Bruce Springsteen and Tom Morello perform onstage at the 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concert on Thursday
Photo: Stephen Lovekin/ Getty Images

NEW YORK — During his introduction at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th anniversary concert at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night (October 29), Tom Hanks brought up a good question: "Does rock and roll need a hall of fame?" He immediately arrived at his answer. "Yes. After 50 years of rock and roll, yes." The next five hours were spent backing up Hanks' statement, with performances by Crosby, Stills and Nash, Stevie Wonder, Simon & Garfunkel and Bruce Springsteen (plus a bevy of special guests), all saluting the now-storied history of rock and roll.

Ostensibly, the theme of the night was to bring together seminal rock acts and their influences for a series of greatest hits and all-star jams (Paul Simon brought out old-school bopper Dion for a trip through "Runaround Sue," while Springsteen welcomed legendary singer and bandleader Sam Moore), but the most inspired moments from the show came when artists decided to look to the future (or at least the present) rather than salute the past. Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello joined Springsteen for a loud, thumping electric version of "The Ghost of Tom Joad" (complete with Morello's signature guitar scratching), while Wonder brought out John Legend for a trip through Marvin Gaye's "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" and an extended tribute to Michael Jackson on "The Way You Make Me Feel."

Following Hanks' introduction (his production company, Playtone, was producing the show for HBO, which will air the concert on November 29), the curtain rose on Jerry Lee Lewis, the 74-year-old rock legend who sat behind a piano to pound out "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On." He was followed by the first of many montages of moments in rock history (Woodstock, Jimi Hendrix burning his guitar, Elvis Presley on "The Ed Sullivan Show") mashed up with signature moments from the 20th century (Martin Luther King, Vietnam).

Crosby, Stills and Nash ran through a workmanlike set of their own hits and covers, bringing on contemporaries Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt and James Taylor for a few collaborations (including a blistering run through the Allman Brothers Band's "Midnight Rider" and an all-hands-on-deck jam through "Teach Your Children"). Paul Simon's set was more straightforward: He kicked it off with "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes" and didn't stray far from his jukebox full of hits for the next 45 minutes. Longtime collaborator Art Garfunkel harmonized with Simon on classics like "The Sound of Silence" and "The Boxer," and while their individual voices sounded weathered by age, the harmonies remained as sweet and haunting as ever.

Stevie Wonder overcame technical difficulties at the beginning of his set (nobody could seem to provide him with a microphone that worked) to deliver a hit-filled, star-studded performance that stole the evening. In addition to his team-up with Legend, Wonder also brought on Smokey Robinson (whose sweet croon infused "The Tracks of My Tears" with a stunning grace) and B.B. King (whose run through "The Thrill Is Gone" proved that his voice still has that perfect combination of gravel and honey, even at 84 years old). Perhaps the evening's most surreal moment came when Wonder introduced Sting, who played bass and sang with the R&B legend on an inspired mash-up of Wonder's "Higher Ground" and the Police's "Roxanne."

The night closed with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's typically epic set. Following a sweaty "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out," Springsteen just kept hitting peaks: Duets with John Fogerty and Darlene Love, a cover of the Clash's "London Calling," a surprise appearance by Billy Joel (who jammed on three songs) and a final, everybody-and-their-mother grand finale "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher." It was well after 1 a.m. by the time Springsteen bid the crowd goodnight, but the case had been made long before that: Yes, rock and roll does need a hall of fame, and the evening's performers proved that they were the reason why.

• Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 25th Anniversary Concert

• Bruce Springsteen
• Stevie Wonder
• Tom Morello

Tom Morello on the set of "The Bright Lights of America"
Photo: MTV News

It's a weeknight in Glendale, California, and Tom Morello — guitarist for Rage Against the Machine and the man they call the Nightwatchmen — is standing inside Moonlight Rollerway, a fake moustache that looks more like a woolly bear caterpillar resting across his upper lip. Around his neck, there's a long string attached to a silver whistle. He's holding a clipboard, and there's a red headband on his forehead that matches the red wristbands he's rocking.

Across the back of his red, white and blue track suit read the words "Coach Tom." He mutters to himself, "Ah, the things I do for Anti-Flag."

No, Tom's not switching careers — he's shooting a cameo for the Pittsburgh political punkers' new video. Morello will be featured prominently in the band's upcoming clip for "The Bright Lights of America," the title track and first single off the band's eighth studio LP, which hit stores last week.

As the cameras roll, Morello — playing the irritable coach of "Team USA," during a global roller-derby battle royale — springs into character, acting every bit the epitome of the amped-up, steroid-chomping Little League dad. He pumps his fists in the air and barks at the derby girls who skate past him: "Move your ass! That's not good enough! Not on my time, ladies!"

According to Anti-Flag frontman Justin Sane and bassist Chris #2, the video's concept is inspired by the stories of difficult times faced by the many fans they meet on the road. It's also a statement on the absurdity of extreme ideologies and the future of American society.

"The song focuses on two characters: a girl I met last year who is a cutter, and to feel alive, she has to cut herself. It's also about a boy who has a really hard time in his home life, and to deal with it, he feels he needs to be on drugs all the time," said Sane. "It's very dark content, but in the end, the song is very optimistic. It says we all go through these really hard times, but we have our community, we have each other, to pick ourselves up and be there for each other. It also asks the questions, 'Who are we as Americans?' 'Where is this nation going?' 'Why are so many people on antidepressants?' People can't handle reality. Is this the direction we want our country, or even the world, to be going in?"

Morello has been friends with the Anti-Flag lads for several years now, having enlisted the band as the support act on Rage's Battle of Los Angeles tour back in 1999. "Anti-Flag are a band with a lot of heart, and a band that genuinely cares about its fans," said Morello. "I don't get dressed up in a getup like this for just any band. They are the best punk-rock band of our era, and it's always an honor to share the stage with them or even to be stuck in a roller rink in a goofy outfit with them."

While Morello refused to respond to fast-spreading rumors that Rage Against the Machine (who were just announced as Lollapalooza headliners) are in the studio at the moment working on new material, he did discuss this year's presidential election. And why wouldn't he? This is a member of the most political bands ever to emerge — a band that decided to call it quits at perhaps the worst time possible — just before George W. took office.

"As the half-Kenyan Harvard graduate from Illinois who is not running for office this year, I've got to say, there's been a lot of talk of change in this election year," Morello said. "It remains my belief that change is not made by politicians, but by people. No matter who is elected, we do not abdicate our responsibility to take action, to organize, to struggle and to push who is in office to make change on the ground. You can't wait and hope your vote will turn the system around. You need to take action where you live and where you work."

While Morello hasn't decided who'll be getting his vote just yet, he admitted he has been impressed by Senator Barack Obama's campaign.

"I haven't picked a candidate ... my candidate is the American people, the people who work hard for a living and struggle to make ends meet," he said. "The only time in my adult life that I have ever been impressed by a politician was Barack's speech on race. As someone who has witnessed racism up close his entire life, it's nice to see someone who intelligently, candidly and honestly talked to the American people as if they were adults for a change, that didn't try to get something out of people by using 'freedom, good; evil, bad.' I mean, that's the level of our political discourse, from both parties. And to speak intelligently and honestly about a very uncomfortable topic that has been the curse of the United States of America since its founding was something that was very impressive to me."

But Morello isn't sure what chance Obama stands in the race for the White House.

"Can a country that elected George W. Bush, twice, elect someone who comes across like that is unclear to me," he said. "If America elects [Republican Senator John] McCain, well, then maybe we don't deserve better than McCain. In the most recent congressional election, the Democrats were elected to stop the war, and like cowardly dogs, they failed to do that. No matter who is in office, it's our responsibility to take the wheel of history in our hands, if we want to see a different and better world than the one we live in now."

• Anti-Flag
• Rage Against the Machine
• Tom Morello

Lindsay Lohan
Photo: Marsaili McGrath/Getty Images

Lindsay Lohan began her community service at an American Red Cross blood-services facility in a Los Angeles suburb on Monday, People reports. She reportedly arrived at noon, was greeted in the parking lot by members of staff and left at 7 p.m. Lohan must serve 10 days of community service as part of a plea deal she struck in August for her two DUI convictions. ...

Pete Wentz hosted a karaoke contest called "Viva La Karaoke" at his bar Angels & Kings on New York's Lower East Side on Monday night. Karaoke fanatics — including two MTV News producers — tried to impress the judging panel, which consisted of Wentz, designer Tommy Hilfiger and MTV News' Kim Stolz. The hodgepodge crowd included Ashlee Simpson, who was at her beau's side all night; Aussie rockers Jet; Travis McCoy from Gym Class Heroes; and Wentz's Fall Out Boy bandmate Patrick Stump, who serenaded the crowd with R. Kelly's "Space Jam" joint, "I Believe I Can Fly." When asked why he opted for the Kelly song, Stump spilled to MTV News: "That was the only one I knew we had in the karaoke machine." "He did a good job, it was pretty good," Simpson added. "It was funny to watch." ...

Surprise — Radiohead's break with EMI might not have been a clean one. According to the U.K.'s Guardian, the band's former label had been promoting Radiohead's back catalog through a misleading online ad that the label subsequently yanked. The paper reports that people Googling the band's name would encounter an ad reading "Radiohead - New Album 'Rainbow' now available as boxset," referring to the band's recent In Rainbows release, at the top of the search page. But the ad actually directed to the box set of the band's back catalog that is being issued by EMI subsidiary Parlaphone — not the In Rainbows box set the band is putting out. Both box sets are dropping in December at the same price, which led fans to question EMI's motives. "Parlophone were aware of the data source glitch and removed the link immediately," EMI publicist Chris Latham told the Guardian, to which Radiohead's spokesperson — who went unnamed — reportedly replied, "We accept that it was a genuine error and that it has been rectified." Radiohead announced Monday that In Rainbows will arrive in North America in physical form on January 1 via their own TBD Records, which is teaming with ATO Records Group for the release. ...

Beyoncé's planned show in Malaysia was canceled in September after Muslim groups protested her refusal to obey the country's strict dress code for performers. But could the singer also be too controversial for ... the U.S.? According to The Associated Press, some Las Vegas residents are fuming over a billboard of a bikini-clad Beyoncé, claiming the advertisement is too obscene. The ad is for local radio station KWNZ, and some are petitioning to have it taken down. "It's obscene," Pamela Keeney, one of the citizens who take offense to the ad, reportedly said. "I have my two little grandkids coming over here, and they don't need to be seeing that. You can change the channel on the TV, but you can't change that." KWNZ is standing by the billboard and has reportedly received the backing of city spokesman Chris Good. At this point, there are no plans to take down the billboard. ...

Hopefully Foxy Brown fans didn't get too excited when her upcoming album, Brooklyn's Don Diva, bumped up from its originally scheduled December 4 release date to November 20 a couple of months ago — the LP has now been shelved until next year. The jailed rapper's fourth effort is now due February 5. ... Maroon 5 have friends — and they've got photos to prove it. The band performed at the Palms Casino Resort over the weekend, drawing the likes of Avril Lavigne, Deryk Whibley, "Saturday Night Live" star Seth Meyers and more. Maroon 5 posted their personal snaps online. ...

Are you getting into the holiday spirit? So is John Mayer, apparently. The guitarist, whose Mayercraft Carrier Cruise Ship sets sail from Miami early next year, is putting together a December 8 concert that will feature three separate sets: an acoustic performance; songs by his John Mayer Trio; and a final segment that will revolve around Mayer's Continuum album and feature his entire band. Those planning to attend the show, which is benefiting multiple charities, are being asked to bring an unwrapped toy worth $10 or more to benefit Toys for Tots. ...

Beastie Boys, the Roots and R.E.M. are among the fleet of artists who will be docking at the Big Cypress Indian Reservation in the South Florida Everglades for the sixth annual Langerado Music Festival, set to happen March 6-9. Matisyahu, 311, Of Montreal, the National, Shout Out Louds, the Walkmen and others will also play at the throwdown, which will feature 80 acts on five stages. ... Common is hopping aboard the endorsement train — the Chicago MC has allied himself with Lincoln to help market the car company's 2008 Navigator and other brand initiatives. He will appear in TV, radio and print ads for the vehicle, with the first, simply dubbed "Common," debuting nationwide November 25 during NFL Sunday Night Football on NBC. Expect to see more tie-ins between Lincoln and Common's various projects — his concerts, hat lines, books, etc. He will also be appearing on behalf of the company at auto shows and dealer events. But rest assured, Common fans, he's taking on a good cause too: He will get together with fellow Chicago artists Office for a benefit concert to be held January 12 at the Windy City's House of Blues. The event, called the "Chicago Youth Owning Their Future Benefit Concert and Silent Auction," will raise money and awareness for the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship. Office are also slated to perform on Chicago Public Radio on January 9 as part of a new series that will spotlight local talent and be hosted by music critics Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot. ...

In between aimless drives around Los Angeles and trips to court for child-custody hearings, Britney Spears has found time to partner with the photo agency X17 to raise money for UNICEF by auctioning a signed copy of her new album, Blackout, on eBay. In a press release from the agency, Spears said, "I think it's important to give back, and with the release of Blackout, this seemed like the perfect opportunity to give the fans a chance to bid on something to help children everywhere." In other Brit news, Billy Ray Cyrus is the latest celeb to reach out to the troubled singer, according to In Touch. "Honey, you are welcome to a Nashville Thanksgiving at our house," he told the magazine. "We would love to be there for you and we care about you. ... Miley is a big fan and she wants to reach out too. We want her to know that's it's never too late to make things right." And in yet another Britney development, the album artwork for her recently released album, Blackout, might be even more controversial than was originally thought. According to TMZ, the hunky priest in whose lap Spears sits is an "International Male" model. The Catholic League had slammed Spears for the imagery late last month. ... Robin Thicke has canceled all the dates on an upcoming U.S. tour on doctor's orders. According to a note posted on the soul singer's Web site over the weekend, Thicke will have to reschedule the dates "due to doctor-ordered vocal rest until the end of the year." He had been scheduled to start the 14-date tour Sunday in Englewood, Colorado, and play clubs and theaters through a December 13 date in Long Beach, California. ...

A crowd of 1,000 Haitians carried Wyclef Jean on their shoulders through the streets of a slum and to a small-business project he helped establish on Monday, as the former Fugee visited the country for the first time since President Rene Preval named him a roving ambassador in January, AP reports. Jean met with legislators, went with model Petra Nemcova to a school and then spoke with businessmen and foreign ambassadors to plea for aid for the country. "We need all your money, we need all y'all's support, but let's put it to programs ... that teach kids how to move the country forward," he reportedly told the crowd. ... Is Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke too good for Paul McCartney? The former Beatle told the U.K.'s Channel 4 that Yorke denied his request to record a duet. "I asked Thom to do a duet, but he said he couldn't because he only felt happy working on his own and Radiohead's material," McCartney reportedly said. ...

Linkin Park, Angels & Airwaves, Avenged Sevenfold and Bad Religion are among the acts that will take the stage for the first night of Los Angeles rock radio station KROQ's annual Almost Acoustic Christmas shows at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, California. Paramore, Rise Against and Serj Tankian will also perform at the concerts, which are scheduled for December 8-9. ... Maroon 5 and Santana have joined the Dave Matthews Band, O.A.R. and other acts to help nonpartisan organization HeadCount try to meet its new goal of registering up to 200,000 new voters for next year's elections. Check out the list of all the artists supporting HeadCount and sign up to volunteer at the group's Web site, HeadCount.org. ... Would you like Shins with that? Wendy's will soon start bundling free downloads from Rhapsody with burger orders. The fast-food chain plans to give away more than 100 million downloads to people who buy medium and large combo meals, with the songs redeemable at Wendys.com. (Rhapsody is a joint venture with MTV Networks). ...

Metric have slapped together their first-ever DVD, "Live at Metropolis," and plan to roll it out February 12. The disc will showcase the Canadian indie-rockers' performance at Montreal's Metropolis concert hall during their tour in support of last year's Live It Out, and it will also include videos for the album's three singles: "Monster Hospital," "Poster of a Girl" and "Empty." iTunes will have an exclusive preview of the DVD starting in December — for 99 cents, fans will be able to get their hands on three audio tracks from the show, as well as the DVD trailer. ... And if you're a Metric fan in the New York area, you'll likely want to hit up Broken Social Scene's gig at Webster Hall on Wednesday. Metric's Emily Haines will join the band onstage — along with Dinosaur Jr.'s J. Mascis, Scott Kannberg (Pavement), Andrew Kenny (American Analog Set) and others — as it performs BSS songs and selections from core member Kevin Drew's recent Spirit If ... release. ...

Plain White T's plan to keep the momentum going with an upcoming U.K. run and a new album, Billboard reports. After Tom Higgenson and the gang play a series of headlining gigs overseas in January, they'll delve into their next effort, for which they have "about 17 ideas — eight or nine of them are pretty much full songs so far," he told the magazine. "As soon as we get a few days off I'll try to finish the rest of them." ... You're probably already acquainted with James Blunt — after all, he previously participated in VH1's "You Oughta Know" series — but just in case, he's signed up for the tour again. The upcoming "You Oughta Know" stretch will also feature Sara Bareilles, a 27-year-old singer/songwriter who scored big on iTunes with her debut, Little Voice, over the summer. The trek launches February 4 in Seattle and winds down March 4 in Atlanta. ...

Did he really want to hurt him? Troubled ex-Culture Club singer Boy George was charged with false imprisonment on Tuesday (November 13) after police said he allegedly chained a man to a wall in his London home. According to the Daily Telegraph, 28-year-old Norwegian escort Auden Carlsen claims that in April, George (born George O'Dowd), 47, invited him to pose for photographs in his apartment, where George grabbed and chained him. George was released on bail and is scheduled to return to court November 22. ... First Celine Dion teamed with former members of Evanescence for help writing her recently released new album, Taking Chances — and now comes news that the "Power of Love" singer has a secret affinity for ... AC/DC? "I've been a big fan of AC/DC for about 15 years or 20 years — the sound guys introduced me to [their music]," she told the U.K.'s The Daily Telegraph. "I like hard rock and, if I'm doing stadiums, I want the engineers to crank the sound system up high with rock and roll, heavy-metal music — it helps me to get the adrenalin rushing." ...

The stockholders of satellite radio XM voted on Tuesday to approve a merger with competing Sirius Satellite Radio with a preliminary account indicating that 99.8 percent of shareholders gave the marriage a thumbs up, according to a statement issued by XM. The U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Communications Commission still has to approve the merger, which XM is confident will happen before the end of the year. ... MusicWorld, Canada's only remaining music chain, is closing its stores, according to CanWest News Service. The chain, which has been in bankruptcy, is liquidating its 72 stores, and has also announced a change in direction that will involve a stronger online presence and expansion into areas that don't involve music. The Canadian branch of U.K. company HMV is considering purchasing some of the stores, according to CanWest. Sales of CDs, music DVDs and other music items have reportedly dropped 20 percent since last year in the country. ...

Ministry have tapped Meshuggah as the main support act for their goodbye tour, which they're calling the "C U LaTouR." Hemlock are also on the bill for the trek, which kicks off March 28 in Vancouver, British Columbia, and wraps May 8 in Chicago. On a related note, Meshuggah have named their next record, which should be in stores early next year, obZen. ... Hard-rockers Taproot have finished recording their forthcoming LP, Our Long Road Home. "The title is a unique and expressive tribute to our newly found collective freedom of creativity as a band, with no strings attached," the band said in a statement. "It's a tribute to the casual and comfortable settings of being at home with friends and family — a place we love to be." ... Ozzfest 2007 veterans 3 Inches of Blood have booted drummer Alexei Rodriguez after he was allegedly involved in a physical altercation with Saxon drummer Nigel Glockler at the U.K.'s Hard Rock Hell festival over the weekend. The band apologized for Rodriguez's actions in a statement, adding that his actions are in no way "a reflection of our band. Alexei's behavior was appalling and completely unacceptable, and it is our decision to immediately remove him from the band." ...

Uncle Kracker is standing by his claim that he didn't sexually assault a woman in North Carolina, The Detroit News reports. The singer (real name: Matthew Shafer), who made the same assertion after being arrested on the second-degree forcible-sex-offense charge in August, also now says he regrets pleading guilty in September to a lesser charge of misdemeanor assault so he could avoid a trial. He told the News that the 26-year-old woman who was involved in the incident hit him first, and that the incident started when he bumped into her at a club after a concert. Authorities have maintained that Shafer put his hand up her skirt. "There was no sexual anything involved," Shafer told the News. "Assault is a far cry from sexual battery. You can either wait a year, spend 150 grand, go to trial, make more of a debacle out of it, or you can get it over with." In September, he was sentenced to 12 months of probation, ordered to undergo an alcohol assessment and was fined $1,500.

11.12.07

The trial involving Amy Winehouse's husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, has been delayed in light of allegations that he "perverted the court of justice," or the U.S. equivalent of obstruction of justice. He was back in court on Monday (November 12) for a brief hearing, and according to Agence France-Presse, he smiled throughout the session. The trial, previously slated to start Monday, has been adjourned until November 23, and Fielder-Civil — who was arrested last week following a raid on his and Winehouse's London home — is to remain in custody until then. Michael Brown, a 39-year-old who is supposed to stand trial with his friend Fielder-Civil, was not in court on Monday, and a judge issued a warrant for his arrest. BBC News also reports that James King, who was allegedly beaten by Fielder-Civil and Brown in June, was one of the men arrested last week, and that he has also been charged with the aforementioned crime. Fielder-Civil was remanded on technical bail. ...

Teeing with JT: Justin Timberlake has inked a five-year deal with the PGA Tour that will find him hosting a tournament in Las Vegas next year. "Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open," which will be played October 13-19, will help raise funds for the Shriners group, which provides medical care at no charge to children under 18 years old. The singer will play in a celebrity-golf game that week as well. "Raising money to better children's lives while playing golf? I can't think of a better way to pass the time," he said in a statement. ... Timberlake's visibility has also landed him on Barbara Walters' "10 Most Fascinating People of 2007" list, and they'll be seen chatting on an hourlong ABC special set to air December 6 at 10 p.m. ET. Former President Bill Clinton, Jennifer Hudson, Posh Spice and two surprise guests will also appear on the show. ... Could J.K. Rowling top Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore on a competing list, Time's Person of the Year? That's how the voting is shaping up on the Time Web site, although, as it indicates, the editors reserve the right to give the honor to the person of their choosing. Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are also in the running, and the December issue will be on sale December 21. ...

Radiohead have set the North American release date for In Rainbows. The album will hit stores January 1 through the band's own TBD Records (which, as expected, is teaming with ATO Records Group for the release), with "Bodysnatchers" and "Jigsaw Falling Into Place" as the first two singles. According to a press release, more information on the album and the band's tour plans will be announced soon. ... In case teens need an extra incentive to rack up credit-card debt, branded cards featuring Hilary Duff and Usher are on the way, according to Brandweek. Duff is getting a prepaid Visa gift card "aimed to show the young ones how to manage their pocket change (and learn about service fees)," according to the branding-news magazine, while Usher has a Debit MasterCard that features an empowerment message. The Platinum Plus Visa card devoted to Elvis Presley actually has a charitable aspect, as money from it goes to a foundation that helps homeless families. A Kiss credit card is available too. ...

Tom Morello, guitarist for reunited rockers Rage Against the Machine, serenaded some 3,000 people involved in the Hollywood writers' strike outside 20th Century Fox Studios in Century City, California, last week, the Los Angeles Times reports. ... Chiodos, Mindless Self Indulgence and Finch are among the first confirmed bands for next year's Bamboozle Festival, which is scheduled for May 3-4 at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Jack's Mannequin, Less Than Jake, Forever the Sickest Kids, Scary Kids Scaring Kids, I Am the Avalanche and the Starting Line have also been booked for the bill. ... Xzibit has signed on for a tour of duty in Oliver Stone's upcoming Vietnam movie, "Pinkville." The film revolves around the 1968 My Lai Massacre, during which 500 people — mostly women, children and the elderly — were killed by U.S soldiers. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the "Pimp My Ride" host will play a soldier who is convinced he acted ethically when he carried out his orders. ...

My Chemical Romance's Bob Bryar has issued a statement concerning the band's cancellation of a recent gig at the University of Maine, which had prompted school officials to consider legal action against the band. Late last week, the college's newspaper, The Maine Campus, announced that MCR would be paying the student government $20,500 in restitution fees for scrapping the October 27 show. The student government had previously said it would pursue legal action against the band unless it paid all expenses incurred by Monday, arguing that if it did not recoup the money, it would cost more than $2 from each student's activity fee. "We are very sorry about canceling our recent show in Maine. I have been having many problems with my wrists over the past few years," Bryar wrote in his statement. "They have been getting worse but I kept playing. I have seen many doctors to get some relief so I wouldn't have to stop playing. I guess I pushed it too hard this time. During our [recent] show at Maxwell's [in Hoboken, New Jersey], I got a golf ball-sized lump in my wrist, I started to not only have pain, but lose control and feeling in my fingers. I went through a process to control the swelling and attempted to play the show [opening for] Bon Jovi the next day. The Bon Jovi show was really bad for me — I was dropping sticks and could barely hit my drums. After that show, we decided I had to go get immediate treatment. I had to leave the tour. Being the stubborn person I am, I made a last-minute decision to give it another shot on the second Bon Jovi show. It didn't work, [and] we had to cut the set in half. We have a fill-in now as I am getting treatment. He learned the songs in one day." At press time, the identity of Bryar's fill-in was unconfirmed. ...

In a note posted on his Web site late last week, Kid Rock gave props to the head of his security team, Little Bear, for "finding a hidden camera in the dressing room at the show at the Myth Nightclub" in Minneapolis on Thursday night. "Little Bear, who runs SpyOps.net, discovered the device before the show and alerted the authorities, who are now investigating," Rock wrote. TMZ obtained photos of the alleged spycam from Little Bear that appears to indicate it was set up to broadcast on the Internet, but in a statement from the club released to the Star Tribune, the management explained, "The green-room camera in question is part of the venue's security aspect, available for viewing by head of security only ... Rock's allegation that there was some kind of Internet broadcast in progress is simply not true and without foundation." ...

The Broadway stagehands' strike isn't just affecting theatrical productions — Duran Duran's 10-night residence at New York's Ethel Barrymore Theatre has also been stymied by the protest. The band canceled its Saturday night show and moved its Monday and Tuesday gigs to the Roseland Ballroom. "We are really disappointed that we weren't able to finish up the run on Broadway, which has been in the planning for months," singer Simon LeBon said, according to BBC News. "However, we are relieved that there was somewhere else available to us so that we don't have to disappoint our fans by not playing." ... With Army of Anyone's future in doubt — the band, featuring former Filter frontman Richard Patrick and two former members of Stone Temple Pilots, is said to be on "hiatus" — drummer Ray Luzier has opted to handle drum duties during Korn's upcoming European tour, set to begin in early 2008. Luzier replaces Slipknot's Joey Jordison, who in turn replaced Terry Bozzio earlier this year, as the band's touring drummer.

• Pete Wentz's Bar Draws Jay-Z, Ashlee

• Lindsay Lohan
• Fall Out Boy
• Ashlee Simpson
• Beyoncé
• Britney Spears

Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown
Photo: Getty Images

Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown are officially through, The Associated Press reports. The couple's divorce was made final in Orange County, California, on Tuesday (April 24), with the settlement having been worked out in advance. Houston will get full legal and physical custody of the couple's 14-year-old daughter, Bobbi Kristina. ...

Bono will appear on "American Idol" for Wednesday night's "Idol Gives Back" special two-hour results show, hosted by Ellen DeGeneres, to speak with the six finalists about the One campaign's aim to eliminate poverty. The contestants will perform "American Prayer," a song about Africa's AIDS crisis that was written by the U2 frontman with Dave Stewart. Other performers scheduled to appear on Wednesday's show include Kelly Clarkson, Gwen Stefani, Carrie Underwood and Celine Dion. ...

Rihanna will debut the video for "Umbrella" (featuring Jay-Z) on her Web site Thursday. The track is the first single from Rihanna's upcoming third album, Good Girl Gone Bad, due June 5. ... Ashlee Simpson wants you to forget anything bad you've heard about her father. Joe Simpson, who manages Ashlee's career as well as sister Jessica's, isn't the overbearing stage father he's sometimes made out to be, she insists. "People have the wrong perception of him," Ashlee said in an interview published in the May issue of Harper's Bazaar. "He's a wonderful man. He would never hurt a fly." Simpson also said she thinks having more family involvement could help her peers, such as Britney Spears, cope with fame. "I think they should probably move out of L.A.," she said. "I think that their parents need to help them." ...

Simon Cowell and Clive Davis are combining their powers to help Leona Lewis ensure success. Lewis is the first female winner of Britain's "The X Factor" — a TV show produced by Cowell's SycoTV — and Cowell and Davis will collaborate to pick the producers and songs for her yet-untitled debut album, due on J/Syco. ... Eddie Murphy isn't sure he's the father of Mel B.'s new daughter, but the former Spice Girl has decided to name the baby Angel Iris Murphy Brown anyway, AP reports. In a statement, the singer explained how she came up with the name: "Angel, as she was my little angel through my pregnancy. Iris, as it's my grandma's name, Murphy because he's the dad, and Brown, because I'm the Mum!" ...

Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz will open a nightclub in New York with members of his own band as well as members of Gym Class Heroes, the Academy Is ... and Cobra Starship; the bands' managers are also involved in the enterprise. Called Angels & Kings, the club will occupy the former space that housed the Orchard Bar, on 11th Street near Avenue A. The club is scheduled to open Monday. ... Ne-Yo will perform Tuesday at Arena in New York to kick off the second annual Hennessy Artistry Tour. Ne-Yo will also perform at the second night on the tour, scheduled for Thursday in Washington, D.C. ... While he's been one of the tour's staples for the last six years, Zakk Wylde said his band, Black Label Society, will not be playing this summer's free Ozzfest. Wylde will, however, appear with headliner Ozzy Osbourne, playing guitar during the festival namesake's set. ...

Russell Simmons' new motivational book "Do You!" was released Tuesday, and the music mogul held court at a Borders bookstore in downtown Manhattan, New York, to celebrate its release. Simmons is also scheduled to sign copies of his book Tuesday evening at a Barnes & Noble in New Jersey and later host a party at Stereo in NYC. ... George Michael will have to appear in a London court the day before performing at Wembley Stadium, AP reports. The trial of the singer, who is facing charges of driving under the influence of drugs, begins May 8 and will be followed by hearings May 30-31 and June 8. His Wembley shows are set for June 9-10. ... James Brown's legal woes continue, but the deceased singer's backing band is carrying on — the 17-piece Soul Generals are planning a series of shows, AP reports. The first will take place at New York's Apollo Theater on May 3 — Brown's birthday. ...

Tom Morello, a.k.a. the Nightwatchman, joins some names you might not expect — Alison Krauss, Emmylou Harris, Ralph Stanley and Elvis Perkins — at this year's Dunkin' Donuts Newport Folk Festival (August 3-5) in Newport, Rhode Island. The fest will also feature sets from the Allman Brothers Band, North Mississippi Allstars, John Butler Trio, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals and Assembly of Dust. ... Morello is also the star of a new video feature on MySpace in which the Rage Against the Machine guitarist is interviewed by documentary filmmaker Michael Moore. Morello talks about the origins of the Nightwatchman character, which he honed on off-nights from an Audioslave arena tour by playing open mics. The video is available at MySpace.com/ArtistOnArtist. ...

Interpol's forthcoming, still-untitled third album has been slated for a July 10 release. ... The Click Five have parted ways with frontman Eric Dill, and have replaced him with Kyle Patrick. "We know he will be missed by many, and we wish him the best success in his other endeavors," the band said in a statement. The Click Five's second LP, Modern Minds and Pastimes, is due June 26. Dill explained on his Web site that he's moved to Los Angeles to try acting and other musical endeavors. "I have never been more excited to pursue my interests," he wrote. "I have a lot of ideas, and that's where it starts." ... Static-X have recruited Bevan Davies as their latest drummer. Davies, who has worked with Danzig and Jerry Cantrell, will be filling in for Nick Oshiro, who is recovering from a broken hand. Will Hunt had most recently manned the kit for the band. Static-X plan to make a summer-tour announcement in the coming weeks.

04.23.2007

50 Cent's upcoming album, Curtis, has a June 26 release date set. The project features guest spots by 50 veterans Eminem and Mary J. Blige as well as new collaborators Justin Timberlake, Akon, Robin Thicke and the Pussycat Dolls' Nicole Scherzinger. 50 told MTV News in November that his next album would be called Before I Self Destruct; that album is now slated for release early in 2008. ...

Christina Aguilera can add congressional stylist to her résumé. On Friday, as part of Lifetime's annual End Violence Against Women campaign, members of the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues — including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — wore a new scarf designed by Aguilera. You can see a picture of the scarf on Aguilera's Web site. ... Game previewed Nas' new video, "Hustlers," on his Black Wall Street blog over the weekend. The R. Malcolm Jones-directed clip, which features Game in Compton, California, and Nas in New York — followed by the rappers flip-flopping coasts and rhyming from the other's town. An airdate for the video has not been set. ...

U2's the Edge coughed up a beloved 1958 autographed Les Paul guitar that he'd used on every U2 tour since 1985 for Saturday's Music Rising auction and the sacrifice paid off. The guitar was acquired by an anonymous buyer for $240,000 in the biggest official sale of U2 memorabilia ever. Benefiting musicians devastated by Hurricane Katrina, Saturday's auction rang up more than $2.4 million for Music Rising, the charity set up by the Edge. Other big-bucks items among the 200 that were sold included a 1966 Jim Hendrix Fender Mustang guitar ($400,000), former President Bill Clinton's saxophone ($54,000), a pair of John Lennon's round, blue-tinted sunglasses ($30,000), one of Bono's guitars ($180,000) and a bass from U2's Adam Clayton ($22,000). ...

Velvet Revolver have set the release of their sophomore disc, Libertad, for July 3. They've also confirmed 12 North American dates, launching May 3 in Los Angeles and wrapping May 22 in New York. They'll also hit San Francisco (May 5); Seattle (May 7); Chicago (May 10); Detroit (May 12); Toronto (May 13); Washington, D.C. (May 15); Boston (May 16); Sayreville, New Jersey (May 18); Columbus, Ohio (May 19); and Philadelphia (May 20). ... The White Stripes are celebrating their 10th anniversary with a gift for U.K. fans. A limited-edition gatefold red vinyl 7-inch single, featuring the A-side "Rag and Bone" and an etching on side B, will be released free with an issue of British music newspaper NME that's on sale June 6. A white vinyl 7-inch, featuring the song "Icky Thump," backed with another etching, will be available for purchase June 11, completing the gatefold set. ...

Justin Timberlake's "D--- in a Box" digital short could make this season's "Best of SNL" special airing May 5, but that's for viewers to decide. The JT/ Andy Samberg slow jam is up against four other clips — including Drew Barrymore's "Body Fuzion" workout video and Peyton Manning's tough-love United Way commercial — on SaturdayNightLive.com. Voting ends April 30. ... Britney Spears is promoting her Midnight Fantasy fragrance with an iPod giveaway. Winning entries in the Midnight Fantasy Tic-Tock Photo Diaries contest — which seeks submissions reflecting "what happens to you when the clock strikes 12" at MidnightFantasyPhoto.EAContests.com through May 10 — will score a 30GB video iPod signed by Britney. ...

Smashing Pumpkins have revealed the track list for their first new album since 2000. Zeitgeist, due July 7, will feature a dozen tracks, including "Doomsday Clock," "Tarantula" and "Pomp and Circumstance." ... Iggy Pop celebrated his 60th birthday during a Stooges gig in San Francisco on Saturday. Toward the end of the band's set, the crowd crooned "Happy Birthday" to the singer, and balloons featuring Pop's visage were dropped from the ceiling. The singer thanked fans before inviting them onstage to sing "No Fun." ... Madonna, Arctic Monkeys, Amy Winehouse, Scissor Sisters and Corinne Bailey Rae are up for the Ivor Novello Awards, prizes presented by the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters to honor musical achievement. The Monkeys' "When the Sun Goes Down" is up for the Best Song Musically & Lyrically prize, Amy Winehouse's "Rehab" is in the running for Best Contemporary Song honors, and Madonna, Scissor Sisters and Bailey Rae face off for the Most Performed Work designation. The awards will be presented May 24 in London. ...

Paula DeAnda relaunched her Web site last week, and the pop singer is hosting a contest on her site to have fans help her input scenes into the video for "When It Was Me," her next single. "This [video] is gonna be totally different from my other videos," DeAnda told MTV News. "I'm doing my own treatment, but not the whole thing, of course. But I want my own flavor to it. I want to put that message out there, like the song says, you don't have to have the perfect body shape to be sexy or beautiful. Just be yourself." Partial footage of the clip is already up on her fan site, and contestants will have the chance to fill in the blanks with content of their choosing. The winning entry will have their images included in the final version of the video. ... Cartel will be recording their new album as a part of a four-episode MTV reality series called "Band in a Bubble." The group will be locked inside a transparent fiberglass dome with producers Zack Odom and Kenneth Mount, situated on Pier 54 in New York. Dr. Pepper will allow fans to monitor the bubble around the clock via drpepperbubble.com, and the show will begin airing May 24. ...

Eve's next album, Here I Am, due August 7, features production from Timbaland, Pharrell, Sean Paul, Swizz Beatz, Scott Storch and Cool & Dre. The Beatz track "Tambourine" will be the disc's first single. ... Marilyn Manson's marriage was a traditional one, Dita Von Teese explains in an interview printed in the May issue of Harper's Bazaar (due on newsstands Tuesday) — noting that reports that the couple had an open relationship are not true. "No! Never!" she said. "We were completely monogamous. I think people thought we were real free and open, but we really believed in commitment and tradition and our vows. But sometimes people change their ideas, I suppose." Von Teese filed for divorce in December 2006, one year after the couple married. ...

Rancid frontman Tim Armstrong's solo debut is available online for free — so long as you're willing to find it. Cuts from the LP A Poet's Life are scattered all over the Internet, with one appearing each Tuesday in advance of the disc's May 22 release. Fans will need to scour the Web as part of an MP3 scavenger hunt to track down the new songs — though two, "Wake Up" and "Hold On," are there for the taking on Epitaph.com. Other tracks available online include "Into Action," "Inner City Violence" and "Among the Dead." ... Chiodos will head into the studio next month to begin recording their new album, Bone Palace Ballet, with producer Casey Bates (Fear Before the March of Flames, Gatsby's American Dream). A late summer/ early fall release is in the works, and a slew of demo tracks from the album are available at the band's MySpace page.

• Whitney Houston
• Bobby Brown
• U2
• Bono
• Jay-Z

Alexi Murdoch, Queen V and Slash join Tom Morello onstage at SXSW on Thursday
Photo: MTV News

AUSTIN, Texas — It might not have been the Rage Against the Machine gig that rumors had predicted, but Tom Morello's late-night set on Thursday at the Parish was pretty remarkable nonetheless. While many took the show's billing — "Tom Morello with special guests" — to mean his Rage bandmates, instead, the crowd got an impromptu supergroup for a large chunk of the set.

Indeed, even those expecting a surprise were flabbergasted to see Morello and his backing musicians walk onstage accompanied by Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash, former MC5 guitarist Wayne Kramer, and Jane's Addiction singer Perry Farrell — and immediately launch into Jane's classics "Mountain Song" and "Ain't No Right." Farrell, dapper in a dark waistcoat and ruffled shirt, grinned and bobbed while he sang; actor Breckin Meyer turned in a strong performance on the drums (who knew?); Slash peeled off stinging leads; and Morello and Kramer — both more commonly associated with crushing power chords — incongruously bashed away on acoustic guitars.

(Check out front-row video from the show.)

The all-stars then ceded the stage to Morello for his Nightwatchman set (the name of his politically inspired, folk-singing alter-ego: see "Nightwatchman, Rage Reunion Have Morello Fired Up For Political Fights"), but not before Farrell pointed to him and said to the crowd, "If there was ever a candidate for the next president, you're looking at him right there."

Morello then promised more surprises to come, and after he and his band performed several politically outspoken songs from the Nightwatchman LP, along with a version of Rage Against the Machine's "Guerilla Radio," introducing it with, "This one is for the people who couldn't get tickets to Coachella" (see "Rage Against The Machine To Reunite For Coachella Festival").

The guests then returned, and Kramer broke into the legendary introduction for the MC5's 1968 rabble-rousing anthem, "Kick Out the Jams" — oddly, in what seemed like a Borat-inspired accent. The band tore through the song — with another fiery solo from Slash — before bringing singer/songwriter Alexi Murdoch onstage for one of his songs. Finally, the assembled musicians broke into a rocked-up take on Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land," trading off verses; Farrell gamely attempted to read the lyrics from a sheet but soon tossed it aside, laughing. Primus bassist Les Claypool came out toward the song's end, and did not sing a verse but instead served up a typically mellifluous bass solo. (Former Extreme guitarist Nuno Bettencourt, who has recently worked with Farrell, was on and offstage throughout the night as well.)

As the shambolic song wound down to the end, people onstage and off were all smiles at what had transpired at the end of a night that already had plenty of excitement (see "Amy Winehouse Raises Eyebrows, Bloc Party Draw A Mob As SXSW Wakes Up").

For more sights and stories from concerts around the country, check out MTV News Tour Reports.

• Morello Jams With Slash, Farrell At SXSW

• Slash, Perry Farrell, Wayne Kramer In Tom Morello's SXSW All-Star Jam

• Tom Morello
• Rage Against the Machine
• Slash
• Perry Farrell
• MC5

Tom Morello performing as the Nightwatchman
Photo: Matthew Simmons/ Getty Images

Over the last four years, Tom Morello has been leading something of a double life.

To most folks, he's beenAudioslave's virtuoso guitarist — nothing more. But when his band hasn't been in a recording studio or rattling the rafters of packed arenas on the road, Morello has been moonlighting as a folk-singing activist, performing in small California coffeehouses and elsewhere under the moniker the Nightwatchman (see "Tom Morello Rages Against A New Machine On Solo Acoustic Tour").

And in that time, Morello has penned a number of protest songs, which he recorded last year with producer Brendan O'Brien (Incubus, Rage Against the Machine) over four days in an Atlanta studio. The end result, One Man Revolution, is Morello's first solo offering and drops April 24.

"The Nightwatchman is the black Robin Hood of 21st century music," the guitarist proclaimed. "This is material I am very proud of, and due to the troubled times we live in, it seemed like it was an appropriate time to get this music out. Some people might say it's kind of preaching to the converted, but frankly, the converted need a kick in the ass. Given the situation in our country and around the world, the fact that the White House is not ringed with pitchforks and torches means that people are not either paying enough attention or following through with how aghast they actually are."

According to Morello, the Nightwatchman "is a reaction against illicit wars, a reaction against first strikes, torture, secret prisons, spying illegally on American citizens. It's a reaction against war crimes, and it's a reaction against a few corporations that grow rich [off] this illicit war while people beg for food in the city streets" — in short, it's a figurative middle finger directed squarely at the Bush administration.

Likewise, a reaction to the current state of affairs inspired the revival of Morello's other rock collective, Rage Against the Machine. The band — Morello, bassist Tim Commerford, drummer Brad Wilk and frontman Zack de la Rocha — will reunite after seven years of dormancy, to close out this year's Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California, on April 29. on April 29 (see "Rage Against The Machine To Reunite For Coachella Festival"). The three-day festival will also feature performances by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Arcade Fire, Interpol, the Arctic Monkeys, Ghostface Killah and Björk, among others. It will be Rage's sole reunion gig — at least for the foreseeable future.

According to Morello, Rage's re-formation seeks to "deliver a knockout blow to the Bush administration. And hopefully, one night in the desert is all it will take. They're teetering, so ..."

Morello said Coachella organizers have been trying to convince the band to re-form for the fest "for as many years as they've had the festival." While he has said in previous interviews that a Rage reunion was unlikely, and the band has continually turned down the Coachella offers, Morello said the time was just right for a Rage return.

"Is it coincidence that in the seven years that Rage Against the Machine has been away that the country has slid into right-wing purgatory? I think not," he said. "It occurred to all of us that the times were right to see if we can knock the Bush administration out in one fell swoop, and we hope to do that job well. This administration has done enough damage that it may take generations to undo. This is an administration that believes it's beyond the laws of the land, which is fine for emperors, but not so great for presidents. One thing this president isn't above is the laws of physics, and there is no action without reaction. And we're part of that reaction."

Morello isn't sure what the future holds for his Audioslave, saying that for the moment, the Nightwatchman is his principal focus. "To me, it seems that the world needs songs of rebellion and revolution right now. It's exciting, man," he said of the Coachella gig. The Nightwatchman will also be taking the festival's stage on April 28.

The Nightwatchman was born inside a coffeehouse in L.A. in front of "eight people and a whirring latte machine." Morello and a group of his songwriting friends would get together and perform for each other, which took some getting used to, the guitarist said.

"I have complete confidence standing with an electric guitar, rocking huge riffs in a full arena, but I was absolutely petrified playing in front of 12 people, anonymously, in these little coffee shops," he confided.

For Morello, the hardest thing about performing as the Nightwatchman was learning how to sing — on One Man Revolution, Morello's voice recalls a young Leonard Cohen, before the thousands of cigarettes and glasses of tequila.

"It was really a trial by fire for someone who had never sung and performed solo," he said. "I've, for 15 years, been playing loud experimental rock music, and have [reverted] to the purity and the commitment of this kind of acoustic music.

"I've always been attracted to music that was dark and heavy, and it has really dawned on me over the last five years that music doesn't have to be loud," he continued. "Guitars don't have to be played through Marshall stacks in order to make the heaviest and darkest music that happens on records like [Bruce] Springsteen's [brooding 1982 classic] Nebraska or the early Dylan records."

One Man Revolution, Morello said, boasts two kinds of songs — ones that were written for specific political issues and agendas, and others that could speak to other kinds of social injustice. He wrote "Union Song" for workers' rights, and was inspired to craft the track after performing during a steel-workers' rally.

" 'No One Left' was written in the aftermath of 9/11," he explained. "There were lots of songs written in the wake of 9/11, but no one wrote that song. No one wrote about how the loss of a daughter or of a father or of a mother knows no borders, knows no political or religious affiliation — that that pain is universal, and should inform decision-making. Many of the songs on the record come from a very different place. When I started writing lyrics, I just put the antenna up, and whatever came down — whether it's dark tales of bitterness and retribution like 'Battle Hymns' or prophecy like 'California's Dark' or existential warnings like 'House Gone Up In Flames' or 'Flesh Shapes the Day' — those are songs that I'm not sure where they come from, but it worries me a little that they come from inside of me.

"It comes from accepting something I always suspected," he continued. "I was the only black kid in an all-white town growing up. I was the only anarchist in a conservative high school. I was the only heavy-metal, punk-rock guitar player at Harvard University, and I was the only Harvard grad in an underground Hollywood band. Now, I am one of only a few committed activists in a commercialized pop-music world. And so, I think making this record was a very important step for me."

• Tom Morello
• The Nightwatchman
• Rage Against the Machine
• Audioslave

• Tom Morello
• Korn

The Outernational
Photo: Karl Walter/ Getty Images

It's one thing for your buddies hanging out in the garage to tell you that your band might be the next Rage Against the Machine. But it's quite another for Rage's former guitarist to take you under his wing and tout your band as the next socially conscious act that could make a difference.

Luckily for Miles Solay, his group, Outernational, is in the latter category. The New York-based five-piece — which also features Sonny Suchdev (trumpet/vocals/percussion), Minimum Tek (guitar), Jesse Williams (bass) and Turbo Garcia (drums) — have been drawing comparisons to the groundbreaking band since they formed in mid-2004, but it wasn't until Morello recently produced two songs for them that the larger world began to take notice.

"We've grown to accept and cherish that comparison," said frontman Solay, 25, whose high-energy group fuses punk, reggae, ska, rock, Latin and Middle Eastern rhythms with soul-searching lyrics. "One of the things that was so admirable about Rage was how much they got out there. Beyond the fans they reached by their message, they created oxygen for other people in society."

For Solay, the journey from superfan to potential heir has taken the better part of a decade, beginning with a bum rush on Morello at a 1996 "Saturday Night Live" taping when Solay was just 15. "My friend and I went downstairs [at 'SNL'] and I said I had an appointment with Tom Morello. The security guard called upstairs and when someone picked up the phone, you could hear the noise of them soundchecking. He couldn't hear what they were saying, so we snuck by and watched Rage soundcheck 'Bulls on Parade.' " Solay and Morello met after the soundcheck and forged a friendship.

When Outernational formed two years ago, their second gig was fitting: a protest against the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York. That was followed by gig number three, coordinated by Morello's nonprofit Axis of Justice. Solay said he was so pumped up after playing on the same bill as established acts like Steve Earle, Saul Williams and Spearhead that he asked Morello for some advice immediately after. "He said, you need to play 100 shows and get a great recording out," Solay recalled.

Though they haven't signed to a label yet, the group has been gigging nonstop and last year released a three-song single produced by Gogol Bordello's Eugene Hutz. Yet the Morello-helmed songs are the ones that have gotten Solay's phone ringing.

It's easy to understand why: The slow-rolling calypso funk of "For It All Now" finds Solay alternating between laid-back rhyming on the verses and melodic choruses. The other Morello-produced track, "Arise," has more of a Rage feel, with a bouncing reggae beat and an explosive chorus in which Solay chants, "Arise/ Hey/ Something's got to give/ No more hopelessness," over a massive wah-wah guitar riff.

The song was written shortly before news broke about the National Security Administration's secret eavesdropping program and Solay said he was listening to Neil Young as inspiration at the time, feeling like the band needed to write an anthem that would capture the moment.

"Anybody with a conscience can see that these are dangerous times we're living in," he said. "Just look at the paper and it's one ominous, odious, repressive thing after another. I believe that all art is political in a sense because it espouses one way of viewing or understanding reality. We're making art and music that will contribute to transforming culture and changing the world."

Outernational will be playing select dates on this summer's Warped Tour.

• Tom Morello
• Audioslave

Tom Morello
Photo: Ethan Miller/ Getty Images

Looking at daily headlines, you'd think the radio would be filled with songs of revolution and protest.

President Bush's approval ratings recently dipped below 30 percent — the third lowest of any president in the past half-century. Gas prices have more than doubled since he took office. Plus, the Iraq conflict is more unpopular (nearly 60 percent of those polled say sending troops was a mistake) after three years than the Vietnam War was at the same point nearly 40 years ago (48 percent). Not to mention the lingering public anger over the government's bungled response to Hurricane Katrina and concern over the latest wrinkle in the White House's domestic spying program, a USA Today story that reported that information on domestic calls were being put in a massive database.

When you see footage of demonstrations from the 1960s and early '70s (usually anti-war or pro-civil rights) on television, it's almost invariably accompanied by a protest song from the era — by Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Marvin Gaye, John Lennon or another activist-minded performer. Such songs were everywhere at the time — so you'd figure, with social unrest at its highest level since the 1970s, that today's airwaves and charts would be buzzing with angry songs, right?

Right?

Well, Young's weighed in with a hastily recorded and rush-released anti-Bush screed called Living With War, which came out last week. And in the underground, hip-hop acts such as Dead Prez, Talib Kweli, the Coup and Perceptionists have made strong statements about Bush and the war, as have punk bands State Radio, Sick of It All, Against Me!, Dollyrots, NOFX, Kill Radio and Outernational. Even some notable rap stars, like Juvenile, Papoose and Killer Mike, have addressed Katrina in songs and freestyles.

But other than some recent songs on albums by Pearl Jam, Pink, System of a Down and the Dixie Chicks — and a kindred-spirit effort from Bruce Springsteen featuring protest songs from decades ago — major artists have barely made a peep of protest in song.

What gives?

Are artists afraid to talk for fear of payback at the cash register and/or radio — i.e. getting "Dixie Chicked"? (see "50 Cent Still Tops; Dixie Chicks Backlash Hits Home On Albums Chart") Do they not have anything to say? Do they feel that pop music is simply not an effective forum for fighting the power? Or is it just a collective case of battle fatigue — has everyone been so beaten down by the doublespeak and half-truths of the War on terror that protest feels futile?

We asked artists — from Public Enemy leader Chuck D and Audioslave's outspoken guitarist Tom Morello to the Dixie Chicks and rabidly political band Anti-Flag — why they think more musicians aren't making noise about the state of the nation.

The Chicks are the obvious people to speak with first, since they suffered a radio ban and serious backlash three years ago after singer Natalie Maines told a London audience, "We're ashamed that the president of the United States is from Texas." The comment set off a whirlwind of controversy that has dogged the country act ever since — and led to the term "getting Dixie Chicked" for when an artist gets a commercial and public smackdown for speaking out.

The Chicks' new album, Taking the Long Way, takes on their detractors with songs such as the first single, "Not Ready to Make Nice" (which some stations have refused to play), and Maines recently told us her band's experience has clearly cast a chill on dissent.

"After what happened to us, it gave people that idea: 'We know what happens to you if you don't like the president. You lose lots of money in album sales, so I'm going to speak to the people who do like him, and then I'll make lots of money,' " she said, before adding that post-Katrina, it seems to have become a bit more acceptable to speak out.

Tom Morello agreed, pointing to bands like the Coup, the Living Things, Bright Eyes and his side project, the Nightwatchman, as acts that are voicing strong opinions.

"It seems like there's quite a bit of really uncompromised, great, leftist rock and rap happening now," he said. "Bad presidents make for good art and music."

However, he noted that the hip-hop world's contribution to the voices of dissent has been an "enormous letdown," especially in light of past anti-establishment acts like Public Enemy.

"It's like Public Enemy and N.W.A were warring for the heart of the hip-hop nation, and a gentrified, blingy version of N.W.A won out," Morello said. "You listen to [Public Enemy's] 'Fight the Power' and It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, and you can hear America changing. Now it's just the relentless booty shake of hollow bling. There's not yet a soundtrack like in the '60s, when the music of the time was the music of revolution."

From a purely commercial perspective, rapper/poet Saul Williams — whose lyrics are often extremely political — suggested that some artists might be avoiding commenting on the war and Bush because, unless you're a legend like Neil Young who can get a label to rush-release an album just months after your last one dropped, it can instantly date your music.

"The war could end two days after you do a record on it," he said. "But in the face of political strife, there should be more artists speaking up."

Hip-hop legend and professional agitator Chuck D said the music business is so focused on sales and results these days that it scares young artists away from doing anything controversial.

"Young groups are not paid to take chances," he said. "Someone like Neil Young has more references and perspectives from a different time. Young bands are clouded by weapons of mass distraction. But I don't buy that it's apathy: Bands are still looking to be loved, but there aren't a lot who compare themselves to bands who have prospered by saying something that needed to be said, like Green Day or [Public Enemy] or Neil Young. But why take a chance on making music a certain way if they don't believe the media will cover it? People like Neil Young are from a time when you felt one man can make a change, whereas young people in society today feel invisible."

Other artists, like Walkmen singer/guitarist Hamilton Leithauser, said they simply don't expect pop stars to offer political commentary.

"I don't look to Pearl Jam or R.E.M. for politics," he said. "We're all very politically conscious in our band, and we all grew up in Washington, D.C., but I don't really want to hear it. We used to go to Dischord [Records, which featured politically motivated bands like Fugazi] shows when I was younger, and 80 percent of the concert would be somebody up there with, like, a clipboard reading furiously in a blind rage about every f---ing topic you can possible imagine. And two and a half hours later, Fugazi [would] rant about the sh-- too.

"After awhile you'd be like, 'I didn't come here for this!' I mean, if they want to do that, great; more power to them. But I'm not gonna get involved in that. I think you can do that in a different way."

Battle fatigue has also definitely had its effect, said Kirk Huffman, guitarist for the punk band Gatsby's American Dream. Huffman said he's not out in the streets shouting slogans because he skipped his 10th-grade English class to do that at the World Trade Organization protests in Seattle in 1999.

"I was exceptionally talented at holding a fist in the air and saying the same phrase monotonously over and over again, but pepper spray hurts like a motherf-----," he said. "My point is, do you have any idea how deep this thing really is? Trying to 'turn over the system' by talking about it and voicing your opinion was an idea that died at Woodstock — and it ain't doin' so well in the nonprofit-organization sector of things nowadays either."

In some cases, it's simply a matter of not knowing what to say, according to Rock and Roll Soldiers singer Marty Larson-Xu.

"I write the songs for our band and I can tell you why I don't focus on politics," he said. "I feel music is a creative avenue that I use to get away from everything and try to express ourselves in a way that gives people an avenue to escape reality."

Larson-Xu said there are already enough places to get the news besides his band's albums. Plus, he thinks a lot of young bands simply don't know enough about what's going on in the world to write about it. "I don't feel like I'm knowledgeable enough about politics to write songs for or against anything," he said. "There are many people who are so much smarter than me, and I couldn't deliver a message like Kill Radio or Anti-Flag."

The latter is one band that said it has definitely not given up the fight. The decade-old punk band's latest salvo, the highly charged For Blood and Empire, is packed with virulently political songs such as "The Project for a New American Century," the anti-war anthem "I'd Tell You But ..." and the current single, "The Press Corpse," which decries the media for toeing the White House line.

"It's been shocking to me over the last couple of years to see so few bands questioning the White House in any way," said Anti-Flag singer Justin Sane. "I've always been a person who believed there's room for all music — pop bands that sing about relationships and love, and hip-hop bands who sing about bling and the police. That said, I have found it frustrating and concerning that no one in the mainstream is taking a hard stance and questioning the policies of this regime. Why? I think a lot of these bands have been following the lead of the news media, who have failed terribly in their job as watchdog of the powerful."

Sane said he's witnessed an "either you're with us or against us" stance that has stymied a lot of dissent and public debate. "Because in the height of nationalism in the months and years after 9/11, people are very worried about appearing unpatriotic," he said. "There's been an overt message in the mainstream media that if you criticize the president, you're criticizing America and you're unpatriotic — which is ridiculous, because this country was founded on dissent."

• Chuck D
• Public Enemy
• Tom Morello
• Audioslave

Suge Knight
Photo: MTV News

A judge could decide the fate of Death Row Records as early as Tuesday thanks to label co-founder Marion "Suge" Knight's decision to skip a court-ordered appearance at a Saturday hearing regarding his assets. According to The Associated Press, the action could set the stage for a court-appointed receiver to seize control of Death Row's holdings, which include recordings by Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and Tupac Shakur. Knight has missed several hearings in connection with a $107 million judgment he lost last year to Lydia Harris, a former associate who claimed she helped start the label. ...

Nickelback took home two Junos — Canada's answer to the Grammys — Sunday night, scoring Best Rock Album for their 2005 LP All the Right Reasons along with the Best Group award. Neil Young's Prairie Wind won the Best Adult Alternative Album prize, while Coldplay and the Black Eyed Peas shared International Album of the Year honors. The Juno Fan Choice award was given to Simple Plan, Broken Social Scene won for Best Alternative Album and the Arcade Fire took the Songwriter of the Year prize. Daniel Powter, the man behind the "American Idol" elimination sendoff song "Bad Day" scored New Artist of the Year. Michael Bublé was the night's biggest winner, snatching up trophies for Best Singer, Best Album, Best Artist and Pop Album of the Year for his It's Time disc. ...

Audioslave guitarist Tom Morello will be honored during the second annual Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Awards on Thursday at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C. Morello is being recognized for the support he has lent to workers fighting for justice and for his efforts to unite musicians and activists taking a stand against corporate interests. Over the years, Morello has devoted his time to organizing benefit concerts and has participated in civil-disobedience movements to support workers' rights. He has been involved in labor struggles including a Los Angeles janitors' strike, the Immokalee farm workers' campaign against Taco Bell and the Southern California grocery workers' strike and lockout. ... According to Nine Inch Nails mastermind Trent Reznor, the band's summer tour with Bauhaus will be its last — at least for "a while." The trek launches May 27 in Ridgefield, Washington, with TV on the Radio on the bill through a June 14 stop in Camden, New Jersey. Peaches has been tapped to open on the trek's second half, starting June 16 in Holmdel, New Jersey, and running through July 8 in Mountain View, California. ...

Megadeth are back in the studio working on the follow-up to their 2004 release The System Has Failed. According to a posting on the band's Web site, frontman Dave Mustaine says he's "spent the last few days tracking with [guitarist Glen Drover] and [drummer Shawn Drover], and it is the coolest thing to see them be a part of it for real now. And yesterday especially, was an interesting guitar day, when I witnessed the moment the songs went from an idea in my head to [Glen] getting it. And he is such a great player that each song immediately comes to life as soon as he played on it." ... Shot to Hell, the forthcoming album from Zakk Wylde's Black Label Society, will hit stores July 3, coinciding with the first week of this year's Ozzfest. The band will be headlining the touring festival's second stage. ...

Frank Black will follow-up 2005's acclaimed Honeycomb with a double album, Fastman/ Raiderman, due June 20. The Pixies frontman worked with a variety of musicians on the 27-song project, including Levon Helm from the Band and Simon Kirke from Bad Company. ... A tribute disc honoring Memphis-based power-pop legends Big Star will finally see release on May 23 after seven years of delays. Called Big Star, Small World, the album features contributions from Wilco, Gin Blossoms, Afghan Whigs, Matthew Sweet, Juliana Hatfield, Teenage Fanclub, the Posies and others.

03.31.06

He may have been a loser on "American Idol," but Kevin Covais is still a winner at home. The Long Island, New York, singer was presented with the key to his home county Thursday — now declared "Kevin Covais Day" — by Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi, The Associated Press reports. "It's just great being back home," Covais said. On Friday (March 31) the 16-year-old is expected to return to Island Trees High School in Levittown, where he'll be welcomed back with a pep rally. ...

Russell Simmons and Kimora Lee have split after seven years of marriage. "Kimora and I will remain committed parents and caring friends with great love and admiration for each other," the hip-hop mogul said in a statement issued Friday, according to AP. "We will also continue to work side by side on a daily basis as partners in all of our businesses." ... If that sculpture of Britney Spears giving birth left you asking what artist Daniel Edwards was thinking, TriggerStreet.com might have your answer. The online film festival, created by Kevin Spacey, is currently hosting a short documentary called "The Several Severed Heads of Daniel Edwards." The Goodnight Films production features interviews with Edwards and a look at his previous controversial work, depicting late baseball legend Ted Williams as a cryogenically preserved severed head. ...

Big Daddy Kane has been tapped as the headliner of the second annual Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival, set for June 24, and at least one person in the New York City borough is pretty psyched. "I am proud that the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival is entering its second year," Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz said in a post on the festival's Web site. "By highlighting messages of empowerment and unity, the festival proves that we not only know our hip-hop roots, but that in Brooklyn those roots run deep. And with Big Daddy Kane in the house, we know Brooklyn won't be half-steppin'!" Fans can register for tickets to the event at BrooklynBodega.com. ... The Sweet Relief Musicians Fund is launching a new program in which cell-phone users can make $4.99 donations by texting the word "heal" to 50555. Donors will then have access to limited-edition ring tones by Pearl Jam (their memorable cover of Victoria Williams' "Crazy Mary"), OK Go, Tegan and Sara and others. ...

The Rollins Band are mapping their return, according to a post on frontman Henry Rollins' Web site. Rollins, guitarist Chris Haskett, drummer Sim Cain and bassist Melvin Gibbs "have been practicing on and off for months now, slowly getting it together," Hank wrote. "We are back together and are planning on getting some shows in by August. Nothing is booked yet. It's been really cool being back in the practice room with these guys after all these years." Rollins Band's last studio album with that lineup was 1997's Come in and Burn. ... After one month in Los Angeles, New York's French Kicks have returned home with a finished album under their arms. It's called Two Thousand and was produced in L.A. by Doug Boehm. The LP features 10 tracks (with titles including the Yoda-esque "So Far We Are" and "England Just Will Not Let You Recover") and will be in stores in July. The Kicks will preview some tunes from the new disc on a brief tour that kicks off April 11 in Baltimore. ...

Brooklyn trio Blood on the Wall have been picked to open for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs beginning April 3 in Washington, D.C., and ending April 29 in San Francisco. The band is supporting Awesomer, which was released late last year. ... Before joining Thursday on the road beginning April 25, Me Without You will enter the studio with Brad Wood (Smashing Pumpkins, Placebo) to start working on the follow-up to 2004's Catch for Us the Foxes, which Wood also produced. ...

The Accident Experiment, former P.O.D. guitarist Marcos Curiel's band, will kick off their tour May 6 in Longview, Texas, to promote their debut album, United We Fear, due May 9. Five.Bolt.Main and Element Eighty are opening on the trek, which wraps up June 10 in Manchester, New Hampshire. ... Frank Zappa will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the sixth annual Jammy Awards, set for April 20 at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York. Blues Traveler, Stephen Marley, Guster, Mad Professor and Jane's Addiction drummer Stephen Perkins's side project Banyan are among the artists scheduled to perform at the event. Tickets are available at Jammys.com. ...

This summer will see the arrival of "Latin American Idol," Reuters reports. The "Idol" franchise currently comprises 33 versions, each for a specific country; "Latin American Idol" will be the first regional singing competition. Auditions will be held in Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia and Argentina, where the show will be taped in Buenos Aires.

• Marion "Suge" Knight
• Black Eyed Peas
• Coldplay
• Tom Morello
• Nine Inch Nails

Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 25th Anniversary Concert

• Bruce Springsteen
• Tom Morello
• Sting
• U2
• Bono

Vampire Weekend, Paramore, N.E.R.D., & More Rock SXSW 2008

• Kaki King
• Mike Farris
• R.E.M.
• The Von Bondies
• The Raveonettes

Slash, Perry Farrell, Wayne Kramer In Tom Morello's SXSW All-Star Jam

• Rage Against the Machine
• Tom Morello