Spice Girls

Victoria Beckham, Kate Hudson Welcome Babies

11 Jul 2011 10:07:42 EDT

Beckhams welcome their first baby girl, while Hudson and fiancé Matthew Bellamy of Muse became parents to baby boy.
By Jocelyn Vena

It was a big weekend for celebrity baby debuts. Victoria Beckham and Kate Hudson gave birth to their children over the weekend.

Kate Hudson and her fiancé Matthew Bellamy of the band Muse welcomed a baby boy. A rep for the actress confirmed the birth to People.com, saying that the couple "welcomed a healthy baby boy." The baby's name has not yet been announced.

It's the first child for the couple, but the second for the actress, who has a 7-year-old son, Ryder, with ex-husband and Black Crowes singer Chris Robinson.

Hudson had incorrectly predicted that the baby would be a girl and laughed that she's much more settled this time around when it comes to family. "This is a totally different pregnancy, completely," the actress said in April, according to Us magazine. "It couldn't be more opposite. ... With Ryder, I didn't even have a nursery. I didn't really have a house until I was seven months pregnant."

And Victoria Beckham and her superstar soccer player husband David Beckham added a baby girl to their already large family. Harper Seven was born Sunday morning. She's the couple's fourth child and first daughter.

"[The couple's sons] Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz are excited to welcome their new baby sister to the family," the couple's spokesperson Jo Milloy told People.com.

Earlier this year, the former Spice Girl announced, "Obviously, we're very lucky to be expecting again, and this is the first time I'm going to say it: It's a little girl." Her husband added, "We're still in shock. Obviously, having three boys, you kind of expect another one, so finding out a little girl is in there is surprising, but, obviously, we are over the moon. Our three boys are happy and excited."

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Victoria, David Beckham Announce Next Baby Will Be A Girl

12 Mar 2011 14:07:14 EST

'We are over the moon,' David says of baby's gender at fan event.
By Shawn Adler

She's a style maven and a world renowned fashionista. Now former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham is finally getting the final compliment for her closets full of high design: a little girl to share them with.

Victoria and her soccer playing husband David Beckham announced that their fourth child will be a girl, according to a report originally on ESPN. Due in January, the child will join older brothers Brooklyn, Romeo, and Cruz.

"Obviously, we're very lucky to be expecting again, and this is the first time I'm going to say it: It's a little girl," Beckham told assembled Galaxy fans at an event for the Los Angeles based Major League Soccer franchise. "We're still in shock. Obviously, having three boys, you kind of expect another one, so finding out a little girl is in there is surprising, but, obviously, we are over the moon. Our three boys are happy and excited, and Victoria is doing well."

The pair didn't know the sex of the baby until very recently, with Victoria telling reporters in February that she would be happy with a child of either gender.

"We know what to do with boys [and my other children are] excited about having a little brother to teach how to play soccer," she told USA Today at an event to promote her new fashion line. "But, if it's a girl, we'd be over the moon as well."

The former "Posh Spice" and her husband currently live in Beverly Hills, where the 36-year-old David is in the final year of his much criticized five-year contract with the Galaxy. Twice a runner-up for FIFA World Player of the Year, Beckham became the highest paid player in the league when he moved from Real Madrid to sign his deal in 2007.

The couple married in 1999 after a two year courtship.

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Spice Girls

Lindsay Lohan Re-Creates Nude Marilyn Monroe Photo Shoot; Plus Amy Winehouse, Lil Jon, Mario, 'Idol' & More, In For The Record

19 Feb 2008 17:28:00 EST

Winehouse to perform at Brit Awards; Jon's label, TVT Records, declares bankruptcy; Mario to compete on 'Dancing With the Stars.'
By MTV News staff

Lindsay Lohan has done some racy photo shoots in the past, but she takes it to a whole new level in New York magazine to pay tribute to her idol. The recently rehabbed actress re-created Marilyn Monroe's famous "Last Sitting" nude pictorial for the mag's spring fashion issue with the shoot's original photographer, Bert Stein. So was she nervous about getting in front of the camera wearing nothing but a chiffon scarf? "I was comfortable with it," she told New York, though she admitted to doing "250 crunches" the previous night. On set for Lohan's revealing re-creation was a small entourage of her manager; her security guard; a makeup artist and assistant; a hairstylist and assistant; a stylist; a manicurist; a sentry posted to guard the on-loan diamonds; the photographer and his manager; two photo assistants; and the actress' younger sister, Ali. (By comparison, Stern's original shoot with Monroe was just him and his subject). "Here's a woman who is giving herself to the public," Lohan said of the original photos. "She's saying, 'Look, you've taken a lot from me, so why don't I give it to you myself.' She's taking control back." ...

After taking home five Grammys at least week's awards, Amy Winehouse will appear at the Brit Awards in London Wednesday night, her publicist confirmed. The performance will be Winehouse's first appearance on a British television program since she left a London rehab clinic two weeks ago. ...

Indie powerhouse TVT Records, home to rap stars Lil Jon and the Ying Yang Twins, will file for bankruptcy protection, label head Steve Gottleib announced Tuesday. According to Billboard, the New York company will continue to operate, but a number of staff members have been let go, and several acts, though not confirmed as of press time, will become free agents. The Gottleib-founded TVT rose to prominence in the '80s after releasing rock albums by Nine Inch Nails and made larger strides beginning in the '90s with its roster of hip-hop acts. Recent legal battles with Def Jam Records and Slip-N-Slide over projects by Ja Rule and Pitbull before each gained notoriety zapped TVT of millions of dollars. ... "Dancing With the Stars" typically appeals to an older demographic, but Mario hopes to bring his young fans to the competition. The R&B crooner will join "American Pie" star Shannon Elizabeth, Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor, Olympic gold medalist Kristy Yamaguchi and more on the reality show's new season, which kicks off March 17 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. ...

The producers of "American Idol" have teamed up with Apple's iTunes Store, giving "Idol" fans the chance to purchase music by their favorite contestants before the show's winner is crowned. Starting this week, iTunes will offer downloads of every performance from the top 24 semifinalists, for 99 cents; full videos of the final 12 contestants will be offered for $1.99 beginning March 12. iTunes will also allow customers to pre-order tracks from a given contestant for automatic download the day after "Idol" airs. One-click access to the store is being made available from the show's official Web site. ... "American Idol" victor Jordin Sparks will be the opening act on Alicia Keys' upcoming North American tour, which kicks off April 19 in Hampton, Virginia. The tour concludes June 18 with a performance at New York's Madison Square Garden. ...

They haven't even been born yet, but Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony's twins might already be earning some cash. People magazine reportedly shelled out up to $6 million for the first crack at photos of the babies, while OK! struck an exclusive deal for international rights to the pictures, according to AdAge magazine. However, People and the stars' reps denied that these deals are final. ... Heidi Klum to the rescue! According to an AP report, the model and "Project Runway" host wants to help Britney Spears and said she'd be willing to open her home to the troubled pop star while she tries to put her life back together. "She can call me and come live in our house with us for a couple of months," Klum said. "I would help set her straight. I am sorry when a young person gets thrown so off-track. She has, of course, lived an extremely wild life." No word on whether Spears will take her up on the offer. ...

According to The Associated Press, the Spice Girls' tour-bus driver assisted police in the arrest of a Michigan man, who is the chief suspect in a carjacking. Police told the wire service that the bus driver called 911 to report a possible drunk driver weaving in and out of traffic on Interstate 75, just outside of Detroit, on Saturday. (The Spice Girls were performing that night in nearby Auburn Hills.) The motorist was arrested and turned over to police in the town of Burton in connection with a carjacking at a gas station. Police did not identify the Spice Girls' bus driver or the man who was arrested. ...

Pink's marriage might be ending, but her movie career is still moving forward. She shot "Catacombs" several years ago, and now the horror film will finally see the light of day — or, at least, the DVD shelf — when it is released in video stores Tuesday (February 19). "It takes place in Paris," Pink told MTV News when she first shot the movie. "I'm an expatriate who moved to Paris to study at the Sorbonne, but I dropped out, because I like to party, and my friends run all these underground parties in the Paris tunnels, where they have all these ancient remains of people. And people actually do party underground there. It's all true. It's pretty amazing and intricate, actually." Pink's character then invites her younger sister (played by Shannyn Sossamon) to come and visit, and because her sib is "very high-anxiety, an annoying nervous wreck," Pink decides to invite her to the catacomb parties to "mess with her a little bit. It's all about family ties and how evil we can be to our siblings and what we get for doing that," Pink said. Despite the film's locale, she only shot in the City of Lights for four days, and the rest of "Catacombs" was actually shot in Bucharest, Romania. "It's cheaper," she shrugged. ...

My Chemical Romance have revealed details of their upcoming tour. The trek will feature openers Billy Talent and Drive By, and get under way March 28 in Tempe, Arizona. Dates are scheduled through May 6 in Philadelphia. ... Green Jellÿ, that long-forgotten mock-metal outfit behind the infectious "Three Little Pigs," have reformed and are in the process of booking a national tour for this summer. The band will also re-release 1991's Cereal Killer and 1994's 333 LPs, along with a DVD of all their videos. For now, Green Jellÿ are scheduled to play the new Milwaukee Metalfest on June 7 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. ...

Camp Freddy, the cover band featuring Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro, ex-Cult bassist Billy Morrison and Velvet Revolver's Matt Sorum and Scott Weiland, will be taking over Los Angeles' Roxy Theatre "every Thursday night during the month of May for our very first residency," the band reports. "Each week we will perform a different set list, and the evening's performance will culminate with two or three songs featuring our very special guests of the night. We will not be advertising these guests in advance. The band will be joined each week by our good friend and longtime Camp Freddy cohort [Sugar Ray's] Mark McGrath." ...

On Saturday, Bury Your Dead guitarist Eric Ellis was attacked by six individuals following the band's performance at the Rave in Milwaukee. Ellis was held at gunpoint while the men hit him multiple times with a baseball bat and hammer. Local police have characterized the incident as a "gang initiation." Despite his injuries, Ellis and the rest of the band will continue on with their tour alongside Hellyeah. "It will take more than this to stop Bury Your Dead," the band said in a statement. ...

Ska-punk act Goldfinger will return April 22 with Hello Destiny, which will be issued by Side One Dummy Records. The album follows 2005's Disconnect Notice and will feature founding guitarist Charlie Paulsen, who parted ways with the band in 1997. ... Portland, Maine, rockers 6Gig will be reuniting for two hometown gigs. The shows are set for April 25 and April 26, at the Big Easy. ... Foxy Shazam will be hitting the road with Portugal. the Man starting March 17 in El Paso, Texas. The trek runs through March 27 in San Francisco. ...

Underoath have tapped Matt Goldman and Killswitch Engage's Adam Dutkiewicz to produce their forthcoming album, which they've written eight songs for so far and will begin recording in about a month. Meanwhile, the band's "Live" CD/DVD set will hit stores May 13.

2.15.08

Alicia Keys took home four trophies from the NAACP Image Awards, held at Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium Thursday night. She won the Outstanding Album and Outstanding Female Artist prizes, as well as the top video and song awards. Other honorees included Chris Brown, Jordin Sparks, Denzel Washington and Janet Jackson. Washington and his "Great Debaters" co-star Jurnee Smollett won the Best Actor and Actress prizes for film, while Jackson received the Best Supporting Actress honor for her work in "Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?" ...

As Britney Spears' father Lindsay Lohan

Amy Winehouse

Britney Spears

Spice Girls

My Chemical Romance

Avril Lavigne Stands Up For Britney Spears; Plus Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, Spice Girls & More, In For The Record

14 Feb 2008 19:39:00 EST

Mathew Knowles defends daughter in Aretha Franklin row; J. Lo, Shakira back Alejandro Sanz in Hugo Chavez dispute; Spice Girls unlikely to tour again.
By MTV News staff

Avril Lavigne, who was once known as the "anti-Britney," now has nothing but sympathy for the pop star, as she reveals in the new issue of Maxim. "No one else has it as hard as Britney," she told the magazine. "I feel bad for her. How does she even think with all those flashbulbs? When I'm being followed, everything's thrown off. They run red lights. They cause accidents. She can't even walk to her car. F---ing stalkers." Lavigne, who has been known to flip off and spit on the paparazzi in the past, also said she's disgusted at speculation that she's pregnant with her first child. "Remember in high school when people would start fake rumors about you?" she asked. "Well, this isn't high school. It's like, the entire world." Check out more Avril photos from the mag's March issue at Maxim.com. ...

A Los Angeles judge decided Thursday (February 14) to extend the temporary conservatory powers that Britney Spears' father has over the singer's affairs — at least through the next hearing, on March 10. Jamie Spears had been granted control to oversee Britney's well-being and her estate earlier this month, along with co-conservator Andrew Wallet. Court-appointed investigator Samuel Ingham told the court Thursday that he had not finished his psychological evaluation of the singer and was granted an extension until the next hearing. Also by March 10, Britney must undergo a 730 evaluation to study her family to determine the best custody arrangements, Commissioner Reva Goetz decided. Goetz also named Britney's older brother, Bryan — who used to work on her former management team — along with New York estate attorney Ivan Taback as co-trustees for the singer's trust while she is considered unable to manage her own affairs. Meanwhile, Britney's current manager Sam Lutfi has yet to be served with a restraining order. The lawyers for the conservatorship concluded that Lutfi was intentionally avoiding being served because they'd already spent over 200 hours trying to reach him. A hearing about the restraining order is scheduled for February 22. ...

Beyoncé's father, Mathew Knowles, isn't too happy about Aretha Franklin scolding his daughter for comments she made about the Queen of Soul at Sunday's Grammy Awards. "Something this ridiculous — it's childish, it's unprofessional," he said in a statement on Thursday, according to People. "And it's a sad day when egos get bruised because somebody used the word 'king,' 'queen,' 'prince' or 'princess.' " Beyoncé introduced Tina Turner as "the queen" during the ceremony, after which Franklin released a statement in which she said, "I am not sure of whose toes I may have stepped on or whose ego I may have bruised between the Grammy writers and Beyoncé. ... However, I dismissed it as a cheap shot for controversy." ...

Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, Ricky Martin and others are voicing support for Alejandro Sanz after the cancellation of a concert he intended to play in Venezuela, Reuters reports. In 2004, the Latin American singer claimed President Hugo Chávez had tried to quash a campaign for a recall referendum against him. Sanz supporters are reportedly accusing Chávez of censorship in the wake of the concert cancellation. ... White Stripes are getting some extra lovin' at Best Buy, Pitchfork reports. The retail chain is selling a five-track EP surrounding the band's new single, "Conquest," that features all the accompanying B-sides that were previously available only on vinyl or in digital form. The EP comes free with the purchase of the band's Icky Thump album, or it can be bought separately. ...

Well, so much for all those reunion tours. A day after Billboard.com reported that the Police would be retiring for good after their upcoming North American trek comes news that the reunited Spice Girls likely won't go on either. Geri Halliwell — or Ginger Spice, to the fans — told the site she isn't anticipating a follow-up to the group's current run, which ends February 26 in Toronto. "It probably won't happen ever again," she said. "I'm still absolutely blown away that we did more than one show. So right now I'm thinking this is it. This is the last time you will ever get to see this Girl Power, the five Spices on the stage as one." Still, she added the requisite nugget of wisdom: "You can never say never." ...

The Smashing Pumpkins have dished up an unreleased track, "SuperChrist," for a limited-edition CD that will be made available March 1 at Guitar Center locations, according to Billboard.com. The compilation disc, which doesn't have a name, was curated by Billy Corgan and the gang — they picked acts that feature Guitar Center employees based on submissions from them. "SuperChrist" was a leftover track from the Pumpkins' 2007 album, Zeitgist, and the band has previously played it on tour. An accompanying video will premiere February 27 on MySpace. ... Guitar Center has another limited-edition goody too: a Roland RZA/Forat Custom MV8800 machine designed by the RZA and electronic trailblazer Bruce Forat. The hand-painted device features original artwork by the two, including allusions to the Wu-Tang Clan's recent 8 Diagrams LP. If you're interested in getting one, though, you'll have to throw down big bucks and act fast when they go on sale February 28: Only eight machines are being made available, and they cost a pricey $5,999 apiece. ...

Christina Aguilera has "never had more respect for the female body," the new mom told People for its new issue, which hits newsstands Friday. She added of her C-section to deliver her 4-week-old son, Max: "The hardest part was deciding on his birthday. I wanted to leave it up to fate, but at the same time I was ready to be done early!" The singer, who shared photos of her baby with the magazine, said she intends to start recording in her home studio this month. As for what she and husband Jordan Bratman have been spinning lately, she revealed: "Yesterday we had Led Zeppelin blaring through the house. Most new moms play Beethoven, but we're playing Metallica, Bob Marley, the Stones." ...

An interview with Michelle Williams in which she addressed her breakup with Heath Ledger, who died from an accidental drug overdose late last month, has just been published. "Obviously so much has changed for me in the last few months that I don't really have an idea of what my life is going to be," Williams told the U.K.'s Wonderland Magazine for what is said to be her last interview before the actor's death. "I thought I knew certain things and it turned out that I didn't, so I don't really try and anticipate so much anymore. I'm not making any bets on the future." ...

Chris Rock has been confirmed to appear the 2008 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, taking place June 12-15 in Manchester, Tennessee. He's just one of more than a dozen comedians set to perform at the fest — a list that also includes David Cross and Janeane Garofolo — but he's the only one that'll do his work from Bonnaroo's main stage (the same stage Kanye West, Pearl Jam and Metallica will appear on) in front of 80,000 somewhat-dazed-and-confused festival-goers. ...

Madonna premiered her directorial debut Wednesday at the Berlin Film Festival, but she said the flick didn't come without a "struggle." Madge and members of the "Filth and Wisdom" cast also held a press conference, during which she said, "One of the themes that I explore in the film is struggle, and if I look back to the beginning of my career, I can recall those moments of struggle like it was yesterday. There are aspects of [the characters'] struggle that I could relate to completely, and I could access that memory and put it into the story." ...

Moby is building anticipation for his upcoming album, Last Night, with an exclusive downloadable preview mix at RCRDLBL.com. Last Night, meanwhile, is due April 1. ... As it turns out, Moby has something in common with Norah Jones, Lou Reed, David Byrne and Scissor Sisters: a mutual distaste for the Iraq war. The musicians will come together March 18 — the fifth anniversary of the Iraq invasion — in New York for "Speak Up!: A Benefit Concert for Peace in Iraq & Justice at Home." The event will take place at St. Ann's Warehouse in Brooklyn. ...

Broken Social Scene have lumped more dates onto their upcoming world tour, Pitchfork reports. In addition to Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Singapore, the band will also hit Taiwan, Mexico, Turkey, Luxembourg, Russia, the U.K., France, and the U.S. ... Battles are gearing up for some road action too: The band, adored by indie-philes, will play Bonnaroo June 12, after which it will swing through Washington, D.C., two days later, and then Philadelphia the day after that. ... Kristin Hersh, Cornershop's Anthony Saffery, Dirty Vegas' Steve Smith and others have concocted heartfelt covers of songs made famous by Joe Cocker, Bill Withers and others in time for Valentine's Day. Expans

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Avril Lavigne's 'Maxim' Cover Shoot

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Lindsay Lohan Wants To Work With Kanye West, 50 Cent; Plus Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Beyonce & More, In For The Record

07 Feb 2008 19:48:00 EST

Aguilera says she 'laughed off' Paris Hilton's blabbing; Danjahandz wants to work with Spears again; B to duet with Tina Turner at Grammys.
By MTV News staff

Lindsay Lohan just spoke publicly for the first time since leaving rehab in early October — she gave an interview to the U.K. edition of Glamour for its new cover story — but the starlet has more to say. She told Harper's Bazaar for its own LiLo cover story that she'd like to have a low-key relationship, that she's trying to smoke cigarettes less often and that she's "always been a homebody." She also spilled who she would like to make music with next — "I'd love to work with Timbaland. I'd love to work with Kanye West, 50 Cent if I could" — and admitted, "When I look back on this last year, it's like, what was I thinking?" Harper's Bazaar's March issue, in which the story appears, hits stands February 19. ...

Christina Aguilera just made her first public appearance this week since giving birth in January, and now comes news that the singer is already digging into her next album. "This whole incredible thing has taken place in my life," the new mom recently told Ryan Seacrest on his radio show, so there's "so much in me to write about. The next record, I want to have a lot of fun with it. [I've been] brainstorming for the last nine months. This next album will have a whole new me, a different me, so it's a lot to look forward to." She also spoke about her son, Max Liron Bratman — "he's constantly changing, and doing these incredibly cute things and stinky things" — and even touched on Paris Hilton spilling the beans about Aguilera's pregnancy during VMA weekend last year. "It was funny," Aguilera said, taking the high road. "We all looked at each and laughed it off. She did it in a sweet way. It wasn't a tattle-on-me sort of thing." ...

Britney Spears' father, Jamie, had previously been granted temporary conservatorship powers over the singer for a week, during which time it was expected when the powers were granted that she would be in the hospital. Now that she's out, some legal questions were raised in court Thursday (February 7) when Spears' co-conservator, Andrew Wallet, and the attorneys for the conservatorship appeared for an emergency ex parte hearing. Since the hearing was closed and the court documents were sealed, according to a court clerk, no one could say what happened in the hearing. But Adam Streisand, who tried to represent the singer at a previous hearing, only to be ejected from the court, was definitely not present on the singer's behalf, since prior to the hearing, his firm released a statement that he "has decided he will not represent her at this time." Streisand met with Britney Spears on Wednesday "to discuss her legal rights in connection with the conservatorship over her person and estate," but following the meeting, he learned that there was a court order preventing the singer from retaining counsel of her own choosing. ... Despite all Britney Spears' troubles, she still has Danjahandz on her side. The producer recently told MTV News that he'd like to hook up with the singer in the future. "I would work with her again. Hopefully she'll get better," he said, admitting that he hadn't heard of her recent hospitalization. "I definitely have ideas [of] what I would do with her." ...

As had been previously rumored, when Beyoncé takes the stage at the Grammy Awards on Sunday night, she'll be joined by none other than reclusive rock legend Tina Turner, the Recording Academy has announced. Other additions to the show's lineup included Kid Rock, who will perform, as well as presenters Akon, Nelly Furtado, Prince, Jason Bateman, Tony Bennett, Cher, Tom Hanks, Quincy Jones, Joe Mantegna, Ringo Starr, Dave Stewart and Stevie Wonder. ...

Can't remember the last time you bought a CD single? Well, here's a reason to consider picking one up: Ashlee Simpson will meet fans and sign copies of her new "Outta My Head" single February 14 at a Walmart in Dallas. ... Sevendust have a friend in ... Chris Daughtry? Yup, it's true: The Daughtry frontman recently teamed with the hard-rockers to chip in a guest vocal for the band's new song "The Past." The track will be included on Sevendust's April 1 LP, Chapter VII: Hope & Sorrow, which will also feature contributions from Alter Bridge's Mark Tremonti and Myles Kennedy. ... This year's South by Southwest festival just got a little more hip-hop-friendly. Ice Cube and N.E.R.D. have hopped onto the sprawling roster for the Austin, Texas, shindig, which will go down March 12-16. ... The Sweet Relief Musicians Fund — a group that helps career musicians in need — is putting up for auction an original Clash T-shirt printed by bassist Paul Simonon. The item will be up for bidding on eBay for 10 days starting Saturday. As MTV News reported late last year, Simonon originally gave the shirt to punk poet Patti Smith 30 years ago, and after she passed it to her drummer, Jay Dee Daughtery, he in turn donated it to Sweet Relief — but the group was not able to raffle the tee because of sweepstakes laws. ...

Don't believe those stories about how infighting and personal disputes are the reason the Spice Girls have canceled most of the remaining dates of their reunion tour. Trying to combat the rumors, the Girls posted a one-minute apology video to fans on their Web site on Wednesday, reiterating that the decision to cancel shows in China, South Africa, Australia and Argentina was due to "family and personal commitments." In the video, Mel C explains: "There has been a lot of rubbish in the media over the last few days, so we wanted you to hear it from the horse's mouth. We're very sorry not to be able to get to all the places we really, really wanted to get to." Several members say that the tour went a month longer than they had actually intended when they first announced the reunion last year. Victoria Beckham adds, "Our kids need to go back to school, and we always said our families are our priorities. So we want to thank all our fans. Sorry we haven't got to see everybody." The singers then get into a mock fight before Mel B screams, "We hate each other? Are you kidding? We love each other!" ...

A star-studded gala organized by Madonna at the United Nations in New York on Wednesday night to benefit sick and poor children around the world raised $3.7 million. Hosted by Chris Rock, the $2,500-to-$10,000-a-plate dinner and live auction attracted guests Drew Barrymore, Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher, Dita Von Teese, Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, Amy Adams, Brooke Shields and Salma Hayek. But, according to The Associated Press, the event also made some officials, including U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, a bit uncomfortable with its mix of charity and commercial promotion. The event was paid for by luxury-goods maker Gucci, which used the occasion to promote the opening of its flagship store in New York's Manhattan borough on Friday and put its logo along with UNICEF's behind the walkway on the red carpet. Rihanna, Timbaland and Alicia Keys performed at the event. The night's most expensive auction item was a $600,000 bid to tour with Madonna and take a dance class with her and Gwyneth Paltrow. ...

Eva Mendes left rehab briefly on Thursday. "Eva is attending to some personal business in Los Angeles and intends to return to complete her treatment shortly," a representative for the actress who was not named told TMZ.com. ... Having conquered the reality-TV world, Public Enemy court jester Flavor Flav has signed on to try his hand at scripted comedy. The sometime rapper will star in a new half-hour comedy series on MyNetworkTV called "Under One Roof," which creators call a classic "fish-out-of-water" story. In the show, for which 13 episodes have been ordered, Flav will play Calvester Hill, a former convict who moves in with his wealthy, conservative brother and, predictably, wreaks havoc by parading his old prison cronies through the house, teaching his nephew to be a gangsta rapper and butting heads with Walter's uptight wife, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The series is slated to launch in the spring.

2.06.08

According to The Associated Press, police in London have questioned Amy Winehouse about a video that surfaced online two weeks ago that purportedly shows the Grammy-nominated singer smoking crack cocaine. No charges have been filed against the singer, but an investigation into the video is said to be ongoing. The video shows Winehouse inhaling fumes from a small pipe during a party at her home. Winehouse checked into a rehabilitation center in late January. ...

Avril Lavigne fans can expect to see outfit changes, backup dancers and the singer covering Joan Jett's "Bad Reputation" on her upcoming five-month world tour, which starts March 5 in British Columbia, RollingStone.com reports. She plans to hole up in L.A. with husband Deryck Whibley of Sum 41 and work on some new material when the tour

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Amy Winehouse May Or May Not Attend Grammys; Plus Snoop Dogg, Lindsay Lohan, Spice Girls, P.O.D., Muse & More, In For The Record

04 Feb 2008 17:41:00 EST

Snoop says he's welcome in England; man who is suing Lohan drops claim against restaurant; Spice Girls cancel world-tour dates.
By MTV News staff

When it comes to Amy Winehouse, never believe what you read. Despite reports that she would be appearing at the Grammys on Sunday, the singer's publicist told MTV News a decision hasn't been made either way. And no, Amy hasn't left rehab yet, although she did depart the Capio Nightingale clinic, where she's been staying the last few weeks, to make a pre-scheduled meeting at the United States Embassy. According to her rep, the meeting was arranged so that the singer could discuss renewing her visa. ...

It sounds like Snoop Dogg may be welcome in England again. The rapper, who has been banned from the U.K. since a melee at London's Heathrow Airport in 2006, told Larry King on Friday that he's been given the green light to travel to the country again. After writing to the British government recently in a bid to get his ban overturned, the rapper told King, "I was wrongfully accused, and now I've been accepted back in. The judge overturned it. He looked at the evidence and looked at what I've been doing, just checked my character out and found me to be innocent, and now I'm able to go back out there. So, everybody in the U.K., big Snoop Dogg will be back to come give you all what you want." British authorities have not yet confirmed the rapper's claims. ...

Raymundo Ortega, the man who is suing Lindsay Lohan for her collision with his van in October 2005, has dropped his claim against the Ivy — the restaurant in West Hollywood, California, where Lohan had dined before the crash — according to TMZ.com. Ortega has alleged that Lohan, who was 19 years old at the time, drank alcohol at the Ivy before the crash, but the restaurant insisted Lohan did not. The next court date is reportedly set for March 21. ...

The Spice Girls' triumphant world reunion tour has hit a roadblock. The group announced on Friday that dates in Australia, China, South Africa and Argentina have been scrapped due to "family and personal commitments." The last stop of the tour is now going to be in Toronto on February 26. "Sadly the tour needs to come to an end by the end of February due to family and personal commitments for Emma, Geri, Mel B, Melanie C and Victoria," the group announced on its Web site, explaining that the rest of the dates were canceled "due to the phenomenal demand for tickets in the U.K. and the U.S., along with the touring logistics for such a massive production [that] it was not possible to fit everything in." And though there is rumored tension once again in Spice World, the note ends with the good news that "as the girls return to normal family life and the kids go back to school, they are reviewing all the options, who knows what the future might bring!" ...

Muse will release a live DVD/CD on March 17 in the U.K., although it's yet unclear if the set will see a U.S. release. H.A.A.R.P. - Muse Live at Wembley Stadium shows the band onstage performing tracks like "Knights of Cydonia," "Hysteria," "Butterflies and Hurricanes" and "Starlight" during a two-night stretch at the venue last summer. ... P.O.D. founding guitarist Marcos Curiel — who split from the band in 2003 — is back in the fold, and the group has signed a new deal with INO/Columbia that includes its new LP, When Angels and Serpents Dance. "Things are exciting again," singer Sonny Sandoval said in a statement. "When the four of us are in a room making music it's definitely right, and Marcos brings that passion for music into the band." Helmet's Paige Hamilton, Suicidal Tendencies' Mike Muir, the Marley Sisters — and a gospel choir! — crop up on the April 8 release, the first single of which is "Addicted." ...

The Arcade Fire are considering suing Fox after one of their songs was used in a Super Bowl ad, allegedly without the group's permission, according to Pitchfork. The ad, which promoted Fox's NFL coverage and also appeared on the network during the regular football season, features the group's song "No Cars Go." It's reportedly unclear if Fox asked the Arcade Fire for permission to use the song, if the network owes the band any money, or if the move was illegal. ... Iron and Wine will tour the U.S. with Califone throughout April. The gigs start April 9 in New Orleans and end April 20 in Louisville, Kentucky. ... Grizzly Bear are hitting the big time. The New York indie-rockers will give their biggest performance yet with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the city's Walt Disney Music Hall on March 1. Following that, the Grizzlys will hook up with Paul Simon for a three-part series at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. The veteran singer/songwriter handpicked the group for "Love in Hard Times: The Music of Paul Simon," which will take place April 23-27. ...

The green dress Keira Knightley wears during key romantic scenes with James McAvoy in "Atonement," which is up for seven Academy Awards, is being auctioned for charity on ClothesOffOurBack.org. Bidding was at $3,000 as of press time, and the auction will end March 1. Proceeds will go to Southern California children's charity Variety. ... Incubus' Make Yourself Foundation has ponied up $10,000 for Denver environmental-advocacy organization Rock the Earth — the largest single donation the group has ever received. RTE is aiming to boost its education, advocacy and outreach at concerts and other events by 50 percent within the next year. "One person working diligently alone can do wonders, but many people working harmoniously together can accomplish worlds," frontman Brandon Boyd said in a statement. ...

A TV station and a cameraman who had been accused of getting in the way of people as they fled Warwick, Rhode Island's Station night club during a 2003 fire that killed 100 people have reached a tentative $30 million settlement with survivors and victims' relatives, according to The Associated Press. It's believed to be the largest settlement of several reached so far with the dozens of people and companies who've sued over the blaze, which began when pyrotechnics used by the night's main attraction, Great White, ignited highly flammable soundproofing foam around the stage. Last month, Station co-owner Michael Derderian was granted early release from prison by a state parole board. He is set to be freed from prison in October 2009. ...

There's lots of news on the Vines front. Singer Craig Nicholls has been diagnosed and treated for Asperger syndrome — a developmental disorder that specialists say might be responsible for some of his bizarre episodes in the past — and now the group is hammering away at a new album produced by Rob Schnapf (Foo Fighters, Beck). The Aussies have lined up three dates to hype the release, which is due in the spring: They will play March 14 at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas; March 17 at New York's Bowery Ballroom; and two days later at the Troubadour in West Hollywood, California. But while the band is focused on the future, Capitol/EMI will take a look back on March 11 with The Best of the Vines, which culls tracks from the group's first three studio efforts. ...

Black Light Burns, the band featuring ex-Limp Bizkit guitarist Wes Borland, are planning to release an album's worth of covers. According to a MySpace post from Borland, the band recorded several covers late last year, and "when we finished, we realized that it's super-fun and that we like a lot of songs, so we started to record more." The yet-untitled record will include the band's takes on PJ Harvey's "Rid of Me," the Jesus Lizard's "The Art of Self-Defense" and INXS' "Devil Inside." ... The recently reunited Mighty Mighty Bosstones have been added to the lineup for this year's Bamboozle festival. They'll share the stage with the likes of Paramore, Gym Class Heroes, and the Academy Is ... at the fest, which will take place May 3-4 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. ... Seven Mary Three, the band that hit it big in 1996 with its song "Cumbersome," are back and will release their sixth album, Day&NightDriving, on February 19.

2.2.08

"American Idol" runner-up Katharine McPhee married actor Nick Cokas on Saturday in Beverly Hills, California, according to People.com. "[Nick] is the love of my life," McPhee told the site. "This is a once in a lifetime occasion and everything is just perfect." Fellow season-five "Idol" contestants Kellie Pickler and Mandisa were among the 305 guests in attendance, the site reported. McPhee and Cokas met in 2005 when they performed in a Los Angeles theater production of "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir." ...

Jay-Z will headline June's Glastonbury Festival in the U.K., BBC News reports. Jigga wanted to "break with tradition this time and put on something totally different" for the three-day shindig, organizer Michael Eavis reportedly said. The rest of the roster is yet unrevealed, save for Neil Diamond, who will play the closing night, June 29. ...

R. Kelly is being sued by a Nevada concert promoter who says the R&B star failed to show up for a performance in Minneapolis for which he was paid $120,000, according to TMZ.com. Kelly reportedly missed the gig so that he could appear in a Chicago court for a hearing. A suit filed in Atlanta District Cour

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Spice Girls Sweeten Their Hits; Plus Magnetic Fields, John Legend, Eels And More, In New Releases

15 Jan 2008 08:03:00 EST

Also due Tuesday: Ringo Starr, Dirty on Purpose, Kottonmouth Kings, Raheem DeVaughn, Gamma Ray, Jon Foreman.
By Kurt Orzeck

What looks to be the last slow Tuesday of the year for a long while in terms of new releases sees a medley of music-makers hitting stores: a sugary U.K. veteran pop squad; likely the only pianist who has collaborated with Snoop Dogg, Fort Minor and Tony Bennett; a synth-pop dude who spells his name "Stephin" instead of "Stephen"; the least-appreciated member of the four Beatles; a soulful crooner signed to Jive by none other than DJ Jazzy Jeff; and the frontman for a SoCal alterna-rock crew. We assume you'll be able to guess which is which ...

Spice Rack: Shouts of "Girl power!" were heard throughout Victoria's Secret stores in mid-November when the Spice Girls issued their Greatest Hits collection there, but now Mel B, Geri Halliwell and the rest of the gang are breaking out the previously exclusive set in retail stores nationwide. As promised, they're now rolling out two additional versions of the release, the standard edition of which has two newly recorded songs ("Headlines [Friendship Never Ends]" and "Voodoo"). The deluxe edition has a DVD with all the Girls' promo videos, while the gift-box version also contains a karaoke disc and friendship bracelet.

Return of the Piano Man: In case you didn't see John Legend on his recent Show Me Tour, there's a new CD immortalizing one of the gigs. The exclusive Target release has 19 songs by the singer/songwriter, including his covers of Beatles and Sly & the Family Stone covers, as well as newer cuts "Slow Dance" and "Where's the Love," which features a duet with Corinne Bailey Rae. The deluxe edition comes with a 30-minute DVD featuring more live-performance material, an interview and videos for "Show Me" and "Another Again."

Fields' Recordings: Magnetic Fields fans will want to gravitate to stores this week — the group's first new album in four years is dropping, even though it's been more or less on the down low. Stephin Merritt and company have come up with a new gimmick for Distortion, their eighth album: Per its title, every instrument, save the drums, was designed to blurt out feedback. "I don't know if anyone has done feedback piano before," Merritt said in a statement. The typically quiet act aimed for a noisier approach, á la Jesus and Mary Chain, on songs like "Zombie Boy," "The Nun's Litany" and "Too Drunk to Dream." Fans might also recognize a voice they heard on the Fields' 1999 classic, 69 Love Songs — Merritt's friend Shirley Simms is contributing background vocals again. Initial pressings of Distortion come with a bonus single: "The Man of a Million Faces," which Merritt wrote for NPR.

Slipping Out From The Archives: In case you didn't know already, the European eel uses the Earth's magnetic field for direction, which is cool if for no other reason than it allows us to shamelessly segue between Merritt's release and two from Mark Oliver Everett, another lo-fi singer/songwriter legend. Eels, Everett's project, are taking a look back with a two-pronged comp attack: Meet the Eels: Essential Eels Vol. 1, 1996-2006, a CD-plus-DVD set; and the equally self-explanatory Eels Useless Trinkets: B-Sides, Soundtracks, Rarities and Unreleased - 1996-2006, which comes in the form of two CDs and one DVD. The videos are actually reaching the DVD format for the first time ever, and fans will also drool over Everett's notes, which he scribed for every song.

Starr Power: In case you happened to be in Liverpool, England, on Saturday, you likely heard about hometown legend Ringo Starr performing to help kick off the city's Capital of Culture extravaganza. Well, he was also using that gig to fittingly launch Liverpool 8, his new studio album and first involving old buddy Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics. Starr co-wrote all 12 of the album's tracks with Stewart, who also lent his production skills. Songs include "Love Is," "It It's Love That You Want" and "Think About You," all of which could have passed for the titles of Beatles songs, if you ask us.

The Raheem DeVaughn Experience: Speaking of love, DeVaughn may be one of the more underrated R&B crooners out there, but he has two things working in his favor: He recently earned a Grammy nomination for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for his song "Woman"; and his last album had a notable debut, at #46 on the Billboard albums chart. Now DeVaughn is chasing his first LP, 2005's The Love Experience, with Love Behind the Melody. Don't miss "Friday (Shut the Club Down)," "Four Letter Word" and "Marathon," which spots a guest spot by Floetry.

This week's top hitters may not be all that heavy, but some big names helped out with some of the other titles lurking in the ranks:

· Nelly Furtado's collaborations with Justin Timberlake and Timbaland have earned her Grammy nominations — and a win — over the past two years, and now someone else is looking to horn in on the action: none other than ... adult-contemporary legend Anne Murray! Shelby Lynne, Martina McBride and others also populate Murray's Duets: Friends & Legends album.

· Switchfoot allowed frontman Jon Foreman to take a break and drop the second in his seasonal EPs this week: Winter, which is coming out digitally as a standalone release. In retail stores, though, it's available as a two-disc set, along with Foreman's November EP, Fall.

· Members of Lamb of God, In Flames, Arch Enemy, Trivium, the Haunted and Children of Bodom help Annihilator bring the Metal on their latest disc.

· Animal Collective's Paw Tracks imprint is dishing up Black Habit, the new disc by New York's First Nation ... er Rings. The trio changed their name after one member left and Abby Portner, sister of Animal Collective member Dave Portner, took up the role.

· Band of Horses had guitarist Tyler Ramsey on tour with them late last year, but that still left time for him to slap together a solo disc. The plucker's A Long Dream About Swimming Across the Sea was produced by My Morning Jacket collaborator Danny Kadar.

· Velvet Revolver and Slayer collaborator Josh Abraham originally recorded Egypt Central's self-titled debut two years ago, but now the effort from the Memphis heavy-rockers is finally hitting stores after undergoing a bit of an overhaul.

· Brooklyn, New York, shoegazers Dirty on Purpose chalk up a cover of Real Life's "Send Me an Angel" from the 1986 movie "Rad" for their new EP, "Like Bees." Doesn't get any gnarlier than that.

Song Title of the Week:

"If You Can't Be Good, Be Gone" from The SteelDrivers

Album Cover of the Week:

Rings' Black Habit

Other Notables:

Charlie Nothing's 40 Years of the Ding: A Charlie Nothing Anthology
In 2003, Minneapolis label De Stijl partnered with Sub Pop for the excavation of the Michael Yonkers Band's Microminiature Love, which was recorded 35 years earlier. Now, after teaming for a handful of additional releases, the labels have assembled this collection, which culls the psychedelic musician's long-lost recordings for Takoma, a label run by steel-string pioneer John Fahey, plus songs he made for private release — and some he even recorded while in jail.

Mike Ladd's Nostalgialator
The Afro-punk experimentalist is rubbing elbows with El-P, Aesop Rock, Cage and other underground hip-hop luminaries on Definitive Jux, the label that is re-releasing this 2004 effort, which was originally made available internationally on K7. The Boston native — who now calls Paris home — hooked up with New York producer Scotty Hard (Wu-Tang Clan, De La Soul) for the genre-busting release.

Paleo's "The Song Diary"
This is about as DIY as you can get: Unsigned songwriter David Strackany spent a year touring the country, living out of his van, and writing and posting a song every day on his Web site. Now he's put together a DVD encompassing all 365 tunes, with a list of the dates and cities in which he recorded them, as well as a limited-edition 470-page book of lyrics. Fittingly, there are only 365, hand-numbered copies of the latter.

New Releases:

· 46bliss - Wish Me Away (Pistachio)
· Annihilator - Metal (SPV)
· Bob Bruzman - Post-Industrial Blues (Ruf)
· Steve Bug - Fabric 37 (Fabric)
· Peter Daily - Who Is Peter Daily? (EP; Sideshow Media Group)
· Raheem DeVaughn - Love Behind the Melody (Jive)
· Dirty on Purpose - Like Bees (EP; North Street) [Buy Now]
· Egypt Central - Egypt Central (Fat Lady/ Independent Label Group)
· Eliane Elias - Something for You: Eliane Elias Sings and Plays Bill Evans (Blue Note)
· Dan Ferrari - Don

Related Artists

Spice Girls

Magnetic Fields

John Legend

eels

Spice Girls Ponder The Evolution Of 'Girl Power' ... And How Much Longer They Can Wear Hot Pants

10 Dec 2007 13:07:00 EST

'We've learned to celebrate the differences between then and now,' says Ginger Spice, a.k.a. Geri Halliwell.
By James Montgomery, with reporting by Yasmine Richard

Interviewing the Spice Girls is a fairly remarkable experience, for several reasons. First and foremost, nearly every answer is delivered in a five-part cockney harmony. Secondly, there is no doubt that the Girls — who reunited in June and are in the midst of a sold-out world tour — exist on a different plane than, say, 98 percent of us, which only makes it more surreal when they decide to weigh in on real-world issues.
Take, for example, this exchange in response to the question "What do you think about people leaking your music to the Internet?"
"Who's Lee King?" asks Scary Spice, a.k.a. Mel B. And she is not kidding.
This is, of course, followed by 30 seconds of intra-group chatter, where it is determined that we are not talking about a person but rather a problem that is plaguing the music industry. And at this point, Sporty (Mel C) grabs the microphone and delivers the following:
"The record industry has changed, and it's still changing dramatically, really quickly. And there's some really great things about the Internet — so many more bands can get ahead, you can get your music out there. The unfortunate thing is, music is very expensive to make, but it's quite worthless with sharing files and everything," she says. "So sometimes younger, less-established bands do suffer. We're very, very lucky because we're able to do great big shows like this, and that's really where the money is now in the music industry. It's very difficult to sell records. So we feel lucky that we're not in competition with anybody anymore."
And it's sort of shocking, because she almost makes complete sense. And then to offer a rebuttal, here's Ginger (Geri Halliwell):
"Although, a counter to that: I remember when I was a little kid and the radio was playing, I pressed record on my blank tape, so I was downloading too," she says. "It's just moved on, so I don't resent [downloading]. I did it."
This is also a valid point. Of course, this quickly devolves into a playful tussle between Halliwell and Posh (Victoria Beckham), which then becomes an impromptu duet.
That's sort of how things are for the Spice Girls these days. There's no real concern for trivial matters like album sales or piracy or anything of the sort. Basically, they've earned the right to not worry anymore. They're on a reunion tour, playing the hits, hearing the cheers. It's pretty much all gravy, all the time.
Which explains their answers to the question "How have things changed for the Spice Girls?"
"Our priorities have changed, and that's why when we're [onstage], we have even more fun," Baby Spice (Emma Bunton) said. "Because we know that after that, we have to go home and feed children. We love being onstage together."
"It's kind of transcended 'Girl Power.' I mean, it's still there, in the sense that we're not perfect. We're just women living our lives. We've got families, we work — our jobs are different than most — but we just do the best we can and just enjoy things," Halliwell added. "And we've learned to celebrate the differences between then and now. I mean, I'm 35, and I think, 'There's not much longer you can wear those hot pants, girl. Do it while you can.' "

Related Artists

Spice Girls

Alicia Keys Tries To Lock Out Amy Winehouse, Spice Girls, Killers, Hives And More, In New Releases

13 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EST

Also due Tuesday: Now 26, Eminem, AFI, Duran Duran, Wire, Babyshambles, Led Zeppelin, Dillinger Escape Plan.
By Kurt Orzeck

Happy International Phone Dictionary Day! Here's the 411 on this week's New Releases ...
All About Her: Not many 27-year-olds can say they've single-handedly sold 20 million albums worldwide and racked up nine Grammy Awards. But Alicia Keys can. Still, the singer/songwriter is only three albums into her career, so she's still got some searching to do. As she recently told MTV News, her new album, As I Am, chronicles her attempt at "becoming a better person." Keys had a hand in writing each song that appears on the disc, with John Mayer, Linda Perry and others stepping up with a few assists. And fans might want to go the iTunes route, as that edition of As I Am comes with two bonus tracks: "Waiting for Your Love" and "Hurt So Bad."
Soul Survivor: Keys also said, in a recent press release, that her new album is "Janis Joplin meets Aretha Franklin," and fittingly, the Queen of Soul returns this week too. Jewels in the Crown: All-Star Duets With the Queen doesn't involve Miss Alicia, but with two new duets — with John Legend and Fantasia — placed alongside vintage collaborations with Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Whitney Houston and others, the disc certainly lives up to its title.
A Younger Look: Like Aretha, Duran Duran are looking outward to give their new music some fresh new appeal — the new-wave pioneers are aiming for a younger demo by tapping Justin Timberlake, and producers Timbaland and Danjahandz, for their new album. Red Carpet Massacre was finished after guitarist Andy Taylor split from the band for the second time, in 2005, and for more on the making of the disc, look no further than the bonus DVD that comes with deluxe editions of the package. It also features extra artwork, a 16-page foldout booklet and, for what it's worth, a press badge sticker.
Hives Break Out: Timbaland almost doubled up on the rock this week, actually — he also recently teamed with the Hives, although none of their efforts came to fruition on the band's fourth studio LP, The Black and White Album. Still, the Swedes got their hip-hop fix by also partnering with Pharrell — as frontman Pelle Almqvist told MTV News a couple of months ago, the idea was "too interesting not to do it." "Well All Right!" and "T.H.E.H.I.V.E.S." represent the Hives/Pharrell hookup, while The Black and White Album also features "Square One Here I Come," "You Dress Up for Armageddon" and more.
From the Cutting-Room Floor: The Killers have a secret weapon of their own this week in rock legend Lou Reed. The Las Vegas band took a gamble by holing up at a studio in New York's Hell's Kitchen, coaxing the hometown hero to come along for "Tranqulize," a song featured on the Killers' new odds-and-sods collection, Sawdust. The disc is saturated with additional unreleased leftovers from previous recording sessions, B-sides, soundtrack contributions and more.
Whole Lotta Led: With Led Zeppelin's reunion concert only a few weeks away, the rock gods are loading up the record bins with a pile of new releases. The best-of collection Mothership, a revitalized version of their concert flick "Song Remains the Same" and a two-CD deluxe edition of the soundtrack for it are all happening this week, in a bunch of different configurations. Devoted fans will want to get their hands on two collector's editions in particular: The Mothership one has a bonus DVD of live footage, from the 2003 "Led Zeppelin" DVD; and the limited-edition collector's version of the "Songs" DVD comes with the spiffed-up soundtrack, a vintage T-shirt, lobby cards and more.
Girls! Girls! Girls!: While Zeppelin's comeback has the rock masses frothing, bubble-gum pop fans are going gaga over the Spice Girls' new world tour!!!, which begins December 2 in Vancouver, British Columbia. In case its "girl power" theme didn't alienate all the guys out there, the group is making sure to do so by selling its new Greatest Hits collection exclusively at Victoria's Secret stores — well, until January 15, anyway, when bolstered editions of the album go into wide release. The Victoria's Secret version glistens with two newly recorded songs, the single "Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)" and "Voodoo," and provides online access to three downloadable bonus remixes. Next year's deluxe edition will have a DVD with all the Girls' promo videos, while the gift-box version will also contain a karaoke disc and gift bracelet. All the more "power" to 'em.
Now Again: In the event that you have newer pop songs stuck in your head, you can listen to them to exhaustion via Now That's What I Call Music! 26, which is littered with the latest from Justin, Rihanna, Kanye, Fergie and other radio regulars. The Last Goodnight, Plain White T's and Daughtry, meanwhile, rep the rock on the 20-track disc.
A/V Center: If you're in the market for some smokin' concert DVDs instead of boring old straight CDs, this is your week.
· Shakira's "Oral Fixation Tour" set scoops up highlights from 17 shows on her recent worldwide trek of the same name, including performances of "Hips Don't Lie" with Wyclef Jean and "La Tortura" with Alejandro Sanz. The standard bonus CD has five of the songs from the video, while the one Wal-Mart is selling has two extra live tracks from the disc. The video also has a five-minute around-the-world-in-397-days clip as well as a feature that sheds light on Shakira's outreach efforts helping children in Colombia.
· From "health issues" to a pot bust to visa troubles to an alleged trial-fixing plot involving her husband, it's been a rough year for Amy Winehouse. But she's trying to underscore the high points with a new DVD that showcases her show at Shepherds Bush Empire earlier this year. "I Told You I Was Trouble: Live in London" — which has one of the more fitting titles in recent memory — also has an interview with her father, Mitch; a 50-minute documentary; additional unreleased performances; and behind-the-scenes clips.
· Winehouse isn't the only British star with big problems — just look at Pete Doherty. His Babyshambles also have a new DVD this week: "Live in Manchester," which captures one of the garage band's earliest concerts. The 90-minute disc finds Doherty dabbling with Libertines songs and other unreleased tracks, in addition to behind-the-scenes hijinks.
· And Eminem, who doesn't have all that much else in common with any of the artists mentioned above, is cleaning out his closet with a new concert DVD too: "Live in New York City." The hour-and-a-half disc immortalizes his 2005 Madison Square Garden gig, for which he was joined by D12, Obie Trice and Stat Quo. Among the 28 performances are "Evil Deeds," "Like Toy Soldiers" and a cover of Dr. Dre's "Nuthin' But A 'G' Thang."
Song Title of the Week:
"Gummy From Bom Bom Bay" from Gummibär's I Am Your Gummy Bear
Album Cover of the Week:
Streetlight Manifesto's Somewhere in the Between
Other Notables:
The Dillinger Escape Plan's Ire Works
The mathcore band has been around for 10 years and released more than a half-dozen EPs in that time but, until now, has only had two full-lengths to its name. This effort is Dillinger's first without founding drummer Chris Pennie, who was later replaced by (+44) collaborator Gil Sharone, but they tried to meet their karma quota by roping in ex-bandmate Dimitri Minakakis for one of the tracks, "Horse Hunter." Mastodon guitarist/singer Brent Hinds also steps into the fold, performing vocals on "Fix Your Face," while the band barrels through "Milk Lizard," "When Acting as a Particle" and other tracks all by itself.
Wire's Read & Burn 03
Post-punk fans are probably finished reveling in Send, Wire's 2003 comeback album, but they'll be happy to know that the group is cranking out another release for next year. In the meantime, aficionados can tide themselves over with a 26-minute disc that has such unforgettable Wire lyrics as "Rhizomic gastropods interweave slender tails/ Grey hairs genuflect as perforated anarchists" (on "23 Years Too Late"). The disc also contains "Our Time," "No Warning Given" and "Desert Diving," and none of the songs will be resurfacing on next year's studio LP.
Brian Dewan's Words of Wisdom
This isn't your average singer/songwriter: The New Yorker is also a former furniture salesman; has made album art for Neutral Milk Hotel and They Might Be Giants; and also has an instrument to call his own — the analog "Dewanatron," which he created with his brother. Dewan also employed autoharp, electric zither, organ and the accordion for "The Devil Made Texas," "The Big Rock Candy Mountain," "Carve That Possum" and other folk compositions th

Related Artists

Alicia Keys

Amy Winehouse

Spice Girls

The Killers

The Hives

R. Kelly Judge Allowing Forensics Expert To Testify; Plus Jay-Z, Mariah Carey, Da Brat, T-Pain, Duane 'Dog' Chapman & More, In For The Record

02 Nov 2007 20:44:00 EDT

Jay taking over Sirius channel; Carey to perform at Glamour event; Da Brat released from jail on bond.
By MTV News staff

R. Kelly is about to hit the road for his upcoming "Double Up" tour, which starts November 14, but that doesn't mean his child-pornography case will be on hold for the duration of his trek. In a hearing on Friday (November 2), a Chicago judge ruled that forensics expert Dr. Sharon Cooper can testify at a hearing, to be held December 18, about the veracity of her methods to determine her claims that Kelly is the man on the sex tape. Cooper has claimed she could identify him through the veins visible on his hands, and the hearing will be used to determine whether that method is acceptable in the scientific community at large. Cooper will also testify about how she determined the age of the victim on the tape, whom prosecutors say was 14 years old at the time of the alleged taping. Kelly will be in between show dates in Sacramento, California, and Chicago, and thus able to attend the hearing. ...
Jay-Z has some Sirius radio plans — the hip-hop mogul is taking over the satellite station for a week starting Monday, The Associated Press reports. He will be in command of Hip-Hop Nation channel 40, playing songs from his albums as well as other artists of his choosing. The stint comes at an opportune time for Jay — his new album, American Gangster, hits stores Tuesday. Sirius will also play back across various programs on the channel a concert Jay-Z is set to perform at Chicago's House of Blues. ...
Mariah Carey will play at a Glamour ceremony honoring the magazine's 2007 Women of the Year. She will perform with the African Children's Choir at the event, to be held Monday at New York's Avery Fisher Hall. The related issue — which spotlights Jennifer Garner, Elizabeth Edwards, Toni Morrison and others — hits newsstands November 13. In other Mariah news, Elizabeth Arden announced on Friday an increase in first-quarter profits thanks to the singer's M by Mariah Carey perfume. The beauty-products company earned $350,000 on revenue of $271.8 million — a year before, the company lost $1.3 million on revenue of $254.8 million in the same quarter. Profits are expected to rise again next year. ...
Da Brat was released from jail after posting a $50,000 bond Thursday night, AP reports. The rapper (real name: Shawntae Harris) was involved in a serious physical altercation early Thursday morning at Jermaine Dupri's Atlanta nightclub, Studio 72. According to WSB-TV in Atlanta, police arrested her on felony aggravated-assault charges after she got into a heated confrontation with a waitress. Da Brat is said to have struck the waitress in the face with a bottle of rum, causing cuts on her face. The waitress was later taken to a local hospital for treatment. ... T-Pain had an uncomfortable experience on Friday when he was arrested in Florida on outstanding warrants, according to TMZ. The singer/rapper (real name: Faheem Najm) reportedly turned himself in to authorities at Leon County Jail, where he was charged with driving on a suspended license, and subsequently released on his own recognizance, without having to pay bail. According to TMZ, police saw T-Pain driving in Tallahassee in June and, after running his record, discovered that he had a suspended license. ...
Like Don Imus and others before him, Duane "Dog" Chapman's racially charged comments have resulted in his show being pulled from the airwaves — A&E yanked "Dog the Bounty Hunter" from its programming schedule on Friday. The channel's top-rated show is being pulled indefinitely, although it has not been canceled. At least two advertisers pulled away from the show on Thursday after a tape of a call between Chapman and his son Tucker — in which the TV star used the N-word repeatedly — surfaced on the National Enquirer's Web site the day before. Duane "Dog" Chapman's lawyer Brook Hart told AP Thursday that Tucker had taped the call and sold it to the tabloid for "a lot of money." ...
E-40 is turning 40! But the bash the Bay Area spitter is planning for November 15 at Las Vegas' Poetry Nightclub will serve as more than just a b-day celebration — E-40 will also be using the event to celebrate 20 years in the rap game and unveil his new beverage line, 40 Water. "Rapping brought me into the entertainment game; once I got in, my eyes got bigger," he said in a statement. "As a business man, I get the best of both worlds, and the privileges of working and reaping the benefits at the best time in my career." The star-studded party will also feature a sneak peek of his 2008 album, The Ball Street Journal, a yellow carpet and more. ...
When it comes to her spending money, Britney Spears always seems to be saying "Gimme More." Recently released court papers related to her custody dispute with ex-husband Kevin Federline show that the singer drops serious coin on clothes and entertainment and doesn't save or invest any of her almost $737,000 in monthly income, according to AP. Among Spears' monthly expenses are $49,267 in mortgages for two houses; $16,000 for clothes; and $102,000 on entertainment, gifts and vacations. And even though she's a fast-food junkie, she also stated in her financial declarations that she drops $4,758 per month dining out. She also spends zero on education, while giving $500 a month in charitable contributions. Federline, meanwhile, gets $15,000 per month in child support and $20,000 in spousal support, with the latter ending on November 15. ... Don't believe Vanessa Hudgens? Just look at her feet. The "High School Musical" starlet has submitted her hospital birth certificate, which includes her baby footprints, along with a motion that seeks the dismissal of a suit brought on by her ex-attorney Brian Schall, according to "Access Hollywood." He claims Hudgens owes him $150,000 after he helped her earn more than $5 million by advancing Hudgens' funds for her recording and songwriting career. But Hudgens argues that she was too young to sign her contract — when she did so in October 2005, she was 16 years old. A hearing is set for December 5 in Los Angeles. ...
The Spice Girls unveiled a video for "Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)," their first single in seven years, on TodayShow.com on Thursday. The racy video, which features the reunited squad shedding clothes, has since been making the rounds elsewhere. ... Jewel has recorded most of her LPs in Nashville over the years — but now she's ready for a full-on country affair, according to Billboard.com. The singer/songwriter recently signed a multi-album deal with Valory Music Company, a new Nashville indie label named in tribute to June Carter Cash (the country legend's birth name was Valerie June Carter). "I've been wanting to do this record my whole career, but my label was always scared of country music," Jewel said. "I've always had country songs on my records." Her yet-untitled new album will be produced by John Rich of Big & Rich. ...
Morrissey in '08? The singer's recent marathon stand at the Palladium in Hollywood was supposed to be his last sweep through the U.S. for the near future, but according to Billboard.com, his lawyer says Moz will be touring again early next year — and new music is on the way too. According to the magazine, Morrissey will sign a new deal with Sanctuary that will result in the release of a new studio album — to be produced by Jerry Finn, who helmed 2004's You Are the Quarry — and best-of collection next year. As for the tour, manager Merck Mercuriadis said Morrissey will "be back out in January. We'll take a short break and then start again in March." He didn't specify what cities are being considered. ...
Is Meat Loaf done? According to the U.K.'s Times Online, the rock singer announced that he was ending his career midway through a concert at the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle on Wednesday. "I can no longer continue," he reportedly said as "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" began playing. "This is the last show I may ever do in my life." The concert ended, although it was later announced that the show had been canceled due to an illness. It's yet unclear whether Meat will still perform his scheduled Friday night show in Birmingham. According to Times Online, Meat's promoter spoke with the singer's doctor, who assured the promoter that Meat was exhausted and stressed. The newspaper also reports that his publicist chalked up the Wednesday incident to one of the singer's occasional blowouts. Meat Loaf's management did not return calls to MTV News as of press time. ... The Decemberists have canceled the rest of their Long and Short of It Tour after just two dates, due to an ongoing illness affecting an unnamed bandmember, according to the band's spokesperson. "One of our bandmembers has been ill for a while, but we thought all would be well in time for these tour dates," the group wrote in a statement. "After a couple shows, though, it has become clear that the illness is much worse than we had initially realized. We need to return home so our friend can mend. It saddens us to disappoint our fans. We hope everybody understands it is only because of an extreme situation that we had to cancel a tour we've all been excited about doing since the idea was originally hatched." There are no current plans to reschedule the tour. ...
Jack Osbourne, Jeff Buckley fan? Apparently so — Ozzy's son will MC the Jeff Buckley 10th Anniversary Tribute Concert being stage

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