Hinder
Photo: MTV News

What made the original Guns N' Roses so intriguing was how dangerous they truly were. At the height of their career, they were a force to be reckoned with — an unruly gang of wild-eyed kids from the seedy streets of L.A., who churned out gritty rock and roll and always partied as if it were their last night on Earth. They lived for the moment, abused all manner of substances and had more than their fare share of the ladies.

Of course, Guns N' Roses existed during a completely different time, long before grunge got us depressed and emo made us nearly suicidal. Today, there's just aren't many bands who've even come close to matching the level of debauchery achieved by Axl, Izzy, Duff, Slash and Adler back in their heyday. (Kurt Loder reminisces about his many encounters with Axl Rose in the MTV Newsroom.) But Hinder are trying their darnedest.

On Wednesday, less than a week before the November 23 release of GN'R's long-awaited Chinese Democracy, we reached out to the hardest-living rockers we know to gauge their thoughts on the new LP from one of their biggest influences.

"The original Guns N' Roses inspired us — not Axl Rose being an a--hole," drummer Cody Hanson clarified.

(Read Eagles of Death Metal frontman Jesse "The Devil" Hughes' take on Chinese Democracy here.)

"We've heard some of the earlier stuff that's leaked, and the single, and I was just kind of like, 'Eh,' " frontman Austin Winkler said. "Axl's voice sounds great, but that was never a problem. It was him going onstage and working with those other guys that was the problem. I think somewhere Axl's got all these other different guitar players he's tried to work with and he was just whipping them, going, 'More like Slash! More like Slash!' That's what I'm picturing in my mind."

After hearing the first leaks from the record, Hanson said he knew it wasn't going to live up to the hype.

"I heard the stuff that was leaked, and I know the mixes weren't there, but, being musicians, you can hear through that stuff — you still hear the songs, and to be honest, the songs just aren't there," he said. "It almost sounds too artsy; there's something about it. It's not what it was. It's just missing something, and it sounds overproduced. ... I guess that's what happens whenever you've got 20 years to sit in the studio."

Hanson admitted he was surprised to discover a release date had finally been set for Democracy, but he was still excited for Axl's return.

"It is great to hear that voice on the radio again," he said. "Without the band, though, to me, it's not really Guns N' Roses. It was all about that energy that that group of guys had together, and without that, I don't know, man. It's kind of pointless and a wasted effort. Axl was never GN'R by himself. Look at the other guys — they've moved on, and Slash is still one of the biggest icons in rock and roll. So, GN'R definitely wasn't just Axl."

According to Winkler, Hinder were approached to open for Guns on a recent tour, but they decided to turn down the offer. "We knew what would happen," he said. "Axl wouldn't go on stage if he didn't have his lamb or something. We didn't do it, and it turned out way better for us."

Looking back on Rose's numerous tour cancellations and hasty moves to boot bands from the bill, which happened to the Eagles of Death Metal in 2006, Hanson said they decided against the tour for the sake of their fans.

"Our fans are extremely important to us, and if we had to cancel a bunch of dates and leave them hanging, we would have been pretty pissed off," Hanson said. "So, we decided it was not in our best interest to do the tour."

• Hinder
• Guns N' Roses

"Twilight" Soundtrack
Photo: Atlantic

After two weeks at #1, AC/DC's Black Ice — which has already broken the 1 million-sold barrier — has been bitten by the "Twilight" phenomenon.

The vampire flick opens next Friday, but before hitting the local cineplex, fans of the much-anticipated adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's novel hit their local record stores to pick up a copy of the movie's soundtrack, which features tracks by Muse, Perry Farrell, Paramore and Linkin Park.

The "Twilight" soundtrack debuts at #1 on next week's Billboard albums sales chart, having sold about 164,700 copies in its first week on store shelves. It becomes the year's third soundtrack to top the chart, following this summer's "Mamma Mia" soundtrack and the "Juno" set, which was released in 2007, but climbed to #1 in January. According to the latest sales totals compiled by Nielsen SoundScan, AC/DC's latest falls one spot to #2, with 159,500 week-three scans reported.

"Twilight" was among 17 new releases impacting next week's chart, and one of four to enter in the top 10. Following the soundtrack to "High School Musical 3: Senior Year," which holds at #3 with just under 110,000 sold, Hinder's Take It to the Limit bows at #4, after selling 81,400 units. Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli's Incanto opens at #8 with 62,200 copies scanned, and country star Brad Paisley's Play debuts at #9 with 53,700 sold.

Meanwhile, Pink's Funhouse drops three spots to #5, with 72,900 scans, while John Legend's Evolver falls two positions to #6, selling another 72,000 copies. T.I.'s Paper Trail holds for a second week at #7, thanks to almost 68,800 scans. Rascal Flatts' Greatest Hits, Volume 1 rounds things out at #10, with 39,100 sold.

A Tribe Called Quest's Q-Tip enters the chart at #11, after selling 34,200-plus copies of his latest, Renaissance, while Sarah Brightman's Winter Symphony debuts at #38, with 13,500 sold. Shiny Toy Guns' Season of Poison follows at #47, with sales reported at 12,200, and rapper UNK's Second Season makes its debut at #104, with 5,200 copies sold. Travis' Ode to J. Smith follows at #122, with week-one sales reported at about 4,600, while Switchfoot's The Best Yet trails at #123, with 4,500 sold.

• AC/DC
• Paramore
• Perry Farrell
• Travis
• Switchfoot

Kellan Lutz
Photo: MTV News

LOS ANGELES — First things first: In addition to being "Twilight" Tuesday, it's also Election Day. And since we're all about getting out the vote, we'd like to remind you: The right president could mean a stronger economy, which could then lead to more money for "Twilight" sequels! So vote, and then come back here for some cool Kellan Lutz news.

Seriously, we'll wait.

OK, welcome back. There is a proud tradition of casting big-name actors like Keanu Reeves, Chevy Chase and Christopher Walken in music videos. Now that "Twilight" star Kellan Lutz is watching his own career take off, he's eager to similarly embrace his inner rock star — a notion we're sure Emmett Cullen could understand.

For this week's "Twilight" Tuesday, MTV News teamed with our friends at Soundtrack to exclusively join Kellan as he shot a video for Hinder's new single "Without You." He spoke to us about playing an evil boyfriend, his plan to surprise fans waiting in line for "Twilight," and even introduced us to his newest friend: Moo-Moo the cow.

"I play the bad boyfriend," the 23-year-old heartthrob said. "Aimee [Teegarden from 'Friday Night Lights'] is the sweet cheerleader girl ... who shouldn't be with me. I lead her life on the wrong track until she gets rid of me, and her life finally goes to where it should go. She graduates high school and gets a good job, while I am left in the dust."

"It's awesome to have people who are talented at acting, instead of ourselves," said Hinder frontman Austin Winkler, who helped select the actors for the video from the band's Take It to the Limit album. "We're all so excited to have Kellan Lutz. ... It's good to have someone like him in our video. He's done 'Twilight,' and he's on '90210' the series, so it's exciting to have some talented people in the video."

"My 'Twilight' world is, like, obsessive," laughed the 19-year-old Teegarden, a huge fan of Stephenie Meyer's best-selling novels. "I got the first book [because] everyone was like, 'Oh my God, you have to read "Twilight," ' and I'm like, 'All right, sure.' ... I picked it up on my way to the airport, and I was like, 'Whatever.' Then, literally, on the plane, I was crying and laughing! And the person next to me, I'm sure she thought I was on some sort of crazy drugs. ... I got off the plane, went to the store and bought the next two. Then I literally locked myself in my room for hours, just reading."

"This isn't my first music video. I did Hilary Duff's 'With Love' music video-slash-fragrance ad," Lutz recalled. "[Music videos] are different. It's quicker. Everything is all planned out. You don't really have time to do so many shots, because you don't have a month or two months or three months to do a music video. [And there is] no script at all."

That lack of script proved particularly interesting when Lutz and Teegarden — both of whom claim they've never gotten into a serious argument with a significant other — needed to improv an argument.

"There's a scene where Amy sees me talking to another girl, flirting around," he explained. "Then she starts to cry. And, bless her heart, I start yelling at her, and it's so weird, because I've never yelled at a girl before. It felt really out of character for me to be saying this stuff and act the way I did for that scene. Hopefully it looks great, but it felt funny."

With only 17 days to go until the "Twilight" release, Lutz can already see the hype swelling and said the Hinder video is just one of many signs that the Cullen clan is taking off.

" 'Twilight' is such an amazing project, and I think it opened up doors for all of us castmembers," he said. "From doing TV to movies to doing this, I think it really did help with having me onboard.

"When they told me that we took over Harry Potter's [release] date, I was like, 'Yes! It's about time!' " Lutz continued. "I am really excited for it to come out, and I'm really excited to hopefully do the other books, if we are allowed to.

"Just because," he added with a sly grin, "in the third book, there is a lot of Emmett in there."

Kellan also said he's been getting recognized more in public — and if he has his way, he might soon be making an appearance at a theater near you. "I went to a football game recently at a high school right by my house [and people came up to me], but to me, I don't think they're Kellan's rabid fans; I think they're Emmett's rabid fans," he laughed. "If fans were to spend the night and camp out to see our movie, that would mean so much to me. ... There's all those big movies like 'Star Wars,' 'Spider-Man' and 'Indiana Jones,' where people wait in line for days just to be able to see it first and be the first one to comment. I told my roommates this, because we were talking about it: I would love to dress up and pop in and out [of the lines] and scare them."

Something tells us, however, that fear would be the last thing those lucky fans would feel. Because in real life, the affable actor is every bit as big a teddy bear as Emmett is — and he insisted that he has no problem when fans blur the lines between the two.

"If I [get typecast], bring it on," he laughed. "Because Emmett is the coolest guy ever. ... He's someone who likes to have fun. He's not the typical jock, where he says mean stuff and beats his girlfriend up or anything like that. He's such a fun-loving guy, and with how he interacts with Bella, it's all out of love. He's just a big teddy bear, and he enjoys life to the fullest."

Every Tuesday is "Twilight" Tuesday here at MTV News! Check back here each and every week for the hottest scoop on the film adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's beloved vampire series, and we'll still bring you breaking "Twilight" news throughout the rest of the week. And make sure you check out the MTV Movies Blog for our ongoing "Twilight" discussions each and every day.

Check out everything we've got on "Twilight."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

• 'Twilight' Tuesday: Kellan Lutz Moonlights As A Bad Boyfriend

• "Twilight" Premieres In Paris, Munich, London, Rome And Madrid
• On The "Twilight" Set

• Hinder

CNN's Anderson Cooper at "A Night for Vets: An MTV Concert for the BRAVE"
Photo: Scott Gries/ Getty Images

NEW YORK — The action might have been on the stage at Thursday night's "A Night for Vets: An MTV Concert for the BRAVE," as 50 Cent, Ludacris, Kanye West and Linkin Park paid tribute to the troops, but behind the scenes at the Nokia Theatre, there was no shortage of activity either.

Media stars, musicians and even Olympic gold-medalists provided the show behind the show, mingling in the venue's two VIP green rooms — not to mention the "TRL" studios upstairs, where even more folks were packed away — watching the concert live on flat-screen TVs, cracking jokes, exchanging digits and posing for photos.

Early on in the evening, 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo held court outside their dressing room, with an army of assistants, photographers and label workers nearby. After a few minutes of hanging out, Fif kicked the door to the room shut so that he could put on his camouflage pants in peace. He emerged a minute later (pants on), telling an associate that he was excited for the night's performance, "because I can reach the troops, and I don't have to go back to Iraq to do it."

Later, after finishing their performance, the entire G-Unit clique posed for photos with sprinter LaShawn Merritt, who won two gold medals in the Beijing Olympics (and, yes, he was wearing them backstage). After the photo op, 50 went back into his room to change, and Banks — decked out in a massive Pelle Pelle jacket — checked out Hinder's set, nodding in time to the pounding drum beat.

Across the hallway, as Hinder were screaming through their set, Ludacris was having a tough time of things. Not only was he visibly limping (as is generally the case when your left foot is immobilized in a giant cast), but the walls of the venue were preventing him from getting cell phone reception.

"I only got one bar down here, man," he said to a security guard, before limping into an open area to try his luck again.

On the other side of the theater, in a bizarrely Moroccan-themed VIP area, Eve reclined on a couch while having her hair styled and talking to a friend about the World Series. And though she's a Philly girl, she didn't exactly sound like she had been paying attention to recent events.

"I'm not really watching it. I know the Phillies are in it, but who are they playing?" she asked the room, which included comedian Jeffrey Ross and CNN's Anderson Cooper. "Who? The Tampa Bay Rays? OK, now I know what to say if people ask me."

Eve was escorted to the stage, leaving Cooper to check out Angels & Airwaves' performance on a flat-screen, and Ross and comedian Whoopi Goldberg to exchange pleasantries and pose for a few pics.

Upstairs in the "TRL" studios, things weren't nearly as jovial. Sure O.A.R. seemed content in their dressing room, but the real drama was between rival rock acts Hinder and Saving Abel. No one seemed to be able to say just what the beef was about, but several headset-wearing members of the MTV production team were whispering about it. It bears mention that though the two bands shared adjacent dressing rooms, no one came to blows (though the guys in Hinder did request some Sprite, which, given their hard-partying personae, was a bit of a disappointment). Perhaps, in keeping with the spirit of things, both sides decided to quash their beef for one night only.

Don't miss "A Night for Vets: An MTV Concert for the BRAVE," presented by MTV's Choose or Lose campaign and CNN to support veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The show features performances by 50 Cent, Ludacris, Kanye West, Linkin Park, Hinder, Saving Abel and more, and airs tonight at 8 p.m. ET on MTV.

• A Night For Vets: An MTV Concert For The BRAVE

• "A Night For Vets: An MTV Concert For The BRAVE"

• 50 Cent
• Eve
• Hinder

Hinder
Photo: Florian Schneider

As Mötley Crüe's members can surely attest, being in a platinum-selling rock band has its obvious advantages — perks, if you will.

There's the money, the adoration of millions of fans, the broads and the freedom to bro down with your best friends whenever the mood strikes. Some bands reject this lifestyle of excess to concentrate on more creative, more productive and more meaningful pursuits. Other bands embrace it — liver disease, be damned.

Oklahoma hard-rock troupe Hinder fit into the latter category. They've been carrying the torch for the likes of the Crüe, Poison, Whitesnake, Guns N' Roses and the rest of the '80s lot, who habitually trashed hotel rooms, swigged more booze than Gary Busey and spread more disease than rats did during the bubonic plague, at a time when the "rock star" seems an antiquated, abandoned notion.

"We've been blessed," drummer Cody Hanson said one week after the Hinder boys hit Hawaii for a little R-and-R ("We snorkeled, chilled on the beach and just got sh---canned," he said). "If we want to wake up in the morning and start f---ing pounding vodka, then play a 45-minute set and party our asses off all night, sh--, we might as well take advantage and do it."

That's Hinder's mind-set, and yes, they're quite open about it. A few weeks back, during the video shoot for their latest single, "Use Me," Hinder followed their hearts.

"We shot it with Wayne Isham (Godsmack, Avenged Sevenfold), and we got this big house up in the Hills, rented some Ferraris and Lamborghinis, had some Playboy models come in and got f---ed up all day," Hanson recalled. "It was pretty awesome. I've been asking myself for a long time why bands don't do videos like that anymore, and I don't know. Anybody can be lame and hang out and read books and play video games and sh--, but we've been blessed with this awesome opportunity that nobody else gets. You might as well live it up and have a good time."

And Hinder — who will be on the road with Staind, 3 Doors Down and Theory of a Deadman through late September, after which they'll headline this fall's Jägermeister Music Tour — are having the time of their lives these days. The band's 2005 debut, Extreme Behavior, has sold well over 2.7 million copies since its release, and on November 4, when Americans will participate in what may very well be the most important presidential election ever, they're dropping the follow-up, Take It to the Limit, which will feature tracks like "One Last Kiss Goodbye," "Loaded and Alone" and "Up all Night."

"We thought it was an exciting day for the country, so we figured it would be a good day to drop the disc," Hanson said. "I think this new one's a lot better than our first record. Everything about it is a lot better. I love the first album and I was really, really proud of it. But this one, I don't know. ... I think we've grown as songwriters, as musicians and even our producer [Brian Howes] has grown as a producer. Sonically, it sounds better. It's just bigger and better, and we didn't want to stop until we knew for sure that we'd killed the first one.

And while Hinder have drawn comparisons to bands like Nickelback, Hanson said he doesn't agree.

"It's something that we don't see," he said. "Whenever a new band comes out and they do well, that just happens. When Nickelback came out, they were compared to Creed. Is it the same genre? Maybe — I suppose it is. But to me, those two bands don't sound anything alike, and I don't think we sound anything like Nickelback. I think this record will kill that comparison."

While the new record lacks any overarching theme, Hanson said the songs Hinder wrote for the effort were inspired by what's been happening to them over the last three years.

"This one song, called 'The Best Is Yet to Come,' I think a lot of people are going to relate to it because it's a song about all those dumb things that you do when you're young, and you just learn to embrace it, because that's what happens in life — you learn from it, and things get better as you get older," he explained. "Every song is different. There are a lot of songs that, especially some of the songs we wrote early on, you can kind of tell what we were going through on the road. One song's called 'Far From Home,' and it deals with long-distance relationships and how difficult they are — a few of us were actually going through that at the time we wrote that song."

What do Hinder think about their rapid rise in the rock realm? Hanson said they always dreamed they'd make it big, but weren't sure it would happen for them.

"We felt that we were doing some things a little bit different than other bands out there, and we figured it would either do really well or completely tank," he said. "But we got lucky, and it went the good way. Hopefully, we can keep that up on this next one."

• Hinder

Josh Duhamel and Fergie
Photo: Peter Kramer/ Getty Images

Josh Duhamel is about to "transform" into Fergie's husband — the couple are engaged, according to TMZ.com. The actor reportedly popped the question recently to the singer. ...

Radiohead and Al Gore, a match made in heaven? The band has taped an hour-long performance of In Rainbows and other material that will air Tuesday exclusively in the U.S. on Current TV, which was co-created by the Nobel Peace Prize winner. The pre-recorded performance will air commercial-free at midnight, 1 a.m., 8 a.m. and 9 p.m., with Current.com also broadcasting it at 12 a.m. ...

With a not-so-subtle message, My Chemical Romance appear to have pulled the plug on their alter-ego band, the Black Parade. The Web site for the fictional group, which MCR toured as in support of the album of the same name, now depicts a ghostly flat-line on a heart monitor, the phrase "00 BMP" and the word "Flatline" in the title bar of the page. MCR do not reference the cryptic message on their own site, and a spokesperson could not be reached for comment at press time. The medical terminology on the Black Parade site ties in with the album's iconography and story line, which revolve around a central character called "the Patient" who dies during the course of the album. ...

Paris Hilton has voiced a desire to participate in philanthropic efforts, but charity might be coming in the way of her potential inheritance, Reuters reports. The hotel heiress' grandfather Barron Hilton is reportedly planning to put 97 percent of his $2.3 billion fortune into a charitable trust. ...

Lindsay Lohan insists she did not drink before the 2005 car crash for which she is being sued. According to The Associated Press, the starlet said in a mid-December declaration that she "did not consume an alcoholic beverage or any type of medication or drug" before or during her visit to the Ivy, a restaurant located in West Hollywood, California. Upon leaving the location, Lohan hit a parked van owned by Raymundo Ortega, who later accused her of negligence and drinking. Attorneys for the restaurant filed Lohan's declaration Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court, and they also filed a declaration by Adam Novicki, the waiter who served her that night and has claimed Lohan — who was underage at the time — didn't order alcohol. Ortega is seeking $200,000, while Lohan is asking more than $75,000 in a countersuit she filed in October. ...

Hinder frontman Austin John Winkler was arrested in Jonesboro, Arkansas, last week on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, according to the Jonesboro Sun. The 26-year-old singer was stopped by police on Friday after his SUV was spotted driving late at night with no headlights. Police reportedly smelled a strong odor of intoxicants coming from the vehicle, and Winkler told them he had drank two glasses of wine. He later confessed to consuming four glasses of wine in a four-hour period and was booked. He's scheduled to appear in Craighead County District Court on January 2 to answer to the charge. ...

Though she's no star, Chicago native Jean Johnson also had a recent run-in with police — she spent Christmas in jail after being busted for using her cell phone to snap photos of of R. Kelly in the courtroom last week. AP reports that the 49-year-old pleaded guilty to contempt of court on Monday, after landing in jail over the holiday weekend, and though a judge sentenced her to five days in jail, she was released and given credit for time served. The judge also ordered that the self-described "biggest fan" of the singer destroy the cell phone she used to take the pictures. "I feel stupid," Johnson said. "I just got carried away. I'm a big fan of R. Kelly. I wanted it so that every time my phone rang, I could open it up and he'd be right there." Johnson said she didn't realize cameras weren't allowed in courtrooms. ...

Even with high-profile (and high-priced) reunion tours by the Police, Van Halen and Genesis that brought in big bucks, the North American concert business had its worst year since 2004. Preliminary data from Pollstar reports that the top 20 tours rang up $996 million, which was down more than 15 percent from 2006. Ranking fourth on Pollstar's list of top-grossing tours of all time, the outing by the Police topped the 2007 chart with tickets sales of $131.9 million, followed by Kenny Chesney with $71.1 million and Justin Timberlake with $70.6 million. Pollstar editors credited the dip to a combination of some major acts setting conservative ticket prices and the fact that only two acts (the Police and Chesney) sold more than 1 million tickets in 2007, versus four hitting that mark in 2006. And though it got the most press, the impossible-to-get-tickets-for tour by Miley Cyrus came in at #15 on the year-end chart, at $36 million, with Pollstar suggesting that tickets were possibly underpriced at an average of $54 a piece. Frantic parents who paid scalpers five or six times that much per ticket might disagree. ...

Toby Keith and members of his family have been awarded $2.8 million in damages over the vehicle crash that claimed the life of his father, H.K. Covel, in 2001. The chartered bus that hit Covel's truck was in urgent need of brake repairs, and its owners had been advised of the problem, the lawyer who represented Keith's family had argued, according to AP. ... Actor Will Smith has gone on the defensive following recent comments he made about Adolf Hitler. The "I Am Legend" actor was quoted in Scottish newspaper the Daily Record as saying, "Even Hitler didn't wake up going, 'Let me do the most evil thing I can do today.' I think he woke up in the morning and using a twisted, backwards logic, he set out to do what he thought was 'good.' " The comments were preceded by the sentence, "Remarkably, Will believes everyone is basically good." Smith claims his words were misinterpreted and has issued a statement, saying, "It is an awful and disgusting lie. It speaks to the dangerous power of an ignorant person with a pen. I am incensed and infuriated to have to respond to such ludicrous misinterpretation. Adolf Hitler was a vile, heinous, vicious killer responsible for one of the greatest acts of evil committed on this planet." ...

Chuck Norris is not amused. The tough guy actor and booster of Republican Mike Huckabee's bid for the White House filed suit against Penguin Books on Friday over the satirical book "The Truth About Chuck Norris: 400 Facts About the World's Greatest Human." The book contains such "facts" as "Chuck Norris' tears cure cancer. Too bad he has never cried," and "Chuck Norris is the only person on the planet who can kick you in the back of the face." According to Reuters, the lawsuit claims that the book — which was released in November and is based on a popular list that's been bouncing around the Internet since 2005 — unfairly exploits the born-again action star's famous name and that some of the facts are "racist, lewd or portray Mr. Norris as engaged in illegal activities." The suit seeks unspecified monetary damages for trademark infringement, unjust enrichment and privacy rights.

12.22.07

Marilyn Manson has fired back at Stephen Gregory Bier Jr. — known to fans by his stage name, "Madonna Wayne Gacy" — by countersuing his former keyboardist for breach of contract, according to The Associated Press. In court papers reportedly filed in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Manson claimed Bier did not fulfill his obligations to take part in master recordings, concerts and the selling of his band's merchandise. The suit came in response to a breach-of-contract suit Bier filed against Manson back in August that sought more than $20 million in damages. Bier charged Manson shorted him on salary and medical support, and instead used the band's profits to fund his lavish lifestyle. The suit claimed Manson used the money to pay for his lavish lifestyle, drug habit and the production of his upcoming film, "Phantasmagoria: The Visions of Lewis Carroll," among other things. According to Manson's countersuit, the pair's business partnership was dissolved in 1996, once Manson became the clear leader of the band. While Bier has been paid income for CD sales, live gigs and merchandise sales, the suit alleges he had "failed to render services to the best of his ability and in a practical and cooperative manner." The suit further claims Bier was often tardy for band recordings, performances and promotional appearances, and that he had provided confidential band information to the media and other people without Manson's consent. Manson's suit seeks unspecified general and special damages, and he's also seeking a court order to prevent Bier from releasing more confidential band information. ...

Chingy recently shot the video for his second Hate It or Love It single, "Gimme That," in Los Angeles. The track feature fellow Disturbing Tha Peace members Ludacris and Bobby Valentino. "Gimme That" follows the Amerie-assisted "Fly Like Me," the lead track on his recently released album. "It's a club song, about partying, having fun and just kicking it," the St. Louis rapper told MTV News. "Just one of them type of songs." ... DMX, who once considered changing his name to Dog, will release his next two albums through Bodog Entertainment, according to Billboard.com. The rapper recently inked a deal with the Canadian online gaming company's music division and plans to put out both discs, Walk With Me Now and You'll Fly With Me Later, next year. Bodog recently nabbed the international distribution rights for the new Wu-Tang Clan album 8 Diagrams. ...

Yung Berg was arrested Friday in Miami Beach, Florida, on the set of Ray J's video shoot for "Sexy Can I." The upstart rapper is featured on the track and, according to his rep, he was taken into police custody after authorities discovered him smoking marijuana. A publicist for Berg confirmed to MTV News that he is still in custody and is waiting to be released on bail. ...

Jordin Sparks, Mario, Backstreet Boys, Teddy Geiger and others have teamed with mobile-media company Mozes for "Voices of America," a campaign that allows people to send well-wishes to soldiers overseas via voice messages. People can call the toll-free number 888-312-2612 to send messages to troops, who will have access to them through Armed Forces Entertainment. Hinder, Five for Fighting, Switchfoot's Jon Foreman and others are also participating in the campaign. ... Kid Rock busted out a cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama," a song that appeared on his recent Rock'n'Roll Jesus LP, for 500 U.S. troops as part of a United Service Organizations tour stop staged Thursday in Kabul, Afghanistan. Robin Williams, Lance Armstrong and Lewis Black also participated in the all-star event, which was part of a six-day, 14-show tour. ...

Amy Winehouse is finally getting some good news — Back to Black is likely to become the year's best-selling album in the U.K., according to BBC News. The effort, which was issued in the U.S. in March, actually dropped across the pond late last year. Back to Black also recently helped the troubled singer earn six Grammy Award nominations. Leona Lewis' Spirit and Mika's Life in Cartoon Motion currently follow behind Winehouse's album in terms of 2007 sales, BBC News says. ... Rap rules ringtones, according to AT&T. The cell phone provider released its best-selling list for the year-end and hip-hop artists accounted for eight of the top 10 numbers. Shop Boyz's "Party Like a Rockstar," Mims' "This Is Why I'm Hot," and Soulja Boy's "Crank That" topped the list. Nickelback's "Rockstar" and Akon's "Don't Matter" rounded out the top five. Also making the cut were T-Pain, Hurricane Chris, Sean Kingston, Huey and Fergie. ...

Feist, Eddie Vedder, the Arcade Fire, Björk and M.I.A. are on the long list of nominees for the seventh annual Shortlist Prize, with the announcements of the finalists and winner to be made early next year. Wilco, Animal Collective, Against Me!, Klaxons, Puscifer, PJ Harvey, Spoon, the Hives, Of Montreal, LCD Soundsystem and Serj Tankian are also among the 54 artists who are in the running. Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody and the Killers' Ronnie Vannucci are on the panel that picked the nominees. ... Dwight Schrute is taking over the Spirit Awards — Rainn Wilson, who plays the power-hungry character on "The Office," will host the indie-film-hailing ceremony on February 23. The ceremony will be held the day before the Oscars and feature writing contributions from Wilson, even though he is a member of the Writers Guild of America. The WGA, which is on strike, granted a waiver to the Spirit Awards organizer to hire writers for the event. ...

In some crumbelievable news for Stephen Colbert, newspaper editors and broadcast producers have voted him as AP's Celebrity of the Year, the news service announced Friday. He beat out J.K. Rowling, Al Gore, Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus, Judd Apatow and Kanye West. "In receiving this award, I am pleased that I was chosen over two great spinners of fantasy — J.K. Rowling and Al Gore," Colbert, who launched a presidential bid earlier this year, told AP. "Best of all, this makes me the official front-runner for next year's Drug-Fueled Downward Spiral of the year. P.S. Look for my baby bump this spring." "The Colbert Report" and "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" will start up production again on January 7, albeit without their writers, it was announced Thursday. ...

Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco is getting pressure from members of the Congressional Black Caucus to pardon the Jena Six, according to AP. In a letter that was reportedly mailed to the governor this week, Texas Representative Sheila Jackson Lee said Mychal Bell, the other teens and their families "have suffered enough, as has the State of Louisiana and the town of Jena." According to AP, Blanco's press secretary said Friday that she cannot grant a pardon or commutation without the state Pardon Board, which has its next meeting on January 17, recommending to do so. Blanco leaves office three days before that. Lee is joined by 14 other members of the caucus who are asking Blanco to support releasing Bell, who was sentenced to 18 months in a juvenile facility after a plea deal was struck earlier this month. ...

Score one for Nick Lachey — the choir he put together from his Cincinnati hometown won NBC's "Clash of the Choirs" contest Thursday night. "I've been blown away by my choir's poise," Jessica Simpson's ex said on the show. "It's made up of amateur singers. They've never done this before." The 20 singers are taking home a quarter-million dollars for the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. ... Megadeth have heart — the metal band's frontman, Dave Mustaine, and his wife recently organized a Toys for Tots donation drive for families affected by the wildfires in his native Southern California. The toys were delivered to Camp Pendleton, the North Coast Church — which the Mustaines go to — and the town of Fallbrook. "We live in a little town, and this is nothing any neighbor wouldn't do for another neighbor," he said in a statement. ... Eddie Van Halen's divorce with Valerie Bertinelli, his wife of 25 years, has been finalized. The ex-spouses have one son, Wolfgang, who is touring with the reunited Van Halen.

• Radiohead's In Rainbows Draws Colorful Opinions

• Fergie
• Radiohead
• My Chemical Romance
• Hinder
• R. Kelly

Omarion at Hot 97's Full Frontal Fashion Show on Thursday
Photo: Getty Images/ Mark Mainz

Omarion was very coy about who would be appearing on his "Ice Box" remix when he visited MTV's New York offices on Tuesday — in recent weeks, rappers like Jim Jones and Busta Rhymes have jumped on unofficial remixes of the song. But on Thursday, O let the cat out of the bag in a big way during his set at New York radio station Hot 97's Full Frontal Fashion Show event/concert at the Hammerstein Ballroom. After singing the original "Ice Box" for the fans, he played the remix — it features the same beats, but new verses by O ... and Usher. Also at the Hot 97 show were DJ Unk, Rich Boy and Lloyd — all of whom performed brief sets — plus Juelz Santana, who acted as special guest MC. Rocawear and Sean John models showed off the latest pieces from the respective clothing lines as well. ...

Police have turned over new evidence in the death of Anna Nicole Smith and an autopsy report on the model has been delayed as a result, according to The Associated Press. The Broward County, Florida, medical examiner said the autopsy tests have been completed and were due to be released later this week, but now they won't be made public for another week or two. ...

Jessica Simpson: photographer? The singer/actress told MTV Europe that she hopes to release a book of her photos — "mostly of landscapes, of the sky, clouds" — accompanied by journal entries related to the shots. "I know exactly what I was going through when I was taking the picture, and I write it down as I take the picture, so it will be that kind of book." Simpson, who revealed that she usually carries more than one camera with her — "some are better for certain shots" — recalled one memorable photo she took of a "double rainbow" in Africa. "It was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my life, and I did not know that it could even exist. I had never seen anything so magical, and I captured it, and I always have it to look back on." ...

Courtney Love is being sued by a luxury rehabilitation center that claims the singer didn't settle her bill after staying at the facility in 2005, Agence France Presse reports. In a suit filed earlier this month, Newport Beach, California's Beau Monde center says Love owes $181,286. ... A woman who claims to be a former nanny for Madonna is shopping a tell-all memoir to major publishing houses. In the memoir, she promises to reveal intimate details about the singer's marriage to director Guy Ritchie, stories of their children's behavior, the family's participation in Kabbalah and the motivation behind Madonna's decision to adopt an infant boy from Malawi. EW.com, the Web site for Entertainment Weekly, reports that the 80-page book proposal from Melissa Dumas also contains personal photos of Madonna's family, as well as pictures of Dumas playing with Madonna's kids. ... Salma Hayek is engaged and expecting, AP reports. It will be the 40-year-old "Frida" actress' first child. ...

Maynard James Keenan has resumed work on his side project Puscifer while Tool have been on a short break. In a post that appeared on the singer's MySpace page, Keenan revealed that Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello, bassist Tim Commerford and drummer Brad Wilk lend their talents to a couple of the tracks, as does ex-Primus and A Perfect Circle drummer Tim Alexander. In related news, Tool have rescheduled 10 more tour dates that were postponed last month after drummer Danny Carey tore a bicep while picking up his dog. Those rescheduled gigs will take place in Colorado Springs, Colorado (May 9); Wichita, Kansas (May 11); Bossier City, Louisiana (May 17); Pensacola, Florida (May 25); Birmingham, Alabama (May 26); Tampa, Florida (May 29); Orlando, Florida (May 31); Sunrise, Florida (June 1); Jacksonville, Florida (June 2); and Duluth, Georgia (June 4). ...

Hinder will headline MadPackers.com's inaugural Door to Dorm Music Tour, which will make stops at 17 college campuses and three music festivals nationwide, beginning March 16 in South Padre Island, Texas. Papa Roach and Puddle of Mudd will be the trek's support acts. The run, which wraps May 8 in Green Bay, Wisconsin, will hit Johnstown, Pennsylvania; Cullowhee, North Carolina; Dahlonega, Georgia; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Maryville, Missouri; Lubbock, Texas; Wichita Falls, Texas; Boca Raton, Florida; Fairfield, Connecticut; Clarion, Pennsylvania; Tampa, Florida; and Aiken, South Carolina. ... "Simpsons" fans love engaging in lively debate over which state the show's fictional city of Springfield is supposedly set in, but there's a more serious discussion being had by city officials in the real-life Springfields. According to CNN, 16 Springfields, from Oregon to Massachusetts, are on a list of cities competing to host the premiere screening of "The Simpsons Movie." Fox will chose the winner based on the communities' positive aspects and links to the TV show. "The Simpsons Movie" opens July 29. ...

The manager for Blues Traveler frontman John Popper explained on Thursday why the singer was found with a small cache of weapons in his car when he was stopped for speeding on Tuesday. Manager George Couri told AP that Popper is an avid gun collector who often makes pit stops at shooting ranges when he's on the road. He added that all the weapons — which included four rifles, nine handguns, a switchblade and Taser — were registered and secured in a locked cabinet. ... As part of its ongoing crackdown on illegal file trading, the Recording Industry Association of America is asking 50 Ohio University students to pay $3,000 each to avoid lawsuits accusing them of illicit downloading. The university received letters from the RIAA with the names of the students involved in the alleged violations and was asked to pass them along to the alleged offenders, according to an AP report. The RIAA recently announced plans to step up suits on college campuses, pledging to send 400 letters a month to university students and staff suspected of copyright infringement. ...

Boston singer Bradley Delp was found dead in his New Hampshire home on Friday (March 9), AP reports. The cause of death is under investigation by New Hampshire police, but authorities say there was no sign of foul play. An incident report will not be available until Monday. Driven by the singles "More Than a Feeling" and "Long Time," Boston's self-titled 1976 bow remains one of the biggest-selling debut albums in history. Delp's soaring voice — he sang all lead and backing vocals on the group's most popular albums — was a vital element of their instantly recognizable sound, which dominated U.S. radio in the late 1970s. He was 55.

03.08.2007

Taylor Hicks will use the Saturday and Sunday concerts in his Birmingham, Alabama, hometown to help those affected by a devastating tornado that hit Enterprise earlier this month. The "Idol" winner — who will be headlining shows in the city for the first time since he was crowned — has invited the Red Cross to collect money on site. While in Birmingham, Hicks will also be presented with the key to the city, which he is planning to dedicate to the tornado victims. ...

Jim Jones appeared at Game Stop in New York on Tuesday to take on challengers in EA's new "Def Jam: Icon" video game. Later on that night, Jones joined Russell Simmons, Redman, Chamillionaire and Funkmaster Flex at the release party at Ultra in New York. "This game is f---ing nuts," Redman told MTV News. "This is taking fighting joints to the next level." ...

Speaking of Redman, the rapper has set a March 27 release date for his latest album, Red Gone Wild - Thee Album. Guests include Snoop Dogg, Method Man, Erick Sermon, Keith Murray, Nate Dogg and Biz Markie, while Scott Storch, Timbaland and Rockwilder contributed production. Red, who is performing at South by Southwest on March 16-17, is releasing "Put It Down" as the first single. ... Korn are planning a tentative July 17 release for their yet-untitled new album, which they've been recording since late last year. The band's MTV Unplugged hit stores Tuesday. ...

Blues Traveler singer John Popper was arrested in Washington on Wednesday after police clocked his black Mercedes SUV going 111 mph on Interstate 90. The Associated Press reports that after they stopped him for speeding, police found a cache of weapons — including four rifles, nine handguns and a switchblade stashed in a series of hidden compartments — as well as a small amount of marijuana in Popper's car. Authorities also found a Taser and night-vision goggles in the vehicle, which had flashing emergency headlights, a siren and a public-address system. Popper, 39, is the owner of the car, which was being driven by another man and was seized by police. Authorities plan to charge the pair with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. "Popper indicated to troopers that he had installed these items in his vehicle because (in the event of a natural disaster) he didn't want to be left behind," the Washington State Patrol said in a news release. Popper also told officers he collected weapons. Both men were booked and released on their own recognizance. ...

Ozzy Osbourne, Genesis, Heart and ZZ Top have been named as this year's class for the second annual "VH1 Rock Honors." The ceremony will be taped in Las Vegas on May 12 and will air May 24 on VH1. ... Peter Gabriel will not join Genesis for the group's first tour in 15 years, Reuters reports. Expect to see singer/drummer Phil Collins, guitarist Mike Rutherford and keyboardist Tony Banks on the band's Turn It on Again Tour, which will hit Europe throughout the summer and arrive in North America on September 7. ... Hanson raised almost $3,500 through a LIFEbeat auction over the weekend. The funds will be used to help fight AIDS. ... O.A.R. are back on the road and will continue to be until May 5 in Charlottesville, Virginia. Later this year, the band is planning to release a DVD and double album recorded at its January 27 show at New York's Madison Square Garden. ... The Sword kick off their tour with Priestbird and Year Long Disaster Friday in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The jaunt runs through March 23 in Dallas. ...

Hard-rock rookies Flyleaf are celebrating their self-titled debut LP's gold status with their first headlining trek — and they're doing it for a good cause to boot. The Justice & Mercy Tour will raise funds for World Vision, a Christian humanitarian organization fighting poverty and injustice, via a limited-edition EP and specially designed T-shirt the band is selling while on the road. The jaunt begins March 25 in Memphis and wraps April 30 in Port Saint Lucie, Florida. ... The Dismemberment Plan will reunite for a pair of gigs at the Black Cat in their native Washington, D.C., on April 27-28, three-and-a-half years after their breakup. The indie rockers will share the stage with Pilot to Gunner and the Oranges Band the first night, while Beauty Pill and Owls and Crows will open for the Plan the second night. The shows are being held to benefit Callum Robbins, the son of Jawbox frontman J. Robbins; the boy was recently diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy, an incurable nerve disorder. Tickets for the shows, priced at $15, have sold out, with all proceeds going directly to the Robbins family. There is no word on whether the reunion will continue beyond these two benefit shows. ...

DJ Spooky has crafted music for "Stop the Clash of Civilizations," a political video designed to help resolve the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. Check it out here. ... The Bled will reissue their debut LP, Pass the Flask, March 20. The updated version of the disc will boast an additional 11 tracks, including rare and unreleased cuts. The band plans to work on its next offering this month at Baltimore's Salad Days Studio. The effort will be produced by Brian McTernan (Thrice, Texas Is the Reason) and hit stores this summer. ... The Blood Brothers have rolled out a slew of new dates as they continue to tour in support of last year's Young Machetes. The latest leg of the band's trek kicks off March 18 in Lawrence, Kansas, and is scheduled to make stops in Minneapolis, Chicago, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Las Vegas and Los Angeles before wrapping up April 27 in Seattle. ... Former Cold frontman Scooter Ward's new band When November Falls has signed with I AM: Wolfpack, the label founded by producer Ross Robinson. The band will begin tracking its forthcoming debut, tentatively titled The Series of Emotion, in June for a projected fall release.

• Usher
• Omarion
• Jessica Simpson
• Madonna
• Tool

Hinder's Austin Winkler
Photo: Steve Snowden/ Getty Images

NEW YORK — An evening with Hinder is like hanging out with a bunch of frat boys.

Only most frat boys don't have tour buses. Most have pledges — not roadies, managers, security guards and publicists — and sorority girls, not strippers, as their dates.

Plus, most frat parties eventually end.

But Hinder's party is showing no sign of winding down. "Lips of an Angel," their power ballad about infidelity, is a huge hit. Extreme Behavior, their debut album, has topped a million sales and was the 10th best-selling CD of 2006 (see "As Hinder's Extreme Behavior Takes Off, Band Indulges In It"). And at one point, the band was selling more than 100,000 ringtones a week.

Backstage at Nokia Theatre, the five rockers from Oklahoma City toss straws at one another, laugh at silly one-liners and guzzle vodka tonics from clear plastic cups.

We had imagined a flashback to the '80s — big hair, loud music, some Lycra-clad ladies, a little cursing and drinks all around. We got four out of five.

Guitarist Joe "Blower" Garvey doesn't talk much. He just sits, observes and looks like a pretty boy with his multicolored coif and muscular frame. His bandmates tease him for having a big head. They also tease drummer Cody Hanson for having a temper, a foul mouth and an undeniable hatred for Panic! at the Disco. His prominently placed bandanna, red hair and freckles recall Axl Rose circa 1987.

Bassist Mike Rodden is the most jovial and talkative of the group, and his nose rings can distract from his intelligence. Long-haired Austin Winkler, who said he used to sing with a cover band in front of a 7-Eleven, has a voice just as raspy in person as it is in recordings. And finally, guitarist Mark King could be considered the geek of the band. He repeatedly apologizes for saying corny things and asks for them to be stricken from the record because he knows they're not that funny.

MTV: Are you having fun in New York?

Mark King: Last night we got crazy. We saw Silverchair and went out to eat and got pretty hammered and almost got kicked out of our hotel. Yeah, three guys decided to piss somewhere other than the toilet.

Austin Winkler: In the hotel.

King: I couldn't find the bathroom, dude.

Winkler: We shot a video for our next single, "Better Than Me," and we did Conan O'Brien's show yesterday.

MTV: What's wrong with the guy in that song? "You deserve much better than me." Is he a drug addict?

Mike Rodden: He's a hermaphrodite. [They laugh.] No, no, he's a drug addict.

Winkler: We shot it in a really old cathedral. It was really cool. Nigel Dick directed it. I hope it turns out good. But we can't tell you the end.

MTV: When will you be done touring?

Rodden: Never. We don't plan on going home.

Winkler: There's something I saw the other day on the schedule. It said D-A-Y O-F-F. I didn't understand what that meant.

Cody Hanson: It must be a new venue.

MTV: The name of your album is Extreme Behavior. Can you give me an example of your own extreme behavior?

Hanson: Everything we do is extreme. We can't have one drink, we need to have 30.

Rodden: In an hour.

Rodden: We visited a strip club for a couple of nights. ... It got pretty messy towards the end.

Winkler: Blower's hotel room got pretty messed up.

MTV: I read that you guys are trying to bring old-school rock and roll back, like Mötley Crüe and Van Halen. What do you think has happened to rock in the past 20 years?

Winkler: It got really dark. It was all right for a little while, but then it got really old.

Rodden: I remember the vibe of all that dark rock at some shows, and I remember seeing the crowd and how they reacted and it kind of depressed me. So, for myself, I get tired of that and I think people are ready for rock and roll to come back and to have fun again.

MTV: Are you talking about emo?

Hanson: I'm definitely talking about emo. I hate that sh--.

MTV: Do you think it started with Nirvana?

Hanson: I think it definitely started with Nirvana. Of course, Nirvana was great, but it kind of killed the idea of the rock star, and it really hurt rock as a whole. That's when rappers took over the idea of the rock star and hip-hop became so big.

MTV: Who would be your dream band to play with right now?

Rodden: We would have to take a time machine and go back to Guns N' Roses '87 and Mötley Crüe.

Winkler: The Rolling Stones.

Hanson: There's not many bands that are out right now that would be a dream tour.

Rodden: We actually turned down Guns N' Roses, if you can call them that. It's more like Axl Rose and puppets.

MTV: Where do you guys get your clothes?

Hanson: I like G-Star. That's one of my favorite companies right now.

Rodden: We have a lot of cool clothing companies that send us sh--. Affliction, Dirtbag, Von Dutch, Bagpipe.

MTV: Where do you get all the lingerie on your microphone stand?

King: We collect them. Whenever girls throw them onstage, we like to create a relationship with them.

Rodden: At the end of our tour, we'll probably donate them to eBay.

Hanson: Some of them are expensive.

MTV: What are your songs about?

Winkler: We try to write about what we know, what we've experienced, especially on this album, we're speaking from personal experience.

MTV: So you've gotten your hearts broken too.

Hanson: We're just real people like everybody else, and we have experiences like everybody else and so we like to write about that.

MTV: What are your thoughts on Jack Ingram's cover of "Lips of an Angel"?

Winkler: That was a nice gesture.

Rodden: It's somewhat flattering that someone would want to cover our song and also have it be the first single out on his album. But we weren't too jazzed on the way it turned out.

Winkler: It just sounds like he's reading a piece of paper in the vocal booth with our liner notes.

MTV: Justin Timberlake chose Scarlett Johansson to be in his new video. Emmanuelle Chriqui starred in "Lips of an Angel." If you guys could choose any girl to represent your band, who would it be?

Hanson: I was looking at a magazine today and Mischa Barton looks pretty good so I'm going to go with her.

Winkler: Keira Knightley.

Rodden: I was thinking about Shannyn Sossamon. I don't even know how to say her name, but she's smoking hot.

• Hinder

<i>Hannah Montana</i>
Photo: Disney

If you're wondering, "Who the heck is Hannah Montana?" you probably don't have kids.

She's Miley Cyrus in real life: the daughter of mullet-rocking country singer Billy Ray Cyrus, and the star of the Disney Channel original series "Hannah Montana." On the show, she plays a young girl leading a double life — she's a regular teenager by day and a pop star by night. But this week, Montana also happens to be the biggest thorn in the collective side of New Jersey rock troupe My Chemical Romance.

Over the last seven days, the music industry has been wondering just who would reach Billboard's peak first this week. It was a tight, three-way race between the "Hannah Montana" soundtrack — which features tracks from the Click Five, Jesse McCartney and even the Cyruses themselves — My Chemical Romance's third studio LP, The Black Parade, and neo-soul singer/pianist John Legend's Once Again. It was anyone's guess who'd wind up on top, and for a spell, My Chemical Romance seemed to have the advantage. But according to the latest SoundScan totals released Wednesday morning (November 1), a #1 debut just wasn't in the cards for MCR.

Hannah Montana sold more than 281,000 copies its first week in stores, outperforming The Black Parade — #2 with 240,000 — by more than 41,000 units, while MCR's conceptual opus edged out third-place Legend by more than 9,000 scans. The Black Parade's impressive first-week numbers stomped debut sales of the group's 2004 release Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, which has moved close to 1.5 million copies to date; that record opened at #103, with 12,000 units.

By comparison, Once Again's opening-week totals creamed those generated by Legend's 2004 outing Get Lifted, which has sold about 1.8 million copies to date and opened at #7 with 116,000 scans. And there's even more reason for Legend to smile this week, as Get Lifted returns to the top 200 at #141 after more than a month off the chart, with 6,800 sold.

Twenty-three newcomers hit the chart this week, but Hannah, My Chemical Romance, and Legend are the only three new releases to open in Billboard's top 10. Justin Timberlake's FutureSex/LoveSounds hangs tough at #4 with another 89,000 copies sold, and Evanescence's The Open Door slides three spots to #5 on 78,000 scans its fourth week in stores. Hinder's Extreme Behavior follows at #6 with sales at 69,000, while Diddy's Press Play slips from #1 to #7, thanks to a 65 percent sales drop off that resulted in second-week scans of 60,000. Tony Bennett's Duets: An American Classic claims the chart's #8 slot, with 53,000 copies sold, with Nickelback's All the Right Reasons at #9 with sales of 49,000. The Killers' Sam's Town rounds out the top 10 with close to 47,000 scans.

Just missing the top-10 cut at #11 is Jibbs' debut, Jibbs Feat. Jibbs, which netted opening-week sales of close to 47,000. Lil Boosie's Bad Azz follows at #18 with 41,000 scans, while Shareefa's Point of No Return claims the #25 spot with nearly 37,000. Brooke Hogan's Undiscovered surfaces at #28 with about 30,000 scans, and "The Nightmare Before Christmas" special-edition soundtrack, which includes the film's original score and five new versions of songs from the movie that have been reworked by Marilyn Manson, Panic! at the Disco, Fall Out Boy, Fiona Apple and She Wants Revenge, bows at #31 with nearly 27,000 copies sold (see "Fall Out Boy, Panic, Marilyn Manson Add To New 'Nightmare Before Christmas' Soundtrack").

Paul Stanley's Live to Win finishes at #53 with 17,000 copies purchased, while R&B singer Kelly Price's This is Who I Am follows at #54 with 16,000 scans. Gucci Mane's Hard to Kill claims #76 with 12,000 copies grabbed up, and Sparta's Threes finishes at #83 thanks to 11,000 units scanned. The latest outing from Bright Eyes, 200, owns the #107 spot with sales reported at 9,000 while Ben Folds' Supersunnyspeedgraphic, the LP opens at #114, generating 8,000 in first-week sales.

Converge return to the chart at #151 with No Heroes selling 6,000 units its first week in stores, followed at #153 by Moby's best-of collection Go: The Very Best of Moby at #153 with 6,000 copies sold. Vultures, the new one from Smile Empty Soul, debuts at #169, having sold 5,000 its initial week of release.

• Hannah Montana
• My Chemical Romance
• John Legend
• Justin Timberlake
• Evanescence

Hinder
Photo: Universal/ Republic

After Hinder first recorded the tender "Lips of an Angel," the Oklahoma City rockers confidently sent the demo to their record company.

"Our label guy was like, 'Nice song, it sounds like a B-side to me,' " singer Austin Winkler recalled. "I was like, 'F--- off, dude. This is not a B-side.' "

Hinder fought to get the song on their debut album, and it's a good thing he did. "Lips of an Angel" is currently the #9 song on Billboard's Hot 100 and has helped Extreme Behavior, released almost a year ago, climb into the top 10.

"He's definitely eating his words," Winkler said, laughing. And just so the label never forgets, "We named our bus the Blue B-side!"

Hinder just finished crossing the country in that bus, opening for Nickelback and Hoobastank, and they're already back for another round with Staind — not bad, considering they had never played a show outside of Oklahoma when they were signed.

The band formed in 2001 after guitarist Joe Garvey and drummer Cody Hanson met Winkler at a party where his cover band was playing. After adding guitarist Mark King and bassist Mike Rodden and gigging around town, the band took out a $45,000 loan, rented an RV and drove up to Vancouver to record an album.

Hinder only finished six songs before the money ran out, but it was enough for an EP they could shop to record labels. Roadrunner was the first to show interest, with Universal and Atlantic soon making trips to Oklahoma City to wine and dine the band.

"The guy from Atlantic, he had to catch a flight and we were at a strip club, so he left us with an open tab, thinking we're gonna have one more drink and then leave," Winkler recalled. "I don't think so! As soon as he walked out that door, we're calling all of our friends. 'Get up here, dude — open bar at the strip club!' We were like, 'Can I get $200 in ones?' "

To that A&R rep's dismay, Hinder went with Universal. "They weren't afraid to take risks and try some of the things we wanted to do," said Winkler, who feels the biggest of those risks was not pigeonholing the band into a certain style of rock.

"As far as I'm concerned, a good song is a good song no matter what the genre is," he said. "Our first single was 'Get Stoned' and our second was 'Lips of an Angel,' two totally different types of songs. If you listen to the album, not one song sounds like the other, and that's what we were going for."

The common thread is the lyrics, which come straight from Winkler's personal experiences. That includes the cheating confession "Lips of an Angel."

"I wouldn't actually say 'cheating,' " he clarified. "I would say 'hard to be faithful.' What actually happened was we were writing the record and my prior ex-girlfriend called me while my current girlfriend was in the next room. I was just trying to keep it down so I could talk to her and tell her I missed her and that kind of stuff. And that song pretty much wrote itself 'cause it was all true."

Winkler considers the band's next single, "How Long," a highway-driving anthem, but it too comes from relationship woes.

"It's about your girlfriend dumping you, and she gives you the whole 'It's not you, it's me' line," the singer explained. "But then two weeks later you see her walking around with one of your friends and making out with him."

Hinder have yet to shoot the video, but Winkler's not too concerned about running out of time. "We're gonna tour this record as long as we can, at least hopefully for another year," he said. After all, it's Hinder's dedication to the road (they've played more than 300 shows since Extreme Behavior hit shelves) to which they credit their slow-building success.

But that's not the only reason they love touring.

"We have a bar on our bus — anything you want, we got it," Winkler said. "Last night we were in Dayton, Ohio, and we had chicks in their underwear. It was great."

• Hinder

Discover & Download Live: Hinder

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