Hannah Montana (a.k.a. Miley Cyrus)
Photo: Michael Buckner/ Getty Images

The Hannah Montana tour is definitely one of the hottest tickets in town for tweens and their parents, but one woman admits she went a little overboard in trying to win tickets for her daughter. Texas mom Priscilla Ceballos apologized Friday (January 4) on NBC's "Today" show for writing an essay falsely claiming the girl's father had died in Iraq just so the girl could see Hannah (a.k.a. Miley Cyrus) in person. "I just wanted to help my daughter write a compelling story," she said. The fabricated essay won the contest's grand prize, which included airfare for four to Albany, New York, and four tickets to a sold-out Hannah Montana concert there, as well as a makeover that included a blond Hannah Montana wig. "Please accept my heartfelt apology and please do not punish my child for my mistake," Ceballos urged on the show. ...

What's harder to find than a City of Gold? For "American Idol" rocker Chris Daughtry, it was one of his own songs. Daughtry was commissioned to write a song to play over the end credits of "National Treasure: Book of Secrets," but the single, "Feels Like Tonight," was left on the cutting-room floor, reports Variety. "It's a great song, and probably could have been a good marketing tool, but when we put it up with the movie, it just felt wrong," Disney music chief Mitchell Leib told the Hollywood trade. ...In other "Idol" alumni news, Season Two winner Ruben Studdard and semifinalist Frenchie Davis (who got the boot from the show after Fox discovered that she worked for an adult Web site before trying out) have signed on for the 30th anniversary national tour of the Tony Award-winning musical revue "Ain't Misbehavin'." Richard Maltby Jr. co-wrote and directed the Broadway production, which showcases the music of "Fats" Waller, and he will re-create his original direction. Studdard was in need of some good news after being the first "Idol" winner to be dropped from his label, when J Records let him go in December. Since appearing on "Idol," Davis was in the Broadway cast of "Rent." The "Ain't Misbehavin' " tour will begin in November and run at least through May 2009. ...

Literature probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you think of C-Murder, but the rapper — who is to be retried on a second-degree murder charge on February 11 — is taking part in a unique book club that connects readers with authors. On January 19, C-Murder will help christen the New Orleans "chapter" of the Conversations Book Club when he joins the group at the Comfort Inn & Suites downtown to discuss "Death Around the Corner," his recent novel about the city. ...

R.E.M., My Morning Jacket, Vampire Weekend, Daniel Lanois, Tech N9ne and My Brightest Diamond are among the initial slate of bands scheduled to perform at this year's South by Southwest festival. Lou Reed will be the keynote speaker at the fest, which will take place in Austin, Texas, March 12-16. ... Birdman is being sued for allegedly sampling other artists' songs without paying for them. The lawsuit, which was filed in New Orleans, claims that the Cash Money Records co-founder (real name: Bryan Williams) owes several music publishers money for using copyrighted songs without permission. ... Does Britney have some competition? Both Whitney Houston and her estranged husband, Bobby Brown, were no-shows Friday (January 4) at their scheduled court appearance, TMZ.com reports. According to the Web site, Whitney's attorney, Stephen Kolodny, said the singer was sick. ...

Bay Area producer/DJ Amplive won't be putting out his remix of Radiohead's In Rainbows after all. Just a month after announcing his remix album, Rainydayz Remixes, which was to feature a cameo from Too Short, Amp announced on his MySpace page that he had received a cease-and-desist letter from Radiohead's publisher, Warner/Chappell, on December 18 that barred him from releasing the unapproved album, according to a story on Pitchfork linked to from Amp's site. In a video on his MySpace page, a dejected-looking Amp, holding a sign that reads "free," laments, "In Rainbows is one of the top Radiohead albums, and I'm a big Radiohead fan, and it was all done in celebration." He says he wanted to show his appreciation for Radiohead's pioneering pay-what-you-want scheme by doing a hip-hop remix album that would also have featured Del Tha Funkee Homosapien and Jurassic 5's Chali 2na. He says he wishes that Radiohead could hear the free remix album, which he knows they would like, and suspects the band is not to blame for the legal action. "Thom [Yorke], holla at me, man," he pleads to the band's frontman at the end of the message. ...

Australia's first couple of music, Silverchair singer Daniel Johns and singer/actress Natalie Imbruglia, have announced that they will separate after four years of marriage, according to the Melbourne Herald Sun. The pair announced their split in a joint statement released Friday (January 4) that read, "While we are very sad that our marriage has ended, we want to make it clear that our parting is amicable and we remain friends. ... This mutual decision has not been taken lightly or quickly. However, our career demands and our lives in different parts of the world have brought us to the point where unfortunately this difficult decision was necessary for both of us. We have simply grown apart through not being able to spend enough time together." ... On March 25, long-running, genre-spanning party-poppers the B-52s will return with Funplex, their first album of new material since 1992's Good Stuff (and their first to feature co-frontwoman Cindy Wilson since '89's Cosmic Thing). Guitarist Keith Strickland describes the album as "loud, sexy rock and roll for your pleasure zones, with the beat pumped up to hot pink," just in case you were wondering. ...

Josh Groban had a great Christmas, but the music industry? Not so much. For the eighth year in a row, album sales were down, with total album sales diving 15 percent in 2007 to 500.5 million units, according to year-end figures from Nielsen SoundScan. The Los Angeles Times reports that it was the lowest tally and steepest decline since Nielsen began publishing estimates based on in-stores sales data in 1993. There was a bright spot with digital-album sales rising 2.4 percent to 30.1 million units, but even that paled in comparison to the 19 percent uptick in 2006. The overall picture, including albums, singles and individual-song downloads, showed a rise of 14 percent to 1.4 billion units, which, again, was down from the 19 percent gain in 2006. ...

Last year's Live Earth concert and the Roskilde Festival in Denmark will be recognized with environmental honors at the upcoming Midem Green World Awards in Cannes, France, later this month, according to BBC News. The awards pay tribute to events that promote a greater awareness of environmental issues. Live Earth is being recognized for the strict green guidelines it set out in order to create a low-impact worldwide event, while Roskilde, one of the largest European festivals, is earning praise for serving all its drinks in recyclable plastic mugs. ...

Not everyone is psyched about the huge music festival that is slated to touch down in Vineland, New Jersey, this summer courtesy of a hookup between Lollapalooza promoters C3 and the people behind England's Glastonbury Festival. According to the Vineland Daily Journal, a group of citizens, including a former City Council president, have mobilized under the banner of Neighbors Against Rock Concert Site in an attempt to block the show. The first meeting of NARCS is slated to take place Thursday, with the goal of blocking the festival — currently scheduled for August 8-10 — from taking place on a local 570-acre farm. The event is expected to draw 35,000-40,000 people over three days, with mostly on-site camping, which neighbors worry will have a negative impact on the area due to potential increases in traffic, noise, crime and pollution. According to the Journal, NARCS isn't opposed to the festival, just its location. The group is considering a lawsuit to stop the show, while suggesting that promoters move it to a more "appropriate" location, such as the local county fairgrounds. ...

The once-in-a-lifetime New Year's Eve gig at a small club in Surrey, England, that featured Who guitarist Pete Townshend, former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr and guitar god Eric Clapton might not be a one-off after all. The secret show, which the trio performed under the name Totally Abandoned, benefited charity and included mostly "old classics," according to London newspaper The Independent. A Thursday post on the Who's site confirmed that the gig took place and teased that "a much larger gig" could happen in New York before March. ...

Stephen Stills is recovering after having surgery for prostate cancer on Thursday. He is expected to be at the Sundance Film Festival on January 25 for the world premiere of "CSNY/ Déjà Vu," a movie directed by Neil Young that revolves around his and Stills' group, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.

1.3.08

T.I. adjusted his calendar Thursday (January 3) after an Atlanta judge postponed until February 19 a suppression hearing that had been scheduled for Thursday. According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Grand Hustle rapper's lawyers are seeking to have evidence thrown out because they claim it was obtained as a part of an illegal search when T.I. (real name: Clifford Harris Jr.) was arrested in October for allegedly attempting to purchase illegal machine guns. Lawyers for the rapper filed a motion in November stating his vehicle had been searched without a warrant, consent or probable cause. He has been under house arrest awaiting trial after posting a $3 million bond in late October. ...

Chris Brown has hit a bump as he tours across the U.S. — the singer's set designer is suing him for breach of contract, according to TMZ. John Troxtel claims in a federal lawsuit he filed Christmas Eve that while he was paid for some of his labor, "extra work was required and requested." He says an oral agreement was made but that the touring company has refused to make good on its promise. Troxtel, who is seeking more than $1 million in damages, is also reportedly suing Brown for unjust enrichment. ...

Former B2K groupmates Dreux "Lil Fizz" Frederic and Jarell "J-Boog" Houston have released a statement through their publicist regarding the claims of sexual molestation Raz-B made against manager Chris Stokes in recent online videos. "We had nothing to do with the [videos], their release and/or their claims, we are unaware of any inappropriate behavior," the statement read. Raz-B later retracted and apologized for the accusations. Meanwhile, Raz-B's business partner had no comment on a new, recently surfaced tape of Raz-B, his brother Ricky Romance and Stokes, and said he didn't know when it was shot. ...

Nate Dogg suffered a stroke on December 19, according to a coordinator for the hip-hop crooner's recently formed gospel choir, Innate Praise. Reports had circulated that the longtime Snoop Dogg associate had been admitted to Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center in California after suffering a heart attack. Erica Beckwith, however, confirmed to MTV News that Nate Dogg was released on December 26 after being treated for a stroke and is currently in a medical-rehab facility to assist him in his recovery. ...

The Jonas Brothers have inked a fat deal with Live Nation, and it's being called the first of its kind for an up-and-coming group, according to Billboard. The multimillion-dollar agreement will see the band of brothers playing a jaw-dropping 140 shows at theaters and arenas over the next two years. Eight shows have been lined up so far for the Look Me in the Eyes Tour, in Tuscon, Arizona (January 31); Las Vegas (February 1); Los Angeles (February 2); Everett, Washington (February 5); Portland, Oregon (February 6); February 8 (Salt Lake City); El Paso, Texas (February 11); and San Antonio (February 12). ... Radiohead have, according to the U.K.'s The Times, agreed to a deal with iTunes — which some fans may have noticed, given that the band's In Rainbows album is now available through the online store. "In terms of digital income, we've made more money out of this record than out of all the other Radiohead albums put together, forever," Thom Yorke reportedly said about the release. ...

Bono has teamed with Hard Rock for a new tee that is benefiting the Wildlife Conservation Society's Conservation Cotton Initiative, which helps educate impoverished African farmers. The Bono Signature Series T-shirt, which will be available starting Monday at Hard Rock's terrestrial and online shops, is being made available via Edun, a socially conscious clothing company that Bono and his wife, Ali Hewson, launched in spring 2005. ... Bright Eyes mainman Conor Oberst, who toured as part of the Vote for Change Tour in support of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry in 2004, performed at a rally for another Democratic contender, Senator Barack Obama, in Iowa on Tuesday. According to The New York Observer, Oberst played for a crowd of approximately 1,000 Obama supporters and at one point told them, "I met the next president of the United States earlier today." But that's hardly the only star Obama has on his side. Scarlett Johansson was a special guest at a rally for him in Iowa on Wednesday night, according to The Nation. She reportedly spoke with a group of young supporters in Des Moines. ...

The Facebook profile cited in many articles (including MTV News') about Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the late Benazir Bhutto's son, is a hoax, according to a statement from Farahnaz Ispahani of the Pakistan Peoples Party. "The statement that's on [the Facebook profile] is not his statement," he told The New York Times. "It seems genuine but according to Mr. Zardari, and we checked with him, the Facebook statement has not been written by Bilawal." ...

Foo Fighters are following in Justin Timberlake's footsteps — the band is participating in this year's "My Grammy Moment" segment for the February 10 awards ceremony. Unsigned instrumentalists — sorry, singers — are getting the chance to perform with Dave Grohl and the gang as part of an orchestra, with the winner being showcased as the featured instrumentalist. Interested? Record a performance video that is no longer than one minute and reflects your talent and submit it here. A Grammy Awards panel will choose 45 quarter-finalists, after which the public will narrow down the group to semifinalists who will perform with the five-time Grammy-nominated band. ... Christina Aguilera and Katie Holmes, starring side by side in a new flick? Rumors are circulating online that the two have been tapped for an upcoming comedy called "Humboldt Park," but Rene Rigal, who is executive producing the flick, told MTV News in regards to the castings, "We haven't heard anything as of yet." ...

Mark this one with a "WTF?" on your calendar: Keytar-wielding indie-rockers and former You Hear It First artists Mute Math will open for Matchbox Twenty and Alanis Morissette on their Exile in America tour, which runs from January 25 in Hollywood, Florida, through March 18 in Las Vegas. ... Hot Chip will pad their February 5 release, Made in the Dark, with a smattering of shows in April. The British electro-poppers will play nine gigs, from an April 10 one in Philadelphia through an April 24 show in San Francisco. ... Meanwhile, Ween are barreling on with their longest tour in three years. The band will play six gigs in January — from January 23 in Washington, D.C., through January 31 in Orlando, Florida — and is slated to play February 1-2 in St. Petersburg and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, before jetting overseas. ...

Sketch-comedy duo Tim and Eric have a few friends you may know. Maroon 5 bassist Mickey Madden, Phantom Planet frontman Alex Greenwald and the Like singer/guitarist Z have chalked up covers of songs by the pair's fictional Casey and His Brothers group. Check 'em out on TimAndEric.com. ... Sean Penn will head the awards jury at this year's Cannes Film Festival, which is slated for May 14-25. According to AP, the "Into the Wild" director said "a new generation of filmmaking may have begun," and that there seems to be "a rejuvenation of cinema building worldwide." ...

The Offspring are nearly finished with the follow-up to 2003's Splinter. According to a post from frontman Dexter Holland on the punk-rockers' Web site, they're "taking a quick break from recording right now to be with our families. I've got two lyrics to do, a couple more to sing, and various musical tweaks and fixes to get done. Then, we'll be ready to mix." There's no release date for the album yet, but the Offspring "want to thank all our fans who have been so patient, and we want you to know that we've been in the studio nearly every day now for quite awhile working hard to make a great record," the post says. ...

Former Kid 'N Play frontman Christopher "Play" Martin was reportedly hospitalized over the weekend when his car was struck by another vehicle whose driver was wounded by a bullet. According to North Carolina's The News & Observer, the one-time rapper's car was struck after a man — suspected of fleeing from where a home robbery took place — was allegedly fired upon by local police. The man, identified as Raul Riva Aldamo, reportedly died as a result of the gunfire. Martin and his companion, Michelle Gonzales, were released from doctor's care on Wednesday, and according to a rep for Martin, he is at home recovering.

• Hannah Montana
• Miley Cyrus
• R.E.M.
• My Morning Jacket
• Vampire Weekend

Natalie Imbruglia (file)
Photo: Dave Hogan/ Getty Images

Not many would put money on Mariah Carey's latest getting beat by Natalie Imbruglia, but that is exactly what happened on the British albums chart. Last week both LPs debuted in the U.K., and the only thing Mimi was emancipated from was the burden of a debut at the top, which Imbruglia pulled off sans trumpeting, white roses or red carpets.

Three years after her last album, White Lily Island, Imbruglia has ambled back to the music business with Counting Down the Days. Taking her time isn't a new concept for Imbruglia; she had a similar gap between her first two records. The pressure of following up the hit "Torn" (from 1997's Left of the Middle) may have burdened her on her sophomore effort, but the third go-round found her in a better space. "It's never easy for me, but it's been a more enjoyable experience. I think after getting married, I'm just more content, and work is more fun. I don't feel like people are watching as closely this time. It was more free."

The 30-year-old singer isn't content to have her career hang on one or two hits and the high cheekbones she shows off in L'Oreal ads. Taking three years wasn't part of the plan, so the album title represents what it felt like to finally have it completed. It also summed up a theme about long-distance relationships that runs through the record, though this time around, Imbruglia has no intention of straying far from home. According to her stateside label rep, there are no immediate plans to release the record or tour here. Instead, Imbruglia wants to let everything take a more natural course. Even the selection of the single was more organic, and the song itself was designed to take its time ingratiating itself on the listener's palate.

"Shiver," co-written with Eg White (who has worked with Joss Stone) appealed to Imbruglia as an obvious first-single choice even though she admittedly wasn't deeply involved in its creation. "They wrote it with me in mind," she explained. "Out of all of the songs, my input into that song was smaller. But the smart thing when a good song comes along is not letting it pass by because of that. It was just the perfect set-up song for the record."

Still, Imbruglia said that she took the time to tinker with it. "I personalized it and changed a few things so it was something that I could sing with conviction. I just made it my own, but it's just one of those songs where the story draws you in straight away, and that's really hard to find in a song. It's catchy, but not in-your-face. It's a bit more of a grower."

The song is perched at a comfortable 15 on the U.K. singles chart, and there is a video that has already been shot. Describing some of her earlier videos as "dodgy," "Shiver" can conversely be visually referenced to "The Bourne Supremacy."

Shot over four days in a freezing cold Kiev, the clip was directed by Jake Nava (Usher, Beyoncé). Imbruglia said that her experience as an actress (on the Australian series "Neighbours" and in the film "Johnny English") helped her connect with him and fake the close-ups for many of the car sequences. "I was going so slow — I shouldn't say that because people are going to be looking out for it now — but that was pure acting skills there. He was directing me, telling me what to do: 'Now you're turning left,' 'Look out, there's a car in front of you,' et cetera."

So who did the car-crash sequences? According to Imbruglia, three burly guys dressed in long black wigs. That image is rattling considering Imbruglia's waifish but womanly appearance and the mellow tone of the album itself.

In Imbruglia's opinion, standouts on the record include the leadoff song "Starting Over," "Honeycomb Child" and the title track. "Starting Over" epitomizes the idea of new beginnings for the singer. "I guess it's a theme that I come back to, she explained. "It's something very reassuring, that you have the choice to start fresh. So it's my personal philosophy in life."

"But then 'Honeycomb Child' was fun to do because it was me just experimenting a bit more, and I'm a big fan of David Kosten," she said, referring to the artist better known as Faultline, who co-wrote the track and has also collaborated with Michael Stipe and the Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne.

Working on the album with her husband, Silverchair frontman Daniel Johns, was "a really spontaneous thing." Johns and Paul Mac, his partner in the Dissociatives (see "Singer's Comeback Aided By Dance-Music Maven"), both contributed to Counting Down the Days, particularly on the track "Satisfied," which Johns wrote and co-produced. "It wasn't something I asked him to do," Imbruglia explained. "The fact that he was up for it blew me away. I'm a big fan of his work. He didn't have to do that."

Having her husband with her both in and outside of the studio has relaxed Imbruglia. "This one has been fun because I feel I have grown as a songwriter," the singer revealed. "I got a better grasp. I'm more brave about changing things and making decisions and taking control of it. It was fun in that respect, in just being happy in my personal life. It's been a good one."

• Natalie Imbruglia

After being arrested for felony assault with a deadly weapon with intent to do bodily harm Tuesday morning, Meat Puppets bassist Cris Kirkwood remains in FBI custody. He appeared in court on Tuesday in a wheelchair, wearing a hospital gown. On Friday, Kirkwood allegedly assaulted a security guard who intervened in an argument he was having with a woman outside a post office in Phoenix. At his detention hearing, the prosecution is expected to ask that he remain behind bars until his trial. ...

A new version of the video for Limp Bizkit's "Behind Blue Eyes" is expected to replace the original, Halle Berry-featured clip. The performance-based video was shot by frontman Fred Durst's brother Cory during the Back 2 Basics Tour in November. On the band's Web site, Durst said the video was "dedicated to everyone who's supported us through the good times, the rough times and all the real times." ... For its seventh annual Christmas present, the Nirvana fan club (www.nirvanaclub.com) has posted audio recordings of the band's first show, which took place at a house party in March 1987 in Raymond, Washington. Among the nine songs are "Spank Thru," "Aero Zeppelin" and a cover of Led Zeppelin's "Heartbreaker." ...

Pop singer Natalie Imbruglia and Silverchair frontman Daniel Johns were married Wednesday (December 31) in a private ceremony in a secluded tropical location in Australia. The couple were engaged earlier this year. ... A 22-year-old man was arrested Tuesday in connection with the death of New Orleans rapper Soulja Slim, who was shot multiple times in November. Police charged Garelle Smith with first-degree murder. ...

David Banner is launching a line of jerseys emblazoned with the number 55 to honor Emmett Till, a Mississippi teen who was murdered in 1955 by two white men (who were later acquitted by an all-white jury) for whistling at a white woman. The line is due in the summer. ... Missy Elliott, Mary J. Blige and Anthony Hamilton are among the first artists confirmed for the 10th annual Essence Music Festival at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. Gladys Knight, the O'Jays, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, Kenny Lattimore, Chanté Moore, the Ohio Players, Freddie Jackson and Sinbad will also perform at the event, scheduled for July 2-4. ...

Puddle of Mudd, who will perform on FOX's New Year's Eve special in Las Vegas, have been using their holiday vacation as recovery time. Singer Wes Scantlin came down with bronchitis earlier in December and guitarist Paul Philips broke his right index finger. "For some reason, I thought I could jump off stage and fly," he wrote on the band's Web site. "Well, I couldn't." ... Papa Roach are about to begin mixing their fourth full-length studio album, which will be called either Dancing in the Ashes or Getting Away With Murder, according to a posting on the group's Web site. Meanwhile, frontman Jacoby Shaddix is also gearing up to record Seven Deadly Songs (set for release on Papa Roach's El Tonal imprint) with his side project Fight the Sky, which the singer described as "just straight metal hardcore, all screamy and sh--." ...

Russell Simmons and his older brother Danny Simmons have teamed with the nonprofit job-placement organization Strive to create the Simmons Brothers Art Scholarship for prisoners incarcerated under the Rockefeller Drug Laws to attend City College of New York. Danny served time under the controversial laws, which mandate prison terms for people caught with a relatively small amount of drugs. ... Damien Rice has scheduled his most ambitious North American tour yet in support of his Shortlist Music Prize-winning album, O. The outing begins March 23 in Boulder, Colorado, and ends April 29 in St. Louis. ...

12.30.03

Blink-182 are considering "Easy Target" as a possible third single from their new, untitled album. "[Second single] 'I Miss You' is a real pretty, slow, melodic song, and 'Easy Target' is just kind of an aggressive, fast song," singer/bassist Mark Hoppus said recently. "I think it'll be really cool to come out after 'I Miss You,' but we'll see. I'm not in charge." ...

In addition to her upcoming spring tour, Britney Spears is planning to hit Portugal's Rock in Rio-Lisbon festival — her only scheduled international booking for 2004 thus far. Also on the bill for the five-day Portuguese extravaganza are Guns N' Roses, Metallica, Slipknot and Sting. The event, which kicks off May 29 in Bela Vista Park in Lisbon, will see Spears take the stage on June 5. ... Beginning New Year's Day, net proceeds from Phish's digital-download site, LivePhish.com, will benefit the Mockingbird Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded and run by Phish fans that supports music education for children. Last year, the site made more than $2 million. ...

Two months into lockdown, Scott Weiland has switched rehab facilities. Though the former Stone Temple Pilots frontman/current Velvet Revolver singer was in court-ordered rehab at Grandview in Pasadena, California, he's now housed at Las Encinas, also in Pasadena. Prosecutors said that the switch was made so that the singer could get more personal care in a smaller facility. Weiland's due back in court for a probation status report on January 9. The singer's arraignment date, to enter a plea to the charge of driving under the influence of drugs (from his late October arrest), was pushed back from December 23 to January 23. Meanwhile, Weiland lashed out in a Friday post on his band's Web site at a Rolling Stone reporter who "interviewed me and then printed that I was drunk driving. Get your facts straight, you moron paparazzi f---," he wrote. ...

The third annual Bonnaroo Music Festival is set for June 11-13 at the same 600-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee, that staged last year's show, which featured the Flaming Lips, the Roots and Neil Young and took in $11.5 million to become this year's second-highest grossing event. The new lineup has not yet been announced. ... Bright Eyes are releasing a split six-song EP with Neva Dinova in April. One Jug of Wine, Two Vessels will feature three new songs from each artist, with each group making an appearance on the other's tracks. Next month, Crank! A Record Company (www.crankthis.com) will hold a contest where winners will receive a limited-edition, hand-numbered copy of the record on colored vinyl. ...

Pearl Jam, the Allman Brothers Band and American Hi-Fi contribute tracks to Hot Stove, Cool Music, a benefit album assembled by veteran ESPN baseball analyst Peter Gammons. Among the LP's highlights are the Hot Stove All Stars, a group featuring Peter Wolf, Mighty Mighty Bosstones frontman Dicky Barrett and members of the Boston Red Sox, covering Gary Glitter's sports-arena classic "Rock & Roll Part 2." Proceeds from the album and a concert held January 11 will benefit the Jimmy Fund, which supports cancer research at Boston's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. ... Slipknot's Corey Taylor will spend his New Year's Eve performing with a one-off side project called the D*M*F*X at the House of Bricks in Des Moines, Iowa. Dizzy Draztik (Ryan McMurray, ex-leader of Des Moines punk band the Rejects), Slopscycle, the Nillas, On a Pale Horse and other local Iowa acts will also be on the bill. ...

Former Alice in Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell has contributed to a track on New Found Power, the debut album by the Damageplan, a group featuring Pantera's Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul. The band will launch a radio promo tour before the album drops February 10. ... Bad Religion have a big summer ahead of them. Besides being confirmed for the Vans Warped Tour, the hardcore vets will release a new album, their 13th, on Epitaph Records. Guitarist Brett Gurewitz and singer Greg Graffin have each written a few songs, though recording has yet to begin. ...

• Limp Bizkit
• Meat Puppets
• Nirvana
• David Banner
• Mary J. Blige

Staind frontman Aaron Lewis has redefined his own Family Values — his wife, Vanessa, gave birth to Zoe Jane Lewis on Friday (April 5). Congratulations to the couple and their daughter, who weighed in at 7 pounds, 11 ounces. ... Nickelback have announced they will play the third annual Rolling Rock Town Fair, which takes place July 27 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. On April 9, seven other acts will be announced for the bill, which in past years has featured Stone Temple Pilots, Staind, Incubus, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Moby and more. ...

For $14.95, you too can be shaken all night long, as hard rock pioneers AC/DC plan to present a concert pay-per-view on May 11. Filmed at a live show in Munich, Germany, the 18-song set includes "Hells Bells," "Back in Black" and "Highway to Hell," among others. ... Singer and onetime Aussie soap starlet Natalie Imbruglia is heading for the silver screen alongside John Malkovich and Rowan "Mr. Bean" Atkinson in the spy spoof "Johnny English," according to Reuters. The songstress reportedly plays a female agent in the film, which begins shooting Monday (April 15). ... Robert Plant will release Head First, his first solo album in nine years, on July 16. The disc will include covers of Jimi Hendrix's version of "Hey Joe," Tim Buckley's "Song for the Siren" and Tim Hardin's "Morning Dew." ...

The smooth, suave frontman of Roxy Music, Bryan Ferry, has set May 21 for the release of his latest solo studio effort, Frantic. The 13-song album will contain new material as well as re-imagined covers. ... Phish keyboardist Page McConnell announced plans for an eight-show East Coast tour with his new project, Vida Blue, which also features Meters drummer Russell Baptiste and Allman Brothers Band bassist Oteil Burbridge. Kicking off at Calvin Theater in Northampton, Massachusetts, the tour hits the likes of Washington, D.C., and Myrtle Beach, Florida, before wrapping up in New Orleans. ...

04.04.02

On May 28, look for the long-threatened publication Gene Simmons' Tongue to be sitting on magazine shelves next to your favorite music rags. Earlier this year, the Kiss bassist said the mag will feature a letter column called "Tongue Lashings," the overseas section "Foreign Tongue," the food guide "Forked Tongue" and the gossip section "Tongue in Cheek." ... Bob Dylan will star as an imprisoned blues musician whose manager helps him make a jailbreak to perform one last show in the upcoming movie "Masked and Anonymous." Dylan's first major acting role in 15 years will be directed by "Seinfeld" producer/director Larry Charles. ...

Ex-Metallica bassist Jason Newsted and former Black Crowes guitarist Audley Freed will augment Gov't Mule's lineup for five dates, beginning April 17 in New York City and ending April 21 in Madison, Wisconsin. The trek, launching April 11 in Atlanta, supports The Deep End Volume 1, Gov't Mule's latest album and first since the August 2000 death of bassist Allen Woody that features guest bassists Flea, Bootsy Collins, Mike Watt and John Entwistle, among others. ... Deep Purple, the Scorpions and Ronnie James Dio will play 38 U.S. dates, beginning May 1 in San Diego and ending August 4 in Los Angeles. Deep Purple are touring with new keyboardist Don Airey, who replaced founding member Jon Lord last month. ... The thinking girl's girl group, Sleater-Kinney, are in the studio working on the follow-up album to 2000's All Hands on the Bad One. The still-untitled album is slated for an August release.

• Staind
• Nickelback
• AC/DC
• Phish
• Natalie Imbruglia

Brandy
Photo: Gregg Delman / MTV.com

With the buzz surrounding her marriage and pregnancy now neatly behind her, the expectant Brandy returns her focus to her music, as this week she premieres the fruits of a different kind of labor: her Full Moon.

Also featured this week are sophomore LPs from Natalie Imbruglia (White Lilies Island) and British foursome Clinic (Walking With Thee). And finally, it looks like all of us have got another thing coming. Again. The seminal heavy metal band Judas Priest joins the fray of legendary artists looking to recycle their old gold (or, more appropriately, lead) as four reissues hit the streets.

Out Tuesday, March 5:

• Rob Andrews - Host (Griffin)
• Apex Theory - Random Bursts (DreamWorks)
• Angel Dust - Of Human Bondage (Century Media)
• Billy Bragg & the Blokes - England Half English (Elektra)
• Blasters - Testament: Complete Slash Recordings (Rhino)
• Boggs - We Are the Boggs We Are (Arena Rock)
• Brandy - Full Moon (Atlantic)
  Read about it ... Fans Will Get A New Taste Of Brandy On Full Moon
• Brandtson - Dial in Sounds (Deep Elm)
• Segun Bucknor - Revolution (Afrostrut)
• Business - Hell to Pay (TKO)
• Catheters - Static Delusions & Stone-Still Days (Sub Pop)
• Clem Snide - Moment in the Sun (Spinart)
• Clinic - Walking With Thee (Domino)
• Conviction - Kill It (Thorp/Relapse)
• Carl Cox - Global (Strictly Rhythm)
• Christopher Cross - The Very Best of Christopher Cross (Rhino)
• DJ Payback Garcia - Aztec Souls — Best in Latin Hip-Hop (Mixed Connections)
• DJ Screw - Sentimental Value (Wreckless)
• Echobrain - Echobrain (Surfdog/Hollywood)
  Read about it ... Jason Newsted's Echobrain Make Very Un-Metallica Video
• Entrain - Rise Up 1: Live (Rounder)
• Faze Action - Abstract Funk Theory (Obsessive)
• Fleetwood Mac - Show Biz Blues 1968-1970 (BMG)
• Flying Luttenbachers - Infection & Decline (Troubleman Unlimited)
• Frustrators - Achtung Jackass (Adeline)
• Grip Weeds - Summer of a Thousand Years (Rainbow Quartz)
• Iced Earth - Dark Genesis Box Set (Century Media)
• Natalie Imbruglia - White Lilies Island (RCA)
• Insision - Beneath the Folds of Flesh (Earache)
• Jersey Street - After the Rain (Glasgow Underground)
• Judas Priest - Painkiller (reissue, Columbia Legacy)
• Judas Priest - Priest…Live! (reissue, Columbia Legacy)
• Judas Priest - Ram It Down (reissue, Columbia Legacy)
• Judas Priest - Turbo (reissue, Columbia Legacy)
• Karate - Cancel/Sing EP (Southern)
• Knodel - Dawn of the Butterfly (My Pal God)
• Kosheen - Resist (Kinetic)
• Ben Kweller - Sha Sha (Ato)
• Lazy Dog - Lazy Dog 2 (Astralwerks)
• Local H - Here Comes the Zoo (Palm)
• Lo Fidelity Allstars - Don't Be Afraid of Love (Columbia)
• M2M - The Big Room (Atlantic)
• Marillion - Marillion.com (Sanctuary)
• MC Solaar - Cinquieme As (Fifth Ace) (Elektra)
• Marc Moreland Mess - Take It to the Spotlight (Kitchen Whore)
• Meta-Matics - Complete Discography (Troubleman Unlimited)
• Anika Moa - Thinking Room (Atlantic)
• Modey Lemon - Modey Lemon (A-F)
• Mokira (a.k.a. Andreas Tilliander) - Plee (EFA)
• Nerissa & Katryna Nields - Love and China (Rounder)
• NOFX/Rancid - Split Series Vol. 3 (BYO)
• Oxbow - An Evil Heat (Neurot)
• Party of Helicopters - Space ... & How Sweet It Was (Troubleman Unlimited)
• Prevent Falls - A Newer More Shattered You (Equal Vision)
• Quetzal - Sing the Real (Vanguard)
• Bonnie Raitt - Give It Up (reissue, Rhino)
• Bonnie Raitt - Glow (reissue, Rhino)
• Bonnie Raitt - Green Light (reissue, Rhino)
• Bonnie Raitt - Home Plate (reissue, Rhino)
• Bonnie Raitt - Takin' My Time (reissue, Rhino)
• Random Logic - Numrebs (EFA)
• Red Flag - Red Flag: Fear Series Collection (Plan B)
• Req - Sketchbook (Warp/Nothing)
• Rinôçérôse - Music Kills Me (V2)
• John Selway - Journeys by DJ: Lightwave (Shelter)
• Tesla - Standing Room Only (Sanctuary)
• TRS-80 - Mr. Kickass (Invisible)
• Various artists - Afrika Underground (Counterpoint)
• Various artists - "All About the Benjamins" soundtrack (New Line)
• Various artists - Disney's Superstar Hits (Disney)
• Various artists - Echoes of Pink: A Tribute to Pink Floyd (Lakeshore)
• Various artists - "King of Kings" soundtrack (Rhino)
• Various artists - "Longshot" soundtrack (Trinity)
• Various artists - "Six Feet Under" soundtrack (Universal)
• Various artists - "Taina" soundtrack (Nick/Jive)
• Various artists - "Y Tu Mamá También" soundtrack (Volcano)
• Virus Nine - What Are You Afraid Of (Af Recordings)
• Vnv Nation - Futureperfect (Metropolis)
• Wishbone Ash - Argus (expanded reissue, MCA)
• Zakk Wylde's Black Label Society - 1919 * Eternal (Spitfire)

Coming Soon (Dates Subject To Change)

March 12:

• B2K - B2K (Epic/Sony)
  Read about it ... 'Uh Huh,' Ladies — B2K Are Single
• The Corrs - VH1 Presents the Corrs Live in Dublin (Atlantic)
• Destiny's Child - This Is the Remix (Columbia)
  Read about it ... Destiny's Child Mix It Up With Remix Album
• Eels - Souljacker (DreamWorks)
• Hot Rod Circuit - Sorry About Tomorrow (TVT)
• Indigo Girls - Become You (Epic/Sony)
• Wu-Tang Killa Beez - The Sting (Koch)
  Read about it ... Wu-Tang's Killa Beez Sting To Thrill With ODB

March 19:

• Alice Cooper - Welcome to My Nightmare (expanded reissue, Atlantic)
• Antibalas - Talkatif (Ninja Tune)
• Grateful Dead - Postcards of the Hanging (Arista)
• Jay-Z and R. Kelly - The Best of Both Worlds (Island/Def Jam)
  Read about it ... Bootleggers Get The Best Of Jay-Z, R. Kelly
• PPK - Resurrection (Tommy Boy)
• Simple Plan - No Pads, No Helmets... Just Balls (Atlantic)
  Read about it ... Alienation Lands Simple Plan On Movie Soundtrack, Warped Tour
• Patti Smith - Land (1975-2002) (Arista)

March 26:

• Celine Dion - A New Day Has Come (Epic/Sony)
  Read about it ... Celine Dion Covers Old Tunes On New Day
• Funky Green Dogs - Super California (MCA)
• Rubyblue - Beyond Pink (BAB)

April 2:

• Apex Theory - Topsy-Turvy (DreamWorks)
  Read about it ... Apex Theory Offer 'Hope' To Metal — Diggy-Da
• Tweet - Southern Hummingbird (Elektra)
• Various artists - Loud Records 10th Anniversary (Loud)

April 9:

• Baldwin Brothers - Cooking With Lasers (TVT)
• Bonnie Raitt - Silver Lining (Capitol)
• Quarashi - Jinx (Columbia)

April 16:

• Ashanti - Ashanti (Island/Def Jam)
• Jimmy Fallon - The Bathroom Wall (DreamWorks)
• Lil' Romeo - Game Time (Universal/No Limit)
• Various artists - "Spider-Man" soundtrack (Columbia)

April 23:

• Naughty by Nature - Iicons (TVT)
• Tina Novak - Been Around the World (Arista)
• Q-Tip - Kamaal the Abstract (Arista)
• Sloan - Pretty Together (RCA)
• Sneaker Pimps - Bloodsport (Tommy Boy)

April 30:

• Blackalicious - Blazing Arrow (MCA)
• Donell Jones - Life Goes On (Arista)

• Brandy
• EchoBrain
• Natalie Imbruglia
• The Apex Theory
• DJ Screw

Naughty by Nature
Photo: BMG

Bootleggers — and occasional burners of CDs — beware.

More Fast and Furious, the second soundtrack from the summer blockbuster "The Fast and the Furious," will make history when it hits stores next month as the first major-label release with built-in copy-protection technology.

Already spreading overseas, copy-protected CDs are mainly designed to cripple the illegal practice of selling bootlegged CDs on the streets, though they will also affect anyone who makes mix CDs or burns extra copies of their favorites for their car or their friends. Naturally, record labels, retail stores and many artists strongly support the technology.

"All the bootlegging, it definitely hurts the labels, it definitely hurts the artists," Naughty by Nature rapper Vinnie Brown said. "The copy- protected CDs are definitely a good thing. The consumers can buy one CD and get an unlimited amount for free [right now]. If they want one for their home stereo and laptop and their car, they'll need to buy that many."

Stan Goman, senior vice president and general manager of Tower Records, said bootlegging has grown so much since the advent of low-cost CD-burning equipment that it has the potential to seriously damage the record business. He pointed out that in some countries, such as the Netherlands, bootlegging has already put several labels and retailers out of business.

"We're selling a digital master," Goman said. "That's what those things are. I don't think it's right to be able to copy that thing as many times as you want and give it to all your friends and have the poor artist who spent 10 years writing, recording and performing those songs get absolutely zilch. I don't think that's right at all."

Universal Music Group, which said earlier this year it hoped to have all of its new releases copy-protected by fall (see ), will have the eyes of the music industry on it when it releases More Fast and Furious on December 18.

"In response to the problems that CD burning and piracy have caused in the marketplace, Universal is taking the first important step to help protect artists by launching the best copy-protection technology available today," Jim Weatherson, Universal's executive vice president of music and video distribution, said in a letter to retailers. "We have heard the strong voice from the retail community concerning the substantial financial impact that illegal copying of compact discs is causing to business. We share in your concerns and in response are pleased to be the first company to launch a campaign to confront this explosive and damaging trend."

Just how damaging is CD burning? According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, global music pirating cost the music industry about $4.2 billion in 2000, up $100 million from the previous year. Sales of illegal music CDs were up 25 percent in 2000, to an estimated 640 million units.

Bob Higgins, chairman of record retail chain Transworld Music, said more than 60 million blank CD-Rs used for copying music (meaning CD-Rs that are at least 76 minutes in length and advertised as being "for copying CDs") are sold in the U.S. on a monthly basis. Miao Chuang, the spokesperson for copy protection software company Macrovision, said their research shows the volume of blank-CD sales now exceeds the volume of prerecorded CDs sold.

"It is a problem," added Higgins. "[Copy protection] is something that is needed within the industry to protect the rights of the product and I'm glad to see UMG take the first step."

Not everyone is sold on copy-protected CDs, however. The technology behind them is hardly perfect, and some consumers are concerned the industry is jumping the gun to protect copyrighted music and releasing CDs with flawed devices that diminish sound quality and prohibit CDs from playing on some components.

Stereophile magazine writer Jon Iverson said the specially formulated distortions used in copy-protected CDs to throw off recording machines damage the quality of the music. "The record companies have declared war on their most devoted customers," Iverson said. "It is a shame to see, and will be regarded as a grave mistake."

The labels deny the alleged diminished sound quality, though they have acknowledged the playback flaws. Universal is including disclaimer stickers on the More Fast and Furious packaging notifying consumers of possible playback difficulties on DVD players, game consoles and Macintosh computers. They have also asked retailers to offer a full refund to those who have trouble playing the CD and have added inserts in the CDs that direct the consumer to a customer care center or Web site for assistance.

But that doesn't excuse their actions, said Jim Peters, the coordinator of a European crusade against copy protection that is part of the broader Campaign for Digital Rights (http://uk.eurorights.org/).

"The whole idea of copy protection for CDs is nonsense," Peters said. "CDs were simply not designed for this. They were designed to be as compatible as possible, to work equally well on any CD-playing device. The only way to stop a CD from playing in a computer is by creating an intentionally faulty CD. They have distorted the CD format in certain ways that cause problems for most computers, but don't cause problems for most normal CD players. However, as you might guess, this isn't a very precise art."

Universal Music Group is using the Cactus Data Shield created by Israel-based Midbar Tech Ltd. on More Fast and Furious, though the company said in a statement "they are undergoing extensive exploration and technical evaluation of a variety of technologies."

The label has not called the soundtrack, which features music from lower-tier rock and electronic acts like BT, Saliva and Machine Head, an experiment, but the relatively small amount of copies the CD is expected to sell indicates so, Higgins said. "It's probably a smart approach not to put something out that's going to sell 700,000 copies a week," he said. "[The goal is] to learn from it and correct mistakes on a larger-selling album."

Earlier this year, the independent label Music City Records released a copy- protected CD by country artist Charley Pride — the only known copy-protected CD on U.S. shelves today, according to the sources in this article. It included a device designed by Phoenix-based software company SunnComm called MediaCloQ that allows the consumer to download the songs on the CD to their computer only after registering the CD online.

The label's president, Bob Heatherly, announced at the time of the release that he was elated with the technology, noting that it "has been very well-received by the consumer" and "opens the door for future artists to join the battle against piracy.''

Shortly after the CD hit shelves, however, a consumer filed a lawsuit in California Superior Court in Marin County alleging that the disclaimer sticker on the CD misled consumers. Music City Records made it clear the CD was not intended for play in DVD players, but failed to warn that the CD would not play in computers. That case is still pending.

In the U.K., BMG Entertainment set up a hotline last month last week for consumers who are having trouble playing Natalie Imbruglia's new White Lilies Island in some CD and DVD players. Unlike Pride's album or More Fast and Furious, it did not include a disclaimer sticker. A spokesperson for BMG said only about one of every 1,000 consumers has reported a problem. "That return rate is very, very minor," Higgins said.

Imbruglia's album is also protected by the Cactus Data Shield from Midbar Tech Ltd., which has released 6 million copy-protected CDs into the European market, according to company spokesperson Marjie Hadad. "Which titles and if they are marked are decisions of each respective recording company," she added.

Midbar has commercial agreements with several major record labels and is in discussion with many independent labels, Hadad said. The company is planning to enter the U.S. market in the near future.

Macrovision, Midbar's chief competitor, said it has already released copy-protected CDs in test markets in the U.S., though a spokesperson would not reveal titles. Peters' Campaign for Digital Rights has a list of copy-protected albums on its Web site (http://uk.eurorights.org/), though it is mostly culled from complaints in European countries.

SunnComm, Midbar and Macrovision all take quite different approaches to copy- protecting. Macrovision's SafeAudio Version 3 offers multi-level security and can insert digital distortion that is inaudible when a CD is played through a CD player, but creates clicks and pops when a song is copied into digital format on a PC's hard drive. Midbar's Cactus Data Shield prohibits digital replication (burning CDs into MP3 format) altogether, but enables the consumer to make analog copies.

"These are not just slight modifications, these are major corruptions to the data," Peters said. "On several of these formats the audio data itself is corrupted by either distorting the error-correction codes on the CD, or inserting bad chunks of data into the audio stream. The error-correction codes are designed to help a CD player cope with scratches on the disc, so by corrupting these, they are effectively degrading the CD's scratch-resistance."

Peters and the Campaign for Digital Rights recruited a BBC engineer to test a copy-protected CD on a special CD player that shows the level of errors on a CD. On a scale from 0 to 9, a new, unscratched CD should score 0, and a very badly scratched CD should score 9. The copy-protected CD scored between 5 and 7 on the scale, according to Peters.

"You can see that in this case, the corruption on the disc was about as high as it could possibly get without causing problems on normal CD players," Peters said. "But what if you scratched one of these? CD players are very clever. Even if they can't fully correct a scratch, they'll do everything they can to avoid skipping or going silent, filling in the gap with a guess at what should be there. So a scratched CD won't go wrong in an obvious way to begin with, it will just start sounding a little bit worse, as the CD player has to work harder to invent parts of the sound which it can't fix from the error correction codes."

Peters and the music industry do agree on one thing: copy-protected CDs are not going to stop street sales or home copiers entirely, only slow them.

"Even if the record companies find a way to corrupt the CDs in a way that makes them impossible to copy digitally, people can still make analog copies through the audio inputs of their PCs," Peters said. "If you think that the inconvenience would put people off, think again. People have been making analog copies onto tape for years. Bootleggers put many times more work than that into doing a bootleg MP3 of a concert."

Added Transworld's Higgins, "The system can be beat. I don't know that somebody today can make a copy-protected CD that the system cannot beat. This will make it much more difficult, which will bring the copying to the minimum."

Naughty by Nature's Brown said his engineer recently showed him a simple way to get around copy protection technology. "With all the techies and hackers out there, you will always be able to get around it," he said. "But just to make it not so simple is worth it. The labels should put up a front to show that, yes, we are doing something to begin to combat the bootlegging thing."

• Naughty By Nature
• Natalie Imbruglia

Wyclef Jean
Photo: MTV News

What's the next best thing to getting the Nobel Peace Prize? Performing at the Nobel Peace Prize concert, of course.

Paul McCartney, Wyclef Jean and Destiny's Child will have that honor December 11 at the Oslo Spektrum in Oslo, Norway.

McCartney, Wyclef, Natalie Imbruglia, '80s favorites A-Ha, worldbeat leader Youssou N'Dour and opera star Russell Watson will perform at the event, while Destiny's Child will pre-record a performance for the concert, according to organizers.

Actors Meryl Streep and Liam Neeson will host the event, which will honor this year's Nobel Peace Prize laureate, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

The event will be broadcast on Norwegian and international TV stations in the weeks following.

Moby, Bon Jovi, Natalie Cole, Westlife and Femi Kuti performed at last year's concert for the Nobel Peace Prize, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

• Paul McCartney
• Wyclef Jean
• Destiny's Child
• Natalie Imbruglia
• a-ha

Natalie Imbruglia
Photo: RCA

More than three years after "Torn" tore her from relative obscurity, Australian singer/songwriter Natalie Imbruglia is nearly done recording her second album, which will find the former soap opera star taking charge of her musical destiny.

The as-yet-untitled album, due late this year or early in 2002, is expected to include songs co-written by former Cure bassist Phil Thornalley, who co-wrote and produced "Torn," according to Dave Novik, the RCA Records A&R executive who's working with Imbruglia.

Producer/songwriter Patrick Leonard, of Madonna and Jewel fame, also worked with Imbruglia on the album, as did producers Gary Clark (k.d. lang) and Ian Stanley (Tori Amos), Novik said.

Imbruglia co-wrote most of her 1998 debut album, Left of the Middle, but she intends to have writing input on every song on the new one.

Among the likely stand-out tracks on the album, according to Novik, is "Goodbye," a "haunting rock ballad" co-written with Matthew Wilder, who wrote and sang the 1983 hit "Break My Stride." The album will also likely include "That Day," a track co-written by Leonard, and "Wrong Impression" co-written by Clark.

"I think it's a much deeper album than the first record," Novik said. "[It's a] multifaceted, left-of-center pop record with some eclectic and interesting and unique songs and sounds." Many tracks are expected to be "tougher, with a little bit more attitude" than much of Left of the Middle, but Imbruglia won't deviate from her breathy, plaintive vocal style.

Imbruglia's most recent musical endeavor was the uncharacteristic, Billy Corgan-penned "Identify," from the 1999 soundtrack to the art-horror movie "Stigmata" (see "Natalie Imbruglia: Stigmata Inamorata").

Around the time of that release, Imbruglia said she had high expectations for her second album.

"It won't be ready for this year, but I will be working on it solidly. It's got to be good. And that all depends on what wants to come out of me creatively," she said. "It has a lot to do with taking the pressure off and relaxing and enjoying the ride. So it all depends on how much I can do that and open up and let go." Novik cautioned that because Imbruglia is still finishing the new album, all information on it remains tentative.

• Natalie Imbruglia

If you're expecting Natalie Imbruglia to go out and tear the roof off the sucker when the year 2000 arrives, guess again.

• Natalie Imbruglia

ANAHEIM, California — Creed vocalist Scott Stapp and guitarist Mark Tremonti will start working nights this week as they resume writing the follow-up to 1999's smash Human Clay. Refreshed from taking the holidays off, the songwriting duo plans to buckle down four nights a week and pen an album that intensifies the larger-than-life feel of its predecessor.

"It's gonna be more extreme on all extremities — the harder stuff a little harder, the epic stuff a little more epic," Tremonti said Saturday.

Creed plan to spend the next few months writing before heading into the studio in July and hopefully releasing the disc in October or November. Tremonti said the band, which worked with longtime friend and producer John Kurzweg on both My Own Prison (1997) and Human Clay, has not picked a producer for the album.

The spiritual Florida rockers parted ways with bass player and founding member Brian Marshall in August and hired Brett Hestla as their touring bassist. Hestla will be working on an album with his group Virgos while Creed are recording their LP as a trio, but the bands are considering a joint fall tour after both albums hit stores. Hestla said he would play both sets.

Tremonti, Hestla and Creed drummer Scott Phillips attended last weekend's National Association of Music Merchants trade show in Anaheim, where Paul Reed Smith Guitars unveiled Tremonti's new signature model.

Tremonti said he had been working with PRS to design the guitar for about a year. "It's the baddest guitar on the planet. It's a technically perfect, thick, massive-sounding guitar. I think it's the best in the world today." Creed, who cleaned up at several recent award ceremonies, are up for two Grammys next month. "With Arms Wide Open" is nominated for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group and Best Rock Song, the latter of which would go to its songwriters, Tremonti and Stapp.

"A Grammy would be great — I'm just not gonna count on it," Tremonti said. "We've won a lot of awards this year, and I'm happy about 'em. If we don't win a Grammy, we don't win a Grammy. We've got a lot more albums ahead. But we're up for two of them, so we'll keep our fingers crossed." For much more on Creed, don't forget to check out the MTV News Online feature Creed: Higher Learning"

• Natalie Imbruglia

Natalie Imbruglia Photos

• Natalie Imbruglia