Lynyrd Skynyrd's Donald "Ean" Evans
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage

One of the most star-crossed bands in rock history, Lynyrd Skynyrd, suffered another tragedy this week. Bassist Donald "Ean" Evans died on Wednesday at his Columbus, Mississippi, home at the age of 48 after a battle with cancer, according to The Associated Press.

"It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of longtime Lynyrd Skynyrd bassist Ean Evans," the band announced on their Web site on Wednesday. "Ean put up a valiant battle with an aggressive form of cancer and he will be sorely missed by family, friends and fans."

Evans joined the legendary Southern rock band in 2001, following the death of longtime bassist Leon Wilkeson, and Evans' death was the second for the group this year, following the passing of keyboardist Billy Powell in January. In the 1980s, Evans played with another Southern rock powerhouse, the Outlaws, and later with that band's original guitarist, the late Hughie Thomasson, who also had a stint in Skynyrd (1996-2005).

Up until his cancer diagnosis in 2008, Evans toured heavily with Skynyrd, who will be hitting the road again this summer with Kid Rock.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members, best known for such landmark tunes as "Free Bird" and "Sweet Home Alabama," have had a history of tragic deaths. In 1977, the band's chartered plane crashed in a swamp near McComb, Mississippi, killing six, including lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines and backing vocalist Cassie Gaines. One of the group's founders, guitarist Allen Collins, was paralyzed in a 1986 DUI accident that killed his girlfriend. He died in 1990 from pneumonia.

• Lynyrd Skynyrd

Lynyrd Skynyrd's Billy Powell
Photo: Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images

Longtime Lynyrd Skynyrd keyboardist Billy Powell died early Wednesday at his Florida home according to The Associated Press.

Powell called 911 at about 12:55 a.m. Wednesday saying he was having trouble breathing. Rescue crews performed CPR, but he was pronounced dead at 1:52 a.m., Orange Park Police Lieutenant Mark Cornett told AP. Powell, 56, reportedly had a history of heart problems, and a heart attack is the suspected cause of death. No autopsy will be performed because Powell's cardiologist will sign the death certificate, Cornett said.

The band, based in Jacksonville, Florida, formed in 1966 and took its name from a gym teacher they disliked: Leonard Skinner. Powell joined the group around 1972, the year before they released their first album, Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd.

The band, of course, went on to become one of the biggest-ever Southern rock groups, and is best known for its hit "Free Bird," which opens with Powell's piano flourishes. Skynyrd's other classics include "What's Your Name," "Gimme Three Steps" and "Sweet Home Alabama," which was a top-10 single in 1974.

A plane crash on October 20, 1977 — which killed singer Ronnie Van Zandt, guitarist Steve Gaines and backing vocalist Cassie Gaines, among others — decimated the band, although its members have continued through the years as the Rossington-Collins Band and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Powell had been onboard the plane.

Lynyrd Skynyrd were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.

• Lynyrd Skynyrd

Kid Rock
Photo: Rick Diamond/ WireImage

This may not come as much of a surprise, but Kid Rock isn't exactly the biggest fan of following the rules.

So when it came time to release the third single off his Rock N Roll Jesus album, he decided to forego conventional wisdom, ignoring the most popular singles medium out there — a little thing called "digital" — and opting instead to simply push the tune to radio stations. And just why did he choose to do this? Well, because he's Kid Rock, that's why.

"I've always had a problem with people telling me, 'Oh, you have to do this because you have to do it,' " laughed Rock, who was just announced as a performer at this year's VMAs. "So when everyone was telling me that I had to release my single on iTunes because they own the market and that's just what you've gotta do these days, I decided that I wasn't going to do it. My whole career, I've done that. Whenever everyone's headed in the same direction, I turn around and run the other way."

Essentially, by saying no to iTunes, Rock made it impossible for fans to download "All Summer Long." He was instead betting on the fact that most people would be willing to shell out $15 for a copy of his album in order to own the song. It was a risky move, but in the end, it paid off. Jesus, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard albums chart back in October but had all but disappeared from the top 200, rocketed back into the top 10, and has sold more than 1.3 million copies so far. And "All Summer Long" continues to be a beast on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, thanks mainly to its near-constant radio play. And while most artists would spend every waking minute trumpeting successes like these, Rock is doing quite the opposite.

"This whole thing wasn't some attempt to change the way the industry works or some sh-- like that. It was basically me knowing I had a good song, one that people would love when they heard it," he explained. "I mean, people say iTunes is popular because it's convenient, but so is McDonald's — that don't mean people aren't still making reservations to go eat at fancy restaurants too.

"I knew the track was solid — it's got two of the best songs of all time mashed up together [Lynyrd Skynyrd's 'Sweet Home Alabama' and Warren Zevon's 'Werewolves of London'], it's got great melodies, so really, my work was done," he continued. "I knew people would hear it and know I wrote it. They'd know it was real, and there'd be that connection. And that's what's missing in music today. I think people don't believe half the sh-- they hear some rapper or some pop girl singing about ... but with me, they do. And that's why people have reacted the way they have to the song."

Of course, it doesn't hurt that the song is a totally killer summer anthem — a nostalgic celebration of sun-drenched days and beery evenings that just so happens to sound great on sun-drenched days and beery evenings — or that Rock is promoting the tune the old-fashioned way; by touring the bejeezus out of it alongside one of its progenitors, the almighty Skynyrd. It's an old-school formula for success — one that the notably old-school Rock finds remarkably refreshing, given the times in which we live.

"I think today everyone's worried about looking cool, about over-thinking everything, about all this bullsh--. If Jesus Christ were to come back tomorrow and forgive our sins, I feel like the first blogger who wrote about it would say something like, 'Oh, Jesus Christ is a douche bag,' " he laughed. "I just think that's a waste of time, and I think a lot of other people do too. I just want to have fun, enjoy life and have a good time. And I think there's a lot of people out there who are just like me."

And while he's sticking with that line of reasoning, if prodded, Rock will finally admit to enjoying the success of "Summer," if only because it stands as one giant middle finger to an industry that counted him out and called him crazy. And why does he feel this way? Because he's Kid Rock, that's why.

"I keep saying I wasn't trying to reinvent the wheel. I just knew I had a great song that flew in the face of everything you hear on the radio or in pop music. Basically, all pop music is now just bad rap songs, or like, Mariah Carey or girl pop, so this song is really a breath of fresh air," he said. "People wanted to tell me how to release it, or that I was making a huge mistake by choosing to ignore iTunes and all that, but I've always known I can say 'F--- you' to the best of 'em, and I have done just that, many times before. And I'm sure I'll do it many times again."

• Kid Rock
• Mariah Carey
• Lynyrd Skynyrd
• Warren Zevon

Radiohead's Thom Yorke
Photo: Jo Hale/ Getty Images

Radiohead have announced their tour plans for 2008, but if you're expecting a traditional itinerary ... well, then you really don't know Radiohead. The band has started sketching out cities and dates for next year on its Web site, but the info is only complete for three shows — and tickets are on sale for all of them: June 18 in Milan, Italy; June 20 at Germany's Hurricane Festival; and June 22 at the same country's Southside Festival. The band is also booked for Denmark's Roskilde festival and Belgium's Rock Werchter Festival, both of which will be held July 3-6. Paris; Barcelona, Spain; Dublin, Ireland; London; Berlin and other major European cities are also on the menu. ...

Seems all that "Tattoo" talk has gone to Jordin Sparks' head. The "American Idol" victor — whose new self-titled debut isn't doing so hot in record stores these days — told the San Francisco Chronicle that she decided to get a tattoo of her own after shooting the video for her latest single, "Tattoo." Sparks first asked her mother — "I would feel really bad if I did it without telling her," she said — who replied that she would get a tattoo with her daughter after she turns 18 on December 22. The singer said the tattoo will feature her brother P.J.'s name "in a nice script." ... Ashley Tisdale's performance at the Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting in New York on Wednesday apparently went off with a hitch — video circulating online seems to show the "High School Musical" star lip-syncing "Last Christmas" out of step with the pre-recorded tape. Could Ashley have something in common with another Ashlee? ...

Amy Winehouse's father is speaking out regarding the singer's recent cancellation of the remainder of her 2007 concert dates and public appearances, according to BBC News. Mitch Winehouse reportedly said his daughter is "sorry for fans," that her decision to rest is "is in her best interests" — and that "all options" were being taken into consideration over whether she would go to rehab, where she had reportedly been treated earlier this year. Amy Winehouse nixed the rest of her '07 tour plans on Tuesday, saying in a statement, "I can't give it my all onstage without my [husband] Blake [Fielder-Civil]." Her husband was arrested in the U.K. earlier this month and formally charged with one count of "attempting to pervert the court of justice," or the U.S. equivalent of obstruction of justice, in connection with an alleged $400,000 plot to fix a trial. ...

Deerhunter, the Black Lips, Mastodon and more are featured in "We Fun: Atlanta, Ga.: Inside/Out," a new documentary that is acting as the companion piece to "Athens, Ga.: Inside/Out," which came out in 1987. The flick's MySpace page has much more info, including ways to help donate to the production. ... Rare silk-screened, autographed gig posters relating to the Arcade Fire, Spoon and Superchunk are being featured in Merge Records' new eBay auction benefiting Oxfam America and the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina. The revered indie label, which calls Chapel Hill home, is also putting up M. Ward, Destroyer and Robert Pollard posters — the Arcade Fire one is already going for $531. ...

Expect to find Lil Wayne, Cee-Lo, Bilal, Floetry's Marsha Ambrosius and Q-Tip on the upcoming album by Solange Knowles. Solange & the Hadley Street Dreams, due in 2008, will also feature, more bizarrely, a sample from long-running down-tempo duo Boards of Canada. ... The Warner Music Group posted a big loss on Wednesday (November 29) — a 58 percent drop in its quarterly profit, according to Reuters. Sales from digital music were up 25 percent during the quarter, but the decline in CD sales dwarfed that gain. U.S. album sales are down 14 percent this year. ... Moby tracks might not be as prized these days as they were back in 1999, but the musician is giving some of them away for free all the same on a new portion of his Web site. He's giving away music to be used by indie and nonprofit filmmakers, film students and people — so long as it's used in a non-commercial or non-profit film, video or short. ...

Critics' albums-of-the-year lists are popping up left and right, but what about the King of Horror's two cents? Stephen King — who is a member of Rock Bottom Remainders, the literary all-star squad that also features Matt Groening and others — rolls out his own list in the new issue of Entertainment Weekly, which streets December 7. Steve Earle's Washington Square Serenade is his favorite album of the year, with Wilco's Sky Blue Sky and Lyle Lovett and His Large Band's It's Not Big It's Large following behind. Rounding out his list are Ozzy Osbourne's Black Rain, John Fogerty's Revival and Southern Culture on the Skids' Countrypolitan Favorites. ...

Nick Bollea, Hulk Hogan's son, was driving around 100 mph when he crashed his car in late August, according to reported police records released Tuesday, but his attorney is denying the claim. "The scientific evidence doesn't support anything like that," Morris "Sandy" Weinberg told the St. Petersburg Times. The report also says Bollea — who was cited for operating a vehicle with a breath-alcohol level of .02 percent or higher, among other infractions — told police he didn't know what road he was traveling on or in which direction, and that he had been driving 30 or 40 mph. Earlier this month, Bollea was charged with reckless driving in the crash that critically injured his friend and passenger John Graziano, who suffered a broken skull and has been comatose since the accident. ...

Ex-Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer Artimus Pyle was arrested Tuesday for not properly registering as a sex offender — the second time he's been busted for not doing so — according to The Associated Press. The musician (real name: Thomas Delmer Pyle) — who in 1993 pleaded guilty to charges of attempted capital sexual battery by an adult on a victim younger than 12, among other charges — is being held on $50,000 bond at a jail in Florida after being arrested at one of three addresses he gave to police. On November 19, Pyle was arrested on the same charge after he didn't register a new permanent address. The address on Pyle's driver's license reportedly doesn't belong to him — the musician has a house in North Carolina but has told police he wants to register at an address in Florida. Pyle left Skynyrd in 1992 after playing with the band for 17 years. ...

Jennifer Love Hewitt got engaged to boyfriend Ross McCall, a Scottish actor, last week during a trip to Maui, according to UsMagazine.com. A date reportedly hasn't been announced yet for the "Ghost Whisperer" star's wedding.

11.28.07

Lindsay Lohan was dealt a setback Wednesday (November 28) when a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled her deposition in an ongoing lawsuit can be videotaped, according to TMZ.com. The site says Judge Michael Stern ruled that Raymundo Ortega, who is suing the starlet for $200,000 in damages stemming from an October 2005 car crash, can videotape Lohan's deposition as part of his lawsuit against her. Her lawyers had argued against the motion, saying such a videotape would sell for tens of thousands of dollars. Last month, Lohan countersued Ortega, who has accused her of negligence and drinking when she hit his parked van in West Hollywood, California. A trial date for both suits is set for April 7. Also in October, Britney Spears landed a courtroom win last month when a judge ruled that her pending deposition in her child-custody case will not be videotaped. ...

John Legend is one event-full dude. He appears on one of the covers of Black Enterprise's December issue, has a TV concert special on the way and is also booked to co-host the kickoff party at this year's Florida Entertainment Summit, which begins Thursday and ends Sunday. Rick Ross, DJ Khaled and others are also participating in the summit. ... The Killers have presented fans with a new Christmas charity single, the successor to last year's "A Great Big Sled." All proceeds from "Don't Shoot Me, Santa," which was made available Tuesday as a digital download, are going to Bono's (RED) campaign, as "Big Sled" proceeds did last year. They've shot a video for the track too. ...

"High School Musical" fans can breathe a little easier — Zac Efron will be back for the third flick, according to Us Weekly. Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale were reportedly confirmed for "High School Musical 3" earlier this month, and the magazine quotes director Kenny Ortega as saying, "All of the original cast will be back." But, he added, "I have a feeling this will be the end [for the current stars]. This franchise may move to another generation!" Hudgens also commented on the upcoming flick, saying, "It's their senior year, so there's going to be graduation — and prom!," according to the magazine. ...

Autographed materials and other swag items relating to Foo Fighters, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, John Mayer, Bruce Springsteen, the Killers, Metallica, Stevie Wonder, Slash, Bright Eyes, Beck, the Flaming Lips, Feist, the Arcade Fire, Marilyn Manson, the Rolling Stones and a fleet of other artists will be up for bidding at the 19th annual Rock for Kids Charity Auction, which will take place Friday in Chicago. Rock for Kids gives free music lessons to underprivileged kids in the Chicago area. ... And Incubus are hoping to inject their Make Yourself Foundation charity with an influx of cash via a new auction of their own. The band has put more than 50 items up for bid on eBay, including Brandon Boyd's 2006 Mini Cooper, a custom Xbox, sneakers, a pool cue and more. Incubus have so far raised more than $600,000 for their nonprofit this year. ...

Alicia Keys has been tapped to co-host "My Night at the Grammys," a two-hour special hyping the upcoming awards show. The CBS special will also feature Mary J. Blige, Christina Aguilera, Billie Joe Armstrong, Beyoncé, Bono, Ricky Martin and Usher sharing their Grammy memories, with Melissa Etheridge and Faith Hill also co-hosting. "My Night" will air at 8 p.m. on Friday, while the awards ceremony itself will take place February 10 at Los Angeles' Staples Center. ... Think you're the perfect match for Bow Wow or Omarion? The guys are launching a contest in which two winners will score a dinner date with them. To enter, contestants have to make a 30-second video of themselves explaining why they would be the perfect "Wifey" for either Bow or O, and submit it here. The winners will also get autographed copies of the two's December 11 album, Face Off, which they're celebrating with a day-of appearance at Circuit City on Fifth Avenue and 43rd Street in New York. The first 500 people to buy the album at the location will get a wristband allowing entry to the autograph signing. ...

Unreleased tracks by Nas, Rihanna, Fabolous, Method Man, Redman, Bobby Valentino and Ne-Yo are being compiled onto Def Jam Sessions Vol. 1, due December 18. The so-called "ultimate bonus track collection," as a press release dubs it, features leftover cuts from the artists' latest albums and includes Nas' "The N ..." and "Where Y'All At" (from the Hip Hop Is Dead sessions); Rihanna's "Haunted" and "Cry" (Good Girl Gone Bad); Fab's "I Shine, You Shine" and "Chirp Back" (From Nothin' to Somethin'); Meth's "OD" (4:21 ... the Day After); Red's "F--- Da Security" and "Let's Go" (Red Gone Wild: Thee Album); Valentino's "Wreck" and "Let's Go" (Special Occasion); and Ne-Yo's "That's What It Does" and "Spotlight" (Because of You). ... Free agent Joe Budden previewed selections from his forthcoming independent album/mixtape, Mood Muzik 3: It's About to Get Worse, on Tuesday night at New York night spot the Plumm. The recently liberated Def Jam artist was on hand, as were rappers Joell Ortiz and Benzino. The first two installments of the Mood Muzik series were more acerbic, but the sharp-tongued MC still delivers a few lyrical uppercuts on the new disc, such as on "Ventilation": "I'm looking in his casket like he had no face/ I was at a loss for words like 'Fiascogate.' " ...

It's been almost a year since Brandy was involved in a multi-car freeway crash that claimed the life of a woman, and since the singer hasn't been charged yet, she could wind up in the clear, according to TMZ.com. The window of opportunity for the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office to file charges expires December 30, on the first anniversary of the accident — the site reports that the office is planning to wait until the last minute to make its decision. ... Yahoo and AOL might scrap their Internet radio services following a 38 percent increase in royalties to air music, according to Bloomberg.com. SoundExchange, which represents artists and labels, started collecting the mandated increased fees in July, after which Yahoo and AOL stopped directing users to their radio sites. Yahoo's Launchcast saw an 11 percent drop in the number of people using the service, while AOL Radio's audience took a 10 percent plunge. ...

Magnetic Fields, Mountain Goats, Blitzen Trapper and Cursive fans, make some noise ... the bands are anchoring the lineup for next year's Noise Pop festival. The 16th installment of San Francisco's indie-rock gala will happen February 26-March 2 and also feature Greg Dulli and Mark Lanegan's Gutter Twins, whose Saturnalia debut is due in stores March 4. The Twins have also booked a Valentine's Day gig at New York's Bowery Ballroom. ... A Perfect Circle mastermind Billy Howerdel's new project, Ashes Divide, are targeting March for the release of their yet-untitled debut. He produced and engineered the effort in Los Angeles, playing all guitar, bass and keyboard parts. Drumming was handled by Josh Freese, another APC vet, and Alan Moulder (Nine Inch Nails, the Killers) engineered the disc. ... The Black Lips are hoping their 2007 hype carries over into next year: The Atlanta garage-rockers — or "flower punks," as they prefer to call themselves — are plotting a tour that will run from February 1 in Denver through March 22 in Atlanta. ...

Controversial hip-hop shock jock Troi "Star" Torain announced his return to the radio airwaves on Wednesday at a press conference held at Bryant Park Hotel in New York. Toran, who hosted top-rated morning shows at Hot 97 and Power 105 before unceremoniously departing from both stations amid clashes with management and disputes with a number of contemporaries — including Dame Dash and DJ Envy — will make his return as a part of the new independent station Pulse 87 (87.7). The Top 40 station will premiere in early January, followed by the debut of the new "Star & Buc Wild" show. ...

Natavia Lowery, the former personal assistant of ex-Ramones co-manager Linda Stein, pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to Stein's murder. The Associated Press reported that Lowery, who initially denied knowing anything about the brutal slaying of Stein — who was found facedown in a pool of blood in her $3 million Fifth Avenue apartment on October 30 after her head and neck had been struck a half-dozen times — blamed a masked man at first, according to newly revealed court documents. But in a signed statement, Lowery claimed that Stein blew marijuana smoke in her face, brandished a cane and made derogatory remarks about black people. "I snatched the cane and hit her repeatedly with it," said Lowery, who is black. Her attorney said outside court that police coerced a false confession from his client by grilling her in an interrogation room for 12 hours and that the purported murder weapon has not been found. Police said surveillance tapes show Lowery leaving Stein's apartment shortly after the assault. ...

The Ozzy Osbourne pre-concert sting that was staged last month in Fargo, North Dakota — and resulted in dozens of arrests — is continuing to pay off for the police. According to North Dakota news site KXNet.com, Cass County Sheriff Paul Laney is selling T-shirts cops wore in the raid and using the money to raise money for the United Way. During the Halloween Eve sting, which was disguised as an Osbourne party, police wore "security" tees that featured a festive Halloween skull, and the image of a sheriff's-badge star could be seen in its right eye socket. "The T-shirt just became the image and look of what happened with that event, and people wanted one," Laney said, according to the site. "Initially we weren't going to do anything with it, but as I thought about it, I thought, 'Hey, what a way to give back to the community through something that happened — something positive.' So we'll give [every] penny raised to the United Way." ... In even more unusual Osbourne news, his wife, Sharon, made a macabre revelation on "Extra" on Monday — they have a suicide pact in place in the event that either she or her husband faces a terminal illness. "[When] you know you're going to die, we would want to choose the time where we want to leave," she said. "I would go with my old man, and he would come with me." But, Sharon added, "Not if it's in the next five years." She also addressed her feud with Courtney Love, saying that she can't address her allegations that the rocker hooked her son, Jack Osbourne, on drugs because the situation is "now in legal hands, so we can't talk about it, because it's gone to that stage."

• Radiohead
• Amy Winehouse
• Lil Wayne
• Cee-Lo
• Ozzy Osbourne

Ozzy Osbourne accepts Black Sabbath's Rock Hall induction on Monday
Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com

"It's all over now. ... Rock n' roll is sh--. It's dismal," Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon railed in the June 1980 issue of the late, great rock mag Trouser Press. And although he said those words more than 25 years ago, Lydon's tune has scarcely changed.

So when it was announced back in November that Lydon and his fellow Pistols would finally be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (see "Black Sabbath Finally Make Rock Hall Of Fame — Whether Ozzy Likes It Or Not"), it was just a matter of time before he came out swinging against it all. And when Lydon finally did — via a hand-scrawled note posted on the Pistols' Web site (see "Sex Pistols Respond To Rock Hall Invite With Filth And Fury") stating that the group would not attend the ceremony — the music industry responded with little more than a chuckle and a collective roll of the eyes.

And of course, when the Rock Hall held its 21st annual induction ceremony at New York's glitzy Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on Monday — an event that also saw the induction of Blondie and Miles Davis, as well as Black Sabbath and Lynyrd Skynyrd (both of whom, like the Pistols, had been passed over several times; see "So How Do You Get Into The Rock Hall Of Fame?") — Lydon and the Pistols were nowhere to be seen.

It was supposed to be a silent middle finger to the rock and roll establishment, though it actually seemed to disappoint rather than enrage the assembled musicians, suits and journos. (Rumors, which sadly turned out to be false, had been swirling all day that Green Day were going to induct the Pistols). Still, one cannot help but wonder what Lydon would've thought of the whole ceremony if he'd bothered to attend it.

He probably would have enjoyed the nasty onstage spat that occurred between members of Blondie, which was certainly the most "punk" moment of the night. After frontwoman Deborah Harry, guitarist Chris Stein, keyboardist Jimmy Destri and drummer Clem Burke accepted their awards, former members Frank Infante and Nigel Harrison — who unsuccessfully sued to rejoin the band on its 1998 reunion tour (see "Blondie Reunion Blocked By Former Members") — raided the podium and begged to perform with Blondie.

"Debbie, aren't we allowed?" Infante whined. "I thought the group was being inducted tonight."

"Can't you see my real band is up there?" Harry shot back, before launching into spirited set of Blondie's hits, "Heart of Glass," "Rapture" and "Call Me."

The ugly onstage incident spilled over into the press area, as Stein told the assembled media that he was keeping an eye on his Rock Hall trophy "In case I see one of those f---ers back here."

That sorry scene was, for better or worse, probably the evening's highlight. Sting inducted A&M Records cofounders Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss. The late Miles Davis was inducted by a polite Herbie Hancock. And Black Sabbath, who had made their displeasure with the Rock Hall known on many occasions, were strangely subdued when giving their acceptance speech. Even the rambunctious Ozzy Osbourne seemed touched by the honor, thanking the Hall of Fame "for getting it right" and dedicated the honor to the memory of former Metallica bassist Cliff Burton and former Pantera guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott.

"I was getting a bit tired of getting my hopes up year after year, but I'm happy we're finally in," Ozzy said before the ceremony. "It's a great honor and hopefully it will lead the way to more heavy-metal acts being inducted. I'd like to see Judas Priest in soon."

And though Sabbath did not play after accepting their award (because, as Ozzy delicately put it, "my b---s hurt"), the spirit of their brutal proto-metal was brought to thudding life by Metallica, who chugged through "Hole in the Sky" and "Iron Man" with wanton disregard for the eardrums of the largely graying assembled dignitaries. (It should be noted that even though frontman James Hetfield adopted a sorta-Ozzy falsetto for the tunes, as a Sabbath cover band, Metallica are a pretty decent Metallica.)

And as the night ended with inductees Lynyrd Skynyrd jamming away on — what else? — "Free Bird," Lydon's criticisms felt only partially valid. Sure, there are still many artists who deserve to be inducted (Grandmaster Flash, the Stooges) and the ceremony still has the feel of a corporate gospel brunch at the House of Blues. But the Hall seems to be working to fix its problems. Inducting the Pistols, Sabbath and Skynyrd was one step; festooning the Waldorf's stately stage with all manner of punky graffiti was another.

Maybe next year, they'll get it all right. And it'd be a shame if Lydon weren't there to see it.

See it all for yourself, including performances by Metallica and Kid Rock with Lynyrd Skynyrd, during VH1's broadcast of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony March 21 at 9 p.m.

• Black Sabbath, Metallica And Blondie At The 2006 Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony

• Metallica
• Blondie
• The Sex Pistols
• Black Sabbath
• Lynyrd Skynyrd

Black Sabbath at the U.K. Music Hall of Fame induction on November 16
Photo: Jo Hale/Getty Images

Our long national nightmare is over. After eight tries, legendary heavy metal act Black Sabbath will finally be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next year, whether Ozzy Osbourne likes it or not.

They will be joined by punk pioneers the Sex Pistols, new wave icons Blondie, jazz godhead Miles Davis and southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd (see "Blondie, Miles Davis, Cat Stevens Top Rock Hall Nominees"). The 21st annual ceremony will take place on March 13 in New York at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.

In a 1999 letter to the Hall of Fame, Ozzy famously told the institution to "Just take our name off the list. Save the ink. Forget about us. The nomination is meaningless, because it's not voted on by the fans. It's voted on by the supposed elite for the industry and the media, who've never bought an album or concert ticket in their lives, so their vote is irrelevant to me." He added, "Let's face it, Black Sabbath has never been media darlings. We're a people's band and that suits us just fine."

The group — bassist Geezer Butler, guitarist Tony Iommi, Osbourne and drummer Bill Ward — recently inducted into the U.K. Music Hall of Fame, has long been considered one of the cornerstones of heavy metal. Black Sabbath's absence from the Hall of Fame has been the source of much of the criticism surrounding the way the Hall selects its honorees (see"So How Do You Get Into The Rock Hall Of Fame?").

Though they only managed to release one album, England's Sex Pistols helped set the standard for punk through a series of outrageous stunts, chaotic live shows and the blistering nihilism of their single studio LP, Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols. New York's Blondie put a pop face on the late 1970s downtown punk scene via a mix of new wave quirkiness and irresistible hooks, spinning off such classic hits as "Heart of Glass" and "Rapture," with the latter helping to bridge the gap between punk and the emerging hip-hop scene.

Like Sabbath, Southern rock stalwarts Lynyrd Skynyrd are finally making it into the Hall, in their case on the seventh try. The group that made a three-guitar attack legendary are best known for such classic rock radio staples as "Sweet Home Alabama" and "What's Your Name," as well as the epic standard "Freebird," which has become shorthand among rock fans for a show-stopping jam.

Late trumpeter Davis was one of the most celebrated, enigmatic and experimental musicians of the modern jazz era, flirting with everything from standards to fusion and rock (1970's Bitches Brew) during his 50-year career.

A&M Records founders Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss will be inducted in the Lifetime Achievement in the Non-Performer category for their work building the label they co-founded in 1962 into one of the most successful independent labels in the world thanks to hit albums by artists including Peter Frampton, the Police, Joe Jackson, the Neville Brothers, Cat Stevens and Alpert's group, Tijuana Brass.

Artists become eligible for the Rock Hall 25 years after the release of their first record.

• Black Sabbath
• Miles Davis
• Blondie
• The Sex Pistols
• Lynyrd Skynyrd

Bo Bice
Photo: RCA

Judging by his collaborators, the "American Idol" "rocker" is going to keep rockin' post-show.

Bo Bice has just started work on his debut solo album and he's already joined forces with former Evanescence guitarist Ben Moody, Nickelback singer Chad Kroeger, Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora, and producers Howard Benson (Hoobastank, Papa Roach), Marti Frederiksen (Def Leppard, Aerosmith) and John Shanks (Sheryl Crow, Santana).

"It's a little bit of everything," the "Idol" runner-up said of his music so far. "People will see my mellow, acoustic side on a couple songs, then my crazy Stevie Ray Vaughan, Johnny Winter, jammy-type stuff, then really groovy '70s rock, revisited with a modern touch. And with some genuine lyrics about my life and things I see around me."

Bo is recording in Nashville, where he is now living. Moody, Kroeger and Sambora have submitted songs for the album, including a Sambora/ Shanks tune called "Remember Me" that is among Bo's favorites.

"More than anything, though, I'd like to do some co-writing with these cats," Bo said.

That's exactly what Bo did recently with Rickey Medlocke, while the Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist was in Nashville to perform on "ReAct Now: Music & Relief."

"He didn't remember, but my band Purge in 1994 opened up for [Medlocke's band] Blackfoot and he was just the coolest guy," Bo said. "I've met some celebrities who were cool, but kinda fickle. It was the coolest thing to meet him a decade later and he's still the coolest, most humble cat. And I told him that and he said, 'We're about always treating people the way we want to be treated.' And I said, 'You just stole the line I use every day in my life.' "

Along with all of the established writers and producers, Bo has also written a dozen songs with his band, Sugar Money, including two inspired by Hurricane Katrina, "We Can't Change This World" and "Changing for the Better" (see "Bo Bice Returning To 'Idol' Tour With Song Inspired By Katrina").

There's no telling, though, what will end up on the as-yet-untitled album, tentatively set for a November 29 release.

"We have to pitch to the record company like everybody else," said Bo, who described his material as being about growth.

"Put yourself in a pond and over time it's going to get stagnant and become a cesspool," he explained. "A river flows, it's ever-changing. You can make a curvy river straight over a million years. And it's not what's on top going down the river, it's those grooves in the bottom. But let's not be ponds. Let's keep growing."

Bo, who missed much of the American Idols Live tour this summer due to illness (see "Bo Bice Has Emergency Surgery, Misses 'Idol' Tour Dates"), will take a break from recording this weekend to headline the 11th annual BayFest Music Festival in Mobile, Alabama.

For more on Bo, check out the feature "Bo Bice: Live On The Sunset Strip," and for a backstage look at the Idols tour, see "On The Road Again With 'Idol.' "

Get "Idol"-ized on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

• Bo Bice
• Ben Moody
• Nickelback
• Bon Jovi
• Lynyrd Skynyrd

Sex Pistols' Johnny Lydon (a.k.a. Johnny Rotten) (file)
Photo: MTV News

It looks like John Lydon — a.k.a. Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols — could be getting ready to die.

The snarling Pistols frontman has found his band among the 15 finalists for enshrinement in the 2005 class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, an institution Lydon once declared to be a "place where old rockers go to die."

"The Rock and Roll Hall of Shame, that's what it ought to be," Lydon complained in 2003, after the Sex Pistols were denied entry for the second year in a row — although contemporaries the Ramones and the Clash received nods. "[That] title was clearly earned."

The Pistols are just one of three punk pioneers poised for enshrinement in 2005: Patti Smith and the Stooges also made the cut. The rest of the nominees include U2, Lynyrd Skynyrd, early hip-hop group Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, country legend Conway Twitty, alt-country pioneer Gram Parsons, singer/songwriter Randy Newman and R&B acts the O'Jays, Percy Sledge and Wanda Jackson.

Aside from the Sex Pistols, the most intriguing nomination is that of Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, who would become the first rap act inducted in the Hall. To be eligible for enshrinement, an artist's initial release must be 25 years old. Flash & the Five released two singles, "Superappin" and "Freedom," in late 1979 and early 1980, and the group's recognition could be the beginning of a wave of hip-hop inductions into the Hall.

Voters received ballots in the mail last week, and performers who receive the highest number of votes (and more than 50 percent of the vote) will be inducted; the Hall generally elects five to seven performers a year. The inductees will be announced sometime in November, and the induction ceremony — the Hall's 20th — is scheduled to take place in New York in March.

• U2
• Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
• The Sex Pistols
• Lynyrd Skynyrd

Shinedown (file)
Photo: Atlantic

Many music lovers have considered Lynyrd Skynyrd a guiding light through tough times, a friend with open arms when there's no place else to turn for comfort. Shinedown think of the Southern rock legends as more like family. In fact, if Ronnie Van Zant were alive today, Shinedown guitarist Jasin Todd's 3-year-old daughter would call him Gramps.

The rocker is engaged to Van Zant's daughter, Melody, and the two will marry in October. That explains why Skynyrd helped Todd and singer Brent Smith find musicians when they were working on the demos for their debut album, which was recorded at Made in the Shade, a studio owned by Ronnie's widow, Judy Van Zant. Smith even stayed in Judy's guest house during the recording of what became Shinedown's Leave a Whisper.

Now that Shinedown are making a roar at rock radio with their single "45," the group hopes to pay tribute to the Van Zant family by releasing the Skynyrd song "Simple Man" as the next single. "It's my favorite Lynyrd Skynyrd song," Smith said. "From the first moment I heard it, I thought it would be good to do as a rendition. I felt like we do the song justice, and it represents us as a band and what we're about."

Shinedown played the song for the first time early this year at Judy Van Zant's Freebird Cafe as a nod to the owner for all the help they'd received. It sounded so good that they played it live on the air at WAAF-FM in Boston about a month later. Soon after, the song wound up on the Net, where it's been downloaded hundreds of thousands of times, according to Smith. "We felt the rest of the country might want to hear it," he said, "so me and Jason went to a studio in Orlando and recorded it acoustic."

They also recorded acoustic versions of "45" and "Burning Bright," which may be released along with "Simple Man" later this year. If "Simple Man" is not released as the band's next single, the album track "Burning Bright" likely will be, a record company spokesperson said. "That's a song about triumph in the darkest moments of your life," Smith explained. "It's just about shining and understanding who you are, and accepting you're not perfect but you have to be yourself. It's just about shining through and making sure you believe in yourself."

The theme of hanging on in the face of adversity is a recurring one for Shinedown, and it echoes throughout the video for "45." The clip was shot last month in Los Angeles by Glenn Bennett (Seether, Trapt) for a mere $50,000.

In the video, Smith sulks in existential pain, then his girlfriend enters and tries to ease his sorrow by being affectionate. He rejects her advances and the couple start fighting. Then she throws a fit, flings a vase at his head and storms out. Throughout the clip, Smith gazes at a closed gun box. The ominous tone is heightened by the chorus "Staring down the barrel of a .45." Even so, Smith insists, the song is one of hope.

"By no means does it glorify suicide," he explained. "That's where the significance of the box comes in. I wanted people to understand that the box is never opened. I might have lost the girl, but at the end of it all I'm still there. Basically I wanted to show the struggle between someone contemplating [ending] their life and staying on earth, and how that struggle can absolutely turn people's lives upside-down."

• Shinedown
• Lynyrd Skynyrd

Alicia Keys and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds will host the 18th Annual Soul Train Music Awards, which will air live March 20 from the International Cultural Center in Los Angeles. Outkast, R. Kelly, Nelly, Murphy Lee, Jermaine Dupri, Usher, Ruben Studdard, Anthony Hamilton, Erykah Badu, Ron Isley and Michelle Williams are scheduled to perform. ...

Evanescence will release "Everybody's Fool" as the fourth single from Fallen. The band is currently writing the follow-up album. ... All those boy-band fans out there lying in wait for the next Backstreet Boys album have a new reason to live: The shape-shifting cute-boy troupe Menudo, which launched the career of Ricky Martin, is being resurrected. The international search for boys ages 10-14 interested in joining the outfit, touted as having "a contemporary hip urban/Latin crossover sound in both English and Spanish," begins in New York this summer. ...

The Army's 4th Infantry Division didn't give Saddam Hussein three steps toward the door of the rat hole in which they found him in December, and for that they might be treated to "Gimme Three Steps," "Gimme Back My Bullets" "On the Hunt," "That Smell" and other Lynyrd Skynyrd hits when the band performs especially for the Saddam-routing troops. The Tribute to Heroes event is scheduled for April 22 at Fort Hood, Texas. ... The recording industry's crusade against illegal file-sharers hit a stumbling block Friday when a federal judge in Philadelphia ruled that 203 individuals could not be lumped into one collective lawsuit. Instead, in order to gain the identity of the so-called "John Doe" defendants, the RIAA must offer evidence against each alleged song-swapper individually, at a cost of $150 in court fees each. More than 800 lawsuits, in Atlanta; Orlando, Florida; New York; Washington, D.C.; and Trenton, New Jersey, remain outstanding. The RIAA was forced to employ John Doe suits after a federal court prevented it from obtaining the identities of alleged pirates from their ISPs without a judge's signature. ...

The Crystal Method were the big winners at Tuesday's Dancestar USA Awards, taking home trophies for Best Act, Best Album (Legion of Boom) and Best Single ("Born Too Slow"). The Chemical Brothers, Madonna and Paris Hilton (Best Celebrity DJ) were also awarded at the ceremony, the climax of the annual Winter Music Conference in Miami. Moby was honored for his Outstanding Contribution to Dance Music and won Best Music DVD. ... Calling all axemen: Jagged Edge are looking for players to get down with them on a new album they're mapping out called Ghetto Guitar. The group says it wants to incorporate guitar into all the tracks on the album. Prince and Slash are two guitarists on the ATL singers' wish list. ... Prince's concert at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on March 29 will be broadcast in 32 Regal Cinemas movie theaters around the country. The show is the kickoff of his upcoming Musicology Tour. ...

Original Kiss drummer Peter Criss is again out of the band. In a post on his Web site, Criss said that his contract with the group has expired and neither he nor his attorney has been contacted about an extension for future touring. Kiss are expected to rehire Eric Singer for their upcoming tour of Japan, which starts May 27 in Tokyo. ... Former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic has applied for a marriage license thorough the Pierce County Auditor's office, the Tacoma News Tribune reports. Novoselic's fiancée is 41-year-old artist Darbury Ayn Stenderu. ...

Goths rarely rejoice, but they might crack a smile when they hear that Siouxsie and the Banshees frontwoman Siouxsie Sioux will play 14 shows starting May 19 in Seattle and running through June 9 in New York. The show, billed as "An Evening With Siouxsie: The Creatures & The Banshees," will feature two hours of material from her 25-year career. ... John McGeoch, a punk guitarist who has worked with Siouxsie and the Banshees, Magazine and Public Image Ltd., died in his sleep on Thursday at the age of 48. No further details on his death are available. In 1995, McGeoch gave up touring and got a degree in nursing, however he continued to write music. In a post on his Web site, Banshees bassist Steve Severin said, "He was always in my heart and often in my thoughts. Without a doubt, he was the most inventive guitarist of our generation and my favorite Banshee." ...

Truth Hurts and Raphael Saadiq have finished up work on her next LP. Set for released through Saadiq's Pookie Entertainment Label on May 11, Truth has titled her sophomore album Ready Now. The first single is the title track and comes out March 30. ... In an underground hip-hop union of the minds, Long Island, New York, rapper MF Doom and Los Angeles producer/MC Madlib will become Madvillain in their first full-length collaboration. The album, Madvillainy, will see release on March 23. ...

Pioneering German industrial band Einstürzende Neubauten will play 15 shows in North America, starting April 23 in Washington, D.C., and running through May 16 in Asheville, North Carolina. The band is touring to support its new album, Perpetuum Mobile, which came out last month. ... Thuggish metal-rap band 3rd Strike have broken up. The band has posted a message on its Web site that reads in part, "Sorry people, it's true. Thanks to all our loyal fans." The group's debut album, Lost Angel, was released in 2002. ... The High Times stoner-metal compilation The Stoner Rock Collection has been delayed a few weeks from its previously announced date of May 4. The disc will feature songs by Corrosion of Conformity, Unida, the Hidden Hand, Clutch and others. ...

03.09.2004

Seven years ago Tuesday (March 9), the Notorious B.I.G. was shot and killed in Los Angeles, a murder that remains unsolved. Several hip-hop artists are gathering in New York for a tribute show to Biggie and other fallen rappers to mark the occasion. Scheduled to appear at B.B. King's Blues Club Tuesday night are Mos Def, Gang Starr, Busta Rhymes and M.O.P., who will unveil their new rock band. ...

Cam'ron, Dame Dash and Farnsworth Bentley were among the hip-hop notables who reached out to the kids on Saturday in New York for the launch of the "Read 2 Succeed" literacy program. They were all on hand at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture for the initiative, which is sponsored by the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network and the National Urban League with support from the Hip-Hop Summit Youth Council. ... A week after launching a do-it-yourself Jay-Z remix package, the creators of the Jay-Z Construction Set have set up a blog for people to share their various remixes. It can be found at www.jayzconstructionset.com/hype. ...

Jurors in the trial of Jesus Mezquia, accused of raping and killing punk singer Mia Zapata of Seattle band the Gits in 1993, will have to decide if the DNA evidence that led to his arrest last year is enough to convict him of murder. Mezquia, 49, was nabbed when DNA taken from Zapata's body matched the DNA that was entered into a database for convicted felons after he had been busted for burglary. ... For the first time, an officially sanctioned version of 1985's Live Aid concert is coming to home video. After concert organizers, who include Boomtown Rats' Bob Geldof, noticed bootleg copies available online, they decided to auction off the DVD distribution rights to the 12-hour, two-city event, which raised money to combat famine in Africa. Money raised through the auction will benefit the Band Aid Trust, which continues to provide for the poor and hungry in Ethiopia. The video is expected to be available by the end of the year. ...

Eleven new dates have been tacked on to the Strokes' U.S. tour, beginning May 2 in Nashville. The trek, which kicked off Tuesday to support the band's second album, Room on Fire, will now wrap up with a hometown gig on May 19 in New York. ... Rapper Lyrics Born has recorded a remix of his single "Callin' Out," to be released soon. The new version features the colorful vocabulary of E-40 and the boasts of Casual. ...

Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry continues to encourage fans to play around with his Boneyard Brew hot sauce. And for those who can't take the heat, there's still the free Boneyard Brew video game "Genie Joe and the Axeman," at www.starmountainstudios.com. In the fast-action game, fans play Chef Anthony as he scurries around to collect ingredients for the sauce and avoids sour notes sent to him by the evil Axeman. Perry recorded voices and music for the game. ... Add Michael Anthony to the list of rockers who like it hot. The Van Halen bassist is preparing to bottle his own Mad Anthony's Hot Sauce, which, according to a post on his Web site, will "make sweatin' it out on the can the next morning part of your everyday ritual." Now doesn't that sound appetizing? ...

• Usher
• Menudo
• Alicia Keys
• Lynyrd Skynyrd
• Evanescence

Artists Who've Never Been #1: Ozzy, Kiss, The Cure, More

• David Bowie
• Lemmy Kilmister
• The Smiths
• Morrissey
• The Who