Lil Wayne performs at the 2008 Virgin Mobile Festival
Photo: Paul Morigi/ Getty Images

BALTIMORE — Fans got more than they bargained for at this weekend's Virgin Mobile Festival — more Kanye, anyway.

Not content to close out the two-day festival with his headlining Sunday slot, Mr. West stormed the stage earlier in the day, joining Lil Wayne for a meeting of hip-hop's hottest. Maybe 'Ye was pulling double duty to outshine the legends (Bob Dylan, Iggy and the Stooges), big rock veterans (Foo Fighters, Stone Temple Pilots, Nine Inch Nails, Offspring), and upstarts (Paramore, Jack Johnson, Duffy) who took the Virgin stage over the weekend at Pimlico Race Course.

Rocking a Louis Vuitton backpack, West joined Weezy on Sunday afternoon to spit his verse from the "Lollipop" remix without skipping a beat. The collabo was the high-energy point of a blistering, better-late-than-never performance. Showing up a half-hour late for an hourlong set would be a cardinal sin for most artists, but Weezy more than made up for it. The crowd chanted his name and even booed briefly while waiting for his set, but it was all love once Lil Wayne hit the stage. Wayne came with a mix of old-school, new-school and a lot of gratitude. "How many of y'all got Tha Carter III?" he asked. "I f---in' appreciate you."

He even took time to honor Static Major, asking for a moment of silence for the late rapper and songwriter before jumping into the song that catapulted Wayne from an underground mixtaper to an undeniable mainstream superstar. After welcoming Kanye up for "Lollipop," Wayne wrapped his set with even more gratitude and some laughs, lip-syncing to Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" before leaving the stage.

While Wayne's day was done, Kanye was just getting started. He returned to the stage later that night like a hurricane, shrouded in flashing lights and fog. Fans threw up their Roc-A-Fella diamonds early and held them high all night. No irony was lost on 'Ye, who made it a point to prove his authenticity before jumping into "Diamonds From Sierra Leone."

"I work real hard at this rapping sh--," he said. "This is real rap."

Kanye dove into a set spanning his entire career, from his most recent verse from Young Jeezy's "Put On" to his humble beginnings on "All Comes Down," asking fans to "scream so loud I can't hear the music" if they knew the song.

And, of course, 'Ye talked, touching on everything from his mother's death to Barack Obama's nomination to crime in the festival's host city of Baltimore. He freestyled as well, expressing his gratitude for fame and his frustration that comes along with it. The raw emotion was undeniable. "I lost my mama/ I went through so much drama/ I went through so much drama/ I'm for Obama," he rapped. He then described his journey over to Pimlico Race Course, noting the flashing blue lights above cameras stationed throughout the 'hood and being content with the fact that even though many Baltimore natives couldn't afford to attend the concert, they could still see and hear the show from the parking lot outside the gates. He also shouted out MySpace, the Internet and Lil Wayne before beginning "Touch the Sky."

West took a bit of a jab at the festival's schedule, specifically the choice concertgoers had to make between his performance and one from Nine Inch Nails happening at the same time at the other end of the park (a dilemma faced by fans at Chicago's Lollapalooza a week earlier). "It's not a black-or-white thing, it's not a rap-or-rock-and-roll thing," he exclaimed. "It's a good-music thing. We jam about good things from the heart. How can you pick between me and Trent Reznor?"

But at the end of the day, Kanye's focus all came back down to his fans. Again freestyling, 'Ye expressed his eagerness to please those who came out to support him. "I hope you had a good time ... f--- that, the time of your life!" And with diamonds high in the sky and screams that could be heard around the block, the crowd's enthusiasm matched Kanye's (no easy feat).

The day before, it was up to West's fellow Chi-Town native Lupe Fiasco, who had fans bobbing their heads and singing along to "Superstar" and "Kick, Push." Despite technical difficulties, Lupe aimed to please, shouting after his microphone problem was resolved, "Let's hype this bitch back up, all right?" Given the amount of crowd-surfing during his set and the volume of fans chanting his name when he left the stage, he seemed to succeed.

But the weekend wasn't all about hip-hop. The Foos, the Stooges, Paramore and NIN brought the rock, but the guitar heroes of the day might have been Stone Temple Pilots. Taking the stage later than expected (thanks, Weezy), STP seemed to be the picture of reunification. The band was completely in sync thanks to its current 65-date tour. The focus wasn't mainly on themselves, though. Scott Weiland shared the love, shouting out those sharing the bill. "What a great day of f---ing music!," he gushed. "How about Iggy and the Stooges? And Nine Inch Nails are coming up!" He also had love for the crowd. "What a sea of energy," he exclaimed just before the crowd sang and bobbed along to every note of the band's breakthrough hit "Plush."

For more sights and stories from concerts around the country, check out MTV News Tour Reports. And send your own concert pics, videos and reviews to MTV News You R Here!

• Paramore, Lil Wayne, More At Virgin Mobile Festival 2008

• Lil Wayne
• Kanye West
• Young Jeezy
• Stone Temple Pilots
• Nine Inch Nails

Madonna and Justin Timberlake at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony on Monday
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage

NEW YORK — As Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremonies go, Monday night's didn't seem to promise much controversy, like Van Halen's induction last year or the Sex Pistols' the year before that, unless you consider the induction of dance-pop icon Madonna into the hallowed hall to be scandalous.

And apart from a handful of Eliot Spitzer quips, the evening — which also saw the inductions of John Mellencamp, Leonard Cohen, the Ventures, the Dave Clark Five, Little Walter and '70s hitmakers Gamble and Huff — didn't have much controversy either. That is, until Madonna opened her mouth.

After an innuendo-filled introduction from Justin Timberlake (during which he lauded Madonna for her "shapely body of work" and for how she's "always been a woman on top" who "fully enjoys that position"), the sinewy singer ascended the stage and thanked seemingly everyone who helped shape her career, from her earliest dancing teachers to the critics who have blasted her over the years, and told her she was "talentless, that I was chubby, that I couldn't sing, that I was a one-hit wonder — they helped me too, because they made me question myself and they pushed me to be better, and I am grateful for their resistance."

(Check out 52 different music videos from Madonna's long and legendary career right here.)

Then, Madonna clarified a story Timberlake told during his introduction. He'd recalled getting an injection of vitamin B12 in the butt from Madonna during recording sessions for her new album. Timberlake said that, during the sessions, he started feeling ill. That's when Madonna proceeded "to pull a Ziploc bag of B12 syringes out [of her purse]." He said she then instructed him to "Drop 'em."

"I don't know what you say to that, so I immediately dropped my pants," he said. "She gave me a shot in my a-- and looks at me and says, 'Nice top shelf.' That was one of the greatest days of my life."

Madonna, however, remembered the incident slightly differently. "Everything he said is basically true, but I didn't say 'Drop 'em.' I said, 'Pull your pants down.' I like to be accurate because you know I am a control freak."

After quoting from the Talmud, she called Timberlake — who'd said, "She became the biggest name on the planet the old-fashioned way: She earned it" — a "f---er." Moments later, she blurted out the word "mother----er" for no discernable reason.

Those words served as a fitting preamble for the punk-paced covers of Madonna songs from a leathery and topless Iggy Pop, who, along with the Stooges, paid tribute to the singer with covers of "Burning Up" and "Ray of Light," during which Pop tossed out an F-bomb. At one point during that performance, the cameras panned to a horrified-looking Clive Davis.

(Check out this backstage footage of Madonna greeting Iggy and the Stooges — including bassist/rabid Madonna fan Mike Watt — after their performance.)

After Pop hobbled offstage, Billy Joel — there to induct his pal John "You'll Always Be the Cougar to Me" Mellencamp — spit out a string of obscenities too, eliciting laughter from an audience that included Chevy Chase, Michael J. Fox, Meg Ryan and even Princess Firyal of Jordan.

The night got off to a much slower start, by comparison. After some opening remarks from Rolling Stone founder and Rock Hall chairman Jann Wenner, legendary R&B singer Patti LaBelle stirred the decked-to-then-nines audience with a towering rendition of Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes' "If You Don't Know Me By Now," which was written and produced by inductees Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff.

"You've been touching the world with your music for so many years," LaBelle exclaimed, honoring the team responsible for '70s-era soul hits from Lou Rawls, the O'Jays, Jerry Butler and many others. "You've touched my life. You've done a wonderful thing. Keep on touching, brothers."

Also inducted — posthumously — was legendary blues harmonica player Little Walter, who died in 1968; he joined the hall in its sidemen category, as he was a frequent collaborator of Muddy Waters'. Ben Harper said of Walter, who helped pioneer the use of electronic distortion, that "he defined an instrument, he defined a sound, he defined a genre."

Surf-rock icons the Ventures were inducted next, and followed up the honor by performing two of their biggest hits, "Walk, Don't Run" and the theme from "Hawaii Five-O." John Fogerty, who introduced the Ventures, praised the band for having recorded 250 albums over the course of their career. "Nowadays, some of us would be happy to sell 250 records," he joked, making a reference to the dire state of the music industry.

A pink shirt-sporting Lou Reed strutted onstage to induct revered songwriter Leonard Cohen. His often disjointed tribute to Cohen included a recitation of the genius musician's lyrics — printed out on at least 30 pages Reed pulled from his pocket. "We're so lucky to be alive at the same time Leonard Cohen is," Reed noted, before Damien Rice delivered a rendition of Cohen's "Hallelujah." "This is a very unlikely occasion for me," Cohen, wearing a black tux, admitted. "It is not a distinction that I coveted or even dared dream about. So, I'm reminded of a prophetic statement of [music critic and longstanding Bruce Springsteen manager] Jon Landau in the early '70s. He said, 'I have seen the future of rock and roll and it is not Leonard Cohen.' "

After Madonna's induction and Joel's hilarious introductory speech, Mellencamp — sounding like he'd just downed a shot of molten steel — emerged to claim that "nobody put themselves behind the eight-ball more than I did." He spoke of having surgery when he was just six weeks old, explaining that doctors had worried he'd be paralyzed below the neck. The 56-year-old rocker said he never knew of the surgery until his teen years, when a classmate asked him about the scar behind his neck. "I'm lucky to be standing here for any number of reasons," he said, after snuffing out a cigarette as he mounted the stage.

Last came '60s popsters the Dave Clark Five, whose singer, Mike Smith, died just two weeks ago. Clark admitted it was a bittersweet time for the English group. "We wanted it to be the five of us here, but we know he's smiling down on us, knowing he's a hall of famer," Clark said, adding that he's absolutely delighted that his band's being inducted into the "American" rock hall.

Actor Tom Hanks inducted the band, and told stories about first seeing them on "The Ed Sullivan Show." Finally, Joan Jett, Fogerty and Mellencamp capped off the long night, playing the group's "Bits and Pieces" and "Glad All Over."

• Madonna Takes Over The Rock Hall

• Madonna, Justin Timberlake, More At 2008 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Ceremony
• Madonna: Mother Of Reinvention

• Madonna
• John Mellencamp
• Billy Joel
• Leonard Cohen
• Iggy Pop

Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images

Let the fiesta begin — Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony have rolled out dates for their En Concierto trek. The spousal celebration will hit Atlantic City, New Jersey (September 29); Uncasville, Connecticut (October 3); Washington, D.C. (October 5); New York (October 7); Toronto (October 10); Chicago (October 14); San Jose, California (October 17); Los Angeles (October 19); Anaheim, California (October 20); San Diego (October 24); Las Vegas (October 26); Dallas (October 30); Houston (October 31); and Miami (November 2). In related news, Lopez is firing back at critics of "El Cantante," her new film with Anthony, the Los Angeles Times reports. Speaking at the Directors Guild of America Theatre in Los Angeles on Friday, she insisted that the film is an accurate portrayal of salsa legend Hector Lavoe. "I don't know what movie [the critics] want to see, because this is the truth," she said. ...

Lindsay Lohan checked into a drug and alcohol treatment center in Sundance, Utah, over the weekend, according to a CBS News radio report. Lifestyle magazine Town & Country recently named the center, Cirque Lodge, one of the best substance-abuse facilities in the country. Lohan, who is due in court in Santa Monica, California, on August 24, has been to rehab twice before. ...

Gwen Stefani recently admitted to U.K. newspaper The Observer that meeting up with her No Doubt bandmates was a bit uncomfortable. "It would be ridiculous to say there was no tension," she said. "Because my solo career has been going on and on. It was never supposed to be this long." Beyond the No Doubt reunion, the singer also revealed what else is on the horizon — acting roles "are the last thing on my list," she said; instead, her focus is "make babies, make music." "I'm on repeat mode," she added. Stefani also opened up about her ongoing "mad love affair" with Gavin Rossdale. "Time goes by and you get the rocky times then you get the intense love times, then you get the reward of having the baby," she said about her relationship with her husband. "It's just this ongoing saga. ... I'm interested to see what's going to happen next, you know?' " ...

The organizers behind "A Concert for Virginia Tech" are coming to the defense of Nas, whose lyrics have stirred up controversy over his participation in the event. "Nas is a positive force in hip-hop," read a statement issued by Red Light Management, which manages Dave Matthews Band and is helping the group organize the event. "Over the course of his albums, many of which have included storytelling about the violence of inner-city life, he has evolved into a spokesman for change. His actions stand out as a true lesson in how conflict can be resolved with words." ...

Many U.S. music retailers are yanking import copies of Amy Winehouse's 2003 debut, Frank, from their shelves after receiving a letter from Universal Republic that threatens legal action and claims the label has exclusive rights to distribute her recordings Stateside. The label is planning to issue the album domestically for the first time November 7. ... Backstreet Boys are unveiling their new single "Inconsolable" Monday night (August 6) on New York's Z-100 radio. The track will surface on the group's yet-untitled new album, due October 30. ... Speaking of big returns, the Black Crowes have finished recording their new album, which will be mixed in September and street in the spring. The disc spotlights new touring keyboardist Adam MacDougall and North Mississippi Allstars guitarist Luther Dickinson, and was produced by the band and longtime collaborator Paul Stacey. ...

A New Zealand mayoral candidate is trying to put Ice Cube in hot water. Political hopeful Len Brown, who is vying for the mayor's seat in Manukau City, issued a press release Monday morning calling for the rapper's August 22 visit to Auckland to be canceled. "Ice Cube brings a gangsta message to our community via his gangsta rap," the statement read. "This message promotes gangs, gang violence and drugs. We don't want this in our homes. We don't want it on our streets." ... LL Cool J highlighted the New York leg of the Microsoft Zune BBQ concert series in Brooklyn, New York, on Saturday. The veteran rapper stormed through tracks that spanned his entire career, including his latest, "Queens." Grand Puba, the LOX, Clipse, the Boot Camp Click, Large Professor and Joell Ortiz also performed at the community-based event. UGK and Mos Def performed at previous stops in Chicago and Los Angeles. ...

Don't bet the family farm on it just yet, but Van Halen's reunion tour is reportedly back on, sources tell Billboard.com. The outlet reports that a press conference will be held in Hollywood next week, during which the band will announce a 50-date arena tour to start in early October. The hard-rock legends had originally planned to set out on an amphitheater tour this summer, but it was scrapped, and guitarist Eddie Van Halen entered rehab. The reunion tour will reportedly feature Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, Eddie's son Wolfgang and David Lee Roth. ... Gene Simmons was forthright, to say the least, about his feelings toward former Kiss mates Ace Frehley and Peter Criss in a recent interview with TVGuide.com. "They were thrown out of the band because they were drug addicts and alcoholics," said Simmons, who has a strong aversion to drugs and alcohol. "They're damaged. ... You're talking about 30 years of abuse. Everybody cares about Ace and Peter. I love them to death. But I don't want them to die on tour." ...

There's a new wrinkle in Madonna's adoption of a Malawian boy. The court-appointed official who was assigned to the case is not being allowed to travel to Britain to evaluate the suitability of the singer and her husband, Guy Ritchie, to be the adoptive parents of David Banda, Reuters reports. The official, Penstone Kilembe, had been appointed to travel to Britain twice, after which he has been expected to testify in a hearing next year whether Madonna's adoption of the child should be formalized. Kilembe is being accused of getting a plane ticket and money directly from Madonna, without the approval of the Malawian government, but he has dismissed claims that he asked the singer for the ticket. ... Two more people have been identified as James Brown's children, The Associated Press reports. While many DNA tests have come back negative and others are pending, two people claiming to be the late singer's offspring are indeed telling the truth, longtime Brown adviser Buddy Dallas said Friday. While Dallas refused to identify the two people, a 45-year-old retired flight attendant is thought to be one of them. ...

Chris Rock and his wife Malaak said in a statement issued Monday that he is not the father of a 13-year-old boy whose mother, Kali Bowyer, attempted to file a paternity suit against the comedian in March. According to the statement, DNA testing has ruled out Rock as the father of the child. "After multiple lies, including that Chris refused to establish paternity and after finding out that Ms. Bowyer has an extensive criminal record, we personally asked the court to help us establish paternity so that we could put this harassment to rest. ... We have spent a tremendous sum to litigate this case and are asking our attorney to pursue all legal remedies against her." ... Eddie Murphy has confirmed that he is the father of Melanie Brown's child, but the Spice Girl is still upset — her lawyer Gloria Allred said Saturday that the actor "has not indicated ... that he plans to visit the baby," AP reports. Murphy issued a statement Friday saying, "He acknowledges paternity of the child Angel and has paid child support to Ms. Brown, as well as covering the expenses of her pregnancy." But Allred said Brown's chief concern is that he "see his child, spend time with her, hold her, love her and bond with his daughter." ...

Record label Kill Rock Stars is giving away free downloads of Elliott Smith's "Angel in the Snow" on Monday in commemoration of what would have been the late singer/songwriter's 38th birthday. Go here for details. ... If Iggy Pop's performance with the Stooges at Lollapalooza on Sunday has you salivating for more, mark September 18 on your calendar — a new Pop DVD, "Live San Fran 1981," drops that day. The concert features Ig being backed up by Blondie drummer Clem Burke and future David Bowie guitarist Carlos Alomar, and two unreleased songs he recorded with Ric Ocasek of the Cars are also included in the package. ...

Lee Hazlewood, who wrote "These Boots Were Made for Walkin' " — Nancy Sinatra's hit from the '60s that Jessica Simpson reworked for "The Dukes of Hazzard" — has died of cancer, BBC News reports. The singer/songwriter, whose songs were covered by a wide range of artists including Nick Cave and Primal Scream, was 78.

08.03.2007

Seven families of victims of the Virginia Tech shootings are outraged that Nas is scheduled to take part in "A Concert for Virginia Tech," The Washington Post reports. The families say the rapper's lyrics are too violent for a show that is being held in the wake of the April tragedy. Nas' lyrics "are indicative of the moral decay in our society that contributes to acts of violence," Vincent J. Bove, a spokesman for the families, told the paper. "For a university official to condone it or to be clueless of what this person's track record is, it's unconscionable beyond belief." University officials responded by saying the announcement of the concert has been getting overwhelmingly positive feedback and that the lineup will not be changed. ...

Lindsay Lohan's words are coming back to haunt her. An Elle interview conducted shortly before the actress was involved in her first DUI, over Memorial Day weekend, is being brought to light in the magazine's September issue. In the conversation, Lohan insisted she wouldn't drive drunk. "I wouldn't violate ... I'm much more responsible than that. I would not do that," she said. She also alluded to drunk driving when asked what it's like to be surrounded by paparazzi: "It's scary ... they're looking for me to, like, trip, so they can be like, 'Oh, Lindsay's wasted and driving drunk,' " she said. ...

Another day, another corporate tour. Ludacris, the All-American Rejects, Queens of the Stone Age and more are taking part in Samsung and AT&T's free Summer Krush series, Billboard.com reports. The artists are playing individual shows from August 13 through mid-September: Luda (Atlanta), the Rejects (New York), QOTSA (Los Angeles), Plain White T's (San Francisco), Big & Rich (Dallas), the Bravery (Chicago) and Kinky (Miami). Each concert — which will also serve to attract attention to AT&T Wireless' music-download service through its eMusic partnership will include an hourlong performance and feature kiosks where new devices by the companies can be sampled. Tickets will be made available through radio promotions, contests and at AT&T outlets. ... The Spice Girls probably didn't think it was too funny that Baghdad, Iraq, was ranking high on their online fan poll to determine where the group should play a special show as part of its reunion tour. Well, the Girls can relax — Toronto has won the honor instead. The "Spice City" show, one of 15 gigs on their worldwide tour, will be held in January. ...

Do you dream of sailing off into the sunset with John Mayer? Now here's your chance. Following in the footsteps of the Flaming Lips and, er, the String Cheese Incident, the singer/songwriter is the latest artist who will be taking part in a musical ocean cruise. What's been dubbed the "Mayercraft Carrier" will set sail from Miami on February 1, hit the Bahamas and return February 4, with Mayer and other artists of his choosing performing intimate gigs during the trek. Tickets range from roughly $500 to $1,100 per person (with taxes) — go here for more ticket info. In other Mayer news, he recently crooned — very offhandedly — an a cappella version of "Chocolate Rain," originally performed by YouTube sensation Tay Zonday, for "Best Week Ever." Check it out here. ...

Lionel Richie is speaking out about his embattled daughter Nicole, telling UsMagazine.com that she has "made some mistakes" but that she also "has not blamed others for her problems and is growing up very quickly, albeit in the heat of the media spotlight." ... A dog caretaker died at the home of Ving Rhames after being mauled by two mastiffs Friday morning (August 3), The Associated Press reports. The actor was not at home when the attack took place. Animal services took four mastiffs from the property, although several more dogs were reportedly left there. "Two of those dogs appeared to be responsible for the tragic death," Jason Lee, a Los Angeles police officer, told the news outlet. ...

A trailer for an Ol' Dirty Bastard documentary has leaked online. The flick, titled "Ason Unique," was shot and directed by the late rapper's brother Raison Allah and features vintage footage of ODB. Also to be included is a clip of director Quentin Tarantino popping up at a Wu-Tang Clan concert; interviews from Wu members Method Man, RZA, Raekwon and Ghostface; and anecdotes and stories from ODB's parents, friends and affiliates. Check out the trailer right here. ... Lupe Fiasco performed at the Staple Design 10th anniversary party at the Xchange in New York on Thursday night. Bun B of UGK was in attendance and Bobbito Garcia and DJ Soul manned the ones and twos at the Mountain Dew/ Green Label Art-sponsored shindig. ... Paris Hilton wants you to have a kick with her — the heiress will launch a new footwear line early next year. The Paris Hilton Footwear collection, to be licensed by the Antebi Footwear Group, will feature stilettos, platforms, flats, wedges and sport shoes. "My goal is to create a stylish and fun fashion line from head to toe," Hilton said in a statement. ...

Foo Fighters are cracking open their new single "The Pretender" at the Summer X Games, which are airing on ESPN, Friday. The track — set to appear on the band's September 25 LP, Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace — will be available for download Tuesday. ... Klaxons are going from the clubs to New York's Madison Square Garden quicker than cops shutting down a rave. The band will open for Björk at the famed venue on September 24 after headlining a much smaller show the previous night at Boston's Paradise Rock Club. After that, the fluorescent fiends will hit clubs across North American from September 26 through October 10. ...

Pearl Jam got their chops loose for their Sunday night Lollapalooza performance with a cozy fans-only show at Chicago's Vic Theatre on Thursday night, Billboard.com reports. Eddie Vedder — who will sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" Friday during the Cubs/ New York Mets game at Wrigley Field — kicked things off with solo covers of Tom Waits' "Picture in a Frame" and Cat Stevens' "Trouble." After that, the band barreled through 24 mostly obscure songs — the B-side "Education," "Rats" and "All or None" among them. Ben Harper joined the band for a rendition of "Indifference" while drummer Matt Cameron belted out a cover of Kiss' "Black Diamond." ...

The first installment of This Is Next, the indie-rock answer to the Now That's What I Call Music! series, will drop August 21. Look for slices from Bloc Party, Spoon, Bright Eyes, the Shins, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and more. The series will be revisited biannually and is being assembled by an assortment of labels in the Alternative Distribution Alliance. ... Stevie Wonder is set to tour nationally for the first time in 12 years, kicking things off with a show August 23 in San Diego, AP reports. The stirring singer will also serve as the grand marshal to the California Speedway's Sharp AQUOS 500, which takes place Labor Day weekend. ...

A prosecution rebuttal witness alleging to be deceased actress Lana Clarkson's longtime best friend contradicted previous testimony by a defense witness on Thursday in the Phil Spector trial, AP reports. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler admitted a letter brought to court by Nili Hudson that was written by Punkin Pie Laughlin, who had previously testified that Clarkson was depressed before she died. "My Lana, my best friend, my sister, my right arm, was violently taken from me at the hands of Phil Spector," reads the letter, which was written a year after Clarkson's death, according to Hudson. ... Billboard has revamped its Hot 100 chart to include streamed and on-demand music, incorporating data from Yahoo! and AOL. In February 2005, the chart began to embrace digital songs tracked by the Nielson SoundScan — that resulted in a greater shift than what is expected from this more recent change, which will account for only about 5 percent of the chart's total points. Billboard.com announced Thursday that Sean Kingston's "Beautiful Girls" has topped the Hot 100 in its first week with the new formula.

• Jennifer Lopez
• Marc Anthony
• Lindsay Lohan
• Gwen Stefani
• Nas

Bono
Photo: ShowBizIreland/ Getty Images

The news happens all the time, even while you're sleeping. Check out this brief rundown to bring you up to speed this morning — a quick heads up from your friends at MTV News.

Here's what we've got:

Thousands of Virginia Tech students gathered on campus Tuesday night for a candlelight vigil in remembrance of those killed in Monday's shooting. "We will move on from this," Vice President of Student Affairs Zenobia Hikes said at the vigil, "but it will take the strength of each other to do that. We want the world to know we will recover, we will survive with your prayers." ...

Officials say they have not ruled out the possibility that Cho Seung-Hui, the man police have identified as the gunman in the VT shootings, may have had an accomplice. "It certainly is reasonable for us to assume that Cho was the shooter in both places, but we don't have the evidence to take us there at this particular point in time," Colonel Steven Flaherty of the Virginia State Police said, adding that officials are still reviewing "leads that take us in many different directions." MTV News continues to follow this developing story. ...

And if you missed "MTV News Presents: Voices From Virginia," Tuesday night, you can watch it now online. The special includes Virginia Tech students telling their own stories and a look at the nationwide online reaction to the tragedy.

Quote of the Day: "This is the place I walk through every day. And it's not the same. This is not the Tech I know. People are missing." — Virginia Tech sophomore Heidi Dull

Here's what everyone else is talking about

Singing, dancing Peter Parker wannabes, your time has come. Theater magazine Playbill reports that a Broadway production of "Spider-Man" with music by Bono and the Edge — no, really — is seeking a Spidey, a Mary Jane and a Green Goblin for a "29-hour rehearsed reading" scheduled for July 12-13. ...

Fergie is taking on a dangerous fish — and a Heart classic — for "Shrek the Third," AP reports. The film's soundtrack, due May 15, features the female Pea's version of "Barracuda" and an Eddie Murphy/ Antonio Banderas duet on Sly & the Family Stone's "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again). ...

What's next for Bob Geldof? Only "the biggest sociological and anthropological project in the history of the world," according to The Hollywood Reporter. The Live Aid/ Live 8 organizer is teaming up with the BBC to create a library of TV and online content recording the history of every human society. BBC's contribution will be the eight-part hi-def series "The Human Planet," while Geldof is working on "Dictionary of Man," 900 half-hour films broadcast on broadband. The project is expected to debut in 2010. ...

Florida Governor Charlie Crist is seriously considering a pardon for Doors frontman Jim Morrison, AP reports. Morrison fans have been campaigning to wipe out indecent exposure and profanity convictions from 37 years ago. "He died when he was 27," Crist noted. "That's really a kid, when you think about it, and obviously he was having some challenges." ...

And Iggy Pop's birthday is only three days away. Forgot again? If you want to congratulate him on hitting the big 6-0, one Stooges fan site — looking to create the longest birthday card in the world — is making it easy to send the man your best wishes.

• Bono
• The Edge
• Fergie
• Jim Morrison
• Iggy Pop

Iggy Pop
Photo: Jo Hale/ Getty Images

Attention Warped Tour organizers: If you were planning to extend an invite to Iggy Pop and the Stooges, don't bother.

"I was pretty damn interested in doing it," Pop said, "but then they had Billy Idol and Joan Jett out, so my enthusiasm's slightly dampened because I feel like it's now an established sort of oldies slot or something. Also," the legendary frontman added, "those two particular artists are people who had overwhelmingly ubiquitous radio hits and don't have that anymore. I wouldn't like to be in the sliding zone, because this band is still in its ascendancy."

Of course, that ascendant band is not some outfit he started five years ago: It's the Stooges, the highly influential, highly visceral protopunk act that reunited back in 2003 after a nearly 30-year break.

But to Iggy, the revived Stooges still feel fresh. And the way he sees it, the Stooges are doing more these days than they did during their heyday, with sales of the band's first three albums stronger than ever and a new album — produced by Steve Albini (Nirvana, Pixies) — called The Weirdness due in stores on March 20. The Stooges appeared on some tracks on Iggy's 2003 LP Skull Ring, but this will be their first studio LP since 1973's groundbreaking Raw Power.

Still, Pop's not about to apologize for taking a 33-year break between albums. "Look, a lot of the people that dig us now didn't have to wait 33 years, because they haven't been alive for all that time!" Pop laughed. "If someone digs our old stuff and they're only, say, 15, they've probably only been digging it since they were 11. So they only had four years to wait. We're like a new band to most of these kids who're getting into us."

The reunion was somewhat inadvertent, as the Stooges were just one of several acts Pop had put on his wish list of collaborators for Skull Ring. "By early 2000, I was just at the end of my rope, and decided to do an album with guests [including the Trolls, Green Day, Sum 41 and Peaches] because I couldn't think of anything else to do," he said (see "Iggy Pop, Sum 41 Think They 'Know It All' "). "Some of the Stooges were out playing on the road, and I kept hearing about it every day. So I put them on my list, and it was just supposed to be one song. But the public response was very, very strong — almost overwhelming. All of a sudden, the switchboard was lighting up at [his label] Virgin's offices, and then they wanted more cuts [that featured the Stooges]. Coachella called for a gig, and it was all too fast for me, so I turned them down a couple of times. I think everyone saw a 'legendary celebrity' moment — they saw a reality show, and that scared me off, because I'm not that sort of dude."

Although the band's split was nothing if not acrimonious, Pop said the surviving Stooges — guitarist Ron Asheton and his drummer brother Scott, as well as part-time sax man Steve MacKay; bassist Dave Alexander died of pneumonia in 1975 and has been replaced by Mike Watt of the Minutemen and Firehose — put it all behind them and began playing their uniquely explosive gigs again (see "Pants Dropping, Pop Popping At Stooges/Godsmack NYC Show"). "We just hunkered down, and we've been working toward this moment ever since. We started writing and saved it up for three years, and bing, bang, boom, here it is."

Pop said the Stooges had been getting together three times a year for five-day songwriting stretches, from which at least two solid tunes would emerge that "were really up our alley." There would also be a few "that were pretty damn good, but they weren't up our alley," he said. "If we put 'em out, you'd be scratching your head going, 'What the f---?'

"Like, we tried to do a country song and it turned out well. For a while, we considered putting it on the record. We tried to do what made sense to us internally, but not to forget that at the end of the day, when you put something before the public, you're just like a kid going to high school for another day. People know you, they type you. If you were a cheerleader Monday, you damn well better bring those pom poms Tuesday."

At first, Pop said it was hard to get back on the Stooges bicycle and ride it with any authority. The band was older, wiser and into very different things, personally and musically. This led to several hits and many misses.

"There was one song that Ron had wrote, and it was pretty f---ing good, and I came up with a melody and lyrics for it that sounded frighteningly like Pat Benatar," Pop recalled with a guttural guffaw. "Because we were trying sh--, you know? I bet I could write one of those '80s, slick, bombastic rock songs. 'This song could have been Bon Jovi!' So we tried this and that, but then you evaluate the stuff a couple of months afterwards and then you realize, 'We can't do that.' "

The Weirdness will feature 16 tracks in all, including "Greedy Awful People," "Claustrophobia," "Mexican Guy," "I'm Fried," "ATM," "O Solo Mio," "She Took My Money," "End Of Christianity" and "Free and Freaky," the latter of which features guest vocals from the Raconteurs' Brendan Benson.

From a lyrical standpoint, Pop said he wasn't inspired by the same things that made him so angry back in the day. He's a different guy now and doesn't have as much reason to be mad.

"I'm just now getting the rewards that you were supposed to get from my job when I was 21," he said. "I'm just getting 'em now. I got a hot chick. I can drive whatever I want to. I can go to the ATM and pull out a bunch of money. I have a swell job. How angry do I have to be? Just a little bit. My thing [with this record was] more like finding ways of saying 'You suck!' without actually saying it."

Thus, the lyrics are about his world and his life. The song "You Can't Have Friends," for instance, is a slap at the rock-star ethos. "It's like, 'Boo hoo, I'm so successful and everybody wants to sleep with me because I'm a rock star, and everyone wants to be my friend because they think I have lots of money. Boo hoo!' " he said. "Too bad. You can't have friends. Big deal."

And the album's lead-off track, "Trollin' " is about how he "picked up" his girlfriend, and the words to the song were inadvertently inspired by the Red Hot Chili Peppers' John Frusciante.

"He gave an interview to Q magazine, and he was ragging on Anthony [Kiedis, the Peppers' frontman], and said, 'Well, I don't want to be Iggy Pop, I don't want to be some 60-year-old guy running around L.A. trying to pick up chicks,' " Pop recalled. "He said he wanted to read the Kabbalah and be a scholar, and I'm thinking, 'Sh--.' I was really pissed off at first, and then I thought, 'Yeah, but he's right. I'm a 60-year-old guy riding around L.A., looking for chicks.' But then I was like, 'Wait a minute! I haven't done that since I was 53!'

"I wanted to write a letter to the editor because I was really mad," he concluded. "But I saved it up for this song instead."

• Iggy Pop
• The Stooges

Iggy Pop
Photo: Virgin

When Iggy Pop decided to call his old Stooges bandmates to create a song for his new record, Skull Ring, he was more than a touch apprehensive.

More than 30 years had passed since the Detroit proto-punk band injected insurgency, primal chaos and bluesy grime into the underground, and some bitter words had been exchanged in the press. During a not-so-lucid moment, Pop once said guitarist Ron Asheton and drummer Scott Asheton "couldn't run an aquarium," and the brothers struck the singer below the belt by saying late bassist Dave Alexander would still be alive if Pop hadn't kicked him out one night when Alexander was on acid and couldn't remember any of the songs.

"There were some nerves when we met," Pop said. "Everyone was serious and focused and just wanted everything to go well. All I wanted was a bloody good track for my record, but as soon as we got in there and played, the music had life and vigor, and I realized, 'My God, these guys have grown. They're better now than they were.' "

The album's title track was the song for which the musicians reunited. The Stooges burned through it quickly and furiously and then decided to bang out a second song, "Loser," which was inspired by the White Stripes. "I wrote that after I heard White Blood Cells, because I thought, 'My God, they're a little bit Stooges, a little bit Pretenders. I could write that,' " recalled Pop. "I decided if they're gonna rewrite me, I'll rewrite them."

A day later, "Loser" was recorded. Then, while Pop took a day off, the Ashetons went into the studio and laid down the foundation for another two cuts, "Little Electric Chair" and "Dead Rock Star," the latter of which is one of Iggy's favorites on the record.

"It's the one with the most mature sound," Pop said. "You've got the same people 30 years later actually sounding like it's 30 years later. I'm singing in a full baritone and there's quite a bit of irony in the lyrics. It's about this guy who has grown up and he basically feels, 'Well now, I'm successful and they're turning me into a stiff over that.' And Ron's doing some really tender guitar work that you wouldn't have found in the original band because we were too young."

In the studio, the Stooges played without a bassist. Ron Asheton and Peter Marshall later overdubbed the bass parts. At one point it looked like White Stripes frontman Jack White would fill in on four-string duties — which would have been ironic since his band has no bass. "We came very close, but Jack wanted to do an entire Stooges album, and the Stooges weren't ready for that," Pop said. "It was one of those things that got a little off balanced and went a little too far, too fast, so it didn't happen."

Even so, Pop won't rule out the possibility of collaborating with White on a full Stooges studio album that veteran producer Rick Rubin will likely produce. Pop said he decided to work with the Stooges on their first disc since 1973's Raw Power because he was inspired by how productive they were on Skull Ring and how powerful they've sounded on the eight Stooges shows they've played so far. Next year he and Ron Asheton will get together to start writing, and they'll likely enter the studio in time to have the record on the shelves in 2005.

"They want it as fast as possible, and I want it as slow as possible," Pop said. "They need the money more than I do right now. I don't know. I'm pretty lazy, but my intention is to do another great record with those guys."

• Iggy Pop

Justin Timberlake has been appointed a musical ambassador by Memphis Mayor Willie W. Herenton to help the city organize the 50th anniversary of rock and roll. Events are being planned throughout 2004, including on July 5, exactly 50 years after Elvis Presley recorded Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup's "That's All Right," which Memphis considers the first rock and roll song. B.B. King, Isaac Hayes and former Presley sideman Scotty Moore will join Memphis native Timberlake as ambassadors. "The many sounds of Memphis shaped my early musical career and continue to be an inspiration to this day," Timberlake said in a statement. ...

Just in case you didn't get enough of Jessica Simpson's advice from her previous how-to book, "I Do: Achieving Your Dream Wedding," the singer wants to do a follow-up, now that she's had her first anniversary with her husband, Nick Lachey. "How to Survive the First Year of Marriage" would be written by both Simpson and Lachey as part of a three-book deal her agent is currently shopping to New York publishers. While part of the proposed deal would be to take over distribution of the existing Simpson wedding book, the other tome would be called "Jessica's Rules," and would be a compendium of her "wisdom." ... After announcing the return of Body Count earlier this year, Ice-T continues to record with the collective — which now has a title for its forthcoming album: Murder for Hire. The rapper, who said the group's first album in seven years should be ready for release by 2004, held court Wednesday night with Iggy Pop at the rocker's record-release party at New York's Trust Lounge. Also in attendance were actress Shannen Doherty, members of Sum 41, Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst, Minutemen/ Firehose bassist Mike Watt and "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" food-and-wine connoisseur Ted Allen. ...

Early '90s hip-hop heroes Arrested Development, who recently reconvened to record their first album in 10 years, have filed a trademark-infringement suit against the creators of the FOX sitcom "Arrested Development." The suit alleges the show dilutes the meaning of the band's name, according to Reuters. ... Androgynous British '90s rockers the London Suede are going on an indefinite hiatus. On Wednesday they issued a statement saying that the bandmembers plan to work on individual projects starting next year, and there are no immediate plans to continue as a group. "There will not be a new studio album until the band feels the moment is artistically right to make one," they said. The last London Suede album was released in Europe last year. There is no U.S. release date for the record. ...

A free screening of the Pearl Jam DVD "Live at the Garden" will take place Tuesday in Seattle at the JBL Theatre inside the Experience Music Project. The DVD, which comes out November 18, will also be screened at various college campus theaters. ... A Black Rebel Motorcycle Club show in Leeds, England, was cut short on Wednesday night when a crack appeared in the floor of the Town Hall stage. After the promoter determined the situation presented a safety hazard, the audience was told a fire alarm went off and they needed to evacuate the building. ...

Foo Fighters have set a November 25 release date for the live DVD "Everywhere But Home." Meanwhile, Dave Grohl is filming the first video for his Probot side project, "Shake Your Blood," November 15 and 16 in Los Angeles. ... Johnny Cash won Album of the Year for American IV: The Man Comes Around and Single and Video of the Year for "Hurt" at Wednesday's Country Music Association Awards, which also featured a tribute to the Man in Black. Alan Jackson was the other big winner at the Nashville ceremony, taking home Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year and Vocal Event of the Year for his duet with Jimmy Buffett, "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere." ...

The Beta Band and producer Nigel Godrich are nearly finished recording the band's third full-length album. The LP is due in February and will be accompanied by a DVD, according to a note on the group's Web site. ...

11.05.2003

Monday's sentencing hearing for Mystikal, who pleaded guilty to extortion and sexual battery in June, was adjourned again until December 1. The rapper faces up to 10 years for his involvement in an attack on his hairstylist in July 2002. ...

He can teach you how to stunt, but 50 Cent knows that Allen Iverson can teach him how to ball. The two Reebok signees teamed up for a party Tuesday night at New York's Capitale to introduce A.I.'s Answer 7 and 50's G6 sneakers. Earlier in the day, the duo played a game of one-on-one. ... The adaptation of the semi-autographical book Britney Spears co-wrote with her mother is moving forward at ABC Family. Though no director is attached and the lead roles remain to be cast, the TV film version of "A Mother's Gift" — called "Holly" in its development stage — has a start date of January 7 in Toronto, according to a rep for the channel. Shooting will take place for four weeks for the two-hour movie of the week, which focuses on a singer from a small town in Texas who gets a music scholarship to a classical academy and moves across the country to begin a new life. Producers are looking for an actress who is able to sing and "move" well for the role of Holly Lovell, who is based loosely on Spears. The pop princess is not expected to appear in the movie, but both she and her mother are executive producers for the project. ...

Leaving her "Glitter"-paved trail far behind her, Mariah Carey will soon take on a new acting role. This time she'll star in a role originated by Marilyn Monroe for a stage production of "Sleeping Beauty" in London, according to Variety. The play is actually best known by its 1957 movie adaptation, "The Prince and the Showgirl," which starred Laurence Olivier and Hollywood's most famous blonde bombshell. ... Ever-ebullient Dirty South rapper Bone Crusher has moved the release of his next album, Fight Music, to January 27. The follow-up to this year's Attenchun! was originally slated for release in December. Its tentative first single, "Bachelor Party," was produced by DJ Smurf. ...

A video of late Metallica bassist Cliff Burton playing with his former band Trauma has been unearthed and is available for viewing at www.simulstream.com/cliff/. The 19-minute recording was made in 1982 a mere 24 hours before Metallica founder Lars Ulrich discovered him. ... Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken will perform at the 77th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, which airs live from New York on November 27. Hilary Duff, Aaron Carter and Mya are also scheduled to sing atop floats. ...

A second Elliott Smith tribute concert in the Los Angeles area will take place at the All Tomorrow's Parties festival on Sunday at the Queen Mary in Long Beach. Smith was scheduled to perform at the event, but in his place Lou Barlow will cover his songs, backed by Smith's band and featuring special guests, such as Minders frontman Martyn Leaper. ... A Perfect Circle have added five dates to their North American tour. The first is December 6 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Also added are shows in South Bend, Indiana (December 8), Grand Rapids, Michigan (December 9), Springfield, Missouri (December 11), and Lincoln, Nebraska (December 12). ...

Jason Mraz recorded a recent Milwaukee concert for a live CD and DVD due in early spring. Blues Traveler frontman John Popper and members of the Ohio Players joined the singer/songwriter during the show. ... Australia's Big Day Out touring festival is continuing to grow into a bigger day than first expected. Kings of Leon, the Darkness, Muse, Felix Da Housecat, Thursday, Afrika Bambaataa, Poison the Well, Sleepy Jackson, Audio Bullys and Lost Prophets have been added to an already huge roster of more than two dozen bands. The festival begins its trek through Australia and New Zealand January 16 in Auckland. ...

Mos Def has been tapped to star in "Something the Lord Made," an upcoming HBO film currently in production. The movie focuses on heart-surgery pioneers Alfred Blalock, a white surgeon played by Alan Rickman ("Harry Potter"), and Vivien Thomas, a black lab technician. ...The Color Red, a Riverside, California, band that released two records, including last year's Clear, have broken up. No reason was given for the split, and only drummer Preston Nash has announced future plans — he will continue working with his side project, Nash. ...

Outkast have discovered another benefit of recording separately. The duo's pairing of solo albums, Speakerboxxx/ The Love Below, which has shipped more than 1.5 million copies, has been certified triple-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, which considers each unit in a multidisc set when calculating figures. ... Also in October, the RIAA certified Faith Hill's Faith as six-times platinum, Pink's Missundaztood and Hank Williams Jr.'s Greatest Hits as five-times platinum, Jennifer Lopez's J. Lo as four-times platinum and Evanescence's Fallen as triple platinum. Reaching the double-platinum mark were 3 Doors Down's Away From the Sun and the "Chicago" soundtrack, while Dave Matthews' Some Devil, Hilary Duff's Metamorphosis, John Mayer's Heavier Things, Nickelback's The Long Road and Mary J. Blige's Love & Life were certified platinum. ...

The self-destructive members of S.T.U.N. have expanded their reign of chaos. The bandmembers, who regularly get so worked up in concert they do themselves bodily harm, sent a drum tech to the hospital on November 3 following a show mishap in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The accident occurred when singer Christiane J. swung the mic stand as the tech, Robby Kallenberger, ran onstage to untangle the mic cord. Kallenberger was nailed in the head and required eight stitches. ... Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds has created a new song, "It's Still Okay to Dream," for a Save the Children benefit album of the same name that comes out November 19. Other artists who donated tracks include Sarah McLachlan, Sting, Eric Clapton and Barbra Streisand. ...

• Justin Timberlake
• Jessica Simpson
• Pearl Jam
• Arrested Development
• Iggy Pop

What better way to kick off this week's new releases than with Triumph the Insult Comic Dog's debut album, Come Poop With Me? The puppet pooch, known from "Late Night With Conan O'Brien" and his scuffle with Eminem at last year's VMAs, sings such showstoppers as "Lick Myself," "Cats are Cu--s" with Conan O'Brien and "Bob Barker" with Jack Black.

Ja Rule drops Blood in My Eye, which features the singles "Clap Back" and "Crown," while Fabolous conjures More Street Dreams Part 2: The Mixtape, and Wyclef Jean's The Preacher's Son cavorts with Missy Elliott, Monica and Carlos Santana.

Ryan Adams releases two albums this week: Rock N Roll — on which he collaborates with Melissa Auf Der Maur, girlfriend Parker Posey and Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong — and the EP Love Is Hell Part 1, recorded with producer John Porter (Smiths, Roxy Music). Green Day also make a cameo on Iggy Pop's Skull Ring, on which Pop both reunites with the Stooges and teams up with the likes of Sum 41 and Peaches.

Toby Keith loves rockin' y'all and Shock'n Y'all. His newest album finds this country boy back on his favorite subject — defending the U.S. of A. Hot on the heels of "Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)," he sings about the "American Soldier" and "The Taliban Song." On Afterglow, Sarah McLachlan also addresses the post-September 11 experience on "World on Fire."

P.O.D. release Payable on Death alongside "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" soundtrack with music by Pantera, Hatebreed, Static-X, Fear Factory and Shadows Fall. The popular "Now That's What I Call Music!" series hits volume 14 this week with such popular songs as Beyoncé's "Crazy in Love," Chingy's "Right Thurr," Fountains of Wayne's "Stacy's Mom" and Justin Timberlake's "Senorita." In other compilation news, Tricky presents Back to Mine featuring the Cure, Kate Bush, Eric B. & Rakim and Le Tigre.

Out Tuesday, November 4:

• Ryan Adams - Love Is Hell, Part 1 and Rock N Roll (Lost Highway)
  Buy Now: Love Is Hell, Part 1 (Lost Highway)
  Buy Now: Rock N Roll (Lost Highway)
  
• Against Me! - As the Eternal Cowboy (Fat Wreck Chords)
• Alli With an I - I Learned It by Watching You (Law of Inertia)
• Afrika Bambaataa - Presents Eastside (Obsessive)
• Bexar Bexar - Haralambos (Western Vinyl)
• The Blue Series Continuum - Sorcerer Sessions (Thirsty Ear)
• Bluebird - Falling Back to Earth (Dim Mak)
• Bon Jovi - This Left Feels Right — Greatest Hits With a Twist (Mercury)
  Buy Now: This Left Feels Right — Greatest Hits With a Twist (Mercury)
  
• Brother JT3 - Hang in There, Baby (Drag City)
• George Calle - Oh Yeah! 2 (Oh Music)
• Catch 22 - Dinosaur Sounds (Victory)
• Chicken Lips - DJ-Kicks (¡K7)
• Karen Clark Sheard - The Heavens Are Telling (Elektra)
• Curl Up and Die - ... But the Past Is Not Through With Us (Revelation)
• Dimension Zero - This Is Hell (Century Media)
• The Dirty Projectors - The Glad Fact (Western Vinyl)
• Dolorean - Not Exotic (Yep Roc)
• The Everyothers - The Everyothers (Hautlab)
• Explosions in the Sky - The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place (Temporary Residence Limited)
• Fabolous - More Street Dreams, Part 2 — The Mixtape (Elektra)
  Read: "Fabolous To Let Idaho In On The Mixtape Game"
  Buy Now: More Street Dreams, Part 2 — The Mixtape (Elektra)
  
• Falconer - The Sceptre of Deception (Metal Blade)
• Nik Freitas - Heavy Mellow (Future Farmer)
• General Jah Mikey - Jah Works (Paras Group)
• Grand Ulena - Neosho (Family Vineyard)
• IRS - Welcome to Planet IRS (Avatar)
• Goran Ivanovic & Fareed Haque - Macedonian Blues: Laments and Dances (Proteus)
• J-Live - Always Will Be (Fatbeats)
• Ja Rule - Blood in My Eye (Def Jam)
  Read: "Ja Rule To Drop Blood In My Eye LP In November"
  Buy Now: Blood in My Eye (Def Jam)
  
• Wyclef Jean - The Preacher's Son (Clef/J)
  Read: "Wyclef Jean Nabs 'All-Ghetto Cast' — Including Tom Jones — For Album"
  Buy Now: The Preacher's Son (Clef/J)
  
• Jennyanykind - Peas and Collards (MoRisen)
• Junkyard - Tried and True (Heat Slick)
• Toby Keith - Shock'n Y'all (DreamWorks Nashville)
• Steve Lawler - Lights Out 2 (Global Underground/Lights Out)
• Lovely Midget - North Head (Family Vineyard)
• Mägo de Oz - Gaia (Locomotive)
• The Marshamllow Coast - Antistar (Misra)
• Barbara Mason - Greatest Hits - Expanded Edition (E2)
• Sarah McLachlan - Afterglow (Arista)
  Buy Now: Afterglow (Arista)
  
• The Mediaeval Baebes - Mistletoe & Wine (Nettwerk America)
• Motochrist - Greetings from the Bonneville Salt Flats (Heat Slick)
• Movietone - The Sand and the Stars (Drag City)
• The Mummies - Death by Unga Bunga (Estrus)
• Nervous Cop - Nervous Cop (5 Rue Christine)
• Nightfist - Epic (Temporary Residence Limited)
• Faris Nourallah - Problematico (Western Vinyl)
• Kotara Oshio - Dramatic (Narada)
• P.O.D. - Payable on Death (Atlantic)
  Read: "P.O.D. Go Back To Their Roots, Insist They're Not Preachers"
  Buy Now: Payable on Death (Atlantic)
  
• Pako & Frederick - Atlantic Breakers (GU)
• June Panic - Hope You Fail Better (Secretly Canadian)
• Park - It Won't Snow Where You're Going (Lobster)
• Parker/Drumm/Zerrang - Out Trios Volume 2 (Atavistic)
• Iggy Pop - Skull Ring (Virgin)
  Read: "Iggy Pop, Sum 41 Think They 'Know It All' "
  Buy Now: Skull Ring (Virgin)
  
• Toni Price - Born to Be Blue (Antone's/Texas Music Group)
• Pseudosix - Days of Delay (54º40' or Fight!)
• Richie Rydell - New York City Underground - Club Traxx Volume 2 (Diesel Groove)
• Joanne Shenandoah - Covenant (Silver Wave)
• A Small Victory - The Pieces We Keep (Lobster)
• Mykal Somer - Element of Surprise (E.R.C./Eskeh)
• Spokane - Measurement (Jagjaguwar)
• Stratovarius - Elements Part 2 (Nuclear Blast)
• Sun Kil Moon - Ghosts of the Great Highway (Jetset)
• The Thrills - So Much for the City (Virgin)
• Too Short - Married to the Game (Jive)
• Transatlantic - Live in Europe (Metal Blade)
• Triumph the Insult Comic Dog - Come Poop With Me (Warner Bros.)
• Twenty2 - The Dudes of Hazzard (New School)
• U.S. Maple - Purple on Time (Drag City)
• Uncle Junior's Friday Fish Fry - Djinji Brown Presents: The Market (7Heads)
• Wheat - Per Second, Per Second, Per Second, Every Second (Aware/Columbia)
• Various artists - Amsterdam Nights (Water Music)
• Various artists - The Essential Chill Collection (Topaz)
• Various artists - A Guitar Tribute to Jack Johnson (Tribute Sounds)
• Various artists - A Guitar Tribute to Rod Stewart (Tribute Sounds)
• Various artists - "Matrix Revolutions" soundtrack (Warner Sunset/Maverick)
• Various artists - Maybe This Christmas, Too (Nettwerk)
• Various artists - No More Prisons 2 (Raptivism)
• Various artists - NOW That's What I Call Music! Vol. 14 (Columbia)
• Various artists - Revolution: The String Quartet Tribute to P.O.D. (Vitamin)
• Various artists - Rewind — Party Hits (Tommy Boy)
• Various artists - "Runaway Jury" soundtrack (Varése Sarabande)
• Various artists - The String Quartet Tribute to 3 Doors Down (Vitamin)
• Various artists - The String Quartet Tribute to Evanescence (Vitamin)
• Various artists - The String Quartet to Jimi Hendrix(Vitamin)
• Various artists - The String Quartet Tribute to 311 (Vitamin)
• Various artists - Tricky Presents: Back to Mine (DMC)
• Various artists - A Tribute to Audioslave (Tributized)
• Various artists - A Tribute to the Deftones (Tributized)
• Various artists - A Tribute to Willie Nelson (Tribute Sounds)
• Various artists - A Tribute to Rancid (Tributized)
• Various artists - "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" soundtrack (Nitrus/DRX)
• DVD: Blues Traveler - On the Rocks (Sanctuary)
• DVD: Coldplay - Live 2003 (Capitol)
  Read: "Coldplay To Release Live DVD, CD"
• DVD: David Cross - Let America Laugh (Sub Pop)
• DVD: Hilary Duff - All Access Pass (Buena Vista/Hollywood)
• DVD: Avril Lavigne - My World (Arista)
• DVD: Tenacious D - The Complete Masterworks (Epic)
• DVD: Darryl Worley - Have You Forgotten? (DreamWorks Nashville)
• DVD: Various artists - The Roots of Rap (X-Ray)
• DVD: Various artists - Victory Video Collection Vol. 3 (Victory)

November 11:

• Pink - Try This (Arista)
  Read: "Pink Didn't Have To Try Too Hard To Make Try This"
  Buy Now: Try This (Arista)
  
• Stone Temple Pilots - Thank You (Atlantic)
• Ruben Studdard - Soulful (J Records)
  Read: "R. Kelly, Missy Elliott Working On Ruben Studdard's Soulful Debut"

November 18:

• Blink-182 - Blink-182 (Universal)
  Read: "Blink-182 Tone Down Pranks, Get Down To Real 'Action' On Next LP"

November 28:

• Jay-Z - The Black Album (Roc-a-Fella)
  Read:

• Ja Rule
• Ryan Adams
• P.O.D.
• Iggy Pop
• Triumph the Insult Comic Dog

Iggy Pop
Photo: MTV News

Madonna put some luster back into her lust by smooching Britney. Santana gained a fresh perspective with Matchbox Twenty's Rob Thomas. Now the bratty, lovable punks of Sum 41 could put Pop on pop radio.

Rock legend Iggy Pop recruited Sum 41 for "Little Know It All," the melodic, rambunctious first single from Skull Ring, due November 4 (see ) Iggy took a shine to Sum frontman Deryck Whibley right away when the two parties met at the recommendation of Pop's A&R man. In addition to admiring Whibley's talent, Iggy got a kick out of the Canadian rocker's youthful zeal.

"He's a damn nice guy, but he's very 'girls, vodka, girls, guitars, girls, vodka,'" mused Pop. "We've performed together a few times, and they'll always say, 'Are you going to the after-show party, man?' And I say, 'Well, no. I got a great girlfriend. It's getting late. I'm 56, guys. I gotta get up in the morning.' "

The age gap was a temporary obstacle. Sum wanted to write a song that the rock legend could relate to, while Iggy wanted to come up with lyrics that would work with the band's brand of radio-friendly, metallic punk.

"They tried to [reference] something that was historical," recalled Pop. "But the most historical thing they could reference was early Social Distortion, which was the '80s. I'd already been at it two decades by then. But what they wrote was good. And I had a similar problem with the lyrics, so I tried to write a lyric from their point of view.

"I tried to remember how I felt when I was a kid and how the kid in me still feels," he added, contorting his features into an exaggerated pout. "'Oh, nobody really knows me. Nobody really listens to me. I think I know better. There are some things I deeply feel, but I know in a lot of ways that I'm full of sh--.' So that's why I called it 'Little Know It All.'"

Two days after Pop performed at April's Coachella festival, he entered the studio with Sum 41 and they quickly recorded the song. He was impressed with how tight and efficient the band was in a recording environment and said the door is open to future collaborations.

"They're a real smooth machine and they're heartwarming to work with," Iggy said. "I got excited by what they did, and my vocal went well. You could feel the energy in the room. And Deryck sang beautifully on it. He sounded like a beat-up choirboy."

The video for "Little Know It All" was directed by Manny Rodriguez and features mostly performance footage interspersed with shots of Iggy and Sum 41 playing pool. The clip goes to video channels next week, while the happy team will reconvene on November 5 to play "The Late Show With David Letterman."

• Iggy Pop
• Sum 41

Iggy Pop performs Wednesday night
Photo: MTV News

NEW YORK — When Iggy Pop's pants start to fall down, don't expect him to pull them back up.

Less than halfway through Iggy and the Stooges' first New York City performance since the early '70s, half of his butt was clearly visible to the audience. It was only through some miracle that his jeans remained above his privates for the rest of the show. But that's not something he thinks about.

The key to Pop's appeal is that he's a creature of instinct, not thought. He probably wasn't planning to leap from the Roseland Ballroom stage, climb into the VIP section and knock over tables during "Little Doll," but when Iggy is gripped by impulse, look out. 

Joined by the mechanical clamor of the Stooges, his Detroit band that pre-dated punk in the late '60s with loud, hypnotic riffs, garage rock bluster and attitude galore, Iggy's presentation was as unpredictable as it was captivating. No, he wasn't as wild as when he used to smear his body with peanut butter and cut himself with broken glass, but Iggy's grown up a little since then. He may no longer be truly unhinged, but he's certainly untamed.

He also remains a true nightmare for security. At various points in the show, he dived into the crowd with no warning, climbed atop monitors and dangled on a rope ladder meant for stagehands. He even invited members of the crowd to join him, and a flood of fans mobbed the stage.

Although Pop rocked with the ferocity of a cyclone, he exhibited little grace as he flung himself around the stage. But the raw magnetism he exuded as he danced, stomped, shook his torso and flailed his arms was awe-inspiring.

The Stooges backed Pop's revelry with chugging, repetitive rhythms that increased in power the longer they continued. Beefy guitarist Ron Asheton complemented the chaos with garage-y, angry and psychedelic solos, while his brother Scott drove the monochromatic beats on the drums. Keeping the pulse was new recruit Mike Watt (ex-Minutemen, Firehose) on bass. None of them moved much, allowing Iggy to hog the spotlight — at least when it was on.

During one song, Iggy asked that all the stage lights be shut off. In complete darkness, the band vamped and Pop shouted, "Blackout! Blackout! F--- you! F--- me. Satan. Schwarzenegger."

Much of the set was composed of favorites such as "No Fun," "TV Eye," "1969" and of course "I Wanna Be Your Dog," all delivered with freight-train intensity. The only song the Stooges played from Iggy's upcoming album, Skull Ring, was the title cut. (The disc, which includes four new Stooges tracks, comes out November 4.)

Godsmack opened the show with a brief acoustic set made up of tracks from the band's upcoming "unplugged" album, The Other Side, which was recorded last month in Hawaii. The set included two new songs as well as group standards such as "Serenity," "Awake" and "Keep Away." Stripped of guitar rage and percussive might, the tunes sounded almost pensive.

Frontman Sully Erna and his bandmates sat on stools during most of the tunes and looked as if they were aching to jump free and rock out. Even in acoustic form, Godsmack's music was filled with mystical energy and atmosphere; even without a wah-wah pedal, guitarist Tony Rombola let rip with some tasteful, bluesy solos. For two songs, Godsmack were joined by two members of Dropbox, a group Erna signed to his label. The additional musicians graced the songs with a little extra depth.

Whether Erna was just playing with Rombola or rocking with the full band, Godsmack sounded more like their mentors Alice in Chains than ever. That's just fine with Erna; the inspiration to record an acoustic album came from groups such as Led Zeppelin, Nirvana and most of all Alice, who released the acoustic classics Sap and Jar of Flies — two discs that made Erna who he is today.

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