Alicia Keys' <i>As I Am</i>
Photo: Sony

Happy International Phone Dictionary Day! Here's the 411 on this week's New Releases ...

All About Her: Not many 27-year-olds can say they've single-handedly sold 20 million albums worldwide and racked up nine Grammy Awards. But Alicia Keys can. Still, the singer/songwriter is only three albums into her career, so she's still got some searching to do. As she recently told MTV News, her new album, As I Am, chronicles her attempt at "becoming a better person." Keys had a hand in writing each song that appears on the disc, with John Mayer, Linda Perry and others stepping up with a few assists. And fans might want to go the iTunes route, as that edition of As I Am comes with two bonus tracks: "Waiting for Your Love" and "Hurt So Bad."

Soul Survivor: Keys also said, in a recent press release, that her new album is "Janis Joplin meets Aretha Franklin," and fittingly, the Queen of Soul returns this week too. Jewels in the Crown: All-Star Duets With the Queen doesn't involve Miss Alicia, but with two new duets — with John Legend and Fantasia — placed alongside vintage collaborations with Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Whitney Houston and others, the disc certainly lives up to its title.

A Younger Look: Like Aretha, Duran Duran are looking outward to give their new music some fresh new appeal — the new-wave pioneers are aiming for a younger demo by tapping Justin Timberlake, and producers Timbaland and Danjahandz, for their new album. Red Carpet Massacre was finished after guitarist Andy Taylor split from the band for the second time, in 2005, and for more on the making of the disc, look no further than the bonus DVD that comes with deluxe editions of the package. It also features extra artwork, a 16-page foldout booklet and, for what it's worth, a press badge sticker.

Hives Break Out: Timbaland almost doubled up on the rock this week, actually — he also recently teamed with the Hives, although none of their efforts came to fruition on the band's fourth studio LP, The Black and White Album. Still, the Swedes got their hip-hop fix by also partnering with Pharrell — as frontman Pelle Almqvist told MTV News a couple of months ago, the idea was "too interesting not to do it." "Well All Right!" and "T.H.E.H.I.V.E.S." represent the Hives/Pharrell hookup, while The Black and White Album also features "Square One Here I Come," "You Dress Up for Armageddon" and more.

From the Cutting-Room Floor: The Killers have a secret weapon of their own this week in rock legend Lou Reed. The Las Vegas band took a gamble by holing up at a studio in New York's Hell's Kitchen, coaxing the hometown hero to come along for "Tranqulize," a song featured on the Killers' new odds-and-sods collection, Sawdust. The disc is saturated with additional unreleased leftovers from previous recording sessions, B-sides, soundtrack contributions and more.

Whole Lotta Led: With Led Zeppelin's reunion concert only a few weeks away, the rock gods are loading up the record bins with a pile of new releases. The best-of collection Mothership, a revitalized version of their concert flick "Song Remains the Same" and a two-CD deluxe edition of the soundtrack for it are all happening this week, in a bunch of different configurations. Devoted fans will want to get their hands on two collector's editions in particular: The Mothership one has a bonus DVD of live footage, from the 2003 "Led Zeppelin" DVD; and the limited-edition collector's version of the "Songs" DVD comes with the spiffed-up soundtrack, a vintage T-shirt, lobby cards and more.

Girls! Girls! Girls!: While Zeppelin's comeback has the rock masses frothing, bubble-gum pop fans are going gaga over the Spice Girls' new world tour!!!, which begins December 2 in Vancouver, British Columbia. In case its "girl power" theme didn't alienate all the guys out there, the group is making sure to do so by selling its new Greatest Hits collection exclusively at Victoria's Secret stores — well, until January 15, anyway, when bolstered editions of the album go into wide release. The Victoria's Secret version glistens with two newly recorded songs, the single "Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)" and "Voodoo," and provides online access to three downloadable bonus remixes. Next year's deluxe edition will have a DVD with all the Girls' promo videos, while the gift-box version will also contain a karaoke disc and gift bracelet. All the more "power" to 'em.

Now Again: In the event that you have newer pop songs stuck in your head, you can listen to them to exhaustion via Now That's What I Call Music! 26, which is littered with the latest from Justin, Rihanna, Kanye, Fergie and other radio regulars. The Last Goodnight, Plain White T's and Daughtry, meanwhile, rep the rock on the 20-track disc.

A/V Center: If you're in the market for some smokin' concert DVDs instead of boring old straight CDs, this is your week.

· Shakira's "Oral Fixation Tour" set scoops up highlights from 17 shows on her recent worldwide trek of the same name, including performances of "Hips Don't Lie" with Wyclef Jean and "La Tortura" with Alejandro Sanz. The standard bonus CD has five of the songs from the video, while the one Wal-Mart is selling has two extra live tracks from the disc. The video also has a five-minute around-the-world-in-397-days clip as well as a feature that sheds light on Shakira's outreach efforts helping children in Colombia.

· From "health issues" to a pot bust to visa troubles to an alleged trial-fixing plot involving her husband, it's been a rough year for Amy Winehouse. But she's trying to underscore the high points with a new DVD that showcases her show at Shepherds Bush Empire earlier this year. "I Told You I Was Trouble: Live in London" — which has one of the more fitting titles in recent memory — also has an interview with her father, Mitch; a 50-minute documentary; additional unreleased performances; and behind-the-scenes clips.

· Winehouse isn't the only British star with big problems — just look at Pete Doherty. His Babyshambles also have a new DVD this week: "Live in Manchester," which captures one of the garage band's earliest concerts. The 90-minute disc finds Doherty dabbling with Libertines songs and other unreleased tracks, in addition to behind-the-scenes hijinks.

· And Eminem, who doesn't have all that much else in common with any of the artists mentioned above, is cleaning out his closet with a new concert DVD too: "Live in New York City." The hour-and-a-half disc immortalizes his 2005 Madison Square Garden gig, for which he was joined by D12, Obie Trice and Stat Quo. Among the 28 performances are "Evil Deeds," "Like Toy Soldiers" and a cover of Dr. Dre's "Nuthin' But A 'G' Thang."

Song Title of the Week:

"Gummy From Bom Bom Bay" from Gummibär's I Am Your Gummy Bear

Album Cover of the Week:

Streetlight Manifesto's Somewhere in the Between

Other Notables:

The Dillinger Escape Plan's Ire Works
The mathcore band has been around for 10 years and released more than a half-dozen EPs in that time but, until now, has only had two full-lengths to its name. This effort is Dillinger's first without founding drummer Chris Pennie, who was later replaced by (+44) collaborator Gil Sharone, but they tried to meet their karma quota by roping in ex-bandmate Dimitri Minakakis for one of the tracks, "Horse Hunter." Mastodon guitarist/singer Brent Hinds also steps into the fold, performing vocals on "Fix Your Face," while the band barrels through "Milk Lizard," "When Acting as a Particle" and other tracks all by itself.

Wire's Read & Burn 03
Post-punk fans are probably finished reveling in Send, Wire's 2003 comeback album, but they'll be happy to know that the group is cranking out another release for next year. In the meantime, aficionados can tide themselves over with a 26-minute disc that has such unforgettable Wire lyrics as "Rhizomic gastropods interweave slender tails/ Grey hairs genuflect as perforated anarchists" (on "23 Years Too Late"). The disc also contains "Our Time," "No Warning Given" and "Desert Diving," and none of the songs will be resurfacing on next year's studio LP.

Brian Dewan's Words of Wisdom
This isn't your average singer/songwriter: The New Yorker is also a former furniture salesman; has made album art for Neutral Milk Hotel and They Might Be Giants; and also has an instrument to call his own — the analog "Dewanatron," which he created with his brother. Dewan also employed autoharp, electric zither, organ and the accordion for "The Devil Made Texas," "The Big Rock Candy Mountain," "Carve That Possum" and other folk compositions that appear on his latest disc.

New Releases:

· AFI - I Head a Voice: Live From Long Beach Arena (Interscope) [Buy Now]
· Automatic 7 - At Funeral Speed (enhanced; Mental)
· The Away Team - Training Day (Justus League)
· P.D.Q Bach - The Jekyll & Hyde Tour (Telarc)
· Bear Hands - Golden EP (Freedom in Exile)
· Boyz II Men - Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville (Decca) [Buy Now]
· Richard Cheese - Dick at Night: Your Favorite TV Themes Loungified! (Coverage)
· The Dan Band - A Dan Band Christmas: Ho (Reincarnate)
· Desperation Band - Everyone Overcome (Vertical)
· Brian Dewan - Words of Wisdom (Eschatone)
· The Dillinger Escape Plan - Ire Works (Relapse) [Buy Now]
· Celine Dion - Taking Chances (also available with DVD; Columbia)
· Dirty on Purpose - Like Bees (EP; North Street) [Buy Now]
· Duran Duran - Red Carpet Massacre (deluxe edition with DVD also available; Epic)
· Anna Egge - Lazy Days (Grace/Parkingsong)
· David Guetta - Pop Life (Perfecto/Ultra)
· Gummibär - I Am Your Gummy Bear (Gummybear International)
· The High Violets - Satellite Remixes (Reverberation)
· The Hives - The Black and White Album (A&M/Octone) [Buy Now]
· House & Parish - One, One-Thousand (EP; Arena Rock)
· Alicia Keys - As I Am (J) [Buy Now]
· Kiln - Dusker (Ghostly International)
· Living Hell - The Lost and the Damned (Revelation)
· Leigh Marble - Peep (Laughing Stock)
· Os Mutantes - Live (two CDs; Luaka Bop)
· Pantaleimon - Mercy Oceans (Jnana)
· Primes - Facades & Pink Forms (Postfact)
· Queensrÿche - Take Cover (Rhino)
· Seal - System (deluxe edition also available; Warner Bros.)
· Shaggy - Intoxication (VP) [Buy Now]
· Somobe - The Great Communication (Get'Em Productions)
· Streetlight Manifesto - Somewhere in the Between (Victory) [Buy Now]
· James Taylor - One Man Band (with DVD; Hear Music)
· McCoy Tyner - Afro Blue (Telarc)
· Wire - Read & Burn 03 (Pink Flag)
· Trisha Yearwood - Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love (Big Machine)
· Various artists - Now That's What I Call Music! 26 (Capitol)
· Various artists - "August Rush" soundtrack (Sony Panosonic)

Notable Reissues and Archival Material:

· The Black Crowes - Amorica; By Your Side; Greatest Hits 1990-1999: A Tribute to a Work in Progress ...; Three Snakes and One Charm; and enhanced versions of Shake Your Money Maker and The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion (American) [Buy Now]
· Bone Thugs-N-Harmony - T.H.U.G.S. (Ruthless)
· Boys Like Girls - Boys Like Girls (deluxe-edition digipak with bonus CD; Columbia)
· Vashti Bunyan - Some Things Just Stick in Your Mind: Singles and Demos 1984 to 1987 (two CDs; Dicristina Stair)
· Johnny Cash - American III: Solitary Man; American Recordings; and Unchained (American) [Buy Now]
· Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson - VH1 Storytellers (American)
· Danzig - Danzig; Danzig II: Lucifuge; Danzig III: How the Gods Kill; Danzig 4; and Thrall - Demonsweatlive EP (American)
· Ian Dury and the Blockheads - The Best of Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (Great American Music)
· Aretha Franklin - Jewels in the Crown: All-Star Duets With the Queen (Arista) [Buy Now]
· The Goo Goo Dolls - Greatest Hits Volume One: The Singles (Warner Bros.)
· David Gray - Greatest Hits (ATO)
· Robyn Hitchcock - Black Snake Diamond Role, Eye and I Often Dream of Trains reissues; I Wanna Go Backwards five-CD box set (Yep Roc)
· John Lee Hooker - I'm John Lee Hooker (Shout! Factory)
· The Killers - Sawdust (Island) [Buy Now]
· LCD Soundsystem - 45:33 (DFA)
· Led Zeppelin - Mothership (two CDs; deluxe and collector's editions come with DVD; Atlantic/Rhino) and "The Song Remains the Same" soundtrack (two CDs; Atlantic/Rhino)
· Luciano Pavarotti - Arias by Verdi and Donizetti; Mamma; Mattinata; O Sole Mio; Passione; Pavarotti in Concert: The Studio Concert; Pavarotti: The Studio Albums (10-CD box set); Tenor Arias for Italian Opera; Verismo Arias; Volare; and The World's Favourite Tenor Arias (Decca)
· Jimmy Reed - Live at Carnegie Hall (Shout! Factory)
· Senses Fail - Still Searching (deluxe edition; with DVD; Vagrant)
· Spice Girls - Greatest Hits (available exclusively at Victoria's Secret stores until January 15, when it hits stores wide; Virgin) [Buy Now]

Music DVDs:

· Babyshambles - "Up the Shambles: Live in Manchester" (Eagle Vision)
· Bon Jovi - "Lost Highway: The Concert" (A&E Home Video) [Buy Now]
· Johnny Cash - "The Johnny Cash Christmas Special 1976" and "1977" (Shout! Factory)
· Disco Biscuits - "Progressions: New Years 06/07 Concert Series" (two DVDs; TLA)
· Eminem - "Live From New York City" (Eagle Vision)
· Ghostland Observatory - "Live From Austin TX" (New West)
· Hellyeah - "Below the Belt" (Epic) [Buy Now]
· Led Zeppelin - "The Song Remains the Same - Collector's Edition" (limited collector's edition has bonus CD, vintage T-shirt and more; Warner Home Video)
· Paul McCartney - "The McCartney Years" (three DVDs; Rhino)
· Mika - "Live in Cartoon Motion" (Motown/Universal) [Buy Now]
· Shakira - "Oral Fixation Tour" (with CD; Epic) [Buy Now]
· Tina Turner - "Celebrate! The Best of Tina Turner" (Eagle Vision)
· Amy Winehouse - "I Told You I Was Trouble: Live in London" (Universal Republic) [Buy Now]
· Various artists - "Concert for Diana" (Shout! Factory)

Digital Releases:

· Maximilian Hecker - Live Radio Sessions (Kitty-Yo)
· Robyn Hitchcock - Groovy Decay (Yep Roc) [Buy Now]
· Monosylabikk - Rocks (Kitty-Yo)
· Rhythm King and Her Friends - The Front of Luxury (Kitty-Yo)
· Chris Robley - The Drunken Dance of Modern Man in Love (available on iTunes until January 8, when it also hits terrestrial stores; In Music We Trust)
· Viva Voce - The Heat Can Melt Your Brain and Lovers, Lead the Way! (reissues; available at AmorePhonics.com through the band's own Amore!Phonics label) [Buy Now]

Coming Attractions:

November 20:
· Beyoncé - "The Beyoncé Experience Live" DVD (Columbia) [Preorder Now]
· Bloc Party - A Weekend in the City (digital-only reissue with bonus tracks; Vice) and Flux (digital-only EP; Vice)
· Daft Punk - Alive (enhanced two-CD deluxe edition; Virgin) [Preorder Now]
· Gorillaz - D-Sides (special two-CD, glossy-box edition due same day; Virgin) [Preorder Now]
· Nine Inch Nails - Y34RZ3R0R3MIX3D (with DVD; Interscope)

November 27:
· Christina Aguilera - "Back to Basics: Live" DVD (RCA) [Preorder Now]
· Common - ThisIsMe Then: The Best of Common (Relativity/Legacy) [Preorder Now]
· Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds: Deluxe Edition (with DVD; Jive) [Preorder Now]

December 4:
· Daft Punk - Alive 2007 (limited-edition version comes with bonus CD; Virgin) [Preorder Now]
· Ghostface Killah - The Big Doe Rehab (Def Jam) [Preorder Now]
· Godsmack - Good Times, Bad Times: 10 Years of Godsmack (also available with DVD; Republic)
· Wyclef Jean - Carnival II: Memoirs of an Immigrant (Columbia) [Preorder Now]
Read: "T.I. Kick-Starts Wyclef Jean's LP; Mary J. Blige, Akon Tagging Along"
· Styles P - Super Gangster (Extraordinary Gentleman) (Koch)

• Alicia Keys
• Amy Winehouse
• Spice Girls
• The Killers
• The Hives

Jessica Simpson (file)
Photo: MJ Kim/ Getty Images

Jessica Simpson gets physical in the new issue of InStyle, breaking out her trainer's plan to "get your best body now!" But she turns inward as well, telling the magazine for its November issue — which hits racks Friday (check out the full cover here) — that, "I was the princess in the fairy tale — then reality came crashing in, and I learned that isn't always how life works." She insisted that "I am in complete control of my life" after going through her divorce with Nick Lachey and, while she didn't call out ex-boyfriend John Mayer by name, she did reveal, "I've had my heart broken since my divorce. That's OK. I believe you fall in love more than once and get your heart broken more than once. Trust me, I have cried myself to sleep." ...

Kanye West isn't exactly the kind of guy who needs an ego boost, but Jennifer Lopez and Pharrell puffed him up a bit anyway in recent interviews with MTV Europe. J. Lo says she finds West "to be a very smart businessman" and that his album faceoff with 50 Cent was "clever." "I think it's fun for publicity. ... It was really about a healthy competition between two amazing artists," said the singer — whose new album, Brave, unfortunately hasn't been faring too well in record stores. Pharrell is cheering West's Graduation — when asked if he's happy for West's success, the super-producer replied, "Absolutely. That album is a classic: flawless production; lyrically, he absolutely, absolutely took himself to another level. ... He is in the clouds with that album." ...

While he was at it, Pharrell also championed an entirely different musical act — Swedish garage-rockers the Hives, who he teamed with for their November 13 release, The Black and White Album. "Those are my guys," he said. "[They're] fun, they're smart, they have a great image, they love music." Pharrell, who knows a thing or two about turning the knobs, said he actually picked up a few tips from Hives frontman Pelle Almqvist. "Forget about it. He knows everything. I'm in the studio learning things from him." ...

While 50 may still be stinging from the aforementioned chart battle, he's reportedly moving on to something else — a new G-Unit project. The group has pegged December 18 as the release date for their sophomore effort, Shoot to Kill, and Funkmaster Flex will premiere the first single, "Wanna Lick" (featuring Lil' Kim), Friday on Hot 97, according to XXL magazine. "Cancel Christmas, it's over," 50 told the mag in regards to the much-anticipated release. ...

Sorry, Mariah fans — looks like her new album isn't coming out this year after all. While her record label confirmed that her yet-untitled follow-up to The Emancipation of Mimi would be dropping December 4, a label representative now says Carey is still recording and the date has not been solidified. ... Wyclef Jean helped rake in almost $250,000 as part of a charity-poker event he co-hosted Tuesday at the Vail ski resort in Colorado. Jean performed a handful of tunes as well, including renditions of two traditional songs, "La Bamba" (Mexico) and "Guantanamera" (Cuba). Thrice, Joey Fatone, Boyz II Men and others attended the Vail Hold'Em Poker Event for Your Cause, which involved celebrities competing to win money for their charities of choice. ...

Alicia Keys, KT Tunstall, Earth, Wind & Fire, Annie Lennox, Juanes, Junoon and Melissa Etheridge will perform at the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize Concert slated for December 11 in Norway. Al Gore picked Etheridge for the event, which will serve as a salute to him and the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for their efforts to raise awareness about climate change. Gore and the panel won the Nobel Peace Prize last week. ... Speaking of Lennox, she got an unusual scare at her Tuesday concert in Boulder, Colorado, when a man wearing a gas mask and a cape turned up in the crowd toward the end of her show, according to "Access Hollywood." The singer reportedly dropped the mic and booked it backstage without addressing the crowd, though she returned to the stage after the man was removed. "That was really freakish and disturbing, whatever the hell it was. He owes me and my band a f---ing apology," Lennox lashed out on her blog. The man's name hasn't been released, since he has not been charged with a crime, and it's unclear if he will be, as he didn't actually get onstage. ...

Are Rihanna and Josh Hartnett an item? One would be led to think so after seeing the "30 Days of Night" actor's Thursday appearance on "The Morning Show With Mike and Juliet." When the hosts asked him to address rumors that he's dating Rih Rih, he started smiling and stuttering heavily. "No, no, come on, you guys," he said. "We weren't supposed to talk about these sort of things, were we? I thought we were going to come out here and talk about the movie. ... I can't really respond to things like that, because if I start responding to them, then everybody wants a response on everything." ... Francis Ford Coppola unleashed: The director is ripping into two of his "Godfather" actors, Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, as well as Jack Nicholson, telling GQ that the Oscar-winners have become too apathetic. "They all live off the fat of the land," the esteemed director said, adding that he doesn't know "what any of them want anymore." The interview is featured in GQ's November issue, which hits newsstands Tuesday. ...

Radiohead will be chasing Rainbows — well, technically, their new album, In Rainbows — with an international tour next year, Billboard.com reports. The band is reportedly planning to hit the tarmac in May and continue playing sizeable venues through the end of the year. The trek would be unusual given that frontman Thom Yorke has voiced his distaste for international touring in the past, and the band played only select shows in the U.S. and Europe in summer 2006. ... Bruce Springsteen continued to speak out about his political beliefs at his Thursday night show at New York's Madison Square Garden, sounding off about wiretapping and infringements on the Bill of Rights. He also made an elliptical reference before performing the title track to his new Magic LP, saying the song was "not about magic but about tricks." Bono, Jon Stewart, James Gandolfini and R.E.M.'s Mike Mills were in attendance, RollingStone.com reports. ...

Josh Homme says Queens of the Stone Age could "blow through a whole record quick" with their new roster, according to Billboard.com. "Queens sounds better than it ever has live, but we're trying to figure out how to tour and how to [write and record], 'cause I think for everyone right now, the idea of creating something is even more enticing than going on the road," he told the site. In addition to Homme, the QOTSA lineup includes multi-instrumentalist Troy Van Leeuwen and drummer Joey Castillo, who joined the entourage in 2002, and two musicians who hooked up with the band earlier this year — keyboardist Dean Fertita, who has also toured with the Raconteurs, and Wires on Fire bassist Michael Shuman. ...

Johnny Marr, former guitarist for the Smiths and current axeman for Modest Mouse, has a new handle: professor of music. Manchester, England's University of Salford has given Marr the honorary title and tapped him to host workshops on music composition and performance, according to U.K. newspaper The Guardian. ... If you thought the Led Zeppelin roller coaster being constructed for the Hard Rock Park was out there, wait till you hear what else is in store: a mock Mount Rushmore sculpture called "Mount Rockmore" and featuring the likenesses of Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon, Bob Marley and Elvis Presley. The 50-acre park — located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina — is set to open in the spring. ...

John Goodman left the Promises Malibu Alcohol and Drug Rehab Treatment Facility in Southern California — the rehab center where Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan also stayed — after being treated there for an undisclosed reason and undisclosed period of time, The Associated Press reports. The actor "took the necessary steps to remain sober the rest of his life," according to a statement issued by his publicist, Stan Rosenfield. Goodman earned an Emmy Award this year for his part in "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip." ...

Joey Bishop, a comedian who was a member of Frank Sinatra's famed Rat Pack, died Wednesday night in Newport Beach, California, of multiple causes, AP reports. The actor, who appeared in the original "Ocean's Eleven" movie, was 89. ... AP also reports that Deborah Kerr, an actress who appeared in "The King and I" and "From Here to Eternity," died Tuesday in England after battling Parkinson's disease. She was 86.

10.17.07

C-Murder will be tried a second time on a second-degree murder charge, The Associated Press reports. A trial date has been set for February 11. The rapper, who was born Corey Miller, stands accused of the shooting death of 16-year-old Steve Thomas at a Louisiana nightclub on January 12, 2002. His 2003 conviction was tossed in March 2006 after prosecutors withheld criminal background information on witnesses from Miller's attorney. If convicted, he faces a mandatory life sentence without parole. ...

What would a day be like without Britney Spears news? Legal representatives for the singer and her ex-husband, Kevin Federline, were present at an ex-parte hearing called by his lawyer Mark Vincent Kaplan on Wednesday (October 17), according to Us Weekly. Commissioner Scott M. Gordon sealed the courtroom for the one-hour Los Angeles Superior Court meeting, which pertains to the former couple's child-custody dispute. Spears and Federline were not present for the one-hour meeting in Los Angeles Superior Court but are required to be in court for a hearing on October 26. Relatedly, Spears is apparently making no secret of her distaste for Gordon, Us Weekly also reports. The singer was heard griping about Gordon at a department store in Beverly Hills late last week, allegedly ranting to her assistant, "I hate my judge. He is so mean. Just an old fart. He told me I was being catty with him, but he was being catty with me and paid me no respect at all. ... His job is to sit there and tell people what to do. And that's just so sad, because he gets off on it." She was also heard singing Rihanna's "Umbrella" while shopping in the store. The magazine also reports that Spears was seen wearing a zip-up jacket with the phrase "F--- Off Lover Boy" while driving in Malibu on Tuesday. ...

Well, maybe Brit should have listened to Lance Bass. He's speaking up about the troubled singer, telling GQ that he's been trying to get through to her. "I tried. I tried. She's my neighbor in Beverly Hills [California]. She lives next door. I tried to get in touch with her — I wanted to be that friend to help her. I don't think she's having any of her old friends anymore," he told the magazine for its November issue. Equally revealing, Bass said he disclosed to the pop star that he was gay years before he came out in public. He said he reached out to her after her quickie Vegas wedding in January 2004. "I felt bad for her," he said. "I knew she was about to go through a lot of crap. I felt the need to share something. So I sat her on my bed, and I'm like, 'Well, I'm gay!' " ...

"Hannah Montana" fans, get ready to see your hero in a whole new light — she's hitting the big screen ... and in 3-D! The upcoming movie "Hannah Montana/ Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour" will get the 3-D treatment for a theatrical release that will play in theaters from February 1-7, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The film will be shot during various stops on her 54-city tour, which starts Thursday in St. Louis. ...

Linkin Park's Chester Bennington broke his arm on Sunday during a concert in Melbourne, Australia. The band's Web site features a video showing the frontman's limb in a cast. Despite the injury, Bennington continued to perform with the Park, for their entire set. ... My Chemical Romance have booked a special gig at Maxwell's in Hoboken, New Jersey, for October 24. Tickets for the sold-out show went for $100 apiece, with all proceeds going to charity. In other MCR news, RollingStone.com reports that the band has put the finishing touches on a yet-untitled DVD surrounding its recent tour. The disc, reportedly due out early next year, will feature the group's full performance of The Black Parade in Mexico City. ...

Kanye West gave a surprise performance at a launch event for T-Mobile's Sidekick LX at Griffith Park in Los Angeles on Tuesday night. He played a batch of Graduation songs, after which DJ AM and Steve Aoki did some spinning. A slew of celebs turned out for the event: Nick Cannon, Bow Wow, Shia LaBeouf, Travis Barker and Shanna Moakler, Carmen Electra, Jack Osbourne, Wilmer Valderrama, JC Chasez, Frankie Muniz and, yes, even Chris "Leave Britney alone!" Crocker. ...

Rivers Cuomo has let slip what fans can expect on his just-announced demos compilation release. He told RollingStone.com that the release will have about 18 songs, including his original demo for Weezer's "Buddy Holly" — and, get this, a cover of Ice Cube's "The Bomb." He also said he'll be unveiling songs from an unfinished space-rock concept album. ... Apparently everyone in Kid Rock's camp isn't sharing in his Rock N Roll Jesus SoundScan spoils: His longtime manager, Ed "Punch" Andrews, has decided to retire, according to Billboard.com. Rock has reportedly found a replacement in Vector Management, which handles Bon Jovi, among others. ...

In September, Robert Plant dismissed a potential Led Zeppelin tour that would be held after their reunion gig at the O2 Arena in London on November 26 — but is Jimmy Page leaving the door open? He hinted as such in an interview with Canada's Winnipeg Sun, saying, "Let's do the O2 show, shall we? And then we'll speak to you afterwards." But, he added, "That's what we have on our horizon at this point. I know you want to hear other answers, but I'm afraid that's all I can give you." The guitar god was less vague about the prospect of new Zep material, saying he would be "really surprised" if there wasn't any. "We're musicians ... as we're playing we'll probably be coming up with all manner of things," he said. Bassist John Paul Jones also spoke with the newspaper, saying, "Basically, we are concentrating on this show. That's where all the energy is going. I mean, who knows, but one step at a time." ...

Cat Power, a.k.a. Chan Marshall, will take on Bob Dylan's "I Believe in You," James Brown's "Lost Someone," Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Fortunate Son" and other classics on her second covers album, Jukebox. The January 22 release — which was previously titled Covers II, according to Billboard — also features a pair of originals: "Song to Bobby" and a new version of one of her older cuts, "Metal Heart." One would expect Marshall to perform the Dylan tune when she salutes His Bobness at an upcoming event called "I'm Not There: In Concert a Celebration of Todd Haynes' Film." My Morning Jacket, Calexico and Mason Jennings have also been tapped for the concert, which will take place November 7 at New York's Beacon Theatre. The movie, which stars Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett and others, is due in theaters November 21. ...

Ryan Adams can't get enough of "October Road," apparently. The mercurial singer/songwriter's music is featured in the TV drama and its ad bumpers, and now he's ganging up with the cast for his new video. Adams plans to shoot a clip for "Follow the Lights" — a song included on his Tuesday EP of the same name — Sunday in Los Angeles, and it's due to premiere January 7 during the first episode of the show's second season. The collaboration marks the first time the cast of an ABC show has gotten together to take part in an artist's music video. ...

From the "Man, please don't do this" file, it seems George Lucas is entrenched in one of two planned "Star Wars" TV projects, a live-action spinoff, the Los Angeles Times reports. Lucas told the newspaper he has "just begun work" on the series, which, as he previously told MTV News, will be set between "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith" and the original "Star Wars." He reiterated to the Times that the spinoff will focus on minor characters from the series, not Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader. He also joked that the series would be about "the life of robots." ... Bleeding Through singer Brandan Schieppati has teamed with Bad Religion drummer Brooks Wackerman, No Use for a Name guitarist Dave Nassie and ex-Distillers bassist Ryan Sinn to form a new band called the Innocent. The thrash-metal act has been working on material but there's no word yet on when it might record and release an LP. ...

For the second time in a month, Apple Inc. has done something it's not known for: dropped its prices. Effective immediately, the price for songs on iTunes without copy protection will drop from $1.29 to 99 cents. Apple started selling some DRM-free songs in May at a premium price. ...

Elliott Smith's girlfriend, Jennifer Chiba, cannot collect on the deceased indie-rock icon's estate even though he allegedly said he would make sure she was financially set for the rest of her life, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Chiba had sued Smith's estate in 2004, arguing that he had promised her as such and that, because they had lived together — and shared their earnings and property equally — she was entitled to a portion. But a split California appellate court ruled Tuesday that while she did have a "cohabitative agreement" with Smith, Chiba — who had been seeking more than $1 million — also had a recording management agreement and acted as an unlicensed talent agent. If she appeals, a state Supreme Court review could be possible.

• Jessica Simpson
• Jennifer Lopez
• Pharrell Williams
• Kanye West
• The Hives

Radiohead
Photo: Capitol

In 1993, noted audio engineer/ musician/ curmudgeon Steve Albini penned an article called "The Problem With Music," in which he detailed the perils that await a band signing with a major label. It's a fairly remarkable read, if only for the opening paragraph, an oft-quoted bit of vitriol and imagery that sums up the label courting process thusly:

"Whenever I talk to a band who are about to sign with a major label, I always end up thinking of them in a particular context. I imagine a trench, about 4 feet wide and 5 feet deep, maybe 60 yards long, filled with runny, decaying sh--. I imagine these people, some of them good friends, some of them barely acquaintances, at one end of this trench. I also imagine a faceless industry lackey at the other end, holding a fountain pen and a contract waiting to be signed."

It's been 14 years since Albini's piece was first published, and it's debatable whether things have changed for the better. Certainly, major labels are still portrayed as the Enemy, soul-crushing suits concerned with nothing more than the bottom line. Whether or not this is true, it bears mentioning that said bottom line is getting harder to meet by the minute — so much so that for the first time in memory, it might be possible to actually feel sorry for majors (if not necessarily likely).

The record industry is in a freefall, with annual album sales around half of what they were in the late '90s due primarily to downloading — a situation that can only get worse. Then a trio of high-profile defections made headlines in the last few days: Radiohead eschewed "traditional" routes and released In Rainbows largely on their own (see "Radiohead's In Rainbows To Be Released Digitally October 10 — You Decide The Price!"); Trent Reznor declared his freedom from Interscope (then basically attempted to scuttle the label-release of his Year Zero Remixed album by promising to leak all the tracks himself); and Madonna is leaving Warner Bros. in favor of a big-money deal with concert promoter Live Nation that includes albums, concert promotion, licensing and merchandising. Needless to say, things are pretty rough for the majors these days.

In fact, one could ask the question: Do artists of a certain caliber even need major labels anymore? Couldn't acts like Pearl Jam, R.E.M. or the Dave Matthews Band survive — and even thrive — on their own? And doesn't the answer to this question (which seems to be an unequivocal "yes") lead to an even larger one: Are major labels becoming obsolete?

The answer largely depends on who's asking.

"I don't envy the people at major labels," said Danny Goldberg, the founder of Gold Village Entertainment (which manages acts like the Hives and Ben Lee) and former Nirvana co-manager, who was CEO of both Warner Bros. and Mercury Records and president of Atlantic Records during the 1990s. "They're narrowing their business right now, and that's what they might have to do. Their business is becoming a combination of catalog licensing — because they all have amazing catalogs — and the pop business. And there's less and less room for anything in between. It used to be just [having a release] on a major label was a source of prestige and status, in terms of the way the rest of the business, media and promoters would look at a band. But because there are so many successful artists on their own labels or on indie labels, I don't think that's the case anymore."

Jonathan Daniel, co-founder of Crush Music Media Management, which helms the careers of acts like Fall Out Boy and Panic! at the Disco, offered a more cautious assessment. "I think the world is changing so rapidly, it becomes less attractive to sign with a major label," he said. "But it's foolhardy for a young band to say, 'We don't need labels.' You might not need a label in the traditional sense, but you still need people to help you get ahead. Plus, even though recording and touring are cheaper, there are still costs of doing business, and labels have traditionally always helped with that."

Again, the situation depends on the artist. While the traditional major-label setup can benefit up-and-coming acts (who are largely unknown and can have their careers established by a major's promotional muscle), it's not going to be much help to a reasonably established band on its fourth, fifth or even 10th album — such artists usually know who their audience is and are less likely to break out beyond it. So in order for majors to survive — and for both new and old acts on their rosters to thrive — they're going to have to change the way they do business.

"There already are massive changes [being made] at major labels," said Bertis Downs, longtime manager of R.E.M. "The situation we're finding ourselves in now is definitely not a surprise to anybody — 'Oh my God, a major band can do this without us!' I mean, [a major act releasing an album] is about the same as sending out e-mails. Labels are totally restructuring. They're beefing up all the new-media stuff, all the digital stuff. I don't think this is really this cataclysmic tipping point where, starting tomorrow, everyone's going to start doing things this way. First of all, people are still in deals, people still have contracts, and it's not like you can hit a switch and everything will change. It's incremental."

MTV News reached out to representatives at each of the so-called "Big Four" — Sony/BMG, EMI, the Warner Music Group and the Universal Music Group — for comment on just how their relationships with artists are changing. While no one would speak on the record, a spokesperson for one of the four noted (off the record) that majors are putting a lot of stock in "360 deals," where a label partners with the artist in publishing, merchandising and touring revenue — not just sales of recorded music — in a sense saying that if the label is doing its job promoting an artist, then it should reap the benefits of said promotion across the board (similar to Korn's deal with Virgin and the Madonna/ LiveNation deal).

The wild card in all that deal-making — and in pretty much everything — is technology. It's no secret that labels have been struggling to find ways of making the Internet work for them. In the wake of what Radiohead has done, it looks like many artists are one step ahead: They've figured out that technology has given some of the power back to them. Why pay for production of an album when you don't actually have to produce any physical copies? Or why have a label spend money on promoting a record — money that the artist must pay back before they can turn a profit — when you can use a MySpace account to do basically the same thing? If only it were that easy.

"I think the reason labels are under attack is because the barrier to entry used to be much higher," Daniel said. "The Internet has lowered that barrier, for sure. But at the same time, it's made it even harder to filter through. Part of the reason you sign with a label is promotion, because while the Internet can be a powerful promotional tool, it can be so unkind. Like the Pitchfork review of the second Jet record [that consisted entirely of a video of a] monkey p---ing into its own mouth? Or kids not liking a Yellowcard single [after the song leaked and met with widely negative reviews]? Both those things killed those records."

"Technology has given power to the consumers. All we're doing is following along," Downs laughed. "The playbook is changing. [R.E.M's] new album is basically done, so if something comes along — whether it be MTV or Martin Scorsese — and they want to use one of our songs, of course we're going to listen. But a year or two ago we would've said no, because that's not by the books; that's not the formula. You wouldn't waste a song that early. Now, you're trying to get excitement. You're kind of making it up as you go along."

The rules of the game seem to be different for everyone playing. Most agree that only a very select group of artists could do what Radiohead is doing, and that the In Rainbows situation is in no way a model of how to save the record industry. The overwhelming percentage of artists signed to major labels don't have the critical and commercial clout of Thom Yorke and company.

How do musicians play the game and still manage to benefit from being on a major? By being more selective when it comes to signing deals — including the aforementioned 360 arrangements.

"It's strange, because we work with a lot of bands on a lot of different levels," Daniel said. "If an artist [sells] 2-3 million [albums], like Fall Out Boy, the label will make a lot of money and the artist will make money too. But we're also paying attention to what happens with this Radiohead thing, because for a young band, we're going to try to work deals differently with labels, because they're pushing these 360 deals, where they incentivize everything. It's their 'new' way of looking at deals, and to me, that's not really reinventing how the business is. I'm more interested in looking at a new band like, 'OK, the band is 100 percent of what it is, let's divvy that up amongst people who can help the band. Maybe we give 50 percent to Oprah, and she puts them on her show and all of a sudden they're big.' "

Perhaps the backlash Radiohead incurred following the release of In Rainbows sort of proves that all bands need a label to iron out the kinks and get CDs into stores, which, for all the shouts of "The sky is falling!," still remains a very vital aspect of the record industry.

"It seems like [Radiohead's model is] disproportionately an online strategy," Goldberg offered. "I mean, the high-end proportionality of digital sales is like 30-40 percent. And for older audiences, it's something like 10-20 percent. So whichever place in that range Radiohead is, more than half of their audience is still buying CDs, and that half is fundamentally being ignored. So half of their audience is basically being told, 'You know what? You're just not important to us. We're interested in people who get their music online, because they're younger or hipper. And everybody else can wait until next year.' And that can be offensive to a percentage of their audience. And that, to me, is a flaw."

"Obviously [Radiohead] had some issues, some infrastructure and technical issues," Downs said. "So there's some advantage to being with a big institution — the scale and the servers and all that."

But can the majors adapt? No one can be sure, but if there is one beacon of light out there, it's probably the majors' bread and butter: pop music. It seems that, to a much greater degree than their rock brethren, established pop and hip-hop acts (like Mariah Carey or Kanye West) need the strength of a major label to ensure big-time sales.

"[Major labels] are part of big corporations, whether they're public or private, and they have obligations to investors for short-term results, so they have to make very hard choices, and those choices mean that they're not able to work effectively on as many artists as they used to," Goldberg said. "I don't think there's any question that majors do a good job with some artists. Kanye West, he's probably better off in the major-label system. On his own, I don't know if he'd be able to do what he's done within the system."

"I think when Nirvana broke, rock music blurred into pop music, in terms of sales numbers, and it never should've done that," Daniel added. "Rock music was really always an underground thing. Major labels were built for pop music, and they really work. I don't think Beyoncé could make records with the same great success without a major label. For a pure pop thing that doesn't build its fans by touring or word of mouth, labels are great. But for bands, major labels become less important until you want to cross into the pop realm. ... I don't know, though. I think the bottom line is that it's not easy to sell records."

• Radiohead's In Rainbows Draws Colorful Opinions

• Who Needs Labels, Anyway?

• Radiohead
• Madonna
• Nine Inch Nails
• R.E.M.
• The Hives

The Hives' Pelle Almqvist
Photo: Jo Hale/ Getty Images

Typically, when a rock band goes the concept-record route, it's created some elaborate story that ties every track together in the end. The plot is the blueprint by which the band writes both the music and lyrics. But for their forthcoming fourth full-length offering, The Black and White Album (out November 13), the Hives took a different approach.

"We wanted to kind of break with tradition a bit, so the record's kind of half and half," frontman Pelle Almqvist explained. "Half of the stuff you would recognize as a Hives song, but only a bit better than the last record. The other half is a huge departure for us; it's a record that's kind of a greatest-hits record — by a band that didn't exist. We had to record in all these different studios all over the world, and do all these different types of songs, because it would then feel like a band's entire career. That was an idea we had when we first started making the record, so, really, this one's our most diverse record by far."

By Almqvist's count, the Hives worked with seven producers in eight studios on something like 30 songs; only 14 made the album's final track list. While most of the songs were produced by the Hives and Dennis Herring (Modest Mouse, Elvis Costello), the band couldn't turn down Pharrell Williams' offer to work on a few cuts.

"He produced two songs on the record" — "Well All Right!" and "T.H.E.H.I.V.E.S." — Almqvist said. "Working with Pharrell was his idea; we'd met him in 2004, and it was kind of too interesting not to do it. He doesn't really record rock bands that much, but that's what interested us in working with him. He's obviously a very talented guy who doesn't have all the same baggage rock producers bring with them into the studio. Working with him was way more spontaneous and more fun, I guess, because we didn't know what we were doing. It was fun for us to shoot from the hip."

The band also enlisted Jacknife Lee and Timbaland to produce some tracks; alas, none of the Tim-helmed songs made the disc, because they came together "so late in the process," Almqvist said. The frontman explained that the songs the band started crafting with Timbaland sounded "great" but were never actually completed. He hopes the band will be able to release the tracks as B-sides or hold onto them for the next record — although, the singer said, the band usually "likes to clean out the cupboards before we start working on our next album."

Almqvist said the pressure was on to one-up 2004's Tyrannosaurus Hives (see "Don't Worry: The Hives Haven't Gotten Deep"), but that pressure was self-imposed. "We didn't want to repeat the same trick," he explained. "We needed a new set of cards. It's not easy for us, making records; it takes a lot out of us. It's like the law of diminishing returns: You have to spend 90 percent more energy to get a 10 percent better record. That's what we always try to do. It was a tough record to make, and now that we've made it, it feels like we can do anything — like we can shoot off in any kind of direction and still sound like the Hives."

Almqvist said the band tried things it normally wouldn't have on The Black and White Album. For one track, "Puppet on a String," the band employed handclaps and piano — and not much else — and on the instrumental "A Stroll Through Hive Manor Corridors," the boys used only a drum machine and an organ dating back to the 1960s.

They even invited the entire University of Mississippi cheerleading squad into the studio to belt out some cheers for the disc. "They showed up in their uniforms, and after that, the entire studio smelled liked strawberries for a week," the singer said.

Recently, the band shot a video for the album's leadoff single, "Tick Tick Boom," which is still being edited. "All I can say is it's us, as massive statues, blowing up a museum," he said. "Sounds pretty spectacular, doesn't it?"

Perhaps stranger than the video's concept is the band's upcoming tour with Maroon 5, which kicks off September 29 in Detroit and runs through a November 9 show in San Diego. While most people wouldn't put the Hives and Maroon 5 together in the same room, Almqvist thinks it's a perfect match — at least for the Hives.

"On [tour for] the last record, we only played to Hives audiences, which was great and every show was fun, but it was kind of making us lazy, we felt," he said. "So we needed to play to an audience that doesn't know what we're doing or who we are — an audience we kind of have to fight for a bit. Plus, there's tons of people at those shows. We don't play the same music as Maroon 5, but that's half the fun, I think. That crowd will be very surprised when we start playing."

In February, the Hives will likely embark on a U.S. headlining run, which Almqvist thinks will be even more interesting.

"I can't wait to see how our new Maroon 5 fans will mingle with our old Hives fans," he joked.

• The Hives
• Pharrell Williams

The Hives' Pelle Almqvist
Photo: John Stanton/ Getty Images

Before the Hives put together "Tussles in Brussels," the full-of-swagger Swedish five-piece's first DVD, frontman Pelle Almqvist and his bandmates went shopping. The Hives purchased a dozen DVDs — each from a different and still relevant rock act — and watched them all. Almqvist didn't want the Hives' DVD to be formulaic.

"We put a lot of work into making the DVD the way we wanted to present it," he explained. "As live DVDs go, I can honestly say that ours is better. I know what I am talking about — I have seen 12 others. We'd always wanted to do [a DVD], because there's all this talk about us being a good live band, so we figured we should have a DVD out. But a lot of DVDs follow the same framework."

That's why "Tussles in Brussels" features a 64-minute Hives set shot in a club, not an arena. "Most people just take the biggest show they've ever done and make a DVD of it because it will look humongous," said the Swede. "It looks more interesting this way, especially because it's a forum we work really well in, where we feel most comfortable — 2,500-capacity clubs. And everyone can see you and you can see everybody. You're playing to people rather than a big amoeba of folks."

The documentary portion is also unique, Almqvist said. Whereas most bands' DVDs feature footage shot during radio interviews and "meetings with the Japanese fans, where they don't understand what they're [hearing] but they're really happy," followed by "the part where they shoot out the van window and there's a guy sitting there thinking about his girlfriend." "Tussles" boasts the work of director Kalle Haglund, who chronicles the band's saga from its humble beginnings in Fagersta to the present day. The segment, narrated by the E Street Band's Little Steven Van Zandt, features "old pictures and stuff of us when we're like 15 years old, dressed in black and white."

The Hives shot two new videos just for the DVD: "A Little More for Little You" and "Abra Cadaver," which were both shot over a single day in Memphis with horror film director John Michael McCarthy behind the camera. Fans might be surprised to find the disc doesn't include the "Die, All Right!," "Hate to Say I Told You So" and "Main Offender" videos. Almqvist said the band's former label, Warner Bros., wouldn't permit the videos from the band's 2000 breakthrough, Veni Vidi Vicious, to be used in the Interscope-issued DVD.

But there's much more than just "Tussles in Brussels" on the Hives' collective plate. Almqvist said the band's started working on the follow-up to 2004's Tyrannosaurus Hives, which, if all goes well, could be out before the summer — and if not then, next autumn.

"We've got some stuff that's like — I wouldn't call it leftovers — but we have some stuff that's really great that didn't fit on the last album, thematically or whatever," he explained. "We also have some new stuff that sounds really good, but we just started, basically. It feels like the process is much faster this time than last time."

The Hives have yet to line up a producer for the still-untitled effort, but they've got about six tracks written and waiting to be recorded. Beyond that, Almqvist is mum.

"We learned awhile ago not to say too much, because we'll just wind up eating our words," he joked. "I can say everybody's really anxious to start with the new record."

• The Hives

Lindsay Lohan (file)
Photo: Jason Squires

Lindsay Lohan has finished recording her debut album, which she's calling Speak, according to her Web site. The actress/singer is currently deciding which tracks will make the final cut. ...

Justin Timberlake and Cameron Diaz got in a tangle with two paparazzi on Saturday night in Hollywood, and ended up snatching one of the photographers' camera. According to an attorney for the couple, Diaz and Timberlake acted in their own defense and only took the camera to identify the photographers later. The LAPD says the department has received a complaint from one of the photographers, claiming battery and grand theft. The matter is under investigation. ... No Doubt's Tom Dumont has posted his wedding pictures on his Web site. The three photos, which can be found at http://tomdumont.com/photos.asp, showcase his bride Mieke Binzer's wedding dress, which Dumont's bandmate Gwen Stefani designed. ...

Devastated to learn of Ashlee Simpson's "Saturday Night Live" lip-synch snafu? If you were planning on tossing your copy of her album into the trash, hold up. New York music venue the Knitting Factory, in conjunction with Horrified Observers of Pedestrian Entertainment (H.O.P.E.), are offering unhappy customers a bit of musical solace. Drop by the Knitting Factory box office between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and exchange Ashlee's disc for an album by Elvis Costello, the Ramones, the Grateful Dead, Ray Charles or Aretha Franklin, among others, courtesy of Rhino Records. Don't live in New York? Check out www.hopeinamerica.com for other exchange information. ... Fantasia is about to be Fantabulous. The "American Idol" winner will have two M.A.C. lipglass shades named after her, Fantabulous 1 (a smoldering copper) and Fantabulous 2 (a full-on reddened bronze). Fantasia will launch the lipglasses at M.A.C.'s Harlem, New York, location on November 22, the day before her debut album, Free Yourself, hits stores. ...

The KCRW annual benefit concert in Los Angeles, A Sounds Eclectic Evening, featuring Coldplay, Café Tacuba, Van Hunt, Nellie McKay and others, has been rescheduled for March 12. The event, which was supposed to take place on November 20, was moved due to scheduling and logistical conflicts; Rilo Kiley and Ben Watt, originally slated to perform, will be unable to do so now. Tickets for the original sold-out show will be honored for the rescheduled date. ... In the three-against-one battle of the Beastie Boys versus jazz flutist James Newton, the rappers have emerged victorious. A U.S. appeals court decided on Tuesday that it would not reconsider its 2003 decision which allowed the group to use a six-second sample from Newton's 1978 composition "Choir," according to Reuters. The original decision said that the band paid a license fee to use the recording in their song "Pass the Mic" from 1992's Check Your Head, and therefore had abided by copyright protections and did not have to pay an additional fee. ...

American Hi-Fi's new album, Hearts on Parade, is available for streaming on the band's Web site, www.AmericanHi-Fi.com. The group's third studio album, the follow-up to last year's The Art of Losing, will be released March 1. ... Twenty-five years after the Cure released their first album, Three Imaginary Boys, in the U.K., the British version of the band's landmark debut will get its first domestic release December 7. The double-disc reissue, which includes a full disc of rarities, also marks the beginning of Rhino Records' reissue campaign of the band's entire catalog. ...

The Big Day Out Tour just got a little bigger with the addition of the Hives, Slipknot, the Polyphonic Spree, the Blues Explosion, Hatebreed and Le Tigre. The new acts join an existing lineup of the Beastie Boys, the Donnas, System of a Down, the Chemical Brothers and the Streets, on the six-date trek of Australia and New Zealand that kicks off January 21. ... Though Justin Guarini announced only a week ago that he was joining the Broadway production of the Beach Boys musical "Good Vibrations," the former "American Idol" runner-up has already left the cast. In a statement issued Wednesday, the producers of the show announced that they've "parted company." His replacement will be announced soon. ...Meanwhile, the off-Broadway They Might Be Giants musical, which opened November 4, has extended its limited run through December 11. "People Are Wrong!" stars TMBG member John Flansburgh. ...

11.10.2004

There was no love lost on Friday between Fabolous and Power 99 DJ Golden Girl at Philadelphia's Wachovia Center. According to the DJ, a member of Fabolous' entourage slammed her to the ground after she and a girlfriend asked for a ride on the rapper's tour bus out of the venue. "He told me no, so I said, 'That's OK. I won't play your records anymore,' " Golden Girl said of the incident. "There were words exchanged, and then his bodyguard pushed me. Then he picked me up and slammed me to the ground." The alleged assault took place backstage at the station's annual Powerhouse concert. In response, Fabolous released the following statement via his label: "In regards to the incident in Philadelphia, I was on my tour bus and did not witness the alleged incident so I'm not aware of any details concerning the matter. I never touched or did anything to Golden Girl, therefore, I am not involved and do not have anything further to say or do with that incident." At press time, no charges were filed. ...

Courtney Love pleaded not guilty — for the second time — to a felony charge of assault with a deadly weapon in a Los Angeles court on Wednesday. She's accused of attacking L.A. musician Kristin King when she found her sleeping on her ex-boyfriend's couch in April. King had previously testified that Love dumped a bottled of whiskey all over, threw the bottle at her face, threw a lit candle at the back of her head, sat on her, pulled her hair, dug her nails in her arm, pinched her breasts, and chased with her a flashlight, leaving her with bruises, nail marks and a chipped tooth. Love rolled her eyes when the prosecution asked the court to remind the singer that a restraining order was still in place prohibiting Love from contacting King. Love is due back in court December 15. ...

Alicia Keys flexed her literary muscles Tuesday night at the release party for her book "Tears for Water: Songbook of Poems and Lyrics." Held at New York's Harlem Grill, the party, which also celebrated the recent release of Keys' DVD "The Diary of Alicia Keys," turned into a poetry slam hosted by poet/actor Mums and featured performances by Keys, Kanye West, Mos Def and Common, among others. ... The New York restaurant where Keys filmed her "You Don't Know My Name" video was devastated by a fire early Wednesday morning (November 10). More than 100 firefighters came to the aid of Harlem's neighborhood institution Pan Pan, where it took them close to 90 minutes to get the fire under control. According to TV station NY1, the owners of the restaurant say that Pan Pan's future is uncertain, and the cause of the fire is still under investigation. ...

It's splitsville for Nicky Hilton and her money-manager husband, Todd Meister. On Monday a Las Vegas judge granted an annulment to the couple, who had been married for less than three months. Court papers, now sealed, indicated that neither side sought any compensatory gain. "Both parties have ended the marriage amicably, and they remain good friends," the couple said in a joint statement. The two had wed in a surprise ceremony orchestrated by Hilton's sister, Paris, on August 15. ... Also breaking up are Madonna and her longtime manager Caresse Henry, who, after 13 years, have "mutually agreed to go their separate ways," according to the singer's rep. ...

Classic rockers Cream are re-forming for a week-long residency in London next week. Singer/guitarist Eric Clapton, drummer Ginger Baker and singer/bassist Jack Bruce will soon begin to rehearse for the shows at the Royal Albert Hall, the same venue that housed the band's last gig nearly 36 years ago. ... Some of Johnny Ramone's vintage movie posters, including ones for "Frankenstein" and "Dracula," will be going up on the auction block on November 18 at Heritage Galleries in Dallas. The late guitarist, a known fan of sci-fi and horror movies, consigned parts of his collection before his death in September. ...

Do you love your iPod, but are troubled by its inability to protect your eyes from harmful UV rays? Well, sunglasses manufacturer Oakley has the product for you: the Thump, the world's first-ever "digital music eyewear." The shades come in seven color combinations and two different versions: 128 megabytes, which holds 60 songs; and 256 megabytes, which holds 120 songs. Prices start at $395. ... Glassjaw have a show scheduled on December 26 in New Jersey, but Todd Weinstock won't be there. The guitarist believes he's no longer a part of the band, since no one thought of inviting him to play. Instead, guitarist Justin Beck and singer Daryl Palumbo will perform with a hired bassist and drummer. In a statement, Weinstock said, "After seeing Beck's vision of Glassjaw, I realized I was not part of it anymore." ...

Damon Dash was honored for his philanthropy efforts with Team Roc Tuesday night at B.B. King's in New York by the S.H.I.N.E. (Seeking Harmony in Neighborhoods Everywhere) organization. Roc-A-Fella recording artists Rell, Denim, Nicole Wray and Samantha Ronson performed. ... Jason Mraz is midway through recording his follow-up to 2002's Waiting for My Rocket to Come. Steve Lillywhite, coming off of U2's new album, is producing the sessions in both Woodstock, New York, and Mraz's hometown of San Diego. ...

Although the Derderian brothers had hoped to postpone civil proceedings until after their criminal case surrounding the 2003 Station nightclub fire in Rhode Island is closed, a judge ruled otherwise. The Derderians and the former manager of Great White, the band playing at the time of the fire, face 200 counts of involuntary manslaughter. ... Soft Cell singer Marc Almond is recovering faster than expected from a recent motorcycle accident and was moved this week from Royal London Hospital to a private facility. "Although he has some way to go to full recovery he is looking forward to getting back to work when he can," a statement on Almond's Web site read. ...

The Exies will release their second major-label album, the Nick Raskulinecz-produced Head for the Door, on November 30. First single "Ugly" was released to radio last week. The band is currently opening some shows for Velvet Revolver. ... Paperwork on both sides of the peer-to-peer debate was filed in court earlier this week. While groups representing the movie and music industries filed friend-of-the-court briefs that urged the U.S. Supreme Court to review a lower court's ruling that services like Grokster and Kazaa were not responsible for the widespread copyright infringement that takes place on their networks, Streamcast Networks, the company behind Morpheus, filed a brief pushing the court to uphold the ruling. ...

• Lindsay Lohan
• Justin Timberlake
• Ashlee Simpson
• Coldplay
• Fantasia

Marilyn Manson, who's getting ready to marry burlesque queen Dita Von Teese, is about to take another kind of plunge — down the rabbit hole. He's co-starring in an upcoming re-imagining of "Alice in Wonderland" called "Living in Neon Dreams." MGM was originally aboard to distribute, but the film has been retooled as a smaller, indie film, and so far Daryl Hannah, Nia Vardalos, Alan Cumming and Jonathan Pryce are also aboard. In an inspired casting move, Manson will play the Queen of Hearts. Shooting is slated to begin this month in Cape Town, South Africa. ...

The owners of the hip-hop magazine The Source are at odds with Russell Simmons and his Hip-Hop Summit Action Network (HSAN). According to sources close to the magazine, co-owners Dave Mays and Ray Benzino are upset that Simmons pulled out of speaking at the magazine's event Join the SIPHA: Hip-Hop Voter Education Rally. "Russell Simmons has been exploiting hip-hop for years," Mays and Benzino said in a statement. "We invited and expected him to participate in the largest annual hip-hop weekend of the year, and he bailed from the event because he is afraid of the authenticity and influence of The Source magazine." In a statement of his own, Simmons said, "I only want to promote positivity and dialogue within the hip-hop community. I have no ill will toward them and wish them well." The rally, a part of The Source Awards weekend, will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Miami Arena in Miami. Louis Farrakhan, Al Sharpton, Ja Rule, Ludacris, Fat Joe and others are expected to speak. ... In other HSAN news, the organization has teamed up with PlayStation2 for "Race to the Polls" to encourage voters to participate in the upcoming presidential election. Scheduled for Thursday at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom, the event will include a concert featuring Ludacris, Public Enemy and Mase. There will also be a celebrity gaming tournament, which will include such players as Lil' Kim, Anne Hathaway, the Reverend Run, Foxy Brown and more. ...

Sundance is airing a documentary film about the Vote for Change Tour along with the final live performance of the trek in Washington, D.C. "National Anthem: Inside the 'Vote for Change' Concert Tour" will air Monday at 7 p.m. ET. R.E.M., Jurassic 5, Pearl Jam, the Dave Matthews Band and Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band are among the artists performing. ... Domestic shores will soon be buzzing with the sounds of the Hives. The Swedish rockers have lined up a fall tour, November 20 in New York to December 12 in Las Vegas, to support Tyrannosaurus Hives and its second single, "Two-Timing Touch and Broken Bones." ...

You can find him in the club and at school — Mos Def has set up a short tour of clubs and universities around the country that starts October 18 at Seattle's Benaroya Hall. The Emmy-nominated performer ends his 10-city run November 7 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. ... Courtney Love is hosting a weekly radio show on "Indie" 103.1 FM in Los Angeles, at least for rest of the month. Her show, "Kitty Radio," named after her Web site, airs Fridays at 7 p.m. PT and will culminate with a Halloween show on October 30 called "The Devil Doll Ball." Fans can hear the show online at www.indie1031.fm. ...

Scott Weiland got the thumbs-up from a judge presiding over his probation-status-report hearing Thursday in Pasadena, California. He's due back for another check-in on December 17, according to the Los Angeles district attorney's office. ... New tracks from the Darkness and the seven B-sides that accompanied their commercial singles are available on the U.K. band's Web site. Other offerings include a live version of "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" recorded at Knebworth, as well as the track "Holding My Own," previously available only in Japan. ...

Deftones singer Chino Moreno has been working with Public Enemy-rapper-turned-reality-TV-star Flavor Flav. There's no word, however, on whether this meeting of musical minds will ever see the light of day. ... De La Soul are hitting the road to promote their recently released album, The Grind Date. Their 34-date trek will kick off Sunday in Las Vegas and wrap up on November 20 in Los Angeles. ...

Still feeling the afterglow of her appearance on the White Stripes' Elephant, bluesy rocker Holly Golightly is gearing up for her 10th studio album, Slowly But Surely. The LP, produced by Liam Watson, the engineer of Elephant, and recorded at the same Toe Rag Studios, is due Tuesday. Golightly will kick off a 35-date U.S. tour October 15 at the CMJ fest in New York and wrap things up on November 24 in Hoboken, New Jersey. ... It's Everclear's 10-year recording anniversary and in lieu of a candlelit dinner, the band is presenting fans with a best-of album and a tour supporting the release. On November 3, the group will kick off the trek in Philadelphia, and remain on the road through December 5 in Phoenix. The band will show fans how much it loves them by giving each ticket-holder a free souvenir — a CD called Closure that features some of the band's unreleased and live acoustic tracks. ...

Having co-written the new song "I Believe in You" with Kylie Minogue for her forthcoming greatest-hits set, Scissor Sisters' frontman Jake Shears has parlayed that experience into the inspiration for his group's new album. Although the band's self-titled debut is less than six months old, the group has begun working on a follow-up, which it hopes will be out next fall. ... Rosanne Cash will join Marshall Crenshaw at New York's Rubin Museum of Art on Friday (October 8) to launch the museum's Chelsea Connection series. The duo will perform songs inspired by the museum's "Wheel of Life" exhibit as part of the special acoustic set. ...

10.07.2004

Gwen Stefani released the cover art for her forthcoming solo debut album, Love, Angel, Music, Baby, on her official Web site. The album is due in stores November 23. ...

Like Justin Timberlake before them, Destiny's Child are lovin' it. The trio have just signed on for a new partnership with McDonald's that includes the hamburger giant's sponsorship of their worldwide tour, dubbed "Destiny Fulfilled and Lovin' It," that begins in the spring. DC will lend their support as worldwide ambassadors for World Children's Day at McDonald's, the company's annual global fund-raiser which benefits the Ronald McDonald House Charities. The group will also be featured in new commercials for the chain and in restaurant merchandising. "We're lovin' the chance to work with McDonald's and know that together we'll create lots of fun and cool surprises," Beyoncé said in a statement. ... Jessica Simpson's upcoming Christmas album will be sold exclusively at 7-Eleven convenience stores starting this month. The seven-track disc, called A Special Limited Edition Christmas Collection, features her duet with younger sister Ashlee, "Little Drummer Boy"; her song with husband Nick Lachey, "Baby, It's Cold Outside"; and an acoustic version of "Angels." 7-Eleven customers can also enter to win, starting November 1, an all-expenses-paid trip for a private concert with Jessica to take place in early 2005. ...

Mase and Lil' Flip will headline KKBT Los Angeles' 2004 Hip-Hop Halloween Concert Bash. Proceeds from the show, to be held on October 30 at the Shrine Auditorium, will benefit the Feed My Flock Foundation, a charity dedicated to helping underprivileged schools in Los Angeles. ... Some Michael Jackson fans who attended the singer's 30th anniversary concert in 2001 got a little less than they bargained for, and one of them is suing Ticketmaster and the venue, Madison Square Garden, for allegedly selling fans seats with an obstructed view of the stage. The judge who approved the class-action lawsuit said the suit could potentially cover more than 7,800 ticket buyers who were given no advance notice that their seats were in a section with a blocked view, according to The Associated Press. The woman who filed the suit says she purchased six tickets for $98.50 each, plus service charges, and is asking for $14 million in damages. ...

Britney Spears has gotten a divorce of sorts — she's parted ways with her longtime manager, Larry Rudolph, who's been working with her since she was 15. ... Meanwhile, an auction went up on eBay for what the seller claimed were the singer's wedding-night undies. "I was lucky enough to be working at the wedding and I got to take home some amazing Britney memorabilia," the seller claimed. The auction, however, after reaching bids in the hundreds of dollars, has been taken down. ...

Courtney Love appeared in a Los Angeles court on Thursday (October 7) to set a preliminary hearing date in her assault-with-a-deadly-weapon case. Her lawyer requested that the hearing take place October 27, which is right in the middle of the singer's brief tour of the California coast. Opening all but the last show will be the Icarus Line; Juliette Lewis and the Licks will serve as the warm-up act for the singer's final show, October 30 in Los Angeles. ... Two years of murder and mayhem on the Warped Tour are finally coming to life. "Punk Rock Holocaust," which was shot on the road over the last two summers, will make it to DVD on November 23. With a body count of more than 110, the film claims to have the most onscreen deaths of any slasher flick. ...

Between his own projects, former Queens of the Stone Age bassist Nick Oliveri is keeping busy by lending a hand to the Mark Lanegan Band. Oliveri will accompany the former Screaming Trees frontman for five shows on his tour, beginning October 10 in San Diego and ending October 15 in Portland, Oregon. ... Now you can frighten everyone (except maybe burlesque babe Dita Von Teese) by looking just like Marilyn Manson this Halloween. A mask taken from an actual mold of the rocker's face is available on Manson's official Web site (www.marilynmanson.com) for $24.95. ...

CMJ and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum are throwing a multi-day music fest next year, in which as many as 100 bands are slated to take part. The CMJ/ Rock Hall Music Fest will take place in Cleveland in eight venues June 9-11. "This is the type of major festival that Cleveland has talked about for years," Rock Hall chairman Terry Stewart said in a statement. "It will showcase both established performers and emerging artists that could become tomorrow's stars, and it represents an unprecedented collaboration between all the major music venues in town." ... The Beastie Boys, System of a Down, Chemical Brothers, the Streets and the Donnas will be heading Down Under in January for the Big Day Out touring festival. The tour kicks off in Auckland, New Zealand, on January 21 and wraps up in Perth, Australia, on February 6. ...

New York radio personality/MTV alum Ed Lover has decided to throw his hat into the label game with the launch of his Full Blast imprint. Echo, an Atlanta-based female MC, will be Lover's first act. ... Groove Armada are releasing a best-of collection, called simply The Best Of ... The 14-track LP, due October 26, will include such hits as "I See You Baby" as well as a new track, "Take Me Home." ... There's no rest for drummer Joey Jordison. Soon after Slipknot return from Japan in November, he'll fill in on drums for Frost of Norwegian metal band Satyricon, who's unable to enter the U.S. due to visa problems. ...

• Marilyn Manson
• Ludacris
• Foxy Brown
• Deftones
• Flavor Flav

Nelly (file)
Photo: Universal

Releasing two albums simultaneously isn't the only thing Nelly is doing in pairs. Through his energy drink, Pimp Juice, the rapper is awarding two $5,000 college scholarships. The "P.I.M.P." scholarships are seeking "positive intellectual motivated people," one male and one female. Aspiring pimps can apply through the energy drink Web site www.letitloose.com. ...

New York nightspot Butter was packed Monday night with the likes of Nas, David Banner, Talib Kweli, Andy Dick, Chloë Sevigny, Bubba Sparxxx, Penny Hardaway, Mobb Deep, Sean Lennon, Jeff Gordon and a host of others, on hand to help Lil Jon celebrate the national release of his energy drink, Crunk!!!, and the launch of his signature Oakley eyewear line. The guest of honor made a grand entrance, jumping on top of the DJ table and ordering the crowd to party hard. ... Hilary Duff put on a hot performance Sunday afternoon at Atlanta's Gwinnett Arena. According to The Associated Press, the pop star was six songs into her set when a speaker short-circuited and caught fire. The show was stopped for almost an hour before the singer took the stage and told the audience of 10,000, "This is by far the craziest show ever." ...

The rumors are true — Ashlee Simpson and Ryan Cabrera, after airing their fledgling relationship on "The Ashlee Simpson Show," have officially broken up, at least as far as Cabrera is concerned. The singer/songwriter has been making the rounds to promote his summer mall tour, and along the way he's confirmed to several media outlets that the couple have called it quits but remain friends. ... Janet Jackson will shoot a scene for an upcoming episode of "Will & Grace" Tuesday night in Los Angeles. The singer will play herself in an episode where Jack (played by Sean Hayes) tries out to be a dancer. The episode will air September 23. ...

Want to buy Solange Knowles a present for her baby but afraid you can't afford her price range? Worry no more, because the youngest Knowles has registered at Target for her soon-to-come son with husband Daniel Smith. The baby's not due until October, so you have plenty of time to find appropriate gifts for the couple. ... Missed John Mayer's summer tour? Now you can hear the singer live from your living room as he makes four 10-song sets from his summer tour available exclusively on iTunes. The sets, a collection titled "As Is," will be available for download for a month. ...

Story of the Year, My Chemical Romance, Lostprophets and Letter Kills will all play this year's Nintendo Fusion Tour, set to kick off on September 18 in Phoenix. Dates have been announced through October 26 in New York; according to the event Web site, more dates will be announced soon. ... One lucky Hives fan may be singing "Scoot Idiot Scoot" come October. The Swedish rock band is sponsoring a contest that will award one grand-prize winner a zippy black-and-white Vespa Motor Scooter reminiscent of the band's mod attire, a Hives 7-inch, an autographed poster and a Hives T-shirt. The sweepstakes is open for entries until October 26; interested fans should head over to the band's Web site. ...

Chester Bennington is really spreading himself around. Following the news of his appearance on Korn's cover of Nine Inch Nails' "Head Like a Hole," the Linkin Park singer has lent his vocals to "State of the Art," a solo offering by Limp Bizkit's DJ Lethal. A full Lethal album is not scheduled for release, according to Limp Bizkit's label, Interscope Records. ... Incubus drummer Jose Pasillas and bassist Ben Kenney will share drumming responsibilities for injured tourmate Tony Hajjar from Sparta. Hajjar hurt his wrist on Sunday while horsing around and playing ball with Incubus. He will rejoin the band when the Incubus/ Sparta tour ends August 18 in Los Angeles. ...

After spending the night, Bay-area babes the Donnas are going for the gold. The quartet's sixth album, The Gold Medal, slated for an October 26 release, will be prefaced by the single "Fall Behind Me." A video will be shot Friday in Los Angeles. ... Feels Like Home, Norah Jones' sophomore LP, is being re-released as a deluxe two-disc edition on September 21. The first disc adds on three previously unreleased songs: an original version of "Moon Song," a cover of "Sleepless Nights" and "I Turned Your Picture to the Wall." The second features Jones' concert footage, an interview and videos for her singles "Sunrise" and "What Am I to You?" ...

Eric Clapton was inducted into Hollywood's RockWalk on Monday, in a ceremony in which he had his hands and signature imprinted in terrazzo marble. ... The solo debut by Mars Volta's Omar Rodriguez has been pushed back a couple of weeks to an August 31 release date. An MP3 of the track "Dyna Sark Arches" is available for download on the Gold Standard Laboratories Web site. ...

8.9.2004

Mary J. Blige, Destiny's Child, Jessica Simpson, Lenny Kravitz, Elton John and Toby Keith are among the headliners slated for the "NFL Opening Kickoff" concert, airing September 9 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC before the game between the Indianapolis Colts and the New England Patriots. In the Rocky Mountain and West Coast time zones, the concert will air after the game. ...

Paris Hilton was robbed late Wednesday night, and among the items taken from her Hollywood Hills home — besides the jewels, cash and other valuables — were her laptop computer and videos and photos of her with her ex-boyfriend Nick Carter. They got "everything ... all my jewelry, all my money," the hotel heiress told ABC News. She declined to confirm how much it was all worth, but the haul was reportedly worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Police are investigating, but they have yet to identify a suspect. ... R. Kelly was the big winner at the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Awards on Friday night. Kelly, who still faces child-pornography charges in Illinois, took home seven awards, including trophies for Top Male Artist and Top Songwriter and Producer. Outkast nabbed four awards, including Top Album for Speakerboxxx/ The Love Below. Beyoncé was named Top Female Artist. ...

Talib Kweli and David Banner headlined the seventh annual Black August concert in New York on Sunday night. The concerts aim to promote the socio-political consciousness of the hip-hop community, and this year, Banner, newcomer Saigon and Jean Grae each expressed the importance of artists and fans getting involved in the political process. ... As Ashlee Simpson exits "7th Heaven" for her new singing career, the show is getting another pop star to help its ratings. Aaron Carter will appear as a love interest of the character Ruthie on the third episode of the season and will remain on the show for two or three episodes, possibly more. ...

Pictures of Britney Spears and her fiancé, Kevin Federline, are now in abundance, but now the first family portrait of the singer with one of her soon-to-be-stepkids has emerged. Spears posed with Federline and his 2-year-old daughter, Kori, as well as their puppy, Laci, for shots that ran in the British tabloid The Sun. Federline's newborn baby son, Kaleb Michael Jackson, does not appear in the shot. ... The track list for Korn's upcoming Greatest Hits Vol. 1, slated for an October 19 release, has been announced. The 19-track album features two cover songs: Cameo's "Word Up" — which, after some back-and-forth, will actually be the first single — and Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall, Parts 1, 2, 3," as well as a Dante Ross remix of "Freak on a Leash." Other songs on the LP include "Got the Life" and "A.D.I.D.A.S." ...

The Pixies' New York fans can finally rejoice: After a 12-year absence, the band will return to the Big Apple for two dates, December 12-13, at the Hammerstein Ballroom. Tickets go on sale Friday. ... Supergrass are commemorating their 10th anniversary by raiding the vaults for a best-of collection. Supergrass Is 10: The Best of 94-04, due out September 28, will include "Pumping on Your Stereo," "Caught by the Fuzz," "Alright" and other hits, as well as two new songs, "Kiss of Life" and "Bullet." ... The band is also planning a six-city U.S. tour, set to launch the same day as the album's release. The trek kicks off in Philadelphia and ends October 7 in Los Angeles. ...

Before the summer's over, four early Bob Marley and the Wailers albums are set to be reissued. Soul Rebels, Soul Revolution Part II, Upsetter Revolution Rhythm and The Best of the Wailers — each recorded before 1972 — have been digitally remastered and will be out once again on August 31, along with a thematic compilation, Original Cuts, featuring the early Jamaican hits the Wailers later re-cut, including "Stir It Up." ... Daryl Hall of Hall & Oates showed up as a surprise guest at Rob Thomas' New York benefit show last week, and now the Matchbox Twenty frontman is going to team up with him to write new songs for Hall's next solo album. Meanwhile, Thomas continues to work on his own solo LP, which should be out early next year. ...

Add another band to the list of artists taking their music to the Great White Way. Parts of the Beach Boys' catalog will be used for a new Broadway musical called "Good Vibrations," which will hit the stage in early December at New York's Eugene O'Neill Theatre, according to Playbill. John Carrafa of "Urinetown" will direct and choreograph the show, which is not a biographical tale of the band, and will use more than 30 songs written by Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys. Oh, and if you think this all sounds a little familiar, you're not alone: Vassar College recently presented the musical featuring first season "American Idol" runner-up, Justin Guarini. ...

• Nelly
• Lil Jon
• Hilary Duff
• Ashlee Simpson
• The Hives

The Hives (file)
Photo: Candice Lawler

Nearly four years passed between the release of the Hives' last album, Veni Vidi Vicious, and the just-released Tyrannosaurus Hives. But the delay wasn't caused by usual reasons for a young, rising rock band (reasons that usually include some form of over-thinking and/or overindulgence). It's because Veni didn't pick up serious momentum until two years after it was first released in 2000, and because the band took their time writing and rehearsing songs for the new album.

However, the recording process itself was very quick. "Recording a song, the basic tracks take like 15 minutes," singer Howlin' Pelle Almqvist said.

"[Even] that's pushing it, though," guitarist Nicholaus Arson said.

The Hives didn't want to labor over the songs because they felt the immediacy of their earlier albums, like their 1997 debut, Barely Legal, would be lost if they overworked the new material.

"There is something about making a debut album that the records you make later don't have," Almqvist said. "[On debut albums], you rehearse for a long time and you know all the songs in your muscle-memory and you record them real quickly, because you don't have the budget to be in the studio. So basically, we decided that was the way to do it."

Recording in the band's hometown of Fagersta, Sweden — a small industrial city about a hundred miles northwest of Stockholm — also helped them to keep things real. There, even the people who recognize them aren't impressed by the budding stars.

"People pretty much mind their own business [in Fagersta]," Almqvist said. "They know about us because they read about us in the paper, but it's more like, 'That's the guy I beat up in the third grade? And he's a big rock star?'"

Still, Tyrannosaurus Hives does feature a raft of new influences, including '50s rock, '60s psychedelia and '80s new wave (see "Hives Album Preview: Out Of The Garage, Into The Laboratory"). "We like Devo," Arson said, "and the more mechanical [sound] is kind of what we wanted to achieve on this record. You know, Devo and Kraftwerk and, to some extent, even the Stooges have that nagging beat, but it's kind of mechanical and with guitars."

The Hives also come close to making a political statement with the album's first single, "Walk Idiot Walk." It could be about President George Bush — but is it really?

"It's kind of adaptable to your own imagination," Almqvist said. "It's mostly about the fact that people with the ambition to get [into] a powerful position, that doesn't necessarily mean that they're able to handle it in a good way. Teachers who can't teach and leaders who can't lead — that's the regular sort of punk rock theme, I guess."

But those minor stylistic departures are about as far as the Hives plan to wander from their carefully constructed blueprint.

"This band [wasn't] built for us to stretch out and show artistic ambitions," Almqvist said. "This is more like something we invented because this is what we think should be done, and this is the way we're going to do it."

— Jennifer Vineyard, with reporting by Kurt Loder

• The Hives

The Hives (file)
Photo: Candice Lawler

NEW YORK — The Hives have buzz, for sure — a lot of it provided by their own lead singer.

Howlin' Pelle Almqvist prefaced just about every song Wednesday night by first singing his band's praises, telling the Irving Plaza crowd that the group was about to play everyone's favorite song — even when it was a track off Tyrannosaurus Hives, just released the day prior. In Almqvist's view, every Hives song is our favorite, or should be. And he might be right, because judging by the audience's reaction, the Hives seem to be living up to their own hype.

Almqvist's strutting self-regard is different from the flat-out egomania of Prince (who runs a videotape of his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame before his shows). It's delivered with a twinkle in the eye, so it's amusing. Almqvist targeted nonpaying VIPs in the balcony for good-natured derision, and when he wanted an eruption of audience screaming and clapping, he simply demanded it.

The Hives' show is basic, but it works — as do the band's songs, which may seem simple until you pay attention to all the tricky things the two guitarists are doing. When Almqvist wasn't howling the band's praises, the musical focus was on Nicholaus Arson and Vigilante Carlstroem splitting a riff apart on "Walk Idiot Walk" (the album's first single) and leaning on the off beat, then turning it around, on the chorus of "A Little More for Little You."

The band's retro riffs usually recall the Sonics, the New York Dolls and early Stooges, but now there are also suggestions of '50s rock, '60s psychedelia and '80s new wave (see "Hives Album Preview: Out Of The Garage, Into The Laboratory"). Pummeling through their one-hour set (which also included the hits "Hate to Say I Told You So" and "Main Offender") with machinelike precision, the Hives are maybe the tightest garage band ever to play at the speeds at which they play — all while wearing neat black-and-white suits, white leather spats and Colonel Sanders-style bowties.

And then there's sex appeal. You might not guess it from Hives photos, but onstage, the band's heavyset bass-and-guitar component is offset by the much cuter guitar/drums/vocals cohort. When the boyish Almqvist spoke between songs, it was with a sort of Memphis-Elvis drawl (plus an ever-so-slight Swedish accent), and his smart-aleck grin made him seem like Ferris Bueller channeling Mick Jagger or James Brown. And no space could contain him, as he swung his mic, crawled up the speakers, threw himself into the crowd and encouraged fans to grab him.

Not that they needed encouraging.

The Hives' tour moves on to Boston Friday and wraps up early next month in San Diego (see "The Hives To Launch Tour The Day New LP Drops").

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

• The Hives

Dare to Wear

• Gwen Stefani
• Snoop Dogg
• Christina Aguilera
• Mudvayne
• Mary J. Blige

2004 EMAs: Press Shots

• The Hives
• Xzibit

Best of 2004: Live Concert Photos

• No Doubt
• Ashlee Simpson
• Yeah Yeah Yeahs
• Evanescence
• Velvet Revolver

2004 Europe Music Awards: Red Carpet

• Black Eyed Peas
• Gwen Stefani
• Franz Ferdinand
• The Hives
• Kylie Minogue

MTV.com Exclusive: The Hives 07.21.2004

• The Hives

The Hives live at Irving Plaza in NYC 07.22.2004

• The Hives

2003 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival

• Beastie Boys
• Red Hot Chili Peppers
• Ben Folds
• Ben Harper
• Blur

• The Hives