Paramore's Hayley Williams performs at Bamboozle Left
Photo: Noel Vasquez/ Getty Images

IRVINE, California — The second-annual Bamboozle Left rolled into Southern California over the weekend, bringing some big names and fresh new talent with it.

One of the biggest draws of the two-day fest was Paramore, who attracted throngs of fans to their stage on Saturday. Just before the lights went up, a low rumble of "Par-a-more" arose from the crowd and dissolved into screams as the lights went up and Hayley Williams bounced onstage. The pint-size rock star with the larger-than-life voice rambunctiously jumped around the stage, with her fire-engine-red hair flailing around her. Fans ate up the performance, singing along and duplicating her moves.

Seconds after Paramore finished their set, current tourmates Jimmy Eat World took to the stage. As the guys burst into their hit "Sweetness" from the 2001 album Bleed American, the crowd joined in with every cry of "Are you listening? Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh." The group boasted the biggest and most age-diverse crowd of the festival by far.

The All-American Rejects and their ever-so-animated frontman, Tyson Ritter, closed out Saturday night by calling the Bamboozle fans "the hoodie generation." He then commanded that the crowd put their hoods up. Almost instantly, the crowd transformed from an endless array of hairstyles into a sea of black, white and grey dots. Ritter then debuted a new acoustic song called "Mona Lisa," which the guys joked before the set would be leaked onto YouTube by Sunday. The song will be part of their new album, which they are hoping to debut in September. The album has not yet been named, but the band assures that it will not be called Remember Us, as was reported in the Bamboozle program.

Pop-punk band the Audition were a crowd-pleasing favorite on Saturday too, as their soulful undertones and on-point performance transformed the audience's typical mosh-pit moves into the writhing body movements of lead singer Danny Stevens.

Hawthorne Heights took the stage Sunday afternoon for their first show since the accidental death of guitarist Casey Calvert in November. Calvert died due to a mixture of prescribed antidepressants and anxiety and pain medications. Fans wore "In Loving Memory of Casey Calvert" T-shirts in support of Hawthorne Heights, who thanked them for their well-wishes and played a song in Casey's memory. After the set, fans lined up to meet the band and expressed their condolences and encouragement in person.

While Bamboozle Left marked the first show back for Hawthorne Heights, it marked the last for My Chemical Romance. After spending the past two years on tour promoting The Black Parade, MCR are overdue for a break and a new album. They played the final set of the festival and gave concertgoers something to remember. As the band began to play the title track from Parade, the stage went black with a spotlight on lead singer Gerard Way, who acted as a conductor of the audience. The crowd sang the entire first verse without missing a beat.

With tens of thousands of people and a handful of rock bands playing, there was rarely a quiet moment, but Escape the Fate frontman Craig Mabbitt definitely silenced the crowd Sunday afternoon. In the middle of the set, Mabbitt dropped his mic, climbed the light tower 20 feet in the air and threw himself backward into the crowd. The crowd gasped, then going silent with confusion, shock and worry. Mabbitt's bandmates continued to play as the fans awaited his fate. After what seemed like several minutes, Mabbitt finally emerged from the crowd seemingly uninjured and finished the set as two stripper-esque dancers joined him onstage.

Jeffree Star transformed his stage into a West Hollywood rave on Sunday night. The audience watched wide-eyed and completely transfixed as the 6-foot-tall, pink-haired cross-dresser pranced around the stage in black booty shorts and 5-inch stilettos. Star definitely had the most controversial and original performance of the festival.

Planning on going to any big music fests this year? Be sure to join the You R Here community, where you can upload your concert photos, videos and reviews.

• Bamboozle Left Kicks Off Summer-Tour Season With Paramore, All-American Rejects

• Paramore, My Chemical Romance, The Bravery, More At Bamboozle Left 2008

• Paramore
• The All-American Rejects
• Jimmy Eat World
• Hawthorne Heights

Alicia Keys
Photo: Columbia

Alicia Keys took home four trophies from the NAACP Image Awards, held at Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium Thursday night. She won the Outstanding Album and Outstanding Female Artist prizes, as well as the top video and song awards. Other honorees included Chris Brown, Jordin Sparks, Denzel Washington and Janet Jackson. Washington and his "Great Debaters" co-star Jurnee Smollett won the Best Actor and Actress prizes for film, while Jackson received the Best Supporting Actress honor for her work in "Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?" ...

As Britney Spears' father extended control over her affairs in Los Angeles on Thursday, a New York attorney attempted to undo them by taking the conservatorship to federal court. Claiming he represents the singer — despite a judge already deciding she's unable to retain counsel of her own just yet — attorney Jon Eardley filed a claim that the singer's conservatorship deprives her of her civil liberties, since she's been denied the right to meet freely with whom she chooses (as her father has the power to restrict visitors); make and receive phone calls (since a restraining order prevents manager Sam Lutfi from contacting her); drive a car (since her father hired security to do that for her); and gain access to money or credit cards (since her finances are being handled by her trust). "She is being confined ... to the private person of her own home," the suit reads. Eardley is represented by Lutfi's publicist, Michael Sands, who claims that the motion moves jurisdiction from Los Angeles Superior Court to the U.S. District Court, and voids the conservatorship: "Britney Spears has no conservatorship!" he said in a press release. However, the Los Angeles Superior Court responded, "This is an issue that will have to be litigated by the parties." ...

Paramore and Jimmy Eat World have rolled out dates for their much-anticipated co-headlining tour. The 20-date outing will take them from San Antonio on April 1 to Atlantic City, New Jersey, on May 2, with stops in California, Iowa, New York and elsewhere along the way. ...

Eddie Vedder has sketched out the itinerary for his first-ever solo tour, which he will stage in support of his Grammy-nominated "Into the Wild" soundtrack, according to Billboard.com. The Pearl Jam frontman will swing through Vancouver, British Columbia, on April 2, after which he'll play a smattering of shows in various California cities: Santa Cruz (April 5), Berkeley (April 7), Santa Barbara (April 10), Los Angeles (April 12-13) and San Diego (April 15). ... The Raconteurs are wrapping up their yet-untitled sophomore effort in Nashville, according to a recent post on their MySpace page. The post wasn't forthcoming with more details, although it did say, "They promise to release [the LP] as soon as they can." ...

U2 frontman Bono and British artist Damien Hirst raised $42 million for HIV/AIDS programs in Africa at a Sotheby's auction in New York on Thursday, according to The Associated Press. The (Red) Auction, co-organized by the Gagosian Gallery, sold pieces from some of the world's top contemporary artists. Sotheby's said model Christy Turlington bought a piece for $170,500. "We got serious about love, and not just the love of art, but the love of our brothers and sisters suffering from AIDS in the poorest places on the planet," Bono said, according to BBC News. ...

Coheed and Cambria, Incubus and Disturbed have been added to the roster for this year's Download Festival in England (June 13-15). They join a lineup that already features Kiss, Judas Priest, the Offspring, Motörhead, H.I.M, Children of Bodom, Rise Against, Lostprophets, Alter Bridge and In Flames. ... Aerosmith are starring in a new edition of "Guitar Hero" called, er, "Guitar Hero: Aerosmith." Due in the summer, the game will feature 30 or so songs by the Boston legends, as well as ones by bands that have opened for Steven Tyler's crew. ...

Chan Marshall — better known as Cat Power — has bulked up her tour schedule in support of her recently released album, Jukebox, according to Pitchfork. Following an April 10 show in Vancouver, British Columbia, she will hit up Seattle the following day and continue playing gigs through an April 20 show at Austin, Texas' South by Southwest fest. Two days later, she'll perform in Houston, after which she'll journey down to Mexico City for an April 23 performance. ... The National — whose last album, Boxer, made many critics' top 10 lists last year — have slipped out a live EP through Rhapsody, Pitchfork reports. The release, called Rhapsody Rocks NYC, contains four songs recorded at New York's CMJ Music Marathon last year. ...

Butch Walker has slapped together a new live album, but in case you're running low on funds these days, don't worry — he's posted the 24-track effort for free download at FriendsorEnemies.com. Devout fans can get the release with bonus tracks for $5.99. ... Portishead have firmed up their first album in 10 years. Third will drop April 29 and feature 11 songs, including "Nylon Smile," "Magic Doors" and "The Rip." ...

Yoko Ono has denied reports that she was planning legal action against singer Lennon Murphy, who has sought to trademark the name of her band, Lennon. In a letter to the technology blog BoingBoing, Ono explained that several years ago, Lennon Murphy sought Ono's permission to perform under her birth name, Lennon Murphy, which Ono did not object to. But later, without Ono's knowledge, the singer reportedly filed an application in the U.S. Trademark Office requesting the exclusive right to utilize the name "Lennon" for musical performances. Ono's attorneys asked Murphy's lawyers and manager to withdraw the registration, offering to cover all costs Murphy had incurred in filing for the trademark. When Murphy went ahead with the registration anyway, Ono said she did not sue Murphy, but had her attorneys notify the trademark office that Ono did not believe it was fair that Murphy be granted the exclusive right to the Lennon trademark for musical and entertainment services. Ono wrote, "I am really hurt if people thought that I told a young artist to not use her own name in her performances and had sought to sue her. I did no such thing. I hope this allegation will be cleared." ...

Borders Books is trying a new method to appeal to music downloaders. According to a press release, the retailer will roll out 14 new concept stores this year featuring "digital centers" that will allow customers to burn CDs and download music and books to most MP3 players, though not to iPods.

2.14.08

Avril Lavigne, who was once known as the "anti-Britney," now has nothing but sympathy for the pop star, as she reveals in the new issue of Maxim. "No one else has it as hard as Britney," she told the magazine. "I feel bad for her. How does she even think with all those flashbulbs? When I'm being followed, everything's thrown off. They run red lights. They cause accidents. She can't even walk to her car. F---ing stalkers." Lavigne, who has been known to flip off and spit on the paparazzi in the past, also said she's disgusted at speculation that she's pregnant with her first child. "Remember in high school when people would start fake rumors about you?" she asked. "Well, this isn't high school. It's like, the entire world." Check out more Avril photos from the mag's March issue at Maxim.com. ...

A Los Angeles judge decided Thursday (February 14) to extend the temporary conservatory powers that Britney Spears' father has over the singer's affairs — at least through the next hearing, on March 10. Jamie Spears had been granted control to oversee Britney's well-being and her estate earlier this month, along with co-conservator Andrew Wallet. Court-appointed investigator Samuel Ingham told the court Thursday that he had not finished his psychological evaluation of the singer and was granted an extension until the next hearing. Also by March 10, Britney must undergo a 730 evaluation to study her family to determine the best custody arrangements, Commissioner Reva Goetz decided. Goetz also named Britney's older brother, Bryan — who used to work on her former management team — along with New York estate attorney Ivan Taback as co-trustees for the singer's trust while she is considered unable to manage her own affairs. Meanwhile, Britney's current manager Sam Lutfi has yet to be served with a restraining order. The lawyers for the conservatorship concluded that Lutfi was intentionally avoiding being served because they'd already spent over 200 hours trying to reach him. A hearing about the restraining order is scheduled for February 22. ...

Beyoncé's father, Mathew Knowles, isn't too happy about Aretha Franklin scolding his daughter for comments she made about the Queen of Soul at Sunday's Grammy Awards. "Something this ridiculous — it's childish, it's unprofessional," he said in a statement on Thursday, according to People. "And it's a sad day when egos get bruised because somebody used the word 'king,' 'queen,' 'prince' or 'princess.' " Beyoncé introduced Tina Turner as "the queen" during the ceremony, after which Franklin released a statement in which she said, "I am not sure of whose toes I may have stepped on or whose ego I may have bruised between the Grammy writers and Beyoncé. ... However, I dismissed it as a cheap shot for controversy." ...

Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, Ricky Martin and others are voicing support for Alejandro Sanz after the cancellation of a concert he intended to play in Venezuela, Reuters reports. In 2004, the Latin American singer claimed President Hugo Chávez had tried to quash a campaign for a recall referendum against him. Sanz supporters are reportedly accusing Chávez of censorship in the wake of the concert cancellation. ... White Stripes are getting some extra lovin' at Best Buy, Pitchfork reports. The retail chain is selling a five-track EP surrounding the band's new single, "Conquest," that features all the accompanying B-sides that were previously available only on vinyl or in digital form. The EP comes free with the purchase of the band's Icky Thump album, or it can be bought separately. ...

Well, so much for all those reunion tours. A day after Billboard.com reported that the Police would be retiring for good after their upcoming North American trek comes news that the reunited Spice Girls likely won't go on either. Geri Halliwell — or Ginger Spice, to the fans — told the site she isn't anticipating a follow-up to the group's current run, which ends February 26 in Toronto. "It probably won't happen ever again," she said. "I'm still absolutely blown away that we did more than one show. So right now I'm thinking this is it. This is the last time you will ever get to see this Girl Power, the five Spices on the stage as one." Still, she added the requisite nugget of wisdom: "You can never say never." ...

The Smashing Pumpkins have dished up an unreleased track, "SuperChrist," for a limited-edition CD that will be made available March 1 at Guitar Center locations, according to Billboard.com. The compilation disc, which doesn't have a name, was curated by Billy Corgan and the gang — they picked acts that feature Guitar Center employees based on submissions from them. "SuperChrist" was a leftover track from the Pumpkins' 2007 album, Zeitgist, and the band has previously played it on tour. An accompanying video will premiere February 27 on MySpace. ... Guitar Center has another limited-edition goody too: a Roland RZA/Forat Custom MV8800 machine designed by the RZA and electronic trailblazer Bruce Forat. The hand-painted device features original artwork by the two, including allusions to the Wu-Tang Clan's recent 8 Diagrams LP. If you're interested in getting one, though, you'll have to throw down big bucks and act fast when they go on sale February 28: Only eight machines are being made available, and they cost a pricey $5,999 apiece. ...

Christina Aguilera has "never had more respect for the female body," the new mom told People for its new issue, which hits newsstands Friday. She added of her C-section to deliver her 4-week-old son, Max: "The hardest part was deciding on his birthday. I wanted to leave it up to fate, but at the same time I was ready to be done early!" The singer, who shared photos of her baby with the magazine, said she intends to start recording in her home studio this month. As for what she and husband Jordan Bratman have been spinning lately, she revealed: "Yesterday we had Led Zeppelin blaring through the house. Most new moms play Beethoven, but we're playing Metallica, Bob Marley, the Stones." ...

An interview with Michelle Williams in which she addressed her breakup with Heath Ledger, who died from an accidental drug overdose late last month, has just been published. "Obviously so much has changed for me in the last few months that I don't really have an idea of what my life is going to be," Williams told the U.K.'s Wonderland Magazine for what is said to be her last interview before the actor's death. "I thought I knew certain things and it turned out that I didn't, so I don't really try and anticipate so much anymore. I'm not making any bets on the future." ...

Chris Rock has been confirmed to appear the 2008 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, taking place June 12-15 in Manchester, Tennessee. He's just one of more than a dozen comedians set to perform at the fest — a list that also includes David Cross and Janeane Garofolo — but he's the only one that'll do his work from Bonnaroo's main stage (the same stage Kanye West, Pearl Jam and Metallica will appear on) in front of 80,000 somewhat-dazed-and-confused festival-goers. ...

Madonna premiered her directorial debut Wednesday at the Berlin Film Festival, but she said the flick didn't come without a "struggle." Madge and members of the "Filth and Wisdom" cast also held a press conference, during which she said, "One of the themes that I explore in the film is struggle, and if I look back to the beginning of my career, I can recall those moments of struggle like it was yesterday. There are aspects of [the characters'] struggle that I could relate to completely, and I could access that memory and put it into the story." ...

Moby is building anticipation for his upcoming album, Last Night, with an exclusive downloadable preview mix at RCRDLBL.com. Last Night, meanwhile, is due April 1. ... As it turns out, Moby has something in common with Norah Jones, Lou Reed, David Byrne and Scissor Sisters: a mutual distaste for the Iraq war. The musicians will come together March 18 — the fifth anniversary of the Iraq invasion — in New York for "Speak Up!: A Benefit Concert for Peace in Iraq & Justice at Home." The event will take place at St. Ann's Warehouse in Brooklyn. ...

Broken Social Scene have lumped more dates onto their upcoming world tour, Pitchfork reports. In addition to Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Singapore, the band will also hit Taiwan, Mexico, Turkey, Luxembourg, Russia, the U.K., France, and the U.S. ... Battles are gearing up for some road action too: The band, adored by indie-philes, will play Bonnaroo June 12, after which it will swing through Washington, D.C., two days later, and then Philadelphia the day after that. ... Kristin Hersh, Cornershop's Anthony Saffery, Dirty Vegas' Steve Smith and others have concocted heartfelt covers of songs made famous by Joe Cocker, Bill Withers and others in time for Valentine's Day. Expansion Team Records just released Souvenirs, which contains the tracks, in CD and digital form. ...

Clear Channel Broadcasting — the media giant that owns the radio station that promoted the fatal Great White show in 2003 at the Station club in West Warwick, Rhode Island — agreed Wednesday to pay $22 million for more than 100 claims stemming from the fire that claimed 100 lives. According to The Boston Globe, the settlement is linked to Clear Channel's WHJY-FM, which ran ads for the show, where station DJ Michael Gonsalves was killed after introducing the band onstage. "We continue to be deeply saddened by the tremendous harm suffered by the victims, their families and the community as a result of this tragic fire," Andy Levin, chief legal officer of Clear Channel Communications, said in a written statement. "While Clear Channel had no role in causing or contributing to this fire, we are pleased to resolve these claims and, hopefully, contribute in some way to a sense of resolution for the affected victims and their families." The settlement comes on the heels of a $30 million tentative agreement reached three weeks ago with Rhode Island TV station WPRI-TV, whose photographer was accused of standing in the way of patrons attempting to escape the burning building. ...

Three people were arrested at Sunday's Grammy Awards on suspicion of using stolen passes to get access to the show. According to The Associated Press, Sebastian Bonner, 20, was arrested after he tried to enter the event at Los Angeles' Staples Center using one of nine stolen all-access passes. Courtney Mitchell, 30, and Pamela Clay, 44, were found with someone else's event ID card and arrested on suspicion of receiving stolen property. Police believe the motive was a desire to see celebrities. "We eliminated that this wasn't something more serious than some people who wanted to see the Grammys who are star-struck," Commander Andrew Smith said. Police believe someone on the inside sold the IDs to friends and acquaintances. ... On Tuesday, Oklahoma State University forwarded a list of 11 student names to the Recording Industry Association of America, in compliance with a court order in the RIAA lawsuit accusing the students of unlawfully downloading copyrighted recordings using school servers. The students had filed a motion to quash their subpoenas, but the judge denied it and ordered the school to turn over their names. Wired.com reported that the move by OSU was the latest incidence of a university complying with the RIAA's newest tactic in combating illegal file-sharing.

• Alicia Keys
• Britney Spears
• Eddie Vedder
• Bono
• U2

Bruce Springsteen's <i>Magic</i>
Photo: Sony

Last week, Kid Rock usurped Bruce Springsteen as the nation's best-selling recording artist. The Kid outsold Springsteen by nearly 40,000 copies to take control of the Billboard throne, thus relegating the pride of the Garden State to second-best status. But Springsteen has bounced back to remind everyone why they call him "The Boss."

It isn't by a big margin — approximately 250 records — but Springsteen will reclaim the album chart's coveted top spot next week, returning Magic, his 15th studio LP and first with the E Street Band since 2002's The Rising, to #1 for the second time in three weeks (it certainly doesn't hurt that the Boss and his band are on tour). Overall, it was a relatively anemic week for album sales, what with Springsteen's latest selling just under 77,300 units. Not since Daughtry's self-titled debut topped the chart back in January, with 65,400 scans, has an album sold so few and finished at #1.

According to the latest SoundScan totals, Kid Rock's Rock N Roll Jesus will take second place on next week's chart, having sold 77,000 copies during its second week of commercial release. The album suffered a 55-percent sales dip, compared to the sales it had generated the previous week. Following Rock at #3 is Rascal Flatts' Still Feels Good, with 70,500 sold, while Josh Groban's Noël climbs six spots to #4, thanks to 63,800 scans.

Only two new releases will sneak into next week's top 10, the first being Jimmy Eat World's Chase This Light, which bows at #5 with 62,300 copies sold. The other is Santana's Ultimate Santana, which opens at #8 with reported sales of 56,500. The rest of the top 10 is full of familiar faces: Reba McEntire's Reba: Duets at #6 (59,000 copies sold); the "High School Musical 2" soundtrack at #7 (57,200); Kanye West's Graduation at #9 (53,600); and at #10, Colbie Caillat's Coco (49,600).

All told, there are 13 newcomers to next week's albums chart. After Jimmy Eat World and Santana, the highest-charting among them is R&B artist Angie Stone, whose The Art of Love and War generated sales of more than 44,600, entering the Billboard 200 at #11. Further down the chart, opening at #24 with 27,800 units snatched up, is the latest from Thrice, The Alchemy Index Vols. I and II, the first installments in the band's conceptual four-disc EP project. Coming in at #39 is self-proclaimed "Big Dog" Toby Keith and his A Classic Christmas LP; the disc sold 18,100 copies during its first week in stores.

R.E.M.'s R.E.M. Live follows at #72 with week-one sales of 11,500, while Michael W. Smith's It's a Wonderful Christmas bows at #78, with 10,600 scans. Gov't Mule's Mighty High enters the chart at #106 with 6,900 copies sold, while Kenna's Make Sure They See My Face debuts at #124, with sales of 5,800. Underworld return to the chart at #169, selling nearly 4,300 copies of its latest, Oblivion With Bells, immediately followed at #170 by Tiësto's In Search of Sunrise 6: Ibiza, which sold 4,200 units. Jimi Hendrix's Live at Monterey takes the #171 spot, with 4,190 scans, and the late Luther Vandross' four-disc box set, Love Luther, opens at #191, selling 4,000 copies.

• Jimmy Eat World Make A Comeback, Bruce Springsteen Tops The Charts

• Bruce Springsteen
• Kid Rock
• Jimmy Eat World
• Kanye West
• Matchbox Twenty

Jimmy Eat World's <i>Chase the Light</i>
Photo: Tiny Evil Records

Twelve years ago, Louis Farrakhan's Million Man March descended on Washington D.C., in an effort to promote activism, volunteerism and voting among black men. This week, on a completely unrelated subject, many fewer new albums are hitting stores — perhaps in anticipation of October 23, which is shaping up to be an especially prolific Tuesday for new releases.

But just because there aren't a million new albums coming out, that hardly means we haven't found any to talk about this week. In fact, this week's lot of contenders, disparate as they might be, actually tie in quite nicely with each other.

Let's start with Jimmy Eat World, who are banking on their new single, "Big Casino," to mean big things for their new album, Chase This Light — the alt-rock vets went so far as to craft their album-release party as a faux casino night on Monday in Los Angeles. The band's last LP, 2004's Futures, went gold, as a matter of fact, so that could be a good sign of what's to come. Fans might want to pick up the iTunes version of the new disc, as it comes with two bonus tracks, although Insound and Smartpunk are offering a third tune as an extra.

While JEW are appearing at select outlets, two big-name artists are getting even more exclusive by putting out their new releases in just one store each. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' hefty "Runnin' Down a Dream" box set — loaded with three DVDs and a CD — is coming out via Best Buy only. It features Peter Bogdanovich's documentary, a soundtrack CD to the flick, a 30th anniversary concert, interviews with Eddie Vedder and Johnny Depp, and more.

KT Tunstall's new set isn't nearly as big as Petty's, but it's just as exclusive — you'll only find NBC Sounds of the Season: The KT Tunstall Holiday Collection at Target. The short CD, which costs $6.99, features six yuletide jingles: "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)," "Sleigh Ride," "Mele Halihimaha (Christmas in Hawaii)," "Fairytale of New York," "2000 Miles" and "Lonely This Christmas." Elliott Yamin and Taylor Swift, who are also part of the NBC series this year, are getting similar releases this week.

The flood of Christmas releases continues with what might be the biggest release in the genre this year: Disney Channel Holiday. The disc features various artists — some girl named Miley; "High School Musical" pint-size powerhouses Ashley Tisdale, Corbin Bleu and Monique Coleman; red-hot squads the Cheetah Girls and Jonas Brothers; Aly & AJ and more. The only artist who might have bigger holiday-release hopes is Toby Keith, although fans are going to have to throw down a few extra bucks for his two-CD A Classic Christmas. The country megastar's first holiday release in 12 years is divvied into contemporary and spiritual standards. Last but not least, Jars of Clay have finally molded their first Christmas album ever, if you can believe it. "O Little Town of Bethlehem," "Wonderful Christmastime" and "Hibernation Day" are among their Christmas Songs.

Speaking of surprising career firsts, R.E.M. have finally roused themselves to make a concert CD for the first time in their 27 years. The simply titled Live immortalizes their concert at the Point Theatre in Dublin, Ireland, on February 27, 2005, in all its glory — the package has two CDs and one DVD, although the price tag is still likely to be relatively low compared to similar releases. Don't miss rare performances of "I Took Your Name" from 1994's Monster and "Ascent of Man" from 2004's Around the Sun, as well as the previously unissued "I'm Gonna DJ."

While R.E.M. mix the old in with the new on their concert package, Carlos Santana also made sure to keep his Ultimate Santana collection fresh. The collaboration-addicted guitar icon slaps three new ones onto the disc: Jennifer Lopez and Baby Bash join him on "This Baby's Fire," while Nickelback's Chad Kroeger croons on "Into the Night" and Tina Turner tags along for a reworking of "The Game of Love." ...

For her part, Angie Stone jammed with soul legends Betty Wright and James Ingram for two tracks — "Baby" and "My People," respectively — on her new LP, The Art of Love & War. Those partnerships are fitting, given that the album is dropping on the recently reactivated seminal soul label Stax. Stone wrote and co-produced most of the effort, which she actually recorded at Marvin Gaye's old Marvin's Room studio on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. In other soul news, Quannum has dug up the never-before-released first album by Chicago's Pieces of Peace, who disbanded in the late '70s. The group's self-titled album showcases its unique spiritual jazz-funk sound.

Ethiopian-born American newcomer Kenna dabbles in soul a little on his second outing, Make Sure They See My Face, which has been delayed numerous times. The 29-year-old artist — who climbed Mount Kilimanjaro after putting out his first album, New Sacred Cow, in 2003 — worked with the Neptunes on Face, which comes with a free ringtone and mobile-phone wallpaper. Tracks include "Daylight," "Phantom Always" and the first single, "Out of Control (State of Emotion)," which Mark Ronson debuted on his online East Village Radio show, "Authentic Sh--."

While Ronson's preview might have stirred things up for Kenna online, Thrice went whole hog by streaming their entire new album, The Alchemy Index: Vols. I & II: Fire & Water, on their MySpace page prior to the album's release. The conceptual project — overly conceptual, some say — revolves around the band separating its sound into distinct elements (or "elements," like fire, water, etc. — get it?). Still, the band also introduced new electronic sounds into its blend, especially with "Water," the second element (each of the four elements is supposed to act as an "EP," but they're being compiled as two CDs). In case that isn't elaborate enough, singer Dustin Kensrue went so far as to compose an original sonnet — organized in the traditional English structure and rhythmic fashion — for each element. Someone let us know when there's a CliffsNotes version available.

Song Title of the Week:

"Man With the Shovel, Is the Man I'm Going to Marry" from To Kill a Petty Bourgeoisie's The Patron

Album Cover of the Week:

Underworld's Oblivion With Bells

Other Notables:

Maritime's Heresy and the Hotel Chair
The Milwaukee band, which formed from the remnants of post-rock heroes the Promise Ring and Dismemberment Plan, has put out a pair of albums since they were born in 2003. But drummer Dan Didier said in a recent statement that the group's new one is "the first time it actually feels like we are a band. Before, members came and went and it never seemed to be a cohesive unit, but, for this record the four of us all started at square one together so the songs reflect all four of us." The album features "Guns of Navarone" — named after the same-titled 1961 movie — "With Holes for Thumb Sized Birds" and "Aren't We All Found Out."

Jessica Vale's Brand New Disease
Want to get inspired? Why not take a trip to the Balkan Peninsula? The alt-rock singer/songwriter focuses on her journey abroad on a new ballad, "Night in Sarajevo," but she also draws on her local New York environs heavily throughout her second disc. "The base sound level in New York is significantly higher than anywhere else in the world, 90 decibels to be exact, so it takes much more intense music to feel like one of making a statement," she said in an, uh, statement.

Various artists' Eyeball Awareness Vol. 1
Underground acts are coming together for a good cause this week, with the Number 12 Looks Like You, Baumer, New Atlantic and others pitching in for the first volume in a four-part series. The Eyeball campaign, which is being unveiled at the CMJ Music Marathon, is being staged to support "To Write Love on Her Arms," a nonprofit movement dedicated to finding hope and help young people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide.

New Releases:

· 9th Wonder - Wonder Years (Asylum)
· Admiral Twin - The Center of the Universe (Pop Collective)
· Cecilia Bartoli - Maria (deluxe-hardcover edition due same day; Decca)
· The Blakes - The Blakes (Light in the Attic)
· The Busy Signals - The Busy Signals (Dirtnap)
· Canadians - A Sky With No Stars (Ghost)
· The Capstan Shafts - Environ Maiden (Rainbow Quartz)
· Champion Kickboxer - Perforations (54-40 or Fight!)
· Stanley Clarke - The Toys of Men (Heads Up)
· Ryan Cohan - One Sky (Motema)
· Ben Forrest Davis - Roughs (Bird Song)
· Dooley-O - The Basement Tapes (Sound of Dissent)
· Fatal Flying Guillotines - Quantum F---ing (French Kiss)
· Ghastly City Sleep - Ghastly City Sleep (Robotic Empire)
· Gov't Mule - Mighty High (ATO)
· The Izzys - The Violent Bear It Away (Fat Man)
· Jars of Clay - Christmas Songs (Gray Matters)
· Jimmy Eat World - Chase This Light (Interscope) [Buy Now]
· Jeru the Damaga - Still Rising (Ashenafi)
· Toby Keith - A Classic Christmas (two CDs; Show Dog Nashville)
· Kenna - Make Sure They See My Face (Star Trak/ Interscope) [Buy Now]
· Amy London - When I Look in Your Eyes (Motema)
· The Makes Nice - This Time Tomorrow (Frenetic)
· Eric Marienthal - Just Around the Corner (Peak)
· Maritime - Heresy and the Hotel Chair (Flameshovel)
· Moros Eros - Jealous Me Was Killed by Curiosity (Victory)
· Carlos Niño & Gaby Hernandez - La Voz Sabia De Los Cosmos (Alpha Pup)
· The Octopus Project - Hello, Avalanche (Peek-a-Boo)
· PJ Olsson - American Scream (CBS)
· Pieces of Peace - Pieces of Peace (Quannum)
· R.E.M. - Live (two CDs and one DVD; Warner Bros.) [Buy Now]
· Rob-O - Rhyme Pro (Sound of Dissent)
· Nate Schierman - Risk (Dummy Boy)
· Michael W. Smith - It's a Wonderful Christmas (Reunion)
· Snmnmnm - Crawl Inside Your Head (Unschooled)
· Soulsavers - It's Not How Hard You Fall, It's the Way You Land (Red Ink)
· Southeast Engine - A Wheel Within a Wheel (Misra)
· Steel Train - Trampoline (Drive-Thru) [Buy Now]
· Angie Stone - The Art of Love & War (Stax) [Buy Now]
· Taylor Swift - NBC Sounds of the Season: The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection (available exclusively at Target; Capitol)
· Take 6 - Greatest Hits (Rhino)
· Thrice - The Alchemy Index: Vols. I & II: Fire & Water (Vagrant) [Buy Now]
· Tierra - Greatest Love Songs (two CDs; Thump)
· Tiësto - In Search of Sunrise 6: Ibiza (two CDs; Black Hole)
· To Kill a Petty Bourgeoisie - The Patron (Kranky)
· KT Tunstall - NBC Sounds of the Season: The KT Tunstall Holiday Collection (available exclusively at Target; Capitol)
· Umphrey's McGee - Live at the Murat (two CDs; Sci Fidelity)
· Underworld - Oblivion With Bells (ATO) [Buy Now]
Read: "Underworld Release New 'Physical' Album Along With Internet Offerings"
· Jessica Vale - Brand New Disease (Explicit)
· Dan Wilson - Free Life (American)
· Elliott Yamin - NBC Sounds of the Season: The Elliott Yamin Holiday Collection (available exclusively at Target; Capitol)
· Various artists - Disney Channel Holiday (Disney)
· Various artists - The Cake Sale (Yep Roc)

Notable Reissues and Archival Material:

· Gerald Albright - The Very Best of Gerald Albright (Rhino)
· Blue October - Foiled for the Last Time (two CDs; enhanced; Universal) [Buy Now]
· Tevin Campbell - The Best of Tevin Campbell (Rhino)
· The Casualties - The Early Years: 1990-1995 (Punkcore) [Buy Now]
· Charlie Cruz - The Best of Charlie Cruz (La Calle)
· Deee-Lite - The Very Best of Deee-Lite (Rhino) [Buy Now]
· Aretha Franklin - Rare & Unreleased Recordings From the Golden Era of the Queen of Soul (two CDs; Rhino)
· The Fray - Reason EP (Epic) [Buy Now]
· The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Live at Monterey (Experience Hendrix)
· Hinder - Extreme Behavior (with DVD; Republic) [Buy Now]
· Miki Howard - The Very Best of Miki Howard (Rhino)
· Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette - Live at Montreux (two CDs; ECM)
· Stacy Lattisaw - The Very Best of Stacy Lattisaw (Rhino)
· Bob Marley and the Wailers - Another Dance: Rarities From Studio 1 (Heartbeat)
· Mass Production - Firecrackers: The Best of Mass Production (Rhino)
· John Mayall - Live From Austin TX (New West)
· Meriwether - Make Your Move (Geffen)
· Midnight String Quartet - Rhapsodies for Young Lovers (Varèse Sarabande)
· Pylon - Gyrate (DFA)
· Patrice Rushen - Haven't You Heard: The Best of Patrice Rushen (Rhino)
· Santana - Ultimate Santana (Arista) [Buy Now]
· Luther Vandross - Love, Luther (four-CD box set; Epic) [Buy Now]
· Grover Washington Jr. - Anthology of Grover Washington Jr. (Rhino)
· Zapp & Roger - All the Greatest Hits (Rhino)
· Various artists - City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music (Rounder)
· Various artists - Creation Rebel: Trojan Re-Mixed, Re-Visioned, Re-Versioned (Trojan)
· Various artists - Home for Christmas: Voices From the Heartland (Rounder)
· Various artists - Summer Records Anthology 1974-1988 (Light in the Attic)

Music DVDs:

· AC/DC - "Plug Me In" (two-DVD box set; limited-edition version with three DVDs also available; Epic)
· Foreigner - "Alive & Rockin' " (Eagle Vision)
· The Jimi Hendrix Experience - "Live at Monterey" (Experience Hendrix)
· John Mayall - "Live From Austin TX" (New West)
· Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - "Runnin' Down a Dream" (box set with three DVDs and one CD; exclusively at Best Buy)
· Dar Williams - "Live at Bearsville Theater" (Razor & Tie)

Digital Releases:

· Rhythm King and Her Friends - The Front of Luxury (Kitty-Yo)
· Various artists - Eyeball Awareness Vol. 1 (Eyeball)

Coming Attractions:

October 23:
· Seether - Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces (Wind-Up) [Preorder]
Read: "Seether Frontman Won't Respond To Amy Lee's Attack: 'I Just Refuse To Lower Myself To That Level' "
· Serj Tankian - Elect the Dead (Serjical Strike/ Reprise) [Preorder]
Read: "System Of A Down Frontman Serj Tankian On Intimate Solo LP: 'I Believe In It' "
· Carrie Underwood - Carnival Ride (Arista)

October 30:
· Avenged Sevenfold - Avenged Sevenfold (MVI also available; Warner Bros.) [Preorder]
· Backstreet Boys - Unbreakable (deluxe digipak also available; Jive) [Preorder]
· Mario - Go (J) [Preorder]
Read: "Mario Gets Back To Making Music With Akon, Timbaland, Neptunes"

November 6:
· Angels & Airwaves - I-Empire (Geffen) [Preorder]
Read: "Angels & Airwaves' Revolution Has Begun — Just Wait 29 Years, Tom DeLonge Insists"
· Chris Brown - Exclusive (deluxe edition comes with DVD; Jive) [Preorder]
Read: "Pharrell, Will.I.Am Joining Chris Brown's Exclusive Club"
· Jay-Z - American Gangster (Roc-A-Fella) [Preorder]
Read: "Jay-Z's American Gangster: A Guided Tour By Jigga, Jermaine Dupri, Pharrell And Others"

• Jimmy Eat World
• KT Tunstall
• Kenna
• R.E.M.
• Thrice

Britney Spears
Photo: Hot Shots Worldwide / Splash News/ Newscom

Looks like there's finally some good news for Britney Spears. The singer has been passing her court-ordered random drug tests and has a 50/50 chance of regaining custody of her children, her lawyer Sorrell Trope told People. Also, while Spears has lots of court dates to keep track of these days, she has one less for her calendar this week — her arraignment on misdemeanor driving charges (for hit and run, causing property damage and driving without a valid California license). Though her arraignment was scheduled for Wednesday, a Los Angeles judge decided Tuesday (October 9) that Spears could have until October 25 to enter a plea. The judge also ordered the singer to be booked by police and show proof of that booking by her arraignment, according to a court clerk. Spears' next hearing in her custody case will be the following day, on October 26. ...

Kiefer Sutherland will serve 30 days in Los Angeles County Jail as part of a plea deal in his DUI arrest, The Associated Press reports. He must also enroll in an 18-month alcohol-education class and go to weekly alcohol-therapy sessions for six months. On Tuesday, Sutherland's attorney Blair Berk entered a no-contest plea on the actor's behalf for driving with a blood-alcohol level over the legal limit, though a second misdemeanor DUI charge was dropped. The actor was most recently arrested for driving under the influence in Los Angeles in September — he was already on probation for a DUI arrest stemming from 2004. He will be sentenced December 21. ...

Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé, Linkin Park and — yes, you're reading this right — Daughtry are tied for the most American Music Awards nominations this year, it was announced Tuesday. Each artist earned three nods for various categories. In terms of pop/rock, Akon, Timbaland and Timberlake are facing off for Favorite Male Artist; Beyoncé, Fergie and Avril Lavigne are vying for Favorite Female Artist; Linkin Park, Maroon 5 and Nickelback are competing for Favorite Band, Duo or Group; and Daughtry, LP's Minutes to Midnight and JT's FutureSex/LoveSounds are going head to head for Favorite Album. As for rap/hip-hop, Fabolous, T.I. and Young Jeezy are vying for Favorite Male Artist; Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Pretty Ricky and Shop Boyz for Favorite Band, Duo or Group; and Bone Thugs' Strength & Loyalty, T.I.'s T.I. vs. T.I.P. and Jeezy's The Inspiration for Favorite Album. And on the soul/R&B front, Akon, Ne-Yo and T-Pain are up for Favorite Male Artist; Beyoncé, Fantasia and Rihanna are squaring off for Favorite Female Artist; Beyoncé's B'Day, R. Kelly's Double Up and JT's FutureSex/LoveSounds have been nominated for Favorite Album. There are also Favorite Artist categories for adult-contemporary music (Daughtry, Norah Jones and John Mayer); alternative rock (Linkin Park, My Chemical Romance and the White Stripes) and Latin music (Daddy Yankee, Juan Luis Guerra y 440 and Jennifer Lopez). Daughtry, Plain White T's and Robin Thicke have been noticed for Favorite Breakthrough Artist, while Carrie Underwood landed two country-music noms: for Favorite Female Artist and Favorite Album (Some Hearts). For the first time, the AMAs are opening up voting to the general public online — it began Tuesday on the AMA site and ends November 2. The show, to be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, will be broadcast live at Los Angeles' Nokia Theatre on November 18 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC. ...

John Graziano, the young Marine who was injured in Nick Hogan's car crash in late August, is on life support and will require lifelong care, Florida's St. Petersburg Times reports. According to documents obtained by the newspaper, the 22-year-old Graziano will, at best, be able to open and close his eyes from time to time. His mother is petitioning a judge to let her assume guardianship of her son, who remains in critical condition. A hearing will be held Wednesday. ...

Rehab was a "sobering" experience for Lindsay Lohan, she told In Touch in her first interview since leaving Utah's Cirque Lodge Treatment Center on Friday. The actress also insisted that while she went to the clubs right after finishing a rehab stint in July, she's not going to be rekindling her nightlife anytime soon — to avoid distractions, she'll be staying in Utah until she starts shooting the upcoming flick "Dare to Love Me." "Going out all the time was very self-destructive," she said. "Partying and having all of those pictures taken distracts from the work that I do. It's not why I started acting. I didn't get into acting to be written about. ... I want to act like a woman rather than a teenager. I am doing the best I can." Lohan also opened up about seeing her estranged father for the first time in more than three years, while at Cirque Lodge. "It was really good for me ... it was really important for me to get a connection back with my dad, because I hadn't had that in a while." And if you heard those rumors about Lohan developing a relationship with a man while in rehab ... well, apparently they were true. "Yes, I am seeing someone," she confirmed. "His name is Riley. I am really happy and taking it day by day." The Riley in question is Riley Giles, a 25-year-old snowboarder from California. Last but not least, just as Paris Hilton said she was committing herself to philanthropic efforts after her own debacle, Lohan revealed that she's trying to put together a December trip to Africa with the Red Cross. ...

"Hannah Montana" fans will want to change the channel from Disney to ABC on Tuesday night when Miley Cyrus breaks out a new duet with her father, Billy Ray, on "Dancing With the Stars." The two will perform "Ready, Set, Don't Go" on the results show, with the single hitting country-radio stations immediately afterward. ... What do Diddy, Panic! at the Disco's Ryan Ross and Fred Durst have in common? They've all earned the less-than-distinguished honor of being selected for Blender's "The 40 Worst Lyricists in Rock" list. Will.I.Am, Billy Corgan, Anthony Kiedis, Common, Dashboard Confessional, Timbaland and, of course, Kevin Federline, also make the (F) grade, with Sting landing in the #1 spot. The list appears in the magazine's November issue, which streets October 16. ... Kid Rock commented to Dave Letterman about his ex-wife Pamela Anderson's recent remarriage — she got hitched to Rick Salomon in Las Vegas over the weekend. After making a salty remark about the couple on "The Late Show With David Letterman," he quipped, "I wish them much happiness." ...

Wyclef Jean seems to be the go-to guy for special causes these days. After playing at "CGI and MTV Present: Giving - Live at the Apollo" late last month, he's now been tapped for another special performance, at supermodel Petra Nêmcová's upcoming Heart of Gold Ball benefit auction. The event, to take place Wednesday at Cipriani Wall Street in New York, will have various sports, travel and event packages up for auction. All proceeds will go to Nêmcová's Happy Hearts Fund, which supports education and medical and emotional support for children affected by natural disasters. ... Say what you will about those rumors of Britney Spears putting in an application for a fall-back bartending gig while staying at the Viceroy Hotel in Santa Monica, California, last week. The manager at the hotel's Cameo Bar tells MTV News that while Spears has been there in the past, anyone applying has to have one to two years of fine-dining experience and must pass a drug test. The manager didn't confirm whether Spears had in fact submitted an application. ...

Avenged Sevenfold will play a free gig at the Key Club in West Hollywood, California, on October 20. The set will be taped for later broadcast on MySpace's "The List." Want in? No problem. Just show up in your Halloween costume and get there early — entry to the show will be on a first-come, first-served basis. ... Jimmy Eat World are going all in with their new single "Big Casino," fashioning their Chase This Light album-release party after the gambling concept. On Monday, the band will turn Los Angeles' El Rey Theatre into a faux casino, with fans able to play poker, blackjack, craps and other games for prizes — a flyaway to see the band perform in another city, JEW merchandise, El Rey tickets and more. The band will end the evening with an intimate set as Chase This Light drops at midnight. Entrants will get gambling money and a commemorative poster. ...

Causes, a charity album benefiting three organizations working to stop the genocide in Darfur, will be released on iTunes on November 27 and feature exclusive and rare tracks from Bloc Party, the Shins, Bright Eyes, Animal Collective, the Cure, Death Cab for Cutie, the (International) Noise Conspiracy, Travis and Spoon. All proceeds will go to Doctors Without Borders, Human Rights Watch and Oxfam America. The album will only be available on iTunes for 90 days, though a limited-edition CD can be ordered right here. ... Queens of the Stone Age are booked for "The Late Show With David Letterman" on Wednesday and are expected to perform their latest single, "3's & 7's." ...

R.E.M. are teeing up a new album for the spring, and what better place to reveal some of it than on ... CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360"? On Wednesday, Michael Stipe and company will perform "Until the Day Is Done," which will be synced up to clips of CNN's "Planet in Peril" environmental documentary. The song will also play over the doc's closing credits and appear on the band's yet-untitled spring LP. R.E.M. Live, a CD/DVD that stands as the band's first concert release, is due October 16. ... Hot Rod Circuit have called it a day. The band issued a statement about the split but didn't offer a reason for it. The boys thanked their fans for supporting them and said they'll miss playing live gigs. ... Senator Hillary Clinton's 60th birthday bash has just gotten a little bit sweeter: Elvis Costello will perform at the Thursday concert, to be held at New York's Beacon Theatre. Tickets range from $250-$2,300 for the bash, for which 2,800 people are expected to attend. Let's hope Costello isn't planning to jump out of a cake. ...

Capitol/Priority is putting some shine on classic rap material with a pair of releases from the vault. N.W.A's Straight Outta Compton is getting the 20th-anniversary treatment via a bonus-track-laden reissue due December 4. The set will feature five extras: a live version of "Compton's N the House" performed by Dr. Dre and MC Ren, and covers of Compton tracks by Snoop Dogg and C-Murder, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Mack-10 and WC. Also on the way is the label's Featuring ... Eazy-E, which pulls together his top collaborations and hard-to-find solo recordings. Four out-of-print tracks are getting new life on the disc, including his "Beverly Hills Cop III" soundtrack contribution, "Luv 4 Dem Gangsta'z," and a rare "We Want Eazy" remix. That disc hits stores December 4 too. ...

Jammie Thomas, the woman who was hit last week with the first-ever copyright infringement jury verdict, said she plans to appeal the $220,000 fine. She announced the decision on her MySpace page, explaining that her lawyer's appeal will take issue with the jury's decision that making songs available online violates copyright laws. "This would stop the RIAA dead in their tracks," she wrote. "Every single suit they have brought has been based on this making-available theory, and if we can win this appeal, they would actually have to prove a file was shared." At press time, Thomas announced that more than $3,800 had been raised so far on FreeJammie.com. ... TiVo has announced that it will offer users of its set-top boxes access to Rhapsody's library of more than 4 million songs. (Rhapsody is part of a joint venture with Viacom Inc., MTV's parent company.) TiVo subscribers with broadband boxes will be able to listen to music streamed over the Internet from Rhapsody in the coming months, though they won't be able to download songs through their TiVo box.

08.08.07

Mariah Carey has a suggestion for troubled young female celebs: Find your center. When asked by Glamour what words of advice she would give Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears, she replied, "I wouldn't want to speak to those people specifically, but I would say you need to be very centered, and spiritually know where you're at, all the time. Don't read the tabloids. Don't be obsessed with what people are writing or saying. Live your life for you. My lifestyle has changed since making it. It's not a financial struggle, but I'm still struggling in a lot of ways." Carey graces the cover of the magazine's November issue. ...

Diddy has had a tumultuous few days — first he was sued by a former associate who claimed the hip-hop mogul owes him $19 million for work by the Notorious B.I.G., and then he accepted legal responsibility for his sixth child, The Associated Press reports. In the suit, James Sabatino claims he flew the late rapper to Miami in 1994 to play a gig and hit the studio — he recorded a 17-minute freestyle session, and 90 minutes of Biggie video was allegedly captured on video as well. Since Sabatino paid for the travel expenses and studio time, he says it was understood that the music and video belonged to him, even though a contract was never signed. Diddy claims the delay was due to Los Angeles police naming Sabatino as a person of interest in Biggie's death and that it might be misconstrued if people discovered Bad Boy had paid Sabatino. The ex-associate was later imprisoned on unrelated charges but continued trying to get the money from Diddy and was told it would be coming soon, the suit alleges. Sabatino is seeking $19 million for actual and punitive damages. While that dilemma recently emerged, Diddy put another one to rest when he took legal responsibility for his 15-month-old daughter, Chance — who is said to have factored into his split with ex-girlfriend Kim Porter. Diddy previously denied he had fathered the child of an Atlanta woman, Sarah Chapman, but has acknowledged that DNA tests have confirmed that he is the father. Diddy has arranged support terms and visitation over his daughter with Chapman. ...

Trent Reznor is a free man. According to a post on Nine Inch Nails' Web site, he and his band have fulfilled their contractual obligations to Interscope. "I've waited a long time to be able to make the following announcement: As of right now, Nine Inch Nails is a totally free agent, free of any recording contract with any label," he said in the post. "I have been under recording contracts for 18 years and have watched the business radically mutate from one thing to something inherently very different and it gives me great pleasure to be able to finally have a direct relationship with the audience as I see fit and appropriate. Look for some announcements in the near future regarding 2008. Exciting times, indeed." NIN were signed to TVT prior to joining Interscope in 1994. ...

Beanie Sigel's attorney says the rapper will surrender to authorities next week after an arrest warrant was issued for his failure to return a rented car, AP reports. Sigel (real name: Dwight Grant) is planning to face the charges on October 15, Fortunado Perri told the news service, elaborating that the Payless rental car — which was due back in August and reported stolen September 6 — is being covered. "Whatever money is owed to the company has been paid or will be paid shortly," Perri added. The car was returned to Payless on Friday as detectives were on their way to arrest Sigel at his home in the Philadelphia suburb of Lansdale. It is not yet known who returned the vehicle, which had accumulated $5,000 in late fees. ...

Paris Hilton's alleged bean spillage during VMA weekend aside, Christina Aguilera isn't doing too good a job keeping her supposed pregnancy under wraps. "Access Hollywood" reports that Aguilera picked out a baby registry at a trendy boutique in West Hollywood, California, on Saturday night. With husband Jordan Bratman and his mother and sister in tow, the singer shopped for blankets, bottles, bags and other items for what "AH" called an "upcoming baby shower." ...

Want to live just like Ozzy and Sharon? Your chance is about to arrive. The Osbournes are planning to auction art, furniture and collectibles from their homes in Southern California and England, with a portion of proceeds going to the Sharon Osbourne Colon Cancer Foundation. Items up for sale include Jack Osbourne's black leather bedroom furniture, a cast-iron crucifix that was hung in Ozzy's den and other memorable objects that appeared on "The Osbournes." The auction will be held November 30-December at the Gibson Guitar Showroom in Beverly Hills — although bids can also be placed by phone or online — and Ozzy will also perform a related benefit show at Los Angeles' Staples Center the first night. Expect to hear plenty more from Ozzy in the near future, by the way: In addition to his upcoming tour with Rob Zombie, he'll likely be headlining Ozzfest next year, according to Billboard. When asked if he would be at the top of the bill, he said, "As far as I know." He did not say whether the fest would be free again, stipulating that it was Sharon's decision. He did, however, say he's still up for recording a new Black Sabbath album, though the band's plans are up in the air. ...

Amy Winehouse, the Arctic Monkeys, Paul McCartney and Kylie Minogue were honored at the annual Q awards on Monday (October 8). Winehouse's Back to Black earned Best Album, the Monkeys were named Best Act in the World Today, Macca was awarded as a Q Icon and Minogue landed Q Idol honors. ... Speaking of Winehouse, producer Mark Ronson tells RollingStone.com, "As soon as I finish up the Daniel Merriweather record, I am going back into the studio with Amy Winehouse to work on her new record. ... She is actually dying to go back into the studio already. ... She can't go in November because she is on tour, so we are figuring it out." Winehouse's second album, Back to Black, hit U.S. stores in March. ...

A new book claims that Bono's daughter, Jordan Hewson, was nearly kidnapped by Irish criminals as part of an abduction plot 10 years ago, according to The Irish Examiner. Author Frances Cahill, daughter of murdered crime boss Martin Cahill, says in her recently released book, "Martin Cahill, My Father," that her dad stopped the alleged plot, through which five other Irish criminals were hoping to get a multimillion-dollar ransom from the singer (the U.S. equivalent of roughly $8 million). "He told them it was a bad idea," Cahill reportedly writes in the book. "Martin had nothing against Bono's family. They had never done him any harm and he wasn't going to get involved." ...

Deftones have begun work on the follow-up to last year's Saturday Night Wrist, which took the band more than three years to record and release. According to a MySpace post from the guys, they've been working on the effort since late July and will maintain a blog to document the recording process. ... In addition to the standard CD version of their new self-titled album, Avenged Sevenfold will also be releasing a MVI version of the effort on October 30. The interactive DVD will feature a making-of featurette, a studio tour, pre-encoded MP3s of all the tracks, an animated short and more. ...

Cribs bassist Gary Jarman was hospitalized over the weekend and has been treated for blood poisoning, his publicist confirmed to MTV News. It's believed the rocker contracted the condition after accidentally cutting himself with the strings of his bass during a recent gig. He had complained of pains in his arms on Saturday but managed to make a gig in Sheffield, England, that same night. He was admitted early Sunday morning and is doing fine, according to his publicist. ... Want to get down and dirty with Moby? Stop by New York's Hiro Ballroom on Thursday night when he, Juan McClean, Stretch Armstrong and DFA artist Alex Frankel christen his new DJ series, called "Degenerates." Moby will tinker around with new material as part of the residency, which is expected to be ongoing and will encompass additional DJs. ...

Jena, Louisiana, Mayor Murphy R. McMillin is lashing out over John Mellencamp's new track "Jena," which the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-nominated rocker recently wrote and posted online (with an accompanying video) in support of the Jena Six. "The town of Jena has for months been mischaracterized in the media and portrayed as the epicenter of hatred, racism and a place where justice is denied," McMillin reportedly told AP. "However, the Mellencamp video is so inflammatory, so defamatory, that a line has been crossed and enough is enough. ... I do not want to diminish the impression that the hanging of the nooses has had on good people. I do recognize that what happened is insulting and hurtful. ... [But] to put the incident in Jena in the same league as those who were murdered in the 1960s cheapens their sacrifice and insults their memory." Prior to the mayor's reaction, Mellencamp discussed his intention behind the track via a post on his site. "The song is not written as an indictment of the people of Jena but, rather, as a condemnation of racism," he wrote. ...

Bruce Springsteen defended his anti-war stance in an interview with "60 Minutes" that aired Sunday, telling correspondent Scott Pelley that it would be "unpatriotic" not to speak out on his new album, Magic, and accompanying tour. "It's unpatriotic at any given moment to sit back and let things pass that are damaging to someplace that you love so dearly and that has given me so much," Springsteen said. "I still feel and see it as a beacon of hope and possibility. That part of America is live and well." He also sounded off on other political issues of the day, saying, "When people think of the American identity, they don't think of torture. They don't think of illegal wiretapping. They don't think of voter suppression. They don't think of no habeas corpus. No right to a lawyer ... you know. Those are things that are anti-American." ...

Not too long ago, the thought of a Police reunion tour was inconceivable. Now comes news that the rock legends, who are currently on tour in Europe, might throw together a new studio effort while they're at it. "I would see it as a challenge, to make an absolutely brilliant pop album at this stage of our career, and that would be something quite remarkable," guitarist Andy Summers told reporters in Dublin, Ireland, over the weekend, according to AP. But he added that the trio have not discussed the project in detail and that the reunion tour is "all-devouring." ...

Maybe the third time will indeed be the charm for Pamela Anderson, who married Rick Salomon — perhaps best known for making that sex tape with Paris Hilton — on Saturday in Las Vegas. Anderson wore a white denim Valentino dress, People reports, and the vows were squeezed in between the 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. shows of Hans Klok's "The Beauty of Magic," which Anderson is a part of, at the Planet Hollywood resort. It's Anderson's third marriage and Salomon's second.

• Britney Spears' Ongoing Saga: What's Next?

• Britney Spears
• Lindsay Lohan
• Justin Timberlake
• Beyoncé
• Diddy

Garbage's Butch Vig
Photo: Frank Ockenfels

Last we heard from Garbage, in the fall of 2005, the group was going on an indefinite hiatus.

Fortunately for fans, that break (see "Shirley Manson On Garbage Hiatus: 'I'm Burnt, I'm Done, I'm Toast' ") is not turning out like, say, Blink-182's "hiatus."

"We're recording a couple new songs at the end of February," drummer Butch Vig revealed recently. "I think everyone's excited about getting back in a room and playing some music together."

The new tunes will be included on a Garbage greatest-hits album the band is putting together for release later in the year. "We've been working on it for a while," Vig said. "There was originally talk about doing a B-side and remix CD as well. I'm not sure what we'll do, but we have a lot of B-sides and remixes over the years, so it would be cool to see that come out in a proper package for our hard-core fans."

Garbage have also scheduled their first live performance in more than a year, at a benefit Vig is coordinating for fellow Madison, Wisconsin, drummer Wally "Llama" Ingram (Sheryl Crow, Bonnie Raitt), who was recently diagnosed with throat cancer.

"He's going through hard-core treatment and the doctors have given him a pretty good prognosis but, like a lot of musicians and [a] lot of people in this country, he doesn't have adequate health care," Vig explained. "So I took it upon myself to rally all his friends."

The show, which will take place on January 31 at the Alex Theatre in Glendale, California, will also feature the Martinis with Joey Santiago and David Lovering of Pixies, Bonnie Raitt, Keb' Mo', Victoria Williams and other surprise guests.

"I'm encouraging all artists to play two or three songs that are in a direction that is different from what they would normally play," Vig said. "And I'm encouraging people to collaborate and do duets and come out and jam." Garbage will be performing with the Section Quartet, a string quartet known for taking on alternative-rock music. "Shirley [Manson] was pretty excited about singing with a string section, and doing something very organic," Vig said.

Ingram will be in the house and is hoping to participate in the show-closing jam. "Wally is a super upbeat guy and one of the sweetest guys in the world," Vig said. "So when I sent out a blanket e-mail, I got literally hundreds of responses. So we may do one in San Francisco and Madison as well."

Along with organizing the benefit and reuniting Garbage, Vig, who produced Nirvana's Nevermind and Smashing Pumpkins' Siamese Dream, is helming new albums for Jimmy Eat World and Florida punks Against Me!

Jimmy Eat World, who have been recording their first album in three years in Phoenix, have only three songs left to finish; they're eyeing a summer release date (see "Jimmy Eat World Teaming Up With Nirvana Producer For Next LP").

Vig said the group's new tracks, which include saxophone work from guitarist Tom Linton and a string section, are "terrific." "It's quite eclectic. There's three or four songs that sound very much like Jimmy Eat World — jagged guitars, great lyrics and [singer Jim Adkins'] emotional voice. And then there's some things that are very dreamy and spacey," Vig said. "And then there's a couple songs where we went for, like, a Fleetwood Mac-style production, late-'70s studio sound, chimey guitars and a fat drum sound."

• Garbage
• Jimmy Eat World

Jimmy Eat World
Photo: Kevin Scanlon

Jimmy Eat World are poised to hit the studio again, and this time, they're flying in the man behind such alt-rock classics as Nirvana's Nevermind, the Smashing Pumpkins' Siamese Dream and Sonic Youth's Dirty to lend a helping hand.

That's right: Butch Vig — the superproducer who made his name in the 1990s by helming sessions for a who's who of alterna-heavyweights (and then only added to his rep by co-founding Garbage) — will man the decks for the new Jimmy Eat World disc, the follow-up to their brooding 2004 effort, Futures("Jimmy Eat World Get In Touch With Their Political Side On Futures").

Vig is even venturing from his native Wisconsin to the band's home studio in Tempe, Arizona.

"We are scheduled to begin recording our new record on August 7th at our own studio in Tempe," Jimmy Eat World frontman Jim Adkins wrote in a post on the band's official site. "We will be working alongside Chris Testa as our engineer, and the legendary Butch Vig will also be alongside the band making sure we don't forget to thrash unreal!! (We are pretty sure that's Wisconsin slang for 'kicking serious ass')."

If you say so, dude. Adkins goes on to write that the band have 17 songs — with names like "Big Casino," (seemingly named after his side-project, Go Big Casino) "Firefight" and "Electable" — that they're "really happy with," and that they're kicking around a handful of exclamatory titles for the album, which, judging by their ridiculousness, we're assuming can be filed under the "tentative" category.

"So far the album titles we are considering are Rick's Big Ass Dance Party!, Fight People!, Thrash Unreal! [and] Bitch Betta Have My Money!" Adkins wrote. "Notice all the potential album titles have exclamation points. One can see we mean business."

Indeed! According to another post on the site — this one by drummer Zach Lind — Jimmy Eat World have been writing songs for the new album since early February after wrapping a tour with Green Day (see "Green Day/ Jimmy Eat World Announce Massive Tour").

A release date for the album has not yet been announced, and calls to the band's label, Interscope Records, for comment had not been returned at press time.

• Jimmy Eat World

R. Kelly (file)
Photo: Jive

R. Kelly's been ordered to fess up — a Chicago judge has ordered the R&B singer to give a deposition in a civil suit filed by a woman who claims her privacy was violated when Kelly taped them having sex without her knowledge. Tina Woods' lawyer, Susan E. Loggans, said the judge's decision was significant because Kelly had thus far avoided giving a deposition in this and other cases. Loggans said she doesn't want the deposition to take place until after Kelly's criminal trial for child-pornography charges, since his lawyer has said he'd likely take the Fifth so that he wouldn't incriminate himself in the criminal case. If the criminal trial doesn't start by this summer, Loggans said, she'd petition to have the deposition moved up sooner. ...

A defense attorney for Jesse James Hollywood is claiming the release of the movie "Alpha Dog," based on his client, could deny him the right of a fair trial, according to The Associated Press. The film, which features Justin Timberlake as a member of Hollywood's gang, will be released at the same time as the start of the trial. Hollywood is accused of plotting the kidnap and slaying of 15-year-old Nick Markowitz in August 2000 as payback for a drug debt owed to him by Markowitz's half-brother. ... With only two days to go before Live 8, the lineup for the concerts is continuing to shift. Sheryl Crow has pulled out of the Paris show, according to a post on her Web site, which cites "substantial and personal challenges" as the reason the 43-year-old singer will be unable to appear. Meanwhile, Canada's Live 8 organizers have confirmed that Darryl McDaniels (a.k.a. DMC of Run-DMC) has been added to the Barrie, Ontario, bill. ...

Lionel Richie, who was one of the principal players in Live Aid 20 years ago (and, of course, is Nicole Richie's dad), says now is "the exact time, the exact moment we can make a difference" with Live 8. Richie told MTV Radio that while he thinks putting together the simultaneous shows in several different cities will be a "huge undertaking" and a "logistical nightmare" compared to the original concerts, which only took place in Philadelphia and London, he thinks it will all be worth it if it impacts the G8 conference and the fate of the African continent. "It's pretty clear that those people have so much power, and we need to wake them up and say, 'We're letting an entire continent go straight to hell. It's not what we need to be doing.' Let's get in there and make the wise decision." ... On Wednesday, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by a former employee against James Brown, in which the woman claimed the singer raped her 17 years ago and then used threats to silence the claim. According to a Reuters report, Chicago U.S. Magistrate Sidney Schenkier ruled that the two-year statute of limitations on such a claim had expired. Accuser Jacque Hollander, 48 — who said she recently developed Graves' Disease as a result of the 1988 rape — plans to appeal the dismissal of the suit, which sought $100 million in damages. ...

Madonna's got another lawsuit on her hands. This time, she and her Maverick film company are being sued by two men, Jim McLay and Barry Kohout, who claim the Material Girl's company defaulted on a $100,000 loan. The suit was filed in Camden, New Jersey's federal court earlier this week. ... Jimmy Eat World, Local H, Ted Leo & the Pharmacists and the reunited Promise Ring are among the acts booked for Flower 15, a six-night showcase and fund-raiser scheduled for November 8-15 at Chicago's Metro club. The concerts will benefit the local charity P.L.A.Y. (Possibilities in Life: Art for Youth), and with concerts running day and night, organizers hope to raise $50,000. Tickets go on sale August 27; more information on the festival can be found at Flower15.com. ... Switchfoot have chosen "Stars" as the first single from their new album, Nothing Is Sound. The LP is due September 13. ...

Rock scribe Dave Marsh will be penning yet another Bruce Springsteen book, this time chronicling the Boss' life on the road. Wenner Books just inked a deal with Marsh for him to write "Bruce Springsteen: On Tour," which will be a full-color, illustrated, tour-by-tour history, due by fall 2006. ... Mark Romanek, Anton Corbijn, Jonathan Glazer and Stéphane Sednaoui will be the next video directors featured in "The Directors Label" DVD series, which previously spotlighted the work of Spike Jonze, Michel Gondry and Chris Cunningham. The DVDs, which will collect the best videos from each of the directors, are due September 13. ... Before joining the John Mayer Trio for some dates in the fall, Ray LaMontagne will headline a theater tour beginning Friday in Northampton, Massachusetts. The 28-date tour culminates August 17 in Atlanta. ...

06.29.05

Bo Bice's single "Inside Your Heaven"/ "Vehicle" sold 106,000 copies in its first official week on shelves, according to SoundScan, less than Carrie Underwood's first-week sales of 170,000 but more than last season's "American Idol" runner-up, Diana DeGarmo, who saw debut-week sales of 65,000 for her single. Underwood sold another 70,000 of her version of "Inside Your Heaven" last week. ...

America's favorite "Idol" reject, William Hung, has convinced America's once-favorite mullet, Billy Ray Cyrus, to appear in the video for his new single, a cover of Cyrus' "Achy Breaky Heart," according to Koch Records. In addition to the country mega-hit, Hung also tackles tracks by Randy Newman, the Beach Boys and Richard Marx on his forthcoming LP, Miracle: Happy Summer From William Hung, which is due July 12. ... Nick Carter was fined $1,200 and ordered to attend a three-month alcohol rehab program on Tuesday, following a change in his plea last week from not guilty to guilty for driving under the influence on March 5 in Huntington Beach, California. The Backstreet Boy will be on informal probation for three years and also had his driving privileges restricted for 90 days, according to the Orange County district attorney's office. Carter's spokesperson said his required fulfillment of the alcohol program will not interfere with the Backstreet Boys' current tour. ...

Pink's been hard at work for the past six months on her fourth album, and now she's nearly done, according to her manager. The singer recorded some 25 songs, seven of which were with her latest collaborator, Butch Walker, including "Long Way to Happy" and "Leave Me Alone (I'm Lonely)," which are being considered as potential singles, Walker's rep said. While Pink has plenty of songs in the can, she's still writing some more as the finished ones are being mixed. ... Along with Pink, Gwen Stefani, Velvet Revolver, Kelly Osbourne, Steven Tyler and several others are now going to have to wait until the holidays for the work they did on an all-star tsunami benefit single to be heard. "Tears in Heaven" has been pushed back for a Christmas release. December 26 is the one-year anniversary of the disaster. ...

Gwen Stefani named each one of her Harajuku Girls after the words in her album title Love, Angel, Music, Baby, and she's taking the same tack for the different shoe styles in her upcoming L.A.M.B. footwear line. "Love" shoes have a hand-stitched "L" and 18-carat gold-plated hardware (available in white or gold). "Angel" shoes have the L.A.M.B. logo hand-stitched on white and gold-foil-stamped on black (available in white or black). "Music" shoes come in both full-grain leather (if black) and soft canvas (if white), also with 18-carat gold-plated hardware. And "Baby" shoes are baby-soft, thanks to their cashmere lining (available in white or black). The shoes are currently available for preorder on shopkitson.com and will ship on July 30. ... The Recording Industry Association of America — better known to illegal downloaders everywhere as the RIAA — has just released its list of the 100 top-selling artists in the U.S. And no surprise, the Beatles top the list, with more than 168 million albums sold. Elvis Presley is second, with sales of more than 116 million records, followed by Led Zeppelin, with sales of more than 107 million albums. The top-selling female artist? Barbra Streisand, with more than 70 million albums sold. Other notables on the list: Tupac Shakur at #39 (more than 36 million records), Britney Spears at #51 (more than 31 million), Eminem at #71 (more than 25 million) and Jay-Z at #96 (more than 21 million albums sold). ...

A bunch of bands who got their start at CBGB are planning a series of benefit concerts in August in a last-ditch effort to save the 31-year-old New York punk venue. The dingy club is mounting a monthlong "Save CBGB" campaign to raise support and pressure the building's owner to renew its lease. Among the acts who will perform from July 31 to August 31 are Living Colour, Sick of It All, Liars, Circle Jerks, Gov't Mule's Warren Haynes, Gorilla Biscuits and '70s punk legends the Dead Boys, who will re-form for the final time at their favorite haunt. To sign a petition in support of the club, go to savecbgb.org. ... What do the bands Pig Destroyer, the Red Chord, Cryptopsy, Suffocation and Hatebreed have in common with controversial hip-hop pioneers Public Enemy? Until this week, not a thing. But that all changed when the rap group was added to the lineup for this summer's metal extravaganza Hellfest — set for August 19-21 at the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, New Jersey. And why not Public Enemy? After all, they've got a record they need to promote too — Rebirth of a Nation hits stores August 23. ...

If you catch Liz Phair's tour this summer, you'll also get to hear some new tunes destined for her upcoming album, Somebody's Miracle. Due October 4, the album was recorded at the Village Studios in Los Angeles and was produced by John Alagia (John Mayer, Jason Mraz) and John Shanks (Ashlee Simpson). ...

06.28.2005

U2's former stylist allegedly stole Bono's Stetson hat, and now the group is stealing it back ... well, sort of. The Irish rockers appeared in a Dublin, Ireland, court Tuesday morning (June 28), according to Reuters, with the hope of recovering more than $6,000 in memorabilia and personal effects from the band's ex-style guide, Lola Cashman, who worked for the group during much of the 1980s. Of the items U2 hope to have returned to them — items Cashman has tried to auction off — the Stetson hat, earrings and trousers Bono wore during the band's Joshua Tree tour and in the film "Rattle and Hum." ...

Disturbed, who've been working diligently in Chicago for the last few months, will be ready to deliver a new album this fall. Ten Thousand Fists — which is in the mixing phase — includes songs called "Stricken," "Guarded," "Deify" and "Decadence" and is tentatively slated to come out September 20. ... Devo, Ani DiFranco, Son Volt, Brazilian Girls, Digable Planets, the Decemberists and Ted Leo and the Pharmacists will take the stage for the 35th annual Bumbershoot Festival, slated for September 2-5. One of America's largest urban arts festivals, Bumbershoot unfolds in the heart of Seattle, at the 74-acre park that housed the 1962 World's Fair. ...

Forty years ago, Bob Dylan rose to prominence playing coffeehouses in New York's Greenwich Village, and very soon, he'll be making a return to the java circuit — only on a much larger scale. Dylan has reached an exclusive agreement with corporate coffee juggernaut Starbucks to distribute one of his bootlegs, Bob Dylan: Live at the Gaslight 1962, which captures one of his earliest shows at NYC's Gaslight Cafe. The bootleg will be professionally remastered and contains Dylan staples like "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" and "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right." ... G. Love (of Special Sauce fame) has reworked the classic Coca-Cola jingle "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony)" for a new commercial for Coca-Cola Zero. While the soft drink's 1971 ad featured a diverse cast singing on a hill in Italy, the new version features G. Love and his friends on a rooftop in his native Philadelphia. ...

The Flaming Lips might not have released a new album in almost three years, but it's not like they've been relaxing: Aside from working on various reissues of past albums and a documentary about their career, they've also been working on a DVD called "VOID (Video Overview in Deceleration)," which will collect all of their Warner Bros. videos. According to a post on FlamingLips.com, the DVD (due August 23) will feature 18 videos — including one for the new song "Mr. Ambulance Driver" — all mixed in 5.1 Surround Sound. ... Paul Oakenfold is launching a summer dance-music tour also featuring Deep Dish, Ferry Corsten, Armin van Buuren, Junkie XL, Sandra Collins, Hernan Cattaneo and Liquid Todd on various dates. The Perfecto on Tour outing begins Sunday at New York's Crobar and ends July 23 at Red Rocks near Denver. Oakenfold also just remixed the theme from the "Transformers" series for the Cartoon Network. ...

U.K. dance act Faithless will release a greatest-hits album and DVD, both titled Forever Faithless, on July 26. The collection with include "One Step Too Far," featuring Faithless mastermind Rollo's sister Dido, as well as the new single "Why Go?" featuring Estelle. ...

• Justin Timberlake
• Madonna
• Jimmy Eat World
• James Brown (Soul)
• R. Kelly

Fat Joe (file)
Photo: MTV News

Fat Joe in superhero tights? Not quite, but the New York rapper will get the comic-book treatment later this month, thanks to the folks at Marvel. Fans who pick up a copy of Fat Joe's forthcoming All or Nothing when it hits stores on June 14 will receive a copy of "The Heist," a promotional comic book that features Joe, Twista, T.I., Fabolous, Trick Daddy and Lil' Kim. The rappers team up, X-Men style, to recover a stolen diamond, with each hip-hopper using his or her superhero skills to defeat an evil army of clones. Only a select number of record retailers will carry the comic book, but Fat Joe's fans can log onto Atlantic Records' Web site and enter a contest to win a copy of the book. One grand-prize winner will even score a Sony PSP. ...

R. Kelly has chosen a title for his next album: TP3 Reloaded. The LP will hit shelves on July 5. ... Jimmy Eat World will return to the studio after their tour with Green Day wraps at the end of the summer. "We've been writing a little, but the hardest thing about writing on the road is it's difficult to get deep and flush out an idea — you always have to go do something," singer Jim Adkins said. ...

Despite what you might think, the Transplants are really quite the tech-savvy bunch. Witness the relaunch of their Web site, TheTransplants.com, which is now loaded with promotional videos, interviews and photos all hyping the release of the band's sophomore album, Haunted Cities. Visitors to the site can also stream the album's first single, "Gangsters and Thugs," or download a ring-tone version of the tune. Haunted Cities is due in stores on June 21. ... Australian rockers the Vines are holed up in a Sydney studio with producer Wayne Connolly, working on material for their third disc. It'll be the band's first batch of new songs since it was revealed that singer Craig Nicholls suffers from Asperger Syndrome, a developmental disorder characterized by problems with social interaction. According to a posting on the Vines' Web site, "Craig is in a great frame of mind and is healthier than he's ever been. The band will demo 13 new songs which are sounding brilliant — mainly heavy, poppy and melodic, plus two amazing acoustic numbers." ...

The latest album of Latin punk rock covers from the all-star Manic Hispanic crew (past and current members of Agent Orange, the Adolescents, Cadillac Tramps, 22 Jacks and others), is titled Grupo Sexo and is due out on June 28. The album features covers of Fear's "Big Baloney" ("Big Chorizo"), Green Day's "Welcome to Paradise" ("Welcome to Paramount"), the Descendents' "I'm Not a Loser" ("I'm Just a Cholo") and the Ramones' "Havana Affair" ("Tijuana Affair"). ... Powerman 5000 will be touring the nation to remind people they've got a new album on the way, even though the album's not yet done, doesn't have a name, and won't be released until late this year. Nevertheless, the band kicks off a 28-date tour on Wednesday in Traverse City, Michigan, that'll criss-cross the Midwest and East Coast, concluding August 23 in Beaumont, Texas. ... Cold's forthcoming disc, previously called The Calm That Killed the Storm, will now be titled A Different Kind of Pain. The LP will drop on August 30. ...

06.02.2005

New shows or not, fans can't get enough of Dave Chappelle. The "Chappelle's Show: Season 2 Uncensored" DVD set has become the fastest-selling DVD of a TV show in history. According to Comedy Central, the three-disc set sold an unprecedented 500,000 copies its first day of release (May 24) and, with first-week sales of more than 1.2 million units, blew past the sales record held by the fourth season "Seinfeld" set. Meanwhile, no word yet on when — or if — production will resume on the delayed third season of the show. ...

Gwen Stefani, Ashlee Simpson and Alicia Keys are among the multiple nominees for the 2005 Teen Choice Awards, which will air August 16 on FOX. Ashlee will compete against sister Jessica for Choice TV Personality award, although Jessica is the only Simpson in the Choice Hottie category. Fans can vote now at www.teenpeople.com. ... Master P is rolling out his fleet of custom cars on Saturday for the video shoot for his new single, "I Need Dubs." For the cameras, P will be outfitting his Rolls-Royce Phantom with custom, diamond-encrusted chrome wheels. ...

My Chemical Romance have written eight songs for their next album, which the group hopes to record by the end of the year. "I imagine we'll write in the high 30s and pick our favorites, whereas last time we only wrote about 16 songs, if that," singer Gerard Way said. "We know what we do well, but there's some more risks being taken, slower tempos, heavier stuff, more of an arena-rock element that was hinted at on the last record." ... First he was out. Then he was back in. And now, for the second time in less than a week, Chris D'abaldo is Saliva's former guitarist. On Wednesday afternoon, D'abaldo reunited with the band after a 72-hour break, and told Saliva's fans in a posting to the group's Web site that he needed to sort a few things out with his mates — a process that seemingly took just a few short hours, as this morning, Saliva devotees awoke to find a new Web site missive. "I last said I would attempt to work things out with the band and would let you know how things went," he wrote. "After talking with members and management, I am now officially reporting that I am in fact gonna go my separate way. I wish all the remaining bandmembers the best of luck and fortune. It was great while it lasted, and I hope they have success in the future." ...

Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme has blocked off December for the recording of the next albums in his Dessert Sessions series. "That's the first open day in our schedule, so I'm gonna eat and go to the bathroom first," he joked. "In My Head," which first debuted on the latest Dessert Sessions, is the next single from Queens' Lullabies to Paralyze. ... The Strokes' forthcoming album could hit stores as early as January, according to an update that the band's manager, Ryan Gentles, issued to Strokes fans this week. "The band is 'wrapping up' production on the third album," he wrote, adding that there should be a single hitting the airwaves in late fall. The album has not been given a proper name, and neither have the songs, of which 13 are "nearly fully completed." There's also plans for a brief tour in late 2005. ...

From Christina Aguilera to Kill Rock Stars? Songwriter/producer to the stars Linda Perry (Gwen Stefani, Pink, Kelly Osbourne) will join the roster of the indie stalwart label with the September 13 re-release of her album In Flight. Written and recorded in 1995, the former 4 Non Blondes singer's first solo album was quietly released by Interscope Records in 1996 to little notice. Perry will tour in the fall in support of the album. ... If you're looking for a party on the Fourth of July, Philly is the place to be. In addition to the July 2 Live 8 show with Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Bon Jovi, the Dave Matthews Band, Stevie Wonder and Maroon 5, the city will host a concert that same day featuring Ruben Studdard with Stephanie Mills and a July 4 HIV-awareness concert by Elton John with guests Patti LaBelle and Bryan Adams. ...

For a dude whose résumé includes playing a bunch of butt-kicking cops, a butt-kicking environmental agent and a butt-kicking chef on a Navy battleship, Steven Seagal is actually a pretty sensitive guy, as evidenced by his upcoming debut album, Songs From the Crystal Cave. On the disc, which has already been released overseas (and will hit stores in the U.S. later this year), Seagal sings songs "with a strong, understated voice, in the realm of Jack Johnson but with more energy," according to a glowing review in the Los Angeles Times last month. Seagal plans on touring behind Songs this spring. Evildoers, corrupt politicians and drug lords beware. ... Reel Big Fish are staging another Coast to Coast Roast Tour, with American Hi-Fi, El Pus, Punchline and Zolof the Rock & Roll Destroyer on this summer's bill. The outing kicks off June 22 in Worcester, Massachusetts, and wraps up August 12 in Milwaukee. ...

Guitarist Mark Weinberg has left Gratitude, blaming the departure on "touring issues." According to a posting on the band's Web site announcing Weinberg's exit, "the road isn't made for everybody," and Jonah Matranga will "be playing a little more guitar [on Gratitude's forthcoming U.K. tour] and the band will continue to play the songs they wrote while Mark was a member." ...

• Fat Joe
• T.I.
• R. Kelly
• Transplants
• Jimmy Eat World

Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong (file)
Photo: Getty Images/Dave Etheridge-Barnes

When most bands hit the road, they tend to lose touch with reality. Current events and news bulletins whiz by the tour bus window with all the speed and blurriness of a passing street sign.

Which could explain why Green Day — noted critics of President George W. Bush — are continuing their American Idiot tour: Perhaps they figure that by staying on the road for the next four years, W's second term will rush by in one quick blur.

Well, they're already heading toward 2006 now, thanks to a just-announced string of North American dates. And though they're a band known for taking up-and-coming acts on the road with them (see "Green Day Taking My Chemical Romance On Tour This Spring "), Green Day have changed things up this time around, picking emo pioneers Jimmy Eat World to serve as their opening act.

The juggernaut kicks off on August 10 outside of Chicago and will hit arenas, amphitheaters and stadiums in 28 cities (including a couple of massive shows at Giants Stadium in New Jersey and SBC Park in San Francisco) before coming to a close on October 2 at the Coors Amphitheatre in Chula Vista, California. Green Day have also confirmed two shows at the Home Depot Center near Los Angeles on October 8 and 9, but a scheduling conflict could knock Jimmy Eat World off those bills.

But it's not like that matters to Jimmy frontman Jim Adkins, though — he's just super-psyched that he'll finally be able to catch the platinum-plus punkers live and in person.

"The thing about being on the road all the time is that you never really get to see any other bands play. And now we're going to be able to see Green Day play every night," he said. "American is great, and there are few people who can work a big crowd like Billie Joe. He's awesome."

The dates for the Green Day/ Jimmy Eat World tour, according to an Interscope spokesperson:

• 8/10 - Rosemont, IL @ Allstate Arena
• 8/12 - Barrie, ON @ Molson Park
• 8/13 - Buffalo, NY @ HSBC Arena
• 8/14 - Dayton, OH @ Ervin J. Nutter Center
• 8/15 - Nashville, TN @ Gaylord Entertainment Center
• 8/17 - Oklahoma City, OK @ The Ford Center
• 8/19 - Houston, TX @ Toyota Center
• 8/20 - Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center
• 8/21 - San Antonio, TX @ SBC Center
• 8/23 - Atlanta, GA @ Philips Arena
• 8/24 - Raleigh, NC @ RBC Center
• 8/26 - Sunrise, FL @ Office Depot Center
• 8/30 - Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post
• 9/01 - East Rutherford, NJ @ Giants Stadium
• 9/04 - Montreal, QC @ Parc Jean-Drapeau
• 9/05 - Ottawa, ON @ Corel Centre
• 9/07 - Philadelphia, PA @ Wachovia Center
• 9/11 - Auburn Hills, MI @ Palace Of Auburn Hills
• 9/14 - Moline, IL @ Mark Of The Quad Cities
• 9/16 - Saint Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center
• 9/17 - Des Moines, IA @ Wells Fargo Arena
• 9/19 - Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center
• 9/24 - San Francisco, CA @ SBC Park
• 9/26 - Tacoma, WA @ Tacoma Dome
• 9/27 - Vancouver, BC @ General Motors Place
• 9/30 - Sacramento, CA @ ARCO Arena
• 10/01 - Fresno, CA @ Save Mart Center
• 10/02 - Chula Vista, CA @ Coors Amphitheatre

• Green Day
• Jimmy Eat World

MTV.com LIVE: Jimmy Eat World Photos 10.14.2004

• Jimmy Eat World

2002 KROQ Weenie Roast

• Puddle Of Mudd
• Papa Roach
• Rob Zombie
• Jimmy Eat World
• System of a Down

• Jimmy Eat World