Loon (file)
Photo: Bad Boy

Bad Boy for life? Not if you're Loon. The MC has left Bad Boy Records.

"I definitely want people to know that this was amicable," Loon said. "It's both beautiful and empowering to see that Puff can be the bigger man."

According to Loon, who released his self-titled Bad Boy debut in 2003 (see "Loon Prepares To (Finally) Drop Debut, Rap And 'Ball' On Broadway"), he simply wanted more attention.

"Being that [Puff] has so much going on, I didn't want to be the nagging artist," he said. "I was happy for all his success, but I was at a crossroads as an artist. I wanted to put forth the same effort for myself that I was putting forth for Bad Boy. So he allowed me the opportunity to go out and be a budding entrepreneur and be my own man.

"I have been such a loyal artist for the past four years," Loon continued. "However, I never really had the opportunity to establish myself because of [Diddy's] court case, Shyne, J. Lo, etc. None of those were Loon situations, but I took them on and we overcame them together. Puff has had a lot of success and I was established as an artist in terms of doing songs for the ladies, but that took away from the many [other] dimensions of Loon."

Loon, of course, had his own legal difficulties earlier this year when he and two other men were charged with attempted murder after an incident at the House of Blues in West Hollywood in February. He was cleared of the charges in September (see "Assault Case Against Loon Dismissed For Lack Of Evidence").

"I just wanted to bury myself in something positive," said Loon (born Chauncey Hawkins) of how he coped with the incident. "I got involved with the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network and their voter registration drives, etc. I could have been on records and mixtapes talking about it, but I didn't feel the urge to capitalize on something that embarrassing to me and my family."

Now, with those days behind him, Loon is looking forward to controlling his own artistic destiny with his Boss Up Entertainment.

"I can't be anybody else's artist," he said. "With the knowledge I possess, I would be a fool to just sign another deal. I own my publishing — I own everything. I pretty much own my own ass.

"I'm close friends with [prominent music-business executives] like Russell Simmons, Kevin Liles and Sylvia Rhone," he added. "I want to take this head-on as an indie. I have many relationships with radio and DJs, so I want to use those to my advantage. Then I can sit down with people like that and broker a deal that's comfortable for me and the label."

While he's been off the radar for a minute, Loon says he already has music in the can and ready to go.

"The music has been done," said Loon. "I just wanted to end my relationship with Bad Boy before I released anything else. I didn't want to extend my relationship there. I just wanted to hold on to my guns and wait for the smoke to clear. Now the smoke is clearing, and you will be hearing something from me very soon."

In addition to releasing his own material, Loon has also plans on signing acts to Boss Up.

"I'm a boss now," said the MC. "I am trying to instill that same quality in my artists. If push comes to shove, I want to be able to borrow $100,000 from my acts. I want to instill that independence and responsibility in my acts."

In addition to his new gig as a label executive, Loon has also gotten into acting. With roles in upcoming films like "Happy Hour," "State Property 2" and "Death of a Dynasty," Loon looks to be following in the footsteps of his former boss.

"I'm trying to position myself in the right way in both fields," Loon said. "I'm not that old, so I'm in no rush. I just want to do it right."

• Loon

Loon (file)
Photo: Bad Boy Records/Universal

Felony assault charges against rapper Loon have been dismissed by a Beverly Hills Superior Court judge who decided there was a lack of evidence, a spokesperson for the district attorney's office said Wednesday (September 8).

The Bad Boy protégé, whose real name is Chauncey Hawkins, and two others — William Reyes and Teon Tanqueray — were charged with felony assault stemming from the stabbing of a bouncer at the House of Blues in Los Angeles in February (see "Loon Formally Charged In Stabbing As New Details Arise"). Loon had also faced the added charges of use of a deadly weapon and use of a deadly weapon with intent to cause great bodily injury.

According to the spokesperson, neither the victim nor the eyewitness in the case could identify which of the three men initiated the stabbing. The spokesperson said that unless additional evidence or testimony surfaces, the district attorney will not be able to try the case.

"I just want to thank God first and foremost," Loon said. "My prayers were answered, I'm very grateful. The trial was very exhausting and I'm looking forward to getting back to work."

• Loon

Britney Spears will appear at the 2004 Teen Choice Awards, which are taping August 8 in Universal City, California, and will air August 11 on FOX. Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie are hosting the show, which will also feature appearances by Jennifer Garner, Jimmy Fallon, Mischa Barton, Christina Applegate, Anne Hathaway, Wilmer Valderrama, Chad Michael Murray, Tyra Banks and Shawn and Marlon Wayans. Teens can vote for the awards at www.teenpeople.com/teenchoice. ... Britney's little sister, Jamie Lynn, is starring in a new live-action comedy series on Nickelodeon called "Zoey 101," in which she'll play a 13-year-old attending a newly coed beachside boarding school. In the premiere episode, Jamie Lynn's character, Zoey Brooks, aims to make the basketball team, much to the chagrin of the boys already on the team. The show, shot on location in Malibu, California, will air on Sundays starting in early 2005. ...

Filmmaker Michael Moore's controversial "Fahrenheit 9/11," whose box-office receipts total more than $100 million, will be screened in the overwhelmingly pro-Bush Crawford, Texas, home of the president's vacation ranch. Via his Web site, Moore extended an invitation for Bush to join the expected 1,000 people at the screening. "The premiere will give us a chance to serve up some chips, salsa and a whole lot of truth," Moore wrote. "And let's face it, you've got some of the funniest lines in the film." ... Rapper Loon will appear in court on September 8 for a preliminary hearing on his charge of one count of assault with a deadly weapon. The MC missed a June 3 preliminary hearing at Beverly Hills Superior Court and a bench warrant was issued for June 30. Loon and co-defendant William Reyes turned themselves in that day. ...

Katy Rose is using the Chicks With Attitude Tour with Liz Phair and the Cardigans to promote her new single, "I Like." "It's a very powerful song," Rose said. "We usually open the show with it. It's basically saying that maybe I could like myself one day and maybe I could like you one day, because anything can happen, really." ... Rooney are returning to the studio next month with Keith Forsey, who produced the band's self-titled debut, to record the follow-up. In the meantime, the band has released separate exclusive live tracks to Napster and Rhapsody! and is encouraging radio stations to play "Pop Stars," although it will not be an official single. "It's about the candy-coated glossy poppy music," singer Robert Carmine said. "It was written like three or four years ago at the peak of all that Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys [stuff]." ...

Former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic's first book, "Of Grunge & Government: Let's Fix This Broken Democracy!," will hit bookshelves on September 15. One part memoir, one part political platform, Novoselic tells the story of his musical and political coming-of-age. ... OK Go are giving bands the OK to go political. Lead singer Damian Kulash has written a how-to guide for bands interested in becoming politically active. His "How Your Band Can Fire Bush," a manifesto/resource guide, can be found at www.okgo.net, and provides tools for bands to talk to their fans and the press about politics. For your Bush-bashing convenience, Kulash has also included a two-page fact sheet of what President Bush has and has not accomplished while in office. ...

The Polyphonic Spree's two-week tour to promote the release of their second album, Together We're Heavy, will begin August 13 in Chicago. Seven East Coast dates stand between the kickoff and the trek's finale, August 25 in New York. ... Sorry, ladies — Reel Big Fish frontman Aaron Barrett has married his girlfriend of more than two years, Molly Terrence. The couple were wed during an impromptu ceremony in Las Vegas on July 21, in a ceremony that included Barrett's fellow bandmates and some friends. Reel Big Fish had been in town for a show at the House of Blues, and finish up their tour this week before they head off to Hawaii for another wedding — that of their bassist, Matt Wong. ... Following their departure from Geffen Records in March, Cold have inked a deal with Atlantic Records and have completed eight songs for their follow-up to 2003's Year of the Spider. Producer Dave Fortman is expected to join the band when Cold hit a Massachusetts studio to record the new material. ...

7.26.2004

First-time voters are up for grabs in the upcoming presidential election, according to a poll conducted by Pace University on behalf of Rock the Vote. The poll reveals that 33 percent of those who have registered to vote since the 2000 election consider themselves Republicans while 35 percent consider themselves Democrats. Half of these new voters say that they would vote for John Kerry, while 40 percent say they would vote for George W. Bush. ...

Missy Elliott lent a hand to Christina Aguilera as she recorded her remake of yet another disco classic, Rose Royce's "Car Wash," for the upcoming movie "Shark Tale," which hits theaters October 1. The dynamic duo's joint is joined by tracks from Ziggy Marley and Sean Paul; Mary J. Blige, and Will Smith. The soundtrack is due September 27. ...

U2 may consider rush-releasing their upcoming album, tentatively titled Vertigo, on Apple iTunes. In an interview with the U.K.'s The Daily Telegraph, Bono said that if the music stolen recently during a photo shoot appears on the Internet, they would "release it immediately as a legal download on iTunes, and get hard copies into the shops by the end of the month." The album was otherwise slated for a fall release. U2's label, Interscope, did not have a comment at press time. ... One of LL Cool J's trademarks is his affinity for hats, so it's only right that after 20 years in the game he now gets to design his own. New Era has announced that Cool J has just signed on for its 59Fiftyat50 celebrity campaign, where such artists as Spike Lee, Cam'ron and Fabolous get to conceptualize their own fitted ball caps. MTV's La La and DJ Green Lantern will also design hats for the company. ...

Dame Dash has the money, now he's got the time, too. The Roc-A-Fella boss is launching a collection of luxury watches called Tiret New York. Prices for the bejeweled timepieces will range from $18,000 to $175,000. ... Dry your eyes, Phishheads. Your hearts may be broken at the news of Phish's retirement and you may not be able to make their final shows in Vermont, but there's still hope. The Coventry festival, August 14-15, can be heard live on XM Satellite radio and seen in select Regal, Edwards and United Artists movie theaters. ...

In an encore of his Winter Music Conference performance in Miami this past March, Sean "P. Diddy" Combs will reteam with dance DJs Erick Morillo and Steve Lawler for a one-off show in Pacha, Ibiza, off the coast of Spain on August 9. "The show we did together in Miami at the Winter Music Conference was absolutely jaw-dropping," Morillo said. "I am sure this will be another one for the record books." ... The legacy of the Ramones lives on forever in the new documentary "End of the Century." Following its premiere at New York's Tribeca Film Festival in May, the film will screen at a half dozen theaters, including New York's Angelika Film Center and the Landmark Theatres in Berkeley, California; San Francisco, Los Angeles and Washington, DC, in August and September, before showing in an expected 22 cities in October. For dates and locations visit the band's official site, www.ramones.com. ...

Guitarist Scott Ian said on his Web site that Anthrax's upcoming greatest-hits album is scheduled for release November 23. Anthrax fans chose which tracks would be re-recorded for the album. Favorites including "Among the Living," "Caught in a Mosh" and "Belly of the Beast" are expected to make the final cut. ... Ministry's Evil Doer North America Tour will kick off in Las Vegas on September 7. The band will be joined on the road by guests My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult. There will be more featured guest artists announced throughout the tour and more dates added weekly. The tour will run through November 22. ...

All City, the second album from female rap trio Northern State, is slated to drop August 17. For the follow-up to 2002's Dying in Stereo, the New York group collaborated with hip-hop heavy-hitters the High & Mighty and the tightie-whitie-wearing Har Mar Superstar. The album will be prefaced by the first single, "Girl for All Seasons." ... Erudite singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen will release his eleventh studio album, Dear Heather, on September 28. His first album of new material since 2001's Ten New Songs includes 12 new compositions and one live track, a cover of the country-western standard "Tennessee Waltz." ...

• Britney Spears
• Loon
• Michael Moore
• Rooney
• Katy Rose

Britney Spears has more than knee trouble to worry about — she's also facing a $10 million lawsuit. San Diego athletic-clothing company Lite Breeze Inc. is claming trademark infringement because of the singer's use of the phrase "In the Zone" for her album. Lite Breeze claims that it's causing marketplace confusion, since it has used the phrase in association with its promotion of music and live sporting events. The company also alleges that once Spears received a cease-and-desist letter, she switched the name of her tour to the Onyx Hotel. Spears is required to file an answer to the allegations by Monday. ...

Eminem won another victory against Ray Benzino and The Source. On Wednesday in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, a judge awarded Shady Records undisclosed compensation for the hip-hop magazine's violation of an injunction and publication of some of Em's lyrics on its Web site. The raps, which were written by Em as a teenager, came to light only a few months ago when they were uncovered by The Source. The judge also dismissed a counter-copyright-infringement lawsuit by the magazine against Eminem, whom the judge compared to Elvis. ...

Rapper Loon, along with one of two co-defendants, failed to appear in California's Beverly Hills Superior Court on June 3 for a preliminary hearing on charges of assault with a deadly weapon. A bench warrant has been issued for Loon, whose real name is Chauncey Hawkins, and co-defendant William Reyes. The charges stem from an incident at the West Hollywood House of Blues in February in which Loon is accused of stabbing a security guard. ... Scott Weiland got a bit of a breather in the DUI case against him in Los Angeles. His court date was postponed until June 22. ...

Evanescence have added a batch of new shows to their summer tour, which also features Seether, Three Days Grace and Breaking Benjamin. The trek, which was previously scheduled through the end of July, now runs through August 15 in Little Rock, Arkansas. ... After playing a few select shows and summer radio festivals, Hoobastank will launch a tour on June 19 in Toronto. Dates run through July 30 in Weedsport, New York. The following day the band will head to Greensburg, Pennsylvania, to play the Rolling Rock Town Fair, which also features Disturbed, N.E.R.D., Staind, the Crystal Method, Sevendust, Finch, Finger Eleven and Three Days Grace. ...

Despite the assurances of the Rock the Bells concert promoter, a spokesperson for RZA of the Wu-Tang Clan said that any reunion of the iconic rap crew scheduled for July 17 in San Bernardino, California, is still under discussion. The Clan are also scheduled for a handful of shows overseas in June and July, which RZA also says are tentative. ... "Legally Blonde" is joining the ranks of flicks-turned-musicals. Music and lyrics for "Legally Blonde - The Musical" will be composed by Larry O'Keefe and Neil Benjamin. No word yet on when the show will see the bright lights of Broadway or who will play the starring role of Elle Woods. ...

Stephen Malkmus is hammering away on his third post-Pavement album, which he expects to drop in January. Malkmus isn't sure if the album will be a solo venture or will include his band the Jicks, with whom he released last year's Pig Lib. ... For Tanya Donelly's third solo album, she's recruited a former Throwing Muses bandmate to play percussion. Whisky Tango Ghosts is due August 10 and features Dave Narcizo on two songs ("The Promise," "Story High"). Other song titles include "Butterfly Thing," "Every Devil," "Divine Sweet Divide" and "My Life as a Ghost." ...

Producer and beatmaker Jimmy Tamborello of the Postal Service and Dntel will unveil a hip-hop project under the name Headset in the fall. The group's album, Space Setting, is described as being influenced by the work of the Neptunes and Timbaland. ... Peter Garrett, the former lead singer of Midnight Oil, announced on Thursday (June 10) that he will run for Australia's parliament with the opposition Labour Party. According to The Associated Press, the Labour Party approached Garrett about joining the race, and he will run for a seat from a Sydney district that strongly favors the Labour Party. Garrett has long been involved in politics, largely as an environmental activist. In the early '80s, he bid for a seat in parliament's upper house on a nuclear-disarmament ticket and was narrowly defeated. ...

6.9.2004

Outkast want to teach you to be just like them — they're planning a book called "The Outkast Guide to the Galaxy." The duo are shopping the book proposal as a way to encourage people to learn about the band's likes and dislikes, as well as to teach people to think on their own and to be a true outcast in the traditional sense of the word, according to their literary agent. The book will also include fashion tips. ...

One of Hilary Duff's upcoming flicks has undergone a name change. "Heart of Summer," starring Duff as a girl from a small town who spends the summer at a performing-arts school in Los Angeles, will now be called "Raise Your Voice." The movie will open in theaters nationwide on October 9. ... Meanwhile, Duff recently added 23 more dates to her summer tour. The trek still kicks off on July 20 in Worcester, Massachusetts, but will now end on September 8 in Portland, Oregon. ...

Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich has commented on the "episode" he suffered on his plane ride to England's Download Festival, which caused him to land in Germany and enter a hospital for tests. "I think that the last six months of playing super-duty metal and traveling all over the world at my age kind of caught up to me a little bit," he said in a statement. Ulrich thanked Slipknot's Joey Jordison, Slayer's Dave Lombardo and Metallica's drum tech Flemming Larsen for filling in on drums during Metallica's set. "God, I wish I could have seen that," he said, then added, "No, on second thought, it's probably better that I don't see it." ... Eleven and counting. LL Cool J has set an August 3 release date for DEFinition, his follow-up LP to 10. L's first single will be the Timbaland-produced "Headsprung." Other producers on the album include N.O. Joe and Dame Grease. ...

Just a month after her album So-Called Chaos was released, Alanis Morissette's already thinking ahead to her next single. She's planning a video shoot with Liz Friedlander for the song "Eight Easy Steps." ... Voter-registration tables will be set up on all dates of the summer tours of the Dave Matthews Band, Phish and the Dead, reaching an estimated audience of 2 million people. The nonprofit, nonpartisan group HeadCount, which is organizing the registration drive, will also be present on the Lollapalooza tour. ... Live at the Gorge, due June 29, documents the Dave Matthews Band's three-night stand, September 6-8, 2002, in George, Washington. The two audio discs, which were compiled with the help of the band's fan organization, the Warehouse, are augmented with a DVD. ...

"Survivor" and "The Apprentice" mastermind Mark Burnett is developing a new reality series that gives contestants the chance to front '80s Australian rockers INXS. The show is described as a cooler version of "American Idol" with a bit of competition a la "The Apprentice." INXS' frontman, Michael Hutchence, hanged himself in 1997 ... Thomas "Quorthon" Forsberg, the frontman for pioneering Swedish metal band Bathory, has died of heart failure at the age of 39. Bathory's combination of garage-quality production and hardcore tempos, raw metal riffs and satanic lyrics through the '80s was instrumental in influencing the death metal scene. And Quorthon's inclusion of Nordic themes and orchestral flourishes in the '90s had a substantial impact on nascent Scandinavian black metallists, who fancied themselves Vikings. In a statement, video director Jonas Akerlund, who formed the band with Quorthon in 1983, said, "People like Marilyn Manson, Billy Corgan and the members of Metallica have all come up to me and have told me that they listened to Bathory. It is so sad. He had much more to offer." ...

To coincide with the release of "Driv3r", the long-awaited video game's soundtrack will be released independently on June 22. Phantom Planet's "Big Brat," the Raveonettes' "Bowels of the Beast" and the Stooges' "Gimme Danger" are among the 14-track album's highlights. ... Comedian George Lopez will host the fifth annual Latin Grammy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on September 1. The show will be broadcast live on CBS. ...

One California winery is making a drink fit for a king ... or more specifically the King. Signature Wines' Elvis-inspired Graceland Cellars line features Blue Suede Chardonnay, King Cabernet Sauvignon and Jailhouse Red Merlot. ... New York quartet Interpol have completed their second album. The follow-up to 2002's Turn on the Bright Lights is expected to surface this fall. ... Following a summer spent writing and demoing new material, Brand New hope to enter a studio in September to record their third album, the follow-up to last year's Deja Entendu. ...

Middleweight boxing champion and State Property clothing spokesperson Winky Wright celebrated his new business venture as part owner of Long Island, New York's Street Dreams Automotive Accessories with a party on Saturday. Joe Budden, video starlet Gloria Velez and radio personality Doctor Dre were on hand. ... Beautifully morose Down Under dirgers Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds will release two albums packaged together in September. The double-disc set, Abattoir Blues/ The Lyre of Orpheus, is Cave's 13th studio effort. A U.S. tour is expected to coincide with the release. ...

• Britney Spears
• Loon
• Evanescence
• Hoobastank
• Stephen Malkmus

Fantasia Barrino, who has been telling reporters she will launch her recording career under the name Fantasia, will release her debut single on June 22. The A-side will be "I Believe," the Tamyra Gray-co-written song she performed during the "American Idol" finale, while the B-side is still being considered (with most bets on "Summertime"). ... "Idol" runner-up Diana DeGarmo, meanwhile, will release her single the following week so as not to compete directly with Fantasia like Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken did a year ago. She is still deciding on both the A- and B-sides. ...

Though most of Courtney Love's adventures lately have unfortunately revolved around drugs and the law, the one that will be available in comic-book stories starting next month is much more magical. Thanks to Japanese animation, Love gets a fresh start as Princess Ai, a mysterious young woman dropped from another planet in Tokyo, where she must piece together clues about who she is, why she's on Earth, and the secret of the heart-shaped box she carries. Oh, and there are other Nirvana references via the blondish, punkish boy named Kent, who helps her on the way. "I have always loved the Japanese culture and people," Love said in a statement. "Princess Ai is a great character, because she feels like my alter ego, but in a fantasy setting." The first volume of Princess Ai is available July 6. ...

	Click for photos from "Princess Ai"

Britney Spears has revised some of her upcoming North American tour dates — canceling some and adding others. Shows previously scheduled for Raleigh, North Carolina, on July 22; Charlotte, North Carolina, on July 24; and West Palm Beach, Florida, on July 27 have been canceled; refunds are available for ticket-holders. In the meantime, shows have been added for Atlanta at HiFi Buys Amphitheatre on July 21; Atlantic City, New Jersey, at Borgata Hotel Casino on July 23; and Greensboro, North Carolina, at Greensboro Coliseum on July 25. ...

January 10 is the trial date that's been set for Rosa Parks' lawsuit against Outkast and their label, Arista Records. The civil-rights icon claims Outkast violated her trademark rights and defamed her when they named a song from their 1998 album, Aquemini, after her. The group's lawyers want to question Parks, 91, but so far her lawyers refuse to allow it, citing medical reasons. A July 13 hearing has been set to decide whether Parks can be compelled to give a deposition in the case. Meanwhile, Parks has filed a star-filled witness list that includes Hillary Clinton and Oprah Winfrey. In December, the Supreme Court refused Outkast's plea to dismiss the lawsuit. ... An estimated 8,000 people attended the Ohio Hip-Hop Summit Thursday afternoon on the campus of Ohio State University for the latest event from Russell Simmons and his Hip-Hop Summit Action Network. The summit — which drew such artists as Kanye West, Loon and Petey Pablo — registered 2,000 new voters. ...

Marilyn Manson's lawsuit against former bandmember Scott Putesky (a.k.a. Daisy Berkowitz) and Empire Musicwerks Records has been settled. In the suit, filed on April 28, Manson sought to stop the continued distribution of an album and DVD of material from his former band the Spooky Kids, as the cover made unauthorized use of the singer's image. On June 4, Empire Musicwerks announced that it would remove all artwork with Manson's likeness from the album and DVD. ... The emo flagwavers at Absolutepunk.net are about to launch their first package tour. Featuring several bands slapped with the "next big thing" label, Audio Karate, Say Anything, MC Lars and Lance's Hero, the 15-show trek begins June 17 in Sacramento, California. ...

Nick Lachey is already a big brother to his former 98 Degrees bandmate Drew, and now the "Newlyweds" star is going to take on the role for Big Brothers Big Sisters. Lachey is headlining a ceremony celebrating the youth mentoring organization's 100th anniversary, which will take place June 16 in New York's Bryant Park. "It's amazing to me how you can change a young person's life by spending as little as one hour a week with them, sharing simple things like a pizza or an ice-cream cone. It's really about being a friend," Lachey said in a statement. "I hope my involvement can help drive matches in the more than 5,000 communities nationwide where Big Brothers Big Sisters has a presence." ... Although she's on tour, Madonna's getting the next few installments in her children's book series ready. The third book, "Yakov and the Seven Thieves," is due out in stores on June 21, while the fourth book, "The Adventures of Abdi," will come out November 8. Of the third book, Madonna said in a statement that it's a story "about how all of us have the ability to unlock the gates of heaven, no matter how unworthy we are. For when we go against our selfish natures, we make miracles happen, in our lives and in the lives of others." ...

Fresh from his starring role in the HBO movie "Something the Lord Made," Mos Def has independently released an untitled EP. The five-song record includes the new songs "Excellence," "Summertime," "Pornographic," "Grown Man Business" and a Brooklyn-themed freestyle. ... A hit record can take you a very long way — all the way to the bank and the boardroom. St. Louis' Trackboyz, producers of J-Kwon's "Tipsy," have inked a joint venture with Island/ Def Jam to form their own label, Trackboyz Entertainment. ...

Pearl Jam are expected to begin recording their next album, the follow-up to 2002's Riot Act, by the end of the year. The effort will be the band's first since leaving longtime label Epic Records. ... Van Halen singer Sammy Hagar has teamed up with country performer Toby Keith to work on new songs. One of the duo's tunes, "What Happens in Cabo Stays in Cabo," will appear on Keith's next album, which is due out later this year. Last April, Keith performed at the launch of Hagar's Cabo Wabo Cantina in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. ... Fountains of Wayne will release an album of B-sides before the end of the year. The band begins a tour on June 16 in Charleston, South Carolina, and wraps things up July 25 in Pittsburgh. ...

Guitarist Robert Quine — whose three-decade career included work with Lou Reed, Matthew Sweet, Tom Waits, John Zorn and Richard Hell — died on May 31, apparently of an intentional heroin overdose. Quine's body was found last weekend by his friend Rick Kelly, who became concerned when phone calls weren't returned. According to Kelly, the guitarist left a suicide note. Kelly said that Quine, 61, had fallen into substance abuse (which had not previously been a problem) after his wife of many years died of cardiac arrest last year. Quine apparently attempted suicide about a month ago as well. ... Aerosmith canceled a Sunday concert near Birmingham, Alabama, hours before the band was to take the stage as one of the bandmembers — the group's reps wouldn't say which one — was ill. The show has been rescheduled for June 30. ...

Butthole Surfers frontman Gibby Haynes will release a solo album, Gibby Haynes & His Problem, on August 31. The disc will feature 11 songs including "Kaiser" and "Redneck Sex." Buttholes member Paul Leary guests on keyboards and mixed half the tracks. ... While Finch put the finishing touches on their second album in a Los Angeles studio, the band is gearing up for a summer tour to show fans what they can expect. Beginning Saturday with the first three dates of the roving Rolling Rock Town Fair festival, which kicks off in Boston, the band will stay on the road for two dozen dates through mid-September. The as-yet-untitled album is expected out before the end of the year. ...

6.4. 2004

On New York radio station Hot 97 on Friday (June 4), Shyne spoke out for the first time since going to prison in 2001. Among the revelations he disclosed to radio host Angie Martinez is that he thinks he'll be out of jail in early 2005 and Jay-Z has talked to him about forming an all-Brooklyn supergroup consisting of Jay, Shyne and Foxy Brown. ...

We're not sure whether "Blue Hawaii" or "Viva Las Vegas" is the theme song to Josey Scott's honeymoon, but we do know that the Saliva frontman wed Kendra Lynnett Edney last weekend (May 29) at Elvis Presley's former estate, Graceland. Before you think about exchanging vows where the King once gorged himself on fried peanut-butter-and-banana sandwiches, know that not everyone can marry at Graceland. Scott, a Memphis, Tennessee, native who also owns one of Elvis' old limos, knows someone on the inside. ... Here's your chance to say, "I'm with the band," and really mean it. New Found Glory are offering six fans the opportunity to be a roadie for a day. Fans choose from six different prize packages like trips to New Zealand and the Triple Crown Surfing event in Hawaii, a PT Cruiser, Fender guitars, and of course, the opportunity to see the band in concert and party with the members backstage. The contest runs until August 1. To enter, go to www.pacsun.com. ...

R. Kelly tops the list of nominees for the 2004 Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Awards with eight nods, followed by Jay-Z, who has seven. The event is set for August 6 in Miami, immediately following the three-day Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Conference. Beyoncé, Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz, Alicia Keys, Chingy and Outkast are also among the artists with multiple nominations. ... While on tour with No Doubt, guitarist Tom Dumont and drummer Adrian Young will step out on Saturday to guest with San Francisco musician Bing Ji Ling and play some of his blue-eyed soul at New York's Knitting Factory. ...

Slipknot have booked a couple of "Off-fest" dates of their own in between Ozzfest performances. July 11 finds the band, along with Slayer, Hatebreed and God Forbid, in Augusta, Maine; while on August 29, the band will play in Virginia Beach, Virginia. ... Lindsay Lohan's father has been accused of assaulting a relative at a party at the Lohans' Long Island, New York, home. He was arraigned on Thursday in First District Court in Hempstead on charges of second-degree assault and aggravated harassment for allegedly assaulting his brother-in-law Matt Sullivan on May 23. Lindsay's father reportedly said Sullivan showed up at the family gathering drunk and was responsible for the fight. Lohan is due to appear in court on June 8. ...

The first new Helmet album in more than six years, Size Matters, will come out on September 14. The band currently features frontman Page Hamilton, guitarist Chris Traynor, bassist Frank Bello (ex-Anthrax) and drummer John Tempesta (ex-White Zombie). ... Extreme metal band the Dillinger Escape Plan will headline a monthlong North American tour, which will also feature a host of unknowns including the Bronx, Planes Mistaken for Stars, Decehedron and others. The multi-act tour will be called F---ing With the Lights On and will launch July 18 in Baltimore. Dates are scheduled through August 17 in New York. Dillinger Escape Plan's new album, Miss Machine, is slated for release July 20. ...

NBC is planning a 12-hour series about the history of Motown Records and its creator, Berry Gordy. "Berry Gordy's Motown" is expected to air in the 2005-2006 season. ... Guitar amplifiers autographed by Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page will be included in the Rock Legends auction, which takes place on June 16. Proceeds will go to the ABC Trust charity, which was founded by Page's wife, Jimena Gomez-Paratcha, in 1998. Commission/absentee bids will be accepted on www.cooperowen.com up to 24 hours before the sale. ...

Kittie nearly took a bath while shooting the video for their new single, "Into the Darkness," when an acrylic pool on the set exploded and 600 gallons of water poured over the soundstage. Guitarist and singer Morgan Lander grabbed her guitar and bolted when she heard the explosion. All other bandmembers were off the set. When drummer Mercedes Lander returned to the set, her kit was sitting in two inches of water. After cleaning up, director Greg Kaplan and Rafaela Monfradini completed the performance-based video shoot. ...

• Fantasia
• Britney Spears
• Courtney Love
• OutKast
• Nick Lachey

• Jay-Z
• OutKast
• T.I.
• Kanye West
• Jermaine Dupri

After two days of jury selection, the attempted-murder trial of Roc-A-Fella rapper Beanie Sigel began Thursday (April 15) at the Court of Common Pleas in Philadelphia. This trial stems from a shooting outside a Philly bar last July. Last week, in a separate incident, Sigel pleaded guilty to a federal gun charge for which he will be sentenced on July 8. ...

Rapper Loon was due in Beverly Hills Superior Court in California on Thursday for a preliminary hearing on attempted-murder charges, but the case was continued until June 3. The charges stem from an incident at the House of Blues in West Hollywood in which a security guard was stabbed. Loon and two associates were arrested and charged with the crime. ... A Lifetime original film about last year's Rhode Island nightclub fire is tentatively scheduled for a July broadcast; production began April 2. Alex Grossi (of Beautiful Creatures), Chad Stewart (Faster Pussycat), Danny Nordahl (Motochrist) and Muddy Stardust (the Gilby Clarke Band) are considering roles in the film. ...

Janet Jackson has picked Francis Lawrence to direct the video for her next single, "All Nite (Don't Stop)." The shoot takes place Friday and Saturday. … Also on Friday, JC Chasez will move forward with the video for his next single, "All Day Long I Dream About Sex," with Todd Kellstein calling the shots. ... Perhaps not surprisingly, Wilco have canceled the first eight dates of their spring tour while frontman Jeff Tweedy undergoes rehab for a painkiller dependency. The string of dates beginning with an April 21 show in Columbia, Missouri, through their Coachella slot on May 1 have been scrapped, and refunds are available for all shows except Coachella. The band will play all remaining dates as scheduled, beginning with a show May 28 in Barcelona, Spain. ...

Courtney Love appeared in a Beverly Hills court Thursday, where a judge ruled in a preliminary hearing that there was probable cause to hold her felony drug-possession case over to trial. Though the singer pleaded not guilty in October, she will be re-arraigned on April 30. Love and her former lawyer have said the charges stem from just three pills found in her possession, but her new lawyers and the deputy district attorney say Love handed over a bag of 30 pills. Her lawyer Michael Rosenstein told reporters outside the courthouse that the district attorney's office was "wasting court time and taxpayer money" by trying to make an example of the singer, whom they claimed had been prescribed all the medication found at the house. Deputy District Attorney Jeffrey Stodel said Love is being treated "the same way we would treat anyone else found with an illegal substance." For her part, Love told Blender magazine in an issue to hit stands later this week that it's her "inalienable right" to continue taking prescription pills. "OxyContin is one of the most effective, harmless, positive painkillers around," she told the magazine. "The drug is new to me, actually. Yes, it's a narcotic and it's addictive, but so are Vicodin and Tylenol 3 with codeine." ...

No Doubt drummer Adrian Young is joining Bow Wow Wow as a sideman on their summer tour. "It's a dream come true to play with a band I grew up idolizing," Young said in a statement. "I feel like a kid back in the sandbox." Their string of dates starts July 16 in New York. ... Phish plan to stage a major summer festival in their native Vermont on August 14 and 15, although those dates are tentative and details are still being worked out. Meanwhile, the band has announced 11 summer shows, beginning June 17 and 18 at Coney Island's KeySpan Park in Brooklyn, New York. Other stops include Saratoga Springs, New York; Noblesville, Indiana; East Troy, Wisconsin; Mansfield, Massachusetts; and Camden, New Jersey. ...

As Taking Back Sunday put the finishing touches on the their second album, the follow-up to 2002's Tell All Your Friends, the emo quintet is gearing up for a monthlong, 24-city trek with Blink-182 that kicks off April 29 in Nampa, Idaho. The new album is due in July, while the band is on the road with the Vans Warped Tour. ...

04.14.2004

Alicia Keys, Usher and Lionel Richie have been added to the lineup of Quincy Jones' We Are the Future concert scheduled for May 16 at Rome's historic Circo Massimo. Angelina Jolie has joined the list of special guests attending the event. ...

ABC has scheduled a second "The Nick & Jessica Variety Hour" for Christmas. The debut earned strong ratings on Easter, giving the network a rare win for the night. ... A few hours after their appearance on the "TRL" Awards on Tuesday, Outkast held a party at New York's Crobar to celebrate the diamond sales certification of their double LP Speakerboxxx/ The Love Below. Jay-Z and Beyoncé, P. Diddy, Farnsworth Bentley and New York Knicks point guard Stephon Marbury were just a few of their friends who turned out. ...

White Stripes frontman Jack White is going to appear in not one but two videos for country legend Loretta Lynn's upcoming album, Van Lear Rose, out April 27. Though they're still finalizing the details for the video for their duet, "Portland, Oregon," they're planning to shoot another one for the song "Miss Being Mrs." The clip, which will consist primarily of performance footage, will be shot in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, at the plantation mansion from the 1980 movie about Lynn's life, "Coal Miner's Daughter." ... In a recent low-key Santa Monica, California, ceremony, Beck wed his eight-month pregnant girlfriend, Marissa Ribisi, the twin sister of actor Giovanni Ribisi, according to USA Today. On the music front, Beck recently recorded a cover of Daniel Johnston's "True Love Will Find You in the End" for an upcoming tribute album. ...

Meat Puppets bassist Cris Kirkwood's trial was adjourned until May 10 in order for the judge to consider a motion filed by his attorney, who hopes statements Kirkwood made immediately following his arrest in December can be suppressed. Kirkwood faces charges stemming from an incident outside a Phoenix post office, in which he assaulted a security guard, who then shot him. ... Trillville and Lil Scrappy are each shooting their second videos from The King of Crunk & BME Recordings Presents Trillville & Lil Scrappy in Los Angeles this week. Scrappy's "No Problem" is an ode to Denzel Washington's 1998 thriller "Fallen," while Trillville's "Get Some Crunk in Yo System," featuring cameos from Snoop Dogg and WC, pays homage to a more recent Washington movie, "Training Day." Lil Jon, who is taking time off from recording the Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz album Crunk Juice, co-directed both videos with Gil Green (Trick Daddy). ...

The producers behind American Idol Season 3: Greatest Soul Classics, due April 27, have added a group song to the track list, the 12 finalists' rendition of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough." The songs by John Stevens and Diana DeGarmo have been changed to "You Are Everything" and "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," respectively. ... Jacki-O has shown the executives at TVT Records that her "Nookie" isn't the only good thing about her. The record company announced Tuesday that it has signed the Miami rapper. Her debut, Poe Little Rich Girl, will hit toward the end of the summer. ...

• Beanie Sigel
• Janet Jackson
• JC Chasez
• Loon
• Phish

Loon (file)
Photo: Bad Boy

Felony assault charges against Loon and two associates are now official.

Loon, whose real name is Chauncey Hawkins, is charged with one count of assault with a deadly weapon, stemming from a stabbing at a West Hollywood nightclub earlier this month. Attached to that are two special allegation counts, one for use of a deadly weapon and one for use of a deadly weapon with intent to cause great bodily injury, both of which could add more prison time to the original count if Loon is found guilty.

Loon and two associates, William Reyes and Teon Tanqueray, were arrested in the early morning hours of February 13 after a security guard was stabbed at the House of Blues on the Sunset Strip (see "Loon Charged With Attempted Murder"). Reyes and Tanqueray face the same charges as Loon. The district attorney formally filed the charges on Friday after receiving evidence from sheriff's detectives.

Loon has entered a plea of not guilty and will next appear in Beverly Hills Superior Court for a preliminary hearing on April 15.

It was initially reported that the stabbing occurred as the men were trying to gain entry into the club, but a House of Blues employee, who asked to remain anonymous, recently told MTV News that the men were already inside and were trying to gain access to the stage, where Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz were performing.

According to the employee, several people tried to rush the stage, and after more workers were brought in to control the crowd, the security guard was stabbed. Police arrived, locked down the venue and picked Loon and the two other men out with the help of witnesses.

• Loon

Loon and P. Diddy (file)
Photo: MTV News

Just hours after posting $1 million bail early Saturday morning, Loon showed up at Russell Simmons' Hip-Hop Summit Action Network voter-registration drive in Los Angeles.

There the Bad Boy recording artist offered his first comments on his arrest on attempted-murder charges, proclaiming that he isn't guilty. "I'm innocent, that's first and foremost," Loon told MTV News. "I'll leave it at that. It's a very unfortunate situation."

Loon and two other men were arrested early Friday morning after allegedly stabbing a security guard outside the House of Blues on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood (see "Loon Charged With Attempted Murder"). Police say it happened after the men were refused entry into a party celebrating the release of a Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz adult DVD.

"[This] hasn't stopped me from living and partaking in major events such as the Hip-Hop Summit," Loon continued. "My cause is still valid, that's why I'm here today."

Spokespeople for Bad Boy Records and P. Diddy, who just last week had Loon glued to his side during Grammy week, offered no comment on Loon's situation.

The case's lead detective at the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said investigators are still trying to determine which of the three men stabbed the guard. The case is expected to be filed with the district attorney's office by the end of the week.

Later at the summit, Loon addressed the gathered audience — many of whom hadn't yet heard of his arrest and were confused by the context of his comments. "My situation is irrelevant," he said. "I want you all to understand how important it is to register to vote."

The Hip-Hop Summit Action Network's voter-registration drive coincided with a number of hip-hop stars visiting Los Angeles for the weekend's NBA All-Star Game. The event was chaired by Roc-A-Fella CEO Damon Dash and, according to organizers, registered 60,000 new voters.

• Loon

Loon (file)
Photo: Bad Boy

Rapper Loon and two other men were arrested and charged with attempted murder after an incident outside the House of Blues in West Hollywood early Friday morning.

The men were held on $1 million bail after allegedly stabbing a security guard who refused them entry into a party for Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz. Loon (real name Chauncey Hawkins) subsequently posted bail and was released early Saturday morning (February 14).

According to the watch sergeant of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's West Hollywood station, where the men were booked, Hawkins and two friends, William Reyes and Teon Tanqueray, attempted to enter the House of Blues on the Sunset Strip around 12:30 a.m. Friday morning. After they were refused entry, the men tried to rush the door, and in the ensuing altercation a security guard was stabbed in the chest multiple times. The unidentified guard was rushed to a nearby hospital where his injuries, considered non-life-threatening, were treated.

Investigators are still gathering evidence to determine who stabbed the security guard. The county district attorney's office will then determine when the men will be arraigned.

After being booked on felony attempted-murder charges, only Hawkins posted bail. He was released at 2:45 a.m. Saturday morning.

The promoters for the House of Blues party, Disco Sushi, were celebrating the release of Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz's adult DVD in a week when numerous hip-hop stars had descended on Los Angeles, for last week's Grammy Awards and this weekend's NBA All-Star Game.

Loon released his self-titled debut on Bad Boy Records last year.

• Loon

Omarion, Lindsay Lohan, Loon, Brian McKnight, Others On Teen People's Red Carpet

• B2K
• Loon
• Maroon 5
• N.E.R.D.
• Juvenile

Nelly, Kim, LL, Sean Paul, More On Source Awards Red Carpet

• Nelly
• Lil' Kim
• LL Cool J
• Sean Paul
• Clipse

P. Diddy's Jet Photos

• Diddy
• Funkmaster Flex
• Loon

Jay-Z Video Shoot Photos, "La-La-La (Excuse Me Again)"

• Jay-Z
• Diddy
• Memphis Bleek
• Beanie Sigel
• Loon