Lou Reed and Moby perform at an anti-war benefit in New York Tuesday
Photo: MTV News

BROOKLYN, New York — This week marks the five-year anniversary of the war in Iraq. And in Moby's opinion, the "fireworks show" that rained down on Baghdad five years ago should have never happened in the first place.

"I remember watching it on television and thinking, 'Oh f---, it's begun — and we're gonna be here forever,' " he said at a press conference on Tuesday night prior to "Speak Up: A Benefit Concert for Peace in Iraq and Justice at Home," an anti-war concert that featured short sets from an eclectic lineup including Lou Reed, Laurie Anderson, David Byrne, Norah Jones, Antony Hegarty, the Scissor Sisters, Blonde Redhead and Damien Rice. "Iraq is the equivalent of a Venus flytrap or shark's mouth — very easy to get in, but not so easy to get out."

His voice was one of many at this sold-out concert at St. Ann's Warehouse, a benefit for Iraq Veterans Against the War and United for Peace and Justice, an anti-war coalition that is organizing nationwide demonstrations this week. The show alternated between musical performances and speakers, and even featured a piece from noted choreographer Bill T. Jones, who used ballet and poetry to tell a story about the hardships of warfare to the somber accompaniment of a solo violinist.

The mood of the concert, which began with a feedback-drenched guitar rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" from Reed, Anderson, Hegarty and Moby, alternated between anger and melancholy.

Recently back from Texas, where he performed at the South by Southwest Conference, Moby told a story about meeting a couple of soldiers there who were spending the weekend on leave.

"They asked me to play this song in memory of their [soldier] friends who just killed themselves," he said somewhat cryptically before launching into "Slipping Away," from his 2005 LP, Hotel.

Earlier in the evening, Norah Jones, seated at a piano on the corner of the stage, played "My Dear Country." "I wrote this song in November of 2004," she told the audience. "Hopefully this year in November I'll feel a little differently."

Laurie Anderson offered up her techno-flavored protest song "Only an Expert," the lyrics of which address the fruitless search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. She later accompanied Hegarty on violin.

David Byrne, accompanied by Jones, Rice and two Scissor Sisters, played a set of uptempo new material, and also announced that he is once again collaborating with Brian Eno, who co-produced some of Byrne's seminal work with his former band, Talking Heads.

The Scissor Sisters announced they were adopting a new name for the evening — "Don't Ask Don't Tell." Dressed in a dayglow yellow suit jacket, lead singer Jake Shears sang the disco-inspired "I Don't Feel Like Dancing."

The speakers, many of them journalists (including author/Air America personality Laura Flanders and Nation writer Naomi Klein), talked about a variety of agendas, from anti-globalization to denouncing the Patriot Act to the evils of war profiteering. Many of those who appeared onstage placed as much blame on the media as they did on the Bush administration, although there was little acknowledgement of the role that the blogosphere has played in war coverage.

Antony Hegarty, leader of Antony and the Johnsons, also called out the media, but in a less abrasive tone. He pointed out that while many Americans know that more than 4,000 U.S. soldiers have died in the war, no one knows for sure just how many Iraqi civilians have lost their lives.

"You could Google 'Iraqi casualties' for hours and never come up with a number," Hegarty said. "It's become the job of artists and people on the outside to collect information on what exactly is going on."

The two-hour-plus concert ended with a show of unity, as Reed led the assembled performers in a rendition of "Voices of Freedom." And while no performer had explicitly endorsed a candidate, many alluded to the importance of voting.

"When I went to vote for the [New York] primary, I have to admit, I started to cry," Johnson said earlier that evening. "I felt the weight of the future on my shoulder — and I think a lot of Americans are feeling that way too."

• Lou Reed
• Moby
• Norah Jones
• Talking Heads
• Scissor Sisters

Ruinedmusic.com founders Bryan Bruchman and Mary Phillips-Sandy.
Photo: Bryan Bruchman

Like a lot of dot-com success stories, the idea for Ruined Music came over a casual lunch. Only, this was not businessmen or even buddies, but a couple discussing their relationship.

"We were talking about all the songs that we would not be able to listen to anymore if we were to break up," co-founder Mary Phillips-Sandy recalled. "Bryan [Bruchman, boyfriend and co-founder] is a musician. I love music. We made mixtapes for each other in the beginning. So there's a lot of music that we share and have shared as our relationship grew. And the list of songs that would be ruined would be a very long one."

(See what Ruined Music is all about, and watch Bono and others sound off on the songs they can't listen to anymore, in this video.)

Phillips-Sandy left the lunch still mulling over the topic and eventually put her thoughts to paper, writing the story of an early boyfriend who had ruined Simon & Garfunkel's "Cecilia" for her forever. As a writer and editor by day, she then convinced a few friends to write similar essays, which she and Bruchman began posting May 1 on the Web under the address RuinedMusic.com.

Within weeks, the two were being bombarded with essays, and they now post three new pieces a week from ruined-music victims around the world.

"The word of mouth has been really incredible," Phillips-Sandy said. "People love to talk about it and I think that really proves to us that it is in fact something that we all have in common."

In just over six months, RuinedMusic.com has amassed a sizable audience and become a favorite link for popular music blogs like Stereogum.

"I think there's an element of voyeurism for sure," Phillips-Sandy said. "People like to read about other people's tragedies. But there's also an element that people can relate to it and feel compassion. And a lot of the stories we've gotten have just been really funny, especially the ones from high school, awkward teenage things. There's a cringe factor, but the stories that we post are well-written, funny and a good read."

Although a majority of the essays chronicle bad breakups, Ruined Music's founders encourage all stories about music being ruined.

"People have sent us brief stories about people being in car accidents, where like, 'This song was playing while I rolled my car three times,' " Bruchman said. "Others are about friends, a relationship but not necessarily lovers. And just general time periods. A lot of songs associated with high school, where some people don't have the best experience."

"We had a great story from a guy who was performing at a high school talent show and he and his friends tried to cover the song and failed miserably, got booed off the stage and nowadays that song just makes him feel really lousy when he hears it," Phillips-Sandy added. "I guess the idea is that forces beyond your control can take away your enjoyment of a song, and that's not fair, so tell us about it and maybe you'll feel better."

And that, along with some good entertainment, is Phillips-Sandy and Bruchman's motivation for keeping RuinedMusic.com going.

"People have told us it's been cathartic," Phillips-Sandy said. "We've definitely heard that somehow telling your story, getting it out in public, being able to laugh about it, knowing you're not alone, that that can make things better for people. And if the site works that way for people, that's great, because no one should lose a song they like because of something someone else does."

And that includes actual musicians themselves. So, in an attempt to make a few of our favorite stars feel better, we decided to publish their ruined-music stories ...

Jacoby Shaddix of Papa Roach "I'll tell you a ruined song, dude. It was 'Look What the Cat Dragged In' by Poison. And it was when I was 16, I was losing my virginity. My mother walked in the room while that song was playing. It wasn't a very good experience. So 'Look What the Cat Dragged In' just reminds me of lying on my bed butt-naked and my mom looking at me like, 'Oh my God!' And I'm like, 'Oh my God!' Embarrassing."

Bono of U2 "A good friend of mine, DJ Howie B, was playing with us when we played Nuremberg [Germany]. And we played in this place in Nuremberg where all the Nazis were buried. And Howie B was very angsty about playing there. And I said, 'Look, music will chase the demons out of this place.' And he wasn't sure he could do it. And I said, 'Well, it's up to you, you know.' And my idea is, let's make fun of the Nazis. So I heard him go on, and he played [the Three Degrees'] 'When Will I See You Again.' And now I can't listen to that song without thinking about Nazis."

Brandon Flowers of the Killers "My ex-girlfriend, two girlfriends back, really liked to listen to Suede a lot. And they're a good band, but I can't listen to Suede without thinking of her, and I really don't want to think of her. That kind of has ruined Suede for me."

Keith Nelson of Buckcherry "I have an ex-girlfriend and her ringtone on my cell phone was 'I Walk the Line' by Johnny Cash. And every time she would call me the song would start playing, and I can't listen to the song anymore. It's been ruined."

Carl Newman of the New Pornographers "There was an album from the mid-'90s by a band called the Scud Mountain Boys called Dance the Night Away, which is this really mellow kind of heartbreaking record. And I listened to it all through this breakup and it served its purpose. And I loved it during that breakup, but then it was like, 'I will never listen to that album ever again,' 'cause if I did I knew it would take me back to this hideous place. Thank God for that album, but I just want it to disappear now."

Jake Shears of Scissor Sisters "God bless the Rolling Stones, but did they really have to do the Microsoft ad? Did they really need the money? Because now whenever I hear 'Start Me Up,' I think of Microsoft. It's just sad."

• Ruined Music: Bono, Others Feel Your Pain

• U2
• Scissor Sisters
• Papa Roach
• The Killers
• Buckcherry

The Killers' Brandon Flowers
Photo: Evan Agostini/ Getty Images

Heidi Klum might be right: In fashion, you're either in or you're out. In rock and roll fashion, though, things aren't so cut and ... sewn. Just like the music itself, some styles never really go away, while others bounce in and out of cool faster than a faux-hawked drummer's double-bass-drum pedal.

Which brings us to the latest hot-or-not accessory: guyliner (i.e. eyeliner on guys).

Some may say it's been in vogue since Bowie went glam. Others might argue My Chemical Romance are leading a black parade of a different sort, reviving eyeliner along with other theatrical-minded bands like Panic! at the Disco and 30 Seconds to Mars. And then there are the hipsters who are already claiming it's so five minutes ago.

(Judge for yourself if rock dudes are wearing eyeliner thin in this video clip.)

Which is it? We asked a few rockers and one taste-making heiress for their thoughts:

The Red Hot Chili Peppers' Anthony Kiedis: "I actually dabbled with it in the much earlier '80s. I don't have any problem with eyeliner, but it's nice to have something to back it up with. Panic! at the Disco I've only ever seen in photographs, and they look like they travel with a large number of stylists. They look like they brought their girlfriends and their other friends and everyone had a dress-up party."

The Killers' Brandon Flowers: "It gives me a gypsy [feel]. I have four sisters, so it was always around."

Plus-44's Mark Hoppus: "When I was in high school back in the late '80s, I was really — and still am — into the Cure. So I used to wear eyeliner and stick my hair up, and I just remember guys walking past and going, 'What a f--!' I feel like it's a little overdone right now. Back in the day it was something that we did because you wanted to be different than everybody else. ... Now it just seems kinda commonplace. Feels a little watered down to me."

30 Seconds to Mars' Jared Leto: "What I find interesting is that in every society from the beginning of time, in every continent, whether in preparation of war, whether it was mating rituals, men have found that the use of costume, the use of makeup, the use of preparation for battle or for love, has been an important element within that society. So there's gotta be some primordial, subconscious reason that these things come up."

Avenged Sevenfold's M. Shadows: "I used to wear eyeliner. We used to do it because when you're a small band and you do stuff like that, people notice you and are like, 'Who do these guys think they are?' I kind of grew away from it, but the other guys still do it a lot. I'm totally cool with anyone that does it. I like our band because we have individual personalities. It's cool when a band does a uniform thing, but when it's just putting on eyeliner or having the same haircut or all wearing black, then it's just kind of lame. We were that band at one point, a lot of bands go through that, but you kind of have to evolve out of that."

The Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne: "I think guys wearing makeup will become the new piercings. I think the appeal of it is not necessarily that it's androgynous, it's actually just kind of scary. There's something just sort of decadent about men putting on makeup and acting tough. However, if you look like you spend too much time in front of the mirror, people are just going to think of you as being the arrogant, self-obsessed fool that you really are. So, if anything, you should learn how to do it very quickly and in private so you just show up looking great."

Papa Roach's Jacoby Shaddix: "My wife digs it. It's just like a once-a-day application, and it smears and gets nasty, and then the next day when you wake up ... it almost looks cooler the night after, like down your face. It's weird, man, I almost feel naked without any of it on. You know, I'm in Alabama hanging out with my family down there and I'm like [He gestures applying eyeliner]."

Papa Roach's Tobin Esperance: "If you're gonna wear makeup, it's not about looking pretty. It's gotta look like you've been up all night doing drugs."

Army of Anyone's Richard Patrick: "The current escalation of eyeliner usage is a direct result of people being more open-minded about androgyny and its place in fashion again. Some people wear it well, while others do not."

Kasabian's Tom Meighan: "There's only two people that can get away with it, man: Keith Richards and David Bowie."

Scissor Sisters' Del Marquis: "I used to wear a lot more makeup early on, and then this Panic! at the Disco nonsense [happened and] I just wiped it all off. If you're wearing makeup, it should enhance the music. If it is totally incongruous to what the music is about, it just makes my eyes roll back."

And ... Paris Hilton: "I like when guys wear a little eyeliner. Sometimes it's cute."

• Are Rock Dudes Wearing Eyeliner Thin?

• Guys Who Rock Eyeliner

• Red Hot Chili Peppers
• The Killers
• (+44)
• 30 Seconds To Mars
• Avenged Sevenfold

Ludacris' <i>Release Therapy</i>
Photo: Def Jam

After two weeks of dominance, could any disc dethrone Justin Timberlake's FutureSex/LoveSounds — an album that surpassed the 1-million-sold mark in just three weeks — to claim Billboard's albums-chart crown?

Timberlake, it turns out, is not invincible — just ask Ludacris. For the third time in his career, the rapper will see his latest disc debut at #1 on the Billboard albums chart. Luda's Release Therapy sold more than 309,000 copies during its initial week of release to earn the top spot. Luda's last two efforts, 2004's The Red Light District and 2003's Chicken-N-Beer, both debuted at #1 — with 322,000 and 430,000 sales, respectively.

While Ludacris' mission was clear — bump Timberlake from the top of the chart — he didn't go it alone. Three other new releases played a part in Justin's slip from #1 to the #5 spot he holds after selling close to 147,000 copies of his FutureSex/LoveSounds its third week in stores. Janet Jackson bows at #2 with 20 Y.O. putting up 296,000 in first-week sales. Tony Bennett's Duets: An American Classic — featuring collaborations with Bono, Sting and Stevie Wonder, among others — opens at #3 with close to 202,000 scans. Alan Jackson finishes fourth, with first-week sales of Like Red on a Rose nearing 149,000.

According to the latest SoundScan figures, a total of five albums penetrated Billboard's top 10 — the fifth is "Weird Al" Yankovic's Straight Outta Lynwood, which opens at #10 with more than 74,000 sales. In at #6 is John Mayer's Continuum, with week-three sales reported at 91,000 and change, while Hinder's Extreme Behavior climbs three spots to #7, selling 77,000 units. Clay Aiken's A Thousand Different Ways falls six spots to #8 with 74,000 copies sold. And Fergie's The Dutchess follows at #9, chalking up second-week sales of nearly 74,000.

All told, 28 new releases break into Billboard's next top 200. Scissor Sisters' Ta-Dah opens at #19 with 42,000 scans — not bad considering the album was not stocked in some of the nation's largest record stores (see "Scissor Sisters' Ta-Dah Cut Out Of Major U.S. Retail Chains"). Saosin's self-titled disc claims #22 with 35,000 in week-one sales, while V, the debut from Vanessa Hudgens — best known for her role as Gabriella Montez in the Disney Channel movie "High School Musical" — bows at #24 with more than 34,000 sold.

At #37 is the Dave Matthews Band, with their four-disc set, Fenway Park, Boston, MA, July 7-8, 2006, selling more than 26,000 units. The self-titled debut from former "American Idol" contestant Mario Vazquez finishes at #80 with 12,000 scans, followed at #95 by Enigma's A Posteriori with 10,000 sales. Dave Hollister's The Book of David, Vol. 1: The Transition claims #98 with 10,000 copies sold, while Mewithoutyou's Brother Sister opens at #116 with 9,000 discs scanned. My Morning Jacket follow at #131 with Okonokos: Double Live Album selling more than 8,000 units, while Rhino Records' two-disc collection The Very Best of Jerry Garcia opens at #166 with 6,000 scans. And Medeski, Scofield, Martin & Wood's Out Louder ranks at #188 with 5,000 sold.

Check out "Think You Know Luda? Meet Chris Bridges" to step into the studio with the chart champ. And see "Justin's Future Shock" for more on Timberlake's LoveSounds.

• Ludacris
• Justin Timberlake
• Tony Bennett
• Alan Jackson
• Scissor Sisters

The Scissor Sisters' Jake Shears
Photo: Dave Hogan/ Getty Images

The Scissor Sisters' Ta-Dah is currently the top album in the U.K., having sold more than 288,000 copies its first week of release. The first single from that album, "I Don't Feel Like Dancin', " sits atop the U.K. singles chart — after knocking a certain Mr. Timberlake out of #1 — with sales of more than 67,000 copies, according to the Official Charts Company.

Yet in the U.S., the album — which was released here Tuesday (September 26) — is not being carried in nearly 1,100 record stores in 26 states, all because of a single comment Sisters frontman Jake Shears made at a retail convention in Kissimmee, Florida, last month.

"I complained at the NARM [the National Association of Recording Merchandisers] convention that [For Your Entertainment's] record prices were too high," Shears told MTV News over the weekend at Baltimore's Virgin Festival. "A few months ago, I went to go buy the new Raconteurs album, and it was like $18.99. Of course, I rounded it up to $20 when I made the comments, and now they're denying it. They said, 'Our records are not $20, they're $19.99.' And so now they're not carrying our new record. I mean, even Wal-Mart is carrying it, but FYE is not."

But Shears is only partially accurate, because FYE isn't the only chain that won't be carrying the New York band's Ta-Dah — neither will Sam Goody, Strawberries, Wherehouse, Specs or Coconuts. Like FYE, those chains are owned by Trans World Entertainment, an Albany, New York, entertainment conglomerate that is one of the largest retailers of music, video and video games in the U.S.

According to Trans World President and CEO Jim Litwak, his company was just expressing its displeasure at Shears' comments, which he said were untrue and unfair. And furthermore, he said the whole situation could've been avoided had the band bothered to pick up the phone and call him.

"Mr. Shears said that he tried to buy a Raconteurs album but didn't because it was too expensive," Litwak told MTV News. "But he didn't bring it up to register, because if he did, he would've seen that the CD was on sale.

"So Mr. Shears made an incorrect statement at a convention instead of reaching out to us, to discuss our pricing," Litwak continued. "We decided that it would've been nice to get an apology from them, so we reached out to their distribution company [Universal Music Group Distribution] to let them know we were displeased, and we never heard back from them. So we made the decision not to carry the band's new release."

A spokesperson for UMG Distribution declined to comment on the matter, but neither Shears nor Litwak seemed prepared to let the issue drop, which means that for the foreseeable future, Ta-Dah will be shut out of all Trans World retailers. It will, however, be available just about everywhere else in the U.S., including Virgin, Tower and most major — and indie — music stores, plus electonic outlets like Amazon.com and the iTunes Music Store.

"Our hands are up in the air, and there's no rhyme or reason in this country when it comes to music," Shears sighed. "And this gives you an idea of the iron curtain that's really going on. We've sort of just decided to work really hard and see what happens."

"There are thousands of new releases out there, we've just decided not to carry this one. All they had to do was pick up the phone and talk to us," Litwak said. "But they didn't elect to do that. We were ignored, and he made those comments. So who's the injured party here?"

• Scissor Sisters

Ludacris' <I>Release Therapy</I>
Photo: Def Jam

Everybody Loves 'Cris: After years pushing the limits of the afro and mimicking Austin Powers, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges is taking a turn toward the serious with his Release Therapy. The rapper takes a seat on the couch, mulling topics like child abuse and politics as Mary J. Blige ("Runaway Love"), Young Jeezy ("Grew Up a Screw Up"), Field Mob ("Ultimate Satisfaction") and Beanie Sigel ("Do Your Time") lift up Luda throughout. He does lighten up a little, though, on the Pharrell-produced "Girls Gone Wild."

Jackson Action: She's up against country hero Alan Jackson and his Like Red on a Rose and R&B crooner Freddie Jackson and his Transitions, but Janet hopes to edge them out with her own new album, 20 Y.O. With a five-part saga that includes the intro, three interludes and the outro, Janet manages to squeeze in 11 additional cuts, like "Get It Out Me," "Show Me" and "Do It 2 Me." The special edition boasts a bonus DVD with dance auditions, in-the-studio material and the making of the "Call on Me" clip.

Christmas in September: Aly & AJ get a jumpstart on the holiday-album thing with this week's Acoustic Hearts of Winter, which may or may not wind up being as successful as Ella Fitzgerald's Christmas, being reissued today. The sparkly CD has "Greatest Time of Year," which will also be on "The Santa Clause 3" soundtrack, plus "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," "Little Drummer Boy" and "Joy to the World."

Oh Brother: Horns, accordions and organ make their way onto Brother, Sister, the second offering from hippie Christians Mewithoutyou. Fans who preordered at Interpunk.com got an exclusive T-shirt, but everybody can get their ears on "A Glass Can Only Spill What It Contains," "Brownish Spider" and "In a Sweater Poorly Knit." Ex-Sunny Day Real Estate singer Jeremy Enigk joins them for two tracks, and Seattle's favorite producer, Brad Wood, twiddles the knobs.

Oh Sister: Scissor Sisters are loading up ardent fans with even more gifts with the deluxe edition of their Ta-Dah — it's got a bonus six-song CD with a demo, remix and four more tunes. Both versions find the burlesquers hailing "Paul McCartney" and declaring "She's My Man" and "Everybody Wants the Same Thing."

Weird Science: Leave it to "Weird Al" Yankovic to brew up good-natured send-ups of familiar Green Day, Chamillionaire and R. Kelly cuts. Straight Outta Lynwood, his first LP in three years, is a DualDisc frothing over with two stereo mixes, instrumental-only versions of all 12 tracks, an onscreen lyrics option, nine behind-the-scenes clips and six new videos. Now that's straight-up.

Breaking Their Silence: In case you missed them at Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, the Warped Tour or MTV's very own "You Hear It First" series, this week will be your chance to hear electro wizards Mute Math.The New Orleanians' record is actually a joint effort between their own label Teleprompt and Warner Bros., an unlikely deal that should probably benefit both sides, seeing as how the band has sold more than 45,000 CDs on their own so far. The first 25,000 copies are slapped with a bonus live EP that has six songs — do the math.

Curse of the Bandino: Have enough Dave Matthews Band live albums but not enough sports memorabilia? Make an excuse for yourself with Fenway Park, Boston MA, July 7-8, 2006, a quadro-CD set that brims with a whopping 38 tracks over four discs. Copies ordered through the Live Trax 6 store will have a sticker commemorating the event, plus the chance to win a Red Sox jersey signed by Matthews.

Morning Glory: Cameron Crowe faves and former Boston Pops collaborators My Morning Jacket remind us what makes their live shows so memorable with Okonokos: Double Live Album, mixed by Bob Dylan buddy Michael Brauer and mastered by the legendary Bob Ludwig. The set actually precedes a more comprehensive document of MMJ's explosive concert. Let the press-release description do the talking: "Inspired by a fairytale-like performance in Tokyo, the band decided to adorn their mysterious set with qualities akin to an old growth forest, capturing the essence of a timeless, nameless, anonymous place. The theme of straddling the line between the surreal and the actual is introduced at the film's prologue when a cast of characters draped in Victorian-era costume, along with one alpaca, are introduced." Right on.

Song Title of the Week:

"Polyester Meth Zeus" from Velvet Acid Christ's Lust for Blood

Other Notables:

Botch's Unifying Themes Redux: Botch gave birth to These Arms Are Snakes, Minus the Bear and Roy, but the Seattle hardcore heathens are being judged by their own merits on this LP, the first in a series of discs culling the band's archives. Unreleased tunes, comp-only tracks and other rarities flesh out the set.

Ladyfinger (ne)'s Heavy Hands: The Omaha, Nebraska, group — who use that (ne) at the end of its name, just so you don't forget — drop a new disc on (where else?) Saddle Creek Records of Bright Eyes and Faint note. Speaking of which, Ladyfinger share members with the Faint, Mayday and the lesser-known Race for Titles and Bleeders for Treats. So if you dig that stuff, look no further.

Lucero's Rebels, Rogues & Sworn Brothers: David Lowery of Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven fame stepped behind the boards to document this, the fifth opus by the soothing Memphis, Tennessee, band. Organs and pianos seep onto songs like "What Else Would You Have Me Be?," "I Can Get Us Out of Here" and "She's Just That Kinda Girl."

New Releases:

• Adem - Love and Other Planets (Domino)

Buy Now: Love and Other Planets (Domino)

• Airpushers - Themes for the Ordinarily Strange ... (Sarathan)

Buy Now: Acoustic Hearts of Winter (Sarathan)

• Aly & AJ - Acoustic Hearts of Winter (Hollywood)

Buy Now: Acoustic Hearts of Winter (Hollywood)

• Arma Secreta - A Century's Remains (Rithmetic)
• As Tall as Lions - As Tall as Lions (Triple Crown)

Buy Now: As Tall as Lions (Triple Crown)

• Bobby Bare Jr.'s Young Criminals Starvation League - Longest Meow (Bloodshot)

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• Jay Bennett - The Magnificent Defeat (Rykodisc)

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• Tony Bennett - Duets: An American Classic (Columbia)

Buy Now: Duets: An American Classic (Columbia)

• Bridges and Powerlines - Bridges and Powerlines (self-released EP)
• Brothermandude - Brothermandude (Adrenaline)
• Solomon Burke - Nashville (Shout! Factory)
• By the Tree - World on Fire (Fervent)

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• Richard Cheese - Silent Nightclub (Surfdog)
• Mark Chesnutt - Heard It in a Love Song (CBUJ)
• Natalie Cole - Leavin' (Verve)
• Al Di Meola - Consequence of Chaos (Telarc)

Buy Now: Consequence of Chaos (Telarc)

• Dirty Projectors - New Attitude (Marriage)
• Enigma - A Posteriori (Virgin)

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• Escape the Fate - Dying Is Your Last Fashion (Epitaph)
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• Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton - Knives Don't Have Your Back (digipak; Last Gang)
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• Honeycut - The Day I Turned To Glass (Quannum)

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• Vanessa Hudgens - V (Hollywood)
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• Freddie Jackson - Transitions (Orpheus)

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• Janet Jackson - 20 Y.O. (Virgin)
  Read: "Jermaine Dupri Promises Mariah, Janet Duet On New Album"

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• Boney James - Shine (Concord)
• Keith Jarrett - The Carnegie Hall Concert (two CDs; ECM)

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• Jupiter Rising - Jupiter Rising (Chime)
• Kaskade - Love Mysterious (Ultra)
• Eric Klinger - The Book of Mourning (Da' Core)
• Ladyfinger (ne) - Heavy Hands (Saddle Creek)
• The Lemonheads - The Lemonheads (Vagrant)

Buy Now: The Lemonheads (Vagrant)

• Jeffrey Lewis - City & Eastern Songs (Rough Trade)
• Jerry Lee Lewis - Last Man Standing (Artist First)
• Michael Lington - A Song for You (Rendezvous)
• Lucero - Rebels, Rogues & Sworn Brothers (Liberty & Lament)

Buy Now: Rebels, Rogues & Sworn Brothers (Liberty & Lament)

• Ludacris - Release Therapy (Def Jam)
  Read: "Therapy Session: Ludacris Previews New LP, Shows Off Home Studio"

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• Dave Matthews Band - Fenway Park, Boston MA, July 7-8, 2006 (four CDs; RCA)
• Paul McCartney - Ecce Cor Meum (EMI Classics)
• Audra McDonald - Build a Bridge (Nonesuch)
• Stephanie McKay - Stephanie McKay (EP; Astralwerks)
• Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood - Out Louder (Indirecto)
• Mewithoutyou - Brother, Sister (Tooth & Nail)
  Read: "Mewithoutyou Confront Rock's Limitations: 'You Can't Give People Hugs In A CD' "
• Travis Mitchell Band - Forget What's Wrong (Rock Ridge)
• Stanton Moore - III (Telarc)
• Mute Math - Mute Math (Teleprompt/ Warner Bros.)
  Read: "Electro-Poppers Mute Math Work Hard To Bring Back The Keytar"
• My Morning Jacket - Okonokos: Double Live Album (ATO/RCA)
• Nina Nastasia - On Leaving (Fatcat)
• NewFound Road - Life in a Song (Rounder)
• Only Son - The Drop to the Top (Cassette)
• Oohlas - Best Stop Pop (Stolen Transmission)
  Read: "Oohlas Have Spastic Frontwoman, Ex-Everclear Drummer — Is Fame On The Way?"
• Cale Parks - Illuminated Manuscript (Polyvinyl)
• Rhapsody of Fire - Triumph of Agony (special edition; Steamhammer)
• Samiam - Whatever's Got You Down (Hopeless)
• Saosin - Saosin (Capitol)
• Mark Schultz - Broken & Beautiful (Word)
• Scissor Sisters - Ta-Dah (deluxe edition due same day; Motown Universal)
• Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars - Living Like a Refugee (digipak; Anti)
• Sol.iLLaquists of Sound - As If We Existed (Anti)
• Sparklehorse - Dreamt for Years in the Belly of a Mountain (Astralwerks)
• Mario Vazquez - Mario Vazquez (Arista)
  Read: " 'Idol' Dropout Mario Vazquez Shows 'Grittier' Side On Debut, Hopes For Spot On Christina Tour"
• Velvet Acid Christ - Lust for Blood (Metropolis)
• Paul Westerberg - "Open Season" soundtrack (Lost Highway)
• Westbound Train - Transitions (digipak; Hellcat)
• Wolf Eyes - Human Animal (digipak; Sub Pop)
• "Weird Al" Yankovic - Straight Outta Lynwood (DualDisc; Jive)
• Richie Zito Project - Avalon (Frontiers)
• Various artists - Think Global: West Arica Unwired (World Music Network)
• Various artists - Why the Hell Not ... The Songs of Kinky Friedman (Sustain)
• Various artists - "Dora's World Adventure!" soundtrack (Nick)

Notable Reissues and Archival Material:

• Tori Amos - A Piano: The Collection (five CDs; Rhino)
• The Black Crowes - The Lost Crowes (two CDs; Rhino)
• Tommy Bolan - Whips & Roses II (Steamhammer)
• Botch - Unifying Themes Revisited (Hydra Head)
• The Byrds - There Is a Season (box set with four CDs and one DVD; Columbia/Legacy)
• Farmer Jason - A Day at the Farm With Farmer Jason and Rockin' in the Forest With Farmer Jason (Rhino)
• Fear Factory - The Best of Fear Factory (Roadrunner)
• Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Fitzgerald's Christmas (Capitol)
• Jerry Garcia - The Very Best of Jerry Garcia (two CDs; Rhino/ J. Garcia)
• David Gray - Sell Sell Sell (Nettwork)
• George Harrison - Living in the Material World (limited-edition version with DVD due same day; Capitol)
• Holy Moses - Finished With the Dogs (Locomotive)
• Ill Niño - The Best of Ill Niño (Roadrunner)
• Waylon Jennings - Nashville Rebel (four-CD box set; RCA Nashville/ Legacy)
• John Lennon - "The U.S. Vs. John Lennon" soundtrack (Capitol)
• Little Feat - The Best of Little Feat (Rhino)
• Ziggy Marley - Love Is My Religion (Cooking Vinyl)
• Sarah McLachlan - Mirrorball: The Complete Concert (two CDs; Arista/Legacy)
• Steve Reich - Phases: A Nonesuch Retrospective (five-CD box set; Nonesuch)
• Sepultura - The Best of Sepultura (Roadrunner)
• Type O Negative - The Best of Type O Negative (Roadrunner)
• Fats Waller - If You Have to Ask, You Ain't Got It (three CDs; Bluebird/Legacy)

Music DVDs:

• Depeche Mode - "Touring the Angel: Live in Milan" (with bonus CD; Reprise)
• Dwarves - "Fefu: The DVD - Special Edition Director's Cut" (Music Video Distributors)
• Hot Tuna - "25 Years and Runnin': Live at Sweetwater" (Vestapol)
• Isis - "Clearing the Eye" (Ipecac)
• Buddy Rich - "Jazz Icons: Live in '78" (TDK)
• Seven Witches - "Years of the Witch" (Screaming Ferret)

Coming Attractions:

October 3:

• Beck - The Information (Geffen)
  Read: "Beck Giving Fans Sticky Fingers With Quasi-Hip-Hop Album"
• Evanescence - The Open Door (Wind-Up)
  Read: "Amy Lee Says New Evanescence LP Has More Sensuality"
• Killers - Sam's Town (Island)
  Read: "Killers Album Preview: Massive Sound, Epic Ballads, Big Ideas Fill Sam's Town"

• The Blood Brothers - Young Machetes (V2)
• Rod Stewart - Still the Same ... Great Rock Classics of Our Time (J)
• Various artists - "American Hardcore - The History of American Punk Rock (1980-1986)" soundtrack (Rhino)

• C-Murder - The Tru Story ... Continued (limited-edition version with DVD and bonus tracks; Koch)
• Glenn Danzig - Black Aria II (Megaforce)
  Read: "Glenn Danzig Preps 'Final' Tour, Film, Box Set And, Uh, Dolls"
• Xzibit - Full Circle (Koch)
  Read: "Xzibit's An Indie Rapper Again, With Game And Quik In Tow"

• Ludacris
• Janet Jackson
• Aly & AJ
• Mewithoutyou
• Scissor Sisters

Notorious B.I.G.
Photo: Bad Boy

Lawyers representing the city of Los Angeles in the long-running Notorious B.I.G. (born Christopher Wallace) wrongful-death lawsuit lashed out against the slain rapper's family in court papers filed Tuesday, The Associated Press reports. The attorneys accused the Wallace family of going to "odious" and "absurd" lengths to "satisfy their ambition to extract hundreds of millions of dollars" from the municipality. The city's attorneys allege the Wallace family misled the court by claiming city attorneys and the Los Angeles Police Department withheld informant statements and additional evidence, linking two rogue cops to the rapper's unsolved 1997 shooting death. One of the family's attorneys, Perry Sanders, has denied any deliberate attempts to deceive the court. Dorothy Wolpert, one of the city's attorneys, suggested in the filing that the Wallace family lied because they "were not happy with the way the trial was developing," and asked U.S. District Judge Florence-Marie Cooper, who declared a mistrial in the wrongful-death case last July, to pave the way for a new trial to commence "as soon as [the court's] calendar will allow." ...

Hearing wedding bells for Brad and Angelina? Maybe your ears are ringing. "There is nothing in the air," Jolie said Wednesday (June 7) during a news conference for local journalists in the Namibian coastal town of Swakopmund, The Associated Press reports. "The focus is the kids, and we are obviously extremely committed to the children and as parents together. So that kind of says it for us, and to have a ceremony on top of it is nothing." The couple plans to leave Namibia in the coming days. "We are very proud that our daughter was born here," Brad Pitt said, "and we leave with fond memories and definitely hungry to return." The press conference was the couple's first public appearance since the birth of their daughter, Shiloh Nouvel. In other Brangelina baby news, People and Hello! magazines, which bought publishing rights for the photos in the U.S. and U.K., respectively, have launched legal action against two Web sites that posted what appeared to be the upcoming cover of Hello! featuring a photo of the couple with their new baby. ...

After announcing in mid-April that she would be joining the Aaron Eckhart comedy "Bill," Lindsay Lohan has dropped out of the production because of a scheduling conflict, the film's producers said. Lohan was set to play the part of Lucy, the friend of a rebellious teenage boy who Eckhart's character mentors as he tries to find a new purpose in his life. Lohan will be replaced by Jessica Alba when filming starts Thursday in St. Louis. ... Jennifer Lopez was honored Tuesday at the Women in Film's Crystal and Lucy Awards in Los Angeles, and her husband Marc Anthony took out a full-page ad in Variety to show his support. The ad, designed as a mock page from a screenplay, described Lopez (who he called "Lola") receiving her award. "Cut to: Marc Anthony, her proud husband, sitting in the audience aware of how lucky he is to be with the love of his life and sharing in this moment." Geena Davis was also honored. ...

Ashanti's former manager, Linda Berk, filed suit against the singer in a New York federal court on Tuesday, seeking millions of dollars in damages for breach of contract. According to a Reuters report, Berk — who co-managed along with Ashanti's mother — claims that she was instrumental in guiding the career of the 25-year-old R&B singer from an unknown teen to a "music and entertainment superstar" before her contract was cut short in May 2003. Ashanti's spokesperson said Berk's contract expired and wasn't renewed. ... Police in Florida's Miami-Dade County are investigating an act of vandalism that transpired outside the home of ex-2 Live Crew member Luther "Luke" Campbell Wednesday morning. A landscaping brick was allegedly thrown through the window of one of Campbell's cars and had several notes attached to it. According to reports, one of the notes said ''Sign or die.'' Miami police have not named a suspect in the incident. ...

Danger Mouse will serve as the Artist in Residence at the 2006 Los Angeles Film Festival. The Gnarls Barkley/ Gorillaz producer has scheduled several films that have inspired his music, including Woody Allen's "Deconstructing Harry" and Richard Kelly's "Donnie Darko," for his portion of the event. Danger Mouse will also partake in a pre-festival discussion June 12 at the Hammer Museum. ... After nearly 16 years as lead singer, Paul Roberts has left the Stranglers to concentrate on his new band, Soulsec. Roberts joined the scowling British punks in the early '90s after their original singer/guitarist, Hugh Cornwell, departed for a solo career. Initially renowned for deliberately provocative songs like "Bring on the Nubiles" and "Nice 'N' Sleazy," the Stranglers gradually moved away from their willfully contemptuous origins toward mainstream pop in the late '80s and maintained their sizable following in Europe throughout the '90s with Roberts. Though longtime fans may pine for an unlikely reunion of the original foursome, the Stranglers plan to soldier on with guitarist Baz Warne assuming vocal duties. ...

Queen Latifah knows rap, soul, acting — and politics? The singer/actress was on Capitol Hill Wednesday to advocate for a National Women's Confidence Day, according to AP. "I got the support I needed from my mother, grandmother and aunts. But many women today do not have the confidence they need," Latifah said, backing the day of observance Representative Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) wants celebrated in June. How does Congresswoman Dana Owens sound? ... Bunny Wailer — who played with Bob Marley as part of the original Wailers — is hooking up with his late friend's sons on this summer's Roots, Rock, Reggae Festival, AP reports. The 59-year-old legend will be on the bill alongside Stephen and Ziggy Marley when the monthlong tour kicks off August 6 in Redway, California. ...

After struggling for nearly three years, the founders of WeirdAlStar.com — the Web site dedicated to raising the $15,000 necessary to land "Weird" Al Yankovic his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame — have announced that they've finally reached their goal. The $15,000 needed for the honor will be sent (along with Al's application) to the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which will decide later this month if he's worthy of a star. If all goes according to plan, Yankovic could have people walking all over him by 2007. ... The first pressing of the New York Dolls' July 25 release, One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This, will feature a 45-minute making-of DVD chronicling the creation of the seminal rock act's first album in more than 30 years. The DVD will also boast a special bonus tune called "17." ...

The Jared Leto-led 30 Seconds to Mars have extended their touring plans by 17 gigs. The band is booked to play Louisville, Kentucky, on June 17, followed by stops in Knoxville, Tennessee; Buffalo, New York; Hartford, Connecticut; Asbury Park, New Jersey; Salt Lake City; and Denver. The group's traveling plans end with an August 5 appearance at this year's Lollapalooza festival in Chicago. ... Disco-pop act Scissor Sisters and Scandinavian shoegazers Serena Maneesh have been added to the 6th annual Village Voice Siren Music Festival lineup, which already includes She Wants Revenge, Stars, Tapes 'N Tapes and the Stills. Other new additions include Man Man, the Roger Sisters and Deadboy & the Elephantmen. The Siren fest takes place at New York's Coney Island on July 15. ...

Stone Sour recently shot a video with director Tony Petrossian (Head Automatica, Avenged Sevenfold) for the track "Through Glass," the first single off of the band's forthcoming album Come What(ever) May. The album's set to hit stores August 1, with the single expected to hit rock radio's airwaves later this month. ... Long Island, New York, hardcore legends Vision of Disorder, who have temporarily reunited for a spate of summer gigs, looked to have added some dates to their schedule. In addition to the band's appearances on the Sounds of the Underground Tour July 16 in Camden, New Jersey, and the Strhess Tour 2006 on August 12 in Worcester, Massachusetts, Vision of Disorder have booked an August 11 gig at Club Ritual in Levittown, New York, with God Forbid, and another for August 13 — same town and venue — with Nora. ...

Ozomatli will kick off the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour's Toyota Hermosa Beach Open with a free concert at California's Hermosa Beach Pier on Friday. The band's performance, scheduled to begin at 6 p.m., will feature songs from their Grammy-winning Street Signs as well as new music. ... If listening to discs from the Kidz Bop Kids has you wishing you could experience the sound of top hits (by everyone from Rihanna to Green Day) performed by children live, you're in luck. Club Kidz Bop, billed as an "interactive concert," will be entertaining Six Flags theme parks this summer. The tour, which kicks off Wednesday at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, will hit parks across the country before wrapping up at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California, on September 3.

06.06.2006

Lindsay Lohan teamed up with Karl Lagerfeld; Jessica Simpson stole Diddy's thunder; and Janet Jackson, Terrence Howard and Mrs. Marilyn Manson, Dita Von Teese, filled out the audience at Monday night's Council of Fashion Designers of America Fashion Awards, ELLE.com reports. Diddy's late arrival was trumped by Simpson's — although the two did pose together on the green carpet. Lohan reminisced about the many bags she's bought before presenting the Accessory Designer of the Year honors to Tom Binns. And Scarlett Johansson handed the Womenswear Designer of the Year prize to Calvin Klein's Francisco Costa at the fashion industry's big night, which took place at the New York Public Library's Celeste Bartos Forum. (Check out shots of Rihanna, Amanda Bynes, Heidi Klum and more decked out in their fashion-awards best.) ...

Ever since Billy Corgan announced last summer that he was resurrecting the Smashing Pumpkins, fans have been wondering just who will be joining the revival. So far, we know Corgan's longtime right-hand man, sinewy drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, is on board. But could Eric Avery, the erstwhile bassist for Jane's Addiction, be interested in the slot left vacant by Melissa Auf Der Maur and original bassist D'Arcy Wretzky before her? Perhaps. According to a spokesperson for the Pumpkins' management, Avery "has been rehearsing with [the band] in their pre-production of the new record, but nothing [has been] confirmed in regards to [Avery joining the Pumpkins]." There's no word on whether Corgan has reached out to either original guitarist James Iha or Wretzky to return to the fold, but Auf Der Maur has expressed interest in playing a role in the Pumpkins' return. ...

People magazine has won the bidding war over the exclusive photos of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's new daughter, Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt. The magazine will feature the pics in its next issue, which hits newsstands Friday. Jolie and Pitt have yet to announce the charity or charities that will receive the money raised from the sale. ... Dr. Dre, Bow Wow, Natalie Cole and Platinum Weird (Kara DioGuardi and Dave Stewart's new band) have been added to the Los Angeles chapter of the Recording Academy's Honors ceremony, which will recognize Snoop Dogg and MySpace.com co-founders Tom Anderson and Chris DeWolfe. Nate Dogg and Warren G are also expected to attend the event Thursday in Hollywood. ...

Britney Spears might not be able to make Kevin Federline clean up, but put the man on a magazine cover and he'll cut his hair, shave off his stubble and actually wear a suit, as he does in the new issue of Item magazine, on newsstands Thursday (Click to see photos of Kevin Federline's new look). K-Fed tells the mag that he just can't win: "If I stay home and take care of my wife and my kids, then I am a loafer, not a good father. If I try to have a career, nobody thinks I am caring for my family. ... I should just put a bull's-eye on my back." Federline said that while people may think that he's a freeloader, he's going to make sure his kids appreciate hard work and the value of money. "It's completely unfair when a child is brought into this world and now he's already looked at like a prince. My kids are going to have to learn what a real job is, what life is. You don't have it easy with me. Period. ... My kids are going to work at Taco Bell, dammit!" ...

Mariah Carey is expecting a "whole slew" of featured guests on her upcoming tour, to help re-create her classic collabos, but the guest she's most looking forward to seeing is Jermaine Dupri. "I would hope Jermaine is going to make it to a couple of shows," she said. "I love everybody I work with, but Jermaine is my favorite person to collaborate with because he is a great artist as well as producer as well as collaborator. We work together. A lot of times, I will just work on a melody and lyrics by myself and get a beat from somebody or tell them, 'Here's what I'm feeling,' and they'll play it on the piano. But Jermaine and I can sit there, work together, and really collaborate and have fun." ... Lady Sovereign, Badly Drawn Boy, Zero 7, Rogue Wave and the Veronicas are among the new additions to Seattle's Bumbershoot fest, scheduled for September 2-4. They join Kanye West, AFI and Yellowcard, among others. ...

To commemorate punk rock's 30th birthday, Sanctuary Records will release U.S. Vs. U.K. Punk, a 16-track collection featuring selections from several pioneering British and American — well, New York and Los Angeles — punk acts, including the Sex Pistols, the Ramones and the Damned, but not the Clash. The disc will boast a demo version of the Pistols' "Anarchy in the U.K.," along with live and rare cuts from the Buzzcocks, Generation X, Sham 69, the New York Dolls, Dead Boys, Black Flag and Suicidal Tendencies. ... Slipknot and Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor has teamed with Iowa-based metallers Facecage to launch a new record label. Called Great Big Mouth Records, the label will issue Facecage's forthcoming album, Facecage III, on July 15. Taylor, who produced the Facecage LP, has no plans at this time to add to the label's roster. ...

Monday night's 65th annual Peabody Awards ceremony was full of comedy and tragedy thanks to host Jon Stewart and statues for everything from Hurricane Katrina coverage to poop jokes on "South Park." According to The Hollywood Reporter, Stewart opened with his typical deadpan humor, saying, "Here at the Peabodys, I'm a satirist ... It's very important, what I do, and you're lucky to have me." The awards, presented by the University of Georgia, honor "distinguished achievement and meritorious service" by radio and television networks, which explains why the biggest cheers were reserved for "South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone for their 10 years of satirical cartoon mayhem. Awards also went to director Martin Scorsese for his PBS "American Masters" documentary "Bob Dylan: No Direction Home" and four TV news teams for their Katrina coverage. ...

Meat Loaf is suing longtime collaborator, songwriter Jim Steinman, for $50 million and the use of the phrase "Bat Out of Hell." In a lawsuit filed May 26, the singer claims that Steinman and former manager David Sonenberg have tried to block the October release of Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose. Meat Loaf's suit alleges that Steinman — who wrote Meat Loaf's 1977 album Bat Out of Hell and the 1993 follow-up Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell — wrongly claimed exclusive use of the phrase in a 1995 patent application. Steinman wrote six songs for Bat Out of Hell III, which was produced by Desmond Child and features Mötley Crüe's Nikki Sixx and Marilyn Manson's Jon 5. "Meat Loaf will not be bullied by anyone," attorney Skip Miller said in a statement. "He will continue to use the title 'Bat Out of Hell' in any way he wants."

[This story was originally published at 2:00 pm E.T. on 06.07.2006]

• Notorious B.I.G.
• Lindsay Lohan
• Jennifer Lopez
• Ashanti
• 30 Seconds To Mars

Scissor Sisters (file)
Photo: Universal Records

The biggest winners at Wednesday night's Brit Awards in London were ...

American camp-rockers the Scissor Sisters. The flashy, trashy disco-rock group — whose self-titled debut was the top-selling album of last year in England — won three awards at the British answer to the Grammys, including International Breakthrough Act, Best International Group and Best International Album. The group blew open the night's proceedings with a typically over-the-top performance of their hit "Take Your Mama," which had them bursting out of a pair of golden eggs laid by a huge pink rooster.

The evening's other big winners include Glasgow, Scotland, rockers Franz Ferdinand (Best British Group and Best British Rock Act), Keane (whose Hopes and Fears won Best British Album and British Breakthrough) and teenage soul diva Joss Stone (Best British Female Solo Artist and Best Urban Act). The Best Male Solo Artist award went to gritty rapper Mike Skinner (a.k.a the Streets), and Muse were named Best British Live Act.

The Sisters weren't the only Yanks to crash the proceedings, as Gwen Stefani swept up the International Female Solo Artist trophy and Eminem won for International Male Solo Artist.

Live Aid founder Sir Bob Geldof was given an award for outstanding contribution to music for his work raising money for African famine relief and leading the Irish band the Boomtown Rats.

In a reflection of his massive popularity in England, Robbie Williams' "Angels" was picked as the best song of the past 25 years by a poll of BBC radio listeners, beating out selections by Queen, Kate Bush, Joy Division and "Pop Idol" winner Will Young.

• Franz Ferdinand
• Scissor Sisters
• Keane
• The Streets
• Muse

Scissor Sisters (file)
Photo: Universal Records

While many rockers scream about rebellion and the generation gap, the Scissor Sisters unironically encourage fans to "take your mama out all night, and show her what it's all about."

Seeming to have risen fully formed from a heap of glitter, leather, shattered disco vinyl, and exposed wires, the flamboyant New Yorkers are adamant about getting their kicks as hard and as fast as possible while they still can.

The group's debut, released here in May, reflects that impetus. An energetic, keyboard-heavy album celebrating the sexual energy of New York nightlife, Scissor Sisters is also a mélange of many different styles, attitudes and feelings. From the roller-coaster emotionality of opening track "Laura," to the rowdy party lyrics and falsetto vocals of "Take Your Mama," to the disco interpretation of Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb," to the morose strumming and keyboards of "Mary," the album shifts gears relentlessly. And that's only the first four tracks.

Debut single "Take Your Mama" has made waves on radio and TV in the United States as well as in the U.K. — where they're already on their fifth single, having gone platinum with their top-five album. Inspired by lead singer Jake Shears' mother, who attends his concerts and encourages her son's passion for big-city nightlife, the single has inspired British fans to throw Take Your Mama Out parties where the only rule, says singer Ana Matronic, is "no mom, no entry."

The Sisters formed five years ago with their mamas' support, and the bandmembers mirror the album's diversity with stylish sensibilities often missing from both bubblegum and indie pop. Their diverse sexual orientations have become something of an issue for the Scissors, however, who maintain that their sexuality is only one aspect of their respective personalities. Onstage, says Shears, they're just a rock band.

Each member of Scissor Sisters — which includes petite tour de force Shears, bold and colorful Ana Matronic, multi-instrumentalist Babydaddy, drummer Paddy Boom, and guitarists Del Marquis and Derek G — takes on a part in their rocking onstage cabaret.

The band, which has been touring for more than a year, boasts an unabashed theatricality. "It's very participatory," Shears says. "The audience is just as much a part of it as we are. If audience members lose themselves in the music and have a great time, our job is done."

Shears also ensures that the live show doesn't simply regurgitate the album. "It's a lot heavier than the album," he says. "It's very loud and crazy and frantic. It's definitely rock and roll." The Scissors' audience ranges in age from younger than 10 to older than 70, a diversity that may or may not have something to do with the possibility of catching a glimpse of Shears' inadvertently exposed manhood.

While opening for Elton John, Shears recalls feeling a draft and noticing that his too-tight pants had split. There he was, exposed "in front of 25,000 people, mostly old ladies with blue hair, and their grandkids."

When the bandmembers take the stage, Shears says, their sexuality becomes secondary. "Americans are very hung up on sexuality," he explains, "so that's sort of our appeal. But when we go onstage, that stuff dissipates and it's just music."

Scissor Sisters tour dates, according to their publicist:

• 9/8 - Philadelphia, PA @ TBA
• 9/9 - Boston, MA @ TT's
• 9/10 - New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
• 9/14 - Detroit, MI @ St. Andrews Hall
• 9/15 - Chicago, IL @ Metro
• 9/16 - Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Music Cafe
• 9/20 - Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater
• 9/21 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Liquid Joe's
• 9/23 - Seattle, WA @ Showbox
• 9/24 - Vancouver, BC @ Richard's on Richards
• 9/25 - Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
• 9/27 - San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
• 9/28 - San Diego, CA @ 'Canes
• 9/29 - Hollywood, CA @ The Avalon

• Scissor Sisters