Rachael Ray poses with a fan at SXSW 2008
Photo: Sarah Kerver/Getty Images

Just call it Rachael's revenge.

One year after she set the blogosphere on its collective ear by invading the indier-than-thou confines of South by Southwest with her own party — and then shocking everyone when that party actually turned out to be pretty good — Rachael Ray is at again, with plans for another SXSW soiree.

While details are still limited, a source close to the event told MTV News that Ray is looking to throw an "expanded" party at this year's South By, tentatively scheduled for the afternoon of Saturday, March 21. Last year's party was held at Austin, Texas' Beauty Bar, but no location has been determined for this year's event.

The source said that "10 to 12" bands could be booked for Ray's SXSW party (last year's bill featured the Raveonettes, Holy F--- and the Cringe, the band fronted by her husband, Jon Cusimano), and while not all the acts have been confirmed, we hear that a couple of fairly huge names — the Hold Steady and the Airborne Toxic Event — have already committed to play.

The source also added that another "big name" will be added in the coming days.

Ray will work out all the kinks at a SXSW pre-party, scheduled for February 25 at Andrew WK's NYC spot Santo's Party House. Semi-Precious Weapons, the Orion Experience and the Cringe top the bill.

Last year, Ray told MTV News that she didn't understand why so many people were upset by her SXSW plans, saying "people think I'm like this food robot or something, but music is a huge part of my life." But she also admitted that — due to her busy schedule — her SXSW party would probably only be a one-and-done affair.

"I have so many commitments and so many jobs that it'd be really hard for me to sneak out and do this again next year," she said. "So this might just be a one-time thing. And to be honest, the food is more of what I care about."

Looks like she found some time in that schedule after all.

• The Hold Steady
• The Raveonettes

Rachael Ray
Photo: King World

Attention bloggers, indie snobs and all forms of Internet naysayers: Rachael Ray does not have time for your hateration.

And that is a very good thing, especially considering the storm of controversy the TV host and "30 Minute Meals" mogul kicked up last month when she announced plans to throw a day party at the South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas. It seems the holier-than-thou music community didn't take too kindly to her invading their most sacred of sacred cows (or maybe they just weren't fans of EVOO), and they let her know about it through a series of snarky posts and general unpleasantness, the point of which seemed rather lost on the celebrity chef herself.

"I'm not aware about what blogs were saying about me," Ray told MTV News on Tuesday (March 4). "To be honest, I have five jobs, so I'm aware of what I have to do for them when we get up in the morning. But I don't see why we'd be out of place down there, when we're just fans of music who decided to put on a show. I guess if they don't like good music, and they don't like good food, they don't have to go."

So there! If you're not a fan of acts like the Raveonettes, the awesomely named Holy F--- or the Cringe (the band fronted by Ray's husband, John Cusimano), or if you don't want to try some of Rachael's South by Southwest Seven-Layer Sliders or Austin Mac and Cheese Suizas, then don't bother attending her SXSW party, which, incidentally, will be held March 15 at the Beauty Bar in Austin.

And for those wondering whether or not Ray actually listens to Holy F---, well, the answer is yes. Sort of. In fact, she finds it rather difficult to understand why people are amazed that she's an indie-rock fan.

"My husband and I listened to a bunch of discs and picked our favorites," Ray explained. "We also have Sirius, so we're always listening to the Left of Center program, which is how we heard the Raveonettes. With a band like [Holy F---], I have to say that it was the name that got us listening. But we're glad we did. They're pretty good.

"And I don't understand why that's so surprising. I find it weird that they find it weird. People think I'm like this food robot or something, but music is a huge part of my life," she continued. "I'm a huge fan of rock music in general — all kinds. I like indie stuff, my favorite band is the Foo Fighters. When I first met my husband, he told me what he made for dinner the night before, and I thought, 'OK, well, he can cook.' And then he told me he had a band and I was like, 'Aw, jeez. I hope they're good,' because I couldn't deal with someone who didn't play good music."

So, if her SXSW soirée is successful, will Ray consider taking it on the road to other indie-centric events, like Coachella or CMJ? Or has the blogger backlash proven to be too much for her? Well, to be honest, if she does throw another party, it'll have more to do with her schedule clearing up, and less to do with what a few message-board meanies have to say about her.

"I have so many commitments and so many jobs that it'd be really hard for me to sneak out and do this again next year," Ray sighed. "So this might just be a one-time thing. And to be honest, the food is more of what I care about."

• The Raveonettes

The Raveonettes
Photo: Columbia

Last October, the Raveonettes' tour manager went to where the band's van was supposed to be parked in Brooklyn, New York, but it wasn't there — and neither was the Raveonettes' equipment.

Gone were frontman Sune Rose Wagner's vintage guitars, including the prized '61 Jazzmaster he had used to write all his songs for the past 12 years. Gone were Sharin Foo's basses. Gone were the drums, the amps, the pedals, all the gear that they needed for a show that very night, for an upcoming tour with Depeche Mode, and to record the next album.

"Suddenly, we just didn't have anything," Foo said. "Sune was having a nervous breakdown. We were devastated."

Even now, six months after the theft, the Raveonettes are still struggling with getting their insurance company's claims adjusters to give them approval to replace their gear. While this is being sorted out, they've done a little soul-searching to figure out how they were going to start anew.

"When something like this happens, you're forced to sit down and really talk about, what's the status of this band?" Foo said. "Where do we really want to go? It's kind of a therapeutic experience. You start to get to the bottom of what was the original motivation for this band, to reconstruct your lives and put it back together. So I guess that's the positive outcome of something really terrible."

The other positive outcome, Foo said, was rediscovering how supportive the music community could be. After struggling with a "crap bass that didn't want to tune," Foo said Wagner had reached the end of his rope.

"Sune was like, 'I can't do this anymore!' So I went on MySpace and I typed, 'I know this is a crazy request, but does anyone have a bass and a guitar we can borrow?' " Foo said. The next thing they knew, they were flooded with e-mails from random strangers, fans and fellow musicians who offered to come by and drop off vintage guitars — even one of those treasured Jazzmasters. "We were stunned," Foo said.

Inspired by the response, Foo started posting more messages and sketches of songs to get fan reaction to works in progress. The follow-up to Pretty in Black is still in the early stages, but because the duo were forced to try out new equipment, they were also forced to try out new sounds. "Different guitars have different feels to them," Foo explained.

They also added a heavier emphasis on electronics — with synthesizers, keyboards, drum machines and samples. "That's what it's done for us," Foo said. "We had no idea what we were going to do, and we've always embraced technology, found sounds and real sounds, but never so much with keyboards. It's fun, but you obviously can't just become a great synth player overnight, so we're just experimenting."

One of those experiments can be heard in the new Raveonettes song "Sometimes the Drop By," which Foo describes as "very 'Twin Peaks' sounding. It's got a cinematic feel to it," she said. "It sounds different than anything I've ever heard from us, with the texture from keyboards and synths. But the thing I recognize is the drone feel of the vocal harmonies."

Another new song, "Dead Sound," is more traditional for the band, Foo said, so much so that it might seem like a cover of a song from the '50s or '60s. "Some people would probably say, 'Is that Eddie Cochran or Ritchie Valens?' But, no, it's the Raveonettes."

Still, the new songs could go in a completely different direction, once the album gets more fully under way. "We've no idea where we're going to go," Foo said. "We could dump it all and do it the old-fashioned way, or it might sound the same. For now, we're just playing around."

• The Raveonettes

Nine Inch Nails' <i>With Teeth</i>
Photo: Interscope

Trent Reznor will help feed his eager fans this week as Nine Inch Nails' first batch of studio tracks in almost six years hits stores.

With Teeth, led by the single "The Hand That Feeds," is NIN's first studio album since the two-disc set The Fragile in 1999. "Only" is slated to be the second single off the album Reznor has described as being more mainstream and audience-friendly than some of NIN's previous material.

With Wes Borland back from his three-year absence, Limp Bizkit are releasing their fifth studio album. The Unquestionable Truth, Pt. 1 follows 2003's Results May Vary, which featured former Snot guitarist Mike Smith as Borland's replacement. Truth finds Bizkit looking to the past for inspiration, working with Three Dollar Bill Y'All producer Ross Robinson.

Stevie Wonder has a sunnier outlook on life with his latest, A Time to Love. The optimistic, up-tempo "So What the Fuss" is the first single off the legendary singer's first studio record in 10 years (his last was 1995's Conversation Peace).

Alt-country's Gold-en boy, Ryan Adams, releases Cold Roses this week, the first in what he promises will be a trio of albums released this year. On the double album, which comes on the heels of the last year's Love Is Hell, Pt. 1 and Pt. 2 EPs, Adams is joined by backing band the Cardinals. Jacksonville and 29 are slated to follow later this year.

Also out this week are albums by Aimee Mann (The Forgotten Arm), Joe Perry (Joe Perry), the Raveonettes (Pretty in Black), Caribou (The Milk of Human Kindness), Still Remains (Of Love and Lunacy) and Mike Doughty (Haughty Melodic).

Out Tuesday, May 3:

• 1st Offence - Certified Quality (Verbatem)
• Damon Aaron - Ballast (Plug Research)
• Ryan Adams and the Cardinals - Cold Roses (Lost Highway)
• Pierre Bensusan - Altiplanos (Favored Nations)
• The BiggDogg Family - A Sinner's Life (U-Block Productions)
• Jim Boggia - Safe in Sound (Bluhammock)
• P. Busboom - The Beginning (Peter Busboom)
• Candlemass - Candlemass (Nuclear Blast)
• Caribou - The Milk of Human Kindness (Domino)
• The Catch - Get Cool (Made in Mexico)
• Cleazy - Undeniable Demandin Respect (Walk With John)
• Anat Cohen - Place & Time (Anzic)
• A Day at the Fair - The Rocking Chair Years (Rushmore)
• Mike Doughty - Haughty Melodic (ATO)
• DreamSinger - For the Sake of Love (Keeping the Dream)
• The Duke - My Kung-Fu Is Good (Spitfire)
• E.S. Posthumus - Unearthed (33rd Street)
• Electra-Kill - The Death of Venus 292 (Addiction)
• Uzoma Ezekwudo - Something Different (Akalaka Music)
• Shelly Fairchild - Ride (Columbia)
• Falconer - Grime Vs. Grandeur (Metal Blade)
• Fall Out Boy - From Under the Cork Tree (Island)
• David Fridlund - Amaterasu (Hidden Agenda)
• Billy Gilman - Everything and More (Image)
• Gizmachi - The Imbuing (Sanctuary)
• The Go-Betweens - Oceans Apart (Yep Roc)
  Buy Now: Oceans Apart (Yep Roc)
  
• Greyscale - Discord for the Dead Kid (Battle Born)
• Howard Hewett - Intimate (Shout! Factory)
• The Higher - Histrionics (Fiddler)
• Jacobs Dream - Drama of the Ages (Metal Blade)
• Keith Jarrett - Radiance (ECM)
• The Jazz Mandolin Project - The Deep Forbidden Lake (Lenapee/DKE)
• Joe Johnson - Life of the Party (Yasny Labels Group)
• Ron Kearns - Live at Montpelier (Ron Kearns Productions)
• Kid Loco - The Graffiti Artist soundtrack(Mettray Reformatory)
• Limp Bizkit - The Unquestionable Truth, Pt. 1 (Geffen)
  Read: "Durst Unveils 'The Truth' And It's Rage Against The Bizkit"
  Buy Now: The Unquestionable Truth, Pt. 1 (Geffen)
  
• LOSA - The Perfect Moment (Metal Blade)
• Tony Lunn - The Last Days of Diresville (Flying Tiger)
• Aimee Mann - The Forgotten Arm (SuperEgo)
• Mice Parade - Bem-Vinda Vontade (Bubble Core)
• More Dogs - Never Let Them Catch You Crying (Monitor)
• Lorraine Nelson Wolf - Come Follow Me! (Ribbon Hill)
• Nine Inch Nails - With Teeth (Interscope)
  Read: "New Nine Inch Nails LP Takes Risks — By Being Accessible"
• Nouvelle Vague - Nouvelle Vague (Luaka Bop)
• Jennifer O'Connor - The Color and the Light (Red Panda)
• Oneida - The Wedding (Jagjaguwar)
• Paradigm - Mainstream Epidemic (Paradigm)
• Joe Perry - Joe Perry (Columbia)
• Populous - Queue for Love (Morr Music)
• Raveonettes - Pretty in Black (Columbia)
• Stereotypes - 3 (Empyrean)
• Still Remains - Of Love and Lunacy (Roadrunner)
• Vulpine - Channels (Brutal One)
• John Williams - "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith" soundtrack (Sony Classical)
• Stevie Wonder - A Time to Love (Motown)
• Wrights - Down This Road (Sony)
• ZZZ - Sounds of ZZZ (Howler)
• Various artists - An Acoustic Tribute to Dave Matthews (Reverberations)
• Various artists - Fish Head (Don Logan Productions)
• Various artists - "House of Wax" soundtrack (Maverick)
• DVD: The Game - "The Documentary - The DVD" (Interscope)
• DVD: Hayley Westenra - "Live From New Zealand" (Decca)
• DVD: Various artists - "Basement TV, Vol. 1" (Basement)
• DVD: Various artists - "The Strat Pack: Live in Concert" (Eagle Rock)

May 10:

• Dave Matthews Band - Stand Up (RCA)
• Spoon - Gimme Fiction (Merge)
  Read: "The Truth About Spoon's Fiction? You Could Call It A Whim"
• Weezer - Make Believe (Geffen)
  Read: "Weezer Album Preview: Wailing Guitars And New-Wave Ballads"

May 17:

• Def Leppard - Rock of Ages: The Definitive Collection (Mercury/Universal)
  Buy Now: Rock of Ages: The Definitive Collection (Mercury/Universal)
  
• System of a Down - Mezmerize (Sony)
  Read: "System Of A Down Album Preview: Band Pulls No Punches With The Pummeling Mezmerize"
• Various artists - American Idol Season 4: The Showstoppers (RCA)

May 24:

• Audioslave - Out of Exile (Interscope)
  Read: "Audioslave's Morello Says New LP Feels Less Like Soundgarden + Rage"
• Gorillaz - Demon Days (Virgin)
  Read: "Cartoon Gorillaz Put A Muzzle On Danger Mouse, Damon Albarn"
• Wallflowers - Rebel, Sweetheart (Interscope)

• Nine Inch Nails
• Limp Bizkit
• Stevie Wonder
• Ryan Adams
• Aimee Mann

Paris Hilton (file)
Photo: Carlo Allegri/Getty Images

Music ruled on Yahoo! this year. "American Idol" was the most popular online search term in 2004, followed by "Paris Hilton," "Jessica Simpson" and "Britney Spears," according to the year-end numbers from the search engine. "Usher" came in at #7 on the list, two spots under "Harry Potter." ...

The oft-underappreciated "urban Western" genre will soon get a boost from Wyclef Jean and Kurupt when they star alongside "Kill Bill" star David Carradine and "Coach Carter" actor Antwon Tanner in the upcoming film "Click." Helmed by independent filmmaker Jean Claude LaMarre, the flick is set at the end of the Civil War and concerns a group of outlaws who band together to rob the town bank. Some filming will take place in Los Angeles and select pieces in the wardrobe will be provided by trucker-hat masters Von Dutch. The soundtrack to the film will include original tracks by Kurupt and Wyclef. ... While fellow Black Sabbath member Ozzy Osbourne has long been known as the guy who once bit off the head of a live dove, drummer Bill Ward is getting press for being the bird-friendly musician in the group. Ward posted a photograph of "Abraham," a turkey he recently adopted, on his Web site on Monday. ...

Along with some percussion work from the Velvet Underground's Maureen Tucker, the new, as-yet-untitled second Raveonettes album features contributions by Martin Rev of early '80s New York band Suicide and Ronnie Spector of 1960s girl group the Ronettes. The follow-up to 2003's Chain Gang of Love is expected to drop early next year. ... For Michael Jackson's child-molestation trial, expected to begin January 31, California's Santa Barbara County will introduce a new jury-selection system. The "one-step" system eliminates the preliminary mailer generally sent to potential jurors, according to The Associated Press. If jurors did not fill out the mailer, their names would have been removed from the jury lists. Under the new system, 4,000 people will receive jury summons letters for the trial, which will instruct them to appear for jury selection. If the jurors do not respond or appear, they could face a potential fine of $1,500. ...

When you're a multiplatinum singer/songwriter, sometimes you don't need a reason to tour. That seems to be the logic behind Sarah McLachlan's 2005 schedule, which all of a sudden is loaded with tour dates. The Canadian chanteuse will hit the road starting on April 12 in Victoria, British Columbia, and has dates scheduled all the way through June 1 in Halifax, Nova Scotia (she's playing plenty of Stateside gigs in between). McLachlan's last studio album, Afterglow, was released in November of 2003. ...

12.27.2004

The weekly Dallas Observer alternative newspaper has an editor's note this week apologizing for running a cover image for its previous issue that appeared to be a photo of slain Damageplan/ Pantera guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott in a casket. Managing Editor Patrick Williams explained that the paper got complaints from Abbott's friends and manager about the grim picture, which was a photo illustration based on file images of Abbott. While apologizing, Williams defiantly wrote that he would not have done things differently given another chance, as the paper's intent was to humanize the loss and "help the mass of Dallas Observer readers feel something of their loss and grief." ...

If his scathing portrayals of gun enthusiasts and President Bush are any indication of what Michael Moore is capable of, pharmaceutical companies have good reason to be telling employees to watch their backs. According to the Los Angeles Times, at least six drug companies have distributed internal memos to their employees warning them of Moore's potential presence outside their buildings as he does research for his new project, tentatively titled "Sicko." "We ran a story in our online newspaper saying Michael Moore is embarking on a documentary — and if you see a scruffy guy in a baseball cap, you'll know who it is," Pfizer spokesperson Stephen Lederer told the newspaper. The film, tentatively scheduled for release in the first half of 2006, will be an investigation into the health-care industry. ... Every red-blooded heterosexual American male has dreamed of partying at the Playboy Mansion at one time or another. And for a few lucky artists, that dream is about to come true. On January 11, Koch Records will release Playboy: The Mansion, a 12-track companion to the video game of the same name. The disc features contributions from Armand Van Helden and Felix Da Housecat, while the video game — which allows players to build their own Playboy Mansion — is packed with songs (and in-game appearances) by artists like Sum 41's Deryck Whibley and Elefant's Diego Garcia. ...

Miri Ben-Ari, who played violin on albums by Kanye West, Twista, Trick Daddy, Janet Jackson and Wyclef Jean, will release her next solo album on March 22. David Banner, Anthony Hamilton and Scarface are featured in the video for the first single, "Sunshine to the Rain." ... Just because she was serving time for drunk driving doesn't mean Diana Ross shouldn't be treated like the diva she is. At least that's what Police Chief James Walters thought when he allowed the former Supremes singer to have a cell phone and food delivery in her jail cell, and let her go home in the middle of her two-day sentence in Greenwich, Connecticut, according to a report given to the Greenwich Time. The singer had been arrested on December 30, 2002, in Arizona and pleaded no contest in February of this year. Walters reportedly admitted to making several "poor decisions" while handling Ross' incarceration. ...

Incubus bassist Ben Kenney is keeping busy while his band is between touring and recording a new album. He's just completed a solo record titled 26, which is available through his Web site (www.BenKenney.com), and he's lined up a few live shows with his side project, the Division Group, which features Incubus turntablist DJ Kilmore. The Division Group will play the Knitting Factory in Los Angeles on January 5, the Independent in San Francisco on January 7 and the Knitting Factory in New York on January 16. ... Icelandic avant-rockers Sigur Ros are putting the finishing touches on their fourth studio album. According to a post on the band's Web site, "the foundations for all the album's songs have now been recorded and the boys are adding layers to the songs." Like its previous records, the as-yet-untitled album is being recorded at the band's converted swimming pool/recording studio, and features contributions from all-girl Icelandic string quartet Amina. The record is tentatively scheduled for a May release. ...

• Jessica Simpson
• Kurupt
• Michael Jackson
• The Raveonettes

Despite tabloid reports that Nick Lachey attended a wild bachelor party and allegedly cavorted with a porn star, he and wife Jessica Simpson told People magazine that news of their relationship's demise has been greatly exaggerated. "Our relationship is better than it's ever been," Simpson said. "We are absolutely not breaking up." The couple celebrated their two-year wedding anniversary on October 26. ... Instead of "Just Lose It," Eminem is now saying "just move it." The Detroit rapper has pushed the release of his Encore LP up four days to November 12. ...

Ashlee Simpson, Snoop Dogg and Alicia Keys are among the acts slated for Los Angeles radio station KIIS-FM's annual Jingle Ball. Maroon 5 (with an acoustic performance), Avril Lavigne, Christina Milian, JoJo and an unannounced special guest are also on the lineup for the December 3 festival at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, California. ... Classic rocker Rod Stewart is the latest performer added to the 32nd annual American Music Awards, set to air November 14 on ABC. Ashanti, Linkin Park's Chester Bennington and Joseph Hahn, JoJo, Outkast's Big Boi, Nick Lachey, Mandy Moore, Anna Nicole Smith and Lance Armstrong are among the celebrities set to dole out the statuettes. ...

Simple Plan fans without a credit card who still want to hear Pierre Bouvier croon every time their cell phone rings can simply go to Target to have their prayers answered with a Simple Plan Mobile Mix card. The card lets fans use AT&T Pre-paid Web Cents to download ring tones, graphics and other content into their phones. ... Nobody beats the Biz ... unless it's 7 a.m. and he's blaring in your ear. The Biz Markie talking alarm clock, which features a 12" version of the rapper seated on a crate behind turntables and has him reciting phrases like "turn the party out" and "you caught the vapors," is due in stores November 15. ...

Alanis Morissette has some fun at Ashlee Simpson's expense during her stint on "Mad TV," when she pretends to be her own younger sister, the fake blonde "Delicious Morissette," who's trying to launch a career as a pop tart, despite being tone deaf. As if it were an episode of MTV's "Diary," Delicious shoots a video while getting a bath from the high school basketball team, singing, "I'm a real bad teen/ I always get in trouble/ Got pushed down in some mud/ Now I need a bubble/ Hey you, scrub me in the tub/ Hey you, I could use a rub!" The episode airs Saturday at 11 p.m. on FOX. Meanwhile, Morissette will perform her song "Offer" on NBC's "American Dreams" on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET. ... After a show in Rome in mid-November, the Raveonettes are likely to be absent from the concert circuit until their new album, the as-yet-untitled follow-up to last year's Chain Gang of Love, drops in the spring. The band has finished recording the album and is now in the process of determining which tunes will make the final cut. ...

After four albums in seven years for the Kill Rock Stars imprint, Sleater-Kinney have moved to the bigger indie label Sub Pop. The band plans to begin recording its follow-up to 2002's One Beat with producer Dave Fridmann (Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev) in December, and hopes to release the result in the spring. ... Grand Funk Railroad's former manager and producer Terry Knight was killed while defending his daughter at his home in Killeen, Texas, on Monday. His daughter's boyfriend, Donald Fair, was arraigned on murder charges Tuesday. Knight, who was also part of the Detroit-area garage-rock group Terry Knight and the Pack with original Grand Funk members Don Brewer and Mark Farner, was found with several stab wounds. ...

More tracks from Brian Wilson's finally released Smile album are available on the forthcoming vinyl version, due out November 23. The 21-track, two-LP set will feature four songs unavailable on CD: instrumental versions of "Heroes and Villains," "Cabin Essence," "On a Holiday" and "Wind Chimes." ... The String Cheese Incident have blocked off a rare month from touring to record their fifth album. Producer Malcolm Burns (Bob Dylan) and the jam band will hole up in a Boulder, Colorado, studio in December. ...

11.02.2004

Though Ashlee Simpson had originally planned for the title track from Autobiography to be her next single, the singer has changed her mind. She is now opting to have "La La" be the third offering from her album, according to her Web site. ... Meanwhile, Chris Fox, Ashlee's drummer, posted a message on Simpson's site, taking blame for her infamous "Saturday Night Live" performance. "I am in charge of starting the songs and cueing their backing tracks, [which are] miscellaneous percussion, random sound effects, etc.," he wrote. "Plain and simple, I cued the wrong song." ...

Lil' Kim has been called a lot of names, but "literary figure" was likely not one of them — until now. On Wednesday, the rapper will head to Syracuse University to address an upper-division undergraduate English class that focuses on the cultural significance of her lyrics. "Introduction to Race and Discourse: Hip-Hop Eshu: Queen B@#$H 101" centers on hip-hop and "black life in Africa's Diaspora" as well as gender and sexuality issues, with a focus on Lil' Kim, according to the university's Web description. During her visit, Kim will also hold a press conference and meet with faculty and students of the African-American Students Union. "I am honored and quite proud that a class is being taught on my sensationalist lyrics, unique style and fashion and leadership role within the hip-hop community," Kim said in a statement. ... LL Cool J and Tyra Banks will serve as hosts for the second annual Vibe Awards. During the show, slated to air November 16 on UPN, Dr. Dre will be honored with the Vibe Legend Award for his lifetime contributions to the world of hip-hop music. As part of the tribute, Game will perform. ...

Wyclef Jean is doing his part to give Haiti a chance at peace. During a trip to his home country, Jean made a surprise visit to Bel Air on Sunday where he met with leaders of the community and of groups who remain loyal to former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, according to Reuters. He also met with two leaders of the rebels who helped oust Aristide in February, and plans to meet with other gangs before departing in an effort to encourage dialogue and promote peace in the country, which has been wracked by uprisings and violent outbreaks since Aristide was removed. Wyclef was also in Haiti to work on plans for his December 5 benefit concert there. ... Hoobastank are releasing tracks at Sbarro via Lidrock, CD-ROMs encased in the lids of soft drinks sold at the restaurant chain. Hoobastank's Lidrock will include three songs ("Remember Me," "Same Directions," "Let It Out"), a video for "Out of Control," mobile ring tones, and previews of Konami video games "Dance Dance Revolution" and "Karaoke Revolution." ...

Tori Amos is currently putting the finishing touches on her new album, The Beekeeper, which she's recording and self-producing in her U.K. studio, incorporating vintage organs, Afro-Cuban drums and gospel choirs in the process. Song titles include "Sweet the Sting," "Sleeps With Butterflies" and "Ribbons Undone." The album will hit shelves February 22 to coincide with the release of her first book, "Tori Amos: Piece by Piece." ... Sarah McLachlan is releasing a live CD/DVD, Afterglow Live, which chronicles the singer's summer tour (her first outing since the 1999 Lilith Fair) in which she played her greatest hits as well as music from her 2003 album, Afterglow. The set, due out November 23, also includes behind-the-scenes footage of the tour and her family life, as well as her stark but touching video for "World on Fire," which juxtaposes the standard cost of making a video with what that money could do for those who are less fortunate. ...

Isaac Hayes will be inducted into Hollywood's Rockwalk on Sunset Boulevard. Thursday at noon. The singer's handprints and signature will reside alongside those of other music legends such as the Ramones, Lou Reed, Brian Wilson, Carole King and Johnny Cash. ... San Francisco Bay Area rapper Mac Dre (born Andre Hicks) died on Monday morning when he was gunned down during a freeway shooting in Kansas City, Missouri, according to The Associated Press. Hicks, 34, recorded more than a dozen albums in his lifetime, many with politically charged lyrics. ...

Erasure have just finished their new studio album, Nightbird, the first single from which will be a song called "Breathe." Other track titles include "No Doubt," "Here I Got Impossible Again" and "All This Time Still Falling Out of Love." "The last couple of albums were a bit moody and down," singer Andy Bell said in a statement. "I'm so much happier with everything now, and so is [keyboardist] Vince [Clarke]. You can hear it in the music." Nightbird is due out January 25, and Erasure plan to tour North America in April. ... Mark Sandman, the late frontman of Morphine, never released much of his solo music, but a posthumous retrospective will do that for him. Sandbox: Mark Sandman Original Music, out November 16, collects rarities, unreleased tracks and previously unseen footage in a two-CD/DVD box set. ...

• Nick Lachey
• Jessica Simpson
• Eminem
• Avril Lavigne
• Christina Milian

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

The Raveonettes are back on the chain gang again, the Chain Gang of Love, that is. The group's major-label debut will lead with the single "That Great Love Sound," and a dark video shot by Sophie Muller (Coldplay, Radiohead) in which the Danish duo try to kill each other.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club follow up their 2001 debut, B.M.R.C, with Take Them On, On Your Own, a rock record through and through, best seen on "Stop" and "Six Barrel Shotgun."

Linkin Park reissue their "Frat Party at the Pancake Festival," a DVD of the group's videos from Hybrid Theory, including "Crawling" and "Points of Authority," as well as concert footage and a peek into a day in the life of Linkin Park.

Jeff Buckley re-releases Live at Sin-e, except this time the album contains more than two more hours of music than the original, plus a bonus DVD featuring more music and a poem by Buckley. The extended version of the album features Buckley covering Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan and Nina Simone.

Beth Orton finds herself on The Other Side of Daybreak, a remix album of last year's Daybreaker. Orton's music gets tinkered with by the likes of the Chemical Brothers and Roots Manuva.

The soundtrack to "Party Monster," the upcoming film starring Macaulay Culkin as nightclub kingpin turned murderer Michael Alig, features "The La La Song" by Marilyn Manson, "Seventeen" by Ladytron, and such classic dance songs as Stacy Q's "Two of Hearts" and Shannon's "Give Me Tonight."

Finally, the soundtrack to the vampire flick "Underworld" mostly features new songs including material by Wes Borland, John Frusciante, A Perfect Circle and David Bowie.

Out Tuesday, September 2:

• 31knots - It Was High Time to Escape (54º40' or Fight!)
• 93 Million Miles - 93 Million Miles (EP, Simba)
• Ace - Sounds Still Hungry (Snapper)
• The Actual - Songs on Radio Idaho (Eyeball)
• Airport Girl - Do You Dream in Color? (EP, Matinee)
• Corey Andrew - We're All Stars (A1s)
• Anti-Establishment - Oi! Collection (Captain Oi!)
• Barcode - Hardcore (Progress)
• Gene Bertoncini - Acoustic Romance (Sons of Sound)
• Black Box Recorder - Passionoia (One Little Indian)
• Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Take Them On, On Your Own (Virgin)
• Michael Bolton - Vintage (Passion Group)
• Jeff Buckley - Live at Sin-e (DVD, Sony)
• Buttless Chaps - Love This Time (Mint)
• The Caseworker - These Weeks Should Be Remembered (Manifesto)
• Cerberus Shoal - Claiming the Knoblessone (North East Indie)
• Chateau - Fight to the Last (Castle)
• Jesse Cook - Nomad (Narada World)
• Chris Cortez - Hold It Right There (Blue Bamboo)
• Crackdown - Rise Up (Progress)
• Pernell Disney - Severn Way (Disney Whirl)
• Linda Eder - Storybook (Angel)
• Either Orchestra - Neo-Modernism (Accurate)
• Fingertight - In the Name of Progress (Columbia)
• Daggers - Light Up Your Daughters (Unity Squad)
• Dead End Cruisers - Patron Saints of Wheeless Lane (Unity Squad)
• Destruction Made Simple - Revolution Evolution (One Shot)
• Devante - Ready or Not (A1s)
• Disrespect - Hit the Ceiling (Progress)
• Elegy Radio Ensemble - Elegy (Chairkickers)
• Elektrofant - Flipstick (Beatservice)
• Erika - Devuelveme la Vida (WEA)
• Erotic - Million Empty Lives (A1s)
• Evil Devil - Breakfast at the Psychohouse (Crazy Love)
• F-Minus - Sweating Blood (Bridge Nine)
• Find Him and Kill Him - Cut Them to Pieces (Happy Couples Never)
• The Fitness - Call Me for Together (The Control Group)
• Five Deez - Kinkynasti (K7)
• Freebase - My Life, My Rules (Progress)
• Freedom and Whiskey - Freedom and Whiskey (Progress)
• Goldblade - Strictly Hardcore (Thick)
• Holland - Little Monsters (Wounded Bird)
• Mike Holober - Canyons (Sons of Sound)
• Jesus and Mary Chain - BBC Live in Concert (Strange Fruit)
• Danko Jones - Born a Lion (Simba)
• Mick Karn - Each Path a Remix (United States)
• Knifehandchop - Rockstopper (Tigerbeat)
• Landmine Spring - Are We the Culprits? (Abstract Sounds)
• Graham Lindsey - Famous Anonymous Wilderness (Catamount)
• Little Wings - Discover Worlds of Wonder (K)
• Lee Mallory and Joey Stec - Japan (Sound City)
• Los Halos - Leaving VA (Loveless)
• Los Kung-Fu Monkeys- End Transmission (One Shot)
• Rick McLaughlin - Study of Light (Accurate)
• The National - Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers (Brassland)
• Scout Niblett - I Am (Secretly Canadian)
• No-Man - Together We're Stranger (Snapper)
• Okkervil River- Down the River of Golden Dreams (Jagjaguar)
• Beth Orton - The Other Side of Daybreak (Astralwerks)
• Penance - Spiritualnatural (Martyr)
• The Raveonettes - Chain Gang of Love (Columbia)
  Read: "Raveonettes Attempt To Commit Murder In New Video"
• Noel Redding & Friends - Live from Bunker-Prague (Track)
• Riot Squad - Jump! (Castle)
• Rogue Nation - Sedition (Uprising)
• Dan Rose - Fountains (Midlantic)
• Roughnecks - Real Deal (Crazy Love)
• Alejandro Sanz - No Es Lo Mismo (Warner Music)
• Ken Schaphorst - Indigenous Technology (Accurate)
• Sham 69 - At the BBC (Strange Fruit)
• Naja Shiri - Dat Bomb (On the Block)
• Slipside - World Can Wait (Matinee)
• Soul-Junk - 1958 (Sounds Familyre)
• Speed Dealer - Bleed (DeAd Teenager)
• Spoken - A Moment of Imperfect Clarity (Solid State)
• Strangeways - Living in the Danger Zone (Castle)
• Stray - Time Machine: Anthology 1970-76 (Castle)
• There Were Wires - Somnambulists (EP, Iodine)
• Thou Shalt Not - The White Beyond (Dancing Ferret)
• Thug Law - Thug Life Outlawz, Chapter 2 (Riviera)
• Up to Vegas - Voodoo Truckin' (Crazy Love)
• Brad Upton - Lionheart (Black Orchid)
• The Wailing Souls - Souvenir from Jamaica (AO!)
• Woven Hand - Blush Music (Sounds Familyre)
• Richard X - Presents His X Factor, Vol. 1 (Astralwerks)
• Various artists - #1 Pop Hits (Madacy)
• Various artists - Aliens, Psychos, and Wild Things, Vol. 3 (Arcania)
• Various artists - Attack of the Killer Rock Sound (Columbia)
• Various artists - Definitive American Songbook, Vols. 1 and 2 (Capitol)
• Various artists - Fado: Exquisite Passion (Narada World)
• Various artists - Orange Twin Sampler (Orange Twin)
• Various artists - "Party Monster" soundtrack (TVT Soundtrax)
• Various artists - String Quartet Tribute to Jeff Buckley (Also John Cougar and Iron Maiden, Vitamin)
• Various artists - A Tribute to AFI (Also Ministry and Mudvayne, Big Eye)
• Various artists - "Underworld" soundtrack (Lakeshore)
• DVD: Linkin Park - Frat Party at the Pancake Festival (Warner Bros.)

September 9:

• John Mayer - Heavier Things (Sony)
  Read: "John Mayer Tries Hip-Hop With Help From Roots' ?uestlove"
  Buy Now: Heavier Things (Sony)
  
• Seal - Seal (Warner Bros.)

September 16:

• Elvis Costello - North (Universal)
• Bubba Sparxxx - Deliverance (Interscope)
  Read: "Bubba Sparxxx Softens Bumpkin Image, Teams Up With Justin For A 'Hootnanny' "
  
• Carnie Wilson - For the First Time (KMA)

October 7:

• Jin - Almost Famous (Virgin)
  Read: "Ruff Ryders' New Dog: Jin"

October 14:

• Mariah Carey - Remixes (Sony)

• Linkin Park
• The Raveonettes
• Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
• Beth Orton
• Jeff Buckley

The Raveonettes
Photo: Red Ink

They haven't even released their major-label debut, Chain Gang of Love, yet, and already Sune Rose Wagner and Sharin Foo of the Raveonettes are trying to kill each other.

"He tried to smother me," bassist and vocalist Foo revealed. "Then I tried to throw him out of a big stairwell."

 For the moment at least, the Raveonettes' homicidal desires exist strictly in their upcoming video for "That Great Love Sound," the first single from their debut LP Chain Gang of Love, which comes out August 12.

"There are all these little evil things we do in the video," Foo continued. "He tries to throw me from a driving car and I try to poison him. It was very freeing to do because we literally live together 24 hours a day, and sometimes we get really mad at each other. I've never actually wanted to kill him, but I might feel different in two years."

The clip was shot in London by Sophie Muller, who has also worked with Coldplay, Radiohead and PJ Harvey. For the uninitiated, it provides a glimpse into the playfully dark vision of the Raveonettes.

"It's like a Hitchcock kind of thing," said Foo. "There's a movie glamour to it, but the violence and sex don't seem real. It's like we're sort of detached from it all."

Lyrically, "That Great Love Sound" addresses the emptiness and frustration of thwarted romance.

"It's about the kind of unhappy situation when someone just f---s you over," Foo said. "But it has the kind of spirit where it's not depressing. It's just kind of saying, 'If you walk on me, it's just gonna f--- you in the end.' "

When the band assembled songs for its 2002 EP, Whip It On, it purposefully wrote all of the songs in B-flat minor. This time, the Raveonettes intentionally shifted the B-flat major. Why?

"When you write songs in minor it tends to be more dark and introverted sounding," explained Foo. "Somehow, writing in a major key makes the songs more bright and adds a melodic, poppy feeling to it. Major is the happy key."

Don't be fooled. Chain Gang of Love is still packed with menacing feedback, droning guitars and '50s girl group-style vocals that help make the songs menacing and surreal. But maybe the songs are a touch more hopeful.

"We're still writing in B-flat, so there's some darkness there still," Foo explained. "We still like that, and we like the noise and the distortion and dissonance. That's part of our sound. But I really see this record as a celebration."

• The Raveonettes

Time again for new releases, but this week's big story might not be a record: Eminem's rags-to-riches story, "8 Mile," makes its DVD debut and features deleted scenes of Em spontaneously battling extras from the film in a freestyle sequence.

The compilation Atticus: Dragging the Lake 2 features pop-punks Blink-182 and their side projects Box Car Racer and the Transplants, plus contributions from Sparta, Rocket From the Crypt and Alkaline Trio.

The Libertines up the racket in Up the Bracket, their punk rock album produced by the Clash's Mick Jones, which invokes the Jam and the Buzzcocks on "Horror Show" and "The Boy Looked at Johnny." Meanwhile, the Buzzcocks invoke themselves on their new eponymous album. After some shaky years trying to maintain relevance, the punk pioneers recapture some of their original magic as co-founder Howard Devoto returns to pen "Stars" and "Lester Sands" with Pete Shelley.

M. Ward, a singer/songwriter combination of Nick Drake and Neil Young with a hint of John Fahey, presents his haunting Transfiguration of Vincent, while Stereolab bassist Simon Johns releases Trinity Neon from his band Imitation Electric Piano.

Moldy Peaches and their Unreleased Cutz & Live Jamz share shelf space with the Blam's poppy garage rock on their self-titled LP, as well as with the North Carolina hip-hop trio Little Brother's Listening.

Now that the buzz on this band has increased, it's time for its major-label debut. You Hear It First alums the Raveonettes present, for the second time, Whip It On. And finally, Stephen Malkmus is back. The ex-Pavement star and his band the Jicks release their second album, Pig Lib. Wowee Zowee.

Out Tuesday, March 18:

• Alicen - Talk to Me (Hitpros)
• The Allman Brothers Band - Hittin' the Note (Peach/Sanctuary)
• Ape Breaks - Volume 5 (Ubiquity)
• Nate Ashley - The Darker Corners of Your Heart (Knw-Yr-Own)
• Philo Beddow - End the Measured Mile (The First Time)
• Belmondo - Entertainers (Kold)
• Big Country - Rarities III (Navarre)
• Biohazard - Kill or Be Killed (Sanctuary)
  Buy Now: Kill or Be Killed (Sanctuary)
• Jeff Black - B-sides and Confessions Volume One (DualTone)
• The Black Lips - Black Lips (Bomp)
• The Blam - The Blam (Mootron)
• The Blood Brothers - Burn, Piano Island, Burn (ARTISTdirect)
  Read: "Blood Brothers Seek Order In Muscle-Free Chaos"
• Blue Oyster Cult - Then and Now (Sanctuary)
• The Boils - Pride and Persecution (TKO)
• Briefs - Off the Charts (EP, Dirtnap)
• Mick Bund - Astronaut Graffiti (Madacy)
• Buzzcocks - Buzzcocks (Merge)
• Califone - Quicksand/Cradlesnakes (Thrill Jockey)
• Deana Carter - I'm Just a Girl (Arista)
• Cave In - Antenna (Hydra Head/RCA)
• Concrete Blonde - Live in Brazil (2 CDs, Ark 21)
• Crooks - Just Released (Navarre)
• Culture - Healing of the Nations (Varese Sarabande)
• Deerhoof - Apple O' (Kill Rock Stars)
• Detroit Experiment - Detroit Experiment (Rope A Dope)
• DF Dub - Country Girl (Columbia)
• DJ Debra - Wildlife 2003 (Studio K7)
• DJ Spooky - Dubtometry (Thirsty Ear)
• Drugstore - Songs for the Jet Set & Collector Number One (First Time)
• Ronnie Earl - I Feel Like Goin' On (Stony Plain)
• Exhibition - Sign of Tomorrow (Limb)
• Father MC - My (Empire Musicwerks)
• Lorraine Feather - Cafe Society (Sanctuary)
• Ibrahim Ferrar - Buenos Hermanos (Nonesuch)
• Fire - Magic Shoemaker (Navarre)
• Five Blind Boys of Alabama - Bridge Over Troubled Water (Liquid 8)
• Fleetwood Mac - Live in Boston 1&2 (Snapper Classics)
• FM Knives - Useless and Modern (Broken Rekids)
• Kim Fox - Return to Planet Earth (Franklin Castle/Oglio)
• Freaks - Man Who Lived Underground (Music 4 Freaks)
• Fred Frith - Prints (Fred)
• Rory Gallagher - Wheels Within Wheels (BMG)
• Howie Gelb - Listener (Thrill Jockey)
• Gentle Giant - Artistically Cryme (United States)
• Gigi - Illuminated Audio (Palm Pictures)
• Gluecifer - Basement Ape (Steamhammer)
• Grand Mal - Bad Timing (Arena Rock)
• Gravy Train - Hello Doctor (Kill Rock Stars)
• Gun Barrel - Battle Tested (Limb)
• Regie Hamm - American Dreams (Universal South)
• Jim Hightower - The People Are Revolting (In the Very Best Sense of That Word) (Alternative Tentacles)
• Imitation Electric Piano - Trinity Neon (Drag City)
• Incredible Expanding Mindf--k - Arcadia Son (United States)
• Jet Black Summer - Ladder of Divine Ascent (Lakeshore)
• Junior Panthers - Junior Panthers (First Time)
• Damien Jurado - Where Shall You Take Me? (Secretly Canadian)
• Kaskade - It's You It's Me (Om)
• Kill Your Idols - Skinnier Years (State of Grace)
• King Britt - Adventures in Lo-Fi (Studio K7)
• Jill King - Jillbilly (Blue Diamond)
• Lambrettas - Da-A-A-Ance (Navarre)
• Adam Levy - Get Your Glow On (Lost Wax)
• Libertines - Up the Bracket (Sanctuary/Rough Trade)
• Little Brother - Listening (Abb Soul)
• Longwave - The Strangest Things (RCA)
  Read: "Longwave Different From Anthrax, Public Enemy; Get Career Help From The Strokes"
  Buy Now: The Strangest Things (RCA)
• Corb Lund Band - Five Dollar Bill (Stony Plain)
• Lylah - Lifeless Valentine (Vermillion)
• M. Ward - Transfiguration of Vincent (Merge)
• Magic - White Eyes (Universal)
• Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks - Pig Lib (Matador)
• Marmalade - Kaleidoscope: Psych-pop Sessions (Navarre)
• Meteors - Wreckin' Live (Navarre)
• The Midnight Evils - Straight Til Morning (Estrus)
• Miracle of 86 - Every Famous Last Word (Idelic Sounds/Lakeshore)
• Mirror - Eye of the Storm (Streamline)
• Moldy Peaches - Moldy Peaches 2000: Unreleased Cutz & Live Jamz (Sanctuary)
• Mr. Capone-e - Dedicated 2 the Oldies (Thump)
• Mr. Cheeks - Back Again (Universal)
  Read: "Mr. Cheeks Casts Ex-Destiny's Child Member As A Shorty With The Fatty"
  Buy Now: Back Again (Universal)
• Mr. Serv-On - No More Questions (D3)
• Mull Historical Society - Us (XL/Beggars Banquet)
• Neon Hunk - Smarmymob (Load)
• Pearlene - Pearlene (Sympathy for the Record Industry)
• Pistoleros - Cult 45 (Navarre)
• Planet Earth - Blackout (Volcano/Jive)
• Puny Human - It's Not the Heat, It's the Humanity (Small Stone)
• The Raveonettes - Whip It On (Columbia)
  Read: " '8 Mile' Outtakes Coming Sooner Than You Think"
• Celine Dion - One Heart (Sony)
• Les Nubians - One Step Forward (Higher Octave)
• Linkin Park - Meteora (Warner Bros.)
  Read: "Linkin Park Expand Meteora's Musical Horizons ... In 40 Minutes Or Less"
  Buy Now: Meteora (Warner Bros.)
• Various artists - Now That's What I Call Music! Vol. 12 (Virgin)

• The White Stripes - Elephant (V2)
  Read: "White Stripes To Put Their Best Trunk Forward On April Fool's Day With Elephant"
• Robbie Williams - Escapology (Virgin)
  Buy Now: Escapology (Virgin)

• Russell Crowe and 30 Odd Foot of Grunts - Other Ways of Speaking (Artemis)
• Godsmack - Faceless (Universal)
  Read: "Godsmack's Visions Of Spinal Tap, Dio, Worse Prompt A Change"
• Lisa Marie Presley - To Whom It May Concern (Capitol)
• Yo La Tengo - Summer Sun (Matador)

• Thicke - Cherry Blue Skies (Interscope)
  Read: "Robin Thicke: Mixing The Beatles, Zeppelin And Hendrix With Jay-Z"

• Eminem
• Mr. Cheeks
• The Raveonettes
• The Libertines
• Stephen Malkmus

Vampire Weekend, Paramore, N.E.R.D., & More Rock SXSW 2008

• Kaki King
• Mike Farris
• R.E.M.
• The Von Bondies
• The Raveonettes

Coachella Valley Music Festival 04.30 - 05.01.2005

• Nine Inch Nails
• Arcade Fire
• Bloc Party
• The Bravery
• The Futureheads

Raveonettes Photos

• The Raveonettes

Raveonettes: You Hear It First Photos

• The Raveonettes