Mötley Crüe's Tommy Lee (file)
Photo: Bill McCay/ WireImage

Sevendust's Morgan Rose will sit in for Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee on the band's Crüe Fest Tour after the drummer burned his hand last week while playing with sparklers, according to Billboard.

Rose began subbing for Lee last Friday in Cincinatti, and appreciative Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx took to his MySpace page to say that Rose "came charging in like a knight in shining armor."

Lee hurt his left thumb and forefinger in the accident, but, with his hands in bandages, still managed to play piano for part of the show, on the songs "Home Sweet Home" and "Girls, Girls, Girls."

During a show on Saturday in Detroit, Lee told the crowd, "First of all, I suck. I was having fun and I burned myself."

In Sixx's MySpace message to his fans about the accident, he called Rose "the hero of the day." "Tommy messed up his hand pretty bad," the statement read. "Yes, accidents do happen, and yes, frustration does happen to everybody, including Tommy, who would rather play drums (even with a damaged hand) than just about anything in the whole world.

"But following doctor's orders for a few shows is what we have to do right now (or cancel shows). We all wanna say we're sorry Tommy has to sit out a couple shows, but we hope to have him back up on the drums ASAP ... I think Morgan needs a standing ovation for his dedication to kicking ass and helping not only Mötley Crüe out, but the road crew and everybody else out here whose lives would (have) been [affected] ... As for now, Mötley Crüe is a five-piece band — making history, one injury at a time."

No word yet on when Lee expects to be back behind the drum kit for the tour, which runs through September 2.

• Mötley Crüe
• Sevendust

Carrie Underwood
Photo: Ethan Miller/ Getty Images

Former "American Idol" winner and country star Carrie Underwood will come back home for a second time this season on Tuesday, when she performs as part of the show's two-night finale.

A spokesperson for Underwood confirmed that the four-time Grammy winner will appear on "Idol" on to sing this year's farewell song, her countrified cover of Mötley Crüe's iconic 1985 metal ballad, "Home Sweet Home." The season-four winner's performance will come on the night the show's two remaining contestants, Kris Allen and Adam Lambert, will face off one more time in a bid to win the season-eight crown.

The farewell song is traditionally performed during finals week. Last year, season-two winner Ruben Studdard returned to sing his cover of Kenny Loggins' "Celebrate Me Home," and the year before Chris Daughtry performed the season-six send-off, "Home."

Underwood appeared on "Idol" in March, performing a duet with her country idol, Randy Travis, on his song "I Told You So."

A portion of the sales proceeds of the "Home Sweet Home" digital single will be donated by Underwood, her record company and iTunes to the Humane Society of the United States, earmarked for programs that help companion animals, puppy-mill rescues and spaying and neutering services.

The Wednesday-night finale is expected to feature other musical guests, but at press time, a spokesperson for "Idol" had not returned requests for comment on who those performers might be.

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

• 'American Idol' In 60 Seconds

• Kris Allen: From Arkansas To 'American Idol'
• "American Idol" Season 8: The Top 36
• "American Idol" Season 8: Live Performances

• Carrie Underwood
• Mötley Crüe

Mötley Crüe at a press event in New York on Monday
Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage

Mötley Crüe sure know how to make an entrance. The rockers showed up to Fuse TV in New York City on Monday in an over-the-top Cadillac Miller-Meteor ambulance.

The theatrical entrance — complete with gothed-out girls disguised as nurses — was an effort by the boys to plug their upcoming tour Crüe Fest 2: The White Trash Circus.

Nikki Sixx, Tommy Lee, Vince Neil and Mick Mars will have some help kicking off their tour on July 19. Godsmack, Drowning Pool, Theory of a Dead Man and Charm City Devils are set to open the fest. The summer tour comes just months before the 20th anniversary of the Crüe's iconic album Dr. Feelgood and will showcase the classic in its entirety — some songs will be performed live for the first time.

Aside from gearing up for the tour, the band is also working on side projects, a new album and a possible Mötley Crüe-inspired edition of "Guitar Hero."

The rest of us may have been surprised when Carrie Underwood covered the Crüe classic, "Home Sweet Home," for "American Idol," but Sixx wasn't. The bassist told RollingStone.com that he was almost featured on the song alongside the country superstar — and despite their musical differences, he'd love to work with Underwood in the future.

"I think we both want to write songs together. She writes pop songs and I think I'm a pop songwriter, however the songs are performed."

• Mötley Crüe
• Carrie Underwood

Carrie Underwood
Photo: John Shearer/ WireImage

Carrie Underwood may have won "American Idol," and America's hearts, with her country twang, but the singer tapped into her rock side to record the show's new farewell theme. In keeping with the recent "home" theme of the tunes played as contestants are eliminated from "Idol," Underwood recently tracked a countrified cover of Mötley Crüe's bittersweet ballad "Home Sweet Home," which will make its debut on Wednesday night (March 11) when this season's first finalist is sent home.

The song will be available as a digital single exclusively on iTunes through March 16, after which it will be released on other online music retail sites. According to Underwood's official site, a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Humane Society of the United States.

"I've always loved this song," Underwood said in a statement. "And besides being very fitting for 'Idol,' to me, the title is also very fitting with animal rescue and finding animals their own homes."

Season-four winner Underwood joins a few other "Idol" alumni in providing the season's farewell theme, including Daughtry, whose "Home" played as season-six singers took their final bow. Ruben Studdard's cover of Kenny Loggins' "Celebrate Me Home" did the honors last year, and Daniel Powter's "Bad Day" turned into a huge digital hit in 2006, when it was picked as the season walk-off tune.

In other "Idol" news, for the first time this year, viewers will be able to get some exclusive coverage of the show sent directly to their iPhone and iPod Touch screens. The show's producers have hooked up with iTunes to offer "confessional" style videos of the final 13, as well as pictures, news, bios and behind-the-scenes content for a one-time $1.99 charge.

While the package does not include actual performance video — those can be bought separately with a one-click jump to the iTunes page — the new application will update weekly for the whole season, with 78 original videos between now and the finale. The app will also let fans play judge by predicting the order of the contestants' departure and tracking their time on the show.

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

• MTV News' Headlines Of The Day

• Carrie Underwood
• Mötley Crüe

Stone Temple Pilots' Scott Weiland and Eric Kretz
Photo: Charley Gallay/ Getty Images

R. Kelly isn't the only musician sweating over legal troubles this week.

Atlantic Records filed a lawsuit in Manhattan's District Court on Thursday against two members of reunited grunge rockers Stone Temple Pilots. According to Reuters, the suit accuses frontman Scott Weiland and drummer Eric Kretz of trying to get out of their recording contract with the Warner Music Group label prematurely.

The filing contends that Weiland and Kretz have threatened to stop performing under their current contract and that they've indicated that they'd like to end the agreement unless Atlantic makes some significant changes. In the suit, the label claims that, though STP have written and recorded six LPs, it wants them to record a seventh — and deliver up to two more, should the label decide it wants them.

The band issued a statement Friday morning (June 13), expressing surprise and disappointment in Atlantic's litigious move, and suggested that a new album could be put on hold because of the proceedings.

"Stone Temple Pilots were deeply disappointed to see that Atlantic filed a surprise lawsuit against two members of the legendary band ... when they were in the middle of what were believed to be cordial and positive discussions about STP returning to the studio to make a new album after 5 years," the statement read. "Despite the allegations in the complaint, the band never threatened anything more than remaining away from the studio until equitable terms could be arranged. The precipitous filing of this action is yet another example of the difficulties facing artists in the new music environment, as relationships between artists and their labels fall further and further apart.

"Eric and Scott have not yet been served and hope that Atlantic will allow cooler heads to prevail and have the courtesy of shelving this action to permit negotiations to continue in a positive spirit rather than under a dark cloud of hostility," the statement continued. "Should everyone operate in good faith, STP are certain that a new album from the band will be available soon. Should Atlantic instead pursue this scorched-earth policy towards the band, the ultimate victims will be STP's fans, who will never be able to enjoy a new album from the group."

After the band split in 2003, the other two members of Stone Temple Pilots, guitarist Dean DeLeo and bassist Robert DeLeo, were released from their recording contract so that they could pursue separate careers, Reuters reports. Atlantic's suit claims the band is now touring successfully and that STP had indicated their intention to record again. Atlantic claims its contract with the band was written under New York laws and that the musicians are trying to use California laws to abolish it.

The label is asking for a court declaration of its rights under the recording contract, in addition to the costs of legal fees incurred by the move and any other relief the court decides is appropriate.

"American Idol" producers are also having a rough week, after the American Federation of Musicians slapped them with a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles on Thursday, claiming that musicians who performed on the show were underpaid.

According to Associated Press, the suit, which seeks unspecified damages, alleges that American Idol Productions Inc. and a subsidiary, Tick Tock Productions Inc., violated a collective bargaining agreement by not paying musicians for live music that was re-recorded for reruns of the show. A spokesperson for the show had no comment on the lawsuit.

The federation claims that the "Idol" contract says the show's musicians should be paid royalties for rebroadcasts of the show and 75 percent of scale if they appear in the original broadcast and rehearsals, plus an additional 10 percent of that paid to a union pension fund, with smaller percentages for each rebroadcast.

The suit also claims that in 2007, "Idol" producers started cutting out the show's soundtrack and using different musicians to re-record new music for the highlights wrap-up show "American Idol Rewind" without informing the union. A spokesperson for the union's West Coast office could not be reached for comment at press time.

In other legal news, it seems Jay-Z is at the center of an $88 million lawsuit filed against him by boxer Mitchell Rose. In the suit, which seeks damages for "loss opportunity and mental distress," Rose claims the rapper and former Island Def Jam head "stole lyrics, which resulted in copyright infringement by using selected parts of material from a music CD" that Rose maintains he "personally have to Jay-Z" during a boxing match at Madison Square Garden.

Rose's suit claims he invented the technique of "whisper rapping" and that Jay-Z adopted the style without giving credit where credit was due.

Check out the Newsroom blog for news about Mötley Crüe's latest legal battle and R. Kelly's other legal troubles.

• Stone Temple Pilots
• Jay-Z
• R. Kelly
• Mötley Crüe

Mötley Crüe and Ozzy Osbourne in awesomer times
Photo: Ron Galella/ WireImage.com

On The Record: I Am A Gigantic Baby. A Gigantic Baby Without A Platinum-Record Plaque.

It's official. Bigger Than the Sound is one year old. So in honor of that milestone, I figured I'd spend the next thousand (or so) words acting exactly like every 1-year-old I've ever met: petulant, snotty, blubbering and seething with entitlement (I know some pretty lousy 1-year-olds, believe me). I sort of feel I've earned it. If not, well, then I apologize in advance for taking time away from "Miley Cyrus Watch."

See, I've been writing this column for one year now, and in that time, I've been alternately petty, holier-than-thou, mean-spirited and downright stupid, but I've never been all of those things at once, primarily because I've never thought a situation demanded it. Until now.

Because I've been wronged — horribly, irrevocably wronged — and I don't think I'm ever going to recover from it. On Monday, my wife, who's a producer for MTV Radio, received her first platinum-record plaque (she asked me not to say who it's from, because she didn't "want the band reading about it in [my] big-baby column"), a big, shiny thing with her name engraved on it and everything. Needless to say, I was endlessly proud of her. Also needless to say, as soon as I laid eyes on it, my inner-toddler curled up in a ball, held his breath, stomped his feet and smashed his ice cream cone all over the walls of the Sears Portrait Studio.

Her platinum plaque brought the grand total of "extraneous and slightly garish music-industry awards" currently cluttering the Montgomery household to exactly one. And that made me jealous. And upset. Actually, it made me both at the same time.

After all, I've worked for MTV News for nearly four years now, and in that time, I've penned something like 50 (!) Fall Out Boy stories, 30 Panic at the Disco pieces and around 25 My Chemical Romance briefs. Not to mention countless bits about Green Day, Coldplay, U2, Nickelback and just about every rock band of note. I've done video pieces and album previews and "You Hear It First" blurbs, and I'd like to think that somewhere, at least one of those stories inspired a kid somewhere to head out to Wal-Mart and purchase one of the countless millions of albums those bands have sold. And yet, for all the good work I've done here at MTV, no band or label has ever seen it fit to send so much as a gold record plaque, let alone a platinum one.

And this makes me angry. And ashamed. Because, really, I don't feel like my career can be validated until I have an office full of gleaming, gaudy plaques. I don't even care if they're from, like, Adema or the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. I just want the bling. The status. The blinding walls. Seriously, can't someone send me a f---ing plaque? Anyone?

I realize the industry doesn't exactly work this way. These are not the halcyon days of the 1980s, when record execs tossed plaques at dudes in the mailroom. Long gone are the times when every two-bit publicist, radio DJ and concert promoter was awash in a sea of plaque-itude, or when Mötley Crüe and Ozzy would do blow off an award pressed solely to signify worldwide sales of 10 million units of Girls, Girls, Girls. Record labels are hemorrhaging money, and platinum plaques have come to be seen as the fairly ridiculous, rather unnecessary (and expensive) trinkets they are, and as such, they've nearly vanished. For the most part, the party's over, and they've become about as rare as albino leprechauns or thought-provoking moments on "The Hills": they probably exist, you've just never seen one. (I e-mailed Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz — no stranger to major-label excess — about them, and his response? "They are about to be vintage. ... You see one now, and it's like, 'Whoa, you got one of those?' ")

And yeah, I also realize that, by and large, platinum plaques are nothing more than carrots extended on sticks, gilded tokens given to gullible journos and presidents of TV networks to make them think they're "doing a great job" and "part of the team." They are not career validators. And pretty much everyone who's received more than one realizes this. They come to view the plaques as nothing more than clutter, eyesores taking up space in their Brooklyn brownstones. They laugh at the older ones — Stryper, Iron Maiden, Limp Bizkit — and yet they all remember their first one. Receiving a plaque is sort of a rite of passage, like being invited to vote in the The Village Voice's Pazz & Jop poll, or being seduced by Liz Phair in an interview.

And here I am, still waiting for my first one.

Of course, I am aware that this column makes me sound like a genuinely awful person. And a desperate one. But there is a hole in the recesses of my soul that only a platinum plaque can fill (perhaps even a gold one would suffice). It is a pang I feel whenever I enter my co-workers' offices, and see their walls lined with plaques from Slipknot or 3 Doors Down. It is a pang I feel whenever I go to a recording studio and see the carpeted walls lined with ephemera from Snow or PM Dawn. And it is a pang I certainly felt when I traveled out to the wilds of New Jersey to watch Nickelback receive plaques commemorating sales of 25 million worldwide.

I want to be a part of that unnecessary excess, that stupidity, that decrepit business model. ... I want the industry to recognize me. And what better way to do that than with a platinum plaque?

And if the mailroom here at MTV is suddenly overcome with large boxes from, say, the Warner Music Group or EMI or UMG or Sony BMG, well, then that is a good thing. If any rock band feels the need to reward my talents, hey, bring it on. I am beyond shame at this point. I refuse to feel guilty about this. I have platinum fever. I think I've earned it.

[Editor's note: Montgomery might not have to wait much longer. Wentz just promised the petulant writer, via e-mail, to send an Infinity on High platinum plaque ASAP. Score!]

5ive Style

Slightly Less Than A Half-Dozen Of My Favorite Things On The Internet This Week, So Named For A Post-Rock Group That No One Probably Remembers.

1. Spencer And Heidi's Patriotic Make-Out Session: In 20 years, when you have kids, they will inevitably come across some news holograms of Osama Bin Laden, and they will turn to you, eyes watering, hands trembling, and ask "Mommy/Daddy, why did that man hate us so much?!?!" Just show them these photos. That should do the trick.

2. Travis McCoy's "I Just Ate 2 Chick Patties Now It's Time To Clean The Condo Spotless" Mix On MuxTape: Begins with Phoenix's excellent "Everything Is Everything" and ends with Lil Wayne's "Certified." In between, there's Snoop, J Dilla, Isaac Hayes and, uh, He Is Legend. Travie's probably got the cleanest condo in town.

3. The Many "Wow, I Just Got Rocked" Faces Of Barry Zito: Responds one Yahoo! commenter: "Everyone laughed when I drafted Zito at the tail end of my draft, while Micah Owings and Brian Bannister went undrafted. I would have the last laugh, when Zito returned to fantasy prominence, despite absolutely no indication that he would. It would be the diamond in the rough for my pitching staff. Then he started 0-3 and I cut him. Bummer. He doesn't even get any starts against the Giants, which usually makes ANY schmo SP useful for streaming." Totally, dude.

4. The Top 25 Opening Credits Of '80s Action Shows: A solid list, an infallible scoring system and proof that things really were better back then.

5. David Berman's LastFm Playlist: The Silver Jews mastermind listens to a ton of old, sort-of bizarre country and western tunes and Siouxsie & the Banshees. Now you can too! Leroy Van Dyke's "The Auctioneer" rules almost as much as the Jews' Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea album.

Questions? Concerns? Platinum plaques? Send 'em to me at BTTS@MTVStaff.com.

• Fall Out Boy
• Green Day
• Mötley Crüe
• Ozzy Osbourne

Mötley Crüe's Tommy Lee
Photo: Michael Buckner/ Getty Images

Remember how, back in September, there were all those news reports floating around the Web about outspoken, Kid Rock-hating Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee, and how he had either resigned or been booted from the band? Yeah, well, so does Metal File.

At the time the news first broke — by way of a lawsuit the band had filed against its former manager, which stated, "Lee recently informed [bassist Nikki] Sixx and [guitarist Mick] Mars that he was resigning from the band, and his resignation was accepted" — the Crüe's representatives would neither confirm nor deny Lee's ouster. So ever since, like most of the band's fans, we'd simply assumed Lee was done with the Crüe — that, perhaps, spinning records as a celebrity DJ was more his speed.

Considering all this, Metal File must admit we were awfully confused by Lee's appearance with the band last week in Los Angeles, when the boys revealed their upcoming Crüe Fest tour, which makes its inaugural run this summer, starting July 1 in West Palm Beach, Florida. So when we had the opportunity to sit down with the band following the press conference, we just had to ask: What's the deal with Tommy?

Of course, the Crüe have been in the rock and roll game long enough (make that 27 years) to know how to dodge a few questions — which is precisely what they did.

"You know, it's so funny," started Sixx, whose side project Sixx:A.M. will also be on this summer's Crüe Fest. "[Saints of Los Angeles] is loosely based on the book 'The Dirt,' and originally, we were going to call it The Dirt. But this society, where it's at right now, is so ridiculous. It's all about gossip. Everything is gossip. It's demented to have people standing in line at the grocery store, reading something they know is a lie and buying it. And so, that's the thing with this band — we fit into that perfectly. Mick just told me a few minutes ago that he found out he's dead, on the Internet. That's the second time that's happened to him. I have one death, and he has two. I'm jealous."

And that was that. Lee, who was present for the interview, said nothing. While we may never know what really happened with Tommy and the band (perhaps that's a story they're saving for "The Dirt, Part 2"), it's at least good to know that the Crüe were able to overcome whatever problems they were having, so fans could have another LP from the world's most notorious rock band.

On June 17, Saints of Los Angeles, which boasts 11 tracks, including "Face Down in the Dirt" and "Mother----er of the Year" (Lee's favorite cut on the disc), will land in stores. It's the band's first all-new studio effort since 2000's New Tattoo. The record, the Crüe said, marks a return to their original sound and is chock-full of hard rockers for longtime fans to latch on to.

"We started talking about what should be the first single, and everybody had something different," frontman Vince Neil said. The band elected to go with the record's title track, which is now streaming at the Crüe's MySpace page. "Usually, when people put out an album, there's maybe one or two songs where you know that's the single. I kept singing these songs, and going, 'Nah, that's the single.' And then the next song — 'Nah, that's the single.' That's cool, and it's a good sign. It's all hits."

"This album really tells the story of Mötley Crüe," Sixx added. "It's about coming from nothing, playing the clubs and getting a record deal, and then making it to the top and then kind of imploding, and all the fun stuff and the craziness that went along with it. And then, it's about making it back to where we're at today. It's a cool rock record, and 'Saints of Los Angeles' is just one of the songs in that story."

For this forthcoming LP, the Crüe wanted to decimate everyone's expectations, deciding to churn out a guitar-heavy masterpiece that honored their unique sound while still taking it to the next level.

"Every time we make a record, we talk about it," Sixx said. "What is it that we really want? On this one, everybody agreed we wanted something that was really guitar-driven, and then it just fell into place."

"It's a nice blend of today, yesterday and a few years ago," Lee chimed in. "It's Mötley 2008."

"But it's perturbing," Sixx interjected. "People go, 'So you went back to your original sound.' But if you played Saints of Los Angeles alongside [1989's] Dr. Feelgood, you'd say, 'Oh, no.' What you're hearing is guitar, and oh, is it dirty. We've always been dirty, but this is a perfect record for 2008."

The first-ever Crüe Fest will hit 40 cities before winding down August 31 in Pittsburgh. In addition to Sixx:A.M., Buckcherry, Papa Roach and Trapt have been enlisted as the tour's support acts. The fest had been in the works for sometime, and Sixx was surprised that details hadn't leaked before last week's news conference.

"It's hard, when you're putting something together, to keep it quiet," Sixx explained. "One person can overhear somebody say something and put it on the Internet, and next thing you know, it's headline f---ing news. On this tour, we've got some great bands with great songs — bands that are exciting to watch. These are the young guns coming up, and it will make for a great show. Loud, aggressive rock and roll with great frontmen. ... It's what we would want to see."

The rest of the week's metal news:

Former Otep guitarist Rob Patterson — who most recently served as Korn's touring guitarist — is reportedly engaged to his girlfriend, Carmen Electra. According to People magazine, he popped the question this past weekend; the two have been dating for less than a year. Considering Carmen's been married to Dennis Rodman and Jane's Addiction's Dave Navarro, we're giving this next marriage three months. ...

Not only do they slay, but the Dillinger Escape Plan dudes are also advocates for animal rights. The band recently shot an ad for peta2, in which they appear alongside dogs with the tagline "Be an Angel for Animals." Head on over to peta2's Web site to see the ad. ...

The lineup for the sixth-annual "Dude Fest" in Indianapolis has been completed. Taking the stage June 20 will be — among others — the Red Chord, Nachtmystium and Plague Bringer. On June 21, Pig Destroyer, Hewhocorrupts and Lords perform. Closing things out on June 22 will be Kylesa, Skeletonwitch and Demiricous. ...

Necrophagist have added drummer Romain Goulon of Disavowed fame to their lineup; that means Marco Minnemann is out of the band. "[We want] to thank 'human metronome' Marco Minnemann for playing drums on last year's Summer Slaughter Tour. It was an honor and a lot of fun playing with one of the world's greatest drummers," the band said in a statement. ...

Russian Circles and Daughters will be hitting the road together June 3, starting in Iowa City, Iowa. The tour will run through July 1, when it lands in Buffalo, New York. ...

Sweden's Burst are in the midst of tracking their forthcoming LP Lazarus Bird. The disc will feature the tracks "I Hold Vertigo," "Cripple God" and "I Exterminate the I." Look for the record in stores this fall. ...

Thrash specialists Toxic Holocaust have been added to reunited metallers At the Gates' upcoming North American tour. Also opening will be Darkest Hour and Municipal Waste. ...

Most Precious Blood are in the studio, recording their fourth album, Do Not Resuscitate. "While all our spineless contemporaries reach for the stars, we've returned to our roots," guitarist Justin Brannan said in a statement. "The new songs are short, fast, hard and mean. We wrote an album to remind us of the stuff we grew up on, the music that got us into hardcore when we were teenagers. We harnessed that raw energy and power, the unbridled passion of those days at CBGB and basements and VFW halls across the country, sleeping on concrete floors and shoplifting for fun, back when it felt like you were really part of something different. We've checked the rock and roll ambitions and delusional fantasies at the door, and wrote a hardcore record like only we knew how."

• Mötley Crüe Rock Out To Announce Crüe Fest 2008

• Mötley Crüe
• Most Precious Blood
• Burst

Mötley Crüe's Tommy Lee on Tuesday in Hollywood
Photo: Michael Buckner/ Getty Images

On Tuesday, Mötley Crüe threw their collective hat into the summer-festival ring, introducing the lineup for the first-ever Crüe Fest. The tour launches July 1 in West Palm Beach, Florida, and will hit 40 cities — with openers Buckcherry, Papa Roach, Trapt and bassist Nikki Sixx's Sixx:A.M. — before winding down August 31 in Pittsburgh.

Crüe Fest is the latest entrant in what's already becoming a festival-filled summer, and will face off against this year's Projekt Revolution tour, as well as the Rockstar Mayhem Festival — which will feature Disturbed, Slipknot and others — and the Warped Tour. Tickets for Crüe Fest are on sale now.

"We are so excited not only to headline our own annual summer festival, but also to be able to share the stage with the next generation of great rock bands," Sixx said in a statement. "There's not a lot Mötley Crüe hasn't done, so to say this summer's festival is going to be about rock and roll excess is an understatement: A night of hit songs by great bands and a trail of panties coast to coast."

During Tuesday's press conference in Hollywood, the Crüe also revealed that they'll release Saints of Los Angeles, the band's first studio album in more than 10 years to feature all of the band's original members, on June 17. In addition to "Kickstart My Heart," the band performed the new album's title track live at the event; the song is currently available on iTunes and as a download for the "Rock Band" video game.

Crüe Fest '08 tour dates, according to the band's publicist:

· 7/1 - West Palm Beach, FL @ Cruzan Amphitheatre
· 7/3 - Tampa, FL @ Ford Amphitheatre
· 7/5 - Charlotte, NC @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Charlotte
· 7/6 - Virginia Beach, VA @ Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater
· 7/8 - Wantagh, NY @ Nikon at Jones Beach Theater
· 7/9 - Buffalo, NY @ Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
· 7/10 - Sarnia, ONT @ Bayfest
· 7/12 - Philadelphia, PA @ Susquehanna Bank Center
· 7/13 - Washington, DC @ Nissan Pavilion
· 7/15 - Detroit, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theatre
· 7/16 - Chicago, IL @ First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
· 7/18 - Indianapolis, IN @ Verizon Wireless Music Center Indianapolis
· 7/19 - Milwaukee, WI @ Marcus Amphitheater
· 7/20 - St. Louis, MO @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater St. Louis
· 7/22 - Houston, TX @ Toyota Center
· 7/23 - San Antonio, TX @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
· 7/24 - Dallas, TX @ Superpages.com Center
· 7/26 - Albuquerque, NM @ Journal Pavilion
· 7/27 - Denver, CO @ Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre
· 7/29 - Salt Lake City, UT @ USANA Amphitheatre
· 7/31 - Phoenix, AZ @ Cricket Wireless Pavilion
· 8/1 - Las Vegas, NV @ Mandalay Bay Events Center
· 8/2 - Los Angeles, CA @ Glen Helen Pavilion
· 8/5 - Sacramento, CA @ Sleep Train Pavilion
· 8/6 - Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre at Mountain View
· 8/8 - Seattle, WA @ White River Amphitheatre
· 8/9 - Portland, OR @ Rose Garden
· 8/11 - Vancouver, BC @ General Motors Place
· 8/13 - Edmonton, AB @ Rexall Place
· 8/14 - Calgary, AB @ Pengrowth Saddledome
· 8/15 - Saskatoon, SK @ Credit Union Centre
· 8/17 - Winnipeg, MB @ MTS Centre
· 8/19 - Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Amphitheatre
· 8/20 - Cleveland, OH @ Blossom Music Center
· 8/22 - Boston, MA @ Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts
· 8/23 - Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center
· 8/24 - Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena
· 8/28 - Toronto, ONT @ Molson Amphitheatre
· 8/29 - Albany, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center
· 8/30 - Scranton, PA @ Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain
· 8/31 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Post-Gazette Pavilion

• Motley Crue Announce Inaugural Crue Fest

• Mötley Crüe Rock Out To Announce Crüe Fest 2008

• Mötley Crüe

Kevin DuBrow
Photo: Larry Marano/Getty Images

Since news of Quiet Riot singer Kevin DuBrow's death broke this week, there has been an outpouring of memories of the fallen rocker from the band's fans, as well as from musicians and friends who worked closely with the outspoken frontman.

DuBrow was found dead at age 52 inside his Las Vegas home Sunday evening; an official cause of his death has yet to be determined, pending autopsy and toxicology results. According to police, there were no signs of forced entry at DuBrow's home, and investigators do not suspect foul play.

"Today is a sad day," Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx told SavioursofRock.com. "I was thinking about sitting in Kevin's apartment in 1979. I had just been over to [late Quiet Riot/ Ozzy Osbourne guitarist] Randy Rhoads' learning some of their songs. Randy called Kevin while I was there and told him they should get me to be the bass player in Quiet Riot. I passed ... 'cause we all had a destiny. [Kevin] always did what he loved most — music — and always said what was on his mind. And that is the measure of a man. He will be missed. I'm grateful to have those early memories ... before the fame, just kids with dreams."

Poison drummer Rikki Rockett first met DuBrow 20 years ago, and the two formed an immediate friendship. Rather than focus on his personal memories, Rockett's statement on his Web site hailed the singer's contributions to the heavy-metal realm.

"Quiet Riot put metal on the radio in the early '80s, in spite of the vanilla new-wave surge of Duran Duran clones at the time," Rockett recalled. "However he died or why, let's just remember the colossal contributions that he made. Rest in peace, my brother."

Glenn Hughes, the vocalist and bassist best known for his contributions to Deep Purple and Black Sabbath, told MelodicRock.com that he and DuBrow "were [like] brothers" who spoke on a daily basis.

"The Kevin that I knew was a beautiful human being," Hughes continued. "He was kind, giving, nurturing and generous. He would stay at my L.A. home when he was in town. I never saw Kevin loaded. He respected my sobriety. He always spoke about the change of my lifestyle and how he also wanted to change his. The last conversation I had with him 10 days ago was about this subject; he said he had to make some life changes. I was so happy and elated to hear this."

Hughes said the last time he spoke to DuBrow was November 16, when the two friends discussed travel arrangements for a party Hughes was having November 23.

"Then, there was nothing. No communication. Zero," Hughes said. "Come Thanksgiving, I knew something was strange. At the house, Kevin's room was prepared as always. I thought, 'He's [going to] come jumping through the door any minute and demand to play the winner of the pool game between [Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer] Chad Smith and myself.' As the party ended, Gabi [Hughes' wife] and I spoke of his absence. She was very upset. All along, I felt something [was] seriously wrong."

On Sunday, Hughes — who performed a guest vocal spot on Quiet Riot's last studio offering, 2006's Rehab — said he called DuBrow's ex-girlfriend, who had no information concerning the singer's whereabouts. "I asked her if she knew a paramedic who could go over to Kev's house and investigate," Hughes wrote in his statement. "Dana, the medic, got in the house only to find my sweet brother at peace. I am completely shell-shocked. We were planning to go to Hawaii for some relaxation in the new year. For those of you that didn't know him, he was a true, true friend. I'm going to miss our dinners at the Palm in Beverly Hills. I'm going to miss his loud voice bellowing through my house. I'm going to miss those oh-so-corny jokes. We all will miss him. Sleep well, brother. Your legacy is in good hands with me."

Former Warrant guitarist Billy Morris, who'd played guitar with Quiet Riot occasionally during the band's later years, issued a statement to the Cleveland Scene, in which he expressed utter disbelief at DuBrow's passing.

"This blows me away," Morris wrote. "No one would ever imagine this happening to Kevin, especially me, after knowing him for the past eight years. During our tours together, he would really take care of himself, eating well (certainly better than the rest of us). He'd take his vitamins every day, and always kept his body and voice in check. One thing about Kevin was that he was always so thankful for what he had. Performing live and creating music were his passions, and he was grateful for the time he spent with his friends and fans. The rock scene has lost an icon, an individual who brought it every night."

Annihilator's Jeff Waters also chimed in on his own site, discussing DuBrow's impact on the musical genre he'd lived for.

"Quiet Riot had an impact on me when I was a teen, and when I wasn't listening to their music, I was playing it or seeing a cover band that was playing it," he explained. "Their music was rock and metal and party music all in one. It is a sad day for metal, as DuBrow and Quiet Riot helped, in their own way, make metal what it has become today. You will be missed by many, and thanks for the memories and the music."

But no one knew DuBrow like his bandmates, many of whom broke their silence Monday night in online postings.

"I really don't know where to start," wrote guitarist Alex Grossi on his site. "Kevin was a beautiful soul, and I feel more than fortunate to have known, worked and learned from him. Kevin was always a positive influence in what sometimes can be a very negative business. I am proud to have called him my friend, and always will be. [He] was a true lover of music and was extremely dedicated to his craft. I am honored to have been part of a band that changed the face of hard rock forever and to have been given the opportunity to play, write, and most importantly, be part of his life. He will be forever missed."

Bassist Chuck Wright told MelodicRock.com that he's "shocked and devastated" by DuBrow's death and feels he's "truly lost a brother" in the singer.

"It's a very sad loss for the world of rock and roll," Wright said. "I'm so very fortunate to have been a part of his life these past 26 years. I have so many fond memories, and it's a blessing that these recent few years have been so great with the band. There is no reason to say, 'I wish we could have ...' [because] we did. I still can't believe I won't be sharing the stage with his larger-than-life presence ever again. The man left a mark wherever he went, and I'm heartbroken that he is no longer with us."

On MTV's Headbangers Blog, former Quiet Riot bassist Rudy Sarzo said that he, too, was shocked by the news. "The last thing you expect when you get up in the morning is something like this," he said. "He was somebody who really loved life. He loved to have fun and have a great time. Every day to him was like a party — that's what it was like when I played with him. I think he'll be remembered for being a hell of a rock singer. He was definitely one of the best singers of the '80s."

In a statement to CNN, drummer Frankie Banali said he'd "lost [his] best friend," and said that, "out of respect for both Kevin and his family," he wouldn't comment further on the situation. "There's going to be a lot of speculation out there, and I won't add to that. I love him too much."

Fans reached out to MTV News with their thoughts on the passing of a musical icon.

"Kevin ... was very rich in the way people loved him as a lead man in a rock band," said Twig, a 31-year-old fan from Greensboro, North Carolina. "That, my friend, is worth more than anything. We will always remember that crazy guy onstage that gave you what you paid for — a good time."

"I will never forget the first time I heard Quiet Riot," offered John from Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. "I was like, 'What is this?' It was the door opening for heavy metal and me. So sorry to the family and friends of Kevin. I will forever 'Feel the Noize.' "

"One of the greatest voices in metal has been silenced, [and] I will miss him," said Robert of Springfield, Illinois. "I am glad I got to see him live within the past five years. He was as great then as he was in [his] prime."

"This guy had more talent in his wig than Britney Spears has in her whole body," said Sydney from Redwood City, California. "Godspeed, Kevin. Bang your head eternally with the good ones."

"I feel as if I lost an old friend," said Johnny, 38, of Austin, Texas. "It's kind of like we grew up together, as music and songs remind us of our teen years. ... Take it easy, Kevin, and thanks for the music and energy you shared through your voice."

"Kevin's passing makes for quite an impact," said Gypsy from Tacoma, Washington. "The metal world will never be the same without him."

See what other distraught fans are saying about DuBrow in You Tell Us, and send along your comments too.

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Kid Rock
Photo: Sean Gallup/ Getty Images

A month after Kid Rock and Tommy Lee famously fought at the 2007 Video Music Awards, it looks like the former rocker might owe a thank-you to the latter one. Kid Rock won't be charged for the fight, with Lee reportedly having asked that Rock not be prosecuted, according to "Extra."

The TV show revealed the news Monday (October 29) after reportedly speaking with Las Vegas authorities. "The Clark County District Attorney's Office will not pursue a battery charge," Chief Deputy District Attorney Ron Bloxham said, according to "Extra." "It should be noted that Tommy Lee has requested that there be no prosecution relating to the incident and there were no injuries to either person."

That's good news for Rock (real name: Robert James Ritchie), who had already been cited for misdemeanor battery for his assault on Lee (real name: Thomas Lee Bass). He's had a tumultuous month since the fight, getting into a scuffle at a Waffle House for which he faces a misdemeanor battery charge; being sued by Maurice Foreman, a man who claimed Rock lifted parts of a Foreman song for his new single "So Hott"; and getting knocked off the top of the Billboard albums chart by Bruce Springsteen shortly after having overpowered the Boss.

Rock, who seemingly overpowered Lee during their VMA run-in, later said the incident was no accident. "What it boils down to is a level of disrespect for a lot of years between me and him — him towards me — and it had nothing to do with [Lee and Rock's ex-wife] Pamela [Anderson]," he told MTV News earlier this month.

Anderson subsequently said on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" that she was going to stay out of the matter, while Lee later apologized for the incident disrupting Alicia Keys' performance that evening.

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