Zac Efron
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images

Zac Efron is doing fine after having his appendix removed Tuesday (January 15), according to People.com. The star — who recently signed on for "High School Musical 3" — was rushed to Los Angeles' Cedars-Sinai Medical Center after suffering from appendicitis, TMZ.com reports. "Zac had his appendix removed and is recuperating," the actor's representative, who was not named, reportedly said in a statement. ...

A very revealing photo of Heidi Montag graces the new cover of Maxim, and for the accompanying interview, she also revealed to the mag that she wants to be the next Madonna. "But it's not like with most pop artists, where they have a song sent to them that has nothing to do with their emotions or lives," she insisted about her yet-untitled, in-the-works LP. "It's all about me and my life. I'm taking my time to make sure it's a classic. I don't want to be the next pop person who's in or out. I want to be like Michael Jackson, Madonna, Stevie Wonder — all the greats." Montag also dished on new parents Nicole Richie and Joel Madden recalling that one time they "came up to [Montag's fiance,] Spencer [Pratt,] and me at the Beverly Hills Hotel [in California] and started yelling something Spencer said about Nicole in an interview, like, two years ago. ... Joel was yelling, 'You've been talking sh-- about my girl!' " ...

Madden has blogged on the Web site for his clothing company, DCMA, about arriving home with his and Richie's daughter, who was born on Friday. "Well I am finally home with my beautiful girlfriend and our brand new little daughter," the Good Charlotte frontman wrote. "Harlow Winter Kate Madden was born on January 11th 2008 at 3:13 p.m. She weighed in at 6 pounds and 7 ounces. She is 19 inches long and growing everyday already! She really is a wonderful addition to the GC/DCMA/DEADEXEC family. We are so blessed to have this beautiful little baby in our lives. I want to thank everyone for all the love and kind words they've sent our way. We apologize we weren't accepting gifts/cards/calls at the hospital, but if you'd like to send something, we'd rather you make a donation to the Richie-Madden Foundation, which we started in Harlow Winter's honor. She looks so much like her mom it's crazy! She eats like a little maniac and she's really sweet. She barely ever cries, even when daddy is changing her diaper, and believe me I suck when it comes to diapers, but I'm learning! I can't wait to show off some pictures, until then, THANKS!! and GOD BLESS... Joel." ...

From an "Umbrella" to a handbag: Rihanna has made a match with Marc Jacobs as she and the fashion designer have partnered to produce a new pair of purses named after the leggy singer. The two models are available as a part of Jacobs' spring line. ... Missy Elliott has stepped up with two new tunes for the February 5 soundtrack to "Step Up 2 the Streets." The MC's "Ching-A-Ling" — which is already sizzling in the streets — and "Shake Your Pom Pom" will appear on the soundtrack, and might resurface on her yet-untitled new LP, due in May. The soundtrack also features Cassie, who stars in "Step Up 2 the Streets," as well as T-Pain, Flo Rida, Trey Songz, Plies and Scarface. ...

Twista has inked a deal with Koch to release a project with his longtime group, the Speedknot Mobstaz. The Mobstaz's forthcoming sophomore album, Mobstability II: Nation Bizness, is set to feature Jim Jones and production by Cuzzo and China White Productions. ... The Grammys will not be getting a free pass from the Writers Guild of America. The Los Angeles Times reports that the Grammys have not asked for a special waiver to allow striking Guild employees to work on the show, but even if they did request one, it would not likely be granted. In addition, a number of top musicians who also have Screen Actors Guild cards, including Justin Timberlake and Queen Latifah, are being lobbied by the WGA not to attend the February 10 show, according to AdAge.com. ...

In a $35 million lawsuit filed on Monday, Victory Records claimed that Virgin/EMI "improperly induced" Hawthorne Heights to disregard their contract with the independent Chicago label. In a news release on the suit, Victory also claimed that Virgin/EMI paid $55,000 to the band, which used the money to fund the initial phase of a 2006 lawsuit against Victory, and helped the bandmembers search for a music-industry lawyer to help them with their legal action. "The facts alleged in this case demonstrate classic interference with contractual and business relations," Victory lawyer Robert Meloni said. "They did more than merely offer a carrot to the band, but also saddled the horse, paid for a rider to take the reins, and led it out of the barn." The suit seeks $10 million in compensation and $25 million in punitive damages for Virgin/EMI's "willful, wanton and deliberate conduct." Victory maintains that HH owe the label two more albums, but the band, which lost guitarist Casey Calvert in November after a fatal drug interaction, has vowed not to record for Victory again. ...

Rancid fans, time to grow those Mohawks back — the band started recording new material in a California studio on Monday. The punks' yet-unnamed follow-up to 2003's Indestructible is due later this year, on guitarist Brett Gurewitz's Epitaph/Hellcat label, of course. ... Tiger Army have welcomed an old comrade back into their ranks. Stand-up-bass player Geoff Kresge, who toured with the psychobilly band from 1999-2004 — and who also has a stint with AFI on his résumé — replaces Jeff Roffredo, who "left the band on good terms to pursue other interests," according to a press release from the band's publicist. Tiger Army hit the road earlier this week and have a heap of shows planned for throughout the year. ...

Now that Marilyn Manson and Twiggy Ramirez have reconciled, what better way to celebrate than with some concerts? Manson has tacked on a few more to his upcoming trek, which starts Saturday in Orlando, Florida. The newly added gigs will be staged in Phoenix (February 27); Dallas (February 29); Austin, Texas (March 1); and Houston (March 2). Veteran rock act Ours will be the opening act on the tour, according to Pollstar.com. ... Here's a novel idea: Yellowcard are giving fans who buy the rockers' Live From Las Vegas at the Palms release an early chance at getting tix to one of their upcoming shows. The iTunes exclusive will be available starting January 22, and fans who snatch it up before January 29 will get a Ticketmaster code allowing them to nab up to four tickets for the band's trek, which starts March 7 in Salt Lake City and ends April 12 in Los Angeles. From Las Vegas at the Palms immortalizes Yellowcard's show at the Palms Casino Resort's Pearl venue in October. ...

EMI — home to Coldplay, the Rolling Stones and other acts — will slash a third of its work force, or 1,500-2,000 jobs, over the course of the next months, multiple outlets reported Tuesday. According to the Web site for England's Telegraph, the reunited Verve could be the next major group to withhold its upcoming album in light of the major-label shake-up. The paper reports that the Verve may join Robbie Williams and Coldplay in threatening to hold onto their next albums unless they receive assurances about the company's financial health and how their albums will be marketed. The company's new boss, Guy Hands, was reportedly to be grilled by the managers of some of the label's top acts on Tuesday as he revealed plans for streamlining the company. ...

"American Idol" judge Randy Jackson is known for name-dropping, but his new album, Music Club Vol. 1, might finally back up some of his boasting. Jackson's upcoming solo album, due March 11, will feature pals ranging from Mariah Carey and Joss Stone to Jason Mraz, former "Idol" contestants Elliott Yamin and Katharine McPhee and country star Travis Tritt. Fellow judge Paula Abdul will be featured on "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow," her first new recording in more than a decade. Last week, TVGuide.com reported that Jackson and Abdul had been rehearsing a video for the single, and that she was in talks to perform it at the Super Bowl on February 3. Also included on the album are Van Hunt, Three 6 Mafia, Angie Stone, Richie Sambora and Keb' Mo'. ...

My Morning Jacket are going big time: The longhaired Kentucky rockers will headline a show at New York's Radio City Music Hall on June 20. The band's yet-untitled album will drop 10 days earlier. ... Noise Pop just got a bit noisier. The Walkmen, the Dodos, MSTRKRFT, Stellastarr and the Helio Sequence have climbed onto the roster for the San Francisco fest, which is happening February 26-March 2. Jamie Kennedy's comedic documentary "Heckler" — which features George Lucas, Rob Zombie, David Cross and others — will open the Film Festival portion of the event. ... Carla Bruni has been making headlines lately amid her high-profile romance with French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Now the chanteuse can parlay that attention into promotion for the wide release of No Promises, an album that is currently only available Stateside on iTunes and at Barnes & Noble stores. The disc — which is being issued through Downtown Records, home to Gnarls Barkley and Spank Rock, and pays tribute to English-language literary legends — will hit retail stores nationwide February 19.

1.14.08

Nearly six years after the alleged sex tape first surfaced, the court proceedings in the R. Kelly case continue to move at a snail's pace. The prosecutors originally sought to have testimony from one expert witness, Dr. Sharon Cooper, cover several different areas — the age of the girl on the tape based on forensic pediatrics, the identification of the man on the tape based on the vein pattern on his hands, and the behavior profile of the girl based on the psychology of child sex-abuse victims. Judge Vincent Gaughan had previously ruled that Dr. Cooper could testify about the victim's age, but not the behavior profile, so prosecutors had asked him to reconsider. At a hearing on Monday (January 14), Gaughan ruled once again that Dr. Cooper would not be able to testify about why the girl in the case would deny that she was a victim, or how common denial is in sex-abuse cases. Kelly is due back in court March 12 for another pre-trial hearing, while the trial itself is slated to start on May 9. ...

And the Wu-Tang Clan infighting goes on. U-God — who complained about RZA being callous toward him in the studio nearly four years ago — is now suing Wu's label, alleging that he is owed $170,000, according to TMZ.com. U-God (born Lamont Hawkins) reportedly filed papers in a New York district court, alleging that Wu Music owes him money for services rendered dating back to March of last year. Wu Music is licensed to Universal Music. ...

Paula Abdul doesn't just have the seventh season of "American Idol" on her mind these days. "I want kids!" the singer recently told Ladies' Home Journal for its February issue. "If it doesn't happen naturally, I can always adopt." The 45-year-old Abdul opened up even more about her personal life, saying of 32-year-old boyfriend J.T. Torregiani, "I've experienced real loneliness, so I love knowing there's someone I can share the good and the not-so-good with." ... Everyone's wondering how the seventh season of "Idol" is going to fare in light of some retooling and the writers' strike, but if you ask Chris Daughtry, the show is "in a state of decline." The Daughtry frontman recently spoke with RollingStone.com about the show, adding that if it doesn't right itself, "it's probably not gonna last too much longer. I'm sure that'll be used against me, but that's the truth, you know?" He also said the show is "definitely lacking some credibility at this point." ...

White Stripes, Foo Fighters, Kings of Leon, Mark Ronson, Klaxons, Arctic Monkeys, Kaiser Cheifs and recent MTV Artist of the Week Kate Nash have all landed Brit Award nominations, although Leona Lewis, Mika and Take That have scored the most, with four apiece. Rihanna, Ronson, Kaiser Chiefs, Kylie Minogue and Paul McCartney are slated to perform at the February 20 ceremony. ... R.E.M. have pulled the curtains back on a new Web site surrounding the April 1 release of their 14th studio album, Accelerate. Their NinetyNights.com Web site has daily high-definition-video snippets shot by Arcade Fire collaborator Vincent Moon ...

Björk attacked a newspaper photographer who was attempting to take her picture at the Auckland International Airport on Sunday, according to reports in the New Zealand press. The singer, who was flying in to perform at the Big Day Out concert on Friday, reportedly ripped New Zealand Herald photographer Glenn Jeffrey's shirt after he snapped a photo of her. Jeffrey told the New Zealand Press Association that he was warned by a man traveling with Björk not to take her picture, and once he did, the singer came up behind him, grabbed the back of his shirt and tore it before tumbling to the ground. In 1996, Björk attacked a reporter in an airport in Bangkok, Thailand, after she objected to being photographed. ... The Walkmen and White Rabbits will hop along the U.S. this month for nine shows. On the itinerary are Pittsburgh (Wednesday); Detroit (Thursday); Milwaukee (Friday); Madison, Wisconsin (Saturday); Chicago (Sunday); St. Louis (January 21); Columbus, Ohio (January 22); Philadelphia (January 23); and Baltimore (January 24). ...

For the first time in 25 years, former Clash members Mick Jones and Topper Headon reportedly shared the same stage at a gig by Jones' new band, Carbon/Silicon. The duo performed "Train in Vain" and "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" during the set. ... Megadeth have recruited Chris Broderick (Nevermore, Jag Panzer) to be their newest guitarist, following the recent departure of Glen Drover. Broderick will make his live debut with the band on February 4, at a gig in Finland. ...

Quiet Riot drummer Frankie Banali said the band will not be revived following the late November death of frontman Kevin DuBrow. In an online statement, Banali claims he had been "approached to see if I would be interested in contacting Rudy Sarzo and Carlos Cavazo and to audition singers for Quiet Riot." He said that he's even fielded an offer to re-form "the version of Quiet Riot that included Paul Shortino, Carlos Cavazo and Sean McNabb." But Banali rejected any suggestions of the band performing live. "My friendship, love and respect for Kevin DuBrow, as well as my personal love and affection for Kevin's mother and his family, makes it inconceivable for me to ever entertain any ovation to re-form or to continue Quiet Riot," he wrote. "It would also be a disrespect to the fans who have supported [the band] for nearly 25 years." ...

Roger Avary, the Oscar-winning co-writer of "Pulp Fiction," was arrested on Sunday after a fatal single-car crash in Ojai, California. According to a Reuters report, Avary, 42, was charged with vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence, and was released from jail after posting $50,000 bail. Andreas Zedini, a 34-year-old passenger in the car, died of his injuries at a local hospital. Avary's wife, Gretchen, 40, was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries after being thrown from the car.

• Heidi Montag Poses For Maxim

• Good Charlotte
• Justin Timberlake
• Queen Latifah
• Hawthorne Heights
• The Verve

R. Kelly leaves court in December
Photo: Tasos Katopodis/ Getty Images

Nearly six years after the alleged sex tape first surfaced, the court proceedings in the R. Kelly case continue to move at a snail's pace. The prosecutors originally sought to have testimony from one expert witness, Dr. Sharon Cooper, cover several different areas — the age of the girl on the tape based on forensic pediatrics, the identification of the man on the tape based on the vein pattern on his hands, and the behavior profile of the girl based on the psychology of child sex-abuse victims. Judge Vincent Gaughan had previously ruled that Dr. Cooper could testify about the victim's age, but not the behavior profile, so prosecutors had asked him to reconsider. At a hearing on Monday (January 14), Gaughan ruled once again that Dr. Cooper would not be able to testify about why the girl in the case would deny that she was a victim, or how common denial is in sex-abuse cases. Kelly is due back in court March 12 for another pre-trial hearing, while the trial itself is slated to start on May 9. ...

And the Wu-Tang Clan infighting goes on. U-God — who complained about RZA being callous toward him in the studio nearly four years ago — is now suing Wu's label, alleging that he is owed $170,000, according to TMZ.com. U-God (born Lamont Hawkins) reportedly filed papers in a New York district court, alleging that Wu Music owes him money for services rendered dating back to March of last year. Wu Music is licensed to Universal Music. ...

Paula Abdul doesn't just have the seventh season of "American Idol" on her mind these days. "I want kids!" the singer recently told Ladies' Home Journal for its February issue. "If it doesn't happen naturally, I can always adopt." The 45-year-old Abdul opened up even more about her personal life, saying of 32-year-old boyfriend J.T. Torregiani, "I've experienced real loneliness, so I love knowing there's someone I can share the good and the not-so-good with." ... Everyone's wondering how the seventh season of "Idol" is going to fare in light of some retooling and the writers' strike, but if you ask Chris Daughtry, the show is "in a state of decline." The Daughtry frontman recently spoke with RollingStone.com about the show, adding that if it doesn't right itself, "it's probably not gonna last too much longer. I'm sure that'll be used against me, but that's the truth, you know?" He also said the show is "definitely lacking some credibility at this point." ...

White Stripes, Foo Fighters, Kings of Leon, Mark Ronson, Klaxons, Arctic Monkeys, Kaiser Cheifs and recent MTV Artist of the Week Kate Nash have all landed Brit Award nominations, although Leona Lewis, Mika and Take That have scored the most, with four apiece. Rihanna, Ronson, Kaiser Chiefs, Kylie Minogue and Paul McCartney are slated to perform at the February 20 ceremony. ... R.E.M. have pulled the curtains back on a new Web site surrounding the April 1 release of their 14th studio album, Accelerate. Their NinetyNights.com Web site has daily high-definition-video snippets shot by Arcade Fire collaborator Vincent Moon ...

Björk attacked a newspaper photographer who was attempting to take her picture at the Auckland International Airport on Sunday, according to reports in the New Zealand press. The singer, who was flying in to perform at the Big Day Out concert on Friday, reportedly ripped New Zealand Herald photographer Glenn Jeffrey's shirt after he snapped a photo of her. Jeffrey told the New Zealand Press Association that he was warned by a man traveling with Björk not to take her picture, and once he did, the singer came up behind him, grabbed the back of his shirt and tore it before tumbling to the ground. In 1996, Björk attacked a reporter in an airport in Bangkok, Thailand, after she objected to being photographed. ... The Walkmen and White Rabbits will hop along the U.S. this month for nine shows. On the itinerary are Pittsburgh (Wednesday); Detroit (Thursday); Milwaukee (Friday); Madison, Wisconsin (Saturday); Chicago (Sunday); St. Louis (January 21); Columbus, Ohio (January 22); Philadelphia (January 23); and Baltimore (January 24). ...

For the first time in 25 years, former Clash members Mick Jones and Topper Headon reportedly shared the same stage at a gig by Jones' new band, Carbon/Silicon. The duo performed "Train in Vain" and "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" during the set. ... Megadeth have recruited Chris Broderick (Nevermore, Jag Panzer) to be their newest guitarist, following the recent departure of Glen Drover. Broderick will make his live debut with the band on February 4, at a gig in Finland. ...

Quiet Riot drummer Frankie Banali said the band will not be revived following the late November death of frontman Kevin DuBrow. In an online statement, Banali claims he had been "approached to see if I would be interested in contacting Rudy Sarzo and Carlos Cavazo and to audition singers for Quiet Riot." He said that he's even fielded an offer to re-form "the version of Quiet Riot that included Paul Shortino, Carlos Cavazo and Sean McNabb." But Banali rejected any suggestions of the band performing live. "My friendship, love and respect for Kevin DuBrow, as well as my personal love and affection for Kevin's mother and his family, makes it inconceivable for me to ever entertain any ovation to re-form or to continue Quiet Riot," he wrote. "It would also be a disrespect to the fans who have supported [the band] for nearly 25 years." ...

Roger Avary, the Oscar-winning co-writer of "Pulp Fiction," was arrested on Sunday after a fatal single-car crash in Ojai, California. According to a Reuters report, Avary, 42, was charged with vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence, and was released from jail after posting $50,000 bail. Andreas Zedini, a 34-year-old passenger in the car, died of his injuries at a local hospital. Avary's wife, Gretchen, 40, was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries after being thrown from the car.

1.11.08

Mary J. Blige has a love-hate relationship with her fans, she reveals in the new issue of Vibe, out Tuesday. They don't seem to like her when she's happy — but she doesn't want to be dark and depressed just to make them happy. "When I took the chance to show people I can be happy, I lost a million of my fans," she told the magazine. "I was like, 'I'm gonna have to lose y'all in order for us to live, because if I keep going down this dark hole, we're all gonna die together. I'm gonna slit my wrists or take some pills, and it's gonna be over." That's why Blige feels obliged, more than ever before, to write love songs that she dedicates to her husband. "That's my buddy, my best friend, my business partner," she said. "He's got my back like nobody's ever had my back. I feel like God used him to come and pull me together." Also getting Mary's back is Bill Cosby's wife, Camille, who helped inspire the themes on Blige's Growing Pains. "Bill Cosby called me like, 'My wife loves you! She says there's a song you need to write about love,' " Blige tells the magazine. "I finally called Bill back and said, 'We got the record.' He says, 'Mrs. Cosby will be so glad to hear that.' I damn near cried." ...

Wyclef Jean is being sued for copyright infringement by Blahz of New York rap squad Blahzay Blahzay, who is alleging that an unauthorized sample appears on the former Fugee's latest solo effort, Carnival Vol. II: Memoirs of an Immigrant, according to XXL. The suit, which was filed last month, reportedly claims Wyclef used a sample from Blahzay Blahzay's hit song "Danger" on his tune "Welcome to the East" but didn't clear the sample or credit the group. Blahz did say in a statement, however, that he was contacted by Wyclef's people over use of the sample, XXL reports. ...

Jessica Alba, Katie Holmes and Rosario Dawson celebrated the 10th anniversary of V-Day, a worldwide effort to stop violence against women and girls, at a private luncheon on Thursday, according to The Associated Press. A two-day event commemorating the anniversary will reportedly be held in April at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. ... While we're talking Superdomes, TVGuide.com reports that Paula Abdul is in talks to perform live at the Super Bowl on February 3. She is reportedly rehearsing a music video for a duet with "American Idol" peer Randy Jackson, and the song is due to be the first single from Jackson's forthcoming solo LP, Music Club Vol. 1. According to TVGuide.com, footage from the Super Bowl performance will be folded into the video if Abdul does indeed perform at the football extravaganza. Tom Petty is headlining the Super Bowl halftime show. ...

Daughtry are working on the follow-up to their self-titled LP — which was the biggest-selling disc on the Billboard 200 during the December 2006-November 2007 chart year. "Some songs are coming out a little heavier than the last record, and some songs are just way more beautiful," frontman Chris Daughtry told Gibson.com about the new material. ... Paris Hilton has been named Woman of the Year by college comedy magazine The Harvard Lampoon. Hilton will accept the award February 6 at Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and speak to the student body. ...

Does Marilyn Manson reconciling with Twiggy Ramirez remind you of Robert Plant reuniting with Jimmy Page? Probably not, but the Antichrist Superstar recently told RollingStone.com that the Led Zeppelin comeback gig spurred him to make amends with Ramirez. "The turning point for me was when I went to see Led Zeppelin's reunion show, and I saw Jimmy Page and Robert Plant look at each other for a moment, and they probably said, 'Holy sh--, we wrote "Stairway to Heaven." ' ... I want to look at Twiggy and go, 'Holy sh--, we wrote "The Beautiful People." ' I called him, and I said, 'Let's go do this.' " How modest. ... Zooey Deschanel swung by NPR Southern California affiliate KCRW's "Open Road" recently, during which it was revealed that the actress is cobbling together an album with singer/songwriter M. Ward, with whom she has performed in concert in the past. According to ThePlaylist.com, the album — the name of which has yet to be revealed — will drop in March via Merge Records. ...

Gnarls Barkley frontman Cee-Lo made a guest turn recently on "The Boondocks" as Reverend Rollo Goodlove. Cee-Lo's character lends his support to Huey's hunger strike against BET and narrates the entire episode, which skewers several of the network's top execs. A preview of the show appears on YouTube with a note stating the original airdate was Monday, but the show hasn't aired yet. ... Jill Scott announced dates for her Real Thing tour on Friday (January 11). The recent NAACP nominee (Best Female Artist and Best Actress) will hit the stage on multiple nights in Oakland, California (February 7-8); Atlanta (February 22-23); and Baltimore (February 26-27), as well as play a four-night stand in Washington, D.C., beginning March 11. The run ends March 30 in Birmingham, Alabama. ...

Funnyman Patton Oswalt has been tapped to host this year's Plug Independent Music Awards, which will also feature performances by indie folkie José González and St. Vincent, the solo project by Polyphonic Spree guitarist Annie Clark. The ceremony will be held March 6 in New York. ... The Take Action Tour is getting even more charitable. Do Something, a nonprofit group that helps teens fight discrimination and homelessness, is partnering with the trek to offer three $500 grants to young people looking to make change in their neck of the woods. Go here for more info on the Take Action Grants. ... Fiery Furnaces got some sad news recently when Olga Sarantos, the grandmother of two of the indie-rock group's members, passed away, according to BrooklynVegan.com. Sarantos was heard telling tales of her youth on the band's 2005 disc, Rehearsing My Choir.

• R. Kelly
• Björk
• Frankie Banali
• Quiet Riot
• The Clash

Quiet Riot's Kevin DuBrow
Photo: Chris Farina/ Getty Images

Two weeks after news of his death first made headlines, the autopsy results on late Quiet Riot frontman Kevin DuBrow — who was found in his Las Vegas home November 25, dead at age 52 — were released Monday (December 10), according to The Associated Press. DuBrow reportedly died of an accidental cocaine overdose.

The wire service claims Clark County coroner spokeswoman Samantha Charles confirmed the cause of death following the receipt of toxicology results, also on Monday.

DuBrow's death was ruled accidental, and according to a spokesperson for the Las Vegas police department, there were no signs of forced entry at the home, and police have not suspected foul play.

According to those close to the singer, DuBrow celebrated his birthday the month before in New Orleans and seemed to be in good health.

Shortly after DuBrow's death, Quiet Riot bassist Kelly Garni asked fans to be patient and not rush to assumptions.

"I ask this to all of you not only for myself but for other friends and family," Garni wrote in a message posted on a Web site honoring the memory of Quiet Riot founding member Randy Rhoads. "I ask that no one here offer any speculation or opinions, theories or other things that could be construed as negative or, and I'm sorry for this, even sympathetic, right at this immediate time. I am already, within hours of this, having to deal with untrue rumors and speculation and that only adds fuel to that. There is a tendency for the subject of Kevin to incite flames on every board, and now is not the time for that. I will explain to everyone here the facts and the truth in the next 24 to 48 hours as I realize this will affect us all. So please, until then, be patient. All details and other pertinent info will be passed on to you here when it becomes available to me."

Many other fellow rockers and fans — including Glenn Hughes, Nikki Sixx and others — shared fond memories of DuBrow following his death.

Credited with helping to launch the 1980s glam-metal scene, Quiet Riot are perhaps best known for their cover of Slade's "Cum on Feel the Noize," which appeared on 1983's Metal Health and eventually peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album is widely considered the first by a metal band to reach the chart's #1 position.

Rhoads formed Quiet Riot in 1975, but the group split four years later when he left to join Ozzy Osbourne's band (Rhoads died in a plane crash in 1982). DuBrow launched his own band, called DuBrow, and later reverted to the Quiet Riot name.

While Metal Health put Quiet Riot on the map, the band's subsequent releases weren't as well-received. Not helping the situation were some of DuBrow's comments: During the '80s, the singer was notorious for deriding contemporary metal bands in interviews and even lashed out at the press and the band's label. Toward the conclusion of the band's 1987 tour, DuBrow was fired from Quiet Riot; he was left behind in a hotel, while the rest of the band took an earlier flight. However, Quiet Riot's career with new singer Paul Shortino met with even less success.

The members gradually reunited under the Quiet Riot moniker in the early '90s and continued to tour and record consistently until DuBrow's passing. In 2004, DuBrow released a collection of covers as his first solo LP, In for the Kill.

• Quiet Riot
• Kevin Dubrow (Quiet Riot)

Quiet Riot singer Kevin DuBrow
Photo: Larry Marano/Getty Images

Original Quiet Riot bassist Kelly Garni posted a statement online Wednesday describing the details of how he learned about the death of Kevin DuBrow, his friend and the band's singer, and again asked fans to withhold speculation on what might have caused the 52-year-old singer's passing.

"I want to thank everyone who refrained from jumping to conclusions and starting rumors," wrote Garni, who has spent his years since leaving the band as a professional photographer. He explained that at around 3:15 p.m. Sunday he got a call from the security company that handles DuBrow's home. "I am the only one who gets a call whenever his alarm goes off and usually I go to his house and let the guards in to check things out," he said. "However, Kevin had had his front doors replaced a few weeks ago and I did not yet have a key, so I told them to send the guards and if there was a problem I would go there and take care of it. They also told me that Kevin's voicemail was full. That was the first sign of trouble to me."

Garni said he called Quiet Riot drummer Frankie Banali to see if DuBrow was with him, but Banali said he hadn't talked to the singer for more 10 days and that he was likely with a girlfriend. Banali gave Garni the woman's number and, when he called, she told him that DuBrow had missed Thanksgiving dinner with her — apparently she was one of two different women DuBrow had planned to spend Thanksgiving with — and that she had gone to his house and left him multiple messages but had gotten no response, adding that she "had a very bad feeling about this."

While speaking to the woman, Garni said he heard from Banali on another line that DuBrow was dead. He was also speaking to another of DuBrow's girlfriends at around the same time, Lark Williams. She, too, was worried about DuBrow and had asked a paramedic friend of hers to check on the singer. "The guy happened to be very close to his house," Garni said. "With Lark on the phone, the guy went to Kevin's and was looking into windows and told Lark he could see his keys on the counter. Lark told him to break in immediately. It was a very ballsy and good thing she did. The guy broke in (hence the call from the alarm company) and found Kev. This all happened in about 20 minutes' time. From there, police, fire, everybody was called. He was found in bed. I talked with a detective who was there and they hadn't even removed Kevin yet. He said, 'We have found no signs of foul play and are ruling this an accidental death.' "

Garni said DuBrow's brother told him a funeral service was being planned for this Sunday in Corona del Mar, California, where DuBrow will be buried next to his father. However, those plans may change. The coroner has not yet finished the inquest into DuBrow's death.

"The last time I saw him was on our mutually shared birthday, October 29," said Garni, who, like many who worked with DuBrow, said he had a rocky but loving relationship with the singer. "He gave me a big hug and a really great present.

"The best present, though, was the hug."

• Quiet Riot

Kevin DuBrow
Photo: Larry Marano/Getty Images

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Quiet Riot
• Mötley Crüe
• Poison
• Black Sabbath
• Annihilator (Metal)

Quiet Riot singer Kevin DuBrow
Photo: Chris Farina/ Getty Images

Quiet Riot singer Kevin DuBrow died Sunday, drummer Frankie Banali confirmed in a post on his Web site. DuBrow was 52 years old and the official cause of his death has yet to be determined, pending autopsy and toxicology results.

"I can't even find words to say," Banali wrote. "Please respect my privacy as I mourn the passing and honor the memory of my dearest friend Kevin DuBrow."

DuBrow's body was discovered on Sunday inside the rocker's Las Vegas home; police were called to the residence by a concerned neighbor, and DuBrow was pronounced dead at 5:20 p.m. According to those close to the singer, DuBrow celebrated his birthday last month in New Orleans and seemed to be in good health. According to a spokesperson for the Las Vegas police department, there were no signs of forced entry at the home, and police do not suspect foul play.

Quiet Riot bassist Kelly Garni has asked fans to be patient for details on the singer's death.

"I ask this to all of you not only for myself but for other friends and family," Garni wrote, in a message posted to a Web site honoring the memory of Quiet Riot founding member Randy Rhoads. "I ask that no one here offer any speculation or opinions, theories or other things that could be construed as negative or, and I'm sorry for this, even sympathetic, right at this immediate time. I am already, within hours of this, having to deal with untrue rumors and speculation and that only adds fuel to that. There is a tendency for the subject of Kevin to incite flames on every board, and now is not the time for that. I will explain to everyone here the facts and the truth in the next 24 to 48 hours as I realize this will affect us all. So please, until then, be patient. All details and other pertinent info will be passed on to you here when it becomes available to me."

Bill Chavis, owner of Chavis Records, the label that issued Quiet Riot's last LP, 2006's Rehab, also confirmed the news.

"DuBrow's body was found by friends on Sunday, November 25, in his Las Vegas home," reads the label's site. "As I mourn his death with a heavy heart, I will remember hearing his voice and the music for the very first time on the radio back in 1983. I will remember all the great music Kevin and Quiet Riot gave to so many of us over the years and I will say, 'Thank you, Kevin. May you rest in peace.' "

Credited with helping to launch the 1980s glam-metal scene, Quiet Riot are perhaps best known for their cover of Slade's "Cum on Feel the Noize," which appeared on 1983's Metal Health and eventually peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album is widely considered the first by a metal band to reach the chart's #1 position.

Rhoads formed Quiet Riot in 1975, but the group split four years later when he left to join Ozzy Osbourne's band (Rhoads died in a plane crash in 1982). DuBrow launched his own band, called DuBrow, and later reverted to the Quiet Riot name.

While Metal Health put Quiet Riot on the map, the band's subsequent releases weren't as well-received. Not helping the situation were some of DuBrow's comments: During the '80s, the singer was notorious for deriding contemporary metal bands in interviews and even lashed out at the press and the band's label. Toward the conclusion of the band's 1987 tour, DuBrow was fired from Quiet Riot; he was left behind in a hotel, while the rest of the band took an earlier flight. However, Quiet Riot's career with new singer Paul Shortino met with even less success.

The members gradually reunited under the Quiet Riot moniker in the early '90s and continued to tour and record consistently until DuBrow's passing. In 2004, DuBrow released a collection of covers as his first solo LP, In for the Kill.

[This story was originally published at 12:24 p.m. ET on 11.26.2007]

• Quiet Riot

A St. Paul, Minnesota, security company filed a lawsuit against Fred Durst on Monday seeking $49,663 in workers' compensation the company had to pay to a security guard the Limp Bizkit singer allegedly kicked in the head during a 1999 concert. Durst, who was arrested after the incident but later saw the charges against him dismissed, settled a civil lawsuit brought by the guard for $100,000 in April 2000. ...

Eminem joined Obie Trice onstage Sunday at Detroit's State Theatre to celebrate Tuesday's release of Trice's Cheers. The duo performed the "8 Mile" soundtrack cut "Love Me," the "Cradle 2 the Grave" soundtrack song "Go to Sleep" and Cheers' "Lady." ... The building that houses P. Diddy's studio Daddy's House, which has given rise to LPs by Notorious B.I.G., Mase and Diddy himself, is reportedly in the process of being sold for $36 million. ...

Following the second successful year of the Bonnaroo Music Festival, an album and DVD commemorating the event are on the horizon. The 23-song double LP Live From Bonnaroo, featuring tracks from festival headliners the Dead, the Allman Brothers Band, Jack Johnson, Flaming Lips and Sonic Youth, is due September 30. The home video 270 Miles From Graceland — Bonnaroo 2003 will drop October 21. ... The British branch of the Universal Music Group has posted a 45-minute documentary on the making of the Metallica video for "Frantic" on the Web site www.thedevelopmentline.co.uk/clients/metallica/franticGame. The footage can be viewed after answering a brief questionnaire. ... Meanwhile, Metallica will play a New Year's Eve show in Las Vegas at the Hard Rock Hotel's 1,400-seat club the Joint. ...

In March, Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey will begin recording the first Who album in 21 years, according to a post on Townshend's Web site. The material will be based on the guitarist's recently completed story "The Boy Who Heard Music." ... It's a marriage made in heaven. On Monday, Russell Simmons' Hip-Hop Summit Action Network and Vince McMahon's WWE announced that they have started the "Two Million More in 2004" campaign. The nonpartisan movement is aiming to register 2 million or more potential voters in the 18-30 age range. ...

Restaurant bible Zagat has moved from food to music with the first "Zagat Music Guide," rating and reviewing the best 1,000 albums of all time, thanks to a 10,656-person survey. Four Beatles albums made the cut for the most popular albums, with Bruce Springsteen's Born to Run taking the top slot. Coldplay, Norah Jones, the Strokes and the White Stripes were included in the top albums of the 2000s. The guide also features the best music for making out, breaking up, driving, working out and cocktail parties. ... The chiropractic industry is sure to soar after the MTV2 Headbangers Ball Tour rolls into town. With headliners Killswitch Engage, Lamb of God and Shadows Fall, the 24-date trek begins October 28 in Montreal and runs through December 3 in New York. The tour commences exactly three weeks after the MTV2 Headbangers Ball album drops. ...

U2's Bono and his two daughters contributed 16 illustrations to a booklet to accompany an updated musical interpretation of the classic children's tale "Peter and the Wolf." The proceeds from the enhanced CD, recorded by Gavin Friday and Maurice Seezer, will go to the Irish Hospice Foundation. The project is slated for release October 3. ... The Ataris and Vendetta Red will embark on the VW Music Ed Tour, which kicks off October 3 in Villanova, Pennsylvania. The 20-city outing wraps November 6 in Claremont, California. ...

Former House of Pain main man Everlast is planning to release his fourth solo album on the Island Def Jam label early next year. The as-yet-untitled effort follows 2000's Eat At Whitey's. ... Three new Flaming Lips songs will appear on the group's forthcoming seven-song EP, Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell, set for release November 18. The holiday song "A Chance at Christmas (Say It Isn't So)," two remixes of "Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell" and one of "Do You Realize??" round out the set. ...

Wilco, Bright Eyes, Spoon and Super Furry Animals are among the bands lending their talents to the third volume of The Amos House Collection, a series that benefits the Rhode Island charity that helps disenfranchised families get back on their feet. The double-disc set is scheduled for release in December. ... As if her pint-sized figure doesn't already speak volumes about Australian pop star Kylie Minogue, she's decided to name her next album Body Language. The follow-up to last year's Fever is due February 10. "Slow" will serve as the LP's first single in the U.K., surfacing November 3. A U.S. single has yet to be determined. ...

Black Sheep's Dres and Mista Lawnge have reunited and are cooking up a new LP. The duo are still gathering beats for a project they hope to release next year. Black Sheep are best known for their hit "The Choice Is Yours," from their 1991 album, A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing. ... Quiet Riot have reached condition critical. After 28 years of heavy metal madness, the Los Angeles band has decided to quit rioting, drummer Frankie Banali said. On their Web site, www.quietriotforce.com, the band has posted an image of a face peering through a welder's mask and the message: "1983-2003. To our fans: Thank you for 20 years of rock & roll." The comment suggests the band considered its 1983 major-label debut, Metal Health, to be its first record, even though the group had been bashing around the club scene since 1977. ... Fresh from the Sprite Liquid Mix Tour, O.A.R. have lined up a fall trek to support their latest album, Between Now and Then. The six-week outing begins October 17 and culminates with a pair of shows at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom on November 28 and 29. ...

9.22.2003

For those whose weeks would not be complete without the tiniest tidbit of Bennifer buzz, the couple was spotted Monday afternoon (September 22) at probate court in the Liberty County Courthouse, near Savannah, Georgia. It's not known what exactly Jennifer Lopez, Ben Affleck and his brother Casey Affleck were doing there — Ben told paparazzi he was there to get a hunting permit — but that kind of court handles, among other matters, name changes, estate settlements, prenuptial agreements and marriage licenses, though a court spokesperson said that a marriage license was not applied for. Affleck's spokesperson didn't know of the incident when asked, and Lopez's rep didn't return calls by press time. ...

Two separate court dates have been set for Busta Rhymes, stemming from an incident last December during a performance. Celine Giguere, a 21-year-old woman from Rhode Island, claims Busta assaulted her from the stage after she reached up and placed her hand on the rapper's chin, and she filed misdemeanor assault and battery charges against him. Busta, meanwhile, responded by filing a separate assault charge against Giguere. Both trials are set for January 22 in Falls River District Court in Massachusetts. ... A security guard testified in the C-Murder murder trial on Thursday that there was "no doubt in my mind" that the rapper pulled the trigger that killed 16-year-old Steve Thomas. The guard told the Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, court that although he didn't see the rapper with a weapon, he did see sparks from a pistol and heard a bang. The guard said that he saw C-Murder, whose real name is Corey Miller, fighting with Thomas, and that he tried to break up the fight, but was too late. He admitted that he originally made up a false description of the killer "because of fear. I was afraid for my life." ...

The Diary of Alicia Keys, the sophomore album from the hip-hop soul singer, has now been pushed to a December 2 release date. It will include the song "Streets of New York," featuring Nas and Rakim, which has been floating around on mixtapes the last few weeks. ... Ex-Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth canceled the remaining three weeks of his tour following an onstage accident that occurred Wednesday in Glenside, Pennsylvania. The overzealous singer was swinging the mic stand over his head during the encore of "Jump" when he conked himself in the head, opening a gash above his eye. Roth was taken to the hospital, where he received 21 stitches. ...

Bay Area punks Rancid will support their just-released sixth album, Indestructible, with a North American tour that begins October 1 in New York. Confirmed dates run through November 22 in Toronto. Following the domestic jaunt the band will head to Japan. ... Actor Adrien Brody, NBA player Kevin Garnett, Redman, Farnsworth Bentley and Faith Evans were among the celebrities who hit Los Angeles' House of Blues on Saturday night for the second date of the Seagram's Gin Live Tour starring Carl Thomas and Lil' Mo. The 25-city trek commenced Friday night in San Francisco and ends on October 25 in Miami. ...

Incubus guitarist Mike Einziger, banjo star Bela Fleck and the Kronos Quartet are among the guests featured on Nelly Furtado's new album, due November 25 and recently re-titled Folklore. The first single, "Powerless (Say What You Want)," is due at radio outlets in early October. ... Timbaland and Magoo have pushed their LP, Under Construction II, back to November 18. Their new single is called "Indian Flute" and features Tim's younger brother Sebastian. ...

Jurassic 5's beefy, baritone rapper Chali 2na will rejoin the Los Angeles Latin funk group Ozomatli for their next album, Street Signs, due in February. When J5 were still a relatively local L.A. act, Chali provided vocals for both groups, but in 1998 he opted to concentrate on Jurassic full-time. Ozomatli will hit the road for a 20-city trek on October 2 in support of their EP Coming Up, which will hit stores Tuesday. ... The Streets, Floetry and Cody Chesnutt have been added to the Shortlist Awards Concert October 5 at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles. The acts join fellow nominees Interpol, Bright Eyes, Damien Rice, Cat Power and Black Keys on the bill. ...

The Adolescents, the Bronx and Youth Brigade are among the bands slated to perform at the Jack Grisham for Governor Awareness Rally October 5 at the Henry Fonda Theater in Los Angeles. Grisham's band T.S.O.L., whose Divided We Stand is due Tuesday, will also perform. ... Slipknot's 1999 home video "Welcome to Our Neighborhood" will be released on DVD on November 18. The disc includes live versions of "Surfacing" and "Wait and Bleed," the video for "Spit It Out" and seven minutes of bonus concert footage filmed during one of the band's 100 Ozzfest appearances. ...

Lana Clarkson, the B-movie actress who was found dead in producer Phil Spector's mansion in February, was killed from gunshot wounds to her head and neck that were inflicted by another person, according to a ruling the Los Angeles County coroner's office released Monday. The report took eight months to investigate and has been passed along to the Los Angeles County district attorney's office, which is expected to make a decision on what charges to bring against Spector this week. ... Backstreet Boy Kevin Richardson, along with Keith McGuffey, is composing the original soundtrack for a CGI animated film called "The Spirit Bear." The film, about the journey of a bear cub, is currently in preproduction and is being targeted for a spring 2006 release date. ... Boo & Gotti are ready to release the second single from their Perfect Timing LP. The new track, "Baby Girl," features TQ. ...

• Limp Bizkit
• Eminem
• Jack Johnson
• The Who
• Everlast

What's up, metallers? How's everything going? Iann Robinson here. It's been awhile since I wrote — thanks to the VMAs — but I'm back, and all is well. The biggest story right now is the crap that went down with Darkest Hour while they were out on tour. Apparently the band was in Toronto playing a gig at Club Rockit when its van was broken into. Thieves got away with $12,000 in cash (the band hadn't had a chance to deposit while on the road) as well as CD players, their tour manager's prescription drugs and other personal items. The band has set up a donation jar at shows and may also do a benefit show to recoup the money, most of which was owed to their merch guys, soundman and other folks who work for them. For more on how you can help, check out their Web site. Well, that's it for me. Have a good week, and I'll see you at the shows.

A long-delayed Quiet Riot DVD titled "Quiet Riot Live in the 21st Century — 20 Years of Metal Health" is now scheduled for release October 7. ... The new King Diamond CD, The Puppet Master, will hit stores on October 28. The CD will contain a bonus disc of King Diamond telling the story of the Puppet Master in full makeup. ... Disfear, the new offering from At the Gates/ the Crown frontman Tomas Lindberg, have released their debut album, Misanthropic Generation, on Relapse Records. ...

Hammerfall guitarist Oscar Dronjak is still recovering from a broken arm caused by a motorcycle accident that already forced the Swedish power metal band to cancel a U.K. festival appearance. Doctors have told him it will take at least another six weeks for to recover, according to a post on the band's Web site. ... Like Darkest Hour, Hopesfall were also recently victimized by thieves. The band's practice space was broken into, according to their record label, and someone made off with a custom drum kit, guitar cabinets, amplifiers and more. ...

Madball have signed to Thorp Records for a four-song EP due in January. The EP boasts three new songs as well as "Pride" re-recorded in Spanish. It will also have enhanced footage with interviews. ... Veteran death metal pioneers Cannibal Corpse will commemorate their 15th anniversary as a band with 15-Year Killing Spree, a box set consisting of two greatest-hits discs, a disc of rare material (including their demo and the unreleased Created to Kill album) and a live DVD that will include, among other performances, Cannibal's first gig back in 1989. The set is due November 4. ...

Despite previously announcing plans to take a hiatus from the road, Skinlab have accepted an invitation to join Slayer, Hatebreed and Arch Enemy for a handful of November dates on the upcoming Jägermeister Tour. "It's a childhood dream come true," frontman Steev Esquivel wrote on the band's Web site. "We were just saying to ourselves the other day ... 'If we could only go on tour with Slayer!' Then bam, the phone rings." ... Kingdom Come entered the studio on August 28 to begin recording a new album. ...

Morbid Angel have shot a video for "Enshrined by Grace" with U.K. director Peter Bridgewater. The group — whose new record, Heretic, hits September 23 — has been added to this fall's Blackest of the Black Tour, with Danzig, Superjoint Ritual, DevilDriver and Behemoth. ... Walls of Jericho are busy recording All Hail the Dead, the reformed Michigan band's first album since 2000's The Bound Feed the Gagged. ...

Following an appearance at the recent Las Vegas Metalfest, reformed death metal legends Suffocation will spend a large chunk of the fall preparing a new album for Relapse Records, the label that issued the group's debut back in 1991. ... Soilent Green have returned from an East Coast tour with Lickgoldensky and have resumed writing material for their next album, the follow-up to 2001's A Deleted Symphony for the Beaten Down, which is expected to surface next year. Meanwhile, the band's friends and fellow Louisiana natives Skinkrawl have launched a new Web site, skinkrawl.com, and will launch a 17-day East Coast tour next month. ...

Dutch label Hammerheart, home to bands like Dismember, Monstrosity, Skyfire and Severe Torture, is changing its name to Karmegeddon Records. ... On the heels of their most recent split late last year and two "reunion" appearances at festivals, Zao have officially reformed and are working on new material while negotiating with a new label. The current lineup includes drummer Jesse Smith, guitarists Russ Cogdell and Scott Mellinger, bassist Rob Horner, and singer Dan Weyandt. ...

Metalcore band the Promise, which includes ex-members of Another Victim and Santa Sangre, lost personal belongings and all of their equipment when their van was suddenly engulfed in 25-foot flames near the Arizona/California border. No one was hurt, and the band's road mates in Bane and other friends have pitched in to help them continue their tour. ... English black metal band Akercocke have hired renowned U.K. rock photographer Fin Costello to shoot the cover of their new album, Choronzon, due November 4. Costello has previously shot cover art for Ozzy Osbourne's Bark at the Moon and Rush's Permanent Waves. ...

Polish acrobatic death metal band Decapitated have finished recording a new album tentatively titled The Negation. Due in February, it was recorded at Hertz Studio in Poland. Tracks include "The Negation," "Three-Dimensional Defect," "The Fury" and "Sensual Sickness." ... Children of Bodom's fourth album, the nine-track Hate Crew Deathroll, will be released September 23. In November the Finnish group will tour North America with Dimmu Borgir, Nevermore and Hypocrisy. ...

Texas band Pissing Razors will release their fifth record, Evolution, on September 23. The disc will be their first with new vocalist Andre Acosta. Before hitting the road with Pissing Razors, guitarist Matt Difabio will tour with side project Single Bullet Theory in support of their new disc, 666. ... Danish power metal band Mnemic will release their debut, Mechanical Spin Phenomena, on September 23. The disc was recorded in March at AntFarm Studios in Denmark and produced by Tue Madsen (Haunted, Grope). ...

—By Iann Robinson, Ryan J. Downey, Robert Mancini and Jon Wiederhorn

• Cannibal Corpse
• Quiet Riot
• Kreator
• Skinlab
• King Diamond

Poison's<BR>Bret Michaels
Photo: Poisonweb.com

It's a good thing Spandex stretches, as metalheads of yesteryear will want to dust off that skintight attire and ready the hairspray for the summer's Glam Slam Metal Jam 2001 — an extensive, 41-date tour featuring Poison, Warrant, Quiet Riot and Enuff Z'Nuff, among others.

Scheduled to kick off May 23 in Amarillo, Texas, the quadruple bill heads through the South before swinging through the Northeast in early July, according to a Poison spokesperson. Confirmed dates for the trek end north of the border, August 5 at Minnedosa, Manitoba's Little River Rockfest, a four-day festival that also includes fellow retro hitmakers Styx, Survivor, the Knack and Dr. Hook, according to a Rockfest spokesperson. More dates are expected to be added to the outing, the Poison spokesperson said.

Selected dates will feature Mötley Crüe's Vince Neil, Great White and the Bulletboys, the spokesperson confirmed.

Poison are touring with original members singer Bret Michaels, drummer Rikki Rockett, bassist Bobby Dall and guitarist C.C. DeVille behind last summer's Power to the People, their eighth studio album. The group's recently recorded new single, "Rock Star," can be heard on their official Web site, www.poisonweb.com. On June 5, Poison make their DVD debut with Greatest Video Hits, a collection of videos, interviews and backstage footage.

Warrant toured with Poison in 1990, and singer Jani Lane, guitarist Erik Turner and bassist Jerry Dixon are hoping to revisit that outing's old glory. The band is putting the finishing touches on its fifth studio album, expected to be released in September, according to their manager.

Quiet Riot — with the Metal Health lineup of 1983 — Kevin DuBrow (vocals), Rudy Sarzo (bass), Carlos Cavazo (guitar) and Frankie Banali (drums) — will release their 10th full-length LP, Guilty Pleasures, on May 29, according to Banali. Enuff Z'Nuff are touring in support of their 10th and most recent album, last year's 10. The Glam Slam Metal Jam 2001 itinerary, according to Poison's spokesperson:

• 5/23 - Amarillo, TX @ Amarillo Coliseum
• 5/24 - El Paso, TX @ El Paso County Coliseum
• 5/26 - Schertz, TX @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre (w/ Vince Neil, Great White and the Bulletboys)
• 5/27 - Spring, TX @ C.W. Mitchell Pavilion (w/ Vince Neil, Great White and the Bulletboys)
• 5/28 - Dallas, TX @ Smirnoff Music Centre
• 5/30 - Pelham, AL @ Oak Mountain Amphitheatre
• 5/31 - Atlanta, GA @ HiFi Buys Amphitheatre
• 6/2 - West Palm Beach, FL @ Mars Music Amphitheatre
• 6/3 - Tampa, FL @ Ice Palace
• 6/5 - Charlotte, NC @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
• 6/6 - Raleigh, NC @ Alltel Pavilion @ Walnut Creek
• 6/7 - Virginia Beach, VA @ Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater
• 6/9 - Bristow, VA @ Nissan Pavilion
• 6/10 - Hershey, PA @ Hersheypark Amphitheater
• 6/13 - Wilmington, DE @ Kahuna Club/Kahunaville
• 6/15 - Hartford, CT @ ctnow.com Meadows Music
• 6/16 - Saratoga Springs, NY @ Performing Arts Center
• 6/17 - Darien Center, NY @ Darien Lake Six Flags P.A.C.

• 6/19 - Manchester, NH @ Singer Family Park
• 6/20 - Scranton, PA @ Coors Light Amphitheater @ Montage Mountain
• 6/22 - Green Bay, WI @ Oneida Casino
• 6/23 - West Fargo, ND @ Red River Valley Fair
• 6/27 - Bonner Springs, KS @ Sandstone Amphitheatre
• 6/29 - Bottineau, ND @ Wild Rose Ridge Amphitheatre
• 7/1 - Milwaukee, WI @ Marcus Amphitheatre
• 7/3 - Tinley Park, IL @ New World Music Theatre
• 7/4 - Clarkston, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theatre
• 7/6 - Wantagh, NY @ Jones Beach Amphitheater
• 7/7 - Mansfield, MA @ Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts
• 7/8 - Holmdel, NJ @ P.N.C. Bank Arts Center
• 7/19 - Cuyahoga Falls, OH @ Blossom Music Center
• 7/20 - Toronto, ON @ Molson Amphitheatre
• 7/21 - Columbus, OH @ Polaris Amphitheater
• 7/22 - Burgettstown, PA @ Post-Gazette Pavilion @ Star Lake
• 7/24 - Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center
• 7/25 - Noblesville, IN @ Verizon Wireless Music Center
• 7/27 - Dubuque, IA @ Dubuque County Fair
• 7/28 - Maryland Heights, MO @ Riverport Amphitheatre
• 7/29 - Antioch, TN @ AmSouth Amphitheatre
• 8/04 - Huron, SD @ South Dakota State Fair
• 8/05 - Minnedosa, MB @ Little River Rockfest

• Poison
• Warrant
• Quiet Riot
• Enuff Z'nuff

Quiet Riot singer Kevin DuBrow has been arrested for failing to pay off a concert goer who sued him five years ago, but the veteran metal rocker is pleading poverty.

• Quiet Riot