Miley Cyrus as Hannah Montana
Photo: Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images

More Miley! The "Hannah Montana" star has freshened up her Best of Both Worlds Tour schedule with 14 additional January dates, meaning more of her fans will be thrilled and more opportunities will be had for raging ticket controversies. Instead of capping off her tour January 9 in Albany, New York, Cyrus will hit the following cities: Detroit (January 11); Milwaukee (January 13); Chicago (January 14); St. Louis (January 15); Las Vegas (January 18-19); Glendale, Arizona (January 22); Austin, Texas (January 24); Lafayette, Louisiana (January 25); New Orleans (January 26); Orlando, Florida (January 28-29); Jacksonville, Florida (January 30); and Miami (January 31). The Jonas Brothers have been opening for Cyrus but will be replaced by Aly & AJ from January 11-24, after which a yet-unannounced supporting act will take over for the remaining shows. ...

Shia LaBeouf's criminal trespassing charge has just gone poof. Walgreens Co. and a security company announced via a letter read in a Chicago court Wednesday (December 12) that they will not continue a case involving criminal charges against the actor for refusing to leave one of the chain's stores in early November. The "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" star, who reportedly appeared intoxicated at the time of the incident, was arrested and charged with misdemeanor criminal trespassing. ...

"Fantastic" news for Jessica Alba: The actress is pregnant, People.com reports. According to the site, the "Awake" star's representative said her boyfriend Cash Warren is the father. Alba reportedly met Warren on the set of "Fantastic Four" in 2004, at which point they began dating. The actress was reportedly in talks to go to Broadway for a revival of the David Mamet play "Speed-the-Plow." ... Relatedly, it's hard out here for a ... Broadway star? Terrence Howard has signed on for an all-black version of Tennessee Williams' "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" that will debut March 6 at New York's Broadhurst Theatre. James Earl Jones, Phylicia Rashad and Anika Noni Rose of "Dreamgirls" will also star in the third revival of the production, which marks Howard's stage debut. He will play Brick, the aging alcoholic ex-football player. ...

What do John Legend and Eddie Vedder have in common, besides a great set of pipes? The singers are joining together to provide music for an upcoming documentary miniseries based on Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States," a 1980 book that is widely read in high schools and colleges, and its companion piece, "Voices of a People's History of the United States," according to Billboard.com. "The People Speak" will begin production in Boston in January and also involve Viggo Mortensen, Josh Brolin and other actors. Vedder brought Zinn, a Boston University professor, onstage at a Pearl Jam show in Boston three years ago. ...

Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe have more than their Australian backgrounds in common. Forbes has named the actors as the most overpaid celebrities in Hollywood, according to a complicated formula involving the stars' salaries, budgets and returns for movies in which they have appeared, and more. Jim Carrey, Will Ferrell and Adam Sandler also made the list. ...

Just in time for Christmas comes news that Britney Spears has been offered to play the role of the Virgin Mary in the upcoming film "Sweet Baby Jesus," a humorous retelling of the nativity story, according to Us Weekly. "I had to convince my partners because they were like, 'Oh, no. Britney?' " Philippe Rebboah, the film's French producer, reportedly said. "But I thought it was brilliant. It's a bit ironic that she would play the Virgin Mary, no? ... She likes the idea, that's what I heard." Rebboah added that the singer is reviewing the script and will make a decision soon whether to act in the movie, which will be filmed in March. ... You could say this year's "Idol Gives Back" charity special was a wee bit successful — it only raked in a mere $75 million, for charities in the U.S. and Africa. "American Idol" will give the fundraiser another go on April 9 at 8 p.m. with a two-hour special featuring performances and appearances by yet-unnamed celebrities, according to Variety. The show itself will be back January 15 with a two-hour special. ...

Sigur Rós are plotting a batch of theatrical screenings for "Heima," the new documentary film they released late last month. The movie, which revolves around a series of free shows the band played in its native Iceland last summer, will be shown Tuesday (San Francisco, Denver); December 19 (Boston, Atlanta); and December 20 (Austin, Texas; Seattle). ... A lock of John Lennon's hair that went up for bid Wednesday had been estimated to sell for $4,000 to $6,000 — but an unnamed telephone bidder actually shelled out $48,000 for it in the Beatles memorabilia auction, The Associated Press reports. The items in the auction had been collected by the legendary group's hairdresser, and a photo of the band dedicated to her — it was signed "George 'Dandruff' Harrison" — went for $13,000. ...

Music/social-networking site Mog.com relaunched on Wednesday with some seriously beefed-up content. As the result of a deal with Rhapsody Music Service — a joint venture with MTV — Moggers can now listen to millions of full-length songs on their own pages and on the pages of others, and a new search function provides instant access to specific music anywhere on Mog. Using the "play all" function, users can hear what like-minded people are listening to, while the "play this page" function lets users instantly create a playlist of every song mentioned on another Mogger's page. ... Maybe this is where those Led Zeppelin tour rumors came from: Nashville's WSMT-TV is reporting that Zep frontman Robert Plant and bluegrass star Alison Krauss will take the stage together at the Bonnaroo festival in Manchester, Tennessee, in June to perform songs from their collaborative CD, Raising Sand. The fest will be held June 12-15.

12.11.07

Like Jay-Z rapped once before, "Money Ain't a Thang." The Def Jam prez has denied a report in New York's Daily News indicating that salary was a sticking point in negotiating his return to the hip-hop label. His original contract is up at the end of this month, and so far, his return hasn't been announced. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly shortly after the Grammy nominations were announced, Jay — who nabbed five nods — revealed the two sides were "close." But he wouldn't guarantee anything. He said salary wasn't even near the top of his list of considerations. "I don't know [if I'll be back]," Jay explained in the interview. "We'll see how it goes. But seriously, it's not about money. That's really the last thing. Of course, as a person that does these type of things and puts his heart and soul into it — and it's effective, as the [Grammy nominations] would indicate — you want to be compensated for what you do. But it's really not about money. It's really about the future of the music business, and not wasting anyone's time. I don't ever want to sit in a seat just to sit in a seat. I could be off doing something else that's beneficial to the future of the music business as well as myself. So it's not about money! I mean, you couldn't pay me enough. And I don't mean that in a cocky way." In other Jay news, he'll ring out 2007 with a performance of American Gangster on December 29 in Las Vegas, at the Palms Casino Resort's Pearl. The intimate show in the 2,500-seat venue won't be cheap: Tickets start at $128 and top out at $228. ...

Panic! at the Disco have pegged March 25 as the release date for their second album, which they still don't have a name for yet, according to Billboard.com. Guitarist Ryan Ross told the site the band is "working backwards" for the release, stripping down its sound and going for a more classic-rock approach. Songs will include "Things Have Changed" and "Nine in the Afternoon," a song the ensemble tried out during shows over the summer. Speaking of which, Panic are sketching out a tour that will see them playing U.S. theaters in March. "We're not going to do a circus show again," Ross promised. ...

Gwen Stefani made good on her promise to donate proceeds from her October 30 concert at San Diego's Cox Arena to victims of the wildfires by giving a whopping $166,000 to local charity the San Diego Foundation, which is helping the community recover. The Southern California singer's donation will be used in the form of Gwen Stefani After-the-Fires Scholarships distributed to students who lost their homes in the fires. ... And for all her problems, Britney Spears still has a heart too — the singer's Believe fragrance is teaming with MondoNation.com to benefit the Make a Wish foundation, Autism Speaks and the Nelson High School Africa Project. Limited-edition gift sets, fragrances, T-shirts and more are all up for bidding, with 100 percent of proceeds going to the charities. ...

Though Green Day didn't even have an album out this year — not counting their new rumored side project, Foxboro Hot Tubs — the band topped Lycos' list of most-searched bands of 2007. The rest of the list included the Pussycat Dolls, Fall Out Boy, Nickelback, Guns N' Roses, the Rolling Stones, Evanescence, Black Eyed Peas, the All-American Rejects and the Fray. ... Foo Fighters have swollen their tour plans with an injection of new dates. Dave Grohl and his cohorts will hit up Reno, Nevada (February 1); Oakland, California (February 2); Council Bluffs, Iowa (February 28); Glendale, Arizona (March 2); San Diego (March 3); and Los Angeles (March 5). ... Dr. Dre is still off the hook for taping a backstage conversation with Detroit city officials at a concert in 2000, The Associated Press reports. Circuit Judge John Murphy, who previously ruled against the officials — whose conversation with Dre was featured on his and Eminem's "Up in Smoke" tour DVD — dismissed an invasion-of-privacy case that had been brought against the rapper/producer (real name: Andre Young). According to the Detroit Free Press, Murphy had said in October that he might let the case go to trial, but he apparently changed his mind. ...

Dr. Jan Adams, the doctor who operated on Dr. Donda West — Kanye's mother — the day before she died last month, agreed on Tuesday (December 11) to start making payments to a woman who had sued him for allegedly leaving a sponge inside her when he performed surgery on her 11 years ago, TMZ.com reports. Adams owes Lori Ufondu $150,000, has already made one payment to her and will keep doing so until April, when the Adams and Ufondu parties are due to meet again, according to the site. After Adams was late for a hearing in November, a warrant was issued for his arrest, although it was recalled after he eventually showed up. ... imeem doesn't just have a friend in the Universal Music Group, which recently signed a deal providing its music to the social-networking site — Lupe Fiasco has also joined forces with the site in anticipation of Lupe Fiasco's "The Cool," which drops December 18. All this week, the Chicago MC is providing sneak peeks of his LP on imeem, as well as playing other choice songs and videos by Jay-Z, Kanye West, Bloc Party, Foo Fighters and more of his favorite artists. He's also launched a skateboard-design contest through the site. ...

Brian Wilson is going to be making a lot of people SMiLE next year — the Beach Boy will take part in a Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp 10th anniversary shindig in Hollywood on February 15-18. Members of John Mayer's band, Pink Floyd, AC/DC, Kiss, the Cars and others are also on for the event, which will find adults living out their rock dreams. ... The Beatle and the hair: One of John Lennon's locks as well as other items from the iconic group will be up for sale starting Wednesday at an auction in southern England, AP reports. Beatles hairdresser Betty Glasow is the person behind the auction, and she got her hands on Lennon's lock when he gave it to her in a copy of his book "A Spaniard in the Works." Photographs the group humorously signed and dedicated to Glasow (one has a sig from "George 'Dandruff' Harrison"), as well as a program from one of their shows is also up for bid. ...

While it seemed like Wilco were dissing their Chicago hometown when their upcoming string of early 2008 dates were announced last week — the city was nowhere to be found on the itinerary — the band has just posted news about a five-night stand in Chi-town's Riviera Theatre. The shows, to be held February 15, 16 and 18-20, will kick off the tour and explore "the band's complete recorded works," according to a statement. Singer Jeff Tweedy said, "Over the five nights we will attempt the 'complete Wilco' and try to clear out the dusty corners of the catalog that we haven't attended to in a while." The band promises a distinct, "one-of-a-kind set list each night." ... The tour itinerary for next year's Take Action! Tour is being firmed up: The trek will start February 14 in Detroit and run through March 24 in New York, with additional dates to be announced. Fans who pick up four tickets to one of the shows will get a bonus: They'll get to chill with Every Time I Die at the venue and receive a Take Action! poster signed by the band. The Bled, August Burns Red and the Human Abstract have also joined the tour bill. ...

PETA has really taken the gloves off this time. The animal-rights group's PETA2 arm is lashing out at Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen with "Trollsen Twins," a new campaign the organization debuted Tuesday with an unflattering ad at the twins' Walk of Fame star on Hollywood Boulevard. PETA2 also launched a grisly Web site devoted to the fur-wearing actresses that includes a video segment called "Full House of Horrors," in which scenes from the sisters' old TV show are intercut with scenes of animals being killed. ... It looks like Jammie Thomas — the 30-year-old single mom from Minnesota who was the first person to lose a file-sharing lawsuit brought by the Recording Industry Association of America — won't be able to avoid paying the $220,000 fine she was hit with in October. In a recent decision, the U.S. Justice Department took the RIAA's side in the case, not agreeing with Thomas' lawyer that the damages awarded to the RIAA were disproportionate or excessively unreasonable. The ruling echoed the RIAA's argument that once a song is posted on a P2P network, it can be shared by millions of other users, though it is impossible to tell how many. ... In other RIAA news, according to court files posted on the legal blog Recording Industry vs. the People, the RIAA told the court in an Arizona file-sharing case, Atlantic vs. Howell, that it considers ripping personal CDs to MP3 format "unauthorized" and illegal. This goes against the RIAA's assertion in its 2005 case against the P2P site Grokster that ripping CDs is not illegal.

• Hannah Montana
• John Legend
• Sigur Rós
• John Lennon
• Led Zeppelin

Ja Rule
Photo: Scott Wintrow/ Getty Images

There are probably bigger challenges in life than trying to clear a Beatles sample. We just can't think of any right now.

Just ask the Wu-Tang Clan's RZA, or maybe Ja Rule, both of whom recently attempted the musical equivalent of scaling Mount Everest with one hand tied behind your back: clearing original master Beatles samples for use in their songs.

Of course, both did a whole lot of shouting from base camp, which seemed rather ill-advised, considering the treacherous climb ahead. And when neither was successful in their attempts — the Wu's "The Heart Gently Weeps" and Ja's "Father Forgive Me" feature not original Beatles samples, but rather reworked (or "interpolated") versions of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and "Eleanor Rigby" (see "Wu-Tang Clan's 'First-Ever Cleared Beatles Sample' Claim Is Incorrect") — it was hardly news. After all, these are the songs of the Beatles (and the myriad of corporations, limited partnerships and publishing companies associated with them) we're talking about here. They can't be had without a fight.

"If a recording artist wanted to build a song around a Beatles sample, they have to go through three different license holders," said Janice Brock, a spokeswoman for Sony/ATV, the music-publishing company that owns the famed Lennon/McCartney Northern Songs catalog (and as such, also owns roughly 90 percent of the entire Beatles song output). "They have to go to the original master-license holder, which is EMI Records. They have to go to the Beatles themselves, who are represented by Apple Corps Ltd., and they have to go to Sony/ATV, which represents the song itself.

"It's a fairly difficult, lengthy process, which is why most people probably don't bother," Brock continued. "And as you know, the Beatles have never granted a master-license sample."

And it's that challenge, that finality, which makes an original Beatles sample the Holy Grail of song-building. Which is probably why both the RZA and Ja made big noise about clearing Beatles samples — even if, you know, they actually hadn't. There's a certain amount of swagger that comes with even securing permission to rework a Beatles song into one of your own. After all, even that doesn't come for free.

"With a sample, it's not an issue of difficulty of clearing it. If somebody doesn't want to let you have it, you can't use it," said Todd Brabec, a vice president at ASCAP, the international society of composers, songwriters and music publishers. "A lot of songwriter/publisher deals give the writer the ability to approve usage. And in the case of a sample — using someone else's song to make a new one — it's a negotiation of what your share of all this new song's earnings is going to be. In the case of most high-profile compositions, the new songwriter forfeits all their songwriting royalties."

"If you're going to put someone else's song in your song and build a song around it, you'd have to give away 100 percent of the copyright," Brock added. "So you don't actually earn songwriter royalties for doing that. It generally goes to the original writers. In the case of Ja Rule's ['Father Forgive Me,'] the song sample is an interpolation, it's not an original master use, so in turn for doing that, his songwriter royalties go to the Beatles."

So just for reworking a pair of Beatles compositions in their new songs, both the Wu-Tang Clan and Ja Rule agreed to turn over all songwriting royalties to the original songwriters — in this case, the estate of George Harrison and Lennon/McCartney, respectfully. Also, for each copy of the Wu's The 8 Diagrams or Ja's The Mirror that is sold or downloaded, the rappers will pay both the original writers and their publishing companies (Harrisongs and Sony/ATV) 9.1 cents, an amount mandated by federal law.

Is it all worth it? Well, we guess that's up to the artists themselves. But just getting to this point has been a battle. Then again, nothing in the realm of music publishing — and all its marvelous facets, including sample clearances and statutory fees — is simple.

Publishing is probably the least understood, most complicated (and most unsexy) aspect of the music industry, yet it's also one of the most lucrative: a near billion-dollar-a-year business that's as much about corporations and copyright law as it is creativity and compositions. It's the bizarre point where artists looking to make a statement crash directly into songwriters looking to make a living. And as record sales continue to bottom out, artists trying to have their music heard (and get paid) are exploring every facet of publishing ... which means it's only gonna get more, uh, complicated from here.

"Most people think of the music business only as records, but the big money — the continuing money — is in writing and publishing songs. Because now a song can be used in several TV series, a lot of films, video games, ringtones — all these different uses, not just in the U.S. but throughout the entire world," Brabec said. "And you're getting royalties every time you get one of these new uses. And it's only going to get more interesting. Record sales are going down the tubes, but I'm optimistic about all the other areas in which songwriters can exploit — in the best possible way — their songs.

"Radio and TV performances are the biggest areas, but you can make a lot of money on just having a song in a singing fish doll," he continued. "You'd rather have a singing fish doll than a million-seller, believe me."

And with more and more money up for grabs, does that mean we can expect to see less of these high-profile sample battles? It's doubtful.

"I think there's a certain quality to some of these songs, that no matter how daunting it might seem, there's always going to be an artist who wants to use a sample of them," Brabec said. "There's always going to be a desire for that timeless quality."

• Wu-Tang Clan
• Ja Rule
• The Beatles
• RZA
• John Lennon

Lindsay Lohan
Photo: Mark Mainz/Getty Images

Lindsay Lohan is getting sued again — this time for assault and negligence by one of the passengers who was traveling in the car the actress allegedly chased last month while driving under the influence. Tracie Rice, the woman who filed the suit and was in the car driven by Michelle Peck — the mother of one of Lohan's former assistants — claims that Lohan "put me through one of the most frightening experiences of my life," according to a statement obtained by The Associated Press. "What Miss Lohan did that night was extremely dangerous and reprehensible. Someone could easily have been killed or seriously hurt because of her irresponsible decisions that evening." The suit also alleges that Lohan intentionally inflicted emotional distress upon the woman, and it seeks unspecified damages as well as payment of medical and other emotional-distress-related expenses. ...

Britney Spears and Kevin Federline's divorce lawyers were supposed to help resolve their clients' child-custody dispute at a Los Angeles Superior Court hearing on Tuesday (August 14), but instead the attorneys used the court date to try to protect the former spouses' privacy. According to a court clerk, legal representatives from Los Angeles TV news channel KNBC, "Access Hollywood" and People magazine jointly filed papers Tuesday morning to prevent court records in the former couple's child-custody battle from being permanently sealed. The move came after news outlets got wind that Federline's attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan was planning to bring to court a folder of documents "about an inch and a half thick," according to a source close to the matter. Federline's team has already subpoenaed Spears' cousin and former assistant, Alli Sims, and Spears' bodyguard Daimon Shippen; more subpoenas to give depositions about the care of the children are due to come for those close to Spears, the source said. Superior Court Commissioner Scott M. Gordon will hear the opposition to seal the records in a separate hearing on September 14, while the custody dispute will continue in court on September 17. ...

Wu-Tang Clan covering the Beatles' "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" ... with George Harrison's son Dhani ... and Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante playing along? That's the news the RZA spilled to RollingStone.com late last week, saying the collabo for the ages will surface on the Clan's November 13 album, 8 Diagrams. The track will sample the original George Harrison-written song, with the group rapping over the track, Frusciante wailing on lead guitar and Dhani Harrison playing acoustic. ... Amy Winehouse's touring band, the Dap-Kings; Jamiroquai's Stu Zender and other to-be-announced singers will make guest appearances with Mark Ronson when he mans the decks at the VMAs on September 9. ...

Don Imus back on the airwaves? AP reports that the shock jock has reached a settlement with CBS Radio over his contract and is in negotiations with New York's WABC-AM radio — home to another inflammatory jock, Rush Limbaugh — to return to broadcasting. The settlement would preempt Imus' threatened $120 million breach-of-contract suit, a CBS spokesperson told AP, although the terms were not disclosed. ...

Arcade Fire and LCD Soundsystem must really be enjoying each other's company these days — the tour partners are planning to release a split 7-inch while on the road, RollingStone.com reports. The record will include the Fire's cover of Serge Gainsbourg's "Poupée de Cire, Poupée de Son" and LCD's take on Joy Division's "No Love Lost." ... Perry Farrell and his Satellite Party will descend on jam-band Moe.'s eighth annual Moe.Down fest, to be held August 31-September 2 in Turin, New York. The Party will be filling in for Ryan Adams & the Cardinals, who had to bail from the fest for personal reasons. ...

The tentative track list for the soundtrack to the upcoming film "Resident Evil: Extinction" has been announced. The set will include cuts from Shadows Fall, Flyleaf, Bayside, the Bled, Chimaira, Poison the Well and It Dies Today. Look for it to hit stores September 18 and the film to hit theaters three days later. ... Gwar have been added to the Viva la Bands Tour, which will also feature Cradle of Filth, CKY and Vains of Jenna. The trek kicks off September 24 in Baltimore and runs through November 3 in Worcester, Massachusetts. ... The lineup for the Radio Rebellion Tour has been released, and extreme-metallists Job for a Cowboy and Polish death-metal specialists Behemoth will be co-headlining. Gojira and Beneath the Massacre will be the opening acts on the trek, which will hit 28 North American cities, beginning October 18 in Baltimore and wrapping November 18 in New York. ...

Lana Clarkson's mother Donna took the stand Monday in the Phil Spector murder trial, testifying about shopping with the deceased actress shortly before she was shot on February 3, 2003, the Los Angeles Times reports. Refuting claims that Lana Clarkson was despondent over a failed acting career — the defense has argued that she was driven to suicide — the prosecution attempted to show instead that she was optimistic about the future. The defense asked Donna Clarkson to testify about apparently forged documents the actress used to try to get a loan, but prosecutor Alan Jackson said the documents would only provide "a look at what kind of person she is, not who pulled the trigger." Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler has allowed the letters to be admitted. ...

Sixteen solo albums by John Lennon debuted on iTunes on Tuesday, and for the next 30 days, exclusive video content will accompany six of them — including John Lennon/ Plastic Ono Band and Milk and Honey. The albums are available in iTunes Plus, which offers DRM-free tracks, and each song costs $1.29. ...

Phil Rizzuto, the New York Yankees shortstop who later became a longtime announcer for the team and was best-known for catchphrases like "Holy cow!" and "Unbelievable!," died Tuesday. He was 89. Rizzuto, whose nickname was "Scooter," will also be remembered as the voice providing the play-by-play commentary in Meat Loaf's infamous 1977 song, "Paradise by the Dashboard Light."

08.13.07

Britney Spears' assistant was served with court papers Sunday morning to give a deposition in a legal matter between the singer and Kevin Federline. Mark Vincent Kaplan, Federline's attorney, told The Associated Press that Alli Sims will be asked to offer a statement "in connection with the Britney Spears/ Kevin Federline issue," although he didn't elaborate. He added that Sims is "believed to have relevant information" but didn't go into specifics about that either. On Wednesday, Kaplan filed documents in Los Angeles Superior Court for primary physical custody of Federline's two sons with Spears. ...

Diddy will executive produce the upcoming biopic of the Notorious B.I.G., Variety reports. "Soul Food" director George Tillman will be behind the lens for "Unbelievable: The Life, Death and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.," for which an open casting call was launched nationally on Sunday. ...

Jennifer Lopez has pegged October 9 as the release date for her English-language album Brave, her second LP of the year and sixth studio disc overall. The set is highlighted by the just-released single, "Do It Well," and will be produced by J.R. Rotem (50 Cent, Christina Aguilera), among others. J. Lo's other album this year, Como Ama Una Mujer, is the best-selling Spanish-language debut LP ever. ... Amy Winehouse, who was hospitalized last week for severe exhaustion, has scrapped two planned shows in Germany opening for the Rolling Stones, RollingStone.com reports. The singer told Britain's News of the World, "I don't know how to explain what happened. ... I can't remember what I looked like. I couldn't recognize myself. It was terrifying." ...

Smashing Pumpkins, Foo Fighters, Kid Rock and Velvet Revolver will anchor Los Angeles radio station KROQ's Inland Invasion fest — which has been renamed the L.A. Invasion, since its relocation from a venue in Devore, California, to one in Carson. Against Me!, Chris Cornell, Hot Hot Heat, Satellite Party, Paramore and Cypress Hill round out the bill for the show, which will take place September 15. ...

The French publisher of the "Harry Potter" series will not seek damages against a 16-year-old who allegedly posted online an unauthorized French translation of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," publishing house Gallimard Jeunesse said Monday (August 13), The Associated Press reports. The case is still being investigated by French authorities, who will decide whether to bring it to trial. ... Robert Smith of the Cure, Julian Casablancas of the Strokes, Frank Black and Tom Waits will judge this year's International Songwriting Competition, RollingStone.com reports. ...

Bloc Party, Múm, Of Montreal and more have been confirmed for the ninth annual Iceland Airwaves festival, set for October 17-21 in downtown Reykjavík. ... The Shins have beefed up their fall tour schedule with a smattering of new U.S. dates. After playing Seattle's Bumbershoot festival on September 1 and Chicago's Download Festival the following day, the band will take a month off, then hit the road again beginning October 5 in Berkeley, California. From there, the Shins will play more West Coast and Southwest dates before dipping down South and winding their way up the East Coast for a two-day stand at New York's Terminal Five on October 23-24. They'll cap the tour with a pair of gigs at Las Vegas' Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel on October 27-28. ...

Wilco are bumping a pair of concerts because guitarist Nels Cline has come down with the chicken pox, according to the band's site. The Tuesday night show in Duluth, Minnesota, will now be staged September 4, and a concert scheduled for Winnipeg, Manitoba, will be postponed or scrapped entirely. ... "You Hear It First" vets the Shout Out Louds will tour for a month after they drop their new album, Our Ill Wills, on September 11. The indie-pop quintet will embark at the LA Weekly Detour festival in Los Angeles on October 6 and stay on the road through a November 3 show in Dallas. ...

According to Killswitch Engage bassist Mike D'Antonio, the band will head out for a co-headlining run with Lamb of God this winter. Suicidal Tendencies and Every Time I Die are in talks to open the gigs. ... Alice in Chains have been working on its first new material in more than a decade, according to frontman William DuVall. He said working with the band has "been deeply rewarding" and the new material sounds "insane." No word yet on when the reunited grunge rockers will release their next LP. ...

"Big Lebowski" fans who incessantly re-enact scenes and dialogue from the cult flick are about to be able to make their interpretations even lifelike: action figures are on the way. Seven-inch scale figures devoted to the Dude and Walter will be available in October and can be preordered here. ... Barenaked Ladies will host another cruise in 2008 called Ships & Dip III and leaving Miami on January 27. Tickets go on sale March 22. Meanwhile, Lynyrd Skynyrd (with guests the Marshall Tucker Band) are also hosting another cruise, while Sister Hazel and Toad the Wet Sprocket are signed on for Rock Boat VIII. ...

According to the Asbury Park Press, police charged 33 people with underage drinking last week at the Family Values Tour's Wednesday stop at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey. Thirteen others were arrested on various other charges, including resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and assaulting a trooper. In all, 46 people, ranging in age from 16-47, were taken into custody during the gig, which was headlined by tour founders Korn. ... A James Brown trustee accused of misappropriating $350,000 of the late singer's money has resigned, the Chicago Tribune reports. David Cannon turned over a check for the sum at a hearing on Friday. A follow-up hearing has been slated for September 24 as wrangling continues over Brown's estate.

• Lindsay Lohan
• Britney Spears
• Wu-Tang Clan
• Mark Ronson
• Amy Winehouse

Jennifer Hudson in "Dreamgirls"
Photo: Paramount Pictures

Being larger than a size 2 helped Jennifer Hudson score the role of Effie White in "Dreamgirls," and the singer is resisting pressure to slim down for an unlikely reason. "A lot of singers don't sound the same when they lose weight," she said in an interview published in Newsweek's Monday issue." ... I have a little singer's pouch, and that's where the voice comes from. So you're all just going to have to get used to my jelly." Hudson also told Newsweek that she hasn't lost sleep wondering why "American Idol" viewers booted her in 2004. "It just meant that wasn't the place for me," she said. "The 'Idol' judges told me, 'Everything about you is too much. ... Your voice is too much. Your look is too much. Your hair is too much.' I didn't understand. Isn't that what a star is: bigger than average?" ...

The Mixtape Awards ended abruptly at New York's Apollo Theater Thursday night after several fracases broke out involving members of an entourage traveling with DJ Whoo Kid and Tony Yayo. Apollo President Jonelle Procope told MTV News that the plug had to be pulled after safety concerns arose. "When it became clear that ticketing problems posed too great a challenge to successfully and safely finish the event, the promoter and the Apollo management jointly agreed to stop the show." Those in attendance included Busta Rhymes, Papoose, Lil' Scrappy, the Clipse and DJ Kay Slay. DJs Clinton Sparks, Dirty Harry and Vlad nabbed trophies, and the Sugarhill Gang performed. ...

Outkast's Andre 3000 has signed on to co-star alongside Will Ferrell and Woody Harrelson in the basketball comedy "Semi-Pro," according to The Hollywood Reporter. The story deals with an American Basketball Association owner/coach/player named Jackie Moon (Ferrell) who tries to lead his fictional Flint Michigan Tropics to the big leagues. Andre plays a "self-styled ladies' man who is the best player on the team," according to the magazine. ...

A Los Angeles judge is reviewing a lawsuit filed by a group of South Carolina fraternity brothers that asserts they were fooled into making racist and sexist remarks in "Borat," The Associated Press reports. The suit calls for a stop to the DVD release of the movie. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Joseph Biderman watched the film scene Thursday but did not indicate whether or not he would rule on the case. ... Power 105 radio DJ Carl Blaze is in critical condition after being shot multiple times early Thursday morning in Harlem, New York, during a robbery attempt. Sources close to Blaze (real name: Carl Rivera) revealed the DJ had given friends a ride home after performing at a local club in the Bronx. Blaze was scheduled to DJ a set at Thursday night's Mixtape Awards but instead was recognized by presenters who sent their prayers out to him and his family. ...

Some major labels are beginning to issue songs in the unrestricted MP3 file format, AP reports. Recently released tracks by Norah Jones ("Thinking About You") and Relient K ("Must Have Done Something Right") can be played on any digital-music player that plays MP3s, whereas previously, those songs would have been digitally wrapped with copy and playback restrictions. ... J.R. Rotem, the hit-making music producer behind Rihanna's smash "S.O.S," will be taking his budding success from the studio into the boardroom. Rotem has inked an exclusive joint partnership with Epic Records that would allow him to develop new talent through his label, Beluga Heights. Rotem's first signee under the Beluga Heights imprint is 16-year-old Miami rapper Sean Kingston. Rotem has also polished tunes for Snoop Dogg and the Game, and he's contributing to Britney Spears' new album as well. ...

In a flurry of advertisements posted Friday, Yoko Ono asks that December 8 be considered a day of forgiveness across the world, in commemoration of the day John Lennon died in 1980, Reuters reports. But at the same time, she also admits that she hasn't been able to forgive the man who fatally shot her late husband. "As the widow of one who was killed by an act of violence, I don't know if I am ready yet to forgive the one who pulled the trigger," the ads read. "I am sure all victims of violent crimes feel as I do. But healing is what is urgently needed now in the world." ... Actor Wesley Snipes pleaded not guilty on Friday to federal charges that include fraudulently claiming millions of dollars in tax refunds, AP reports. The actor, who was indicted on charges in central Florida two months ago, was released on a $1 million bail bond after he entered his plea. Snipes could face up to 16 years in prison if convicted. ...

Vice Records has imported six Boredoms releases from the experimental band's Super Roots series and is issuing them domestically for the first time. Super Roots 1, 3 and 5 drop January 23, while volumes 6, 7 and 8 street February 20. The titles vary considerably in length: 1 has 14 songs by the Japanese noise-rockers and runs 19 minutes, for example, while 5 contains just one, 64-minute track. The band celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2007, and founder Eye is planning a July 7 performance in New York involving 77 drummers. ... Former D Generation frontman Jesse Malin has roped in some heavy hitters for his third solo album, Glitter in the Gutter, due March 6. The album features cameos from Bruce Springsteen, Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme, Jakob Dylan, Ryan Adams and Foo Fighters guitarist Chris Shiflett. ...

Speaking of Springsteen, frequent collaborator Steven Van Zandt can now add label boss to his lengthy résumé, which already includes stints as E Street Band guitarist, "Sopranos" actor and radio-show host. Van Zandt is launching his Wicked Cool label, which, like his "Underground Garage" Sirius radio show, celebrates everything garage rock. Among the first six releases from the label, available exclusively at Best Buy stores, are albums by the Charms, the Cocktail Slippers and the Chesterfield Kings. Other bands signed to the label include the Hawaii Mud Bombers, the Maggots, the Novaks, Richard and the Young Lions and the Woggles. Van Zandt will also be releasing quarterly compilation albums under the title The Coolest Songs in the World, with the first volume featuring songs by the Greenhornes, the Forty-Fives, the Mooney Suzuki, Caesars and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.

12.07.2006

Lots of people go nuts over H&M clothes, but Madonna is enough of a fan to make her own. The singer has signed on to design a line of clothes and accessories called the M by Madonna women's wear collection for the Swedish fashion giant. H&M has provided Madonna, her band and dancers with offstage clothing for her recent tour, and the singer has been the face of the chain's advertising campaign this year. "I've made no secret of my love of fashion over the years," Madonna said in a statement on her Web site. "Working with Margareta [van den Bosch, the company's head of design] and H&M was an exciting and new creative challenge for me. I'm really happy with the results and look forward to wearing M by Madonna along with the rest of the world." The line will launch in March. ...

Bow Wow is acting as principal for a day at Schurr High School in Montebello, California, on Thursday (December 7). The rapper is planning to have breakfast with students, read announcements over the loudspeaker, visit some classrooms, give a pep talk to the school's football team, meet with students participating in the pageant, stop by the blood drive and give a live performance. ...

Expect to hear Snoop barking a new tune on the "Arthur and the Invisibles" soundtrack, hitting stores January 9. The rapper contributes "Go Girl," while Jewel chalks up her "Quest for Love" and Elijah chip in "It's a Beautiful Day." The rest of the soundtrack is rounded out by contributions from the London Symphonic Orchestra & the Metro Voices. ... December is shaping up to be a busy month for songwriter/producer Sean Garrett. The man behind Beyoncé's "Check on It" and Chris Brown's "Gimme That" will hit the studio with R. Kelly on Friday in Chicago and plans to work with the R&B artist through Monday. Then Garrett is off to Atlanta, where he'll collaborate with Whitney Houston from Tuesday through December 14. The producer will also reteam with Chris Brown in a New York studio from December 15-19. ...

Former Backstreet Boy Kevin Richardson is working on a new project: a baby. The singer/actor, who will next appear onstage in the Toronto production of "Chicago," told MTV News that he and his wife are planning to start a family soon. ... Aly & AJ are hard at work on their second album. "It's definitely still going to be Aly and I, it's just we've grown up and I think the music has grown up with us," AJ said. ... Sean Paul is also laying down new tracks: The dancehall star has been recording his next album in Jamaica since September. "I'll probably be finished by April next year, probably come out in June," he said. ... Clinic have set a January 23 Stateside release date for their fourth album, Visitations. The British band is touring North America beginning March 2 in Los Angeles and wrapping up March 12 in Toronto. ...

If you dug "My Block: The Bay," there's a new comp you should get dumb with: Hyphy Hits, due January 9. The 20-track collection calls on the Bay Area's hottest hip-hoppers to introduce hyphy, their own crunk-and-screw-like blend, to the masses. Expect to find E-40, Keak Da Sneak, Mistah F.A.B., Mac Dre and many others on the set. ... Singer/songwriter Jason Mraz has a digital-only release hitting JasonMraz.com on Tuesday. Selections for Friends was recorded in July during his Songs for Friends Tour and touches on new material, classics and more obscure tracks. "God Rests in Reason" includes spoken-word elements from Khalil Gibran, a reputed poet who has never appeared in a song before. ...

Godsmack frontman Sully Erna will release "The Paths We Choose," his personal memoir, on February 7. According to the book's Web site, the tome isn't just a tell-all about life as a touring frontman. "It's about his life growing up, and all the struggling, suffering and sinning along the way. It's about the good times, and the time he almost gave it all up. It's about the people he loves and the ones who betrayed him, the bands he lived for and the mistakes that seemed like good ideas at the time. But most of all, it's about his never-ending passion for music." ... Garbage will issue a greatest-hits collection titled Absolute Garbage on March 19. Look for the set to feature 17 tracks, including "Only Happy When It Rains," "Stupid Girl" and "Bleed Like Me." The band continues to be on indefinite hiatus. ...

Soon-to-be Fall Out Boy tourmates Permanent Me have aligned themselves with another big name: producer Matt Squire. The Panic! at the Disco and Cute Is What We Aim For collaborator helmed the New York newcomers' debut, After the Room Clears, which will drop January 23. Permanent Me are currently touring with Monty Are I, the Summer Obsession and the Outline. ... Bayside have completed work on their forthcoming album, The Walking Wounded. No official release date has been cemented yet, but the LP is expected to surface in February. ... Puddle of Mudd also recently wrapped recording a new album: their yet-untitled third effort, which is slated for release in the spring. The band expects to tour heavily in 2007 to support the LP. ...

New York hardcore legends Sick of It All are the subject of the upcoming tribute album Our Impact Will Be Felt, which will hit stores February 3 and feature contributions from Sepultura, Bouncing Souls, Bleeding Through, Rise Against and others. To celebrate the release, Sick of It All will hit the road later this month with Hatebreed for a brief five-gig stint that kicks off in Washington, D.C., on December 26 and runs through December 30 in New Haven, Connecticut. The band will also open for AFI for four shows next year: February 5 in New Orleans; February 9 in Columbus, Ohio; February 11 in Cincinnati; and February 15 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. ... Finger Eleven will follow up their 2003 self-titled effort — which went gold — with Them vs. You, due March 20. The album is said to blend rock with country and funk elements.

• Beyonce, Jennifer Hudson, Jamie Foxx, More At The New York Premiere Of "Dreamgirls"
• "Dreamgirls"

• OutKast
• Norah Jones
• Rihanna
• John Lennon
• D Generation

Alicia Keys
Photo: Scott Gries/Getty Images

Alicia Keys and Iman will host the Black Ball fundraiser for Keep a Child Alive at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom on November 9. Keys, David Bowie and Angelique Kidjo will perform at the event, which is supporting the fight against AIDS. Keep a Child Alive is also dipping into its I Am African campaign to auction photographs featuring images of Mischa Barton, Heidi Klum Gwyneth Paltrow, Elijah Wood and many others. Visit KeepAChildAlive.org to purchase tickets. ...

Jay-Z's live debut in China was canceled by the country's Culture Ministry on Wednesday (October 11) due to the rapper's "vulgar" lyrics, The Associated Press reports. The state-run Shanghai Daily newspaper reported that Jigga's October 23 show at Shanghai's Hongkou Stadium was called off because of his salty language, even though other bands with sexually suggestive lyrics — including the Rolling Stones and Black Eyed Peas — have recently performed in Shanghai. "I look forward to rescheduling my concert date in Shanghai," Jay said in a statement. "This world tour has been a life-changing experience, and it has only been made better by touching the fans that I am seeing for the first time." ... For the second time in a week, rumors have surfaced that Madonna has adopted an African child. A Malawian man claimed Tuesday that the singer adopted his 1-year-old son, whose mother died a month after childbirth, AP reports. "At this time we are unable to give you official confirmation," a spokesperson for Madonna told Reuters. "We may have an official statement within 48 hours." ...

The D are bringing it to thee. Tenacious D will celebrate the upcoming release of their film "Tenacious D in: The Pick of Destiny" (due November 17) with a U.S. tour. The 10-date outing will kick off with two shows at the Gibson Amphitheater in Los Angeles on November 17 and 18 and feature gigs in San Francisco, Denver, Detroit, Toronto and New York. The trek will wind down with a December 5 date at the Gwinnett Center Arena in Atlanta. ... A CD and DVD from the summer return of the Family Values Tour will be released on December 26. Tracks will include duets — including Korn's version of Filter's "Hey Man, Nice Shot" with Richard Patrick — covers and acoustic tracks. ... The show must go on for "Rock Star: Supernova" finalist Ryan Star, who was performing at the House of Blues in West Hollywood, California, Tuesday when a power outage halted the show. Rather than leave the stage, however, Star used a flashlight and acoustic guitar to entertain the crowd. ...

Beck and Queens of the Stone Age anchored the LA Weekly Detour, a music gala held Saturday as part of an extensive effort to drive more Los Angelenos to go downtown. Beck brought out four guys who coordinated puppets that were dressed in the same clothes as the bandmembers and mirrored their moves to a T, wowing the throngs of fans and families as their stunts played on the jumbo screen. Toward the end of the set, the backing musicians took a seat at a table onstage and ate dinner while Beck ran through a few acoustic numbers. The set — a hearty 14 songs (some abridged) in 40 minutes — closed with the band jamming on glasses with spoons, although the crew and puppets alike were trotted back out for a brief encore thereafter. A block and a half east — almost a dozen downtown intersections were shut down to accommodate the festivities — Queens of the Stone Age dug up two vintage tunes, "Born to Hula" and "The Bronze," alongside sing-alongs "No One Knows" and "Little Sister." The band, which has only performed a handful of times this year, did not unveil any new songs, however. Other featured artists included Basement Jaxx, Blonde Redhead and Peeping Tom, whose leader, Mike Patton, made some unsettling, profane remarks toward an 8-year-old girl in the audience. ...

Pearl Jam fan-club members are being treated with a book that cobbles together 180 unreleased pics of the band. Shot by a friend, the images in "5x1: Pearl Jam Through the Eye of Lance Mercer" captures intimate moments with the band and is supplemented with written tributes by Bruce Springsteen, Cameron Crowe, Tim Robbins, Michael Stipe, Pete Townshend, Ben Harper, Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein and political activist Howard Zinn. The limited-edition volume is also available on PearlJam.com for $40. ... England's Sunday Mirror reports that George Michael has convinced ex-Wham! mate Andrew Ridgeley to get the band back together for a reunion Christmas concert at London's Wembley Arena. The duo, who had a string of early 1980s pop hits with songs like "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go," played a farewell show in 1986 at Wembley Stadium and have not appeared together since. ...

In addition to being Bam Margera's favorite act, H.I.M. have earned the distinction of becoming the first band from Finland to sell 500,000 copies of one of their albums in the U.S. The band's 2005 effort, Dark Light, was recently certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. ... Rob Zombie appears in the documentary "Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film," which premieres Friday the 13th on Starz. Wes Craven and John Carpenter also appear in the film. ... Inspired by his 6-year-old daughter's love for everything crusty, David Bowie has signed on to appear in an upcoming episode of "Spongebob Squarepants." "It's happened," the singer wrote in his online journal. "At last. I've hit the Holy Grail of animation gigs. Yesterday I got to be a character on ... tan-tara ... 'SpongeBob SquarePants.' Oh yeah! We, the family, are thrilled. ... My character in this special longform (I think a half-hour special) show is called 'Lord Royal Highness.' " No airdate has been announced for the "SpongeBob" special. ...

Who singer Roger Daltrey will be seen and heard on an upcoming episode of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation." The iconic rocker, who has opened the show via his vocals on the Who's "Who Are You" since its debut in 2000, will guest star in an upcoming episode of the series, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Producers declined to reveal any details about what role Daltrey will play. ... John Lennon's killer, Mark David Chapman, 51, had his parole denied this week, the AP reports. It was Chapman's fourth denial. Prison officials said that despite his decent behavior in prison, the bizarre nature of his premeditated attack on the Beatles icon left them concerned. Chapman is serving 20 years to life for gunning down Lennon in December 1980. His next parole bid comes up in October 2008. ... After completing a stint in rehab, the Darkness singer Justin Hawkins has left the band to focus on his recovery, according to British tabloid The Sun. Detailing the huge amount of money he's spent on drugs over the past four years, Hawkins said he feels guilty about leaving the band, explaining, "I feel bad for the others. It will be an upheaval. But it's time to move on. It would be damaging to stay on. I'm not blaming the band for my problem. I'm an addict."

10.10.2006

Life just got a little simpler for Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie. "The Simple Life" debutantes have reportedly made amends over dinner after a much-publicized two-year feud. "I don't know if it was a business or personal discussion. Let's just watch it unfold," Hilton's publicist Elliot Mintz told People magazine. But Paris herself tells In Touch that the friendship is back on. "I love Nicole, and I'm so glad we're friends again. ... I'm really happy she's back in my life." Hilton and Richie are scheduled to begin filming the fifth season of "The Simple Life" — featuring the glamour girls working as camp counselors — later this fall. ...

U2 have announced the title of their upcoming greatest-hits disc. U218 Singles will feature 16 of the band's best-known tracks plus two new songs — including their Green Day collaboration, "The Saints Are Coming." The hits compilation will feature a bonus CD with 10 live performances from their 2005 Vertigo Tour, U2.com reports. ...

DMX landed in more driving trouble Monday, hit with three summonses for operating an uninspected car with a suspended registration — without a driver's license, New York's Journal News reports. The rapper was stopped in Yonkers, New York, by Westchester County police who impounded the 2001 Chevrolet Suburban he was driving. DMX is due in court to answer the charges December 18. ... The Hip-Hop Summit Action Network will honor Kanye West at their fourth annual Action Awards, a benefit dinner scheduled for October 16 at Chelsea Piers in New York. Magic Johnson and Steve Stoute will also be recognized for their "outstanding contribution to the empowerment of people and communities," according to the organization. ...

If you've just got to see the Killers up close — and will pay for the privilege — you might as well do some good in the process. Exclusive VIP packages for the Vegoose Music Festival — which hits Las Vegas October 28-29 and features the Killers, the Raconteurs, Jurassic 5, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, the Mars Volta and more — are available, with proceeds benefiting Common Ground Collective, Rock the Earth, Tipintina's Foundation and Head Count. VIP treatment — including side-stage viewing, backstage performances and signed artist merchandise — is up for auction at StubHub.com/Vegoose-Charity.

Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor took the stage with Alice in Chains on Saturday to handle lead vocals for the Alice classic "Would?" The impromptu collaboration took place during the 99.5 Fan Fest in San Antonio, Texas. ... Taylor's other band, Slipknot, will release the double-disc DVD set "Voliminal: Inside the Nine" on December 5. The effort will boast in-the-studio footage, as well as material captured backstage, onstage and in the band's tour bus during Slipknot's most recent global trek. The first disc includes a 90-minute film created and directed by M. Shawn Crahan (known to fans as Clown), which was shot on handheld cameras. The second disc features live footage shot in various venues throughout the world, along with music videos and interviews with each member of the band. The disc also boasts the first up-close look at the "death masks" the band used onstage during the tour. ..

Prior to the release of their DVD "Phase Two — Slowboat to Hades" on Halloween, Gorillaz will release the first in a series of EPs exclusively on iTunes, with each accompanied by previously unreleased videos. The first, DARE, is due October 24, while Dirty Harry (November 7), El Mañana (December 5) and Feel Good Inc. (December 26) will follow. ... What do Will Ferrell, Queen Latifah and Spoon have in common? Not much, but the band is all over the soundtrack to "Stranger Than Fiction," a comedy starring Ferrell and Latifah that hits theaters November 10. The film's score was composed by Spoon's Britt Daniel along with Brian Reitzell, and the soundtrack album features four Spoon tracks — including "The Book I Write," a new song written for the film. The Jam, M83, Maximo Park and Wreckless Eric are also featured on the soundtrack, due November 7. ...

According to Lou Barlow's Web site, Sebadoh's classic lineup — Barlow, Eric Gaffney and Jason Loewenstein — has reformed and will be touring this spring. Barlow has yet to reveal specific details about the tour, beyond the start and finish dates: February 25 to April 7. .. Recent "You Hear It First" artists Dirty on Purpose apparently don't mind sleeping away from home. The Brooklyn, New York, indie rockers are hitting the road yet again in support of their debut album, Hallelujah Sirens. The 20-date trek kicks off October 19 in Allston, Massachusetts, and wraps up December 8 in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. ... Rock Kills Kid and the Shys are among the acts signed on to play an October 17 benefit for the Young Progressive Majority, a Los Angeles-based group committed to increasing the vote for local progressive candidates and issues. The concert, billed Party For Progress, will be held at the Knitting Factory in L.A. Visit the Majority's Web site, GoYPM.org, for more information. ...

Story of the Year will anchor this fall's Taste the Poison tour, which launches Friday in Columbia, Missouri, and is scheduled to hit 30 cities before wrapping up November 17 in St. Louis. The bill also features Anberlin, Greeley Estates and Monty Are I. ... The Accident Experiment, which features erstwhile P.O.D. guitarist Marcos Curiel, will be touring this fall in support of their recently released debut LP, United We Fear. The trek, which also includes openers Northwest Royale and Indorphine, kicks off Friday in Tulare, California. Dates are booked through a December 9 gig in San Diego. ... Converge will be touring this fall in support of the forthcoming No Heroes, which lands in stores October 24. The run begins November 2 in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and will make stops in a total of 23 cities before winding down December 3 in Revere, Massachusetts. ...

Thrice frontman Dustin Kensrue has signed a deal with Equal Vision Records, who will be releasing the singer's solo debut, Please Come Home, on January 23. "Before I ever played in a band, I would take my acoustic guitar wherever I went and would sing and play for whoever was around," Kensrue said in a statement. "I wanted these songs at their core to work in that street corner kind of sense, just a guy with his guitar, a voice and a story to tell." ... The Alkaline Trio have been working on fresh material and plan to hit the studio in February to record the follow-up to 2005's Crimson. The effort is slated for release this spring. According to kitman Derek Grant's blog, "the first notes of the new album have been written, for those in doubt." ...

Acclaimed Internet radio station WOXY.com is back ... again. The alternative rock tastemaker site, which was forced to shut down operations last month after running out of funds, has been revived thanks to an infusion of cash from CD-swapping site LaLa.com. Under the new deal, WOXY.com will be funded "indefinitely" and will go back on the air immediately as a free destination with links to LaLa's e-commerce site that will allow listeners to add songs or albums they hear to their "wanted for trade" list or to buy them outright.

• Jay-Z: Water For Life Tour
• Photos From Jay-Z's "Show Me What You Got" Video

• Alicia Keys
• Jay-Z
• Madonna
• Tenacious D
• David Bowie

John Lennon (file)
Photo: Capitol

At his parole hearing on October 5, a remorseful Mark David Chapman sat before a panel of three New York State Parole Board commissioners, explaining that his jealousy of John Lennon's fame, coupled with his own sense of worthlessness, is what drove him to shoot and kill the singer in 1980.

"I committed this act for attention," Chapman told the panel. "To, in a sense, steal John Lennon's fame and put it on myself, thinking I was a nobody at the time.

"When I was a young man, I thought something was going to happen to me. I thought I was going to be famous," Chapman continued. "I didn't know what it was, specifically. I certainly didn't think it was going to be [for] murdering John Lennon."

In the transcripts of Chapman's parole hearing, his third since 2000 (see "John Lennon's Killer Denied Parole"), he tells the board that he had been thinking about killing Lennon for some time, nearly going through with the act a full three months before he actually pulled the trigger. He also said that he had considered other celebrities as targets.

"I perceived [them] at that time to be phonies. I didn't think they were being who they really were, and that angered me," he said. "It wasn't the guy down the street."

As determined as he seemed to commit the crime, there was a period when he considered abandoning his plan. When he first arrived in New York to kill Lennon, Chapman had a change of heart after watching "Ordinary People," a 1980 drama about the accidental death of a young man.

"I guess it struck a chord with me. I called [my wife] and I said, 'Your love has saved me, and I'm coming back,' " he said. "When I came back I spent another two, three weeks in Hawaii, [and] it started to build again. It was just a tremendous compulsion of just feeling this big hole, of being what I thought was a big nobody ... and I couldn't stop it."

Chapman remained apologetic throughout the hearing, at one point telling the board that "I deserve nothing, because of the pain and suffering I caused." He also acknowledged the irony in his situation, noting that though he killed Lennon to become famous, the act has instead made him infamous.

"In some ways I'm a bigger nobody than I was before," he said. "Because people hate me now. That's a worse state."

• John Lennon

John Lennon (file)
Photo: Capitol

Mark David Chapman, the man convicted of killing John Lennon in 1980, has been denied parole for a third time by the New York State Division of Parole.

In its statement to Chapman on Tuesday, the Division of Parole explained that the decision was "based on the extreme malicious intent you exhibited during the instant offense where you fired a handgun multiple times, striking your target — John Lennon."

Chapman, 49, shot and killed Lennon as the former Beatle was returning to his New York apartment on December 8, 1980. He is serving a prison sentence of 20 years to life at the Attica Correctional Facility near Buffalo, New York, and had been denied parole twice previously, in 2000 and 2002. Chapman is next eligible for a parole hearing in 2006.

In his 29-minute hearing, Chapman explained that he was motivated to shoot Lennon because of "the attention this murder would generate." The Division of Parole wrote that "although proven true, such rationale is bizarre and morally corrupt.

"Following a personal interview, a review of your records, and deliberation, your release to parole supervision at this time is denied," the statement continued. "To release you on parole ... would significantly undermine respect for the law."

Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, sent a letter to the Division of Parole saying that she remains afraid for her own safety and that of Sean and Julian, Lennon's children. An online petition opposing Chapman's parole, organized by Lennon's fans, gathered more than 3,000 signatures.

• John Lennon
• The Beatles

Jennifer Lopez's Nuyorican Productions and HBO will join forces on a documentary about Los Quinces, a traditional ball held to celebrate a Cuban girl's 15th birthday. "We are committed to producing unique and provocative films, so a documentary on this tradition is a natural fit for us," Lopez said in a statement about the project, which will hit theaters in limited release before airing on HBO. ...

Redman was arrested in Oslo, Norway, on September 8 for — surprise! — having a small amount of marijuana on his person. The rapper was arriving on a flight from Amsterdam to perform a show in town that night and, according to his manager, was carrying an amount that was just over the local legal limit. Authorities soon realized the rapper, who has been known to extol the virtues of marijuana, was not a smuggler and eventually let him go in time for him to perform. ...

With the Sprite Liquid Mix Tour now behind them, the Neptunes' rock alter ego, N.E.R.D., will hit the studio to complete their next album, Fly or Die. The album has been moved to a March 9 release date. ... The video for Something Corporate's "Space" will premiere Tuesday during Fox's "The O.C." through AOL's music showcase program. The band's North is due October 21. ...

NYC gloomy gusses Interpol will work on the follow-up to Turn on the Bright Lights when they hit the studio early next year. Of the seven new songs already written for the album, "Length of Love" and "NARC" have been featured in the band's recent live sets. ... Southern California punksters Zebrahead will follow-up 2000's Playmate of the Year with MFZB, which takes its name from the band's fan club. A tour surrounding the release, due October 21, is in the works. ...

The onetime owner of a copy of Double Fantasy that John Lennon signed for Mark David Chapman, the man who killed him, is suing the auction house Moments in Time. Phillip Michael claims that he never received his 95-percent share of the album's sale price, which was between $150,000 and $464,000 (and is being contested). Chapman had Lennon sign the album hours before he shot the ex-Beatle and then he ditched it in a planter, where Michael found it. Chapman's fingerprints on the album helped in his conviction. ...

Before discussing downloading with Bill Maher for "Real Time" on Friday, Liz Phair performed a set of her tracks including "Why Can't I?," "Polyester Bride" and "Supernova" at a Santa Monica, California, party. DJ Kazell also performed. ...

9.12.2003

John Ritter, star of "8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter," died on Thursday evening after a coronary artery tore while he was on the set of the show. Ritter, who earned an Emmy for playing Jack Tripper on the sitcom "Three's Company," was 54. ...

The release date of the upcoming G-Unit album, Beg for Mercy, has been pushed back two weeks to November 18. But that's not the only alteration 50 Cent and company have made within the last few days. Don't call the first single from the LP "Teach You How to Stunt" anymore. The official title is now "Stunt 101." ... Beck hit the studio this week with longtime collaborators the Dust Brothers to begin recording the follow-up to 2002's Sea Change. The album is due next year, but in the meantime, fans can catch the singer in the new White Stripes video, "The Hardest Button to Button," and in the film "Southlander," featuring Beth Orton, Hank Williams III and Laura Prepon, due on DVD October 7. Steve Hanft, who directed the film, is also helming two new Beck videos for an upcoming DVD. ...

The new issue of Blender magazine features an interview with R. Kelly, who discusses how pending child-porn charges have destroyed his image. "Osama bin Laden is the only one who knows exactly what I'm going through," he said. ... Brazen dance music group Fannypack will follow up their smash single "Cameltoe" with "Things," which should surface at radio in early October. Both songs are from the quintet's debut album, So Stylistic, which dropped in July. ...

After playing a few radio festivals, Alien Ant Farm will begin a tour with reggae-influenced rap-metal band 311. The tour will begin October 15 in San Francisco and run at least through the middle of November. Alien Ant Farm's sophomore disc, truANT, came out August 19. 311's latest, Evolver, was released July 22. ... An eight-disc Black Sabbath box set featuring all of the band's material recorded with Ozzy Osbourne will hit shelves November 4. Black Box: The Complete Original Black Sabbath (1970-1978) includes remastered versions of Black Sabbath, Paranoid, Master of Reality, Vol. 4, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, Sabotage, Technical Ecstasy and Never Say Die! The set also features a DVD with previously unreleased footage. ...

The Godfather of Soul, James Brown, will play two shows at Harlem's historic Apollo Theater on November 21 and 22. The gigs will commemorate the 40th anniversary of his classic album Live at the Apollo. A host of celebrity guests will be announced at a press conference on Thursday. ... Mr. Biggs is planning on doing it way big — again. The Isley Brothers plan to put out a remix album early next year, according to their camp. The only name linked to the project so far is King Britt. His spokespeople say he's been enlisted to revamp "Footsteps in the Dark." ...

Bon Jovi have recorded an album's worth of acoustic versions of their greatest hits with producer Pat Leonard (Madonna). Due November 4, This Left Feels Right features "Wanted Dead or Alive," "Keep the Faith" and "It's My Life," among others, plus two new songs, "Last Man Standing" and "Thief of Hearts." ... Mark Lanegan, formerly of Screaming Trees and currently with Queens of the Stone Age, will release an eight-song EP November 4, about two months before his sixth full-length solo album, Bubblegum, is due. Here Comes the Weird Chill (Methamphetamine Blues, Extracts & Oddities) will feature unreleased older material. ...

Although they've been screwing up a lot longer, skate punks NOFX are scheduled to drop the DVD "Ten Years of F---ing Up" on October 7. The VHS version came out in 1994, so maybe next year we'll get the two-decade version from the band whose latest sardonic affair, The War on Errorism, was released in May. ... The Dandy Warhols are giving fans the chance to show off their film skills with a new contest. Use "We Used to Be Friends" and "You Were the Last High" in a video or short film and you could be flown to the Dandy Warhols' Odditorium in Portland, Oregon, to hang with the band. Details are available at www.ifilm.com or www.dandywarhols.com. ...

Ben Folds, the Indigo Girls and the Dixie Chicks will headline the Honor the Earth Foundation concert October 10 at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Charlotte, North Carolina. ... Members of the bands Killswitch Engage, Unearth and the Acacia Strain are playing together in the side project Burn Your Wishes. There is no album information yet, but the group has shot a video for its song "Fall Away." ...

Newish metal groups Motograter and Mushroomhead will tour together starting in October. Motograter's self-titled debut came out May 27. Mushroomhead's next disc, XIII, will be released October 14. ... The Steve Miller Band will celebrate the Tuesday release of Young Hearts Complete Greatest Hits with a Saturday benefit performance for and at the Fender Museum of Music and the Arts, in Corona, California. The album features "The Joker," "Take the Money and Run" and other favorites. ...

After getting a two-grand credit from the music-download Web site www.musicrebellion.com, a lobbying group is offering to pay 12-year-old Brianna LaHara's settlement with the RIAA. LaHara's mother was one of 261 people to receive copyright-infringement lawsuits from the recording industry. She was the first to pay her way out of a court appearance. ...

• Jennifer Lopez
• N.E.R.D.
• John Lennon
• The Beatles
• Interpol

Photo: Capitol

Seventeen years after it first hit shelves, John Lennon and Yoko Ono's Milk and Honey will be re-released on October 23 with added ingredients.

The digitally remastered reissue will include three bonus tracks and excerpts from Lennon's final interview, taped hours before his death on December 8, 1980. Lennon and Ono worked on the album's material during that year, though the record didn't hit shelves until 1984. The bulk of the couple's final recordings appeared on 1980's Double Fantasy, which was re-released last year.

Milk and Honey features them performing solo as well as collaborating. The bonus tracks are: Lennon's previously unreleased home recording of "I'm Stepping Out"; "I'm Moving On," a previously unreleased home recording sung by Ono; and "Every Man Has a Woman Who Loves Him," featuring Lennon singing Ono's song from Double Fantasy. That track was previously featured on the 1990 box set Lennon.

The reissue comes on the heels of an all-star benefit tribute to Lennon that featured performances by Lou Reed, Dave Matthews, Stone Temple Pilots and others (see "John Lennon Tribute Assumes New Meaning In Tragedy's Wake.")

• John Lennon
• Yoko Ono
• The Beatles

John Lennon
Photo: Capitol

Although John Lennon was a man of peace, many of his songs were created during wartime — the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the culture war. Still, his words of tolerance and love reflected with hope and faith in the goodness of mankind, no matter how rotten it appeared at any given moment.

When Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, and producer Ken Ehrlich planned a benefit concert to pay tribute to the former Beatle, they intended to use the proceeds to fight for gun control and help end youth violence — a noble cause to commemorate the noted pacifist (see "Lennon Tribute To Air Live From NYC; Dave Matthews, More Sign On"). "Come Together: A Night for John Lennon" was to take place September 20 at Radio City Music Hall in New York, Lennon's adopted home and the city in which he was assassinated.

When terrorists flew two Boeing 767 airplanes into the twin towers September 11, however, demolishing the buildings and killing thousands, the date, name and focus of the benefit changed.

"He had a prophetic ability to be way ahead of most of us," actor Kevin Spacey said backstage after Tuesday night's "Come Together: A Night for John Lennon's Words & Music," which was broadcast live on TNT and the WB. Spacey hosted the event and even sang a dramatic version of Lennon's "Mind Games."

While the event featured stars from past eras — Lou Reed performed a punk-rock version of "Jealous Guy" and Cyndi Lauper sang "Strawberry Fields Forever" from Central Park's Strawberry Fields garden — most of the evening's entertainers — including Dave Matthews, Stone Temple Pilots, Marc Anthony, Alanis Morissette, Shaggy, Craig David, Yolanda Adams and Shelby Lynne — were thoroughly contemporary.

"We were very concerned about having stars that represent this generation, because I wanted to make sure we can communicate to the young," Ono said from the press room shortly before showtime. She added that the evening's message took on extra urgency after September 11. "When the attack happened, I was really in a shock, just like I was in a shock when John passed away," she said. "It was so sudden. It reminded me very strongly of that day. I think most of us are still in shock. So it was very important for us to do this show in New York City."

The artists' mixed moods of melancholy and elation carried through the event. Contemporary gospel vocalist Yolanda Adams, who opened the show with a heartfelt version of "Imagine" backed by keyboardist (and Beatles sideman) Billy Preston, described the atmosphere.

"These are all wonderful performers, so there's a lot of love," she said. "But we are all setting into the fact that a lot of people's loved ones are still lost and missing, so it was pretty somber."

The evening was a musical eye-opener for some artists. Twenty-year-old English R&B heartthrob Craig David, for example, who sang a sultry version of "Come Together," acquired a solid appreciation of Lennon's craft.

"It's massively valuable to understand how he structured harmonies," David said. "His music was catchy and he was a great songwriter lyrically."

Dancehall pop star Shaggy, who closed the night with "Give Peace a Chance," was even more moved by Lennon's words.

"I looked at them closely for the first time and was like, 'That brother was deep,'" he said. "It saddens me, because I listen to music today and there's nothing like that. Everybody's talking about bling-bling and the artists are driving cars they don't own and houses they ain't finished paying for yet in these videos. There's no substance in music. It's so driven by how high some chick's miniskirt is or how low her cleavage is. You gotta give it to John Lennon. He believed in what he believed in whether you cared or not."

The tribute's highlights included Dave Matthews performing a gripping solo acoustic rendition of "In My Life," Stone Temple Pilots rocking out a flamboyant and gravel-voiced version of "Revolution," Alanis Morissette singing the melancholy "Dear Prudence" and Natalie Merchant playing a ruminative "Nowhere Man." Lennon's son Sean was joined by Rufus Wainwright and Robert Schwartzman for "This Boy," and by Moby and Wainwright for "Across the Universe."

"His political ideas, his social ideas, his ideas about love and the brotherhood of mankind are universal," said Stone Temple Pilots vocalist Scott Weiland. "His music continues to be relevant no matter what decade it is. Those ideas will continue to be important so long as people feel the love he spoke about."

For more information on and audience reaction to the attacks, including tips on how you can help, see "9.11.01: Moving Forward".

• John Lennon
• Lou Reed
• Stone Temple Pilots
• Dave Matthews Band
• Dave Matthews

Warning: These Album Covers May Contain Explicit Content

• The Beatles
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• Moby Grape
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• John Lennon