A Perfect Circle's Billy Howerdel
Photo: George De Sota/ Getty Images

About a month ago, Maynard James Keenan told a French magazine that A Perfect Circle — the wildly successful side project he fronted between Tool LPs — was, if not dead, on life support.

The band, he added, "pushed [it] as far as it could go," and he said he sees the group "playing again together only in a few years to make one or two songs, nothing more." But Keenan stopped short of saying the group had officially called it quits.

Guitarist Billy Howerdel's not so sure what's happening with A Perfect Circle. The creative strength behind the band has been working on his own material. He's also in the throes of assembling a fresh outfit he'd like to record and tour with. But when it comes to A Perfect Circle, he'd rather not think about it.

"We don't know what's happening," said Howerdel, one of Keenan's best friends. "[Maynard and I have] talked about it lightly. A few months ago, it was like, 'If we did A Perfect Circle again, I'd want to do this or that.' It was a benign conversation. I think we both entertain the fact that it could happen again, but for right now we don't have any plans to do it again. We're focusing on what we're doing now. A Perfect Circle is done for now."

Not long after the release of 2004's Emotive, Howerdel began sculpting and recording material on his own, bouncing ideas off session drummer Josh Freese. He's written 14 tracks, nine of which he's content with.

"I'm doing the same thing I've always done, which is writing songs from the heart, doing what comes naturally to me and writing songs that wouldn't be hard to fit into the A Perfect Circle mold," he explained. "In the beginning, when I started writing this stuff, I set out to do something very different. But if this is going to be my main focus, I want it to be what feels really right to me, and not just a side project or whatever you want to call it. It's not a huge departure. It just feels like I'm working on music the way I always have, with the difference being I don't have my partner Maynard coming in and singing lyrics over it; I'll be doing all the singing. It feels a bit lonely right now, because you get used to something and you want to go back to that comfort space. This is making me look at music in a different way."

Two weeks ago, Howerdel — who hasn't found a record label for his forthcoming, yet-untitled project — teamed up with Freese, Jonny Polanski ("The first bass player we had try out for A Perfect Circle"), ex-APC guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen, and Freese's brother, keyboardist Jason Freese, "to flush them out in a live rehearsal situation." Of course, Howerdel's not sure his next band's going to feature any of these players.

"I have some people in mind," he said. "There's a couple of people I've heard are looking to put a band together. I have a list of people I'm thinking about using as soon as it's ready."

Howerdel hopes to have his band in place by late summer so he can get back out on the road. He'd like to be able to release the record before year's end. But first he needs to make sure everything about these songs is just right.

"I could probably finish the album in five days, but I want it to be at least as good or better than anything I've done before," Howerdel said.

• A Perfect Circle
• Tool

Michael Jackson
Photo: Kevork Djansezian/AFP/Getty Images

Remember when Michael Jackson announced his plan last month to record an all-star charity single to benefit victims of Hurricane Katrina? He started sessions for the song "From the Bottom of My Heart" this past weekend at London's Metropolis Studios with his latest financial backer, Prince Abdullah Hamad Alkhalifa of Bahrain. But none of the artists Jackson said would be taking part in this project — among them, Jay-Z, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige and R. Kelly — were on hand. Only one of the announced collaborators — Ciara — has publicly confirmed her involvement. ...

Ludacris, John Mayer and Jesse McCartney are among the first celebrities confirmed to present at the 2005 American Music Awards. Nick Lachey, Sean Paul, Ryan Cabrera, Nicole Richie, Toni Braxton, Chingy, Gretchen Wilson, Sugarland, LeAnn Rimes, Delta Goodrem, Ryan Seacrest, Lance Armstrong, Emmy Rossum, John Stamos, Stuart Townsend and Gabrielle Union will also hand out trophies during the show, airing live from Los Angeles November 22 on ABC. ... Shakira is readying the release of her second installment of Oral Fixation — the English version. Two songs from the Spanish version, Fijación Oral, Vol. 1, will be translated on Vol. 2, but it's mostly a batch of new songs, including one called "Illegal" that features Carlos Santana. Her first single from Vol. 2, "Don't Bother," hits radio this week, and the video (directed by visual artist Jaume) will premiere on "Making the Video" on October 27. The new album is due November 29. ...

Outkast's Big Boi, no stranger to accolades for his work, has snagged another, this time from his hometown of Savannah, Georgia. On Saturday, the rapper received the Fine Arts Award from the King-Tisdell Cottage Foundation, which works to preserve black history and culture in the Southern city, in recognition for his contributions to the arts. "It feels great. It's been a long time coming. After 13 years, I appreciate it," Big told The Associated Press. ... Go to Choir Academy Charter School in Chicago? Make sure you get sent to the principal's office on October 27 — that's the day when Twista will be heading up the school. As part of the Principal for a Day program, the rapper will share his insight from his experiences in the music industry, since it's a performing-arts-based school. "I think it's important for artists to come back to their communities and help inspire the youth," Twista said. "When you're young, sometimes it's hard to stay focused on your dreams, especially in music. Hopefully, I can inspire these young students to stay focused and never give up." ...

Mos Def and Talib Kweli are reuniting for a road trip this month. Though it's not quite a Black Star tour, the two will co-headline what's being called the Breed Love Odyssey Tour, which kicks off October 28 in Sacramento, California, and continues through November 14 in Houston. More dates are expected to be announced. Kweli's new album, Right About Now, is due November 22. ... Mandy Moore is continuing to plug away on her forthcoming album. "About 15 songs written and recorded with a few more to go," she wrote on her Web site. She's collaborated so far with Counting Crows' Adam Duritz, Michelle Branch, Lori McKenna, Chantal Kreviazuk, Rachael Yamagata and James Renald. "I am getting so psyched to put this record out and hit the road for the first time in a LONG time," she wrote. ...

Naughty Dog, the video game firm behind the forthcoming "Jak X: Combat Racing," recruited A Perfect Circle guitarist Billy Howerdel to craft new music for the game's soundtrack — but Howerdel, himself, enlisted some famous friends to help him with his mission. A Perfect Circle drummer Josh Freese, guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen and ex-bassist Paz Lenchantin appear in some of Howerdel's tracks, according to Naughty Dog. Others summoned for the effort include Ex-Rocket From the Crypt drummer Adam "Atom" Willard, Queens of the Stone Age's Joey Castillo, Limp Bizkit's Wes Borland, former Nine Inch Nails member Danny Lohner and onetime Faith No More member Dean Menta. Queens of the Stone Age have the honor of opening the game, with their track "You Think I Ain't Worth a Dollar, But I Feel Like a Millionaire." ...

American Mule Entertainment will issue a politically charged comic book featuring Public Enemy's Chuck D, Flavor Flav, Professor Griff and the S1Ws. The action-packed book, which will be called "Public Enemy," will follow the socially conscious rappers around the globe as they do what they do: rock international crowds' butts off. Each member of the fold, however, doubles as an agent in a "secret organization called the Underground Railroad, which is a global network that helps people whenever they're in need, or when governments are oppressing them," said the book's writer/inker Adam Wallenta. "They won't have super powers. Chuck D won't shoot laser beams from his eyes, but he has a powerful mind and an ability to reach people." Each comic will include a CD featuring new cuts from Public Enemy as well as some of the artists Chuck works with through his Slam Jamz label. The first four books will be released as part of the "Welcome to the Terrordome" series. ... On December 6, EMI will release "Pulse," a two-DVD set featuring footage captured at Pink Floyd's 1994 Division Bell tour stop at London's Earls Court. The first DVD will include live renditions of classic Floyd tracks like "Learning to Fly," "Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2" and "One of These Days," while the second features The Dark Side of the Moon performed in its entirety. The discs will also boast backstage footage, previously unseen extras and a photo gallery teeming with shots of the band snapped during its Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction. ...

10.10.2005

If you were hoping to score Britney Spears' jewel-encrusted bra on eBay, you're outta luck. The pop princess, who donated several personal items to be auctioned off to raise dough for hurricane relief, pulled the bra off the block because she was worried it was being represented as something it was not. The singer says she did wear the bra (bids for which had reached up to $47,000) for an HBO promotion, but it was not the same one she wore onstage during the concert special that aired on the channel in November 2001. "I feel the correct thing to do is remove this item from the auction because I don't want any of you to feel misled," Spears said on her Web site. ...

Just in case the return of NHL hockey post-lockout and the debut of phenom Sidney Crosby weren't enough of a draw, Christina Aguilera sang the national anthem for her hometown hockey team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, on Saturday before they played their home opener against the Boston Bruins. (Click for photos of Christina singing for her home team.) ... Ashlee Simpson had a meta moment on "Saturday Night Live" this weekend, when she went on to attempt a do-over of her disastrous appearance from last fall — and sang her new song about that disastrous appearance. "Catch Me When I Fall" is one of two songs on her upcoming album, I Am Me, that deals with the "SNL" crisis, the other being "Beautifully Broken." Simpson also sang her latest single, "Boyfriend," with the aid of a backup vocalist as her second performance. During closing credits, she danced a bit of her now-infamous jig. ...

Kate Bosworth, Orlando Bloom, Gina Gershon, Michael Stipe and U2 members Bono and The Edge feted famed rock photog Anton Corbijn in New York on Sunday night at a celebration of the opening of Corbin's photo exhibit "U2 & I" at the Stellan Holm Gallery. (Click here for photos.) ... Madonna's got religious leaders up in arms again, this time over a kabbalah-themed track called "Isaac" on her forthcoming album, Confessions on a Dancefloor. "Isaac" is said to be about the 16th century Jewish mystic Yitzhak Luria, and kabbalist rabbis in Israel are angered that his name would be used for profit, which goes against Jewish law. Rabbis Rafael Cohen and Israel Deri, who have yet to hear the song, told the Israeli newspaper Maariv that Madonna singing a song about Luria is "unacceptable" and a "great sin." They're asking that she be thrown out of the kabbalah community. ... In the early hours of Saturday morning at New York club Exit, Beanie Sigel concluded his 30-minute set with a performance of the "Kiss Your Ass Goodbye" remix — with help from none other than the LOX and Fabolous, who jumped onstage with the Broad Street Bully. ...

Former R.E.M. drummer Bill Berry reunited with his old bandmates over the weekend for an impromptu performance at a friend's wedding reception in Athens, Georgia. Berry, Peter Buck, Michael Stipe and Mike Mills played a seven-song set for the crowd of 300 in a tiny arcade room at the bowling alley where the reception was held, including their tracks "Sitting Still," "The One I Love" and "Radio Free Europe." It was the first time the original group has played together since a concert in Raleigh, North Carolina, during its 2003 In Time Tour. "It was awesome to look behind me and see Bill on drums," Mills said on the band's Web site. Berry announced he was leaving the band in October 1997 to retire to his farm. ... Camera crews will capture all of the onstage action as it unfolds during Dinosaur Jr.'s December 2-3 shows at New York's Irving Plaza, for what will become the band's first full-length DVD. The group's publicist promises the DVD will feature "unfettered access to the famously elusive band," as well as one-on-one interviews, behind-the-scenes "goings-on" and a full set of performances from the Dino. The DVD should surface before spring. The recently reunited band also has a gig booked for Chicago's Metro on November 29. ...

Mash-up act Beatallica will launch a nine-date tour in late November. Beatallica, famous for forging the tunes of the Beatles and Metallica, perform under the aliases "Jamz Lennfield," "Kirk Hammettson," "Kliff McBurtney" and "Ringo Larz." The Milwaukee outfit's trek kicks off on November 28 in Columbus, Ohio, and wraps up on December 10 in Chicago. ... During Megadeth's gig Sunday night in Buenos Aires, Argentina, frontman Dave Mustaine revealed to the audience that — despite speculation his band's 2004 album, The System Has Failed, would be its last and that he'd soon be touring no more — he has no plans to throw in the towel yet. In audio captured during the concert, Mustaine told the crowd that Megadeth will continue to record new material and will tour. He's said in recent interviews that he wanted to pursue solo endeavors and leave the Megadeth name behind him. ...

Hawthorne Heights are holed up in a Hoboken, New Jersey, studio, hard at work on the follow-up to their 2004 debut, The Silence in Black and White, and they're getting a little help from their friends. Last week, they put out a call to their fans, asking them to make the trek to Hoboken to lend their voices to Hawthorne's second album, which is tentatively titled If Only You Were Lonely. The session happened Monday (October 10), with 25 fans singing backup on two new Hawthorne tracks. Lonely is due in stores early next year. ... Scottish popsters Belle & Sebastian have finished work on their new album, the first since 2003's Dear Catastrophe Waitress.Working with Beck producer Tony Hoffer in Los Angeles, the band pounded out the still-untitled album's 18 songs in less than three months. Song titles include "Song for Sunshine," "Funny Little Frog" and "Sukie in the Graveyard." ...

• Michael Jackson
• Ciara
• Sean Paul
• A Perfect Circle
• Mandy Moore

A Perfect Circle's Maynard James Keenan and Billy Howerdel (file)
Photo: David Palmer

One of the two original compositions on A Perfect Circle's most recent release, eMOTIVe, will be the featured song in the upcoming Keanu Reeves thriller flick "Constantine." "Passive," the second single off the album, features the band's Maynard James Keenan and Billy Howerdel collaborating with Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor and Danny Lohner. The Brothers Strause, who handled the visual effects for "Constantine," will direct the video for "Passive." ...

As part of the monthlong celebration of the late Bob Marley's 60th birthday in February, his widow is planning to exhume his remains from where they currently lie in Jamaica and rebury them in Ethiopia, which she calls his "spiritual resting place," according to The Associated Press. Rita Marley said that her late husband's life was "all about Africa, it is not about Jamaica," and said the Ethiopian church and government support her decision. ... Wyclef Jean was in Haiti on Tuesday to launch an after-school program for children living in the seaside slum of Cite Soleil. Intended to keep kids in school, Wyclef's program provides scholarships, tutoring and sports training at L'Athletique d'Haiti Sports Academy for about 650 young children. According to a statement, Wyclef's foundation, Yele Haiti, is also planning to provide scholarships for 4,000 young people in the Haitian city of Gonaives, where floods in September killed hundreds. ...

Kelly Osbourne listened to a lot of Kraftwerk while prepping her upcoming album, and it shows. The electro-sounding single "One Word" has a new age/new wave vibe, where she intones more than sings purposefully robotic verses such as, "One word breaks the code of silence/ Silence tells me all I need to know/ One world driven into madness/ Madness driven by the depths below." Other song titles on Osbourne's still-untitled album, due out June 7, include "Secret Lover," "Edge of Your Atmosphere," "Suburbia," "Don't Touch Me" and "Entropy." ... Virgin Digital and Foot Locker recently announced a special promotion and sweepstakes to offer exclusive content from Def Jam artists such as LL Cool J, Ludacris and Ja Rule. Virgin will offer Foot Locker customers 30-day free trials and one customer will win a Flyaway Sweepstakes to attend the NBA All-Star Game in Denver with Luda. ...

If you weren't hip enough (or old enough) to join Sub Pop Records' now-defunct Singles Club in 1988, now's your chance to score the entire run of rare 45s by the likes of Nirvana, the White Stripes, the Get Up Kids, Death Cab for Cutie, Sonic Youth, Modest Mouse, Soundgarden and more. Someone has posted their entire collection of more than 125 singles on eBay in an auction that ends on Thursday. The bad news? Bidding has already hit $4,500. ... Bam Margera, Andy Dick, Tom Green, Tony Hawk, Shannon Elizabeth, Seth Green, Macaulay Culkin and several cast members of "That '70s Show" are shuffling the deck as part of a new hour-long weekly series called "Hollywood Poker Night," which will begin airing in March on E! The show will feature three different stars and three of their best buddies as they ante-up in their own homes and hangouts. No day or time for the show has been announced yet. ...

Akon is taking the motivation behind his music — "I just want people to learn through my mistakes, to better themselves," he explained — into the launch of Conflict Films. "We're going to death-row inmates and getting their life stories and we want to make movies about their life stories," he said. ... Following the passing of his friend Barry White, who died of kidney failure, Isaac Hayes decided to contribute recipes to a cookbook for people suffering from chronic kidney disease, titled "Kidney Friendly Comfort Foods: A Collection of Recipes for Eating Well With Chronic Kidney Disease." Hayes will appear at Cleveland's HealthSpace Cleveland Museum on Thursday to introduce some of the recipes from the book. ...

The Dillinger Escape Plan have announced plans to take to the road for eight North American shows. The band will kick off the trek in Toronto on February 1 and wind up in New York on February 9. ... Portland, Oregon, indie-rockers the Decemberists will release their third album, Picaresque, on March 22. Produced by Death Cab for Cutie guitarist Chris Walla, the 11-track set will include "The Sporting Life" and "Infanta," among other songs. Singer Colin Meloy will hit the road for a quick 10-date solo trip before the official Decemberists tour starts January 13 in Seattle. ...

01.11.2005

Mariah Carey has picked Paul Hunter to direct the first video for her upcoming album, The Emancipation of Mimi. After what was to be her first single leaked, Carey has chosen "It's Like That" to be her initial offering instead. Carey's label rep said that the final treatment for the clip has yet to be determined. ...

After months of teasing audiences with an a cappella rendition of his unreleased track "Sex in the Kitchen" during his concerts, R. Kelly's record has leaked to the mixtape circuit. Kelly's label says it expects a new LP by the singer this year, but a release date has yet to be scheduled. Kells is in the studio right now — as always — working on new material. ... A Detroit judge ordered the release of the mental-health records of civil-rights legend Rosa Parks as part of her ongoing dispute with BMG and music distributors over the Outkast song "Rosa Parks." The Associated Press reports that Judge George C. Steeh ordered the release of the documents at the request of the Detroit Free Press newspaper; Parks' physician has confirmed in court documents that the 91-year-old bus-boycott icon suffers from dementia. The records — which the paper argued could show whether Parks approved of the $5 billion suit filed on her behalf — could be released by next week. ...

Usher, Prince and Lisa Marie Presley have been added to the list of presenters for the Golden Globe Awards, which will take place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles and will be broadcast live on NBC on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET. ... Franz Ferdinand led all nominees at Monday's announcement of the Brit Awards contenders with five nods, including Best British Group, British Album, British Breakthrough, Rock Act and Live Act. The natty rockers were followed by multiple nominees Keane, Snow Patrol, the Streets, Kasabian and New York disco rockers Scissor Sisters. Among the nominees for the International Male, Female and Group awards are Eminem, Kanye West, Usher, Avril Lavigne, Gwen Stefani, Green Day, Maroon 5 and Outkast. The 25th anniversary Brits will be held at London's Earls Court on February 9. ...

Apple Computer introduced two new low-priced versions of the iPod on Tuesday (January 11). The new players, dubbed the iPod Shuffle, start at $99 (compared to their $250+ brethren) and hold 120 to 240 songs. ... Talib Kweli has signed on to voice the lead character in Atari's upcoming ode-to-graffiti video game "Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure." Kweli's character, Trane, is described as "an outcast and rebel determined to establish his credibility in the politically oppressive city of New Radius, but who ultimately becomes the unlikely leader of an urban revolution." ...

Columbus, Ohio, rock station WBZX ("The Blitz" 99.7 FM) is auctioning off a Washburn "Dime V" flying V electric guitar autographed by late Damageplan/ Pantera guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott and his bandmates. The last of only 10 autographed Damageplan guitars, the proceeds from the auction will be donated to the families of Erin Halk and Nathan Bray, who were also killed during a shooting rampage at Columbus' Alrosa Villa nightclub on December 8. The bidding ends at noon on January 21 and is currently at $5,000. Go to www.theblitz.com/tribute.asp to bid. ... The 14-track Music From the WB Television Series "One Tree Hill" is slated for release on January 25. The album features exclusive live and acoustic versions of songs by Gavin DeGraw, Sheryl Crow, Tyler Hilton (solo and in a duet with the show's Bethany Joy Lenz) and Story of the Year. The LP also boasts the debut of Michelle Branch's side project, the Wreckers. Also included are songs from Butch Walker, Travis, Jimmy Eat World and others. ...

"Miami Vice" — the stylish '80s TV series that launched all sorts of trends in fashion, music and TV, including the unforgettable look of tight-T-shirt-worn-under-blazer — is coming out on DVD for the first time. The 22-episode first season, featuring the show's original music (tracks by Phil Collins, U2, Tina Turner, the Police and Glenn Frey) remixed in 5.1 surround sound, and guest appearances by the likes of Bruce Willis, Pam Grier, Jimmy Smits, Ving Rhames, Ed O'Neill, John Turturro and Dennis Farina, is out February 8. ...

Hoping to raise money for UNICEF, Björk has decided to break out a whole bunch of remixes of her song "Army of Me," off of 1995's Post album. According to a post on her Web site, "The mixes have ranged [from] high-energy to death-metal ... These versions of the song have been gathering dust in the corner of a hard drive or not-so-seedy office." Björk is also putting out a call for even more versions of "Army of Me," asking fans to send her their mixes. Her favorites will join some older versions on the two-disc Army of Me charity album, scheduled to hit stores at the end of February. ... Former Queens of the Stone Age bassist and current Mondo Generator frontman Nick Oliveri has posted an urgent plea for fans to help save the life of his 8-year-old niece, Kayla. On MondoGenerator.net, Oliveri writes that Kayla is in need of a bone-marrow transplant, adding, "I am going to ask each of you a favor. If you have ever thought about your contribution to making the world a better place ... now's your chance." He finishes the posting by linking to the National Marrow Donor Program, at www.Marrow.org. ...

Alt-rapper Sage Francis is offering fans a chance to remix the first single from his upcoming album, A Healthy Distrust, due out February 8 on Epitaph Records. The vocal track from the song, titled "Slow Down Gandhi," is available now at Francis' Epitaph homepage (www.epitaph.com/bands/index.php?id=410) for fans to download, mash up, and make their own. The current top three remixes (according to Francis himself) are posted on his online forum (www.inhalerproductions.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=18917), where fans can vote for their favorite, or post their own. ... Toby Lightman will guest star on NBC's "American Dreams" as a singer in the show's hangout, the Lair. Lightman will perform a rendition of Otis Redding's "That's How Strong My Love Is." The episode will air Sunday on NBC. Lightman is also working on the follow-up to her debut album, Little Things. ...

• A Perfect Circle
• Ludacris
• Bob Marley
• Kelly Osbourne
• Akon

Now That's What I Call Music! 17
Photo: Capitol

When an album filled with hits from Ciara, Jadakiss, JoJo, Terror Squad, Black Eyed Peas and Ashlee and Jessica Simpson comes out, the competition doesn't stand a chance.

The compilation Now That's What I Call Music! 17, which also includes singles from Franz Ferdinand, Gretchen Wilson and the Beastie Boys, will bow in at #1 on next week's Billboard albums chart, by selling more than 407,000 copies, according to SoundScan.

The latest in the slam-dunk series bested the #2 album, A Perfect Circle's eMOTIVe, by more than a quarter-million copies. The politically charged covers album is the band's third LP and also its poorest first-week performer. The more than 142,000 copies it sold, however, was enough to match the band's peak #2 position, set by 2003's Thirteenth Step.

Thanks to a relatively slow sales week, Nelly's Suit was able to advance two spots to #3, despite a 10 percent drop in sales. The more popular of his two simultaneously released, eight-week old albums sold more than 117,000 copies. Its companion, Sweat, meanwhile, continues to slide, dropping another five spots next week to land at #23.

The laurels that continue to shower on the Ray Charles biopic, "Ray," keep pushing its soundtrack skyward. After a sizable leap from #23 to #10 last week, the LP will move up another spot to #9 thanks to a whopping 47 percent increase in weekly sales, from more than 55,000 to more than 80,000. Conversely, sales for Charles' duets album, Genius Loves Company, diminished by more than 13,000 copies, though the album will move up one spot to #7.

While "Ray" soars, the doomed duo of Jay-Z and R. Kelly sink. Their second collaboration album, Unfinished Business, will fall from its #1 perch down to #10, as weekly sales shrink 67 percent, from more than 215,000 copies to more than 70,000.

The rest of next week's top 10 finds Usher's Confessions advancing two places to #4 (with more than 114,000 copies sold); Rod Stewart's Stardust ... The Great American Songbook Vol. III losing one place to land at #5 (103,000); George Strait’s 50 Number Ones moving from #7 to #6 (94,000); and Trick Daddy's Thug Matrimony: Married to the Streets slipping from #2 to #8 (81,000).

My Brother & Me has given the Ying Yang Twins something to get crunked up about. The spotlight shined on the Atlanta duo after they worked on Britney Spears' last album, and they've managed to reflect some of that heat onto their latest effort, a remix LP of 2003's Me & My Brother, which will take the #12 spot. Contemporary Christian pop-punk band Relient K will assume the #15 position with Mmhmm to round out the chart's top-20 debuts.

Other notable debuts include John Lennon's Acoustic at #31; Train's Alive at Last at #48; the Rolling Stones' Live Licks at #50; Live's Awake: The Best of Live at #65; AFI's best-of set, AFI, at #88; and the soundtrack to "Polar Express" at #115.

Now That's What I Call Successful
Since the series began in the U.S. in 1998, the Now That's What I Call Music! compilations have been so successful that the real mark of a chart champ may not be debuting at #1, but coming in ahead of the latest Now volume. Vol. 17, the third edition to be released this year, is the second one to bow in at #1. Vol. 15 deserves a break, though. It was going up against the massive first-week sales of Usher's Confessions, which moved a whopping 1 million copies after just days on sale.

Besides Usher's, other albums that have recently topped Now include ones from Linkin Park and country star Toby Keith, as well as the "Bad Boys II" soundtrack.

On the whole, the series averages first-week sales of 348,000 for each volume. The feather in its cap was placed in July 2001, when Now 7's 621,000 copies — the series' highest tally — unseated 'NSYNC's Celebrity after that album sold a record-breaking 1.8 million copies.

With total sales nearing 50 million, Now is the most successful compilation series ever.

On The Move
Build-up for the country's CMA Awards, which aired Tuesday, pushed albums by performers Big & Rich and Gretchen Wilson, currently on tour together, a bit higher up the chart. Wilson's Here For the Party will move from #21 to #17, while the duo's Horse of a Different Color will take a five-step jump to #25. Residual buzz from the awards should push both albums up even further on next week's chart, but big winners Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw are likely to get the biggest bump.

After an impressive #3 debut, Simple Plan's Still Not Getting Any ... took in less than half of its first-week total to fall eight spots down, and out of the top 10.

TV Triumphs
Television helped two albums take a big jump up the chart. As everyone's favorite ogre comes to your living room with the home-video release of "Shrek 2," its soundtrack will jump up 114 spots to #57. And with the new season of "The O.C." in full swing, its album accompaniment, "The O.C.: Mix 2," will move up 14 places to #90.

No Love For Twista
One go-round of Twista is apparently good enough for most fans. Despite getting heat from his track with R. Kelly, "So Sexy Chapter II (Never Like This)," Twista couldn't do any better than #96 with a reissued version of his latest album, Kamikaze, which includes the track. Where most artists who reissue their most recent album with bonus tracks — most recently Usher — usually come close to the original's first-week position, Twista's  kick-up Kamikaze came up 95 spots short.

This story was updated on November 10 at 6:40 p.m. ET

• Nelly
• A Perfect Circle
• Jay-Z
• R. Kelly
• Usher

A Perfect Circle's Maynard James Keenan and Billy Howerdel (file)
Photo: David Palmer

This Election Day, some artists are hoping you make your voice heard at voting booths and then at the record stores.

Releasing their politically charged third album on Tuesday (November 2) was a conscious decision for A Perfect Circle. Their eMOTIVe is a 12-song disc, of which 10 tracks are covers of songs like John Lennon's "Imagine," Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On," "People Are People" by Depeche Mode, and "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding" by Nick Lowe (performed most famously by Elvis Costello). The two original tracks, "Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums" and "Passive," rally against apathy.

Somewhat less political is the new album by the Ying Yang Twins, My Brother & Me. The follow-up to 2003's Me and My Brother is a CD/DVD combo featuring 10 new songs, performance and behind-the-scenes footage, three videos, and collaborations on the album with Lil Jon, Juvenile, Fat Joe and others.

The 17th installment of the massively successful Now That's What I Call Music! series hits stores Tuesday with tracks by Ciara ("Goodies"), the Beastie Boys ("Ch-Check It Out"), Franz Ferdinand ("Take Me Out"), Nelly ("My Place") and Black Eyed Peas ("Let's Get It Started"), among a slew of others.

Also out this week are albums by the Rolling Stones (Live Licks); AFI (AFI); Catch 22 (Live); and Train (Alive at Last).

Out Tuesday, November 2:

• AFI - AFI (Nitro)
  Buy Now: AFI (Nitro)
• The Anomoanon - Joji (Temporary Residence Ltd.)
• Carlos Barbosa-Lima - Siboney (Zoho)
• Beakers - Four Steps Toward a Cultural Revolution (K Records)
• Blackouts - History in Reverse (K)
• Born From the Pain - Sands of Time (Blackmarket Activities/Metal Blade)
• Catch 22 - Live (Victory)
• Beth Neilsen Chapman - Hymns (Emergent)
• Bobby Cheeks - A Soldier's Story (Lightyear)
• D:Fuse - Begin (System Recordings)
• Jesse Dayton - Country Soul Brother (Stag)
• Iris DeMent - Lifeline (FlariElla)
• DJ Tiësto - Parade of the Athletes (Nettwerk)
• Dolour - New Old Friends (Made in Mexico)
• Duran Duran - The Singles 1986-1995 (box set, Capitol)
• Steve Earle - Live From Austin TX (New West)
• Electroputas - 3 (The Social Registry)
• Grip Weeds - Giant on the Beach (Rainbow Quartz)
• Grits - Dichotomy B (Gotee)
• Hall of Fame - Paradise Now (Social Registry)
• Richie Hart - Blues in the Alley (Zoho)
• He Is Legend - I Am Hollywood (Tooth & Nail)
• Hopesfall - A Types (Trustkill)
• If Hope Dies - The Ground Is Rushing Up to Meet Us (Ironclad/Metal Blade)
• Ronny Jordan - After 8 (N-Coded)
• Robert Earl Keen - Live from Austin TX (New West)
• King's X - Live All Over the Place (Brop!/Metal Blade)
• Lazarus - Like Trees We Grow Up to Be Satellites (The Backwards America)
• Lazy Boy - Lazy Boy TV (Universal)
• John Lennon - Acoustic (Capitol)
• Live - Awake: The Best of Live (Geffen)
  Buy Now: Awake: The Best of Live (Geffen)
• Neal Morse - One (Radiant/Metal Blade)
• Ms. Led - These Things We Say (Fish the Cat)
• Newsboys - Devotion (Sparrow)
• Josh One - Narrow Path (Silverline)
• Only Children - Change of Living (Glurp)
• The Panoply Academy - Everything Here Was Built to Break (Secretly Canadian)
• Paria - Misanthropos (Blackmarket Activities/Metal Blade)
• A Perfect Circle - Emotive (Virgin)
  Read: "A Perfect Circle Album Preview: Politics? They've Got It Covered"
  Buy Now: Emotive (Virgin)
• Phenomenauts - Re-Entry (SideCho)
• Rolling Stones - Live Licks (Virgin)
• Silver Sunshine - Silver Sunshine (Empyrean)
• Skates - Lord of the Rinks (Unschooled)
• Strung Out - Exile in Oblivion (Fat Wreck Chords)
• Tarentel - We Move Through Weather (Temporary Residence Ltd.)
• Susan Tedeschi - Live From Austin TX (New West)
• Train - Alive at Last (Columbia)
  Buy Now: Alive at Last (Columbia)
• Trans-Siberian Orchestra - The Christmas Trilogy (Rhino)
• Two Cow Garage - The Wall Against Our Back (Stag)
• Voodoo Glow Skulls - Adicción, Tradición, Revolución (Victory)
• Darryl Worley - Darryl Worley (DreamWorks Nashville)
• Woven Hand - Consider the Birds (Sounds Familyre)
• Ying Yang Twins - My Brother & Me (TVT)
  Buy Now: My Brother & Me (TVT)
• Various artists - L.A.'s Rising Scene 2004 (Aeronaut)
• Various Artists - Non-Stop Funk Party: Music From & Inspired by 'The Bernie Mac Show' (The Right Stuff/EMI)
• Various artists - Now That's What I Call Music! 17 (Capitol)
• Various artists - "The Polar Express" soundtrack (Warner Bros.)
• DVD: Against Me! - "We're Never Going Home" (Fat Wreck Chords)
• DVD: The Microphones/Little Wings - "Wise Old Little Boy" (K)
• DVD: Stacie Orrico - "Live in Japan" (Sparrow)
• DVD: Yellowcard - "Beyond Ocean Avenue: Live at the Electric Factory" (Capitol)
• DVD: Various artists - "Punk Rock Holocaust" (Red)

November 9:

• Vanessa Carlton - Harmonium (A&M Records)
  Read: "Vanessa Carlton Recalls Her Days As A Naughty Ballerina"
  Buy Now: Harmonium (A&M Records)
• Britney Spears - Greatest Hits: My Prerogative (Jive)
  Read: "Britney Fans, You Can Stop Speculating Now — Official Hits LP Track List Revealed"
• Shania Twain - Greatest Hits (Mercury Nashville)Buy Now: Greatest Hits (Mercury Nashville)

November 16:

• Eminem - Encore (Aftermath)
  Buy Now: Encore (Aftermath)
• Bon Jovi - 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong (Island)
• Destiny's Child - Destiny Fulfilled (Sony)
  Read: "Beyonce Salutes Jay-Z On Destiny's Child Track 'Soldier' "
  Buy Now: Destiny Fulfilled (Sony)
• Lil Jon & East Side Boyz - Crunk Juice (TVT)
  Read: "Lil Jon's Crunk Juice Finalized; Usher, Luda, Nas, Snoop, Chris Rock On Board"
  Buy Now: Crunk Juice (TVT)

November 23:

• U2 - How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (Interscope)
  Buy Now: How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (Interscope)
• Gwen Stefani - Love, Angel, Music, Baby (Interscope)
• Fantasia Barrino - Free Yourself (J Records)
  Read: "Missy Elliott, R. Kelly Helping Fantasia With Her Debut LP"
• Ruben Studdard - I Need an Angel (J Records)
  Read: "Ruben Studdard Decides Christmas Just Isn't Spiritual Enough"
  Buy Now: I Need an Angel (J Records)

November 30:

• Kelly Clarkson - Breakaway (RCA)
  Read: "Kelly Clarkson Tries For Another 'Breakaway' Hit"
  Buy Now: Breakaway (RCA)
• Nas - Street's Disciple (Sony)
  Read: "Nas: A Fire Inside"
  Buy Now: Street's Disciple (Sony)
• T.I. - Urban Legend (Atlantic)
  Buy Now: Urban Legend (Atlantic)

• A Perfect Circle
• Ying Yang Twins
• AFI
• The Rolling Stones
• Train

A Perfect Circle's Maynard James Keenan and Billy Howerdel (file)
Photo: David Palmer

Billy Howerdel is usually the quiet giant in A Perfect Circle. Sure, the guitarist does most of the interviews, but frontman Maynard James Keenan has always been the band's mouthpiece, even if he traditionally has been press-shy. With an important presidential election on the horizon, however, Howerdel is through keeping his thoughts to himself.

"Ordinarily, I hate talking about politics," he said. "I usually heed the warning of many elders that say, 'Never discuss it with your friends, or certainly publicly,' but it's an important time to voice your opinions and feelings."

It's hardly a secret which candidate A Perfect Circle's two principals, Howerdel and Keenan, are voting for on November 2 — not coincidentally, the same day the band's third album, eMOTIVe, drops. That the follow-up to last year's Thirteenth Step consists of 10 covers and just two new songs may surprise APC's longtime fans who valued the group for its originality (see "A Perfect Circle Album Preview: Politics? They've Got It Covered"), but the politically charged collection of tunes ranging from Nick Lowe's "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding" to Fear's facetiously titled "Let's Have a War" isn't without its powerful statements.

"Rather than write songs from the ground up," Howerdel explains, "taking existing songs — some political, some protest songs, but some that aren't either — and stringing them together hopefully relays the message that we're feeling. Songs like 'When the Levee Breaks' [most famously covered by Led Zeppelin] and [Depeche Mode's] 'People Are People' aren't protest songs by any means, but within the thread of this record, they communicate what we're trying to say."

Keenan and Howerdel hatched the idea for eMOTIVe a year ago while on the road. As any fan who caught one of those shows and heard Keenan rail against the war in Iraq and the policies of the current administration from the stage can attest, the singer didn't have to reach very far for inspiration.

"When we came up with the idea of doing a covers record, there was also the question, 'Why are we doing a covers record?' " Howerdel explained. "We wanted to do something that had meaning to us, something worthy of a third record. That's when Maynard had the idea of doing a political record, and right off the bat I thought it was a good idea.

"Actually," he conceded, "it wouldn't have been the first thing I would have picked, but with the world climate the way it is, and our disgust with all of that, it seemed like a good time to communicate some sort of message."

Despite singing other people's songs, APC personalize or inject a different meaning into music by the way those songs are played. The medium is truly the message when familiar lyrics to Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" take on a more desperate tone when matched with an ominous backdrop. And for those fans who may not know Gaye's wake-up call by heart, it's equally as distressing hearing it for the first time in 2004.

"Either we were not born when these songs came out, or they've become background music while you were sitting in the back of your mom's station wagon when you were a kid," Howerdel said. "Hopefully, it will become another soundtrack to a different time. Unfortunately, it may not be one of the best of times."

• A Perfect Circle

A Perfect Circle's Maynard James Keenan (file)
Photo: Jason Squires

In light of the current political climate, A Perfect Circle's Maynard James Keenan couldn't keep to himself any longer. But instead of expressing his outrage by writing a new album, the famously reclusive singer opted to put his stamp on other songwriters' sentiments.

Ten of the 12 songs on APC's third album, eMOTIVe, are covers, and they range from recognizable to relatively obscure. The familiarity that resonates in John Lennon's "Imagine," Nick Lowe's "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding," and Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" allows the listener to forgo concentrating too hard on the lyrics. Instead, the words they already know by heart take on updated meanings when juxtaposed with new, and oftentimes harrowing, backdrops.

"Imagine," which serves as the album's first single, is hardly the delicate, happy-faced ode to utopia the former Beatle envisioned in 1971. Instead, eerie piano chords plod along dirgelike until a stark violin is abruptly introduced to emphasize the desperation inherent in having hope whittled down to its last thread. "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding," an angry pop-punk rave-up as performed most popularly by Elvis Costello, instead comes across as a helpless plea thanks to guitarist Billy Howerdel's high-pitched delivery. "What's Going On," which features layered synths and an angelic Keenan-Howerdel harmony, is another pleading call for help that seems to be sung from a disembodied, third-person standpoint instead of the vital wake-up call that was Gaye's original.

Soaring, whining rock guitars, offset by a low-end fuzz, provide anthemic lift to Devo's "Freedom of Choice," which comes off as a pro-vote rally cry. Tolerance is preached through Depeche Mode's "People Are People," where the teetering sound of an alarm stresses its urgency. Black Flag's "Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie" tackles the topic of greed from the standpoint of an insatiable beast that doesn't know why it wants more, it just does. And should anyone or anything stand in its way ... we have bombs for that.

"Let's Have a War," a 1982 Fear song, seemingly takes a cynical view of the Iraq conflict. "Let's have a war/ So you can go and die/ ... We can all use the money," Keenan deadpans above a skittering techno beat. And in "When the Levee Breaks," Led Zeppelin's famous cover of a Memphis Minnie blues song, a soft, piano-and-bass entwinement renders Keenan's ethereal vocals nearly indecipherable, save for the chorus: "When the levee breaks, you'll have no place to hide." It comes off less as a threat than an omen.

Prefacing it all is a whispered recitation of "Annihilation" by early '80s punk band Crucifix, setting the tone for what follows with frightening effect: "Reject the system dictating the norms/ From dehumanization to arms production to hasten this nation towards its destruction," Keenan says in a hushed tone. "It's your choice: peace or annihilation."

The two new songs on eMOTIVe, "Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums" and "Passive," both extol the dangers of complacency. Where the former is an a industrial-rock march backed by an ominous bass line sung from the standpoint of a heartless dictator; in the latter Keenan expresses his angry disappointment at those who sit idly by and let the bad guys win.

eMOTIVe hits stores on Election Day, November 2.

• A Perfect Circle

Backstreet Boy Nick Carter (file)
Photo: Jive

Nick Carter's movie "The Hollow" has finally found a home. A modern update of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," "The Hollow" follows the great-great-grandson of Ichabod Crane, who is unaware of his lineage and unknowingly stirs the vengeful spirit of the Headless Horseman (Carter plays the menacing Brody). The film, which also stars former Dream singer Melissa Schuman, Eileen Brennan, Stacy Keach and Judge Reinhold, will air on ABC Family on October 28. ...

Two weeks after they drop their next LP, eMOTIVe, on November 2, A Perfect Circle will release the DVD/CD set aMOTION, which features a live performance and a remix album. ... The White Stripes are planning to release a DVD of their recent performance in Blackpool, England. "Under Blackpool Lights," which sees the band performing "Seven Nation Army," "The Hardest Button to Button" and other songs from its latest album, Elephant, is due October 26. ... Conor Oberst has announced the titles of his two upcoming releases under the Bright Eyes moniker: I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning and Digital Ash in a Digital Urn. Both albums will be released on the same day sometime in mid-to-late January. ... The filmmakers who created "Heavy Metal Parking Lot" are bringing a new version of their parking-lot series, this time focusing on Michael Jackson fans, to Trio. "Parking Lot: Michael Jackson" premieres on September 13 at 9 p.m. ET. ...

McFarlane Toys is set to release a limited-edition deluxe set of Mötley Crüe figures this November. The set features the Crüe rocking out on a stage, complete with Shout at the Devil-era pentagrams on Tommy Lee's double bass drums. ... And Slash is about to become a McFarlane figure, too. The Velvet Revolver/ former Guns N' Roses guitarist will be featured with his top hat and leather jacket while playing guitar. "It's extremely flattering and humbling to be immortalized in plastic," Slash said in a statement Wednesday (September 1). The Slash figure will be available at mass retailers in July. ...

Paris Hilton is seeking to trademark her name, according to an application she filed in July with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, which revealed that she has a logo she'd like to use in conjunction with any products she releases — a tiara with a monogrammed "P" on it. Her father had previously filed an application in May seeking a Paris Hilton trademark to use on fragrances and body-care products. Both trademark requests are pending review. ... Jewel is working on an animated series for Nickelodeon called "Punk Rock Angel Girl." She's currently developing it with playwright Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, who's written the adventures of the Fantastic Four for Marvel Comics as well as the comic-book adaptation for "Spider-Man 2." ...

As the Raveonettes were plugging away on their next album in a New York studio, the Danish duo were honored by a visit from former Velvet Underground drummer Moe Tucker, who recorded five tracks for the group's follow-up to last year's Chain Gang of Love. ... Following their stint on the Warped Tour, Bad Religion have lined up a fall tour with Rise Against that begins October 14 in Dallas. The band continues to support its latest album, The Empire Strikes First, which dropped in June. ...

Blondie are releasing a live album on both CD and DVD this fall. "Live by Request" was taped May 7 in New York for the "Live by Request" television program, and includes such songs as "One Way or Another," "Rip Her to Shreds," "Call Me," "Hanging on the Telephone" and "Rapture." The DVD will include four bonus performances that didn't air on the broadcast, including an acoustic take on "The Dream's Lost on Me." The CD and DVD are due out September 14. ... Aerosmith's Steven Tyler is the narrator of a new Talking Street walking tour called "Boston: City of Rebels and Dreamers." The walking tour includes the site of the Boston Massacre, Fenway Park and the Big Dig, and beginning this week, those interested in learning more about Beantown can dial their cell phones in order to access info on the sites narrated by hometown boy Tyler. ...

Galactically inspired M83 will make their maiden voyage to North America this fall. On September 13 in Philadelphia, the French electronic duo will begin a weeklong tour in support of their recently re-released debut record, Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts. The pair's as-yet-untitled follow-up album is due to land in January. ...

8.31.2004

Though Haylie Duff has the rights to the song, Paris Hilton is plunging forward with her plans to release "Screwed" as well. She told MTV News that she's cutting a more rock version of the track and is shooting a video for it with director David LaChapelle, for whom she threw a pre-VMA party in Miami's South Beach. Hilton also said she's been working with the Black Eyed Peas on some tracks for her forthcoming album. ...

Britney Spears and her mother, Lynne, have contributed a family recipe for seafood pasta to celebrity cookbook "Star Palate," which benefits the Marsha Rivkin Center for Ovarian Cancer Research and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. "Both Britney and I are committed to doing whatever we can to help further research for this devastating disease, and were honored to support this project in a significant way," the singer's mother said in a statement. The book, which will hit shelves in October, will also include how-to's from Tori Amos, Anastacia, Billy Joel and Alice Cooper, as well as from noted chefs. ... Rancid bassist Matt Freeman is joining Social Distortion as a touring member, replacing longtime member John Maurer, who's left the band. Social Distortion's tour — with Tiger Army in tow — starts September 24 in Corpus Christi, Texas. ...

Sum 41, Fat Joe with Terror Squad, the Donnas and Fabolous are all slated to perform at the Gravity Games, which will be held over two nights in Cleveland on September 17-18. The Donnas and Sum 41 will play Friday, while Fabolous and Fat Joe will play Saturday. The Gravity Games will air on the Outdoor Life Network on September 20 at 9 p.m. ET. A highlight program on CBS will air on September 26. ... One of Ray Charles' many memorable concerts, this one with a full symphony, is being released on DVD. "Ray Charles Live - In Concert With the Edmonton Symphony" was shot in Edmonton, Alberta, in Canada in 1981 and features the late musician performing such songs as "Georgia on My Mind," "I Can't Stop Loving You" and "I Can See Clearly Now." It'll be out on September 21. ...

The Wu-Tang Clan will release their first greatest-hits album on October 26. Wu-Tang Clan's Greatest Hits will include 16 tracks from the group's four albums, including "C.R.E.A.M.," "Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing Ta F' Wit," "Triumph," and "It's Yourz," as well as three rare tracks. ... Moby, Chuck D, Lou Reed, Joan Osborne and a host of others took the stage on Monday night — otherwise known as the opening night of the Republican National Convention — at New York's Beacon Theatre for a concert in support of Planned Parenthood. ...

Duran Duran hope to tell their story in an upcoming tome called "Please, Please Tell Me Now." According to their book proposal, they would chronicle the group's adventures, such as "Nick Rhodes' little-disclosed relationship with Andy Warhol and his bloody bedroom games with Elizabeth Hurley through Simon LeBon's torrid affair and courtship of the model Yasmine to Andy Taylor's journey into the fleshpots of Ibiza." The book would be written in collaboration with rock journalist Stephen Davis. ... The reunited Tears for Fears are planning to release their first album since 1989's The Seeds of Love on September 14. Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith are calling the LP Everybody Loves a Happy Ending; songs include "Closest Thing to Heaven," "Call Me Mellow," "Who Killed Tangerine?" and "Last Days on Earth." ... John Lennon's 1975 album Rock 'n' Roll, which featured him covering songs by Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly, is being reissued on September 27. The new version includes four remastered versions of Lennon's rock covers, and new photography in the liner notes. …

• Nick Carter
• A Perfect Circle
• The White Stripes
• Mötley Crüe
• Velvet Revolver

Lindsay Lohan (file)
Photo: Michael Gibson

Lindsay Lohan's mother told People magazine that her actress/singer daughter has exchanged "promise rings" with her boyfriend, Wilmer Valderrama. "Wilmer's a sweetheart," Dina Lohan said. "He is very protective. He's basically Lindsay's first boyfriend. ... They're living publicly. They're going to make mistakes. They're going to have fights. It's normal behavior." For his part, Valderrama told the magazine that his relationship with Lindsay is "about trust." "She's a smart girl," he said. "She knows what's good for her." ...

50 Cent's G-Unit Clothing Company is releasing a line of women's wear. The company will launch its G-Unit Women's collection at the end of this month, with such items as T-shirts and blazers making their debut in stores this winter. The line, geared toward women ages 16-26, is for the female who is "street-refined with a definite taste for the better things in life," according to the line's creative director. ... Can't wait until October 19 for Korn's Greatest Hits Volume 1 to hit stores? Good news: The release date for the 19-track album, which features covers of Cameo's "Word Up" and Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall, Parts 1, 2, 3," has been pushed ahead two weeks and will now hit stores on October 5. ...

A Perfect Circle plan to release a collection of songs on Election Day about war, peace, love and greed. eMOTIVe will feature new material as well as covers of John Lennon's "Imagine," Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" and Fear's "Let's Have a War." One of the new songs, "Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums," will coincide with an animated video poking fun at Bush. "Remember, every single vote counts," singer Maynard James Keenan said in a statement Thursday (August 26). "It is important for us all to engage this political system and to be conscious of who is being chosen to speak for us. If you choose not to be involved with decisions that affect your life on a daily basis, in our opinion, you forfeit your right to complain about it later. Think for yourself. Question authority." ...

Tommy Lee is enrolling in college, and he's bringing a camera crew with him. Lee is teaming with NBC for an as-yet-untitled reality show that will chronicle his adventures going back to school. Details, such as which school he'll be attending, have not been announced. Lee's autobiography, "Tommyland," is due in October. ... Alice Cooper made a few comments to the media about the Vote for Change Tour being "treason" during a Canadian stop of his tour, and is now saying that his remarks were misinterpreted. "When I said that rock stars doing concerts for presidential candidates were guilty of treason, I clearly said treason against rock and roll, meaning against the spirit of rock and roll, not against the president or the government or the U.S.A.," Cooper said in a statement Thursday. "I said that people shouldn't vote for a presidential candidate just because a rock star says so, and that's true whether it's Bruce Springsteen or Alice Cooper." ...

Radiohead have remixed "Go to Sleep," from last year's Hail to the Thief, to benefit War Child, an organization that provides aid to children injured or misplaced in conflicts around the globe. The song, recorded live in Osaka, Japan, and reworked by Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood, can be purchased for download at Warchildmusic.com starting September 9. ... The new album from Austin, Texas' ... And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead has been pushed back until early 2005, despite it being completed since July. In other Trail of Dead news, according to a statement by lead singer Conrad Keely, the band has split with bassist Neil Busch because of his "severe health problems." ... Cake will launch their first headlining tour in three years October 5 in Los Angeles to promote Pressure Chief, which hits stores that day. The outing, with Northern State opening, wraps October 24 in Chicago. ...

Guster, Travis and Sixpence None the Richer's Leigh Nash are among the acts who have recorded covers of '70s songs for the soundtrack to the WB series "Everwood." Due October 19, the album will also feature previously released covers from Jason Mraz, Throwing Muses' Kristin Hersh and Stereophonics. ... Tantric had been wanting to record a cover for months but were undecided on a song. Singer Hugo Ferreira suggested turning on the radio and doing the first tune they heard. That was Fleetwood Mac's "The Chain," and now Tantric's cover has become the theme song for HBO's new series "Family Bonds," about bail bondsmen and bounty hunters, premiering September 19. Tantric, meanwhile, are hitting the road next month to promote their recently released album, After We Go. ...

8.25.04

Lions and tigers and Kermits, oh my?! A Muppets version of "The Wizard of Oz" has landed Ashanti to play the lead role of Dorothy, while Queen Latifah will be her Auntie Em. Other key parts of the Scarecrow, Tin Man, Cowardly Lion and Wicked Witch of the West will be played by Kermit, Gonzo, Fozzie and Miss Piggy. The made-for-TV movie also features a cameo by "Kill Bill" director Quentin Tarantino. ...

The recording industry is instituting new awards to recognize downloads. Beginning Monday, artists who have sold at least 100,000 downloaded singles will earn a gold award, while 200,000 or more downloaded tunes will receive a platinum award. Among those presently eligible are Outkast, Beyoncé, Black Eyed Peas, Jay-Z, Usher, P. Diddy, Jessica Simpson, D12 and No Doubt. ... And while it applauds the artists who do legitimate business in the digital world, the recording industry continues to take aim at those who traffic in copyrighted files on the wrong side of the law. A new round of copyright-infringement lawsuits target 744 users of peer-to-peer platforms including eDonkey, Limewire, Grokster and Kazaa. ...

Producer Phil Spector, charged with the murder of actress Lana Clarkson, has a new legal team again. Bruce Cutler, best known for representing mob boss John Gotti, has replaced Leslie Abramson, who told reporters, "If we wanted to be ethical and competent, we had to resign." ... The World Music Awards, usually held in Monte Carlo, are moving to Las Vegas this year and will be broadcast live September 15 on ABC. Usher, Alicia Keys, Kanye West, Celine Dion and Josh Groban have all signed on to perform. ...

Ruben Studdard and Kimberly Caldwell will guest on the new FOX sitcom "Related by Family." Their episode, which airs in January, stars the former "American Idol" contestants as employees at a fast-food restaurant who break out into song praising the food. ... Just coming off the Warped Tour, Taking Back Sunday will continue to pound the pavement in support of their second album, Where You Want to Be. Following a few European shows, a fall tour will begin September 12 in San Francisco and end November 28 in Philadelphia. ...

The Beastie Boys have added a dozen dates to their fall tour, including shows in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Philadelphia and Atlanta. The outing now runs until October 23 in Dallas, but more dates are still expected to be announced. The New York rappers will perform at an MTV2 Lifebeat benefit in Miami on Saturday before the tour kicks off on September 8 in Morrison, Colorado. ... A cross-section of artists and musicians, including Pearl Jam, Queensrÿche, comedian David Cross, Mudhoney, X's John Doe, and Grant-Lee Phillips are on board for the No Vote Left Behind Festival, taking place September 23-26 in venues all around Seattle. Proceeds from the festival will benefit the Democratic National Committee and other political action groups. ...

Want the Material Girl to get your cell phone into the groove? Madonna's now offering ring tones for sale on her Web site, along with other licensed mobile content like pictures of her striking a pose. Credit cards aren't necessary for the $2 tones, just a mobile phone number and handset type. Currently available tones include "Lucky Star," "Open Your Heart," "Beautiful Stranger," "Live to Tell" and "Frozen," among others. ... Fountains of Wayne, Godsmack, Guster, Howie Day, Aerosmith, Dropkick Murphys and Mission of Burma scored nominations for Album of the Year at the 17th annual Boston Music Awards. The ceremony will be held September 29 at the Avalon Ballroom in Boston. ...

U.N.K.L.E.'s second album, Never, Never, Land, will finally see a U.S. release on October 26. Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme, Pulp's Jarvis Cocker, Massive Attack's 3D, South's Joel Cadbury, Ian Brown and Brian Eno are among the guests on the album. ... Ben Kweller is slated to open for Incubus on the band's A Crow Left of the Murder tour, beginning September 24 in Memphis, Tennessee. His three-week stint ends October 12 in Richmond, Virginia. ... Mos Def and the Spirit Music Sextet will be performing at Central Park's Delacorte Theater in New York on Friday. The Emmy nominee will feature special guest Me'Shell Ndegeocello. ...

Kyle Gass, one half of Tenacious D, will be taking his side project Trainwreck out on the road starting next month. The band, which also features "Alias" actor Kevin Weisman on drums, kicks off its tour September 5 at the Moe Down Festival in Turin, New York. ... Fresh from their set at Little Steven's Underground Garage Festival, the New York Dolls will release a live album as an import on September 27. Pre-Crash Condition was recorded at London's Meltdown festival earlier this year. A DVD will complement the concert LP. ... Iconic rocker Bob Dylan will release "Chronicles: Volume One," the first in a planned three-book series of first-person narratives about his life and career, on October 12, according to Reuters. The first installment, which is 304 pages, will be followed one week later by a new edition of the collection of lyrics to almost every Dylan song, "Lyrics: 1962-2001." ...

• Lindsay Lohan
• 50 Cent
• Korn
• A Perfect Circle
• Alice Cooper

Courtney Love's Los Angeles sentencing for the misdemeanor drug charge of being under the influence of a controlled substance has been pushed back from Friday (July 16) to August 6. The charge stems from an October 8 incident outside the home of her ex-boyfriend/manager. Love is currently being treated in an undisclosed facility. ...

Metallica will make every show from their recent European tour, except Paris, available for download the first week of August on www.livemetallica.com. Like all the other downloads on the site, the shows will be available as FLAC files for $12.95 per show and MP3 files for $9.95. The band originally planned to post the shows in mid-July, but that didn't leave enough time to remix the recordings. ... Incubus have added new shows to their current tour with Sparta, which now runs through November 12 in Richmond, Virginia. Incubus are supporting A Crow Left of the Murder, which came out February 3. ...

Hoobastank are giving fans another reason to get excited. The band, in conjunction with Winterfresh, is offering one lucky fan the opportunity to win a pair of tickets to see the group live in Orlando, Florida, and meet the band after the show. For more information on the contest, which runs through July 25, check out the band's Web site. ... Linkin Park will release a package containing a DVD, comic book and T-shirt on July 27. The disc will contain the animated music video for "Breaking the Habit" and behind-the-scenes footage, and the comic and T-shirt will be illustrated in an anime style reminiscent of the animation in the video. ...

A Perfect Circle bassist Jeordie White will guest on guitar with the garagey metal band Burning Brides on several dates of their North American tour, which runs through August 31 in Atlanta. ... The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion have shortened their name to Blues Explosion, and they're readying a new disc, Damage!, for release on September 28. The album was produced by a variety of talent including DJ Shadow, David Holmes, Dan the Automator, Steve Jordan and Alan Moulder. Public Enemy's Chuck D guests on the record. ...

Want a piece of Flea, Vince Neil, James Hetfield, New Found Glory or Richie Sambora? Those artists as well as professional skateboarders Tony Hawk and Paul Rodriguez and assorted actors and snowboarders have lent jackets and/or guitar straps to watchmakers Nixon to use for the upcoming LTD Collection. Proceeds from the one-of-a-kind watches will go entirely to the Musicians' Assistance Program, which helps musicians recover from drug and alcohol addiction. The collection will hit 10 stores worldwide in late summer, including Fred Segal in Los Angeles and Barneys in New York. ...

A three-disc collection of Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music called The Platinum Collection will be released on August 24. The package will feature 45 songs including "Love is the Drug," "Dance Away" and "Avalon." The collection will include songs from Ferry's last two solo albums As Time Goes By and Frantic. ... Los Angeles indie rockers Earlimart have set a September 28 release date for their album, Treble & Tremble. Granddaddy's Jim Fairchild produced the record along with frontman Aaron Espinoza. ...

07.15.04

The Latin Grammy nominations have been announced, and Rita, Spanish singer Alejandro Sanz and Cuban pianist Bebo Valdés were the most-nominated performers with four nods each. Former Menudo singer Robi Draco Rosa garnered a few nominations, while pop singer Paulina Rubio was nominated for Best Female Pop Album and Ricky Martin received a nod for Best Male Pop Album. The fifth annual Latin Grammy Awards ceremony will take place September 1 in Los Angeles. ...

Ludacris will appear on the season debut of Comedy Central's "Crank Yankers" on Tuesday. He'll help kick off the show's third season with a crank call to Def Jam's president. ... Shawnna, of Luda's Disturbing Tha Peace crew, finally has her debut album slated for release. Worth Tha Weight will hit stores on September 14. A video for her first single, "Shake That Sh--," will be shot in the coming weeks. ...

Hilary Duff's fella in "A Cinderella Story" is getting hitched. Chad Michael Murray and his "One Tree Hill" co-star Sophia Bush have gotten engaged. "She's perfect," he told USA Today. "She keeps me inspired, and she complements me very well." The pair apparently got engaged two months ago when Murray was in Australia shooting a remake of "House of Wax" with Paris Hilton. They plan to get married sometime next year. ... Filmmakers Quentin Tarantino and Sofia Coppola are officially dating now, according to their joint publicist. ...

PBS is offering Phish one last stand. The band's first feature-length television program, "IT: A Phish Concert Special," follows 60,000 fans who trekked to a weekend-long festival in Limestone, Maine, marking the end of the group's summer 2003 tour. The 90-minute special will air on August 2 at 10 p.m. ET. ... Björk is preparing to release her first studio album since 2001's Vespertine. Medulla, due August 31, sees the Icelandic chanteuse collaborating with the likes of Mike Patton and singing over beats provided by former Roots member Rahzel. ...

For Queens, New York, rapper Grafh, waiting turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Grafh was in the class of MCs that included 50 Cent, Joe Budden and Juelz Santana who had a strong buzz on the mixtapes in 2002 and dropped their debut LPs in 2003. Well, if you're wondering why you never heard Grafh's LP, that's because he was in class but didn't graduate. Although he recorded at least an album's worth of material, he could never see eye-to-eye with his label, Sony Music. In the wake of his release from Sony, Grafh has just inked a deal with Roc-A-Fella Records and will finally release an LP through Blackhand Entertainment/ Roc-A-Fella, maybe as early as January. He's already completed six new tracks with the Roc's in-house producers. ... Mo' money, no problems. Lil' Mo has inked a new recording deal with Cash Money Records and is already in the studio working. Her CMR debut, titled Syndicated, is set for release in October. ...

Queen Latifah has joined up with Cover Girl for the first-ever cosmetic record label, CG Vibes. Atlantic Records has signed on to distribute the label's first release, a collection of songs by Brandy, the Corrs, Sugar Ray, the Donnas and Ryan Cabrera. Latifah, who's on the disc as well and is acting as the label's spokesperson, is hosting a launch party for the imprint Thursday (July 15) at New York's Boulevard's Crash Mansion. The CD compilation will be available on Tuesday, with proceeds benefiting women engaged in public service. ... Jewel has signed on to perform at Summer Party, a philanthropic event held by AIDS Project Los Angeles, on July 24 at Paramount Studios. Limited VIP tickets are $150; general admission tickets are $85 at www.apla.org. ...

Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine has been hit with an $18.5 million suit filed by the band's former bassist David Ellefson. In his suit, filed in Manhattan Federal Court, Ellefson claims that Mustaine cheated him out of profits, withheld merchandise and publishing royalties and backed out of a deal to turn Megadeth Inc. over to the bassist when the band broke up in 2002. ... Blondie will release Blondie: Singles Box on August 10. The set will feature the new wave band's hits, B-sides and previously unreleased tracks. ...

"Ghost Rider," the book that Rush drummer Neil Peart wrote about his motorcycle trip across North America, may be made into a motion picture. Scabeba Entertainment, a company run by Cathy Rich, the daughter of late jazz drummer Buddy Rich, has bought the film and TV rights to the story and plans to work on the film after the completion of a movie about the life of her father. ... The Music have more music in them — the British rock group has been working with producer Brendan O'Brien for its next album, due October 19. An early taste of the new Music will be available on Monday, when a track called "Welcome to the North" will be posted for download on the band's Web site, www.themusic.uk.com. ...

• Courtney Love
• Metallica
• Incubus
• Hoobastank
• Linkin Park

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

A Perfect Circle Live In New York City

• A Perfect Circle