Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody
Photo: Getty Images/ Kristian Dowling

Back in April, when Northern Ireland's Snow Patrol first started writing material for their forthcoming LP, A Hundred Million Suns, frontman Gary Lightbody said he decided pretty early on that he didn't want to write another dour breakup record.

He was through with moping, through with the introspective reflection that follows a relationship's end, and tired of trying to make sense of it all through his cheerless lyrics, as he had on 2003's Final Straw and 2006's Eyes Open. Instead, Lightbody wanted to write a record about love but not have it come across as a eulogy.

"It's different from the other records in that it's based around a relationship that's working rather than one that's falling apart," Lightbody told MTV News, adding that aside from a few one-off shows, the band has no plans to tour the States until early next year. "I wanted to make a record about love that was much more real than just saying, 'I'm happy.' I wanted to make a record that reflected on world situations within the context of seeing it through someone you love's eyes, and what that person means to you, despite how confused or frightened you may be. There's darkness in there, of course, but there's real, proper, functioning love too.

"I wanted to celebrate something extraordinary that happened in my life, and I didn't want to mope about the end of it," Lightbody said, referencing a relationship he'd had that went sour — the inspiration for his lyrics. "I wanted to remember the great bits of it, and I wanted to share them with everybody, because they were just an amazing part of my life, and I didn't see a point in dwelling on what brought it to an end. So on this record, I'm not talking about my sadness — I'm talking about my happiness."

It's possible Snow Patrol fans won't even recognize the band when A Hundred Million Suns hits stores October 28. According to Lightbody, the LP is a considerable departure for the band on several levels — for starters, the band was able to experiment more on this effort, working once again with producer Garrett "Jacknife" Lee (Bloc Party, U2).

"I don't know what we'd do without him, to be honest," Lightbody said. "He's really just come into his own. He's one of the best — if not the best — rock producers in the world right now, and he's a maverick genius. When people hear this record ... it's such a leap, sonically. [Lee] has changed the sound of the band into something dramatically more convincing and exciting. Each song is different from the next. I mean, it still sounds like one band, but each song is very different, and yet, it's all still very cohesive."

Before entering the studio to start tracking the effort, Lightbody said that some of the band's members actually took lessons to improve their playing. "We really had to step up a gear to meet the ambition that we had," he said. "We're all reasonably good musicians. I just think that, between the five of us, we make an awesome noise. We fit. We wanted to do something extraordinary this time, and we really needed to shape up to do it."

Lightbody is well aware that, by now, there may be a few perceptions people have about his band and what it's capable of. But those perceptions could be shattered with A Hundred Million Suns, so long as everyone keeps an open mind.

"I want everyone to give it a chance," he implored. "Some people may have written us off already because of various big singles we've had, and that's all they've heard, so they think they've got the measure of us. But I challenge them to listen to this record and say that it's like anything we've done before."

• Snow Patrol

Interpol's Paul Banks performs on Saturday at Lollapalooza
Photo: Jeff Gentner/Getty Images

CHICAGO — Perry Farrell's good luck ran out on Saturday (August 4) when the predicted rain finally fell from the sky to the tune of Karen O's manic wails. But the downpour surely didn't dampen the spirits of the Lollapalooza crowd, which grew significantly on this, the festival's second day.

(Get your Lollapalooza fill: Watch the Roots' ?uestlove, Perry Farrell, Cold War Kids, Stephen Marley and more chill in the shade with Tim Kash and see snaps of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Daft Punk, M.I.A., the Rapture and more.)

Instead of bringing down the mood, the rain kind of cooled things off and made for a nice, humid vibe during Interpol's closing set, as lights were hit with rain, sending steam into the air. Taking the stage like a gang of new-wave Black Barts, Interpol closed out day two of Lollapalooza with style, a boatload of low-end and the velvet-rope-jumping swagger they've become famous for. The thudding bass of dressed-in-black Carlos D. and the molar-rattling kick-drum of Sam Fogarino set the crowd dancing (and doing other things) during the see-sawing "Slow Hands, " as the somber group kicked off a 70-plus-minute set that alternated between propulsive rockers and moody meditations.

It was hard to gauge just what inscrutable singer Paul Banks — also, of course, dressed in black pants, black shirt and sporting a black wristband — was thinking, since his blond mop of hair was hanging in his face for much of the set and he didn't speak except for a perfunctory hello to the rain-soaked crowd.

All the fans needed to hear was the group's string of midset narcotic lullabies building up to the stadium-size anthem "Evil, " which has "instant classic" written all over it. From the Pixies-like walking bass intro to the rat-a-tat drums, Banks' just-behind-the-beat singing and the slashing/watery guitar line from Daniel Kessler, the tune lived up to the band's rock and roll desperado look. And when Carlos D. held up his bass to play his part as if it were a giant Roman Candle, it almost made you wish some sparks would fly out of it.

The rain let up just in time for Muse's closing set, which was a visual stunner: 10-foot panels of pulsating lights, with blinding strobes, and gigantic screens, projecting strange sci-fi (think "Tron") and politically tinged imagery. Opening with "Take a Bow," a powerful commentary on both President Bush and former Prime Minister Tony Blair's decision to enter Iraq, Muse reinvigorated the soggy crowd. The band couldn't have been more on — every note was executed masterfully, making this the perfect ending to a day full of high points.

Next came "Hysteria, " followed by "Supermassive Black Hole" and "Butterflies and Hurricanes." Frontman Matthew Bellamy's haunting vocals put an interesting spin on the band's only cover of the night, Nina Simone's "Feeling Good. " The anthemic performance continued with "Apocalypse Please," "Invincible," "Starlight" and "Time Is Running Out," all of which had the audience mesmerized — these guys put on a huge rock show, which ended with the triumphant "Knights of Cydonia." Muse set the bar pretty high and will be a tough act to best on Sunday.

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs certainly brought the power as well. As we've learned from musical history, rock stars are born, not made. And whatever DNA contributed to the makeup of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Karen O must have been one wicked batch. The dynamo lead singer of the indie champs stole the show Saturday with a fashion-forward set that had more costume changes than a Cher extravaganza and some rebel yells that threatened to rattle the windows of the skyscrapers on the Chicago skyline.

Strutting onto the stage in a giant silver cape with black Charlie Brown-style wavy stripes and silver tassels hanging off the neck, O took center stage and eyed the audience before dropping the cape to reveal an all-black leather outfit — bustier, shorts, fingerless gloves, some kind of skirt — accented by silver high-tops and black criss-cross leggings. As the band ripped into the monster-stomping "Sealings, " with O yelling, "Shoot, shoot out your mouth, " she exuded rock-star cool from the first moment, owning the audience.

The punk blues of "Honeybear" lurched around like a drunken, well, Lollapalooza fan, speeding up, slowing down and dropping into grinding dirges as the rain began to fall. O messed with her stage getup throughout the set, putting on a feathered mask with silver tassels, draping her face in a silver shawl, ripping her gloves off with her teeth and smearing her red lipstick around so it looked like she'd been punched in the mouth.

The day started off way more mellow, but no less ominous, with a disco-dance-of-death set from Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, whose singer, Alec Ounsworth, sounded less like former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne — whom he is often compared to — and more like a helium-voice preacher. The jangly sounds of "Yankee Go Home" (with the unforgettable refrain "Yankee go, Yankee go, Yankee go home") morphed into a spooky waltz that sounded way too creepy to play in broad daylight — and the day had plenty of creepiness.

After opening by singing a cappella, accompanying herself on percussion by tapping on the microphone rhythmically, oddball singer/songwriter Regina Spektor paid tribute to a legendary artist who would take the stage a few hours later, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Patti Smith, by playing her song "Poor Little Rich Boy," which, in turn, references Smith's version of the Who's "My Generation." Again improvising for percussion, Spektor banged on a chair with a drumstick while playing piano with her left hand during the spare tune. Spektor also stopped her set midway into the second song, "On the Radio," when she spotted a fan who had passed out in the middle of the crowd, urging security to get her some help. "I think there's someone sick," she said in her kewpie-doll voice.

Snow Patrol also reached out to a fellow Lolla act during their set with a duet with Silversun Pickups bassist Nikki Monninger, who filled in for Martha Wainwright on the track "Set the Fire to the Third Bar." The overly polite Scots (frontman Gary Lightbody thanked the audience after every song the band performed and even dedicated each track — to the crowd, to the other bands on the bill, to Monninger "for being so sweet") performed a veritable best-of from their growing catalog, including songs like "Run," "Chasing Cars" (the closing chorus of which the singer left to the audience), "How to Be Dead" and "Spitting Games," which Lightbody dedicated to a man in the front row, who was dressed, from head to toe, in a Spider-Man costume and waving an Irish flag to catch the singer's attention.

About 20 seconds into the song, the Spider-Man wannabe made a beeline for the stairs leading up to the stage but was tackled by a team of security guards before he could make it past the third step. As the final notes of "Spitting Games" reverberated across the open field, echoing off the trees, Lightbody, disappointment in his voice, muttered, "Well, I guess he wasn't the real Spider-Man."

One of the warmest receptions of the day was bestowed upon the Cold War Kids, whose set was impassioned, flawless, and, at times, soulful. There wasn't a person in the fist-pumping audience who wasn't singing along with frontman Nathan Willett — doing his best Joe Cocker impersonation — during "Hang Me Up to Dry."

Next up was this generation's answer to P-Funk, the Roots, arguably the tightest band here at Lollapalooza. The band turned up the funk with a genre-spanning medley filled with chunky bass, virtuoso guitar (that inspired some rapturous hyperbole from our blogger), mind-boggling drum solos and a complete horn section. The Roots shifted effortlessly, and without skipping a beat, from Sugar Hill Gang's "Rapper's Delight" to Iron Butterfly's "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida," then to the Gang's "Apache" and Biz Markie's "Just a Friend." Next came ODB's "Shimmy Shimmy Ya," Salt-N-Pepa's "Push It" and MIMS' "This Is Why I'm Hot."

The band's performance even attracted the likes of Geico's Caveman, who made his way through the sea of sweaty flesh in front of the stage, giving high-fives and posing for pictures with the hippies that saturated the crowd. The Roots ended things with a cover of the New Birth's "I Can Understand It," which then faded into a captivating James Brown medley. Still, all the folks here had to contend with was a slight drizzle, but the clouds above Chicago are getting darker, and more and more engorged with rain.

Meanwhile, over on the MySpace stage, the Hold Steady geared up and turned out perhaps the most entertaining performance thus far — if only because of how much fun these guys obviously have when they're in their element. The blood rushed to Steady frontman Craig Finn's face as he spit out the lyrics to fan faves like "Chips Ahoy!," "First Night" and "You Can Make Him Like You." And appearances aren't deceiving in this band's case — these dudes absolutely love being onstage.

"We played here last summer, and I said it was the most fun I'd ever had before 3 p.m.," Finn, who was sporting a Ron Gardenhire jersey, explained. "This is shaping up to be the most fun I've had in my life."

Sherwood started off the day on the MySpace stage with a feel-good, feedback-filled set that included a confession. "We've never been to a Lollapalooza before," said frontman Nate Henry. "I'm sorta confused as to how this happened."

The first act to hit the main stage was Ontario, Canada's Tokyo Police Club, a young indie/ garage-rock outfit whose every song seemed to end on a dime. The band woke the crowd up with a heaping helping of bombastic drum blasts, tinny guitar squeals and thick, syrupy bass lines. And despite the early hour, the turnout for the Club was strong. "It's shocking to see so many of you here," noted frontman Josh Hook before the band launched into the explosive "Box." The crowd showed their appreciation, applauding loudly for the Lolla virgins.

Later on, Minneapolis rockers Tapes n' Tapes churned out a driving set that was so loud it nearly blew the MySpace stage's amps — but not loud enough to scare away at least three dads in attendance, who traipsed through the crowd with infants strapped to their chests. The highlight of the band's volatile performance was "Beach Girls," during which drummer Greg Alsop hammered the skins as if the fate of the free world depended on it.

I'm From Barcelona also warmed up the already-warm crowd with a memorable pre-noon set. The 20-plus-member Swedish band (which included everything from a tuba player to a percussionist with banana-shaped maracas) nearly topped the Polyphonic Spree's Friday set when it came to stage-filling energy and enthusiasm. With songs about chicken pox ("You can't have it once you've had it") and cassettes, lead singer Emanuel Lundgren led the wacky pop/polka powerhouse through a set that had crowd members' hands waving in the air and included a kazoo solo from a fan who claimed he'd never had the pox.

The pre-lunch hours also brought a rare bit of soul to the proceedings, with a funky set from sets from Georgia's Ryan Shaw, a dreadlocked Sam Cooke-alike who had to raise the roof even higher to with the sound bleeding over from dour rocker Pete Yorn on an adjacent stage.

And if you haven't heard of R&B singer Kevin Michael yet, there's a good chance you will soon. Though he played to a sparse crowd, the young singer with the towering afro and a voice that mixes the soulful side of Michael Jackson with a hip-hop edge, played (tellingly) to a mostly female audience during his short set. Unfortunately, hometown hero Lupe Fiasco didn't show up to reprise his cameo on the hand-clapping banger "We All Want the Same Thing," but Michael's keyboard and guitarist/beatboxer band held it down ably as the buff crooner jumped down off of the stage to get some face time with his adoring female fans.

Make sure to stick with MTVNews.com for your Lollapalooza news all weekend.

Seen a great show? MTV News wants your photos, videos and reports from all the latest concerts, including Lollapalooza, for our new You R Here community site. Check out the site to read, rate and comment on reviews from around the globe. We'll put the best stuff on our You R Here blog, and even in on-air news!

[This story was originally published on 8.4.07 at 6:11 p.m. ET.]

• A Look Back At Lollapalooza 2007

• Pearl Jam, Amy Winehouse, Lupe Fiasco, M.I.A., More At Lollapalooza 2007

• Interpol
• Muse
• Yeah Yeah Yeahs
• Snow Patrol
• Cold War Kids

Lupe Fiasco
Photo: MTV News

• Lupe Fiasco
• Ben Harper
• Amy Winehouse
• Juliette & the Licks
• Kings Of Leon

Gwen Stefani
Photo: Michael Buckner/AMA/Getty Images

Gwen Stefani won't be showing much skin in Malaysia, thanks to Muslim students opposed to the singer wearing sexy outfits at her August 21 performance in the country, The Associated Press reports. Responding to charges from the National Union of Malaysian Muslim Students, Stefani "will abide by the Malaysian authorities' guidelines to ensure that her show will not be offensive to local sensitivities," reads a statement issued by show organizer Maxis Communications Bhd. The company hopes to attract 9,000 people to the show. ...

Christina Aguilera has nixed the last two shows on her Back to Basics tour. The gigs were slated for Thursday (August 2) and Friday in Auckland, New Zealand. The singer, who has been under the weather with the flu, issued a statement similar to the one she sent out after canceling a pair of shows in Australia earlier in the week: "This is my first time in your beautiful country, and I have really been looking forward to performing for you all. Unfortunately, I caught a bad flu virus and I have not been able to recover in time. Thank you all for your continued love and support, and I can't wait for the next time." ...

Common was joined by Swizz Beatz, Solange Knowles and De La Soul Wednesday night as the rapper celebrated the release of his new album, Finding Forever, at Marquee in New York. The party made it two nights in a row for Com: Tuesday in Los Angeles, Tracee Ellis Ross, Lauren London and Serena Williams came out to support his Cali album-release party. ...

Nicole Richie is looking more like her "Simple Life" co-star Paris Hilton every day — the pregnant socialite will serve her time at the same jail where Hilton was two months ago, People reports. A spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department told the magazine that Richie's request to spend four days at the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood, California, will be honored. Richie had asked the Sheriff's Department to spend her jail time in county lockup rather than city jail via a request submitted by her lawyer Shawn Chapman Holley earlier this week, AP reported. Holley didn't provide any additional details to the news outlet, including when the socialite would surrender to start her sentence, which must be finished by September 28. The Sheriff's Department spokesperson did not reveal her expected surrender date to People either. ...

In related news, Richie told ABC's Diane Sawyer that she's already a changed person. "I would really want to be someone my child would look up to," the pregnant socialite said in the interview, the first part of which aired Thursday on "Good Morning America." Richie added that her four-day sentence has left her "afraid of the unknown," but, "This is my way ... of being an adult." Good Charlotte's Joel Madden, who was at Richie's side and is the father of her child, said seeing images on TV of children who had been killed by drunk drivers "was our first real parent moment." Madden also revealed that Richie's arrest almost ended their relationship. He said he remembered thinking, " 'This is a great time to walk away' ... 'Nicole, it's been great, but you just freaked me out.' " Instead, he said he went with "my gut ... [Nicole is] a great woman." ...

Chingy, who recently quashed his beef with Ludacris and returned to the Disturbing Tha Peace fold, has split Capitol for Island Def Jam, Billboard.com reports. The rapper's Hate It or Love It is due before the end of the year, and his new DTP single "Celebrity Chicks" will crop up on the collective's Strength in Numbers set, due September 18. ...

Andy Samberg says "Di-- in a Box" pal Justin Timberlake is "obnoxious" — because he can be a hilarious comedian, in addition to everything else he does. "He's brilliant at it, actually," the "SNL" castmember told People about JT's comedic abilities. "It's a little obnoxious. He's really good at what we do — as we are — and also really good at everything else." ... Scholastic reports that "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" has sold a record-breaking 11.5 million copies in the U.S. in its first 10 days on sale. More than 8.3 million copies of the volume were snatched up within the first 24 hours of its release. ...

"A New Day Has Come" indeed for Celine Dion. The singer plans to enlist Timbaland to produce her next album, which will also reportedly feature cuts from R. Kelly and Ne-Yo, RollingStone.com reports. ... Norah Jones graces a cover of Joni Mitchell's "Court and Spark" on Herbie Hancock's tribute LP River: The Joni Letters, set to street September 25. Corinne Bailey Rae, Leonard Cohen, Tina Turner and Mitchell herself also chime in on the disc. ...

Nirvana's entire 1991 landmark LP, Nevermind, has been licensed for use in the upcoming Electronic Arts video game "Rock Band." Players will be able to download the album and play along to it with the game, which hits stores November 20. ... Snow Patrol keyboardist Tom Simpson was supposed to stand before a judge in Glasgow, Scotland, on Tuesday, but was a no-show for what was the start of his drug-possession case. No reason was offered for Simpson's absence, but his lawyer did manage to postpone the hearing until August 28. Simpson was arrested last month and charged with cocaine possession back in 2006. ... Jimmy Eat World have set an October 16 release date for their forthcoming album, Chase This Light, which was recorded over a period of about a year in the band's Arizona studio. ...

Brace yourself — Simon Cowell is making a movie, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The "American Idol" judge's "Fame"-inspired "Star Struck" feature will follow 10 contestants in a fictional TV singing competition. Sound familiar? Like "Idol," open auditions for roles in the film will be held across the U.S. Cowell will produce the flick, which is slated for a summer 2008 release. ... While Cowell is switching from music to the big screen, Scarlett Johansson is heading in the opposite direction — she's ganged up with members of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and TV on the Radio for her debut album, Lafayette, Louisiana's The Daily Advertiser reports. TVOTR's Dave Sitek is reportedly producing the effort — which doesn't have a title or release date yet — and members of the YYYs and Celebration are set to appear. ...

Billy Bob Thornton and Halle Barry — who made for an unforgettable couple in 2001's "Monster's Ball" — are set to star in another racially charged flick, Variety reports. "Tulia," to be directed by John Singleton ("Boyz N the Hood," "Four Brothers"), will revolve around a small Texas town that drew criticisms of racism in 1999 after blacks were arrested for drugs and later pardoned. ...

Would you like to have your mug appear on the cover of an upcoming Hold Steady single? Well, now's your chance. The band has invited fans to send in scans of photo-booth pictures of themselves, to be considered for inclusion in the cover art for the band's next, yet-unannounced single from 2006's Boys and Girls in America. Check out the Steady's Web site for more details. ... Rob Zombie is gearing up for the September 18 release of his first-ever live album, simply titled Live. The 18-track set was recorded over several nights during Zombie's Educated Horses tour and will contain a 36-page book of never-before-released live pictures, as well as a DVD of live footage and animated videos. ...

The Mars Volta are looking at a tentative September/October release date for their new album, The Bedlam in Goliath. Meanwhile, guitarist Omar Rodriguez-Lopez will release a collaborative EP with Lydia Lunch, Omar Rodriguez Lopez & Lydia Lunch, this summer on the Dutch label Willie Anderson Recordings. ... Sean Penn appears to be buddying up with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez over their mutual disapproval of President Bush. AP reports that, in a recent televised speech, the socialist leader welcomed Penn to come to Venezuela, saying, "He's one of the greatest opponents of the Iraq invasion." Chavez also said he has talked with the actor over the phone and will soon meet him in person.

08.01.2007

Maybe the biggest surprise about Beyoncé's spill last week is that it didn't happen sooner. "The easiest part is dancing in the heels. I don't even think about it anymore; it's just second nature," she told The Associated Press in an interview published last week. But, she added, "It is difficult to dance [and] sing at the same time. I have to make sure I'm in shape and I'm hydrated ... I don't want to wear myself out and get exhausted." She also revealed to the outlet that — sorry, Jay-Z — she loves hanging with the ladies. "Everyone is so supportive of each other," she said of her all-female touring band. "We do things together, like yesterday we went skating; I rented out a roller-skating rink for all of us and everybody's families to come. Also, I have eight female dancers and four males ... they are the only men on the tour, I feel bad for them being around all us women!" ...

He's no Rob Schneider, but Nick Cannon will help Hilary Duff with hosting honors at this year's Teen Choice Awards, slated to air August 26 on Fox. Duff, who has earned a pair of surfboards and a heap of nominations in the past, co-hosted with Schneider in 2005. For his own part, Cannon — who hasn't won one of the trophies yet — is up this year for Choice TV Personality. Ashlee Simpson, Jessica Alba, Megan Fox and the unstoppable Miley Cyrus are set to appear at the show. ...

Things got pretty hairy for members of New Found Glory early Wednesday morning (August 1) when their tour bus was pulled over by Indianapolis Metropolitan Police and a trash bag full of marijuana, mushrooms and paraphernalia was found onboard. The whole incident went down at roughly 6 a.m., as the band was making its way to a Warped Tour appearance in Cincinnati, when an off-duty Metro officer pulled NFG's bus over because the driver failed to turn off the high beams. Upon approaching the vehicle, a spokesperson for the Metro Police told MTV News that the officer on scene noticed marijuana smoke coming from the bus and called a K-9 unit. The dog was alerted at several areas on the bus and an attached trailer, and the band eventually produced the offending trash bag, which contained more than 30 grams of marijuana, mushrooms and bongs, according to the spokesperson. Police then arrested 30-year-old Declan DeWier — who the band's label, Drive-Thru Records, identified as New Found's drum tech — and charged him with possession. The members of NFG were allowed to continue on to Cincinnati, while DeWier — and the band's bus — remained behind in Indianapolis. NFG's publicist said the band will give its scheduled Warped Tour performance Wednesday and stay on the tour as planned. ...

Despite her flop recording debut, Paris Hilton will sing again. AP reports that Hilton — who has been working on tracks for her second CD — has landed a role in "Repo! The Genetic Opera," a horror rock opera based on a stage musical set in a future where people can buy new organs on an installment plan from the Geneco company ... unless they can't pay up, in which case the organs are repossessed. Hilton will play the fame-seeking daughter of the owner of the company, to be played by Paul Sorvino. Shooting will begin in Canada in September. ... Gabrielle Union, LeToya Luckett and others will help Russell Simmons dish out financial advice via his Hip-Hop Summit Action Network's second "Get Your Money Right" summit in Toronto on August 18. The event will cover how to deal with home ownership, bad credit, understanding credit scores and more. ...

Kevin Federline shunning the spotlight? It's true: K-Fed wants to raise his kids so that they can "pretend they're like everyone else," his lawyer Mark Vincent Kaplan told AP Tuesday after Federline finalized his divorce with Britney Spears. "When they are with him, he is going to shield his children from unwanted media attention," Kaplan said. "You will not find a picture of Kevin parading with the children out in a public place." ... Melanie Brown announced at a press conference Wednesday that she has filed a paternity petition against Eddie Murphy to legally establish that he is the father of her son. She is also seeking sole custody of the child and asking the court "to decide what is reasonable" in regards to child support. A spokesperson for the actor declined to comment to AP. ...

Phil Spector's daughter testified in her father's defense on Wednesday but was only allowed to confirm that he is right-handed — an assertion that supports previous defense claims that the music producer couldn't have shot actress Lana Clarkson. At a Tuesday conference, the defense decided it would rest early, as it will likely only call a few more witnesses to the stand — Spector not included. Testimony may conclude by August 9, the same day the jury is slated to tour his house. In the meantime, the prosecution will soon begin its rebuttal case. ...

Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan has announced an October 30 release date for the upcoming debut album from his Puscifer project. In a statement on the LP, Keenan explained that its title, V Is for Vagina, was his second choice: "C Is for Chinese Democracy was taken." ... Highway to ... cell? Verizon Wireless has snagged the exclusive rights to deliver AC/DC's back catalog in digital form through its V Cast service — well, until March, that is. Listeners will be able to download the band's 18 albums through the V Cast store — but only on PCs — for $12 each, and then sync them to their phones through the V Cast Music Manager.

• Gwen Stefani
• Christina Aguilera
• Common
• Swizz Beatz
• Justin Timberlake

Beyoncé
Photo: Frazer Harrison/ Getty Images

Beyoncé made a surprise visit in an emergency room Sunday after her St. Louis show — two people were injured at the concert when pyrotechnics reportedly spilled into the front row, according to The Associated Press. Darryl Williams, head nurse at the hospital, told AP that Beyoncé, who met with the victims for 45 minutes, "was just very concerned about the people injured in the audience. [Her visit] was unannounced and we kept it very low-key so that she could spend time with them." A spokesperson for Barnes-Jewish Hospital told the news service that the injuries were minor and both victims were expected to make full recoveries. A spokesperson for Music World entertainment, which represents the singer, did not comment to the news service. ...

Taking a page out of Kanye West's book, the equally dapper T.I. hosted an album-release party over the weekend for T.I. vs. T.I.P. at the Louis Vuitton store in Atlanta's posh Buckhead district. (West struck first with LV, recently holding his 30th birthday bash at the store's New York branch.) Big Boi, Jazze Pha, Jermaine Dupri, Polow Da Don, Mya and Young Jeezy attended the festivities. ...

If Maroon 5's red-hot "Makes Me Wonder" song has you wondering when the band will be hitting a city near you, you're in luck. Adam Levine and his cohorts — with Swedish punks the Hives in tow, weirdly — will swing through 28 North American cities in support of their recently released It Won't Be Soon Before Long album. The jaunt begins September 29 in Detroit and ends November 10 in Las Vegas. ...

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Chairman Julian Bond took a swipe at Jay-Z over the weekend during the group's annual convention in Detroit, according to the Detroit Free Press. "There are certain words that ought not to be spoken, and the N-word is just one of them," he said in regards to the symbolic "burial" of the term to be staged with Kurtis Blow and others at the city's Hart Plaza on Monday (July 9). "I heard somebody say that when Jay-Z talks about ho's, he gets a gold record. When Don Imus talks about ho's, he gets fired," he later remarked. "We believe in equal justice and equal justice for everyone." ...

The Virgin Festival is ratcheting up the theatrics — Panic! at the Disco have been added to the fest's second day, set for August 5 at Baltimore's Pimlico Race Course. Explosions in the Sky and Dan Deacon have also climbed onboard. ... Finally, Bloc Party are scheduled to headline a real block party — Chicago's Hideout Block Party, that is, on September 7. The band has lined up a slew of September and October dates, taking the indie-rockers from Montreal on September 9 through the States, down to Mexico City for a gig on the 19th, then back up through the States and into Canada again — and then finally to the Theatre at Madison Square Garden for a closing gig on October 3. Might want to bring a TripTik for that one, guys. ...

Jurors will be able to hear from a security guard who testified controversially in 1993 that he heard Phil Spector say all women should be shot in the head, AP reports. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler had previously chosen not to allow the testimony but reconsidered when prosecutors raised the issue again. Fidler said he thought before that the testimony wouldn't be admissible because the remark was made too long ago and wasn't specific to the shooting death of Lana Clarkson — who died after a bullet was fired through her mouth. But he changed his mind upon further research. "In this case, you have a woman who is shot in the head. It is highly particularized," he said. ... Almost 19 million people watched Live Earth on NBC and its affiliates, AP reports — far short of the 2 billion event organizers had hoped for. On the other hand, the organizers' estimate was also supposed to include online viewers, whereas the 19 million figure only includes viewers who watched at least six minutes of the telecasts. ...

Amid all the Live Earth happenings over the past week, Axl Rose found time to vent about why Guns N' Roses wouldn't be performing at the event's Rio de Janeiro installment. "We were not asked until the last couple weeks while we were on tour in Australia and have upcoming sold-out dates already rescheduled in Japan," he said in a press release issued Friday. "I was asked to perform individually with Lenny Kravitz by the promoters and Mr. Gore. As we were working this out, Lenny unfortunately became injured and temporarily canceled his involvement from the event." Rose claims he wasn't made aware that Kravitz's performance was reconfirmed until it was too late. "Guns N' Roses or I were not asked to play anywhere else, such as Japan or Australia (as we are already in the regions on tour), and in which we have formally offered to perform, but the offer of our involvement was declined." ...

Did Madonna's onstage hookup with gypsy punks Gogol Bordello at Live Earth London over the weekend leave you scratching your head? This might shed some light: Frontman Eugene Hutz, who starred alongside Elijah Wood in "Everything Is Illuminated," has been working with Madge on her directorial debut, "Fifth & Wisdom." "It was super-fun and perfectly respectable, and it ended up being quite a collaborative project," he told Billboard.com about the flick. ...

J.K. Rowling is taking Harry Potter on the road. The author will launch the Open Book Tour in October, answering fan questions and signing copies of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" during three events for schoolchildren and one special evening gathering for a lucky group of Harry Potter fans. Students from select schools will be randomly chosen at the start of the new school year for the Los Angeles (October 15), New Orleans (October 18) and New York (October 19) student events, while readers of all ages can enter at Scholastic's Harry Potter site beginning July 30 for a chance to score one of 1,000 tickets to Rowling's evening tour stop at New York's Carnegie Hall on October 19. ...

Diana Ross performed at Tao Restaurant in New York on Sunday night as part of a charity auction hosted by the New York Giants' Michael Strahan. Ja Rule, Nicole Murphy, and Dawn Richards of Danity Kane also made appearances at the event, which raised over $300,000 for the Supportive Children's Advocacy Network and was sponsored by the Dreier LLP law firm. ... Prince played three shows over 12 hours in his hometown of Minneapolis from Saturday into early Sunday, ending his live streak when police shut down his early morning homecoming show at the legendary First Avenue club — featured in "Purple Rain" — 70 minutes into a 24-song set, AP reports. After playing 15 songs, Prince pulled the plug on the show — which didn't start until nearly 2:45 a.m. — announcing, "The authorities say we gotta go. We always listen to the authorities. I promise I'll be back." Prince played a 45-minute set at Macy's for his fragrance launch early Saturday, followed by a full concert at the Target Center. ...

Nicole Richie is due in court on Wednesday to answer a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence, but dad Lionel Richie isn't coming down hard on his daughter, who he said is "just in an unfortunate situation." The singer, who spoke to the AP at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans, said Nicole is sorry for her mistakes. "She keeps apologizing to me," he said. "I told her, 'You're doing exactly what you're supposed to be doing to your father at this age.' " Because Richie's case contains an allegation of a prior DUI conviction, she faces 90 days in jail and a suspension of driving privileges if found guilty. ... As for the Nicole Richie pregnancy reports, Lionel told People that he's a little out of touch ("Nicole, baby, call me!") and isn't sure whether he has a grandchild on the way. "I don't know if I'm going to be grandpa," he said. "I don't know if I'm ready to be called grandpa." ...

Foo Fighters will strike back on September 25 with Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace, their sixth studio album. Aside from rocking a totally grammatically correct title (Dave Grohl hates stodgy commas) the album will feature 12 tracks, with titles such as "The Pretender," "Long Road to Ruin," the emo-baiting "Cheer Up, Boys (Your Make-Up Is Running)" and "Ballad of the Beaconsfield Miners," no doubt a tribute to the two Tasmanian miners who, while trapped in a collapsed mine, listened to songs by the band until they were rescued — and later met, and shared a beer with, Grohl and company. ...

Clay Aiken tangled with a fellow passenger on a flight to Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Saturday morning, AP reports, leading to an FBI investigation but no arrests. The FBI told Tulsa World that there was a dispute on the aircraft between a male former "American Idol" contestant and a woman on the plane, but would not confirm Aiken's identity. The argument allegedly began over the male passenger's putting his foot on the woman's armrest, and the female passenger reportedly gave the man "a minor shove." There were no injuries reported, though Aiken did joke onstage Saturday night that he'd been beaten up by a girl earlier in the day. ...

Afeni Shakur — Tupac's mother — lost a North Carolina guest home in a fire late Friday night, according to local outlet News 14 Carolina. The blaze completely destroyed the property, which is part of a larger estate owned by Shakur, but according to the report, no one was injured. In a statement, Shakur thanked authorities and community members for responding to calls for help. "I would sincerely like to thank the professional and volunteer firefighters and our neighbors who quickly came to our rescue and helped extinguish the fire," she said. "We are truly blessed to have their vigilant and neighborly care. We were fortunate that no one was at the home at the time." ...

Drowning Pool have teamed up with the organization Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America and 15-year-old YouTube video producer Lizzie Palmer for the This Is for the Soldiers campaign, encouraging young people to support the Lane Evans Mental Health Care Reform bill, legislation extending health-care benefits for veterans. ... Snow Patrol keyboardist Tom Simpson was arrested Saturday in London following the band's performance at Live Earth, on charges of failing to appear in court on drugs charges, U.K.'s ITV News reported. Simpson was released from custody on Sunday, in time to headline the T in the Park festival in Scotland after agreeing to appear in court in Glasgow, Scotland, on Tuesday. The keyboardist missed the band's Saturday night performance at Ireland's Oxegen fest.

07.06.2007

Barry Bonds isn't viewed too kindly by many baseball fans, and now he's digging himself even deeper: He plans to skip out on the Major League Baseball All-Star Game Home Run Derby on Monday night in San Francisco so he can co-host a party with Jay-Z instead. Bonds said the derby would be too physically exerting and made additional comments on the matter Thursday, according to The Associated Press. "My party's been planned," he said. "It's something I'll remember forever. I'll have a party with whoever I can have a party with. I will be thankful I got to be in the All-Star game in San Francisco." ...

TMZ.com has noticed something funny in Kelly Clarkson's recently released My December: She thanks her recently fired manager in the credits. "Thank you to my manager Jeff Kwatinetz for arguing with me and fighting for me! I hate 'yes' people and you are far from that, always wanting the best out of me and for me. Sometimes I want to punch you but most of the time you inspire me and make me laugh because you are one of the most passionate and driven people I have ever worked with. Thank you for believing in me! I still can't believe we got this record out, haha!!" ...

Ludacris performed — without cussing, no less — Thursday night at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans to help kick off the Essence Music Festival. Ciara also entertained with a set, as did R&B stars the Isley Brothers, Johnny Gill, Keith Sweat and Eddie Levert, who paid tribute to his late son, Gerald. ...

Finishing up the final Harry Potter book is going to be a bittersweet moment for fans, but imagine what writing the last words was like for the author. J.K. Rowling said that completing "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" was "the most remarkable feeling I ever had," in an interview on the BBC talk show "Friday Night With Jonathan Ross," scheduled to air in the U.K. on Friday (July 6). She described wrapping up the series as a "relief" — but it left her feeling both euphoric and devastated. "When I finished one chapter near the end I absolutely howled," she explained, "it had been planned for so long. I was in a hotel room on my own. I was sobbing my heart out. ... That was really tough." Rowling didn't spill any key details in the interview, and she said she's intent on keeping even the very last word of the book under wraps. "Scar? It was so for ages," the author said, "and now it's not. Scar is quite near the end, but it's not the last word." The book will be released in the U.S and the U.K. on July 21. ...

Panic! at the Disco, Wu-Tang Clan and the Shins will light up Seattle's Bumbershoot, which is pegged for September 1-3. Gym Class Heroes, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Sean Paul, Kings of Leon, Devendra Banhart, Joss Stone and Lupe Fiasco are also on the bill. ... Common, Lil Jon and the Clipse are hyping the Microsoft Zune with a handful of free shows dubbed "Live at the BBQ." UGK, David Banner, Collie Buddz, E-40, Cham, Bilal, Large Professor and Mos Def are also participating in the gigs, which are slated for Thursday (Los Angeles), July 22 (Chicago) and August 4 (New York). ...

Al Gore announced Friday on CBS' "Early Show" that Washington, D.C., has been added as a Live Earth host city. The Museum of the American Indian is staging a smaller-scale show on the Mall — the park between the Capitol building and the Lincoln Memorial — that will include performances by American Indian band Blues Nation as well as country singers Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood. The concert kicks off at 10 a.m. For full coverage of Saturday's events — and to share your own Live Earth photos and video — visit MTV's Live Earth site. ... In less celebratory news for Live Earth organizers, a Brazilian public defender is again trying to put the kibosh on the Live Earth show slated to be held at Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana Beach, AP reports. Denise Tarin is appealing a court's decision on Thursday that upheld the concert — which was briefly tabled after Tarin argued that police can't guarantee the safety of the 700,000 people expected to attend. ...

Jim Carrey will play Ebenezer Scrooge in a computerized remake of "A Christmas Carol" to be directed by Robert Zemeckis, Reuters reports. Carrey will also play the three ghosts who haunt the miser in the flick, which will be based off Zemekis' own script and blend 3-D digital animation with the "performance capture" technology he employed for "The Polar Express." ... Have you heard enough about Paris Hilton? Pity Shira Barlow, the University of California, Los Angeles, student who is stuck with her old cell number. In an effort to conserve phone numbers, her wireless company gave her the recycled number, after which she started receiving late-night calls and text messages directed at the heiress, AP reports. Barlow told the news service she's going to stick with the number anyway, as it's provided plenty of amusement. Just don't tell the person who just paid $305 on eBay for an empty can of dog food found in Hilton's garbage. ...

Alicia Keys' Keep a Child Alive has scored a $100,000 bid for an iPhone the organization put up on eBay as part of an auction that ends Friday night. Proceeds will provide antiretroviral drugs for children with AIDS in Africa. The winner gets the iPhone as well as two Bluetooth headsets, two round-trip plane tickets and two passes to Keys' annual Black Ball benefit. The singer will personalize the phone with a voice-mail greeting and present it to the winner at this year's Black Ball, which will honor Bono on October 25 in New York. ... John Legend covered the Nina Simone perennial "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" as part of a performance on Santa Monica, California, radio station KCRW's "New Ground" program. He also opened up about his adoration of the singer, meeting Kanye West in college and more on the show, which will air Saturday at 2 p.m. PT and subsequently be made available on its Web site. ...

Amid rumors that Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are joining forces for their first joint screenplay in 10 years, the acting pals played poker as part of Ante Up for Africa in Las Vegas on Thursday. The event, which is raising funds to help the victims of the Darfur crisis and was co-organized by Don Cheadle, also featured Adam Sandler, Kevin James and Ray Romano. ... The California Department of Justice has launched a criminal investigation relating to doctors who wrote prescriptions for Anna Nicole Smith, TMZ.com reports. Earlier this year, the Medical Board of California investigated two of the doctors in question. ... Elton John has won the equivalent of roughly $150,000 in damages and costs from an art dealer who sold him phony sculptures, AP reports. ...

Representatives for Fergie and Candie's are denying a Times Online report that the singer will include product placement in upcoming songs, NME.com reports. "She does have a commercial deal with the clothing brand Candie's, but it has nothing whatsoever to do with the creation of her music," a spokesperson for the singer explained. Candie's confirmed that the company "does not have any arrangement with whereby she will incorporate the Candie's brand into her lyrics." ... Nelly Furtado is engaged to Loose sound engineer Demacio "Demo" Castellon, People reported Thursday. Collaborator Timbaland confirmed the engagement, according to the magazine. ... Former Backstreet Boys member Kevin Richardson and his wife Kristin welcomed a baby boy on Tuesday, the singer announced on his MySpace page. Richardson's wife and their son, Mason, "are perfect," he wrote, "and I am a new man. Thank you for your positive vibes and prayers." ...

"Laguna Beach" castmember Jessica Smith pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor drunk-driving charge on Monday and was sentenced to three years' probation, 80 hours of community service and ordered to pay $1,300 in fines and penalties, AP reports. The 19-year-old Smith was arrested on suspicion of a felony count of driving under the influence of alcohol in March after crashing her car on the San Diego Freeway. Officials reported that the felony charge was dropped to a misdemeanor because injuries — Smith's passenger and the driver of the other car were hurt in the collision — were not serious. ... The first-ever live concert DVD of the annual South by Southwest music festival is slated for release on August 21. The DVD, recorded in March, will feature 18 performances from artists including the Bravery, Aqualung, Peter Bjorn and John, Razorlight, Polyphonic Spree, Ozomatli, Stars of Track and Field and Kraak & Smaak. ... Also on August 21, Rilo Kiley will release Under the Blacklight, the follow-up to their 2004 breakthrough More Adventurous. Recorded in Los Angeles in late 2006 through early '07, Blacklight is co-produced by Mike Elizondo (Fiona Apple's Extraordinary Machine) and features tracks including "The Moneymaker," "15," "Dreamworld" and "Breakin' Up."

• MTV Rough Cut: Daniel Radcliffe
• Harry Potter Clips Made To 'Order'
• 'Harry Potter': Rupert In Love, Kreacher Awaits
• 'Order Of The Phoenix' Set Visit: A Harry Problem

• On The Set Of "Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix"
• "Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix"

• Beyoncé
• T.I.
• Young Jeezy
• Maroon 5
• Jay-Z

Modest Mouse's Isaac Brock
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images

The lineup for this summer's Lollapalooza looks like the ultimate hipster's iPod on shuffle. In addition to such big-name headliners as Modest Mouse, the Stooges and the previously confirmed Pearl Jam, the August 3-5 festival in Chicago's Grant Park will feature sets from Daft Punk, Muse, Interpol, Lupe Fiasco, Kings of Leon, My Morning Jacket, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Snow Patrol, the Roots, Paulo Nutini, Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals, Patti Smith, Spoon, Amy Winehouse, the Hold Steady, Peter Bjorn and John, the Fratellis and Cold War Kids.

For the third year in a row, Lollapalooza will drop anchor on the scenic Chicago waterfront, where it has undergone a rebirth from a troubled traveling festival to a vibrant lakefront party incorporating some of the most iconic real estate in the city. According to organizers, this year's edition will feature more than 120 artists playing on nine stages, alongside such new features as the kid-friendly Kidzapalooza area and the improv and short-film Mindfield area.

Among the other acts scheduled to appear are: Satellite Party, the Black Keys, Regina Spektor, TV on the Radio, Pete Yorn, G. Love & Special Sauce, LCD Soundsystem, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Silverchair, Femi Kuti and Positive Force, Yo La Tengo, Slightly Stoopid, Jack's Mannequin, Stephen Marley, Sound Tribe Sector 9, M.I.A., Blonde Redhead, Sparklehorse, Sean Lennon, !!!, Blue October, Son Volt, Motion City Soundtrack, the Polyphonic Spree, Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, Silversun Pickups, CSS, the Rapture, the Wailers, Roky Erickson & the Explosions, Tapes 'n Tapes, Heartless Bastards, the View, the Cribs, Ghostland Observatory, Tokyo Police Club, Rhymefest, Soulive, Annuals, Fields, Electric Six, Elvis Perkins in Dearland, Sam Roberts Band, the Black Angels, Charlie Musselwhite, Aqueduct, Juliette & the Licks, Dios, Viva Voce, David Vandervelde, Los Campesinos!, Chin Up Chin Up, Ryan Shaw, Colour Revolt, the Satin Peaches, Illinois, Arckid, Mickey Avalon, the 1900's, Bang Bang Bang, Bound Stems, the High Class Elite, Carey Ott and Matt Roan.

As part of a green initiative, attendees will again be offered incentives to help pick up recyclables on site, including souvenir beer cups. All food vendors will use compostable or biodegradable plates, and all merchandise will be put in plastic bags made of corn. In addition, there will be no Styrofoam on site, and the festival will use biodiesel fuel and purchase renewable energy credits to offset the impact of the show, according to a press release.

Instead of tossing unused food at the end of the day, leftovers will go to local food pantries, and construction materials will be reused or recycled. And new for this year is a service-charge-free ticketing service, which will allow fans to buy tickets for face value with no added surcharges.

• Red Hot Chili Peppers, Kanye West And More Rock Out At Lollapalooza 2006

• Modest Mouse
• The Roots
• Snow Patrol
• Pearl Jam

The Killers' Brandon Flowers
Photo: Karl Walter/ Getty Images

If Peter Parker is going to confront his demons — and the man who killed his beloved uncle — he's gonna need a soaring, weepy ballad playing in the background, right? Well, Snow Patrol have served up a big, fat one for the "Spider-Man 3" soundtrack in "Signal Fire." The swelling ballad is the lead tune on a soundtrack that features new songs from the Killers, Wolfmother, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the Walkmen, Flaming Lips and a track from former Phantom Planet drummer Jason Schwartzman's new musical alter ego, Coconut Records.

The soundtrack is due May 1 — three days before the film hits U.S. theaters — according to the Web site of Record Collection, the label releasing the album. The disc has a less emo/ hard rock feel than the last installment's soundtrack, which featured a big ballad from Dashboard Confessional and tunes from Train, Taking Back Sunday, Hoobastank, Lostprophets and Smile Empty Soul.

Instead, the more indie-leaning "3" collection serves up bands including Rogue Wave, moody Irish duo Wasted Youth Orchestra, Black Mountain, the Oohlas and little-known Austin, Texas, rockers Sounds Under Radio.

At the very least, you have to love the always-out-there Lips' contribution, "Spider-Man vs. Muhammad Ali," a seeming homage to the classic 1978 head-scratching DC Comics title that pitted Superman against the Greatest of All Time.

The track list for the "Spider-Man 3" soundtrack, according to the Record Collection site:

· Snow Patrol - "Signal Fire"
· The Killers - "Move Away"
· Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Sealings"
· Wolfmother - "Pleased to Meet You"
· The Walkmen - "Red River"
· Black Mountain - "Stay Free"
· The Flaming Lips - "Spider-Man vs. Muhammad Ali"
· Simon Dawes - "Scared of Myself"
· Chubby Checker - "The Twist"
· Rogue Wave - "Sight Lines"
· Coconut Records - "Summer Day"
· Jet - "Falling Star"
· Sounds Under Radio - "Portrait of a Summer Thief"
· Wasted Youth Orchestra - "A Letter to St. Jude"
· The Oohlas - "Small Parts"

Check out everything we've got on "Spider-Man 3."

Visit Movies on MTV.com for more from Hollywood, including news, reviews, interviews and more.

Want trailers? Visit the Trailer Park for the newest, scariest and funniest coming attractions anywhere.

• 'Spider-Man 3': Behind The Spandex

• The Killers
• Snow Patrol
• The Flaming Lips
• Yeah Yeah Yeahs
• Wolfmother

Menomena

Now that the Austin dust has settled, it's time to gain some perspective on last weekend's South By Southwest madness. Thousands of signed and unsigned bands descended on the Texas city like a swarm of locusts (locusts with demos). Ultimately, there were only a handful of bands truly worth recognizing. While Lily Allen, Amy Winehouse and the Stooges may have garnered the most press -- here are some of the bands that may have regrettably slipped through the cracks.

Who: Yeasayer

Where are they from? Brooklyn, New York

Is there a record out? No, not yet. But its debut will be released via Baltimore, Maryland's Monitor Records this coming summer. In the meantime, you can hear a couple of demos on their MySpace page.

Website? Click Here

What do they sound like? At times, the foursome projected a wholly distinct vibe like a manic Peter Gabriel -era Genesis channeled through Animal Collective but the band also manipulates their collective vocals (yes, they all sing) producing a sweet, harmonious cacophony.

The great moment: Performing the whole time under a green hoodie, front man Chris Keating walked intermittently into the audience frantically slapping his tambourine in the air.

Who: Ra Ra Riot

Where are they from? Syracuse, New York

Is there a record out? The band doesn't have a label yet, so there's only a self-released EP (which, incidentally, doesn't do justice to the live show). But based on the buzz of its SXSW performances this will all change very, very soon. What, you can't hear the labels bidding in the background?

Website? Click Here

What do they sound like? The six college aged kids create an enormous, hefty sound complete with a cello and violin, not unlike the Arcade Fire or the Olivia Tremor. And singer Wesley Miles croons earnestly but still not emotive enough that it's emo. Ra Ra Riot has enormous potential and considering the band is only a year old, the actualization is inevitable.

The great moment: Guitarist Milo Bonnacci and bassist Mathieu Santos rested their respective foreheads on one another's shoulders while riffing on their instruments.

Who: Jamie T

Where are they from? London, England

Is there a record out? Jamie's debut Panic Prevention is available in Europe on Virgin Records and at this current time, he has no American label.

Website? Click Here

What do they sound like? The cockney cockiness of the Arctic Monkeys meets the disjointed, slurred flow of the Streets meets the middle-finger attitude of the Clash meets the pop sensibility of Lily Allen meets the carelessness of the Fall. Basically, a lot of meetings.

The great moment: When an audience member noted, "This guy is completely wasted." And it was probably true.

Who: Menomena

Where are they from? Portland, Oregon

Is there a record out? The debut I Am the Fun Blame Monster (an anagram for The First Menomena Album) was released on indie label filmGUERRO and features an 80-page flipbook. This year's critically acclaimed Friend And Foe was released on Barsuk in January and it's inarguably one of the year's strongest records.

Website? Click Here

What do they sound like? The unpretentious side of art-rock. There hasn't been a threesome as competent at playing their respective instruments since Rush. Justin Harris, Danny Seim, and Brent Knopf craft oddly timed, intricate pop songs that are heartbreakingly fragile.

The great moment: When drummer Seim flailed on his kit like the octopus prodigy of Keith Moon.

Who: The Black Lips

Where are they from? Atlanta, Georgia

Is there a record out? There are three indie releases out already but the forthcoming Los Vallentes del Mundo Nuevo, a live album recorded in Tijuana, is their first for Vice Records.

Website? Click Here

What do they sound like? Dirty, dirty rock and roll. The Nuggets -influenced retro-ruckus of the Lips is no revelation but these four rarely sober characters bring the party wherever they go.

The great moment: Considering the band performed thirteen times over the span of four days, there was no definitive great moment. Let's just say that all those live sets culminate into one massive great moment.

Who: The Twilight Sad

Where are they from? Glasgow, Scotland

Is there a record out? Fat Cat Records is currently offering two EPs but the full-length Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters will be out in just a few weeks.

Website? Click Here

What do they sound like? Orchestral rock with a honed passion. The guitar, bass, and drums project an aural fullness while singer James Graham's heartfelt, moving vocals soar above it all. Like Snow Patrol with bite, or Mogwai with sensitivity training.

The great moment: When Graham looked down pensively at the floor holding on to the microphone stand with extreme intensity while his band set off power-chord fireworks.

Who: Datarock

Where are they from? Norway

Is there a record out? Yes, but Datarock Datarock is only available on import and via iTunes, although, Nettwerk will release it this coming spring in the US.
Website? Click Here

What do they sound like? Based on the unabashed silliness of the Datarock uniform--a red hoodie, red sweatpants, and mirrored visors--this band is refreshingly brazen about having fun. Their songs reference the dance rock of Franz Ferdinand, the angular zaniness of Devo and the geeky white boy funk of Hot Chip. There wasn't a still person in the room.

The great moment: When front man Fredrik Saroea riled the crowd up into a frantic clap-along.

Watch videos from this year's artists.

VH1 Blog: Complete SXSW Coverage.

• Amy Winehouse
• The Stooges
• Peter Gabriel
• Animal Collective
• Arcade Fire

Mariah Carey
Photo: Stuart Wilson/Getty Images

Mariah Carey shot a "Tennessee" scene featuring her rendition of the Willie Nelson-penned track "Right to Dream" on location late last week. Nelson's harmonica player, Mickey Raphael, accompanied Carey on the song. ...

Mayor Richard Daley declared Tuesday (March 6) "Jennifer Hudson Day" across Chicago to honor the city's Oscar-winning "Dreamgirls" hero, The Associated Press reports. Hudson performed a song outside the Chicago Theatre and visited her former high school, Dunbar Vocational Career Academy. Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich previously honored the singer/actress with a statewide "Jennifer Hudson Day" on February 26. ...

Jay-Z has reached an agreement to sell his Roc-A-Wear clothing line to the Iconix Brand Group for a reported $204 million in cash, the companies announced Tuesday. As a part of the deal — which could be worth up to $400 million through sales incentives — the Def Jam president and rapper will retain his role in product development and also enter into a new deal to launch the Shawn Carter Collection, an upscale luxury brand set to debut in 2008. ...

Ashlee Simpson, busy writing her next album, said fans should expect a more soulful sound. "I'm from Texas, I come from that background," she said. "It's cool because on my last two records I was writing with the same people and now I'm writing with a bunch of different people. I'm writing with my guitar player Ray [Brady] and just seeing where it goes." Simpson is eyeing an October release. ...

Kevin Federline can't get enough of Las Vegas these days. After taking his sons with Britney Spears — Sean Preston and Jayden James — there over the weekend, he's planning to return to Sin City for a birthday bash on March 24 (after holding a similar one in L.A. three days beforehand). Fans can win VIP tickets to the parties via SearchWithKevin.com. ... Lily Allen will continue infiltrating the U.S. via a spring headlining tour that begins March 16 in Houston. The jaunt ends at New York's Irving Plaza on April 11, although the singer is also planning to perform at Austin, Texas' South by Southwest festival (March 14-15); Los Angeles radio station KCRW's A Sounds Eclectic Evening (April 14); Indio, California's Coachella fest (April 29); and Bonnaroo in Manchester, Tennessee (June 15). ...

Red Hot Chili Peppers have sent a message of condolence to the family of a fan who was killed while waiting in line for tickets to the band's upcoming New Zealand gig. Sang Je Lee, an 18-year-old South Korean exchange student, died Monday after being hit by a car early that morning in a parking lot in Whangarei while waiting for concert tickets to go on sale, The New Zealand Herald reports. The driver of the vehicle did not stop, and police are asking anyone with information to come forward. ... A wide array of artists ranging from Taylor Hicks to the Decemberists to Stephen Marley are set to promote this year's Earth Day. The second annual Green Apple Music & Arts Festival will encompass 60 venues in three cities from April 20-22: Hicks, Edwin McCain and New Riders of the Purple Sage will perform at assorted venues in New York; the Decemberists, Kaiser Chiefs, Walkmen, Disco Biscuits, Mad Professor and RJD2 will take over Chicago; and Marley, Bob Weir, Electric Six, Trans Am and Yonder Mountain String Band will hit San Francisco. ...

"Laguna Beach" star Jason Wahler was sentenced to 60 days in county jail and 36 months' probation after pleading no contest to misdemeanor-battery charges on Tuesday, CBS News reports. Over the weekend, Wahler was arrested at a nightclub in Greenville, North Carolina, and charged with drinking and resisting a public officer. ... Yoko Ono is blocking the world premiere of "Three Days in the Life," a documentary about late husband John Lennon, AP reports. A viewing of the film scheduled for Tuesday night at a private school in southern Maine was canceled by Ono's lawyers, with the widow saying she had not yet authorized a public viewing of the film. After executive producer Ray Thomas was unable to get an artist release from Ono — whose lawyers say she has copyright interest in the movie — he decided to air free screenings at high schools and colleges, but Ono's lawyers say that is also forbidden. ...

Bright Eyes will support their sixth studio album, Cassadaga, due April 10, with a spring-theater tour kicking off April 22 in Milwaukee. The trek ends with a seven-night stay at Town Hall in New York. ... Are Mastodon sick of touring with metal bands? The Atlanta heavy-rockers have taken to the road with Slayer, Converge and Priestess in the past year, but now they're joining forces with punks Against Me! and indie faves Cursive for at least 19 shows in May. The fun begins at Los Angeles' Wiltern LG on May 1 and concludes at Atlanta's Tabernacle on the 26th, with more dates to be added. ... Clap Your Hands Say Yeah — whose Some Loud Thunder is one of the year's best-considered albums among critics so far — will hit 20 clubs throughout April and early May to boost the release. The stint starts April 10 in Providence, Rhode Island, and ends May 3 in Indianapolis. ...

Snow Patrol's former bassist Mark McClelland will make his musical return with his latest project, Little Doses. McClelland, who left the band in early 2005 citing "creative differences" between himself and frontman Gary Lightbody, formed the band with girlfriend Kirsten Ross on vocals, and former Degrassi drummer Michael Branagh. "We spent six months rehearsing and another six months playing without leaning on the projects we'd been involved in," McClelland said. There's no word yet on when Little Doses plan to release any material, but we'll keep you posted. ... Fatboy Slim will close the second night (March 24) of the ninth annual Ultra Music Festival, to be held at Miami's Bicentennial Park. The Cure will headline the first day (March 23). ...

Bad news for four of the country's biggest radio companies is really good news for indie musicians and labels. Under terms of a settlement in a federal investigation into payola, Clear Channel Communications Inc., CBS Radio Inc., Entercom Communications Corp. and Citadel Broadcasting Corp. would pay one of the largest fines ever levied by the FCC, $12.5 million, to answer claims that they allegedly received money, airline tickets, clothing and other gifts from major record companies to play certain songs, according to the Los Angeles Times. In a separate agreement, the radio companies agreed to set aside 8,400 half-hour segments of free airtime over the next three years to devote to local and independent artists; those segments would have to air between 6 a.m. and midnight. ... Harvey Danger aren't just making their new album available online — the "Flagpole Sitta" gang is making their new album available online for free. "Given our unusual history, and a long-held sense that the practice now being demonized by the music biz as 'illegal' file-sharing can be a friend to the independent musician, we have decided to embrace the indisputable fact of music in the 21st century, put our money where our mouth is, and make our record, Little by Little ..., available for download via BitTorrent, and at our Web site," the band said in a statement on HarveyDanger.com. The already-available physical version of the album comes with a bonus CD.

03.05.2007

Jennifer Hudson continued her winning streak Friday, taking an acting prize for her role in "Dreamgirls" at the NAACP Image Awards. The ceremony, hosted by LL Cool J, also honored Oscar winner Forest Whitaker, Bono, Mary J. Blige, India.Arie and Prince, who used his acceptance speech to speak out about protecting the environment — "Fifty years from now, what will they say about us?" he asked. Beyoncé, who led the field with five nominations, didn't win any of the awards she was up for. ...

"Viva La Bam" star Don Vito, whose real name is Vincent Roy Margera, pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual assault on a child Monday (March 5) in Golden, Colorado. A motions hearing was set for May 25 and trial was set for August 27 in Division 2 of the Jefferson County District Court. Vito is accused of grabbing the buttocks of a 12-year-old girl and touching the breasts of two other girls, ages 12 and 14, in August at the Colorado Mills Mall, where he was making a promotional appearance. He remains free on $50,000 bond. ...

30 Seconds to Mars bassist Matt Wachter has left the band in order to spend more time with his family, according to the group. There's no word yet on a replacement. "We love and support him completely and accept his decision with respect and understanding," the band said in a statement. "This is not an end, it is a new beginning." ...

Bono is taking his efforts to address poverty and AIDS to the magazine industry. The U2 singer will be the guest editor of the July issue of Vanity Fair. "We've got to get better at telling the success stories of Africa in addition to the horror stories. And this magazine tells great stories," Bono said. "What is more interesting to me is that we are losing the fight against AIDS in Africa. There are still 5,000 Africans dying every day of a preventable, treatable disease, dying for lack of drugs that are available at any corner drugstore," he added. ...

A Washington, D.C., radio station that bailed out a jailed Bobby Brown by paying $19,000 in back child support has now rescinded its offer, according to a post on the station's Web site. In exchange for the payment, Hot 99.5 wanted Brown to appear on its morning show for one week. "That wasn't our deal," Brown said during a call to "The Kane Show" on Friday morning. "We thought we clearly communicated to Bobby our intentions," Kane said, "but once we had him on the air ... it was clear that we were not on the same page." AP reports that Hot 99.5 and Brown's attorney agreed that the singer would return the money. ...

Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich updated fans on the band's forthcoming album on Eddie Trunk's "Friday Night Rocks" radio program last week. Ulrich said the band will begin recording the Rick Rubin-produced effort March 12. "[We're] pretty psyched about that. It's been about a year of writing and getting ideas together ... going through a couple of years' worth of riffs and all this stuff. We started out about six months ago with about 25 songs and now we've narrowed those down to 14." Ulrich said the LP will drop sometime in 2008. ...

Coldplay singer Chris Martin has the modesty thing down pat. Wrapping up a Latin American tour in Mexico on Sunday, Martin told The Associated Press that the band's new album will have a different sound than 2005's X&Y, explaining that the group feels like it can explore any musical horizon it wants now — and adding that the new record will include what could be the band's best song yet. "In order for us to get excited about a new album, we have to have one song that we feel like everybody has to hear ... before we die, otherwise we'll be terribly depressed. ... So luckily, with this new record we're going to make, we have that one song." He declined to describe the classic-in-the-making, but joked that it is "basically genius." ... Jason Wahler, who appeared on "Laguna Beach," was arrested at a nightclub in Greenville, North Carolina, over the weekend and charged with drinking and resisting a public officer, AP reports. He is due in court April 18. ... John Travolta donated $15,000 to tornado victims in Ocala, Florida, at the premiere of his movie "Wild Hogs" Friday night. ...

Evanescence, Velvet Revolver, Papa Roach and Buckcherry have been added to the lineup for the inaugural Rock on the Range music festival, set for May 19 at the Columbus Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. Others set to take the stage include ZZ Top, Hinder, Breaking Benjamin, Chevelle, Puddle of Mudd and Three Days Grace. In related news, Velvet Revolver drummer Matt Sorum revealed this weekend that the band has finished mixing its second LP, Libertad, which should be in stores before summer. ... Nine Inch Nails will host a number of listening parties this month for their upcoming album Year Zero. The sessions have been scheduled for Salt Lake City (Sunday); Minneapolis (March 13); San Francisco and New York (March 14); Los Angeles, Atlanta and San Diego (March 15); Seattle (March 16); Sacramento, California (March 17); Chicago and Cambridge, Massachusetts (March 18); Dallas (March 21); Denver, Detroit, and Tempe, Arizona (March 22); Austin, Texas (March 23); and Cleveland (March 27). The album is due April 17. ...

Heaven and Hell, which will reunite former Black Sabbath bandmates Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Vinny Appice for the first time in 15 years, will tour the U.S. this spring with support acts Megadeth and Machine Head. The trek will kick off April 22 in Phoenix and make stops in Los Angeles, Denver, Chicago, Detroit and Baltimore before wrapping May 19 in Holmdel, New Jersey. ... Wolfgang's Vault isn't going down without a fight. The rock archive Web site that was sued in December by Led Zeppelin, the Grateful Dead, Santana and the Doors has countersued, responding to charges that it violates the intellectual-property rights of bands by selling merchandise and streaming live concerts without musicians' approval. According to The Hollywood Reporter, a lawyer for Vault owner Bill Sagan filed a counterclaim recently against the musicians and their record labels Sony BMG and Warner Music Group. "Far from being about bootlegging, consumer confusion or infringement of any sort, this case is actually a blatant attempt by two of the largest record labels in the world — using artists as a front — to secure new income streams and destroy a legitimate business," the suit says. Sagan's filing also alleges that the record companies sued only after unsuccessfully attempting to negotiate licenses for the concert footage.

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Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody
Photo: Chung Sung-Jun/ Getty Images

UNIVERSAL CITY, California — It's probably safe to say Gary Lightbody is one rock star you will never see on the big screen.

The unassuming Snow Patrol singer makes his acting debut in the band's new video and, as he put it, "It looks amazing, but I can't act for toffee."

The clip, for "You're All I Have," was directed by David S. Goyer, best known for writing "Batman Begins" and directing "Blade: Trinity." Goyer handpicked the track for his new movie, "The Invisible," and wrote a treatment that ties the song and the film together. "This video is kind of the film condensed into four minutes," Lightbody said. "Normally they just use clips from the film [for singles from soundtracks], but we didn't want to use any of that, so David came up with a rough plot."

"The Invisible," which stars Justin Chatwin ("War of the Worlds"), is a thriller about a popular teenager faced with solving his own murder after he's resurrected as an invisible version of his former self. "We've gotten to work with quite a few film directors when we're making videos and it definitely makes us look a lot classier than we actually are," Lightbody joked.

Snow Patrol have already released "You're All I Have" as a single in the U.K., so it made sense to push it in the States. "The song is about a damaging but fulfilling relationship, something that terrifies you, but you can't quite bring yourself to look away," Lightbody said.

The song has the dubious honor of following "Chasing Cars," one of the biggest rock singles of 2006. Lightbody admitted he's not sure why that track achieved so much success. "I guess because it's simple and it's powerful and the lyrics are all something we can relate to — I hope people have been in love before," he said. "It's something we really didn't think about when we were writing the song, it just sort of blew up. We don't tend to dwell on those things for too long. I think if you try and analyze it or repeat it, you're just going to end up going crazy."

Of course, like another one of the year's top singles, the Fray's "How to Save a Life," "Chasing Cars" got its initial boost from hit TV show "Grey's Anatomy." Not that Snow Patrol even knew it was happening. "You get asked [for permission] for films and adverts, but you don't have control over people using your stuff on TV programs," Lightbody said of his band's contract. "So it was a very happy accident. Sometimes you just have that kind of luck, which happened with the season finale of 'Grey's Anatomy.' But we didn't really know about the show, so it was a very big surprise."

Snow Patrol have been gradually building a Stateside following since the release of their first album in 1998, but 2006 was obviously a breakthrough year for the Scotland quintet. And the band plans to take full advantage with a North American headlining tour beginning in February.

"A lot of the songs on the record are really fun to play live, they fill rooms, so we've been having a lot of fun on tour," Lightbody said. "I mean, we've always had fun touring. And we've been playing together for a decade or slightly more, so if we're not good at playing live by now, then we really should, in the words of the great Mr. Miyagi, 'Pack up, go home,' " he added, referencing classic '80s flick "The Karate Kid."

The band's spring tour will feature You Hear It First artist Silversun Pickups. "I've been trying to get them to play with us for a while, so it just so happened they were free and available and they agreed to play with us," Lightbody said. "And OK Go are playing with us as well, so it should be a good tour."

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Paramore, Kanye West, More Come Out For KROQ's Almost Acoustic Christmas 2008

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AFI, MCR, Killers, Foo Fighters, More At KROQ's Almost Acoustic Christmas 2006

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Snow Patrol live at the Voodoo Music Festival in New Orleans, LA 10.16.2004

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