U2 (file)
Photo: Anton Corbijn

U2's former stylist allegedly stole Bono's Stetson hat, and now the group is stealing it back ... well, sort of. The Irish rockers appeared in a Dublin, Ireland, court Tuesday morning (June 28), according to Reuters, with the hope of recovering more than $6,000 in memorabilia and personal effects from the band's ex-style guide, Lola Cashman, who worked for the group during much of the 1980s. Of the items U2 hope to have returned to them — items Cashman has tried to auction off — the Stetson hat, earrings and trousers Bono wore during the band's Joshua Tree tour and in the film "Rattle and Hum." ...

Disturbed, who've been working diligently in Chicago for the last few months, will be ready to deliver a new album this fall. Ten Thousand Fists — which is in the mixing phase — includes songs called "Stricken," "Guarded," "Deify" and "Decadence" and is tentatively slated to come out September 20. ... Devo, Ani DiFranco, Son Volt, Brazilian Girls, Digable Planets, the Decemberists and Ted Leo and the Pharmacists will take the stage for the 35th annual Bumbershoot Festival, slated for September 2-5. One of America's largest urban arts festivals, Bumbershoot unfolds in the heart of Seattle, at the 74-acre park that housed the 1962 World's Fair. ...

Forty years ago, Bob Dylan rose to prominence playing coffeehouses in New York's Greenwich Village, and very soon, he'll be making a return to the java circuit — only on a much larger scale. Dylan has reached an exclusive agreement with corporate coffee juggernaut Starbucks to distribute one of his bootlegs, Bob Dylan: Live at the Gaslight 1962, which captures one of his earliest shows at NYC's Gaslight Cafe. The bootleg will be professionally remastered and contains Dylan staples like "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" and "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right." ... G. Love (of Special Sauce fame) has reworked the classic Coca-Cola jingle "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony)" for a new commercial for Coca-Cola Zero. While the soft drink's 1971 ad featured a diverse cast singing on a hill in Italy, the new version features G. Love and his friends on a rooftop in his native Philadelphia. ...

The Flaming Lips might not have released a new album in almost three years, but it's not like they've been relaxing: Aside from working on various reissues of past albums and a documentary about their career, they've also been working on a DVD called "VOID (Video Overview in Deceleration)," which will collect all of their Warner Bros. videos. According to a post on FlamingLips.com, the DVD (due August 23) will feature 18 videos — including one for the new song "Mr. Ambulance Driver" — all mixed in 5.1 Surround Sound. ... Paul Oakenfold is launching a summer dance-music tour also featuring Deep Dish, Ferry Corsten, Armin van Buuren, Junkie XL, Sandra Collins, Hernan Cattaneo and Liquid Todd on various dates. The Perfecto on Tour outing begins Sunday at New York's Crobar and ends July 23 at Red Rocks near Denver. Oakenfold also just remixed the theme from the "Transformers" series for the Cartoon Network. ...

U.K. dance act Faithless will release a greatest-hits album and DVD, both titled Forever Faithless, on July 26. The collection with include "One Step Too Far," featuring Faithless mastermind Rollo's sister Dido, as well as the new single "Why Go?" featuring Estelle. ...

06.27.2005

Eminem will be donating money to save a beloved fireworks display in his hometown of Detroit. "The fireworks are a big part of summertime in Detroit, and I want to support them and the mayor," the rapper said in a statement obtained by The Associated Press. "I've come downtown to watch them since I was a kid, and I'll get involved in something that helps the city in any way I can." This year's show was in danger of being canceled by the city's mayor due to insufficient funds to provide adequate security during the event. ...

With Bob Geldof's Live 8 extravaganza less than a week away, more and more artists continue to be added to the various Live 8 lineups. The most recent additions to the Philadelphia concert include Alicia Keys, the Black Eyed Peas and Def Leppard. Presenter-wise, several A-list celebrities have signed on to introduce some of the show's acts, including Salma Hayek, Natalie Portman, Chris Tucker, Jennifer Connelly, Jimmy Smits and Kami, the HIV-positive Muppet. ... Having wrapped up a successful inaugural run in April, and with plans to launch a European leg in October, organizers of the Taste of Chaos Tour are now planning to release a DVD chronicling the first year of the traveling rock circus. The still-untitled film will feature live performances from Chaos headliners My Chemical Romance, the Used and Killswitch Engage; as well as backstage footage and interviews with fans. The DVD is tentatively scheduled to be released in September. ...

Tommy Lee has selected "Tryin' to Be Me" as the first single from his upcoming solo album, Tommyland: The Ride, due August 9. Guests on the record include Nick Carter, Dave Navarro, Joel Madden, Deryck Whibley, Fuel's Carl Bell, Something Corporate's Andrew McMahon, and Butch Walker. The Mötley Crüe drummer's reality show, "Tommy Lee Goes to College," premieres August 16 on NBC. ... P.O.D. are almost finished with their forthcoming album, Testify, which is expected to hit stores sometime this fall. While none of the LP's tracks have been finalized, the disc will feature Hasidic rapper Matisyahu on a song tentatively titled "Brother's Keeper." ...

Coheed and Cambria are hard at work putting the finishing touches on their third album, Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV - Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness, but that doesn't mean they don't also have time to publish a comic book or two. According to a post on the band's Web site, the second issue of Coheed's comic book, "The Second Stage Turbine Blade," will be available in Hot Topic stores starting next month. The first issue of "Turbine Blade" hit stores last year. ... On Thursday, Cold will be in Los Angeles to film the video for "Happens All the Time," the first single from the band's forthcoming album, A Different Kind of Pain, which is scheduled to drop August 30. But before they can start rolling tape, they need some of their fans to step up to the plate and serve as extras. Specifically, the band's looking for "strange characters" with "weird, off-center looks a definite plus." Also, being that the video will be shot on a beach, extras need to feel comfortable in a bathing suit. Those interested have been asked to e-mail frycatcasting@gmail.com. There's no pay for the gig, but Cold will buy you lunch. ...

Pete Yorn has scheduled several dates to debut some new material from his upcoming third studio album. The outing begins July 8 at the Basilica Block Party in Minneapolis and ends July 16 in Columbus, Ohio. ... The Dandy Warhols have set September 13 for the release of their fifth album, Odditorium or Warlords of Mars. The LP was co-produced by frontman Courtney Taylor and longtime collaborator Gregg Williams. The 12-track disc features the first single, "Smoke It," the psychedelic "Love Is the New Feel Awful" and a tongue-in-cheek appearance by A&E host Bill Kurtis. The band is scheduled for the upcoming Lollapalooza fest, and a North American tour announcement is expected shortly. ... Rockers Trapt are set to release Someone in Control, their second major-label studio album, on September 13. The first single, "Stand Up," hits radio on July 11. ...

• U2
• Disturbed
• Bob Dylan
• Paul Oakenfold
• The Flaming Lips

If you thought all Bad Boy's Da Band did was choke each other on national television, think again. The kids from "Making the Band 2" got an album out of their time together as well. Too Hot for TV features the six scrappers from the series as well as guest star Wyclef Jean and da man behind Da Band, P. Diddy.

We've all heard about Sting's Sacred Love, but this time we're talking about his new album. Mary J. Blige joins him on the ballad "Whenever I Say Your Name," and Sting addresses the war in Iraq on "This War." Also out this week is airy Brit-pop singer Dido's Life for Rent, featuring the first single "White Flag" and "The Eyes of Alice Cooper," on which the rocker finally gives his famous eyeliner-smeared peepers their due.

Paul Oakenfold releases a mix CD — a two-disc set that remixes Madonna and Björk, among others. And Kelly Osbourne gets a bit of a remix herself as her debut album, Shut Up, is rechristened Changes. The disc features five new tracks, including a cover of Black Sabbath's "Changes" co-sung by her famous dad, Ozzy.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Radio Sunnydale features music by Michelle Branch, Blur and Joey Ramone, plus the Dandy Warhols on the show's theme song. Elsewhere in soundtrack land, the Jack Black movie "School of Rock" is set to classic rock tunes by the Who, the Doors, Queen, Led Zeppelin, Stevie Nicks, the Ramones and, of course, the School of Rock itself.

Finally, "Beef": it's what's on shelves this week. The DVD features 50 Cent, DMX, Ja Rule and other feuding rappers doing what they do best.

Out Tuesday, September 30:

• 22-20s - 0503 (EP, Astralwerks)
• Gary Allan - See If I Care (MCA Nashville)
• Bad Boy's Da Band - Too Hot for TV (Bad Boy)
• Richard Bona - Munia (The Tale) (Verve)
• Chris Botti - A Thousand Kisses Deep (Columbia)
• The Chemical Brothers - Singles 93-03 (Astralwerks)
  Buy Now: Singles 93-03 (Astralwerks)
  
• Alice Cooper - The Eyes Of (Spitfire)
• Billy Currington - Billy Currington (Mercury Nashville)
• Daúde - Neguinha, Te Amo (Real World)
• Neil Diamond - Stages (Sony)
• Dido - Life for Rent (Arista)
  Read: "Dido Won't Let Success Go To Her Head Or Her Songs"
  Buy Now: Life for Rent (Arista)
  
• Lila Downs - La Sandunga (Narada World)
• Dufus - 1:3:1 (ROIR)
• Enigma - Voyageur (Virgin)
• The Federation - The Federation (Virgin)
• Fragma - Embrace (Water Music)
• Paula Frazer - A Place Where I Know (Birdman)
• Grand Champeen - The One That Brought You (Glurp)
• Merle Haggard - Haggard Like Never Before (Compendia)
• Ill Niño - Confession (Roadrunner)
• Jethro Tull - Christmas Album (Fuel 2000)
• Kin Za Za - Number One in Shambala (Narada)
• KJ-52 - It's Pronounced Five Two (UpRok)
• Lo-Pro - Lo-Pro (413/Geffen)
• Lyle Lovett - My Baby Don't Tolerate (Lost Highway)
• Maria - My Soul (DreamWorks)
• Kathy Mattea - Joy for Christmas Day (Narada/Virgin)
• Martina McBride - Martina (RCA)
• Bette Midler - Bette Sings Rosie: The Rosemary Clooney Songbook (Columbia)
• Leslie Mills - Different for Girls (Atlantic)
• Airto Moreira - Life After That (Narada Jazz)
• Geoff Muldaur's Futuristic Ensemble - Private Astronomy — A Vision of the Music of Bix Beiderbecke (edge)
• The Network - Money Money 2020 (Adeline)
• Paul Oakenfold - Perfecto Presents: Great Wall (Sire)
• Oranger - Shutdown the Sun (Jackpine Social Club)
• Kelly Osbourne - Changes (Sanctuary)
  Read: "Kelly Osbourne's Going Through Changes"
  Buy Now: Changes (Sanctuary)
  
• The Red West - The Red West (Atlantic)
• Martin Rev - To Live (File 13)
• Shikari - Dead Men (EP, Level Plane)
• Sting - Sacred Love (A&M)
  Buy Now: Sacred Love (A&M)
  
• Strike Anywhere - Exit English (Jade Tree)
• Donna Summer - The Journey: The Very Best of Donna Summer (UTV)
• Thousand Foot Krutch - Phenomenon (Tooth & Nail)
• Throttlerod - Hell and High Water (Small Stone)
• Tyrades - The Tyrades (Broken Rekids)
• Vexers - Gangland Ballads and the Death Sex Set (Ace Fu)
• Various artists - Blues Story (Shout! Factory)
• Various artists - Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Radio Sunnydale (Virgin)
• Various artists - Johnny Cash — Artist's Choice: Music That Matters to Him (Columbia/Legacy)
• Various artists - "Horatio's Drive" soundtrack (Columbia/Legacy)
• Various artists - "Journey of Lewis and Clark: Journey of Corps of Discovery" soundtrack (Sony)
• Various artists - Lion King Special Edition (Walt Disney)
• Various artists - Livin,' Lovin,' Losin,: The Songs of the Louvin Brothers (Universal South)
• Various artists - "School of Rock" soundtrack (Atlantic)
• Various artists - "SSX 3" soundtrack (Astralwerks)
• DVD: All-American Rejects - Live From Oklahoma: The Too Bad for Hell DVD! (DreamWorks)
• DVD: Various artists - "Beef" (Image Entertainment)

October 7:

• Jin - Almost Famous (Virgin)
  Read: "Ruff Ryders' New Dog: Jin"
  
• Belle and Sebastian - Dear Catastrophe Waitress (Sanctuary)
• Ludacris - Chicken and Beer (Def Jam)
  Read: "Ludacris Reveals Release Date Of Chicken & Beer, Picks Party Single"
  
• Macho Man Randy Savage - Be a Man (Big 3)
  Read: "'Macho Man' Savage Cuts Rap LP, Tells Hulk Hogan To Be A Man"
  

October 14:

• Mariah Carey - Remixes (Sony)
• Clay Aiken - Measure of a Man (RCA)
• Raphael Saadiq - All Hits at the House of Blues (Pookie)

October 21:

• Barenaked Ladies - Everything to Everyone (Warner Bros.)
• Mandy Moore - Coverage (Sony)
• Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros - Streetcore (Epitaph)
• Yo La Tengo - Today Is the Day (EP, Matador)

October 28:

• R.E.M - In Time: The Best of R.E.M 1998 — 2003 (Warner Bros.)
• The Strokes -Room on Fire (RCA)
  Read:
  
• Triumph the Insult Comic Dog - Come Poop With Me (Warner Bros.)

November 4:

• Wyclef Jean - The Preacher's Son (J Records)
  Read: "Wyclef Jean Nabs 'All-Ghetto Cast' — Including Tom Jones — For Album"
  
• Stone Temple Pilots - Thank You (Atlantic)
• P.O.D - Payable on Death (Atlantic)
  Read: "P.O.D. Sound So Alive With New Guitarist, New Single"

November 11:

• Pink - Try This (Arista)
  Read: "Pink Didn't Have To Try Too Hard To Make Try This"
• Ruben Studdard - Soulful (J Records)
  Read: "R. Kelly, Missy Elliott Working On Ruben Studdard's Soulful Debut"

November 18:

• Blink-182 - Blink-182 (Universal)
  Read: "Blink-182 Tone Down Pranks, Get Down To Real 'Action' On Next LP"
• Courtney Love - America's Sweetheart (Virgin)
  Read: " 'A Lot Of God And A Lot Of Sex' On Courtney Love Solo Album"

November 28:

• Jay-Z - The Black Album (Roc-a-Fella)
  Read: "Jay-Z Strays From His Blueprint For Black Album"

• Bad Boy's Da' Band
• Dido
• Sting
• Kelly Osbourne
• Paul Oakenfold

Paul Oakenfold
Photo: Anton Corbijn

Beck, the Neptunes and Metallica's Lars Ulrich are among the Listmakers for this year's Shortlist Music Project.

Mos Def, Iggy Pop, Paul Oakenfold, the Roots' Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson and the Strokes' Albert Hammond, Jr. and Nick Valensi will also help choose the winner of the second annual contest for adventurous albums, which awarded Sigur Rós' Àgætis Byrjun last November (see "Sigur Ros Beat Out Talib Kweli, Gorillaz For Shortlist Prize").

The Listmakers, who also include the Gorillaz' Dan "The Automator" Nakamura and Damon Albarn, Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon, Cafe Tacuba's Gustavo Santaolalla, filmmakers Baz Luhrmann ("Moulin Rouge") and Spike Jonze ("Being John Malkovich"), Miami Herald journalist Evelyn McDonnell and KCRW radio personality Nic Harcourt, will first nominate five albums to the "long list" in August.

Each panelist's list will be available on the Shortlist's Web site, www.shortlistofmusic.com, along with music samples of his or her choices.

The initial list, which could contain nearly 100 albums, will be narrowed down to a short list of 10, which will be announced during a panel discussion in mid-September.

On October 29 at the Knitting Factory in Los Angeles, the Listmakers will gather for a roundtable discussion to vote for the winner, which will be awarded $10,000 and a $10,000 donation to a charity of their choice. Some of the finalists will also perform at the event.

Last year's Shortlist included albums by Gorillaz, PJ Harvey, Ryan Adams, Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek, Nikka Costa, Air, Bilal, Dandy Warhols and Jay Dee (see "Gorillaz, PJ Harvey Among Finalists For Shortlist Prize").

Beck, Trent Reznor, Macy Gray, Aimee Mann, Dave Grohl and nu-metal producer Ross Robinson were on the nominating panel for the inaugural award.

"The idea is for everybody to check out all of the [nominated] records and explore a little bit," Beck said at last year's Shortlist Awards concert.

Music industry veterans Greg Spotts and Tom Sarig founded the Shortlist Organization to create opportunities for left-of-center culture to cross over to the mainstream (see "Beck, Dave Grohl, Others To Recognize Best Non-Hit Album").

• The Strokes
• The Neptunes
• Beck
• Mos Def
• Iggy Pop

"Austin Powers in Goldmember" soundtrack
Photo: Maverick

Austin Powers' latest time-travel adventure through the '60s to the '70s will include a groovy soundtrack of funk, disco and even a bit of g-funk.

That's right, the architect of the g-funk sound, Dr. Dre, appears on the soundtrack, remixing the Rolling Stones' "Miss You," a #1 single in 1978.

Also on the album, due July 16, are new singles from Destiny's Child singer Beyoncé Knowles, who stars in the movie, as well as Britney Spears, who has a cameo. And amid covers of '60s and '70s classics, there's a few appearances by Powers himself, Mike Myers (Click for photos from the movie).

Knowles' "Work It Out," produced by the Neptunes, is the first single from both the soundtrack and her own Dangerously in Love, due in October. The video, directed by Matthew Ralston (Madonna, David Bowie), will feature familiar faces from the '70s, according to a Warner Bros. spokesperson.

Spears' "Boys," also produced by the Neptunes and remixed by and featuring vocals by Pharrell Williams, will be the second single (see ).

Knowles also appears on the record as her character, Foxxy Cleopatra, on "Hey Goldmember," an homage to Shirley Bassey's 1965 James Bond song, "Goldfinger." Knowles' sister, Solange, and newcomer Devin guest on the track, which samples K.C. and the Sunshine Band's 1976 disco hit "(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty."

Myers sings on two tracks — a remix of "Hard Knock Life" as Dr. Evil and on "Daddy Wasn't There" as Austin Powers with his band Ming Tea, which features Matthew Sweet and former Bangles singer Susanna Hoffs.

Hoffs appears solo covering Burt Bacharach and Hal David's "Alfie," while R&B singer Angie Stone covers King Floyd's 1970 tune "Groove Me"; Paul Oakenfold remakes Walter Murphy's 1976 disco hit, "A Fifth of Beethoven"; and Soul Hooligan with Jamaica's Diana King take a stab at Electric Light Orchestra's "Evil Woman."

Smash Mouth recorded "Ain't No Mystery" with Tower of Power specifically for "Austin Powers in Goldmember," leaving Earth, Wind and Fire's "Shining Star" as the only song on the soundtrack previously released.

While the original Powers flick didn't pack an enormous musical punch, the soundtrack to 1999's "The Spy Who Shagged Me" was a huge success, featuring Madonna's "Beautiful Stranger" and Lenny Kravitz's "American Woman."

"Austin Powers in Goldmember" soundtrack track list, according to Warner Bros.:

• Beyoncé Knowles - "Work It Out"
• Rolling Stones - "Miss You" Dr. Dre 2002 remix
• Britney Spears f/ Pharrell Williams of N.E.R.D - "Boys" Coed remix
• Angie Stone - "Groove Me"
• Earth, Wind and Fire - "Shining Star"
• Foxxy Cleopatra f/ Devin and Solange - "Hey Goldmember"
• Smash Mouth - "Ain't No Mystery"
• Soul Hooligan f/ Diana King - "Evil Woman"
• Paul Oakenfold - "1975"
• Jay-Z - "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" Dr. Evil remix
• Ming Tea f/ Austin Powers - "Daddy Wasn't There"
• Susanna Hoffs - "Alfie (What's It All About, Austin?)"

• Dr. Dre
• Destiny's Child
• Britney Spears
• Susanna Hoffs
• Angie Stone

Paul Oakenfold
Photo: Cleopatra

After keeping his star-studded studio album under wraps since last summer, superstar DJ Paul Oakenfold chose the high-profile Winter Music Conference to spill the beans — or, in this case, the beats — on Bunkka.

Due June 18, the record includes a bevy of hip-hop, rock and pop stars, along with the banging "Southern Sun," which Oakenfold dropped into his sets throughout the electronic music festival earlier this week in Miami, according to his Maverick Records spokesperson.

Nelly Furtado and Tricky add their signature voices to "The Harder They Come," and Perry Farrell adds his to "Time of Your Life." Ice Cube raps on "Get Em Up," and Crazy Town's Shifty Shellshock rocks a rhyme on "Starry Eyed Surprise" (see "Crazy Town Ready To Record Second LP").

Asher D of So Solid Crew is the voice behind Bunkka's first single, "Ready Steady Go," which will hit radio in May. Other guests include author Hunter S. Thompson, singer/songwriter Grant Lee Philips and newcomers Tiff Lacey, Emiliana Torrini and Carla Warner, who sings on "Southern Sun."

Former Smashing Pumpkins singer Billy Corgan recorded a track with the DJ, who is also a respected remixer and producer, but his spokesperson said it did not make the album.

Oakenfold is talking to directors about the video for "Ready Steady Go" and lining up tour dates. He has five dates booked for next month, including the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 28. More dates will come, his spokesperson said.

Last year, Oakenfold produced the "Swordfish" soundtrack (see "Paul Oakenfold Travels From 'Planet' To 'Planet' ") and toured with Moby's Area:One (see "Area:One Fest: Outkast, Moby Do Post-Lollapalooza Rave In Maryland").

Bunkka track list, according to Maverick:

• "Ready Steady Go" f/ Asher D
• "Southern Sun" f/ Carla Warner
• "Time of Your Life" f/ Perry Farrell
• "Hypnotized" f/ Tiff Lacey
• "Zoo York"
• "Nixon's Spirit" f/ Hunter S. Thompson
• "Hold Your Hand" f/ Emiliana Torrini
• "Starry Eyed Surprise" f/ Shifty Shellshock
• "Get Em Up" f/ Ice Cube
• "Motion" f/ Grant Lee Philips
• "The Harder They Come" f/ Nelly Furtado and Tricky

Paul Oakenfold tour dates, according to Maverick:

• 4/18 - Evanston, IL @ McGaw Hall
• 4/19 - Mississauga, ON @ Hershey Center
• 4/20 - Rosemont, IL @ Allstate Arena
• 4/26 - San Francisco, CA @ Cow Palace
• 4/28 - Indio, CA @ Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival

• Paul Oakenfold
• Nelly Furtado
• Ice Cube
• Tricky
• Perry Farrell

Alanis Morissette
Photo: Maverick

While the music industry prepares to honor its own on Wednesday, fans shouldn't lose sight of the fact that new releases are the lifeblood of the Grammy Awards. This week's new music features a mellowed-with-age Alanis Morissette issuing Under Rug Swept and fellow pop-music veteran Kylie Minogue offering Fever. Buzz-heavy animated hip-hop group (and Grammy nominees) Gorillaz follow up their debut with G-Sides, while turntablist coalition the X-ecutioners drop Built From Scratch with help from Linkin Park, Xzibit and others.

Next year's potential Grammy winners include ...

Out Tuesday, February 26:

• Altan - The Blue Idol (Narada World)
• ... And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead - Source Tags and Codes (Interscope)
• Anyone - Anyone (Roadrunner)
• Audio Learning Center - Friendships Often Fade Away (TVT)
• Baby S - Street Fractions (Epic/Sony)
• Baha Men - Who Let the Dogs Out (expanded reissue, Capitol)
• Cannibal Corpse - Gore Obsessed (Metal Blade)
• Capleton - Still Blazin (VP)
• Cher - Living Proof (Reprise)
       Read about it... Do You Believe In Déjà Vu?Cher Does
• Club 8 - Spring Came, Rain Fell (Hidden Agenda/Parasol)
• Norman Cook (a.k.a. Fatboy Slim) - All Star Breakbeats (Navarre)
• Course of Nature - Superkala (Atlantic)
• DJ Keoki - Misdirected Jealousy (remix album, Moonshine)
• Dressy Bessy - Sound Go Round (Kindercore)
• Dru Down - Gangsta Pimpin' (C-Note)
• Few Left Standing - Wormwood (Solid State)
• Neil Finn - 7 Worlds Collide - Live at the St. James (EMD/Nettwerk)
• Fishbelly Black - Crusader (Universal)
• Gorillaz - G-Sides (Virgin)
• Grandpaboy - Mono (TVT)
• Great Big Sea - Sea of No Cares (Zoe)
• Billy Idol - VH1 Storytellers (EMD)
• Injected - Burn It Black (Island/Def Jam)
• Norah Jones - Come Away With Me (Blue Note)
• Roy Jones Jr. - Round One: The Album (Virgin)
• Montell Jordan - Montell Jordan (Island/Def Jam)
       Read about it ... Montell Jordan Sick Of Getting No Respect
• Christopher Lawrence - Around the World (Moonshine)
• Lasse Lindh - You Wake Up at Sea Tac (Hidden Agenda/Parasol)
• Lisa Loeb - Cake and Pie (Interscope)
       Read about it ... Lisa Loeb To Return With Cake And Pie
• Kylie Minogue - Fever (Capitol)
• Alanis Morissette - Under Rug Swept (Maverick)
       Hear the album now ... MTV.com's First Listen
       Read about it ... Alanis discusses Under Rug Swept
• Stanton Moore - Flyin' the Koop (Blue Thumb)
• Nappy Roots - Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz (Atlantic)
       Read about it ... Nappy Roots Aim To Nourish Kentucky-Style With Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz
• Paul Oakenfold - Bust a Groove (Navarre)
• Phantom Planet - The Guest (Epic/Sony)
       Read about it ... Phantom Planet — More Than Just 'That Band With The "Rushmore" Guy'
• Reverend Horton Heat - Lucky 7 (Artemis)
• Sharissa - No Half Steppin (Universal)
• Switched - Subject to Change (Virgin)
• Omar Faruk Tekbilek - Alif: Love Supreme (Narada World)
• Underoath - The Changing of Times (Solid State)
• Sherri Youngward - Six Inches of Sky (BEC)
• X-ecutioners - Built From Scratch (Loud)
       Read about it ... Linkin Park, Xzibit, Big Pun Turn Up On X-ecutioners' Latest
• Earl Zinger - Put Your Phazers on Stun Throw Your Health Food Skyward (K7)
• Various artists - Moulin Rouge 2 (Interscope)
• Various artists - Farm Club Live (Interscope)
• Various artists - Roswell (Netwerk America)
• Various artists - Global Hits 2002 (Universal)
• Various artists - This Is Solid State Vol. 3 (Solid State

Coming Soon (dates subject to change)

March 5:

• Apex Theory - Random Bursts (DreamWorks)
• Brandy - Full Moon (Atlantic)
• Entrain - Rise Up 1: Live (Rounder)
• Natalie Imbruglia - White Lilies Island (RCA)
• Indigo Girls - Become You (Epic/Sony)

• B2K - B2K (Epic/Sony)
• The Corrs - VH1 Presents the Corrs Live in Dublin (Atlantic)
• Destiny's Child - This Is the Remix (Columbia)
• Eels - Souljacker (DreamWorks)
• Hot Rod Circuit - Sorry About Tomorrow (TVT)
• Killa Bees - The Sting (Koch)

• Alice Cooper - Welcome to My Nightmare (expanded reissue, Atlantic)
• Grateful Dead - Postcards of the Hanging (Arista)
• PPK - Resurrection (Tommy Boy)
• Simple Plan - No Helmets, No Pads ... Just Balls (Atlantic)
• Patti Smith - Land (1975-2002) (Arista)

• Celine Dion - A New Day Has Come (Epic/Sony)
• Funky Green Dogs - Super California (MCA)
• Jay-Z and R. Kelly - The Best of Both Worlds (Island/Def Jam)
• Project Pat - Layin da Smack Down (Loud)
• Rubyblue - Beyond Pink (BAB)

• Gorillaz
• Alanis Morissette
• The X-Ecutioners
• Montell Jordan
• Lisa Loeb

Paul Oakenfold
Photo: Perfecto

Paul Oakenfold, Deep Dish, Gorillaz and more than 100 other electronic music acts from around the world will perform at a massive Miami Beach, Florida, party on March 23.

The fourth annual Ultra festival will kick off the Winter Music Conference, a yearly five-day electronic music gathering that has been transforming Miami Beach into the epicenter of DJ culture for 17 years.

Paul van Dyk, Carl Cox, DJ Skribble, Timo Maas, Goldie and Roni Size with MC Dynamite are among the other artists who will perform on six different stages at a yet-to-be-announced location.

Also on the bill are DJ Craze, DJ Dan, Christropher Lawrence, Rinôçérôse, Tall Paul, Josh Wink, DJ Rap, Dieselboy, DB, George Acosta, DJ Icey and Liquid Todd.

Gorillaz will perform live with Del the Funky Homosapien, the voice behind their massive single "Clint Eastwood."

Tickets will soon be available online at www.coolworld.com and www.ultrafestival.com.

The Winter Music Conference, scheduled from March 23 to March 27, will be held at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

Last year's Ultra festival featured many of the same acts, along with John Digweed, Pete Tong and BT (see "Winter Music Diary: The Beats Go On With Bukem, Bahamadia, Digweed").

• Paul Oakenfold
• Deep Dish
• Gorillaz
• Paul Van Dyk
• Carl Cox

Paul Oakenfold
Photo: Perfecto

Electronic music stars Paul Oakenfold, BT and Deep Dish will headline a massive outdoor New Year's Eve party on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles.

The second annual Center of the Universe on Hollywood Boulevard will feature three stages showcasing those DJs and others, including Sander Kleinenberg, DJ Sneak and Marques Wyatt. BT, whose profile rose this year after producing 'NSYNC's "Pop" (see "BT Earns 'King Of Dirty Pop' Title With 'NSYNC, Britney Tracks"), will be performing a rare live set, according to organizers.

This year's event will be held on seven city blocks between Vine Street and Whitley Avenue and is expected to draw 20,000 people, twice the number who turned out for last year's Paul van Dyk-headlined festival.

Dance music promoters Spundae are hosting the event, and profits will be donated to local youth charities. Tickets are $80 and available at Ticketmaster outlets.

BT, who has been hard at work on his next album (see "BT Working With Roots, Sarah McLachlan On New LP"), said recently that more uplifting music should be recorded in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

"The music I make has always been sort of positive," he said. "It's important to express a lot of different emotions in music, but if it's a constant anger, rage, and frowning and negativity, I just don't think people wanna hear that anymore. I'm starting to hear more Travis songs and Coldplay and good music [on the radio]. And hopefully that will keep happening."

• Paul Oakenfold
• BT
• Deep Dish

Fatboy Slim
Photo: Jill Greenberg

Hold onto your glowsticks — the breakout summer for electronic music outings is turning out to be a dud.

Following cancellations of the Mekka Tour and Creamfields Las Vegas last week, London-based promoter Cream announced Wednesday (August 8) it was axing Creamfields New York due to sluggish ticket sales.

The September 1 festival was to feature nearly 50 acts on six stages. Fatboy Slim, the Crystal Method, Orbital, Timo Maas and Darren Emerson were among the artists and DJs lined up to play the Calverton Business Park in Riverhead, Long Island.

An event spokesperson said Clear Channel (formerly SFX) advised Cream to call off Creamfields New York because ticket sales have been lower than expected. Clear Channel noted a decline in ticket sales for most summer tours and festivals (see "Concert Attendance Dips Sharply In First Half Of 2001").

"Both Cream and Clear Channel are hugely disappointed that the event is not going to take place this year," a Cream spokesperson said. "All the artists and DJs involved were looking forward to participating in such a significant event for dance and electronic music. We would like to apologize to anyone who has already purchased tickets and to anybody who was planning on doing so."

Ticket refunds are available at point of purchase.

Cream's Jim King said last week that Creamfields Las Vegas was canceled because "the land that we had been told was available for us to use in Las Vegas turned out to be unavailable" (see "Creamfields Las Vegas Canceled").

The Mekka Tour, which was to feature the Crystal Method, Paul Oakenfold and others, was postponed to next year just three days before it was to kick off, because organizers did not give themselves adequate time to plan it (see "Mekka Tour Postponed Until 2002").

A relative success in a summer of ill-fated ventures, Moby's Area:One Tour, featuring a mélange of electronic, hip-hop, pop and rock artists, came to a close on Sunday in Devore, California (click for a feature interview with Moby about the tour).

The fourth Creamfields U.K. is set for August 25 in Liverpool. Chemical Brothers, Fatboy Slim, Gorillaz, Carl Cox and Paul van Dyk will headline.

• Fatboy Slim
• The Crystal Method
• Orbital
• Timo Maas
• Darren Emerson

Moby at Area:One Fest
Photo: J. Tayloe Emery

COLUMBIA, Maryland — Moby's Area:One festival is a rave, a carnival, a rock concert and a parade of the latest in halter tops and sun visors all rolled into one sweaty, heart-pounding $36.50 package.

The tour made its second stop Friday at Merriweather Post Pavilion, a place so pastoral and idyllic it seemed an unlikely spot for a rowdy 10-act rock, hip-hop and electronica show that would unfold over nine-and-a-half hours. (Click here for photos from the show.)

The gates opened under warm, sunny skies at 1:30 p.m. By 2 p.m., DJ Jon Tab was spinning inside an air-conditioned dance tent in a far corner of the pavilion. Outside the tent, muffled bass beats lured concertgoers to explore what was inside. "I didn't know it was going to be this cool," 16-year-old Jim Werner of Fairfax, Virginia, yelled over the thumping of the music inside the tent.

"I feel like I've already gotten my money's worth," he said, looking up at the complex lighting system and two overhead screens that were flashing images of scantly clad women and city scapes. It was the scene of an underground rave, if not for the blatant sponsor logos everywhere and Intel's Digital Music Zone set up 50 yards away.

An hour-and-a-half later, Tab and Rinôçerôse had already finished their sets in the tent, and by 3:30 p.m. Lieven was about to take over as DJ.

Just before 4 p.m., Canada's Nelly Furtado, the first of the main stage acts, opened her 40-minute set to a mid-sized audience on the pavilion's main stage. She charmed listeners with whimsical moves and the dancehall/dub influences that were laced in and out of her set, which included her hit "I'm Like a Bird."

Immediately following her show, DJ Carl Cox was up inside the tent. Scheduled to perform for two hours, Cox's hypnotic, three-decks mixing style was like a mating call to the show's teens looking to dance. Cox raised the stakes and worked the crowd of more than 2,000 into a frenzy. Light sticks distributed by representatives from festival sponsor Intel swirled with the beats as the place became more packed by the second.

Outside, the Roots, followed by California funk-metal outfit Incubus, played to a swelling and increasingly more interested crowd, which rose to its feet when Incubus played its radio hit "Pardon Me."

With pop, rock and hip-hop all heard by 7:30 p.m., it seemed as though Moby's goal for the festival — exposing the music that he loves while creating an eclectic and fun atmosphere — had been met even without the headlining performance. And then came the show's apex, one act early. A little after 7:30 p.m., Outkast began a set that brought a previously scattered crowd of all ages and races together into one arm-waving mass. The Georgia duo had as many as 14 people onstage at once dancing and singing. The duo played the early hit "Elevators (Me & You)" and had most of Merriweather singing the chorus to "So Fresh, So Clean."

Across the lawn at the tent, Paul Oakenfold replaced DJ Juan Atkins, and a line of about 200 teens frantic to get in had formed outside the tent's door.

"Oakie was part of the reason I came here. I mean, I paid $80 for orchestra tickets to see Moby, but I definitely wanted to see [Oakenfold]," said Wes Davis, 18, of Harrisonburg, Virginia. "Everything's happening so fast, we had no idea who was coming on when," he said, adding that he hoped some people would leave the tent so that others could enter.

That never happened. After people in line tried to jump the fence to get into the tent, security donned helmets and whipped out megaphones and carefully moved the crowd away from the gate. "This sucks. I'm pissed that I paid this much and everything's happening at the blink of an eye," said Amanda Challis, 21, of Baltimore, who was among those outside the gate.

The lock-out didn't get everyone down, though. Between sets from Outkast and Moby, a crowd of concertgoers gathered near the gates where Oakenfold was audible and danced in the grass.

"We can still hear it, and Moby's coming on soon," said Kristen Breamer, 17, of Alexandria, Virginia. "We're happy."

Darkness arrived and headliner Moby was center stage among pulsating lights and lasers. Accompanied by a three-piece string section, he opened with "Hymn."

Wearing an Area:One three-quarter length T-shirt and black pants, Moby zipped around the stage and touched every instrument within reach. He drew heavily on 1999's Play, and had Diane Charlemagne on hand to do live vocals for "Honey" and "Natural Blues." A bikini-clad Nelly Furtado came onstage for "South Side."

The performance seemed to be formulated to appease everyone, with hip-hop tunes such as "Bodyrock" and rave anthems such as "Go" both on display.

In the end, Moby introduced "the people with whom [he] plays music" after taking off his shirt and throwing it to the audience. Then he dismissed the musicians, telling the crowd he would play the fastest song ever written as his closing piece.

Moby stood in front of his keyboard with a blue light shining on him. The music was slow at first, and Moby raised his arms over his head and punched his fists in the air with the rhythm of the music. As the beat became faster, so did his movements. Midway through the song, Moby stepped up onto the keyboard and continued to slam his fists into the air. When the song was over, he threw his arms up and thanked the audience. For a feature interview with Moby about the tour, check out "Moby: Beaming Into Area:One."

• Moby
• Incubus
• OutKast
• Nelly Furtado
• Paul Oakenfold

47th Annual Grammy Awards Red Carpet

• Beyoncé
• Kanye West
• Mos Def
• Gwen Stefani
• Black Eyed Peas

The Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, LA October 31- November 2, 2003

• 50 Cent
• A Perfect Circle
• Godsmack
• P.O.D.
• The White Stripes

Keanu Reeves, Marilyn Manson, More At 'Animatrix' Premiere

• Marilyn Manson
• Will Smith
• Paul Oakenfold