between "Crash Into Me" and "Satellite," two of the band's most popular ballads.

Before closing their first set with "Too Much," from their 1996 album Crash, Matthews led his band, which includes drummer Carter Beauford, bassist Stefan Lessard, violinist Boyd Tinsley and saxophonist Leroi Moore, through two new songs, "JTR" and "Sweet Up, Sweet Down," as well as a cover of the country classic "Long Black Veil," which was featured on the DMB's 1999 concert LP, "Listener Supported."

The latter two, according to an update from the group's longtime producer Steve Lillywhite on the band's official Web site (www.dmband.com), have been recorded for the group's upcoming album.

Latin funk band Ozomatli and blues-rock guitarist Ben Harper opened the show, warming up the crowd with a wide mix of music. Harper jumped from his slow, groovy tunes to a hip-hop version of his current hit, "Steal My Sunshine."

During Friday's show, the Dave Matthews Band was content with playing its instruments and seemed to pay little attention to the enormous crowd. The group may be one of only three bands to sell out consecutive shows at Soldier Field, along with the Rolling Stones in 1997 and the Grateful Dead in 1995, according to the Chicago Tribune, but the attention didn't faze them.

The eclectic group always has stood out among the Hootie & the Blowfishes and Sister Hazels because of its ability to transform a stadium into a college bar. On Friday, they accomplished this by diving deep into each song, soloing on their concert favorites and recreating their standard three-minute pop songs as delicate masterpieces.

Missing, however, were some of their greatest stadium anthems: "Warehouse," "#41" and the Bob Dylan cover "All Along the Watchtower," all of which the group played the night before.

Several fans who saw Thursday night's show said the group was not at its best.

"Out of the six Dave Matthews shows I have seen, it was the second-worst," said Stu Sorrel, 24, of Chicago. "I felt like they were more worried about playing Soldier Field than playing to the fans."

Jeff Donahoe, 23, of Chicago said he also had seen better Dave Matthews shows. "I thought [opening act] Ben Harper was way too mellow, which caused Dave to have to open up a lot larger than he probably would have liked to," he said. "I think he had to do it to pump up the subdued crowd."

The Dave Matthews Band will end their current 28-city summer tour Sept. 10 at the Lakewood Amphitheater in Atlanta and will resume work on their upcoming album at a studio they built near their hometown of Charlottesville, Va. The experimental jazz collective Medeski Martin & Wood will open several dates later this summer.

In addition to last week's two Soldier Field shows, the group is on the verge of selling out two more shows Aug. 19 & 20 at the nearby Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wis.

"What [Dave Matthews Band] is doing is unbelievable," concert promoter Andy Cirzan of Jam Productions told the Chicago Tribune. "I can't think of another performer who has ever sold as many tickets in the market as this guy will this summer."

• Al Green