Ozzy Osbourne
Photo: Frazer Harrison/ Getty Images

Ozzy Osbourne will be given the Lifetime Achievement Award at Epiphone's Revolver Golden Gods Awards, the country's first-ever hard-rock and heavy-metal awards show.

The Golden Gods, presented by metal mag Revolver, will be handed out Tuesday, April 7 at the Club Nokia in Los Angeles. MTV2 and "Headbangers Ball" will offer exclusive coverage of the awards, both on air and online.

Hosted by stand-up comedian and avowed metalhead Brian Posehn, the awards will honor Osbourne's contributions to hard rock (something the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame forgot to do until 2006, when he got in as a member of Black Sabbath), and will feature performances by Hatebreed, Killswitch Engage, All That Remains, Suicide Silence and a special guest to be announced shortly. Icons like Glenn Danzig and Tool's Maynard James Keenan are also scheduled to appear, along with Chuck Billy and Eric Peterson of Testament, Protest The Hero, Marta Peterson from Bleeding Through, Isis, Brendon Small from Dethklok, WWE Wrestler CM Punk, plus many more.

Starting on the week of April 20, fans will be able to check out behind-the-scenes info on the awards at the Headbangers Ball blog and MTV2.com. On April 25, MTV2 will air a one-hour Revolver Golden Gods Awards nominee special and on Saturday, May 2, the channel will broadcast the ceremony.

For more information on the awards — including nominees and how you can score tickets to the show at Club Nokia — check out GoldenGodsAwards.com.

• Ozzy Osbourne
• Black Sabbath

Y el otro es nada más y nada menos que el hijo predilecto de las tinieblas, el padre de familia más revoltoso de los últimos años. ¿Adivinaron? Mmm...otra pista: padre de Jack y Kelly y esposo de Shannon. Sí, el irrompible Ozzy será parte del nuevo trabajo del ex guitarrista de Guns n' Roses.

Esto fue confirmado por la esposa de Slash (Perla Hudson), quien confirmó a la bomba de Fergie y a Osbourne para el nuevo trabajo de su marido. Ya hay muchos demos de las canciones, serían unos 15, que formarían parte del primer disco solista del hombre de la galera.

• Ozzy Osbourne
• Fergie

Sharon and Jack Osbourne
Photo: MTV News

Following this year's single-day destination Ozzfest in Dallas and 2007's free tour, the future of the festival has remained something of a mystery.

The drastic measures of the past two years led some to assume that, after 13 successful years, Sharon Osbourne's brainchild was running out of steam. And then Warped Tour mastermind Kevin Lyman's Rockstar Energy Mayhem festival — which featured Slipknot, Disturbed, Mastodon, DragonForce and Machine Head — seemed to step on Ozzfest's territory in the congested, highly competitive summer touring field.

When MTV News caught up with the Osbournes at the Scream Awards in Los Angeles over the weekend, the couple discussed what's in store for the tour's 14th year. Will 2009's Ozzfest be gratis once again?

"No, don't you know that there's a depression on?" Sharon Osbourne replied, defiantly. "Are you mad? We're going back to what we originally were. We've given the real good fans a free show for one time, and now, it's back to business as usual."

When pressed for next summer's lineup, she smiled, "We can't tell you now!"

"It's too early. We just got done with the last one," said son Jack Osbourne, who did suggest that the festival's namesake will likely return to anchor the bill.

So far, the only rumor that's been picking up steam is that AC/DC may be performing — but that was also one of the rumors that preceded this year's event, which included Metallica, Ozzy, System of a Down frontman Serj Tankian, Hellyeah, Korn frontman Jonathan Davis, Cavalera Conspiracy, Shadows Fall, Apocalyptica and In This Moment.

• Ozzfest 2009: Start Saving Up!

• Ozzy Osbourne
• Kelly Osbourne

Metallica's James Hetfield
Photo: MJ Kim/ Getty Images

This summer, the annual heavy-metal circus named for one of the genre's most outspoken rebels will return, but in a scaled-down form. This year's Ozzfest won't be traveling the country, but will be a one-day destination festival, set for Pizza Hut Park in Dallas on August 9.

Headlining the day's events will be Metallica and Ozzy Osbourne himself. Also set for the main stage are System of a Down frontman Serj Tankian, Hellyeah, Korn frontman Jonathan Davis, Cavalera Conspiracy, Shadows Fall, Apocalyptica and In This Moment. There will also be a special all-star tribute to slain Pantera guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott.

On the second stage, the Ozzfest camp has secured Sevendust, DevilDriver, Kingdom of Sorrow, Soilent Green, Witchcraft and Goatwhore. Meanwhile, a third stage, dubbed the "Texas Stage," will feature local favorites the Sword, Drowning Pool and Rigor Mortis.

"Ozzy just finished an 11-month world tour, so I think he deserves a summer off," Sharon Osbourne, the brains behind Ozzfest, said in a statement. "We're going to be a stadium destination festival for now — we have gone past doing the sheds every summer. We've given everyone else the blueprint, and we have to keep evolving Ozzfest. This is just the beginning. Ozzy has great relationships with all of the bands that have played Ozzfest. We're the only real festival for harder-edge bands, and these artists have been very loyal to us — there is lots of love on this lineup."

Tickets for this year's Ozzfest will go on sale May 31.

Rumors that Ozzfest would be diminished to a two-day destination festival began earlier this year, after Warped Tour mastermind Kevin Lyman announced the inaugural run of his Rockstar Energy Mayhem festival, which boasts a lineup featuring Slipknot, Disturbed, Mastodon, DragonForce, Airborne, Five Finger Death Punch, 36 Crazyfists, Machine Head, Black Tide, Suicide Silence, the Red Chord and Walls of Jericho. That tour will get under way July 9 in Seattle and runs through August 19 in Buffalo, New York.

Many speculated that the competition would be too much for the Ozzfest camp, which offered free admission to last year's gigs. None of the bands that played last year's Ozzfest were paid, outside of merchandise sales, and they were encouraged to play shows on off-nights. In recent years, critics have slammed Ozzfest, saying that the festival's influence and grandeur has started to wane.

• Lamb Of God, Lordi, More At Ozzfest In Devore, California, 7.21.07
• Ozzfest: A Look Back
• Building Ozzfest 2006

• Metallica
• System of a Down
• Korn
• Ozzy Osbourne

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

Ozzy Osbourne
Photo: Sergio Dionisio/ Getty Images

Will there be an Ozzfest in 2008?

It's a question thousands of metalheads have been asking themselves the last two-and-a-half months — ever since Warped Tour mastermind Kevin Lyman revealed that he'd be putting on his own metal shows this summer, the Rockstar Energy Mayhem festival, which will feature Disturbed, Slipknot, Mastodon, DragonForce, Machine Head, Suicide Silence and others.

So far, there's been little in the way of actual information coming from the Ozzfest camp, which, in recent years, has revealed the traveling heavy-metal circus' lineup and routing well before tax time.

On Tuesday morning (April 15), the question of whether Ozzfest would be returning for a 13th installment didn't come any closer to being answered. If anything, Tuesday's announcement from Ozzy Osbourne himself — that he'd be headlining a single, all-day gig in Canada, under the Monsters of Rock banner — only confused matters more.

Nonetheless, Ozzy will be anchoring the July 26 event, slated for Calgary, Alberta's McMahon Stadium, along with Judas Priest, System of a Down frontman Serj Tankian, Hatebreed, Shadows Fall, Priestess, the Cavalera Conspiracy, Voivod, Testament, 3 Inches of Blood and Zimmers Hole. The lineup is largely made up of Canadian bands, and reports suggest that the Dillinger Escape Plan will also be added to the bill. Tickets for the Monsters of Rock concert go on sale Friday.

So what does all this mean for Ozzfest? While none of the sources MTV News contacted could say for sure, one rumor at press time suggested that instead of being a traveling festival, Ozzfest will be scaled back to a two-day event in Dallas sometime in July. One source said that an Ozzfest announcement is expected to be made next week.

While not confirmed, rumor has it that Metallica will be playing this summer's Ozzfest, along with Osbourne and his backing band. Several others have been rumored for the gig, including Korn (perhaps reunited with drummer David Silveria and guitarist Brian "Head" Welch), Alice in Chains, Filter, Tankian, Bullet for My Valentine, Killswitch Engage, Dimmu Borgir and the Cavalera Conspiracy.

• Ozzy Osbourne
• Judas Priest
• Serj Tankian
• Shadows Fall

Jordin Sparks performs the national anthem during the Super Bowl XLII pregame show.
Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images

For years now, the NFL has been bedazzling the Super Bowl with busloads of Hollywood stars and singers in an attempt to distract viewers from the fact that the game is usually a snooze-worthy blowout. But thanks to the New York Giants' historic last-minute victory Sunday night over the previously unbeaten New England Patriots, as well as an arena-rock-worthy halftime show from American icon Tom Petty, the people behind the big game finally got the mix of music and smash mouth right. (Except for the moments when it got things so, so wrong, which were also kind of great.) And so, we give you the first Super Bowl Musical Monday Morning Quarterback Report. (Also check out our take on Super Bowl movie ads — are you pumped for the next potential blockbusters?)

The Big Winners

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Classic rock has become the new standard at the big show, thanks to recent gigs by the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney and last year's guitar-stroking extravaganza from Prince. And despite the suggestive beating-heart-pierced-by-Flying-V-guitar opening, laid-back Petty played his four-song halftime gig as if he were just strolling in for another night of work by the world's best bar band. No corny medleys, no hokey gimmicks, just unforgettable anthems that, frankly, by the end of the night couldn't have been more apt for both teams: "I Won't Back Down" (Giants), "Free Fallin' " (Patriots) and the nothing-but-hustle rocker "Runnin' Down a Dream" (Giants again).

Justin Timberlake: Though he mostly just got his ass kicked, the singer/actor proved his comic chops again in the hilarious Pepsi/Amazon "Magnetic Attraction" ad that mixed his slapstick abilities with a cameo from his "D--- in a Box" co-star, Andy Samberg.

Metal: As if the game needed any more aggro help, the Patriots entered to Ozzy Osbourne's iconic "Crazy Train," while the promos for Fox's "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" pulled out Danzig's dark "Mother," a Toyota ad went indie by using Fu Manchu's "Mongoose" and the ad for the big-screen adaptation of "Iron Man" pulled out Audioslave's stomping "Cochise." And as the clock ran out, Europe's "The Final Countdown" brought an end to the Patriots' dream-turned-nightmare.

Kanye West: On the cusp of the Grammys, West's "Stronger" pumped over the loudspeakers as the soon-to-be world champion Giants ran out onto the field.

Jordin Sparks: Her dad, former Giants player Phillippi Sparks, never made it to the big dance, but his daughter did him proud with a stirring rendition of the national anthem in front of her hometown fans.

Alicia Keys: The Grammy winner plugged her upcoming tour with a rousing pregame medley that included "Fallin'," "If I Ain't Got You" and "As I Am."

Madonna/Shakira: Now we get how the Material Girl is the highest-paid female singer on the planet. Her brief appearance in an ad for Sunsilk hair products reportedly brought in millions. Shakira can't complain either. Not only did she get to plug her years-old hit "Whenever, Wherever," but she played alongside Madonna and Marilyn Monroe, which isn't bad company.

Alice Cooper: We have no idea what the original shock-rocker was doing crouching on the ground with his albino snake at the end of that Bridgestone Firestone ad (maybe lying in wait for co-star Richard Simmons to jog by?), but it worked.

Arcade Fire: The Canadian band's "No Cars Go" was used as a bumper by Fox during one of those dancing-robot bits, giving them massive exposure, though not likely the kind they desire. According to Pitchfork, although Fox asked permission to use the tune, it's unclear if the band gave its consent.

Kina Grannis: The unknown singer/songwriter, who won a Doritos "Crash the Super Bowl" competition and a deal with Interscope Records, was introduced on one of the world's biggest stages, singing her acoustic ballad "Message From Your Heart." The ad reportedly cost $5 million, so you better believe that they think she's got the goods.

Latch Key Kid: A close second to Grannis in terms of worldwide coming-out parties was the election-themed Coke ad scored to "Good Times" by Southern California musician Kid (real name: Gavin Heaney). The spot, featuring Democrat James Carville and Republican Bill Frist cavorting together, perfectly fit the mood of the cheery ditty about sharing good times with good friends.

The Flaming Lips: Our personal pick for the ultimate halftime band (think about it: aliens, spaceships, giant inflatable hands, dancing Santas and exploding confetti cannons!) subverted straight society for the umpteenth time when their proggy, Pink Floyd-like ode to running from lava flows, "Pompeii Am Gotterdammerung," accompanied a Ford Sync ad.

Bower: The fat guy who jump-started the car with his nipples in the Mountain Dew AMP ad? None other than Michael Bower, the guy who played Donkeylips on Nickelodeon's "Salute Your Shorts" and a budding rapper in the Eminem mode.

The Losers

Paula Abdul: The "American Idol" judge's pre-taped, lip-synced "performance" of "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow," the first single from fellow judge Randy Jackson's new album, nearly rivaled the former pop star's infamous "baked potato" dance to "Vibeology" at the 1991 Video Music Awards. Save for the impressive male-dancer-assisted high kick/ split she pulled off near the end, the painfully '80s Janet Jackson rip-off tune and skinny-tie-era backup dancers made Adbul look like the Mrs. Robinson of dance pop. Judging those kids on "Idol" just got a lot harder.

Ben Roethlisberger: The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback's off-key warbling of "Escape (The Piña Colada Song)" was supposed to be bad, we get it. But it was so bad, some Steelers fans might have preferred it if he entered a Superbike race instead.

Michael Jackson: At this point nobody wants to see the actual King of Pop in a TV ad, but the slimy digital reptiles doing the "Thriller" dance to promote the 25th anniversary of the singer's landmark album (oh, and SoBe Life Water too) were almost as creepy as a trip to Neverland Ranch.

LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes, Macy Gray and Missy Elliott: That fake-grinning, head-nodding Diet Pepsi Ad to the tune of Haddaway's club classic "What Is Love" was so cheesy that we agreed with "A Night at the Roxbury" star Chris Kattan when he yelled, "Stop it!" at the end.

"American Idol": Between Roethlisberger's lame ad and Abdul's crash-and-burn performance, not to mention bionic host Ryan Seacrest's painful "red carpet" interviews with the likes of Samuel L. Jackson, the show wasn't done any favors by its host network.

• Justin, Busta, Missy, Light Up Super Bowl Ads

• Tom Petty
• Justin Timberlake
• Ozzy Osbourne
• Kanye West
• Jordin Sparks

Slipknot's Corey Taylor
Photo: Jo Hale/ Getty Images

Since the mid-1990s, Kevin Lyman's Warped Tour and Sharon Osbourne's Ozzfest have both managed to coexist amiably within a cutthroat summer touring market rife with competition. While Warped — which turns 14 this summer — has long catered to the needs of the punk and emo faithful, Ozzfest — now entering its 12th year of existence — has been there to keep the nation's hardcore metal fans in check.

But that's all about to change. In addition to this summer's Warped Tour, Lyman is also launching a metal festival in direct competition with Ozzfest. Rumors have already been spreading that this summer's Ozzfest will be heading out on a smaller run than in past years, following last summer's free, corporate-sponsored version.

Anchored by headliners Slipknot and Disturbed, both of whom plan on releasing new material this spring, Lyman's inaugural Rockstar Energy Mayhem festival will be the first serious competition Ozzfest has faced since its inception. On Thursday morning (January 31), Lyman confirmed the tour's lineup to MTV News.

The tour will also feature Mastodon and DragonForce on the main stage, and Sevendust, Airborne, Five Finger Death Punch, 36 Crazyfists, Machine Head, Black Tide, Suicide Silence, the Red Chord and Walls of Jericho on two separate side stages. Many of the bands comprising the energy-drink-supported festival's bill have appeared in prior Ozzfests.

"This summer, we are truly bringing mayhem," Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor said in a press release. "Slipknot is excited to be a part of it, and to be able to bring the new chapter of our history to the masses. We are already working, building and designing a new show. We cannot wait. We cannot lose. Get ready for Mayhem."

Disturbed's David Draiman said his band is looking forward to being on the tour's first bill. "It's a great lineup, which should set a new standard for rock tours, and we're excited to be a part of it," he said.

The tour will get under way July 9 in Seattle and runs through August 21 in Holmdel, New Jersey.

Dates for the Rockstar Energy Mayhem festival, according to Kevin Lyman (subject to change):

· 7/9 - Seattle, WA @ White River Amphitheatre
· 7/11 - Sacramento, CA @ Sleep Train Amphitheatre
· 7/12 - San Francisco, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre
· 7/13 - Irvine, CA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
· 7/15 - Fresno, CA @ Selland Arena
· 7/16 - San Diego, CA @ Coors Amphitheatre
· 7/18 - Phoenix, AZ @ Cricket Wireless Pavilion
· 7/19 - Albuquerque, NM @ Journal Pavilion
· 7/20 - Denver, CO @ Coors Amphitheatre
· 7/22 - Kansas City, MO @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
· 7/23 - St. Louis, MO @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
· 7/25 - Dallas, TX @ Smirnoff Music Centre
· 7/26 - San Antonio, TX @ Verizon Wireless Ampitheater
· 7/27 - Houston, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
· 7/29 - Tampa, FL @ Ford Amphitheatre
· 7/30 - Miami, FL @ Sound Advice Amphitheater
· 8/1 - Atlanta, GA @ HiFi Buys Amphitheatre Amphitheatre
· 8/2 - Indianapolis, IN @ Verizon Wireless Music Center
· 8/3 - Buffalo, NY @ Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
· 8/5 - TBA
· 8/6 - Clarkston, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theatre
· 8/8 - Toronto, ON @ Molson Amphitheatre
· 8/9 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Post-Gazette Pavilion
· 8/10 - Chicago, IL @ First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
· 8/12 - TBA
· 8/13 - Boston, MA @ Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts
· 8/15 - Camden, NJ @ Tweeter Center at the Waterfront
· 8/16 - Washington, DC @ Nissan Pavilion
· 8/17 - Hartford, CT @ New England Dodge Music Center
· 8/20 - Saratoga, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center
· 8/21 - Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center

Planning on going to Rockstar Mayhem or any other big music fests this year? Be sure to join the You R Here community, where you can upload your concert photos, videos and reviews. Go there now to check out coverage of last year's Warped Tour.

• Slipknot
• Disturbed
• Ozzy Osbourne
• Mastodon
• Dragonforce

Kanye West
Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Kanye West crops up in a new video by fellow Chicago rapper Kid Sister that began making the rounds Monday. The clip for Kid Sister's "Pro Nails" was made for only $3,000 and directed by Ruben Fleischer (M.I.A., Dizzee Rascal). ... Does R. Kelly's exhausting "Trapped in the Closet" series still have you thirsting for more? If so, then there's some good news — a new extras-heavy DVD for the series is dropping December 11. It will feature chapters 1-22 in their entirety; "chapter 12.5," a recap of the first 11; live performances of chapters 2 and 3; the MTV VMA performance of Chapter 12; Easter eggs; a DVD trivia game; and running commentary from Kelly. ...

Akon pleaded not guilty on Monday (December 3) to charges of endangering the welfare of a minor and second-degree harassment during a concert held over the summer in Fishkill, New York. The singer entered his plea in a Fishkill courtroom and his attorneys issued a statement, according to The Associated Press. "It was never Akon's intent to violate the law," the statement reportedly read. "This unfortunate incident was a spontaneous reaction during a live concert that Akon deeply regrets. We are confident that this matter will ultimately be resolved in a manner that does not in any way interfere with Akon's successful career." Akon allegedly threw a 15-year-old fan into the crowd during the show, which took place on June 3 and was caught on fans' cell phone cameras. ...

The man who took hostages at Senator Hillary Clinton's campaign office in Rochester, New Hampshire, on Friday was arraigned on Monday. Leeland Eisenberg, 46, was ordered held with bail set at $500,000 on charges of kidnapping, criminal threatening and false reports of an explosive. He is also being held for a mental-health evaluation over the incident, for which he is accused of claiming to have an explosive device taped to his chest and holding five people hostage at the office. Prosecutors said Eisenberg's criminal record dates to 1978 and includes charges of burglary and rape. A public defender representing Eisenberg said his client regretted the disruption and was grateful police didn't shoot him, according to AP. Randy Hawkes said Eisenberg heard voices and last week saw a "movie in his head" that told him he had to "sacrifice himself" to bring attention to the issue of mental health. ...

Chamillionaire will appear on "Larry King Live" on Monday night to discuss Don Imus' recent return to radio. The program airs on CNN at 9 p.m. ET — Cham's new disc, Mixtape Messiah 4, drops December 18. ... Ashley Tisdale got a nose job on Friday — but not for cosmetic reasons, People reports. "Growing up I always knew I had a deviated septum on the right side of my nose which caused trouble breathing," the "High School Musical" star told People. "The older I got, the worse it got. I went to get it checked out, and the doctor told me the septum was 80 percent deviated and that I had two small fractures on my nose." Tisdale reiterated: "I didn't do this because I believe in plastic surgery. I did this to help my health. I literally almost could not breathe out of the right side of my nose. ... I want my fans to know the truth. I'm not someone who is going to act like I had nothing done. ... It's uncomfortable, and I hope this is the only time I ever have to go through something like this." ... Despite Britney Spears' myriad problems, she found time to celebrate her 26th birthday with Paris Hilton in Bel Air, California, on Saturday night, according to TMZ.com. ...

Led Zeppelin and Metallica on the same bill? Call it too good to be true, but that's what an e-mail published in industry commentator Bob Lefsetz's newsletter is reporting, Billboard.com reports. Speculation over potential Zep reunion gigs has been rampant amid the reunited band's planned December 10 show at London's O2 arena, including suggestions that it would be touring next year with the Cult. ... Kid Rock has plotted his biggest concert outing yet, for next year. His Rock and Roll Revival Tour — which will also host Run-DMC's Reverend Run among other friends — starts January 25 in Evansville, Indiana. From there, Rock will hit Milwaukee, his Detroit hometown, St. Louis, Nashville, Atlanta and other cities before winding down the arena trek March 22 in Toledo, Ohio. ... The Postal Service's Jimmy Tamborello, the One AM Radio and others have contributed remixes to an untitled six-song EP the Silversun Pickups will debut December 11 on iTunes. The effort features new versions of the band's "Lazy Eye" and "Little Lovers So Polite." ... Just in case you needed another reason to go to Oslo, Norway, for the Nobel Peace Prize Concert, Kylie Minogue has been added to the bill. She will share the stage with Alicia Keys, KT Tunstall and others at the December 11 event, at which Al Gore and other Nobel Prize-winning laureates on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change will be honored. ...

Evel Knievel just passed away Friday, but already some people are trying to horn in on the late stuntman's estate, AP reports. Shelly Saltman — a public-relations agent who was attacked in 1977 by a Knievel after the stuntman became enraged about a book wrote Saltman had written about him — won $12.75 million in damages after filing suit decades ago. But the sum has still gone uncollected, and Saltman estimates it would now amount to more than $100 million. Knievel's son Kelly wouldn't comment on the dispute or discuss the size of his father's estate, AP reports. ... Natalie Maines certainly isn't shying away from taking a stand — the outspoken Dixie Chick is coming to the aid of three men who have been convicted of murder and whose cases were portrayed in HBO's "Paradise Lost" documentaries. In a lengthy, detailed post on the group's Web site, she says, "I believe that three men have spent the past 13 years in prison for crimes they didn't commit," and goes on to explain their case's background. Maines says that, after watching one of the films, her "heart sank" when she discovered online that the men are still in prison. ...

Brad Pitt is trying to Make It Right in New Orleans — the actor said in an interview on the "Today" show on Monday morning that he's planning for at least 150 eco-friendly houses to be built in the Lower Ninth Ward by the end of summer 2008. Pitt has pledged $5 million for the project and is campaigning for more donations. "Basically, $150,000 will get a family back in their home," he said. ... Jimmy Kimmel is no Carson Daly. While Daly recently crossed the writers' strike picket lines and resumed production on his NBC late-night show, Kimmel's program is not only still observing the protest — the host has quietly been paying entry-level production assistants, receptionists and other low-paid members of his staff, according to TMZ.com. ...

Classic rock will rule the day again at the Super Bowl on February 3, when Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers take the stage for the halftime show at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The band is the latest in a line of old-school acts that have performed during the game over the past few years, including Prince, the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney and U2. ... Once you've paid more than $3,300 for a bat-adorned coat once owned by Ozzy Osbourne, do you wear the thing out to a party? That's just one of the items that drew big bucks during a weekend auction of items from Sharon and Ozzy's closet, which raised more than $800,000 for the Sharon Osbourne Colon Cancer Foundation, according to Reuters. Among the other items sold were a pair of skull-adorned sneakers ($2,625), a pair of Ozzy's wire-rimmed sunglasses ($5,250), the beaded wire model of the Eiffel Tower seen in the family's kitchen on "The Osbournes" show ($10,000), Ozzy's floral Mary Rose Young tea cup ($1,625) and the family's custom pool table ($11,250). Bloomberg reported that the devil's head plaque that hung on the family's front door, expected to fetch $1,200, sold for $8,750, but a 2006 Bentley Continental Flying Spur that was expected to go for more than $160,000 got no bids, nor did a 1950 Oldsmobile Futuramic 88 Club Coupe once owned by romance author Danielle Steel that was thought to be worth $40,000-$50,000.

11.30.2007

Michael Jackson's Thriller, the best-selling album of all time, is getting big love in time for Valentine's Day. In celebration of the release's 25th anniversary, Epic/Legacy is revisiting it with a deluxe edition containing unreleased bonus tracks mixed by or featuring Kanye West, Akon, Will.I.Am and Jackson himself. Thriller was originally released November 30, 1982, and the new 25th Anniversary Edition, dropping February 12, will have eight extra cuts: a fresh Kanye remix of "Billie Jean"; Akon and Will.I.Am's new take on "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' "; "The Girl Is Mine" and "P.Y.T." remixes by Will.I.Am; the rare unissued song "For All Time," a track from the original recording sessions that has been newly mixed and mastered by MJ; "Someone in the Dark"; "Carousel"; and the original "Billie Jean" demo. The set will also house a DVD with Jackson's Thriller short films, which have been digitally remastered — "Thriller," "Beat It" and "Billie Jean" — as well as his Emmy-nominated performance of the latter song on 1983's "Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever" TV special. Lastly, it will also have an exclusive Jackson-penned greeting to his fans. While the Thriller deluxe edition doesn't drop until February, the Jackson action actually starts in December when he releases a new single and launches a new global-marketing campaign. ...

Kevin Federline's lawyer Mark Vincent Kaplan has subpoenaed Britney Spears' friend Sam Lufti in the ex-spouses' child-custody case, according to People.com. The subpoena was reportedly served on November 7, but Lufti didn't appear at a Friday deposition that was rescheduled for January. Kaplan will request a court order to make sure Lufti attends the January session, the site said. People.com reported in late August that a car-ramming incident occurred when Federline's legal team attempted to serve Lufti with papers, and according to UsMagazine.com, Lutfi is scheduled to appear before the Los Angeles city attorney over the matter, which is being considered a "vehicle vandalism incident." The closed-door hearing will be held December 18. ... "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" nonwriting staffers have been laid off due to the ongoing writers' strike, according to TMZ.com. ...

Lindsay Lohan is finally finding time to return to her music career, according to People. The singer, whose last album was 2005's A Little More Personal (Raw), will reportedly start recording a new album for Motown within the next two weeks. She is also reportedly planning to shoot a cameo on "Ugly Betty" once the writers' strike ends. The mag also reports that LiLo has split with Riley Giles, the boyfriend she developed a relationship withwhile in rehab at Utah's Cirque Lodge over the summer. according to People. ... The "High School Musical 2" soundtrack was the best-selling album of 2007 with 2.3 million copies sold — the lowest figure yet by a year's top LP since SoundScan started keeping track of such sales in 1991. The sequel soundtrack beats its predecessor's previous mark — the original "HSM" soundtrack, last year's best-selling disc, sold 3.7 million copies. Daughtry's self-titled album is the second-best-selling album of 2007. ...

Flo Rida — a rapper hailing from, well, you know — owes T-Pain a favor: The latter rapper's spot on Flo's new single, "Low," has helped boost the track into the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, and the song has been at the top of the iTunes chart for three consecutive weeks. But Pain isn't the only person lending Flo Rida their skills — fellow Floridian Rick Ross and Trey Songz are also featured on his major-label debut, Mail on Sunday, with J.R. Rotem, the Runners and others helping out behind the boards. ... Reese Witherspoon is the highest-paid actress in Hollywood, earning $15 million to $20 million per movie, The Hollywood Reporter announced Friday (November 30). Angelina Jolie — who reportedly made $8 million for "Beowolf" and $20 million for "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" — comes in second, with Cameron Diaz, Nicole Kidman, Renée Zellweger, Sandra Bullock and Julia Roberts following behind. ...

Morrissey is suing NME after the English music mag failed to apologize for an article criticizing the former Smiths frontman's views on immigration. BBC News reports that a deadline to print a retraction on the piece expired on Thursday, and the singer's lawyers are starting legal proceedings against the magazine and its editor for what Morrissey's manager has deemed a "character assassination." A recent issue of the magazine quoted Morrissey as allegedly saying, "Although I don't have anything against people from other countries, the higher the influx into England the more the British identity disappears. So the price is enormous. ... If you travel to Germany, it's still absolutely Germany. If you travel to Sweden, it still has a Swedish identity. But travel to England and you have no idea where you are." The cover of the issue quoted Morrissey as saying, "The gates of England are flooded. The country's been thrown away." Morrissey, who has split his time between Rome and Los Angeles over the past decade, was reportedly responding to a question about whether he would ever return to live in the U.K. In a follow-up interview, NME reported that Morrissey clarified his earlier comment by saying, "It could be construed that the reason I wouldn't wish to live in England is the immigration explosion. And that's not true at all. ... There are other reasons why I would find England very difficult, such as the expense and the pressure." He also allegedly added that he didn't think his comments were inflammatory, but "a statement of fact." Morrissey's spokesperson said the singer had been misquoted and that critical parts of the interview were omitted. An NME spokesperson confirmed that legal action is pending but would not comment further. ...

Brand New, As Tall as Lions and the Receiving End of Sirens are converging for Triple Crown Records' 10th anniversary show, to be held December 17 at New York's Blender Theater at Gramercy. Proceeds from the show will go to the FealGood Foundation for 9/11 first responders and Shirts for a Cure. ... Band of Horses, who are cropping up on critics' albums-of-the-year lists left and right, will head out with a 20-date headlining trek starting January 20 in South Carolina, their home state. The jaunt will also end there, on February 12, with the group hitting Philadelphia, Boston, Cleveland, Nashville, Dallas and other cities along the way. ... From First to Last have joined the bill for next year's Take Action! Tour, which kicks off in February. Every Time I Die are still set to co-headline, although the other previously announced co-headliner, Escape the Fate, have dropped off the lineup. Hopeless/Sub City, which stages the fest, also announced that it has picked Do Something, a nonprofit that distributes weekly grants to young people looking to make a difference in their community, as the tour's charity.

• Kanye West
• Akon
• Tom Petty
• Ozzy Osbourne
• R. Kelly

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

11.28.07

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rihanna, Amy Winehouse, Mika Rock The 2008 Brit Awards

• Rihanna
• Mika
• Ozzy Osbourne
• Kylie Minogue
• Amy Winehouse

Ozzy And Sharon Osbourne Sell Bloody Everything

• Ozzy Osbourne
• Kelly Osbourne
• The Osbournes

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

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

The Week In Pictures For February 9, 2007

• Fall Out Boy
• Ozzy Osbourne
• Ne-Yo
• Black Eyed Peas
• Michael Jackson

Ozzfest: A Look Back

• Rob Zombie
• Mudvayne
• Iron Maiden
• Black Label Society
• Andrew W.K.

2004 EMA Red Carpet

• Usher
• Ozzy Osbourne
• Beastie Boys
• Black Eyed Peas
• Franz Ferdinand

Usher, Osbournes, More Arrive At The 2004 MTV European Music Awards

• Usher
• Black Eyed Peas
• Franz Ferdinand
• OutKast
• Gwen Stefani

The Osbournes: Family Photos - Then

• Ozzy Osbourne
• Kelly Osbourne

The Osbournes: Season 1 Family Photos

• Kelly Osbourne
• Ozzy Osbourne

The Osbournes: Season 2 Family Photos

• Kelly Osbourne
• Ozzy Osbourne