Lil Wayne after his arrest in Boise, Idaho, on October 5
Photo: Ada County Sheriff's Office

Lil Wayne was arrested in Boise, Idaho, Friday night on a felony fugitive charge issued in Georgia for allegedly possessing a controlled substance, The Associated Press reports. Wayne, who was booked into the Ada County Jail, was expected to miss a scheduled concert Saturday night because his charges made him ineligible for bond. As a result, an Ada County sheriff's deputy told AP, the jail has been flooded with angry calls from fans. The 25-year-old rapper, born Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., is set to be formally charged Tuesday. ...

"This about to get ugly, this about to go crazy." First T.I. had his way with Britney Spears, and now it's Lil Mama. The diminutive rapper is about to drop a remix of Spears' single "Gimme More," in which she gives the singer some props but spends most of the song boasting about her own skills: "I'm what's hot. Ever see 'G-Slide'? I can bring it back." (Listen here for a preview of the track.) Lil Mama then calls out the "followers," saying she has no competition because she's "so far ahead of my time." And, in what could be an analysis of why Spears has had so many troubles as of late, Lil Mama says, "People always going to tell you what you want to hear," that there's been "too many yeses, not enough noes, not enough real," which means even "the best get torn." Who knew the dance track could be a cautionary tale as well? As Lil Mama raps, "You've been warned by the voice of the young." ...

K-Fed may have physical custody of his children with Spears, but People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is urging him to take the custody battle to the doghouse. In a letter faxed to Federline on Thursday, PETA President Ingrid Newkirk requested that he ask the judge for custody of the couple's pets. "It's no secret that Ms. Spears' impetuous 'pet' purchases and lack of caretaking skills have been a serious concern of ours," she wrote, noting that in 2006 the singer was "the overwhelming choice" for worst celebrity dog owner in polls conducted by New York Dog and Hollywood Dog magazines. Newkirk was also concerned that Britney's latest dog, London, was more of an "accessory" and noted that the Los Angeles chapter of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals had already investigated the dog's lack of veterinary care after breaking his leg when he was stepped on. "As a father, your main concern is the comfort and stability of your children," Newkirk wrote. "London and the other animals whom the boys consider to be part of the family have provided that comfort and stability ... being separated from the animal friends whom they share a bond with is undoubtedly traumatic for them." ...

Jennifer Lopez has a lot more on her hands than just a new album and joint tour with husband Marc Anthony: The couple are expecting twins, TMZ.com reports. The children would be the first for the pair; Anthony has a daughter and two sons from two previous relationships, one of which resulted in marriage. Lopez and Anthony launched their En Concierto trek in late September and will continue on it through a November 2 date in Miami. Her new album, Brave, drops Tuesday. ... The Spice Girls have cooked up their first single in seven years, called "Headlines," according to BBC News. "It's a Spice Girl classic," Geri Halliwell told the news outlet. We are so proud of it. We started putting words down before we even had the finalised 'yes' from everyone." The Girls' reunion world tour launches December 2 in Vancouver, British Columbia, and will be preceded by their Greatest Hits set, due in stores November 20. ...

Owen Wilson briefly attended the Los Angeles premiere of "The Darjeeling Limited," his new movie with director Wes Anderson, on Thursday night, according to People. He reportedly avoided the red carpet and instead entered the theater through a private entrance, after which he joined co-stars Jason Schwartzman and Anjelica Huston, and Natalie Portman (who starred in an Anderson-directed short film tied to "Limited"), onstage. Anderson introduced Wilson as "my best friend," and the audience reacted with strong applause. "I've never made a movie without him. And I hope I never have to," Anderson added. It was Wilson's first major public appearance since he was hospitalized following what police deemed a suicide attempt. ...

Kanye West and designer Takashi Murakami, who have collaborated together on 'Ye's album covers, are putting their heads together again for a collection of gold, manga-style pendants, according to Women's Wear Daily. The rapper wore a diamond-studded one out to Givenchy's in New York earlier this week, according to WWD. "They'll be more accessible, they won't be all diamonds," he reportedly said. "The eyes are not perfectly done. Murakami cringes when he sees the eyes." ... Kid Rock tested out a handful of new songs at a surprise show at Emerald Theatre in Mount Clemens, Michigan, on Thursday night, according to The Detroit News. The show, which ran more than two hours long, had reportedly been announced less than 24 hours earlier, and tickets sold out in five minutes. ...

Beyoncé must be breathing a little easier — the singer hasn't encountered opposition from Muslim groups in Indonesia over her planned November 1 concert there, according to Reuters. She won't have to follow a strict dress code, which she would have had she performed in Malaysia, the country previously scheduled to host the show. ... Ginuwine has filed a lawsuit in New York against King Music Group Inc., according to AP. In the suit, the R&B star claims he was tricked into signing a contract with a record label that didn't even exist. He said he was persuaded to ink the deal back in May, and according to the contract, he was to receive $1.75 million, including a $500,000 advance, to record his first album for the label. But five months later, he hasn't put out any material and hasn't been paid a dime. The lawsuit claims there's no corporate record for King Music Group Inc. anywhere in New York, California, Florida or Tennessee. The filing charges breach of contract, fraud and negligent misrepresentation, and seeks $4 million in damages. ...

Brad isn't the only previously defunct project Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard is reuniting — he's also bringing back Green River, an early Seattle grunge act that featured PJ's Jeff Ament, and Mudhoney's Mark Arm and Steve Turner. The band has scheduled one reunion gig, for Sub Pop's 20th anniversary concert next summer. ... The reunions continue with news that Eve 6 have also been resurrected, three years after splitting up. The group plans to write and record its next full-length effort early next year, with a full North American headlining tour expected to follow. ... And it's been nearly 10 years since we've heard new music from Portishead, but it seems the act is finishing up its third studio album — although it might not sound like you'd expect. According to band principal Geoff Barrow, the still-untitled effort will feature new elements. "It sounds pretty different from what we have done before," he wrote on the band's Web site. "I don't think the fondue society will be happy." ...

Of Montreal, Ween, Sebadoh, Caribou and Man Man are among the initial list of bands for the spring All Tomorrow's Parties shindig, set to take place in England over the course of two weekends in May. Dates, as well as 24 more artists, will be announced for the event, which is being co-curated by ATP and Pitchfork. ... Carbon/Silicon — the band featuring the ex-Clash singer/guitarist Mick Jones and former Generation X bassist Tony James — will release their debut album, The Last Post, October 23. The band formed in 2004. ...

Just like Magic, Bruce Springsteen might have another LP on the way. The Boss, who just issued his new album this week, has a pile of leftovers "that I think are great songs and should end up somewhere, but they just didn't quite fit with this group," producer Brendan O'Brien told Billboard.com. Springsteen has already put out four albums in the last five years, with 2002's The Rising ending a seven-year studio dry spell. On a more bizarre note, an Olympic equestrian is suing Springsteen for breach of contract after the rocker allegedly reneged on a deal to a horse worth $850,000. Todd Minikus filed a suit Thursday in a Florida court, claiming Springsteen and wife Patti Scialfa had put a $25,000 deposit on the horse but later reconsidered buying the animal for their daughter. ...

Isaac Hanson left a Dallas hospital on Friday after recovering from surgery for a pulmonary embolism, caused by a blood clot in the extremities breaking away and traveling to the lungs. The eldest member of Hanson expects to make a full recovery and is due to be released from the hospital Friday (October 5). The band's agents and promoters are trying to reschedule makeup days for the shows it missed. ... Shaggy lives! The dancehall star will perform "Church Heathen" at the Samuel Peters/ Jameel McCline World Boxing Council heavyweight fight at New York's Madison Square Garden on Saturday. The song is featured on his new CD, Intoxication, out November 13.

10.04.07

Nick Cannon has split up with his fiancee, Victoria's Secret model Selita Ebanks, according to People. "Selita and Nick are taking a break to focus on their careers but still very much love each other and remain the best of friends," Ebanks' representative Melissa Raubvogel told the magazine. In early May, Cannon and Ebanks became engaged after the actor took her on a ride in a chauffeured Rolls-Royce Phantom to New York's Times Square — right across the street from the MTV offices — where "Selita, will you marry me?" appeared on the giant Jumbotron. ...

A year after Jadakiss was arrested in Yonkers, New York, and hit with drug and gun charges, prosecutors have dropped the case against the rapper (born Jason T. Phillips) and his co-defendant, Kristian Smith. The Associated Press reports that the Westchester Country district attorney's office asked a judge to dismiss the charges against 'Kiss last week, less than a month after a jury acquitted a third man who was arrested in the case. Darnell Frazier was cleared when DNA tests didn't link any of the three men to the guns found in the car. The rapper's lawyer said it was a "travesty" that the case went as far as it did and that the charges have affected his career. ...

After stunning the music world with their pay-what-you-want download scheme for their upcoming album, In Rainbows, Radiohead are putting the finishing touches on a major-label deal to get the album in stores as well. In an interview with BBC Radio 4, the band's managers said they expect to sign a deal within the week. "We've got about seven days to sort it out. We tend to fly by the seat of our pants," co-manager Chris Hutton said. "The band are incredibly proud of this record and feel that it deserves to be brought into the mass marketplace. That's why we need a record company who have that infrastructure to deliver the CD." ...

Did "Hannah Montana" fans get cheated? Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel is seeking documents from five ticket-sale sites as he investigates whether a fast sellout of a Miley Cyrus concert violated scalping laws, AP reports. Frustrated parents have complained about scalpers selling tickets at four to five times the face value. McDaniel has given the companies 20 days to respond and, on September 21, issued a consumer alert warning parents to research who was selling the tickets before purchasing them. The city council in Kansas City, Missouri, is also looking into the sales. ...

Billy Corgan is stepping up to help the family of Dr. Robert Moog preserve the late electronic-synthesizer pioneer's legacy. The Bob Moog Foundation, which was created after his death in 2005, is planning a Bob Moog Museum and trying to preserve decaying Moog artifacts — schematics, Moog prototypes, reel-to-reel tapes and beyond. "I directly appeal to any musician who has been touched by the work of this great man and spirit to help contribute to the foundation, to please help preserve the work and legacy of Dr. Moog before time has taken an irreversible toll on his archives," Corgan said in a statement. "I humbly also ask any fan of electronic music to consider a donation to the foundation, in recognition of his influence on many of your favorite musical artists." ...

Modest Mouse are still hungry — even though the group has toured extensively in support of March's We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, it has pieced together another road itinerary. Issac Brock and his crew will start with a two-night stand in Spokane, Washington, on Halloween and end with a show in New Orleans on December 15. Man Man and Love as Laughter will open all dates. Also, the band's AOL Spinner Session debuts Friday, while its MySpace video campaign — a 10-day event that will include the premieres of four MM clips — begins Wednesday. ... Ben Lee is also plotting a trek, to hype his recently released CD, Ripe. He'll hit the road November 1 in Santa Barbara, California, and bring his tour to a close December 13 in San Diego. ...

M.I.A. recently spent a couple of days making beats and rhymes with girls at a juvenile-detention center in Australia via Heaps Decent, an initiative that gives a boost to indigenous and underprivileged youth hoping to break into the music biz. According to a post on the Heaps Descent MySpace page, the yet-untitled song they created will soon be released, with all proceeds going to the initiative. M.I.A. screams "popo mind control!" on the hook of the song, according to the post, but its title is not yet known. ...

Can't wait until November 13 for the Killers B-sides album, Sawdust? Well, you can get a taste of what the band has in store with its just-released cover of the Joy Division song "Shadowplay." The Killers' label has posted a stream of the track right here. ... Nirvana's historic "MTV Unplugged in New York" performance is finally coming to DVD. Due November 20, the disc will contain the 66-minute unedited show — including "Something in the Way" and "Oh, Me," which were featured on the accompanying CD but not in the show when it originally aired. Previously unreleased rehearsal and documentary footage will flesh out the set. ...

It seems like just about everybody has something to say about Britney Spears these days. On the Thursday (October 4) broadcast of "Oprah," Sinéad O'Connor sympathized with Spears, reportedly saying, "She had two babies within the space of two years, [there] doesn't seem like a terrible amount of support from the people around her," according to AP. She later added: "I think to attack someone as a mother is very dangerous. I would say that's what puts a young girl on a precipice which is very, very dangerous, in my opinion. Some people may end up really regretting the way they're treating her." ...

And Deborah Gibson — who, like Britney, was a one-time teen queen — has given her two cents on the matter to "Entertainment Tonight." "I think this is probably Britney's lowest point now ... and maybe it'll be what she needs to get herself back together. And then maybe she will regain custody. That's what I hope. I think that has to affect you on such a primal level, to have your kids taken away, so maybe this is the wake-up call that she needs. ... I really think people see Britney as little girl lost. A girl who did not have a childhood, which I can relate to in a way, and she started even younger publicly. ... She's rebelling. She's living her life in reverse in a way." ...

Isaac Hanson, 26, the eldest member of Hanson, remained hospitalized Wednesday night after complaining of chest and shoulder pain following a performance Tuesday night at the House of Blues in Dallas. AP reports that Hanson was taken to Baylor University Medical Center on Tuesday night after the show and was reported to be in stable condition. A Dallas TV station, KDFW, reported that Hanson was diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism, caused by a blood clot in the extremities breaking away and traveling to the lungs. ... Los Angelenos have an extra incentive to keep their cars parked and instead take public transportation to the LA Weekly Detour festival on Saturday. Those who bring their Saturday Metro tickets to the Goldenvoice booth at the fest will be able to enter a contest for free Coachella 2008 tickets. Bloc Party, Justice, Turbonegro and more are heading up this year's Detour fest. ...

Don Imus is close to finishing a deal that would get him back on the air, according to Variety. The controversial shock jock has an impending deal with Citadel Broadcasting that would deny any move to satellite radio — earlier this year, Sirius Satellite Radio expressed interest in Imus. Citadel is owned by ABC Radio, which syndicates conservative talk-show host Sean Hannity and others. ... A man has been arrested in Los Angeles in conjunction with the theft of confidential photos and computers being used for "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." The man, whose identity has not been released, was taken into custody after a sting operation in which the man intended to sell some of the photos, police told AP. ...

The Recording Industry Association of America scored a victory on Thursday when a jury decided that a Minnesota woman had in fact shared copyrighted music online and ordered her to pay $222,000 in damages, AP reports. The six record companies had alleged that Jammie Thomas had shared 1,702 songs online, and the jury ordered her to pay the companies $9,250 for each of the 24 songs that had been focused on in the case. Thomas, her attorney and the jury declined to comment afterward, according to AP, but the RIAA's lead attorney, Richard Gabriel, said, "This does send a message, I hope, that downloading and distributing our recordings is not OK." It was the first-ever file-sharing case to go to trial in the RIAA's four-year campaign to stop illegal downloading.

• Lil Wayne
• Lil Mama
• Britney Spears
• Kevin Federline
• Kanye West

Ryan Cabrera's <i> You Stand Watching </i>
Photo: Atlantic Records

Look Out: Ryan Cabrera might not have finished high school, but he's certainly got skills, having produced his second record, You Stand Watching, all by himself. On top of that, he recorded the sucker in a mere three weeks. Tracks include: "Shine On" (first single), "Hit Me With Your Light" and "It's You."

Pollinating Pac: The Rose, Vol. 2 - Music Inspired by Tupac's Poetry commemorates the ninth anniversary of the rapper's death and finds Ludacris, Memphis Bleek, Talib Kweli and others using Pac's poetry as a launch pad for songs of their own. Teenagers Morgan McKenzie and Amber Granderson bring his story full-circle with the final track, "Poetry"; they're students at Pac's Kids, a summer performing-arts camp set up in memory of the rapper. Tracks include: "In the Depths of Solitude" (featuring Ludacris), "Power of a Smile" (featuring Bone Thugs-N-Harmony) and "Life Through My Eyes" (featuring Memphis Bleek and Tupac).

5 Alive: Maroon 5 flipped the name of their CD/DVD combo collection from Live at the Santa Barbara Bowl to the more foreboding Live - Friday the 13th. It's hitched with a bonus DVD featuring an interview with writer/director Mitch Glaser and a photo montage consisting of behind-the-scenes and live footage. Tracks include: "Wasted Years" (unreleased song), "Hello" (Oasis cover) and "She Will Be Loved."

A Novel Idea: As if Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness wasn't enough to chew on, Coheed and Cambria are putting out a 118-page graphic novel to coincide with the long-winded release. Good Apollo tracks include: "Ten Speed (Of God's Blood and Burial)," "The Suffering" and "Crossing the Frame."

DualDiscs Galore: Adding extra incentives for fans to buy instead of burn, the video portion of Bon Jovi's limited-edition Have a Nice Day DualDisc has five live clips from a November 2004 gig in Atlantic City, New Jersey, plus a behind-the-scenes video for the title track and a sticker to boot. Flip over Jamiroquai's Dynamite and you'll find two videos and an interview, while David Banner's Certified has some top-secret video goodies.

As Heard On TV: With the Emmys still fresh, the record racks are crossing over into TV land with the "Desperate Housewives" soundtrack (featuring Liz Phair, Macy Gray and Joss Stone); Rock Star: A Night at the Mayan Theatre, a companion to the INXS show; and "American Idol" contender LaToya London's Love & Life. Also, PBS packages three of its specials in video-disc form: the Martin Scorsese-directed Dylan biopic "No Direction Home"; the Carter Family's "Will the Circle Be Unbroken"; and "The Sixties: The Years That Shaped a Generation."

Astral Week: Tupac Shakur's The Rose, Vol. 2 captures Talib Kweli wishing on a "Fallen Star"; George Michael decides to "Blame It on the Sun" on Ray Charles' Genius & Friends; Coheed and Cambria take off with Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness; Pilotdrift see "Comets" on Water Sphere; and Trio da Paz "Look to the Sky" on Somewhere. In the meantime, Earth (Hex [Or Printing in the Infernal Method]) and Earth, Wind & Fire (Illumination) stay closer to home. Also going the global route are Alicia Keys and Jermaine Paul ("If This World Were Mine," on So Amazing: An All-Star Tribute to Luther Vandross); Anthax ("In My World," on Alive 2 (2005)); Jordis Unga (covering David Bowie's "Man Who Sold the World," on Rock Star); Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash ("King of the World," on Mile Markers); Most Precious Blood ("World War You," on Merciless); Bif Naked ("The World Is Over," on Superbeautifulmonster); New Order ("World in Motion," on their "A Collection" DVD); Cage ("Perfect World," on Hell's Winter); the Last Dance ("World Down," on Once Beautiful); and the Cruxshadows ("Edge of the World," on the "Sleepwatching: Volume 1" comp).

Song Titles Of The Week:

• Horse the Band - "Octopus on Fire" (The Mechanical Hand)
• Most Precious Blood - "Narcoleptic Sleepwalker" (Merciless)
• Shaggy - "Ready Fi Di Ride" (Clothes Drop)

Other Notables:

Miri Ben-Ari's The Hip-Hop Violinist and Ray Charles' Genius & Friends: The Jay-Z/Wyclef collaborator has arrived at long last, and she joins forces on her maiden release with Kanye, Fabolous and Musiq ("Fly Away"); Scarface ("Sunshine to the Rain"); and John Legend and Consequence ("I've Been Waiting on You"). Don't miss the bonus reggaetón remix of "Jump & Spread Out," with Fatman Scoop, Zion, Lennox and Pitbull along for the ride. John Legend also crops up on Genius & Friends, which also features Mary J. Blige, Diana Ross and Angie Stone. (And, on that note, Rhino issues the behemoth Pure Genius: The Complete Atlantic Recordings (1952-1959) the same day.)


Disturbed's Ten Thousand Fists: The metal band enlisted comic-book guru Todd McFarlane for a special edition of its latest; he crafts original art for the expanded, 24-page booklet. Previously, iTunes offered a video for "Stricken," a bonus track ("Monster") and a McFarlane sketch with pre-orders.


So Amazing: An All-Star Tribute to Luther Vandross, Love to Love You, Baby: A Tribute to Donna Summer and The Killer in You: A Tribute to Smashing Pumpkins: The speedily released Vandross tribute corrals Beyoncé, Elton John, Wyclef and Donna Summer, who gets her own salute the same day via Tom Tom Club, Soft Cell, Heart and others. On the other end of the spectrum, Poison the Well, A Static Lullaby and Hopesfall give Smashing Pumpkins a metalcore makeover with The Killer in You.

New Releases:

• The 88 - Over and Over (Mootron)
• Agent Sparks - Not So Merry EP (Immortal/Epic)
• The American Analog Set - Set Free (Arts & Crafts)
• Anthrax - Alive 2 (2005) (Sanctuary)
  Buy Now: Alive 2 (2005) (Sanctuary)
• A.R.E. Weapons - Free in the Streets (Defend)
• At All Cost - It's Time to Decide (Koch)
• The Audition - Controversy Loves Company (Victory)
• The Bad Plus - Suspicious Activity? (Columbia)
• Bang 'Em & Domination - God Giveth, God Taketh Away (Koch)
• David Banner - Certified (DualDisc same day; Universal)
  Read: "Blessed By Lil Scrappy, Produced By Lil Jon, David Banner Gets Certified"
  Buy Now: Certified (Universal)
• Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash - Mile Markers (Emergent)
• Josh Bates - Perfect Day (Reunion)
• Miri Ben-Ari - The Hip-Hop Violinist (Universal)
  Read: "Violinist Miri Ben-Ari Enlists Mya, Fabolous, Kanye West For Hip-Hop Debut" 1485394
• Bon Jovi - Have a Nice Day (limited DualDisc edition same day; Island)
• Broadcast - Tender Buttons (Warp)
• Kev Brown - I Do What I Do (Up Above)
• Burning Spear - Our Music (DualDisc; Burning Music)
• C-Dott - Loyal to Da Block (Empire Musicwerks)
• Ryan Cabrera - You Stand Watching (Atlantic)
  Read: "Ryan Cabrera's Love-Song LP Isn't All About Ashlee"
  Buy Now: You Stand Watching (Atlantic)
• Cage - Hell's Winter (limited-edition version with bonus disc of instrumentals due same day; Definitive Jux)
• Cartel - Chroma (The Militia Group)
• Ray Charles - Genius & Friends (Rhino)
• Ken Clark Organ Trio - Mutual Respect (Severn)
• Coheed and Cambria - Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness (Columbia Records)
  Read: "Coheed And Cambria Map Out Final Stages Of Their Convoluted Saga"
  Buy Now: Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness (Columbia Records)
• Cold Blood - Transfusion (Dig Music)
• Curumin - Achados E Perdidos (Quannum Projects)
• D:Fuse - People 3: Both Sides of the Picture - Live (Moist)
• Disturbed - Ten Thousand Fists (special edition due same day; Warner Bros.)
  Read: "Disturbed Songs Will Be 'United In Anger' On Third Album"
  Buy Now: Ten Thousand Fists (Warner Bros.)
• DJ Three - Hallucienda (System Recordings)
• Jerry Douglas - The Best Kept Secret (Koch)
• Earth - Hex (Or Printing in the Infernal Method) (Southern Lord)
• Earth, Wind & Fire - Illumination (Sanctuary Urban)
• Echo and the Bunnymen - Siberia (Cooking Vinyl)
• Marty Ehrlich - News on the Rail (Palmetto)
• El Ten Eleven - El Ten Eleven (Bar/None)
• End of Level Boss - Prologue (Exile on Mainstream)
• Estéfano - Código Personal: A Media Vida (Universal Latino Media)
• The Five Corners Quintet - Chasin' the Jazz Gone By (Milan)
• Forgas Band Phenomena - Soleil 12 (Cuneiform)
• God Forbid - IV: Constitution of Treason (DualDisc; Century Media)
• Alex Gold - Back From a Break (Koch)
• Horse the Band - The Mechanical Hand (Koch)
  Buy Now: The Mechanical Hand (Koch)
• Innerstance.Beatbox - Your Eyes Are Like UFO's My Darling (Consumers Research)
• John Hall - Rock Me on the Water (Siren Song)
• Jackson - Smash (Warp)
• Jamiroquai - Dynamite (DualDisc same day; Epic)
  Buy Now: Dynamite (Epic)
• Kyle Jason - Revolution of the Cool (Slam Jamz)
• JD & the Straight Shot - Nothing to Hide (Rhino)
• Djam Karet - Recollection Harvest (Cuneiform)
• The Kingsbury Manx - The Fast Rise and Fall of the South (Yep Roc)
• The Lackthereof - Christian the Christian (Film Guerrero)
• The Last Dance - Once Beautiful (Dancing Ferret)
• Christine Lavin - Folkzinger (Appleseed)
• Lil Al - The Self Made LP (P.R.)
• LaToya London - Love & Life (Peak/Concord)
• Eric Marienthal - Got You Covered! (Peak/Concord)
• Maroon 5 - Live - Friday the 13th (with DVD; Octone)
  Buy Now: Live - Friday the 13th (Octone)
• Masterplan - Aeronautics (Candlelight)
• Mats/Morgan Band - Thanks for Flying With Us (Cuneiform)
• Katy Moffatt - Up Close & Personal (Fuel 2000)
• Mojo Gurus - Shakin' in the Barn (Empire Musicwerks)
• The Morning After Girls - The Morning After Girls (Rainbow Quartz)
• Most Precious Blood - Merciless (Trustkill)
• Mr. Oizo - Moustache (Half a Scissor) (Mute)
• Municipal Waste - Hazardous Mutation (Earache)
• Bif Naked - Superbeautifulmonster (Bodog)
• Na'sha - My Story (Pure)
• Nashville Pussy - Get Some! (Spitfire)
• NDIO - Airback (Cuneiform)
• New Recruits - Attila Sex Shock (Cancer)
• Old 97's - Alive & Wired (New West)
• Oranger - New Comes and Goes (Eenie Meenie)
• P$C - 25 to Life (Atlantic)
• Paint by Numbers - Plastic (Victory)
• Charlie Peacock - Love Press Ex-Curio (Emergent)
• Pilotdrift - Water Sphere (Good)
• Psyche Origami - The Standard (ArcTheFinger)
• Jon Randall - Walking Among the Living (Sony Nashville)
• Ray J - Raydiation (Sanctuary)
  Read: "R. Kelly, Timbaland Help Ray J Bring The Heat On Raydiation"
  Buy Now: All the Right Reasons (Sanctuary)
• Jenni Rivera - Parrandera, Rebelde y Atrevida (Fonovisa)
• Shaggy - Clothes Drop (Geffen)
  Buy Now: Clothes Drop (Geffen)
• Billy Joe Shaver - The Real Deal (Compadre)
• Tupac Shakur - The Rose, Vol. 2 - Music Inspired by Tupac's Poetry (Koch)
• Shipwreck Union - Self Defense (Detroit Management)
• Darden Smith - Field of Crows (DualTone)
• Barbra Streisand - Guilty Pleasures (DualDisc same day; Columbia)
• Swords - Metropolis (Arena Rock)
• Tiana - Tiana (Warlock)
• Trio da Paz - Somewhere (Megaforce)
• Paul Van Dyk - The Politics of Dancing 2 (Mute)
• Andreas Vollenweider - Vox (DualDisc; Kin Kou)
• Kim Waters - All for Love (Shanachie)
• We Are Wolves - We Are Wolves (Fat Possum)
• Withered - Memento Mori (Lifeforce)
• Zero Hour - A Fragile Mind (Sensory)
• Various artists - Anjunabeats Volume Three (Epic)
• Various artists - Instrumental Icons, Vol. 3 (Koch)
• Various artists - The Killer in You: A Tribute to Smashing Pumpkins (Reignition)
• Various artists - Love to Love You, Baby: A Tribute to Donna Summer (Koch)
• Various artists - Rock Star: A Night at the Mayan Theatre (Epic)
• Various artists - So Amazing: An All-Star Tribute to Luther Vandross (J)
• Various artists - "Desperate Housewives" soundtrack (Hollywood)
• Various artists - "Roll Bounce" soundtrack (Sanctuary)

Notable Reissues:

• Anthrax - Anthrology: No Hit Wonders (1985-1991) (Island)
• James Brown - Gettin' Down to It (Verve)
• Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet (DualDisc; Mercury/Universal)
• Coal Chamber - Coal Chamber - The 25th Anniversary Series (Roadrunner)
• Ray Charles - Pure Genius: The Complete Atlantic Recordings (1952-1959) (Rhino)
• Sam Cooke - Night Beat (limited edition), One Night Stand!: Sam Cooke Live at the Harlem Square Club and The Best of Sam Cooke (RCA)
• King Diamond - Abigail - The 25th Anniversary Series (Roadrunner)
• King's X - Box Set (limited edition; Metal Blade)
• Steve Lukather - SantaMental (one bonus track; features Slash, Eddie Van Halen and Steve Vai; Favored Nations)
• Master P - ReMix Classics (Koch)
  Buy Now: ReMix Classics (Koch)
• Premonitions of War - Glorified Dirt/The True Face of Panic (Metal Blade)
• VHS or Beta - Le Funk (with bonus remixes; Astralwerks)
• Various artists - Night Train to Nashville: Music City Rhythm & Blues 1945-1970 Volume Two (with bonus remixes; Astralwerks)

DVDs:

• Anthrax - "Alive 2" (Sanctuary)
• The Carter Family - "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" (PBS/Paramount)
• Bob Dylan - "No Direction Home" (directed by Martin Scorsese; PBS/Paramount)
• Jesse McCartney - "Up Close" (Hollywood)
• New Order - "A Collection" (Rhino)
• Traffic - "The Last Great Traffic Jam" (Epic)
• Various artists - "The Sixties: The Years That Shaped a Generation" (PBS/Paramount)
• Various artists - "Sleepwatching: Volume 1" (Dancing Ferret)

Coming Attractions:

September 27:

• Ryan Adams & the Cardinals - Jacksonville City Nights (Lost Highway)
• Sheryl Crow - Wildflower (A&M)
• Lil Kim - The Naked Truth (Atlantic)
  Read: "Lil' Kim's Wrath For 50, Foxy Has No Bounds On Naked Truth"

October 4:

• Fiona Apple - Extraordinary Machine (DualDisc; Epic)
  Read: "Fiona Apple's Long-Delayed LP Slotted For October 4 Release"
• Franz Ferdinand - You Could Have It So Much Better (Epic)
  Read: "Set A Man On Fire, Name Next LP - Franz Ferdinand Do Whatever They Want"
• Nickelback - All the Right Reasons (Roadrunner)

October 11:

• Ricky Martin - Life (Columbia)
• Alicia Keys - Unplugged (J)
  Read: "Alicia Keys Taps Mos Def, Common For 'Inspired' 'Unplugged' "
• Ashlee Simpson - In Another Life
  Read: "Ashlee Remembers 'SNL' Incident But Forgets Boys On New LP"

• Ryan Cabrera
• Tupac
• David Banner
• Maroon 5
• Coheed and Cambria

Johnny Knoxville in the August 2005 <i>GQ</i>
Photo: GQ

"The Dukes of Hazzard" star Johnny Knoxville doesn't care for being the subject of gossip-column fodder, but he realizes the rumors about him sleeping with his castmate Jessica Simpson could be worse, he says in GQ's August issue. (Click for photos.) "I'm not going to sit here and whine about it," he said. He has nothing but praise for Simpson, calling her "nice and open and sweet," but as far as rumors of a romance are concerned, "It's not true," Knoxville told GQ. "Jessica and I are just friends. She's a great girl and all that, but all the rumors — I just kind of take it in stride. But it's kind of hurtful to the families that are involved." ...

Shaggy's got Olivia on board for the first single from his forthcoming album, Clothes Drop, due out September 20. The only female member of the G-Unit shot the video for "Wild 2nite" with Shaggy in Brooklyn, New York, recently with X directing (Usher, Ying Yang Twins). Other tracks on the album include "Shut Up and Dance" (produced by and featuring the Black Eyed Peas' Will.I.Am), "Would You Be" (featuring reggae singer Brian Gold), and "Back in the Dayz" (featuring Rayvon, who sang with Shaggy on his hit "Angel"). The album was recorded in Jamaica, the West Indies and New York, with producers Sly and Robbie, Scott Storch and others. ...

Queen Latifah performed Thursday night in a Secaucus, New Jersey, Wal-Mart parking lot to launch her Curvation Project Confidence Awards, an offshoot of her VF Intimates Curvation brand of intimate apparel for curvaceous women. The Confidence Awards are a nationwide search for women who project confidence, and the winner will be awarded a $10,000 grant to support a program or project of her choice. To enter or nominate others, visit curvation.com. "I credit much of who I am today to the confidence I was given as a child," Queen Latifah told the crowd. "Strong, independent women like my mother and grandmother showed me the power of believing in myself and now I want to pass this message on." ...

P. Diddy can't get enough reality TV. He's got another show in the works, this time, a hip-hop reality sitcom about the life and family of Reverend Run from Run-DMC, which will begin airing on MTV in October. "Run's House" is a full house — he's got five kids, ages 9 through 21 — so Diddy's co-executive producer Russell Simmons calls it "Father Knows Best on Steroids." "Rev. Run is a legend and one of the most interesting individuals I know," Diddy said. "He's destined to become America's next biggest reality show star! He's going to show the world what hip-hop family life is really like." ... Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's third album, Howl, will hit stores on August 23. The group's 19-date U.S. trek in support of the LP will launch September 12 in San Francisco and end October 8 in Los Angeles. ...

Sigur Rós have completed their new album, Takk (which translates as "thanks" in Icelandic), the follow-up to 2002's (). Due September 12, the 11-track disc is sung in Icelandic; previously, the material was sung in the made-up language of "Hopelandish," which singer Jon Thor Birgisson created. Takk's release will be preceded by the launch of a 23-date North American tour, which kicks off August 9 in Hawaii and ends October 5 in Los Angeles. ... Five-piece indie pop outfit the Decemberists have unveiled all 36 dates on their upcoming Flight of the Mistle Thrushes Tour. The trek kicks off on September 11 in San Francisco, with Sons and Daughters and Petra Haden's Sell Out Choir opening. The tour hits Los Angeles, Phoenix, Atlanta, Houston, Washington, D.C., and New York, where the Decemberists will pick up a new support act, Cass McCombs; he finishes out the remainder of the tour, which stops in Boston, Cincinnati and Chicago before wrapping in Denver on October 23. ...

07.14.2005

Don't believe the hype. Christina Aguilera's rep has denied reports that the singer was slashed in a Paris bar fight with a drunken fan earlier this month. "She's fine, she got cut at home with a piece of glass. It had nothing to do with a fan," publicist Jill Fritzo said. Though the injury — sliced tendons — has put Aguilera's right arm in a cast and a sling while she recovers, Fritzo said it didn't stop the singer from attending the recent European fashion shows or continuing work on her new album, which is slated for an early 2006 release. ...

Usher dropped by for the first day of the new summer program he recently launched for minority youth in his hometown of Atlanta. Camp New Look will be home to 150 campers (ages 8-18) for the next two weeks as these prodigies-in-training hone their skills — whether it be singing, dancing or basketball — and learn the ins and outs of the business side of sports and entertainment, according to The Associated Press. "This truly is about learning the business side," the singer said Monday. "You're not going to learn it all overnight, but maybe, just maybe, you'll learn enough to change your life." The kids will put what they've learned to the test July 23 when they will have to coordinate a celebrity basketball game and headline its halftime show. ... Pearl Jam have signed on to headline an August 29 benefit for U.S. Senate candidate Jon Tester in Missoula, Montana. The show at the Adams Event Center in bassist Jeff Ament's native state will help raise money for the Montana Senate president's campaign. "I have known Jeff Ament for years and I think it is wonderful that Pearl Jam want to come out and lend their support and help me raise awareness about my campaign and to help raise the money I will need to defeat a sitting U.S. senator," Tester said. ...

Eminem, Talib Kweli and Motörhead axeman Phil Campbell will pop up on Detroit rapper Hush's forthcoming Geffen debut, Bulletproof. The album's slated for an August 23 release. ... The Roots, Redman, Common, Lyrics Born and Little Brother are some of the artists featured on the upcoming soundtrack to the video game "NBA 2K6 Basketball," titled The Tracks. Those artists will also be featured celebrity characters in the video game itself. The Tracks hits stores on October 4. ... Already embracing his Southern roots with next month's "Dukes of Hazzard" movie, Johnny Knoxville will be taking it one step further on July 26, when his cousin's country album hits stores with the former "Jackass" acting as producer. All Likkered Up marks the recording debut of Roger Alan Wade, the quirky singer/songwriter whose songs include such Howard Stern favorites as "My Baby Loves Malt Liquor" and "Fryin' Bacon Nekkid." The album shines the spotlight for the first time on Wade, whose two-decade musical career has seen him pen hits for the likes of Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and his cousin's "Hazzard" co-star Willie Nelson. ...

Juliette Lewis' forthcoming video for her Licks song "Got Love to Kill" takes its inspiration from Flock of Seagulls' "I Ran" and Blondie's "Heart of Glass" clips — with a feminine '80s disco aesthetic, according to director Alex Smith. "It's a girl's answer to the tomboy punk video we made previously," Smith said. ... Did you know that one of the Foo Fighters is making his debut in a major motion picture? It's bassist Nate Mendel, and the movie is actually a recently released straight-to-DVD release. The flick, called "Our Burden Is Light," features Mendel in a supporting role and an original score that he wrote. "Burden" also includes music from the Dave Matthews Band and David Gray. ...

Fresh from hosting "Rock Star: INXS," Dave Navarro already has his next gig lined up — as a card shark in the second annual Vegas Rock Star Poker Tournament. He'll play alongside Kiss' Gene Simmons and former Alice in Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell, as well as sweepstakes winners and their guests, at the Palms Casino Resort during the weekend of August 25-27. To enter to play, visit vegasrockstarpoker.com through August 15. The top prize is $10,000. ... Not only are INXS opening up their singer search to the world on their current reality show on CBS, but they're also opening up in another way — by writing their first autobiography. "INXS: Story to Story" is due out this fall, to coincide with the band's 25th anniversary. "A number of books have been written about us over the years, most of them in the wake of Michael Hutchence's tragic death, but none of them has been authorized by us or is in any way reflective of our point of view," INXS's Kirk Pengilly said. "This book is the band's history whilst Michael was alive ... It's our self-portrait and a true and honest account of our lives." ...

• Photos: Johnny Knoxville In GQ Magazine

• Jessica Simpson
• Shaggy
• Queen Latifah
• Diddy
• Sigur Rós

Nelly in the 2004 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game
Photo: Jean-Paul Aussenard/WireImage

In Los Angeles for the NBA All-Star weekend, Nelly said his still-untitled next album will drop in June. As for collaborators, "I'm top secret right now," he said. ... Sean Paul also refused to reveal details about his next release, but he said he'll be recording in Japan, Australia and Africa. ... Also in town for the game, DJ Clue said his The Professional 3 compilation is due in May. Eminem, Jay-Z, 50 Cent and G-Unit, Fabolous, and Method Man have all recorded tracks for the album. ...

Though Scott Weiland was due in court Wednesday (February 18) to address charges of driving under the influence of drugs, the singer had his representative ask for a continuance, which was granted, since he just changed lawyers. Weiland is now due in court on Monday, when paperwork for the change of counsel will have to be submitted. ... Flamboyant hard rockers the Darkness landed three trophies at the Brit Music Awards Tuesday night in London. The band took Best British Group, Best British Rock Act and Best British Album for their debut, Permission to Land. Other winners included Justin Timberlake for Best International Male Solo Artist and Best International Album, Beyoncé for Best International Female Solo Artist, White Stripes for Best International Group and 50 Cent for International Breakthrough Artist. ...

Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo of the Neptunes were joined by a few special guests for their N.E.R.D. show in London on Tuesday following the Brit Awards. Justin Timberlake performed a lengthy version of his "Senorita" and sang lead vocals on N.E.R.D.'s "Provider" and "Run to the Sun." Later, Brit rap sensation Dizzee Rascal joined the group for a rendition of "Lapdance." ... Speaking of Pharrell, he's recorded an answering message on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Fans can visit www.peta2.com to download the message, which says, "Hi, this is Pharrell from the Neptunes and N.E.R.D., and the person you're leaving this message for wants you to check out peta2.com and be kind to animals — and so do we." ...

Full Blown Chaos, Sworn Enemy, 40 Below Summer, God Forbid and Death by Stereo have been named as openers for the fourth installment of the Jägermeister Music Tour. Slipknot, Fear Factory and Chimaira are headlining the trek, which kicks off March 30 in Orlando, Florida. ... Thursday and Poison the Well had a close call in Australia last week when their plane caught a gust of wind while landing and nearly crashed. Both bands are now back on domestic soil. Thursday will embark on a tour February 25, including some dates with AFI, while Poison the Well will hook up with Thrice on March 17. ...

A day before the U.S. recording industry filed another 531 lawsuits against copyright-infringing downloaders — bringing their tally to 1,445 complaints — a Canadian court adjourned until March 12 a case in which Canada's equivalent to the RIAA is trying to get five ISPs to surrender identities of 29 file-sharers. In December a U.S. appeals court determined the RIAA could not force U.S. ISPs to give up names before litigation is filed. ... If it seemed odd Nickelback were snubbed a bit by Canada's Juno Awards, it was. Organizers admitted this week that the Vancouver band was mistakenly left off the list of nominations for Album of the Year. The Long Road, Nickelback's fourth album, is also up for Rock Album of the Year, while the band and single "Someday" are up for three other honors. ...

Fans of the frat-house classic "Animal House" may notice a slightly different version of the 1978 flick's theme song when a 25th anniversary DVD is released August 26. MXPX's version of the theme song as well as their remake of the Isley Brothers' "Shout," performed in the film by Otis Day & the Knights, are among the bonus features. ... On March 15 Phantom Planet will kick off monthlong headlining tour that'll take them to the Coachella Festival in Indio, California, on May 1 before filling the opening slot on the Blink-182/No Doubt tour for a week beginning June 16 in Seattle. They'll be assuming the spot from Australian punks the Living End, who will be wrapping up a three-month Stateside trek that will also find them opening for the Vines and Jet in March and April. ...

Macy Gray, Shaggy and Lenny Kravitz are among the first artists announced for the 35th annual New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, a two-weekend event taking place April 23 to May 5. Meanwhile, Wilco and Jurassic 5, among others, will play venues around town as part of the eighth annual Superfly During Jazzfest. ... The Posies are working on their first new studio album in six years, and the still-untitled follow-up to Success is due this summer. While recording, Posies principals John Auer and Ken Stringfellow continue to maintain their membership in legendary power-pop band Big Star, who are expected to begin recording a new album in March. ...

If the idea of buying a pair of Flea's boxer shorts online seems disgusting, take heart in knowing the Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist only designed them, he didn't wear them. Know, too, that proceeds from sale of the skivvies, as well as T-shirts and greeting cards designed by Hilary Duff and Jerry Cantrell, will benefit Flea's Silverlake Conservatory of Music, a nonprofit organization that teaches music to children. ... Sunday marked the fifth anniversary of the death of New York rapper Big L, who was shot to death in Harlem in 1999. Fellow D.I.T.C. members Lord Finesse, A.G. and O.C. will put their "L" up in his honor at a show Thursday at New York's S.O.B.'s club. ...

Lil' Flip is shooting the video for his current hit, "Game Over," with director Benny Boom (P. Diddy, Nelly) in Hollywood on Wednesday. The song is the first single from U Gotta Feel Me, due March 30. ... Ruben Studdard, Cee-Lo, Musiq, Lil Jon and Petey Pablo are among the artists taping performances this weekend at the Apollo Theater in Harlem for the next season of "Showtime at the Apollo." Eleven new episodes will begin airing March 13 on Showtime. ... A white supremacist group in Casper, Wyoming, has been passing out flyers protesting an upcoming appearance by Ludacris and Chingy on the Disturbing Tha Peace tour. The mayor of Casper denounced the group's opinion and tactics. ...

02.17.2004

Courtney Love averted arrest simply by making it to court on Tuesday (February 17). The former Hole singer had missed two appearances last week to address the drug charges against her, causing a Beverly Hills judge to issue a warrant for her arrest. Love had claimed her no-shows were the result of someone lying in wait for her with a gun, so this time the singer brought along two bodyguards. Although the prosecution complained the process was being dragged out, Judge Lisa Hart Cole granted another delay, since Love has new counsel. She's due back in court on March 16. ...

Avril Lavigne's back to having her own way with "Don't Tell Me," the first single off her still-untitled second album, due May 25. The song, co-written by guitarist Evan Taubenfeld, is expected to surface at radio in mid-March. ... Jewel is releasing her first live DVD, "Live at Humphrey's by the Bay," on March 23. Shot in 2001 in San Diego, the collection includes hits like "Who Will Save Your Soul" and "You Were Meant for Me," along with rarities like "Rosy and Mick" and "Everything Breaks Sometime," behind-the-scenes footage and a previously unseen interview. ...

While in the studio working on their fourth album, Garbage were paid a visit by Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, who played drums on a track called "Bad Boyfriend." In a post on the Garbage Web site, singer Shirley Manson called the experience "awe inspiring." ... Rooney have climbed aboard the Virgin College Megatour featuring Michelle Branch and Gavin DeGraw. Dates for the spring trek have yet to be announced, though it's expected to hit about 18 colleges. ...

The Metallica documentary "Some Kind of Monster," which received rave reviews at Sundance, will not hit U.S. theaters before July. The group returns from a tour of Europe on July 2 and will then embark on the second leg of their U.S. tour. ... A line of Iron Maiden action figures will be released by the end of this summer by the National Entertainment Collectibles Association. Look for a series of 7-inch figurines of the bandmembers along with an 18-inch Eddie. There will also be an assortment of Eddie figurines depicting the mascot's look from various eras and a Somewhere in Time Eddie doll with a light-up eye and motion-activated movements. ...

Although he vows to remain politically active with the pro-vote organization Music for America, former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic will not run for Washington's lieutenant governor as he had previously announced. ... The legacy of Judas Priest will be captured on the four-disc, 65-track box Metalogy, due May 4. The retrospective features "Hell Bent for Leather," a live version of "Breaking the Law" and "Screaming for Vengeance" and will be issued in studded leather packaging. The set's initial pressing will include a bonus DVD of the out-of-print VHS concert video "Judas Priest Live," recorded in December 1982. ...

Chicago duo Local H will hit the road in support of their fifth album, Whatever Happened to PJ Soles?, with a spring tour set to begin April 7 in Sullivan, Illinois. The follow-up to 2002's Here Comes the Zoo drops the day before. ... Two jam worlds will collide starting February 25 in Milwaukee when O.A.R. and Robert Randolph & the Family Band join forces to tour. On February 28 O.A.R. will play with Guster in Kansas City, Missouri. O.A.R.'s tour runs through March 11 in Los Angeles. ... Wisconsin filmmaker and actor Mark Borchardt, of "American Movie" and "Britney, Baby, One More Time" fame, will co-direct his first video, for metal newcomers Index Case. Chad Calek (Bleeding Through) is co-directing the clip, which will be shot in March in the band's hometown of Indianola, Iowa. ...

• Nelly
• Sean Paul
• Scott Weiland
• The Darkness
• N.E.R.D.

• Sean Paul
• Wayne Wonder
• Buju Banton
• Bounty Killer
• Bob Marley

Avril Lavigne at the 2003 MTV Asia Awards
Photo: MTV Asia

It's a good thing Avril Lavigne wasn't one of the presenters at the 2003 MTV Asia Awards. Having been challenged with the pronunciation of "David Bowie" at this year's Grammy nomination ceremony, she probably would have been really flustered at having to call out names like Siti Nurhaliza and Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

But the Canadian songstress was still the talk of the proceedings, bringing home three awards — Favorite Female Artist, Favorite Breakthrough Artist and the Style Award — the most of any performer at the event, which was held at the Singapore Indoor Stadium and will air across Asia on Friday (January 24). (Click to see photos.)

Linkin Park also fared well, winning Favorite Rock Act and Favorite Video for "Pts.of.Athrty (Remix)." In other categories, Robbie Williams won Favorite Male Artist, Blue took Favorite Pop Act and F4 earned the Inspiration Award.

The event, which was hosted by CoCo Lee and Shaggy, also honored a wide range of Asian talent. Region-specific awards went to 10 performers: Yu Quan (Mainland China), Sammi Cheng (Hong Kong), A.R. Rahman (India), Cokelat (Indonesia), j.t.L. (Korea), Nurhaliza (Malaysia), Regine Velasquez (Philippines), Stefanie Sun (Singapore), Jay Chou (Taiwan) and D2B (Thailand).

The 2003 MTV Asia Awards featured performances by Lavigne, Robbie Williams, Missy Elliott, Matchbox Twenty, Shaggy, CoCo Lee, Nurhaliza, Stefanie Sun, Atomic Kitten, Blue, Ella, He Yao Sun, Jay Chou, j.t.L., Kyla, Kris Dayanti and Palmy.

• Avril Lavigne
• Linkin Park
• Shaggy

U2's Bono
Photo: Amy V. Cooper

Bono, Macy Gray and Shaggy will play a benefit show that Nelson Mandela is organizing in South Africa to raise money to fight AIDS.

Mandela SOS will take place February 2 at Robben Island, where the former president of South Africa had been a political prisoner for nearly two decades, organizers announced Friday. Robben Island, long used as a place of exile for those who spoke out against apartheid, has been a museum since 1997, Mandela's third year in office.

South Africa's first democratic president has also invited Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Elton John, and Michael and Janet Jackson to perform, according to the Associated Press. Sting regretfully declined an invitation, a spokesperson for his management said, because he'll be recording his new album at the time. It wasn't known at press time whether the other artists plan on attending.

Bono has been a crusader in the fight against AIDS in Africa for some time, founding the nonprofit advocacy group Debt, AIDS, Trade for Africa earlier this year and embarking on a speaking tour of the Midwest last week (see "U2's Bono Sings New Song At AIDS Tour Kickoff").

South Africa is one of the nations hit hardest by AIDS/HIV epidemic. Nearly one in nine South Africans, or 4.7 million, is HIV positive, according to published statistics, the highest ratio of any country.

For more on the fight against AIDS, check out MTV's "Fight For Your Rights: Protect Yourself" campaign.

• U2
• Shaggy
• Macy Gray

DMX's next film project, "Cradle 2 the Grave," now has a release date. According to a rep for the rapper, his co-starring turn with Jet Li should hit theaters February 28. Meanwhile, X is in talks to develop a cologne called Xcaliber, for which he's currently arranging distribution and licensing. ...

Lil' Wayne, Mannie Fresh, Ronald "Slim" Williams and Brian "Baby" Williams will hand out 2,000 turkeys and holiday dinners at the A.L. Davis Park in New Orleans on Monday. The Johnnie and Gladys Williams Foundation, named after Slim and Baby's parents, are sponsoring the fourth annual Cash Money Turkey Giveaway. ... Due in February, Shaggy's "Hope" and singer/songwriter Kevi's "Don't Talk to Strangers" are the latest in Hip Kid Hop's read and rap-a-long children's book series. LL Cool J and Doug E. Fresh contributed the first books, which are accompanied by CDs with original music. ...

Los Angeles' KROQ announced on Thursday (November 21) the lineup for its annual Almost Acoustic Christmas concerts, scheduled for December 7 and 8 at the Universal Amphitheater in Universal City, California. Audioslave, Disturbed, New Found Glory, P.O.D., Queens of the Stone Age, Sum 41, Zwan, Taproot, Trust Company and the Used will play the first night; Beck with the Flaming Lips, Coldplay, Creed, Dashboard Confessional, Good Charlotte, Jack Johnson, Jurassic 5, the Vines and Jimmy Fallon will perform on the second. ...

Bon Jovi are making hogs of themselves when it comes to pigskin performances. Following their set in Times Square that kicked off the season and the announcement that they'll be part of the Super Bowl halftime show in January, the NJ rockers will, along with Vanessa Carlton, perform in Detroit during halftime of the Thanksgiving Day game between the Lions and Patriots, which begins at 12:30 p.m. ET. ... February 25 will be a good day for Ice Cube fans. That's when the first four solo albums by the former N.W.A rapper turned "Friday" trilogy star get reissued with bonus tracks. While Amerikkka's Most Wanted (1990), Death Certificate (1991), The Predator (1992) and Lethal Injection (1993) get rejuvenated shelf life, "Ice Cube: The Video Collection," featuring Cube's first 15 videos, will become available on DVD format. ...

Former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr and his band the Healers, featuring Beatle son Zak Starkey and Kula Shaker's Alonso Beavan, will tour the States in support of the group's debut album, Boomslang, due February 4. Eleven dates, from January 15 (Hoboken, New Jersey) to February 3 (West Hollywood, California), are confirmed thus far, with additions to be announced shortly. ... Scottish rock band Idlewild have replaced bassist Bob Fairfoull with Gavin Fox, formerly of Turn, and touring guitarist Allan Stewart has been made a full-time member. The group recently finished an album, which is not yet titled or scheduled for release. ...

Aborym vocalist Attila Csihar, who used to howl for church-burning black metal band Mayhem, was recently arrested in Treviso, Italy, and charged with possession of 158 tablets of ecstasy and several grams of hash. In a statement on its Web site, the Italian band wrote that Csihar will go on trial in December, but regardless of the outcome, the band will continue. "Cross your fingers upside-down," said the band. "We will make you have news as soon as we get them." ... Chimaira will release their second album, tentatively titled The Impossibility of Reason, on April 15. Switched singer Ben Schigel will produce. ...

11.20.02

Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty and Nappy Roots joined activists Wednesday (November 20) for the launch of Speak Up, a campaign against weapon-related school violence, sponsored by PAX, Atlantic Records and Teen People, among others. In support of the cause, Nappy Roots filmed a public service announcement and Matchbox Twenty will include a special insert about the campaign in their new album, More Than You Think You Are. ...

In the "takes-one-to-know-one" department, Marilyn Manson wrote in his online journal that fellow über-controversial artist Eminem was "rather delighted with the bits of my new album he was lucky enough to hear" when they encountered one another at the MTV Europe Music Awards in Barcelona last week. ... Slayer will release the DVD "War at the Warfield" on February 11. The disc, which was recorded at San Francisco venue the Warfield on December 7, 2001, features the band's former drummer Paul Bostaph, who dropped off the tour last December because of a chronic elbow injury, and has since joined Systematic. Bostaph was replaced on the road by the band's original drummer, Dave Lombardo, who will play on Slayer's next record. ...

Videos and live footage from New Found Glory, Something Corporate, Home Grown and others will be featured on a Drive-Thru Records DVD due December 17. The video will also feature the label's latest signing, Senses Fail. ... English rockers Supergrass will release their fourth album, Life on Other Planets, in February. Since the album has been available as an import since September 30, the American release will include either a bonus CD or DVD of a full concert of career-spanning material, said Supergrass' publicist. ...

Jordan Knight, who is currently recording his second solo album with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, will sell two new singles on his Web site (www.jordanknight.com) beginning December 2. The songs from the former New Kid on the Block are an acoustic cover of Force M.D.'s "Tender Love" and a club remake of Richard Marx's "Right Here Waiting." ... If you're a punk with a penchant for Green Day, Skunk Ape Records wants you for its forthcoming tribute to the Bay Area punks. On the heels of its homage to Weezer, titled Making Noise and released in February 2001, the California indie label has issued a call to arms for all bands to submit Green Day covers to Skunk Ape Records, 8671 Emramada Avenue, Whittier, CA 90605, before January 31. For more information, visit www.skunkaperecords.com. ...

The University of Southern California dedicated an auditorium located in the school's theater complex to the late Frank Sinatra, according to the Associated Press. In support of the dedication, Sinatra's daughters, Nancy and Tina, will loan USC memorabilia including the actor's Congressional Gold Medal, Academy Awards, gold records and his signature fedora for public display through March. ... Coolio will connect with deceased relatives on "Crossing Over With John Edward on Thursday. Through Edward's readings, they will make contact with the rapper's late mother and other loved ones, reaffirming the crazy-coiffed MC's belief in the host's psychic abilities. ... Brian May, founding member of the rock group Queen and former astronomy graduate student, has received an honorary science doctorate from the University of Hertfordshire. May, who received the degree Tuesday at the university's campus north of London, said the honor "completes a great cycle in my life," according to the Associated Press. ...

• DMX
• Audioslave
• Cash Money Millionaires
• Good Charlotte
• Johnny Marr

Shaggy
Photo: Gregg Delman

It's a Lucky Day for women when Shaggy, also known as Mr. Lover, is in the house.

"They don't call me Mr. Lover because I like ice cream," toasts Shaggy on the title track to his new album, Lucky Day. "I am Mr. Lover because I fulfill dreams."

"My existence wouldn't be the same if there weren't women," said Shaggy, he of the buzz-saw baritone. "My life wouldn't be the same and I wanted to put that into a record."

Tracks like "Full Control," featuring singer Barrington Levy, and "Strength of a Woman" fete strong, independently minded women.

"There are those women who degrade the name of women and there are men who degrade the name of women," Shaggy said. "But for the most part, we can't live without them. It's a wonderful situation, their mere existence, and I wanted to celebrate that."

And give the fellas a few pointers.

"Lovemaking should be fun," offers Shaggy on the track "Lucky Day," which features a sing-song synthesizer riff and dancehall stutter beat. "The ladies should be satisfied before you're up and done."

The album Lucky Day, which will be released on Tuesday, moves a step or two away from the pure reggae pop of Shaggy's 2000 breakthrough Hotshot and toward a rawer, dancehall sound. There are fewer recognizable samples as compared to past work and the melodies aren't as blatant.

"The pop market is a very fickle market, and that's why for me to go into the teeny-pop, 'TRL' mode, it's not really for me," Shaggy said. "I want some credibility. I want to build a fanbase, I want people to like my albums even more so than singles."

Lucky Day was recorded at Shaggy's Valley Stream, New York, home studio and also features guests Chaka Khan, Ricardo "Rik Rok" Ducent, Prince Mydas, Mona, and Brian and Tony Gold, who are featured on "Hey Sexy Lady," the album's first single.

Bruce "Rayvon" Brewster, who sang on Shaggy's Hotshot single "Angel," didn't make the final cut for Lucky Day.

"That's the only drawback," said Shaggy, adding that he recorded two songs with Rayvon with the intention of getting them on Lucky Day. "It would have been cool."

The album was co-produced by Shaggy and Sting Intl., Dave Kelly, Christopher Birch and Robert Livingston.

Shaggy, born Orville Richard Burrell in Jamaica, is a former Marine and Gulf War veteran who first surfaced on the charts with a remake of Prince Buster's "Oh Carolina" from his 1993 debut album, Pure Pleasure. The single "Boombastic," featuring a sample of Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On," upped Shaggy's popularity even more in 1995, but when 1997's Midnite Lover failed to produce similar hits, Shaggy found himself without a record deal (see "Shaggy: Rocking You Wild").

Fortunes changed when he recorded "Luv Me, Luv Me," a Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis-produced duet with Janet Jackson, and Hotshot, an effervescent and edgy mix of reggae, R&B and pop, put the performer — and dancehall reggae — into another stratosphere, thanks to more than 10 million copies of the record sold (see "Got Charts? Linkin Park, Shaggy, 'NSYNC Are 2001's Top-Sellers").

"Since the success of Hotshot, a lot has changed for reggae music," Shaggy said. "Record companies are looking at this music as a force to be reckoned with ... so they're looking at reggae artists in a different light. Here comes the Sean Pauls, the Bounty Killers and the Beenie Man, and everybody wants to sign them because they want the next Shaggy.

"I'm not mad at that — that's actually a good thing," Shaggy said. "It makes us a force to be reckoned with. It's hard for me to fight this battle by myself, and I'm not the least bit threatened by anyone at all. I do what I do and I've done my thing my way."

• Shaggy

We've seen her get dirrty; now it's time for Christina Aguilera to get Stripped.

The former genie releases her second album proper, one she calls more personal and authentically X-tina, featuring collaborations with Lil' Kim and Redman and production by Alicia Keys, Linda Perry and Scott Storch.

In other pop-gone-mature news, Nick Carter steps out as the latest boy band member to release a solo album. Now or Never finds a more down-home Carter playing guitar as well as performing some of his own material.

Also out Tuesday is the "8 Mile" soundtrack — featuring Eminem's get-pumped anthem "Lose Yourself" plus songs by Nas, Jay-Z and Xzibit — in addition to Shaggy's Lucky Day and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's Thug World Order.

Iceland's Sigur Rós release their first major-label album alongside Tori Amos' Scarlet's Walk, a sprawling record written on a road trip after September 11.

Finally, if you guessed that Nirvana's long-awaited (and much fought-over) greatest-hits album would get a special mention, you know you're right.

Out Tuesday, October 29:

• 4ft Fingers - From Hero to Zero (Golf)
• 999 - Biggest Tour in Sport (Captain Oi!)
• Acumen Nation - Coming Down (Underground Inc)
• Add N to (X) - Loud Like Nature (Mute)
• Christina Aguilera - Stripped (RCA)
  Read: "Christina Aguilera: Not Your Puppet"
  Buy Now: Stripped (RCA)
• Alka - Deployed (Caroline)
• Tori Amos - Scarlet's Walk (Epic)
  Read: "Tori Amos Writes Scarlet Letters, Draws Tour Map"
  Buy Now: Scarlet's Walk (Epic)
• Avantasia - The Metal Opera Pt. 2 (Century Media)
• Barn Shakers - 5 Minutes to Live (Goofin)
• Bile - Demonic Electronic (Underground Inc.)
• Black Bombay - Black Bombay (Amiata)
• Blades of Grass - Blades of Grass Are Not for Smoking (Rev-Ola)
• Bone Thugs-N-Harmony - Thug World Order (Ruthless/Epic)
  Buy Now: Thug World Order (PA)
• Cadillac Angels - Bucking the Odds (Envicta)
• Nick Carter - Now or Never (Jive)
  Read: "Nick Carter Album A Trip Back To The '80s"
  Buy Now: Now or Never (Jive)
• Classics - Aiming for Girls and Missing (Skunk Ape)
• Lacuna Coil - Comalies (Century Media)
• Cowboy Nation - Cowgirl a-Go-Go (Paras)
• Damage Done by Worms - Evil Eyes (Crazy Love)
• Daycare Swindlers - Heathen Radio (Go Kart)
• Dixie Chicks - Collector's Box (Chrome Dreams)
• Dr. Dooom - First Come First Serve (Threshold)
• Electric Frankenstein - Listen Up Baby (TKO)
• Ellis and the Angry Teens - Can You Hear the Sound (Goofin)
• Flunk - For Sleepyheads Only (Guidance)
• Gabin - Gabin (Astralwerks)
• The Gloryholes - Want a Divorce (Dirtnap)
• Justincase - Justincase (Warner Bros.)
• Knightowl - Best of 2 (Familia)
• Koma - Criminal (Locomotive Music)
• Rachel Lampa - Blur (Word)
• Landmarq - Aftershock (Cyclops)
• Bill Laswell - Dub Chamber 4 - Book of Exit (ROIR)
• Lil Jon & the Eastside Boyz - Kings of Crunk (TVT)
• Patty Loveless - Bluegrass and White Snow - A Mountain Christmas (Epic Nashville)
• Maharaja - 786 (Amiata)
• Manic Street Preachers - Forever Delayed (Epic)
• Adam Marsland - 232 Days on the Road: Live (Karma Frog)
• MC Unique - The King of Linguistics (Rap Junkie)
• Jimmy McGriff - McGriff Avenue (Milestone)
• Jo Dee Messina - A Joyful Noise (Curb)
• Meredith Monk - Mercy (ECM)
• Mr. Scruff - Trouser Jazz (Ninja Tune/NTone/Big Dada)
• Tracy Nelson - Deep Are the Roots (P-Vine)
• Nirvana - Nirvana (Universal)
  Read: "Courtney Love, Universal Reach Agreement; Nirvana Material Freed Up For Release"
  Buy Now: Nirvana (Universal)
• Phish - Live Phish Vol. 13 10/31/94 Glens Falls Civic Center, Glens Falls, NY (Elektra)
• Phish - Live Phish Vol. 14 10/31/95 Rosemont Horizon, Rosemont, Illinois (Elektra)
• Phish - Live Phish Vol. 15 10/31/96 The Omni, Atlanta, Georgia (Elektra)
• Phish - Live Phish Vol. 16 10/31/98 Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, Nevada (Elektra)
• Q & Not U - Different Damage (Dischord)
• Queer for Girls - Android Sex & Cartoon Drugs (Feedback Boogie)
• Race for Titles - Race for Titles (The Redemption Recording Co.)
• Rascal Flatts - Melt (Hollywood)
• Kenny Rogers - Gift (Curb)
• Bic Runga - Beautiful Collision (Columbia)
• Shaggy - Lucky Day (MCA)
  Buy Now: Lucky Day (MCA)
• Sigur Rós - Untitled (MCA)
• Simian - We Are Your Friends (Source/Astralwerks)
• Sixpence None the Richer - Divine Discontent (Reprise/Squint/Curb)
• Stars of Lid - Avec Laudenum (Kranky)
• Subincision - Berkeley's Newest Hitmakers (Substandard)
• Suicide - American Supreme (Mute/Blast First)
• Tandy - The Lowdown (Gammon)
• Tank - One Man (Blackground)
• This Is the Army - Call Me Mister (Jasmine)
• Thrust - Parade of Idiots (Bomb)
• Too $hort - What's My Favorite Word? (Jive)
  Read: Too Short Gets Serious (About Pimpin') On New Album"
• Mick Turner - Moth (Drag City)
• Various artists "8 Mile" soundtrack (Interscope)
  Read: "Eminem Writes From Rabbit's Perspective For '8 Mile' Album"
• Various artists - The Excelsis Box Set (Projekt)
• Various artists - "Grand Theft Auto" (Sony)
• Various artists - Lenny Dee Presents Industrial F---ing Strength 4: Chillin' Is Killin' (The Music Cartel)
• Various artists - Punks on Drugs (Antidote)
• Various artists - Songs in the Key of Z Vol. 2: The Curious Universe of Outsider Music (Gammon)
• Various artists - Totally Hits 2002 (Warner Music/BMG)
• Kirk Whalum - The Gospel According to Jazz: Chapter 2 (Squint/Curb)
• Yu-Gi-Oh - Music to Duel By (DreamWorks)

• Badly Drawn Boy - Have You Fed the Fish? (Artistdirect)
• Björk - Björk's Greatest Hits (Elektra)
• Björk - Family Tree (Elektra)
• David Cross - Shut Up, You F---ing Baby! (Sub Pop)
  Read: "David Cross Says Shut Up, You F---ing Baby! With Sub Pop's Help"
• David Gray - A New Day at Midnight (ATO)
  Read: "In Bed With Your Daughter? No Thanks, Says David Gray"
  
• Ms. Jade - Girl Interrupted (Beat Club/Interscope)
  Read: "Ms. Jade, Nelly Furtado Battle Timbaland On Video Set"
• Jaheim - Still Ghetto (Divine Mill/Warner Bros.)
  Read: "Jaheim Shooting For 10 Million With Still Ghetto"
• Jay-Z - The Blueprint 2: The Gift & the Curse (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam)
  Read: "Jay-Z Album Preview: Hova Ups The Ante With Blueprint 2"
  Buy Now: The Blueprint 2: The Gift & the Curse (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam)
• Third Eye Blind - Crystal Baller (Elektra)
  Read: "Third Eye Blind Recruit Fred Durst, Andrew W.K. For Third Album"
• Justin Timberlake - Justified (Jive)
  Read: "Justin Timberlake: Justify My Love"
  
• Twista - Kamikaze (Atlantic)
  Read: "Twista Finishing His Kamikaze, Playing Mickey And Mallory With Lil' Kim"
• U2 - U2 - The Best of 1990-2000 (Interscope)
  Buy Now: U2 - The Best of 1990-2000 (Interscope)
• Various artists - Irv Gotti Presents ... The Remixes (Murder Inc./Def Jam)
  Read: "Irv Gotti Shooting Ja Rule, Bobby Brown, Charli; Reveals Remixes List"
• The Wallflowers - Red Letter Days (Interscope)

• 3 Doors Down - Away From the Sun (Universal)
• Crazy Town - Darkhorse (Columbia)
  Read: "Crazy Town Take On All Comers With Darkhorse"
• Fat Joe - Loyalty (Atlantic)
  Read: "Fat Joe Won't Dance With Ginuwine, But Records With R. Kelly"
• Kool G Rap - The Giancana Story (Rawkus/Koch)
  Read: "Kool G Rap LP Finally On The Way, Capone-N-Noreaga, Michael Stipe Included"
• O-Town - O2 (J)
  Read: "O2 Gives Members Of O-Town Room To Breathe, Write"
  Buy Now: O2 (J)
• Pearl Jam - Riot Act (Epic)
  Read: "Pearl Jam Finalize Riot Act, Plan More Live Albums"
  Buy Now: Riot Act (Epic)
• Saliva - Back Into Your System (Island)
  Read: "Saliva Shoot Down Domestic Abuse On New Single 'Always' "
• TLC - 3D (Arista)
  Read: "TLC Album Preview: 3D Tributes Left Eye With Sass, Spunk, Silence"
  Buy Now: 3D (Arista)
• Various artists - "Die Another Day" soundtrack (Warner Bros.)
  Read: Madonna Escapes Electric Chair, Engages In Deadly Duel"
• WC - Ghetto Heisman (Def Jam) Read: "WC Goes For The Ghetto Heisman With Help From Scarface, Cube, Snoop"

• Audioslave - Audioslave (Epic)
  Read: "Rage/Cornell Project To Release Album In November"
• Toni Braxton - More Than a Woman (Arista)
  Read: "Toni Braxton Working With Gotti, Neptunes, Husband On New LP"
  Buy Now: More Than a Woman (Arista)
• Foxy Brown - Ill Na Na 2: The Fever (Def Jam)
  Read: "P. Diddy In Director's Chair For Ill Na Na 2"
• Craig David - Slicker Than Your Average (Atlantic)
  Read: "Craig David Plays Willy Wonka In 'Flava' Video"
  Buy Now: Slicker Than Your Average (Atlantic)
• George Harrison - Brainwashed (Dark Horse/Capitol)
• Ja Rule - The Last Temptation (Murder Inc./Def Jam)
  Read: Ja Rule, Bobby Brown Team Up For 'Thug Lovin' "
  Buy Now: The Last Temptation (Murder Inc./Def Jam)
• Matchbox Twenty - More Than You Think You Are (Atlantic)
  Buy Now: More Than You Think You Are (Atlantic)
• Mudvayne - The End of All Things to Come (Epic)
  Read: "Mudvayne Reach The End With New Album"

• Baby - The Birdman (Cash Money)
  Read: "Cash Money's Baby Makes Video Plans With P. Diddy, Toni Braxton"
• DJ Envy - Block Party (Epic)
• Jennifer Lopez - This Is Me ... Then (Epic)
  Read: "J. Lo Sets Release Date For LP After Song Leaks Out"
• Sum 41 - Does This Look Infected? (Island)
  Read: "Sum 41 Ask, Does This Look Infected?"
• Various artists - "Chicago" soundtrack (Epic)
  Read: "Janet Jackson To Appear On LP With Mya ... And Richard Gere"
• Various artists - "Paid in Full" soundtrack (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam)

• Charli Baltimore - The Diary (You Think You Know)
  (Murder Inc./Def Jam)
  Read: "Charli Baltimore's Working All Night And Needs Pink"
• Mariah Carey - Charmbracelet (MonarC/Island/Def Jam) Read: "Mariah Carey Insists She Just Needed Sleep, Taps Family History For New Clip"

• Dashboard Confessional - Unplugged 2.0 (Vagrant)
• Nas - God's Son (Columbia)
  Read: "Nas Sets Release For God's Son, Pooh-Poohs Jay-Z's Challenge"

• Christina Aguilera
• Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
• Eminem
• Nirvana
• Nick Carter

2005 EMA Red Carpet and Highlights

• Green Day
• Madonna
• Coldplay
• Sean Paul
• Black Eyed Peas

2003 MTV Asia Awards

• Avril Lavigne
• Linkin Park
• Matchbox Twenty
• Robbie Williams
• Shaggy

Shaggy Photos

• Shaggy

• Shaggy

MTV Tours: 2001

• Dave Matthews Band
• Placebo
• blink-182
• *NSYNC
• Coldplay

• Shaggy

Shaggy Photo Flipbook

• Shaggy