Britney Spears
Photo: Wright/Beiny/WENN

T.I.'s lawyers gave a hint of how they plan to defend their client through motions filed in court on Monday seeking to suppress evidence seized from the rapper's vehicle during his October 13 arrest on federal weapons charges. The motions claim that the evidence against him and statements he made to authorities were illegally obtained. The Associated Press reports that attorneys for the rapper (born Clifford Harris) claim his car was searched without a warrant, consent or probable cause. They also claim that his detention might not have been appropriate, that statements he made to authorities might not have been voluntary and that agents may have failed to honor his rights. The motions don't go into details on the basis for the legal challenges, but state that more information will be filled in later. A judge had not made a ruling on the challenges at press time. ...

A judge suspended the driver's license of wrestler Hulk Hogan's son, Nick Bollea, for one year on Tuesday, in the wake of the 17-year-old's August crash that left his friend in critical condition, according to the AP. Bollea was arrested on November 7 on charges of reckless driving involving serious bodily injury, and the Tampa Tribune reported that the teen received a letter on Monday informing him of the suspension, as well as a letter ordering him to pay a fine for driving 106 mph before the crash, to avoid having his license suspended indefinitely. "We have the ability to suspend someone's license if we believe what they could be convicted of is a potential danger should this person remain on the road," said Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles spokeswoman Ann Nucatola. "We've deemed him dangerous to the general public on the road." ...

Despite their differences, the Wu-Tang Clan will be touring in support of their forthcoming album, The 8 Diagrams. The trek begins on December 15 in Chicago, and runs through January 26 in St. Petersburg, Florida. ... According to Bruce Springsteen's Web site, keyboard player Danny Federici, an original member of the E Street Band, has decided to take a leave of absence from Springsteen's current tour to undergo treatment for melanoma. Charles Giordano, who played with Bruce as a member of the Sessions band, will temporarily fill in for Federici until he's able to return. ... As I Lay Dying, August Burns Red, Evergreen Terrace and Still Remains are planning to hit the road together in January. The trek commences January 8 in San Luis Obispo, California, and runs through February 1 in Omaha, Nebraska. More dates are expected to be announced in the coming weeks. ...

The Cure's Robert Smith addressed rumors about him working with Ashlee Simpson in V magazine. "First of all, I was mostly shocked by how fantastically widespread that rumor was ... and by how quickly it spread," he said. "I know that people were really upset by the idea that I would do that and I suppose I can understand why, but it still seems so ridiculous to me. I took my nieces to see her perform in 'Chicago' on the West End and afterward they wanted to meet her, so we went backstage and said hello. I didn't understand what the big deal was. You can say what you want about her, but she can sing. Whether or not we'd actually do anything together, I don't know. I didn't see any reason to deny the rumor as I thought it was amusing and I never deny rumors anyway. There are a handful of singers that I'd rather pull my own fingernails out than be stuck in the same room with, but she isn't really one of them. We have no plans to collaborate, though. Believe it or not, she and I don't really run into each other. [He laughed.] Now, wait a second ... Ashlee is calling on my other line and I should probably take it." ...

The track list for Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo's forthcoming solo album, Alone — The Home Records of Rivers Cuomo, has been revealed. The album, due out December 18, will boast 17 tracks, including an early version of the band's 1995 hit "Buddy Holly," as well as the songs "Who You Callin' B---h?," "Dude We're Finally Landing," and "I Wish You Had an Axe Guitar." In related news, Weezer have titled their forthcoming album Tout Ensemble, according to the band's Web site. ...

Don Imus has certainly been called a lot of things in 2007 — racist, sexist, fired, you name it. King magazine, however, has another name for him: Man of the Year. Imus was given the mag's yearly big-dog award in the new issue. Huh? Editor-in-chief Jermaine Hall said Imus was honored for being a lighting rod in the urban community. ...

According to the Florida Times-Union, former Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer Artimus Pyle was arrested on Monday, charged with failure of a sex offender to properly register. The 59-year-old, whose real name is Thomas Delmer Pyle, lives in Asheville, North Carolina; he remains in police custody in lieu of $10,000 bail. Pyle pleaded guilty in 1993 to charges of attempted capital sexual battery by an adult on a victim younger than 12 and principal to lewd and lascivious on a child younger than 16. He was sentenced to eight years of probation and designated as a sex offender. His latest arrest stems from his recent attempt to renew his driver's license in Florida; police claim he failed to register as a sex offender in Florida, which state law mandates, and detectives claim he has not lived at the address provided on his license renewal application for many years.

Britney Spears is tired of being the only one under the microscope — so she hired a private investigator to pass some of the scrutiny on to ex-husband Kevin Federline, according to TMZ. But Federline's lawyer, Mark Vincent Kaplan, doesn't seem to be worried about Brit's new hire. "I think that if that is what they need to do, or have to do, to have at it," Kaplan told UsMagazine.com. "I don't think it will, in any way, be a good expenditure of funds. But I can't stop that from happening." Kaplan also told the site that he doesn't think a P.I. would have much success following K-Fed around. "I don't think he would be concerned about it, and I don't think he has to change anything he is doing in order to address that," Kaplan said. ...

Kanye West got some cheery news from GQ magazine, which has named him one of the magazine's honorees for Men of the Year. West graces one of three separate covers for the mag, which also selected a former president (Bill Clinton) and James Bond himself (Daniel Craig) to keep the rapper company — not that he needs it. "I'm the number-one artist in the world right now. I'm the number-one human being in music," Kanye tells the mag. "That means any person who's living or breathing is number two. You are in the presence of a champion." Kanye also admits in his cover story that his feud with 50 Cent was his idea and a "complete publicity stunt." Also joining West, Clinton and Craig as honorees for the magazine's 12th annual list, which hits newsstands November 27 and can be found at the magazine's Web site, are Casey Affleck, Judd Apatow (along with his "comedy mafia" of Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, Jonah Hill and Michael Cera), Simon Cowell, Daft Punk, Tom Hanks, Emile Hirsch, Lil Wayne, Robin Thicke and Rihanna. (Check out pictures from the magazine here.) ...

Timbaland and his fiancee, Monique Idlett, have given birth to a baby girl named Reign, a source close to the couple confirms to MTV News. Reign was born a few days ago, weighing in at nine pounds. ... Amy Winehouse talked to V magazine for the new issue, addressing everything from her embattled husband ("I love Blake so much — I'm a very lucky girl") to her beehive ("I haven't seen one person with one"). She also got back to the music, insisting that album number three won't be about the pressures of fame: "Who wants to listen to an album about having the [tabloids] camped outside your house?" ... Jessica Sierra, a 2005 "American Idol" finalist, pleaded no contest to felony charges of battery and cocaine possession in Tampa, Florida, according to People. She was sentenced to 12 months of probation. The 22-year-old was arrested April 29 after throwing a cocktail glass at a bar patron's head and was taken to jail, where cocaine was found in her purse. She has been undergoing drug and alcohol rehabilitation in California as part of a VH1 celebrity rehab reality show set to air next year. ...

Hey, guess who else didn't pay a dime for the new Radiohead album? Frontman Thom Yorke admitted to paying nothing for a download of In Rainbows during an interview with BBC 6. "There wasn't any point," he explained. "I just move some money from one pocket to the other." The release of the album online was a hard secret to keep, according to guitarist Ed O'Brien. "We had to literally tell no one," he said on BBC 6. "I didn't tell my wife we were going to release it like this." Yorke added that to avoid any early leaks, no one in the band or their camp was allowed to have a master recording of the album. ... The twisty saga of the wrongful-death lawsuit against the Los Angeles Police Department by the family of the Notorious B.I.G. has taken yet another turn. A judge ruled Friday that the lawsuit can add several new defendants because of newly discovered evidence, The Associated Press reports. Among the potential new defendants are former Death Row Records boss Marion "Suge" Knight, former police officer Rafael Perez and some other current and former LAPD officers. ...

On Tuesday (November 20), Nine Inch Nails released their Y34RZ3R0R3M1X3D set, the last NIN album released by Interscope Records (fulfilling the band's contractual commitments to the label). In conjunction with the release, Trent Reznor was to launch the Web site Remix.NIN.com so fans could use the DVD-ROM contained within the LP — boasting all the source material in multi-track format — to do their own remixes of the songs, with Reznor's blessing. But when visitors reach the site, they'll find an image of an old man wearing glasses with $20 bills tucked behind each lens. In an essay on the site titled "Copyright Fun," Reznor explains the situation. He claims he was contacted over the weekend by Interscope, which owns the band's master files, and told the site wouldn't be happening. "Universal feels that if they host our remix site, they will be opening themselves up to the accusation that they are sponsoring the same technical violation of copyright they are suing companies [like YouTube and MySpace] for. Their premise is that if any fan decides to remix one of my masters with material Universal doesn't own — a 'mash-up,' a sample, whatever — and upload it to the site, they will be doing exactly what MySpace and YouTube are doing." The label said it would not host the remix site, insisting that the band host it, shifting the liability to Reznor. "We are challenged at the last second to find a way of bringing this idea to life without getting splashed by the urine as these media companies piss all over each other's feet," Reznor wrote. "We have a cool and innovative site ready to launch but we're currently scratching our heads as to how to proceed." ...

Fergie explains her infamous onstage pants-wetting episode in the December issue of Allure: She didn't want to disappoint her fans by being late. "I just did not stop on the way to go to the bathroom," she tells the mag, on newsstands November 27. "But yeah, I won't live that down. It won't happen again, though. Peeing is one of my rituals before going onstage." Fergie also tells the magazine that she's concerned about certain starlets' privacy when they're trying to kick a habit. "The thing that appalls me is that when you get these stories from inside rehab. That's supposed to be your sanctuary," said the singer, who fought a crystal meth addiction herself. "I know we live in a voyeuristic world right now, but how are you supposed to get better when people are constantly leaking stories about you when you're in rehab? It's not conducive to healing." ...

Mary J. Blige is the latest music superstar to get Apple's silhouette treatment in the latest iPod + iTunes commercial, featured on the iTunes product page. ... In other Apple news, in what may be proof that that the iTunes/Beatles embargo is finally ending, the first-ever Apple-sponsored Beatles podcast has launched on iTunes. The podcast, called "Help! Is on the Way," is a retrospective of the music from the film "Help!" ... Carrie Underwood, Ashley Tisdale, Natasha Bedingfield, Celine Dion, Sean Kingston and more artists will help light the tree during NBC's 10th annual "Christmas in Rockefeller Center" on November 28 at 8 p.m. ET. ...

Ozzy Osbourne's San Diego gig this evening has been postponed, due to a stomach virus — whose virus, it wasn't made clear. The concert will be rescheduled for December 2 and tickets for the original show will be honored. ... Though Tommy Lee isn't on the list, the lineup for the upcoming celebrity edition of "The Apprentice" is a motley crew indeed. The stars on tap are: "Sopranos" actor Vincent Pastore, former "Apprentice" castmember Omarosa, Kiss bassist Gene Simmons, actor Stephen Baldwin, "Taxi" star Marilu Henner, boxer Lennox Lewis, '80s supermodel Carol Alt, country singer Trace Adkins, gymnast Nadia Comaneci, a former Playboy Playmate, a former Olympic women's softball pitcher and UFC champ Tito Ortiz. The "celebrities" will not be competing for a job with Trump but to raise money for their favorite charities. ...

Former Iced Earth guitarist Ernie Carletti was convicted Monday of kidnapping and rape, stemming from his abduction of a University of Delaware student back in 2003. According to AP, a Superior Court jury in Wilmington, Delaware, found the 32-year-old musician guilty on two counts of first-degree rape and one count of first-degree kidnapping; he was acquitted on a related weapons charge. Carletti admitted to abducting the student, shackling her arms and legs, and then hog-tying her at his Maryland home until she began crying. During the trial, he testified that he did not have a gun and did not rape the woman. "Maybe I wasn't thinking clearly," he said. "It was just part of the effect. I didn't say she wanted it, but she did not deny it." The victim testified last week that she was waiting for a ride in nearby Newark, Delaware, when a stranger forced her into his car at gunpoint. She was handcuffed, shackled and blindfolded, then was driven to the man's home. After she was raped, she was driven back to Newark and left tied and blindfolded on West Main Street. Carletti's fingerprints were discovered on duct tape used to bind the woman; he faces separate charges in an alleged sexual assault that occurred while he was in high school. He faces up to two life prison terms. His sentencing date has not been announced.

11.19.07

The Cyrus family might need to get an extra seat ready for Thanksgiving dinner. Last week, Billy Ray Cyrus, father to Miley (a.k.a. Hannah Montana), offered Britney Spears a nice home-cooked meal for the holiday, and, according to TMZ, the embattled pop star told the paparazzi she's in! "We would love to be there for you and we care about you," Billy Ray told In Touch magazine. "Miley is a big fan and she wants to reach out too." Given Brit's track record of being at the right place at the right time, however, the Cyruses might not want to hold their breath. TMZ has also reported that Spears will celebrate Thanksgiving with her children on Wednesday, while ex-husband Kevin Federline will have the boys on Thursday. ...

Something appears to have gone down between R. Kelly and his publicist of 14 years, Regina Daniels, but since she seems to have quit, we may never know what it was. Daniels released a statement over the weekend that read, "I have prided myself on loyalty, respect and professionalism. It saddens me that I was not always shown those same courtesies during my 14-year tenure as Mr. Kelly's publicist. ... There are some lines that should never be crossed professionally or personally. Mr. Kelly crossed a line that forever altered the scope of our relationship. For this reason I made the decision to resign." Kelly, who is awaiting trial on 14 counts of child pornography, is currently on tour. A spokesperson for Kelly's label could not be reached for comment at press time. ...

Dr. Jan Adams, the plastic surgeon who operated on Kanye West's mom, Donda West, before she died, will appear on Tuesday's "Larry King Live," according to CNN. It will be the doctor's first on-camera interview since Donda's death November 10. ... Amy Winehouse has enough turmoil in her life with her husband's recent arrest, but now she's under fire from the United Nations' drug chief too. Antonio Maria Costa, the head of the U.N. Drugs and Crime Office, has launched a public attack on alleged celebrity cocaine users, and he's included Kate Moss and Winehouse on his list. "Rock stars, like Amy Winehouse, become popular by singing 'I ain't going to rehab' even though she badly needed, and eventually sought, treatment," Costa said. He singled out the two Brits for glamorizing a global drug trade that threatens to devastate parts of Africa. ...

Ashley Tisdale told "Extra" after the American Music Awards that she's about to start up on "High School Musical 3"; production on the sequel starts in March. "We actually rehearse in February and then we start in March," she said. ... Christina Aguilera is feeling blue these days — at least as far as her decorating scheme for her nursery is concerned. Her pal Christina Milian, who attended Aguilera's baby shower November 10, revealed its blue theme to Us Weekly. "Her son is going to be pretty lucky," Milian told the magazine. "She is going to be a cool mom. I got her a bunch of baby bath stuff, a whole little bathrobe and everything." ...

Never made it to one of Mariah Carey's concerts last year? Don't worry, because she's bringing the show to your living room, starting December 4, courtesy of her live DVD, "The Adventures of Mimi." The disc includes behind-the-scenes footage, a karaoke feature and Spike Lee's mini-movie "Lovers & Haters," which spoofs a day in the life of Mariah. The musical performances, shot in high-definition, feature such hits as "We Belong Together," "Vision of Love," "Always Be My Baby," "Make It Happen" and "It's Like That." Boyz II Men make a guest appearance on the duet "One Sweet Day." Carey said in a statement she was "very excited" to finally release the DVD, through an exclusive deal with Best Buy, since "this particular show had some really special moments that my real fans will truly enjoy." ... Strangely enough, Carey's "Glitter" didn't make Spin magazine's list of the worst movies made by musicians, although that might have been because the competition was so stiff. In the mag's December issue, the Beatles vie against KISS, Paul Simon, Neil Young, Prince, Perry Farrell, Bob Dylan and Daft Punk for top honors. The Fab Four's "Magical Mystery Tour" is described as "mercifully short," Farrell's "Gift" is "cringe-inducing" and Daft Punk's "Electroma" may disappoint anyone "who came of age after 1916" since "this movie is not a 'talkie.' " ...

Ashlee Simpson, currently on the cover of CosmoGirl!, told the magazine as an aside that she wanted to one day start a clothing line. So when MTV News hit CosmoGirl!'s Born to Lead Awards last week in New York, we asked the youngest Simpson what she had in mind and how her line compared to the clothing brands started by her older sister Jessica. "Mine might be a little darker," she said. "I'm all about a good black dress. Every girl needs a good black dress, and good sweaters — the good comfy stuff." Ashlee said starting a clothing brand was still in the planning stages, and she was in no rush. "Timing is everything," she said. "For me, I want to have the right line. There's definitely ideas I would like to express, and it would be something fun to explore. Nothing's set in stone yet." ... Sean Kingston, however, is feeling a little more pressure when it comes to starting his clothing line, he tells MTV Base, because it's not his older sister he's in competition with; it's other rappers. His goal is to be a "young Puffy Combs." "I'm trying to have my own record label, I'm trying to sign artists, develop artists, and I'm trying to come out with my own clothing line and watch line," he said. He's already commemorated his label, Time Is Money Entertainment, as a tattoo on his right hand as well as a watch. "It has a lot of colored diamonds in it," he said. ...

Akon hosted a pre-American Music Awards dinner event at One Sunset in L.A. on Saturday night. Tyrese, Young Jeezy, music exec Steve Rifkin and actress Dania Ramirez were all on hand. The "Heroes" star also took part in a cover shoot for Latina magazine earlier in the day; Ramirez will help launch new Editor in Chief Mimi Valdes' regime beginning with the March 2008 issue. ...

Rapper Lil' Romeo has accomplished a lot in his young life, and now he's achieved one more goal. Master P's son, who plays point guard for the Beverly Hills High basketball team, has received a full-ride scholarship to play hoops for the University of Southern California next year. ... Damon Dash apparently owes Uncle Sam some cash. According to a list of New Yorkers who owe back taxes published by the New York Post, Jay-Z's former business partner, who is worth more than $50 million, owes more than $2 million in back taxes. Dash reportedly sued his former accountant in April for submitting erroneous tax returns on his behalf for years. Dash isn't alone: Former Velvet Underground member John Cale is reportedly on the hook for $157,000 in taxes and jazz giant Ornette Coleman is about $7,800 short. ...

Just as New Line has stepped up its marketing campaign for its upcoming movie "The Golden Compass," the film studio finds itself with a little competition — from a DVD that Koch Entertainment plans to put out called "Beyond the Golden Compass." New Line filed a copyright-infringement suit Thursday (November 15) in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, claiming the Koch version was a "cynical and transparent effort to unfairly compete with and capitalize on the massive publicity and promotional effort" aimed at the $180 million version, starring Nicole Kidman, by insinuating the two releases were related. New Line wants to prevent the knockoff from coming out and $10 million in damages. ...

Atlanta's Deerhunter, one of the hits of last month's CMJ Music Marathon, have announced on their Web site that they're taking a hiatus. "I would like to announce that the show we are playing at Primavera in Barcelona will be our last for quite some time," frontman Bradford Cox wrote. "After that the band are going on hiatus. We all need some time to organize our lives. Thanks to everyone who has helped us out. This has been a crazy year that I will always remember." Cox will no doubt spend the coming months promoting his solo project, the Atlas Sound, which releases its debut in February. The hiatus could be a comparatively short one, since Deerhunter are scheduled to perform at the All Tomorrow's Parties festival in England in May. ... Ne-Yo, who was recently named a friend of Ronald McDonald House Charities, is lending his star power to raise awareness with a visit to an Upper East Side location in New York on Tuesday, World Children's Day. But when it comes to his own children's charity, Ne-Yo is switching sides — to Burger King. Ne-Yo announced on Monday (November 19) that Burger King would be the title sponsor for his Compound Foundation's fundraiser, a Brazilian-themed masquerade ball to be held December 5 in Atlanta. ...

Young Jeezy, Bill Maher, David Banner, "ATL" director Chris Robinson and Laker Lamar Odom hit the scene at the Hennessy "Flaunt Your Taste" soiree Friday night in Los Angeles. D-Nice and DJ Rashida spun at the gig, which was held in Madonna's former digs in the Hollywood Hills. ... Lil Jon and Aftermath rapper Bishop Lamont were just a few celebs on hand Saturday afternoon filming PSAs for the Rock the Vote campaign at Travis Barker's Beverly Hills shop the Fast Life. ... Though Mike Tyson faced more than four years in prison, the former heavyweight champ was sentenced Monday to one day in an open-air jail for cocaine possession and driving under the influence, AP reports. The boxer will serve his day in jail Tuesday for DUI. He received three years of probation for the cocaine charge and also will have to pay a fine, submit to drug testing and serve 360 hours of community service. ...

Spirit, the debut album from English singer Leona Lewis, is the #1 album in the U.K. this week, breaking the record set by the Arctic Monkeys last January to become the chart's fastest-selling debut album of all time, according to MTV UK. The season-three "X Factor" winner sold 375,000 copies of her album, beating the Monkeys' 363,735 and smashing chart debuts from the reunited Spice Girls, Celine Dion and a greatest-hits set from Led Zeppelin. ... Actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers (Showtime's "The Tudors") was arrested Sunday afternoon at the Dublin Airport and has been charged with public drunkenness and breach of peace, according to The Associated Press. Rhys Meyers, 30, was refused permission to board a London-bound flight when police confronted the actor twice after erratic, abusive behavior at an airport gate and at a desk of the British airline BMI. The actor was released on bail and is due in court for his arraignment December 5.

• Inside The 2007 "GQ" Men Of The Year Issue

• Britney Spears
• Kanye West
• Timbaland
• Amy Winehouse
• Radiohead

DevilDriver
Photo: Roadrunner Records

DevilDriver's first two albums, 2003's self-titled LP and 2005's The Fury of Our Maker's Hand, combined the savagery of classic thrash and death metal with some modern musical touches. More importantly, the discs established frontman Dez Fafara (ex-Coal Chamber) as more than a casualty of the nü-metal movement. At times, however, the records seemed a bit too much like apologies for a misguided past. Well, Fafara is done apologizing. DevilDriver's new disc, The Last Kind Words (out June 5), is a scathing declaration of war to anyone who continues to deny the band's importance.

"The 'last kind words' could be 'f--- you' before complete annihilation," Fafara said. "For me, this album is about being motivated to stand up to the punishment of being a human and to have the character in you to go on when all people want to do is hold you down."

Even so, the album isn't just a tirade of hostility. Lyrically, Fafara also aims to be constructive, addressing the importance of living in the moment ("Not All Who Wander Are Lost"), band solidarity ("Bound by the Moon") and moving on after the ugly demise of friendship ("Clouds Over California").

"Lyrically, it's dark and foreboding," Fafara said. "But it's gonna give you inspiration to go through this earthly experience and keep kicking."

As insightful as the best lyrics are, it's the band's musical evolution that makes The Last Kind Words truly exceptional. Like DevilDriver's other albums, this one is filled with jackhammer beats, chainsaw riffs and demonic roars, but the compositions are more complex and progressive, interlaced with melodic and textural nuances and stunning rhythmic variation.

"I think we knew we had to reach within ourselves as a team and pull something out that was really different," Fafara said. "Everyone totally put aside their egos and stepped up to the plate to do what needed to be done. In America right now, there's so much of that sing-songy metal going on, so we knew if we did something totally balls-out it was going to be well-received."

As if intuitively sensing that they needed extra time to make album number three eclipse their first two discs, guitarists Mike Spreitzer, Jeffrey Kendrick and bassist Jon Miller started writing riffs immediately after the completion of The Fury of Our Maker's Hand. Song parts were finessed on the road and then everything was assembled in the rehearsal room. By the time DevilDriver entered the studio on November 13 with Jason Suecof (Trivium, Chimaira), they were ready to hit "record."

"There was literally no preproduction to be done," Fafara said. "Jason said, 'Wow man, these are ready to go.' And everyone didn't just stick to his instrument either. The guys switched guitars and basses a lot — whatever was best for the song. Sometimes, if some guy writes a song, he may not be the best person to track it, and he's gotta be able to give that up to someone else. And when you see that happen with no fights, that's an amazing thing."

The only moments of tension came from working with Suecof, who Fafara described as "a total wing nut."

"We couldn't be more polar opposite, and I had to tell him to shut the f--- up so many times," Fafara recalled. "We actually got into it about two or three times where he would criticize something and I would just be like, 'You suck, you've got no groove.' But the friction worked and we actually came out of it the best of friends. More importantly, he really captured this band, and now I feel like it would be hard to work with anyone else."

There's no question that Suecof and his bandmates played a major role in making The Last Kind Words the most impacting DevilDriver disc to date. However, it was Fafara's clear focus and refusal to compromise that really drove DevilDriver to new heights.

"Years ago I used to think about commerce as an artist, but now I'm just thinking of pure art," he said. "So hopefully what we put out is going to be a kick in the face to what's going on in metal right now. That's the most important goal."

The rest of the week's metal news:

According to Megadeth's Dave Mustaine, his annual Gigantour festival won't be happening this summer, but will return in 2008. Mustaine said time constraints forced the suspension of the tour, which was launched in 2005 and featured Megadeth, Lamb of God, Opeth, Arch Enemy and more last year. ... Behemoth, who'll be on this summer's Ozzfest, have unveiled the track list for their forthcoming album, The Apostasy, which hits stores July 17. The LP will boast 11 cuts, including "Slaying the Prophets Ov Isa," "At the Left Hand Ov God" and "Christgrinding Avenue." ...

Seems the Red Chord have had a change of heart concerning the name of their forthcoming album. Instead of Birdbath, which frontman Guy Kozowyk told MTV News last year would be the LP's title, the band is going with Prey for Eyes, and it will land in stores this summer. Produced by Zeuss (Hatebreed, Shadows Fall), the disc will boast 14 tracks, including "It Runs in the Family," "Intelligence Has Been Compromised" and "Birdbath." ... P.O.D. have reportedly enlisted Suicidal Tendencies frontman Mike Muir to guest on their upcoming, yet-untitled album. According to singer Sonny Sandoval, P.O.D. are honored that Muir would lend his talents to the LP. No word yet on when the album might surface or what tracks it will include. ...

The Sword have announced that they'll be taking the summer off from touring so they can continue writing material for the forthcoming follow-up to their debut LP, 2006's Age of Winters. "We have withdrawn to our stronghold to forge new implements of sonic destruction and plan the next phase of our campaign of conquest," the band said in a statement. "Look for us when the days grow short and the air turns cold." ... Every Time I Die's forthcoming album The Big Dirty has been set for a September 4 release date through Ferret. The disc was produced by Steve Evetts, who has worked with the Dillinger Escape Plan and Sepultura in the past. ... Former Motograter guitarist Matt "Nuke" Nunes has aligned himself with bassist Johnny Montanio for a new project they're calling Curiosity Killed the Cop. CKTC have written seven tracks but are still light on members, and they've been auditioning singers, guitarists and drummers. Interested in trying out? E-mail the band at jmontanio43@yahoo.com. ...

The release date for Horse the Band's forthcoming album A Natural Death has been pushed back to August 28 from the previously announced June 26 date. The band's label has not offered an explanation for the delay, but fans can head on over to Horse the Band's MySpace page to check out the album's first single, "Murder." ... Katatonia, Scar Symmetry, Insomnium and Swallow the Sun will team up in a few months for a North American run. The tour is set to get under way September 4 in West Springfield, Virginia, and run through September 26 in Houston. ... Fireball Ministry have begun writing new material for their next studio offering. Frontman the Rev. James A. Rota II said in a statement that the next LP is "going to be a bit different than our last three. We've definitely decided to take the band to some new territory, but it's definitely Fireball Ministry." It's possible the band will preview some of the latest material when it plays a show June 23 in Malibu, California, with Fu Manchu. ...

Iced Earth have a new guitarist — with a pretty metal name — in Troy Steele. "Troy did a few solos on the new record and will be touring with us," main man Jon Schaffer said in a statement. "He's been a friend of mine for about 10 years and is from the Indianapolis area. He's by far the best guitar player in Indy and will be bringing some cool vibes to the table." The band's forthcoming EP, Overture of the Wicked, will land in stores June 5 and feature two cuts: "Ten Thousand Strong" and the three-part "Something Wicked Trilogy." ... Blessed By a Broken Heart have wrapped recording their Century Media debut, Pedal to the Metal. The album was produced by GGGarth (Atreyu, L7) and is being eyed for release later in the year. "We are very excited to announce that our record is finally done," the band said in a statement. "This is and will always be the greatest record of all time — well, except for maybe Rick Astley's Whenever You Need Somebody, but it sure comes close."

• DevilDriver
• Iced Earth
• Megadeth
• Lamb of God

Hate Eternal
Photo: Frank Wright

Hey, what's up, metallions? How's it going? Iann Robinson here. There's lots going on in the Metal File this week, so I'll try to keep this short.

The big news I'm hearing about is Black Dahlia Murder pulling out of the Soilent Green tour. Now, Black Dahlia released one of the best metal records of the year with Unhallowed, and when they pulled off the tour it was followed by rumors that they'd broken up. From what I understand, drummer Cory Grady was arrested and half of the band stayed to get him out and half flew back to Detroit. Rumors have since flown that the band has broken up, but Metal Blade Records is adamant that the band is not breaking up and will make the Arch Enemy tour. No word from the guys yet, but I'll let you know as soon as I hear anything.

I did get to see the Soilent Green show that Dahlia missed, and it was amazing to see Ben Falgoust back up and being the amazing frontman he is, especially so soon after breaking both of his legs.

All right, everybody, I'm out of here. Stay metal, and I'll see you at the shows.

Jared Anderson, bassist of Hate Eternal, has left the band due to his struggles with substance abuse. "Due to a continuous ongoing drug problem for the last couple of years, I've committed myself to rehabilitation," Anderson said in a statement. "I will be leaving Hate Eternal due to the time and dedication it's taking to get myself back on the right track." Randy Piro has been filling in for Anderson and will continue to do so during Hate Eternal's U.S. tour. ...

Monster Magnet have just started work on their new album, tentatively titled Radiation Day. ... Neurosis have just started work on their new, still-untitled album. It's being recorded by Steve Albini and should be released early in 2004. ... Former Judas Priest singer Tim "Ripper" Owens has joined Iced Earth. ...

Southern rockers Throttlerod have finished their new album, Hell and High Water, for Small Stone Records. ... Orange Goblin have now finished work on their new album, Thieving in the House of God, and hope to have it in stores later this year on Rise Above. Produced by Billy Anderson, the album includes a cover of ZZ Top's "Just Got Paid." ...

The Crown have set an October 20 release for their new album, Possessed 13, which will be released in a special limited-edition double-CD Digipack. The package includes a bonus CD of demos — including "Forever Heaven Gone," "Forget the Light" and "Rebel Angel" — and a cover of Bathory's "Burnin' Leather." ...

Former Skinlab guitarist Scott Sergeant, currently the touring bassist for M.O.D., will reunite with his former band (sitting in for his replacement, Glen Telford) for a string of West Coast shows in late August before Skinlab begin a lengthy hiatus. "It's been a while since we jammed with Scott," frontman Steev Esquivel wrote on the band's Web site, "[but] if there's any guitarist who can pick up three albums' worth of material to play in three weeks, he's the man!" ...

Solid State Records and Metal Maniacs magazine are teaming up to sponsor a fall tour featuring Norma Jean, Figure Four, the Agony Scene and Beloved. The trek kicks off September 5 and takes the bands through the South, Midwest and West Coast. ... Time in Malta will open three West Coast dates for Thursday and Year of the Rabbit. The San Francisco Bay Area band is still searching for a replacement for drummer Eric Alexander, who recently announced that he'll be leaving. ...

The October release of My Ruin's The Horror of Beauty will be preceded by an EP called The Shape of Things to Come on August 18. The Los Angeles band is fronted by Tairrie B., the former Manhole vocalist and onetime gangsta rapper who was assisted by Eazy-E in releasing an album called The Power of a Woman in 1990. ...

The once more-metal-leaning Boston band Cave In must be looking to reacquaint themselves with their roots, because next month they're teaming up with the decidedly metalcore From Autumn to Ashes, Every Time I Die and Funeral for a Friend for a U.S. tour. The band is currently on Lollapalooza supporting their Failure-inspired major-label debut, Antenna. ...

Throwdown have been added to the West Coast dates of this year's Take Action Tour, which already featured Throwdown guitarist Keith Barney's other band, Eighteen Visions. A new outfit comprising ex-Botch members called These Arms Are Snakes has also been added to the shows in Seattle and Portland, Oregon. ...

Nevermore will join Hypocrisy, Children of Bodom and Norwegian black metallers Dimmu Borgir on a North American tour scheduled to begin in November. The Seattle band, whose Enemies of Reality recently hit stores, will support Type O Negative at a hometown show later this month. ...

—compiled by Iann Robinson, Robert Mancini and Ryan J. Downey

• Judas Priest
• Hate Eternal
• Iced Earth
• Cave In

Linkin Park's upcoming Meteora will include a 40-page booklet of photos and commentary, as well as an enhanced CD featuring "The Art of Meteora," a 17-minute documentary about the album cover. A limited-edition version of the LP will include a DVD featuring a film about the band. ...

Memphis' Saliva are shooting a video for "Rest in Pieces," the second single from their latest album, Back Into Your System, in Los Angeles on Monday and Tuesday, with director Diane Martel (Christina Aguilera, Snoop Dogg). The tune, co-written by Mötley Crüe's Nikki Sixx, will surface at radio on the heels of "Always" in the coming weeks... When the Boss talks, his fans listen. Especially in tune are Bruce Springsteen's Tri-State Area fans, who scarfed up the tickets to seven shows with the E Street Band, from July 15-27, at New Jersey's Giants Stadium in record time. Never before in the history of Ticketmaster have seven stadium shows sold out in a single day. ...

Pop singer Anastacia, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in January, has undergone a successful operation. Following the seven-hour procedure, she remained in the hospital two days before being released to recuperate at home with the supervision of a private nurse. Doctors said early detection and prompt action probably saved her life. Anastacia will begin six weeks of radiation therapy in the coming weeks. ... Hank Ballard, lead singer of the Royals (later called the Midnighters) and the songwriter who penned the 1960 #1 hit "The Twist," died of throat cancer in his Los Angeles home on Sunday. Ballard was 76 years old. ...

Newcomer Roscoe, the younger brother of Kurupt, shot a video for his single "Head to Toe" in Atlanta over the weekend with director Bryan Barber (Outkast). Pat "Sleepy" Brown of the production crew Organized Noize (Bubba Sparxxx) is featured on the track, and Goodie Mob's Big Gipp appears in the video. ... Matchbox Twenty and Sugar Ray will embark on the More Than You Think You Are tour on April 25 in New Orleans. The 50-date trek concludes July 6 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Maroon 5 will open through May 31. ... Oasis leader Noel Gallagher will turn up as a guest on the songs "One to Grow On" and "Polaris," the title track from The North Mississippi Allstars' forthcoming album. The follow-up to the blues-rockers' Grammy-nominated 51 Phantom hits stores April 22. ...

Melodic power metal merchants Iced Earth will enter the studio in April to record the follow-up to 2001's Horror Show and last year's covers album, Tribute to the Gods, according to a Web post from founding guitarist and songwriter Jon Schaffer. Schaffer, who is opening a world-history related collectables store in Columbus, Indiana, plans to hire the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra to work on three songs about the Battle of Gettysburg for the album. ... Following months of auditions, black metal veterans Dark Funeral have found an as-yet-unnamed replacement for guitarist Dominion. "While [drummer] Matte [Modin] is out touring with Defleshed, I will practice with this demonic new guy," guitarist Lord Ahriman wrote on the band's Web site. ...

The National Academy of Popular Music/Songwriters Hall of Fame announced on Monday (March 3) that Clive Davis will receive the Hitmaker Award as part of their 34th annual ceremony, taking place June 12 in New York. Martin Bandier, chairman and CEO of EMI Music Publishing, was announced as the Patron of the Arts Award recipient. Phil Collins, Queen, Van Morrison and Little Richard are among those being inducted into the Hall this year. ...

Samoan gangsta rappers Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E. will appear in the end credits for the upcoming Christopher Coppola film "Bloodhead." The group's footage — which will feature members dancing on a giant spinning turntable and surrounded by smoke and fire — was shot February 10 to 12 at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood. Coppola is Nicolas Cage's brother and Francis Ford Coppola's nephew. ... This year's version of the annual Detroit Electronic Music Festival will be called Movement 2003 - Detroit's Electronic Music Festival, according to techno pioneer Derrick May, who's producing the event for the first time. The former producers own rights to the DEMF title. ...

02.28.03

Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful" video will be honored by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) for its use of gay and transgender images to demonstrate self-respect and empowerment. The singer will accept a special award for the Jonas Akerlund-directed clip at a ceremony April 26 at Los Angeles' Kodak Theatre. ...

It's looking like Limp Bizkit and the WWE are continuing to show love for one another. The rap-rockers will perform at the Wrestlemania pay-per-view event on March 30, according to an announcement Thursday night on the wrestling program "Smackdown!" Fans of famed grappler the Undertaker might remember he used to play Limp's "Rollin' (Air Raid Vehicle)" as his theme music when entering the ring. ... Following the Grammys, Michelle Branch posted a message on her official Web site that her upcoming album was nearly finished and had a release date. "The album will be available for your listening pleasure on June 10," she wrote. "It's a lot later than we thought, but we need set-up time ... and I need a slight break before being on the road again." Branch is slated to tour with the Dixie Chicks. ... 

'NSYNC's Lance Bass will be the main judge in NBC's new reality series, "The Search for the Most Talented Kid in America." Mario Lopez will host the four episodes, which begin airing March 21 and will feature two other guest judges (to be named later) for each show. ... Swedish rockers Blindside have been tapped to open for Linkin Park on the band's two-week stretch of free shows for members of its fan club. The trek begins March 11 in Worcester, Massachusetts, and runs through March 25 in Los Angeles. ...

Beck makes a cameo on Macy Gray's new song "It Ain't the Money" from her upcoming album, The Trouble With Being Myself, which drops May 13. The track, a funk-fueled hybrid of rap and R&B, features the chameleonic rocker mirroring Gray's vocals in a sedated breathy voice. ... New York City garage rockers the Mooney Suzuki have lined up a string of tour dates, beginning April 10 in New Haven, Connecticut. The quartet will bring along fellow Big Apple residents, retro punk-poppers the Realistics, to open the brief outing, which winds down April 27 in Los Angeles. ...

On the heels of a successful battle against cancer, Testament vocalist Chuck Billy is back in rehearsals with his band, gearing up for a San Francisco gig next month and a European tour scheduled for April. "On Valentine's Day, I had my final two operations to remove a port from my chest and both surgeries were a complete success," Billy posted on the veteran thrash metal band's Web site. "[My] surgeon, Dr. Sweezer, the coolest cat out there ... said, 'Get out there and enjoy your life, you're done!' "

Singer Bryan Adams plays himself in "House of Fools," Russia's official submission for the foreign-film category at the Academy Awards. In the flick, Adams is the object of a pretty mental patient's deep and delusional obsession. The film hits U.S. theaters on April 25. ... German glitch-pop pioneers the Notwist will embark on their first North American tour on April 2 at the Black Cat in Washington, D.C. The group's 17-date jaunt in support of its recently released Neon Golden will end with a two-night stand at Los Angeles' Knitting Factory on April 14 and 15. ...

• Linkin Park
• The Donnas
• Saliva
• Bruce Springsteen
• Kurupt