Britney Spears look-alikes on the set of the singer's new "Piece of Me" video
Photo: WENN/Newscom

Britney Spears' "Piece of Me" video is in place, even if it won't actually be out until January at earliest — People.com posted a sneak preview of it on Thursday (December 13). In the clip, her second one for Blackout, the singer and her dancers are chased by the paparazzi and duck into a club in an effort to escape. (Check out snaps from the "Piece of Me" video shoot right here.) Don't forget that Britney has reached out to fans to direct a separate "Piece of Me" video for her, with the winning clip to air December 20 on "TRL." For the "Britney Spears Wants a Piece of You" contest, MTV has opened its vaults of the footage shot of the pop singer over the years, and fans can access the goods via the MTV Video Remixer. Pick the shots you like, mash them up and hit "send" — clips can be up to 3:34 in length or shorter. The grand-prize winner also will receive a brand new Haier Ibiza Rhapsody device along with a one-year subscription to Rhapsody, as well as the entire catalog of Spears' CDs and DVDs released in the U.S. ...

Scott Weiland's DUI case will be continued on January 17, according to TMZ.com — the Velvet Revolver frontman was due to be arraigned Thursday (December 13). Maybe it would have helped if the rocker had gotten that news Wednesday night, when he allegedly ranted onstage at Velvet Revolver's show in Hollywood, the site reports. Weiland reportedly said his group is not the "Mormon Tabernacle f---ing Choir" and, a source allegedly told the site, steered clear of his bandmates backstage after the show and didn't have his picture taken. ... Scott Stapp is off the hook — a domestic battery charge against the rocker has been dropped after he completed terms of an agreement, including his required participation in anger management counseling, according to The Associated Press. The original charge was aggravated assault with intent to commit a felony but it was reduced to a misdemeanor on Monday. Stapp was arrested in May after his wife accused him of taking drugs and throwing a bottle at her. As part of his agreement, he also underwent a substance abuse evaluation and agreed not to have any weapons in his possession. ...

So much for Jessica Simpson's "Blonde Ambition" — the actress' flick, inspired by the '80s classic "Working Girl," is going straight to DVD, according to UsMagazine.com. The comedy, which co-stars Luke Wilson, will hit stores January 22. ...

If you think that lock of John Lennon's hair went for a lot of money — it was auctioned for $48,000 on Wednesday — wait till you hear how much a London dealer threw down for a handwritten, illustrated J.K. Rowling book: a cool 1.95 million pounds, the U.S. equivalent of $3.98 million, according to Reuters. The copy of "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" — a book that is referenced in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — was auctioned Thursday in London, and the price is the most anyone has ever paid for a modern literary manuscript at auction. All proceeds will go to Rowling's charity the Children's Voice, which helps vulnerable kids across Europe. ...

A Louisiana judge denied a request from C-Murder to travel to Texas for Pimp C's funeral on Thursday (December 13). According to an AP report, the judge would not make an allowance for the trip for Murder (born Corey Miller), who is currently under house arrest awaiting a retrial for the 2002 murder of a teen inside a nightclub. ...

Ne-Yo is heading to Wal-Mart — but not to go holiday shopping. Instead, the R&B singer will be at the retail chain's location in Torrance, California, on Friday to help with a toy drive for inner-city children. ... Coldplay have unearthed their cover of the Pretenders' Christmas-themed "2,000 Miles" and posted it on Coldplay.com. The group recorded the song — which benefited Future Forests and Stop Handgun Violence — in 2003 and made it available for a limited time as a paid download on their site. "We love Christmas songs, but every time we try and write one it's awful," Chris Martin wrote in an accompanying post. "So we often cover them — well, once or twice, actually. In fact, the song I would most like to have written is 'Fairytale of New York' by de bloody Pogues of Ireland." ...

Shakira elbowed her way onto the list of Golden Globe nominees — her "Love in the Time of Cholera" contribution earned a nod for Best Original Song. "I composed 'Despedida' with all my love for [Gabriel] Garcia Márquez, who is for me a true genius and the most eloquent spokesman of my people," she said in a statement, referring to the author who wrote the book on which the film was based. Eddie Vedder's "Guaranteed" from "Into the Wild" also made the cut, as did the "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story" tune "Walk Hard," which was penned and performed by John C. Reilly, Marshall Crenshaw, Jake Kasdan and Judd Apatow. Similarly, three "Wild" Vedder songs and a trio of "Walk Hard" cuts have made the Oscar committee's list of tracks being considered for Best Original Song, according to a weblog on Variety.com. Fifty-nine tunes — including ones by John Legend, John Mayer, the Flaming Lips, Sondre Lerche, Rufus Wainwright, Sheryl Crow and Fountains of Wayne frontman Adam Schlesinger — are eligible for the award. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will screen film clips featuring the tracks on January 15, after which the actual nominees for the Best Original Song category will be determined. ...

R. Kelly's Friday night concert at the Forum in Los Angeles will be protested by black activists calling for action against the singer, who is facing 14 counts of child pornography, the Los Angeles Times reports. "It's like pulling teeth to get people to talk about this," one activist, Jasmyne Cannick, told the Times. "It's a challenge to get the black community to even discuss it. They're acting like he doesn't have 14 counts of child pornography against him. ... We're all acting like we don't have daughters and nieces and little sisters." But Kelly's manager, Derrell McDavid, didn't seem too worried when he spoke to the newspaper. "There's been no protests on this tour," he said. "It's just been a warm embrace and sold-out shows." ... Are the Smashing Pumpkins already working on new material? It seems that way — but this time around, fans won't have to wait nearly as long. Drummer Jimmy Chamberlin wrote in a blog post on their Web site that they're in the midst of tracking, and hinted that the Pumpkins might have new material to release as early as January 1. "We are back in the studio recording some songs for a possible release worldwide," he wrote. "Look for these around the first of the year." ...

Snoop Dogg's Youth Football League is still going strong, and the rapper has plotted a third benefit show to raise funds for the project, which helps kids stay off the streets. "The kids in the league depend on me to keep it going, and giving 100 percent of the sales from this concert is my way of making it happen for all of them," he said in a statement about the show, which will take place Saturday at the House of Blues in West Hollywood, California. All proceeds will go to the league and be used for new uniforms, transportation, lodging and food for the upcoming Snoop Bowl, taking place during Super Bowl weekend in Arizona. ... Linkin Park's ambitious Music for Relief project has taken on another cause: raising money and awareness about the humanitarian crisis that has resulted in Bangladesh in the aftermath of Cyclone Sidr. The outreach organization has launched an eBay auction featuring items by LP, Avril Lavigne, Smashing Pumpkins and Deftones, with all proceeds going to the international relief group Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere. ... George Clooney and Don Cheadle were honored in Rome on Thursday with a peace award for their efforts to raise awareness about the Darfur humanitarian crisis, according to AP. Also Thursday, they urged world leaders to provide helicopters for a peacekeeping force, partially led by the United Nations, that will take over security in the Sudanese area later in December. ...

Look, up in the sky, it's the Spice Girls! The reunited group has revealed the name of its Virgin Atlantic jumbo jet: Spice One. The name was chosen via an online contest, and the winner — who hails from Brazil — recently joined the ladies at their recent ceremony at Los Angeles International Airport. ... Three Thom Yorke remixes that were previously available on his Web site will be issued February 4 in the U.K. in the form of 12-inches. The remixes are by the Field, Four Tet and others. ...

Lupe Fiasco has filled up his calendar with concert dates, promotional appearances in support of his sophomore album, Lupe Fiasco's "The Cool," which drops Tuesday. LupeFiasco.com will be relaunched that day, on which Fiasco will also play a gig at New York's the Fillmore at Irving Plaza. After that, he'll stage a December 20 in-store gig at the Bassment in his Chicago hometown; a "MySpace Presents the Release" show in Hawaii on December 27; and then set out on a tour that starts January 10 in Portland, Oregon, and ends March 25 in Fredricksburg, Virginia. In the meantime, stream The Cool in its entirety on MTV's "The Leak." ...

While less than 20,000 of the reported millions who wanted to see Monday's Led Zeppelin reunion in London were actually able to attend the gig, millions more briefly relived the experience vicariously through bootleg online clips. But, almost as fast as those clips showed up on sites like YouTube, they were reportedly taken down at the request of the band's management. Or perhaps at the request of Warner Bros., which owns the publishing rights to Zeppelin's catalog, according to Portfolio.com, which reported that individual clips began disappearing from YouTube on Tuesday afternoon "due to a copyright claim by Warner Music Group," which, incidentally, has a licensing deal with YouTube for its content. However, the story got even weirder Thursday morning, when the Silicon Alley Insider revealed that a Brooklyn, New York, company called "GrayZone," which bills itself as the "bootbusters of the entertainment industry," took the initiative in sending out the takedown notices. According to the Alley Insider story, GrayZone apologized for erroneously issuing the notices and explained, "The error is ours alone. We acted without authorization from the band or Warner Music Group. Unfortunately, an automated system mistakenly attributed the removal of the content to a copyright claim by Warner Music Group. That was inaccurate. We have informed YouTube of the error and we regret any inconvenience this may have caused." Speculation had surfaced that the reason for the takedown might be tied to an expected DVD release of the event at some point next year. ... In related news, Robert Plant will tour next year, but not necessarily with Zep. He'll make the rounds with Alison Krauss, with whom he collaborated for their October release Raising Sand. The pair will trek through Europe in May. ...

There's a new "Jackass" movie coming, and you won't even have to leave the house to see it. The 64-minute "Jackass 2.5" will stream for free from Wednesday until December 31 at JackassWorld.com with previously unreleased footage and interviews. The movie, touted as the first-ever studio-backed feature streamed entirely online, is available to anyone over 17 who downloads the Microsoft Silverlight media player, which can be found at Blockbuster.JackassWorld.com. ... Janet Jackson has finally settled on a title, release date and lead single for her follow-up to last year's 20 Y.O. Discipline will drop February 26 and be preceded by the first single, the Rodney Jerkins-produced "Feedback," which impacts January 7. Ne-Yo, Jermaine Dupri, Stargate, The-Dream and others also lent their talents to the veteran singer's 10th studio effort, which was executive produced by Antonio "L.A." Reid. ... The Liars have lined up a headlining stint for next year as they continue to support their self-titled release, which came out in August. The band will set sail January 25 in San Francisco and play about a month's worth of gigs that will wind down with a February 22 show in Los Angeles.

12.12.07

More Miley! The "Hannah Montana" star has freshened up her Best of Both Worlds Tour schedule with 14 additional January dates, meaning more of her fans will be thrilled and more opportunities will be had for raging ticket controversies. Instead of capping off her tour January 9 in Albany, New York, Cyrus will hit the following cities: Detroit (January 11); Milwaukee (January 13); Chicago (January 14); St. Louis (January 15); Las Vegas (January 18-19); Glendale, Arizona (January 22); Austin, Texas (January 24); Lafayette, Louisiana (January 25); New Orleans (January 26); Orlando, Florida (January 28-29); Jacksonville, Florida (January 30); and Miami (January 31). The Jonas Brothers have been opening for Cyrus but will be replaced by Aly & AJ from January 11-24, after which a yet-unannounced supporting act will take over for the remaining shows. ...

Shia LaBeouf's criminal trespassing charge has just gone poof. Walgreens Co. and a security company announced via a letter read in a Chicago court Wednesday (December 12) that they will not continue a case involving criminal charges against the actor for refusing to leave one of the chain's stores in early November. The "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" star, who reportedly appeared intoxicated at the time of the incident, was arrested and charged with misdemeanor criminal trespassing. ...

"Fantastic" news for Jessica Alba: The actress is pregnant, People.com reports. According to the site, the "Awake" star's representative said her boyfriend Cash Warren is the father. Alba reportedly met Warren on the set of "Fantastic Four" in 2004, at which point they began dating. The actress was reportedly in talks to go to Broadway for a revival of the David Mamet play "Speed-the-Plow." ... Relatedly, it's hard out here for a ... Broadway star? Terrence Howard has signed on for an all-black version of Tennessee Williams' "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" that will debut March 6 at New York's Broadhurst Theatre. James Earl Jones, Phylicia Rashad and Anika Noni Rose of "Dreamgirls" will also star in the third revival of the production, which marks Howard's stage debut. He will play Brick, the aging alcoholic ex-football player. ...

What do John Legend and Eddie Vedder have in common, besides a great set of pipes? The singers are joining together to provide music for an upcoming documentary miniseries based on Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States," a 1980 book that is widely read in high schools and colleges, and its companion piece, "Voices of a People's History of the United States," according to Billboard.com. "The People Speak" will begin production in Boston in January and also involve Viggo Mortensen, Josh Brolin and other actors. Vedder brought Zinn, a Boston University professor, onstage at a Pearl Jam show in Boston three years ago. ...

Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe have more than their Australian backgrounds in common. Forbes has named the actors as the most overpaid celebrities in Hollywood, according to a complicated formula involving the stars' salaries, budgets and returns for movies in which they have appeared, and more. Jim Carrey, Will Ferrell and Adam Sandler also made the list. ...

Just in time for Christmas comes news that Britney Spears has been offered to play the role of the Virgin Mary in the upcoming film "Sweet Baby Jesus," a humorous retelling of the nativity story, according to Us Weekly. "I had to convince my partners because they were like, 'Oh, no. Britney?' " Philippe Rebboah, the film's French producer, reportedly said. "But I thought it was brilliant. It's a bit ironic that she would play the Virgin Mary, no? ... She likes the idea, that's what I heard." Rebboah added that the singer is reviewing the script and will make a decision soon whether to act in the movie, which will be filmed in March. ... You could say this year's "Idol Gives Back" charity special was a wee bit successful — it only raked in a mere $75 million, for charities in the U.S. and Africa. "American Idol" will give the fundraiser another go on April 9 at 8 p.m. with a two-hour special featuring performances and appearances by yet-unnamed celebrities, according to Variety. The show itself will be back January 15 with a two-hour special. ...

Sigur Rós are plotting a batch of theatrical screenings for "Heima," the new documentary film they released late last month. The movie, which revolves around a series of free shows the band played in its native Iceland last summer, will be shown Tuesday (San Francisco, Denver); December 19 (Boston, Atlanta); and December 20 (Austin, Texas; Seattle). ... A lock of John Lennon's hair that went up for bid Wednesday had been estimated to sell for $4,000 to $6,000 — but an unnamed telephone bidder actually shelled out $48,000 for it in the Beatles memorabilia auction, The Associated Press reports. The items in the auction had been collected by the legendary group's hairdresser, and a photo of the band dedicated to her — it was signed "George 'Dandruff' Harrison" — went for $13,000. ...

Music/social-networking site Mog.com relaunched on Wednesday with some seriously beefed-up content. As the result of a deal with Rhapsody Music Service — a joint venture with MTV — Moggers can now listen to millions of full-length songs on their own pages and on the pages of others, and a new search function provides instant access to specific music anywhere on Mog. Using the "play all" function, users can hear what like-minded people are listening to, while the "play this page" function lets users instantly create a playlist of every song mentioned on another Mogger's page. ... Maybe this is where those Led Zeppelin tour rumors came from: Nashville's WSMT-TV is reporting that Zep frontman Robert Plant and bluegrass star Alison Krauss will take the stage together at the Bonnaroo festival in Manchester, Tennessee, in June to perform songs from their collaborative CD, Raising Sand. The fest will be held June 12-15.

• Britney Spears
• Velvet Revolver
• Scott Stapp
• Creed
• Jessica Simpson

Simon Cowell (file)
Photo: Getty Images/ Michael Buckner

Melinda Doolittle should have won "American Idol" — and Britney Spears needs to ditch her "stupid friends" if she wants to save her career, Simon Cowell told "Good Morning America" on Thursday (May 24). The "Idol" judge summed up Wednesday night's results ("the singer won over the entertainer"), called Jordin Sparks the season's "most improved" contestant and said Melinda "tried the hardest, was consistently the best, and had the best voice." And as for Britney, Simon says he could have put her on the right path back in 2006. "My advice to her six months ago was to go home to your family, lock the door, don't go out with your stupid friends, have some home-cooked food. Get a sense of reality. ... And then say to yourself, 'There's more good in my life than bad. I'm still a rich, talented girl and now I want to get my career back on track.' End of story." ...

Jordin Sparks is no doubt celebrating her "American Idol" victory, but the show's organizers might not be so happy with the finale results. Reuters reports that 7 million fewer people tuned into the last episode of the show compared with last year. ... Paul McCartney is fed up with hearing rumors that he backed out of appearing on the Wednesday night show, which his ex Heather Mills attended. In a statement released to TMZ.com, a representative for McCartney said the former Beatle was never scheduled to appear on the show in the first place. ...

Write on: Amy Winehouse, Madonna and the Arctic Monkeys scooped up Ivor Novello songwriting awards on Thursday. Winehouse won Best Contemporary Song honors for "Rehab." ... Talk about scary: Marilyn Manson has recorded an acoustic cover of Justin Timberlake's "What Goes Around ..." on the BBC, according to Stereogum.com. ... The karmic returns keep coming in for Bono. The U2 singer will be hailed with this year's Liberty Medal for helping to bring attention to Africa's medical and economic problems, The Associated Press reports. He and his Debts, AIDS, Trade, Africa organization will accept the award September 27, with a $100,000 donation going to DATA. ...

Get ready to strap on your axes: The songs that will be featured in "Guitar Hero III" have been revealed, according to GameSpot.com. The game will include a handful of original recordings, including Weezer's "My Name Is Jonas," Smashing Pumpkins' "Cherub Rock," Beastie Boys' "Sabotage," Tenacious D's "The Metal," Rolling Stones' "Paint It Black," Living Colour's "Cult of Personality" and Muse's "Knights of Cydonia." Covers of songs by Heart, Kiss, Alice Cooper and others will also appear in the game, which is due later this year. ...

Scott Stapp has issued a public apology following his domestic violence arrest over the weekend. "I am truly sorry and seek forgiveness from my wife, as she has done the same seeking forgiveness from me," the former Creed frontman said. "We both know we were wrong in how we handled the argument and in some of the allegations that were made. Now we are trying to move forward as a family." Stapp said in the statement that some things said to police in the heat of the moment weren't true. "As in most cases like this, the next day everyone is sorry and wishes they didn't get the police involved and said what they did about their partner. ... We would also like to apologize to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Department for calling them to our home and taking them away from the very serious and dangerous job of protecting our community." ...

Lady Sovereign offered an apology of her own to fans who waited until 3:30 a.m for her to take the stage at a show in Brooklyn, New York, last week — only to have the rapper walk off two songs later. "I know how stupid I must have looked on Friday," Sov said in a statement. "I was tired and not in the mood, having a bad day." How bad? According to her rep, the rapper's tour bus broke down on her way to New York from New Jersey's PNC Bank Arts Center, where she opened for Gwen Stefani, making her late for the four-song set she had scheduled at Brooklyn's Studio B. "But that's no excuse for letting fans down," the statement continued. "I"m sorry to those that were at Studio B to see me." ...

Aly & AJ have wrapped up their new LP Insomniac, which is due July 10. The video for the first single, "Potential Breakup Song," was shot by Chris Applebaum (Britney Spears, Hilary Duff). Also keep an eye out for boxes of Honeycomb cereal, which the girls will also be appearing on. ... Snoop Dogg and Chris Cornell have been added to the lineup of the Live Earth concerts set for July 7. Both will take the stage in Germany for Live Earth Hamburg, one of nine worldwide events to raise awareness of climate change. ...

AirWair Ltd., the company behind Dr. Martens footwear, has fired its advertising agency in the wake of controversy surrounding a British ad campaign that includes a photo of Kurt Cobain. In a press release obtained by TheDailySwarm.com, AirWair Ltd. CEO David Suddens said the poster campaign crafted by Saatchi & Saatchi wasn't supposed to go public. "Dr. Martens did not commission the work as it runs counter to our current marketing activities," Suddens said in a statement. Saatchi & Saatchi, in the meantime, is standing by the ad campaign. A representative for Courtney Love previously told People magazine she didn't give permission for Dr. Martens to use a photo of her late husband in the campaign. "She thinks it's outrageous that a company is allowed to commercially gain from such a despicable use of her husband's picture," her spokesperson said. "It does appear that in the U.K. what Dr. Martens has done is allowed. Courtney did not, and would not, approve of such a use of Kurt's name and likeness." ...

Jack Bruce, bassist for Cream, told AP Thursday that the iconic blues-rock power trio will get back together for a series of shows later this year, even though he recently told British newspaper The Scotsman that there was no way the group would re-form. His former bandmates Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker have not confirmed the reunion. ... Liars are saying goodbye to their conceptual material with a more accessible self-titled LP due August 28. The traditionally structured songs include such paradoxical titles as "The Dumb in the Rain," "Clear Island" and "Leather Prowler." ... Dave Navarro said his band, the Panic Channel, plan on recording and releasing their next album without the help of a record label; the band recently parted ways with Capitol Records. In a post on his 6767.com blog, the former Jane's Addiction guitarist said he's eager to break free from record company "slavery." "Our plan is to write, record, mix and make the music available online, DIY-style," he wrote. There's no word yet on when the album might surface.

05.23.2007

A Philadelphia author has filed a lawsuit against Jay-Z, Damon Dash and Lionsgate Films, claiming his book, "The Family: A Philadelphia Mob Story," was used without rights as the inspiration for the 2002 Roc-A-Fella film "State Property" starring Beanie Sigel. In the suit, filed May 8 in Manhattan, New York, Antonne Jones claims he pitched Jay-Z and Dash his script years earlier but didn't hear back from them after later rejecting a $50,000 offer for the rights to the plot. Representatives for Jay-Z and Dash did not respond to inquiries made by MTV News as of press time. ...

Jay-Z may be in even more hot water, as a former waitress at his 40/40 sports bar in New York filed a lawsuit against the mogul and his business partners, according to TMZ.com. Celeste Williams claims she was paid below minimum wage and shares of her tips and overtime pay were withheld. A spokesperson for the bar told TMZ that Williams was only employed at the establishment for four days and was paid accordingly. In the compliant, Williams' lawyers allege that more than 100 other employees will also join the lawsuit. ...

Lindsay Lohan says it's a little strange being #1 on Maxim's "Hot 100." "It's really flattering," she told MTV News last week, "but it does get kind of awkward." Lohan also revealed that she plans to begin work on a new album soon. "We'll start in probably June or July and take four months," she explained. Lohan said she's collaborating with Maverick Records CEO Guy Oseary on the disc, which will have an "urban pop" sound. ...

Want to read the first pages of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" right at midnight on its release date ... in London ... with J.K. Rowling? Seven U.S. fans of the Potter series will win a trip to the midnight launch event at London's Natural History Museum on July 21, when they can meet the author, have their book signed and take part in a special Rowling reading. To enter the contest, visit Scholastic.com. ... In other literary news, Borat has become an author too — Sacha Baron Cohen's fictional Kazakh "journalist" is penning two books: "Borat: Touristic Guidings to Minor Nation of U.S. and A." and "Borat: Touristic Guidings to Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan," AP reports. They're due in the fall. ...

The White Stripes' Icky Thump tour has just gotten a little ickier. The band, which will be on the road in the U.S. for much of July, will kick off another leg of the trek with September 4-5 shows at Chicago's Aragon Ballroom. The 15-date tour will also hit cities including Fargo, North Dakota (September 7); Salt Lake City (September 12); Berkeley, California (September 21); and Anchorage, Alaska (September 24), as well as two performances at the Austin City Limits Festival (September 15-16). The tour wraps up with September 26-27 shows in Seattle. ... Rihanna debuted "Shut Up and Drive," the second single from her forthcoming album Good Girl Gone Bad on her Web site Tuesday. The LP, which also includes the single "Umbrella" (featuring Jay-Z), is due June 5. ...

But where are the Canucks? Justin Timberlake, Hilary Duff, My Chemical Romance, Gwen Stefani, Akon, Fergie and Fall Out Boy will compete for MuchMusic Video Awards, it was announced Wednesday (May 23). Nickelback and K-os, who landed five and four nods respectively, will represent the music channel's Canada homeland; Red Hot Chili Peppers, Evanescence, Killers, AFI, Feist and Nelly Furtado are also up for awards. The ceremony will be held June 17 in Toronto. ... Miri Ben-Ari was involved in a car accident Wednesday afternoon in Jersey City, New Jersey, her manager told MTV News. According to her manager, the hip-hop violinist was stopped at a red light in her Mercedes-Benz when a UPS truck rammed her from behind. Ben-Ari, who has worked with everyone from Kanye West to Twista to Scarface, hit her head on the steering wheel and was taken to a nearby hospital, where she was treated and released soon thereafter. Although her injuries are said not to be serious, she will be laid up at home for a couple of days, following doctor's orders to rest. ...

Sanjaya Malakar is already getting his acting career started. In a crudely edited one-minute online short released this week, the hair-raising "American Idol" sensation stars as a 25-year-old student at the Rhode Island School of Design named Bill Vendall, who claims to have invented Sanjaya as an "elaborate art project" that was part of his thesis program. "To the fans of Sanjaya, maybe you are actually fans of Bill Vendall, the artist. ... I am art. I am sure many of you subconsciously knew what I was doing," a snooty, black-clad, white-shades-wearing Vendall/Malakar says in the clip. Over a lazy blues instrumental and blurry camera close-ups, the "artist" points to a montage of Sanjaya "Idol" highlights and mockingly says, "How could you look at this, this, this and not see it as a symbol for the self-referencing nature of progressive evolution?" ...

Phil Spector wasn't the only one in the hot seat in the music producer's murder trial on Wednesday, according to AP. Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler said Dr. Henry Lee removed an object from the scene where actress Lana Clarkson was killed and that he must "produce it forthwith." Attorney Sara Caplan testified that she saw the renowned forensic expert place a white object into a vial during the defense's search of Spector's mansion, and the prosecution claims it was a piece of Clarkson's fingernail. Prosecutors also contend that the fingernail has a trace of the passing bullet and will show that the actress resisted having a gun placed in her mouth. Lee has denied taking the object from the crime scene and, despite Fidler's request, will not be held in contempt because of conflicting accounts regarding the object. The judge said jurors will have to determine for themselves whether Lee is a credible witness. "Dr. Lee has a lot to lose here," Fidler said in a hearing, although the jury was not present. ...

More details have emerged about the alleged domestic dispute at the Florida home of former Creed frontman Scott Stapp over the weekend. In a 911 transcript released Tuesday, Stapp's wife, former Miss New York Jaclyn Nesheiwat, called authorities on Sunday pleading with them to come to the couple's home. She told a dispatcher, "He just threw a glass bottle at me. ... He just came home, he's wasted ... he's been out partying all night," according to AP. Nesheiwat told the dispatcher that Stapp — who went to rehab in 2004 — was "on drugs and pot. There's a lot of pot in the house," adding that there were also "a lot" of guns in the home. Before police arrived, Nesheiwat called 911 again to report that Stapp was "hiding all the drugs." Nesheiwat was not injured in the incident, in which Stapp was arrested and initially charged with aggravated assault with intent to commit a felony, although the count was later reduced to a misdemeanor. Stapp was released from custody on Monday and will be subject to random drug and alcohol testing. ...

Brother Ali, Cage, Sage Francis, Mr. Lif and Felt (featuring Murs, Slug and Ant) are opening up their pockets again for another Paid Dues tour. The third installment of the underground-hip-hop trek sets sail July 25 in Chicago and docks August 12 in San Diego. ... Former Queens of the Stone Age bassist Nick Oliveri has inked a deal with Suburban Noize for the release of the new album from his current group, Nick Oliveri and the Mondo Generator. The LP, Dead Planet: SonicSlowMotionTrails, lands in stores July 17 — just in time for the band's appearance on this summer's Ozzfest. ... After years of relative silence, Portishead have been tapped to curate and perform at the All Tomorrow's Parties' Nightmare Before Christmas Festival, to be held December 7-9 at Butlins Holiday Camp in Minehead, England. The band will unveil fresh material during the gig, but there are no plans yet for the group to release an LP — which would be its first studio outing since 1997's self-titled effort.

05.23.2007

A Philadelphia author has filed a lawsuit against Jay-Z, Damon Dash and Lionsgate Films, claiming his book, "The Family: A Philadelphia Mob Story," was used without rights as the inspiration for the 2002 Roc-A-Fella film "State Property" starring Beanie Sigel. In the suit, filed May 8 in Manhattan, New York, Antonne Jones claims he pitched Jay-Z and Dash his script years earlier but didn't hear back from them after later rejecting a $50,000 offer for the rights to the plot. Representatives for Jay-Z and Dash did not respond to inquiries made by MTV News as of press time. ...

Jay-Z may be in even more hot water, as a former waitress at his 40/40 sports bar in New York filed a lawsuit against the mogul and his business partners, according to TMZ.com. Celeste Williams claims she was paid below minimum wage and shares of her tips and overtime pay were withheld. A spokesperson for the bar told TMZ that Williams was only employed at the establishment for four days and was paid accordingly. In the compliant, Williams' lawyers allege that more than 100 other employees will also join the lawsuit. ...

Lindsay Lohan says it's a little strange being #1 on Maxim's "Hot 100." "It's really flattering," she told MTV News last week, "but it does get kind of awkward." Lohan also revealed that she plans to begin work on a new album soon. "We'll start in probably June or July and take four months," she explained. Lohan said she's collaborating with Maverick Records CEO Guy Oseary on the disc, which will have an "urban pop" sound. ...

Want to read the first pages of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" right at midnight on its release date ... in London ... with J.K. Rowling? Seven U.S. fans of the Potter series will win a trip to the midnight launch event at London's Natural History Museum on July 21, when they can meet the author, have their book signed and take part in a special Rowling reading. To enter the contest, visit Scholastic.com. ... In other literary news, Borat has become an author too — Sacha Baron Cohen's fictional Kazakh "journalist" is penning two books: "Borat: Touristic Guidings to Minor Nation of U.S. and A." and "Borat: Touristic Guidings to Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan," AP reports. They're due in the fall. ...

The White Stripes' Icky Thump tour has just gotten a little ickier. The band, which will be on the road in the U.S. for much of July, will kick off another leg of the trek with September 4-5 shows at Chicago's Aragon Ballroom. The 15-date tour will also hit cities including Fargo, North Dakota (September 7); Salt Lake City (September 12); Berkeley, California (September 21); and Anchorage, Alaska (September 24), as well as two performances at the Austin City Limits Festival (September 15-16). The tour wraps up with September 26-27 shows in Seattle. ... Rihanna debuted "Shut Up and Drive," the second single from her forthcoming album Good Girl Gone Bad on her Web site Tuesday. The LP, which also includes the single "Umbrella" (featuring Jay-Z), is due June 5. ...

But where are the Canucks? Justin Timberlake, Hilary Duff, My Chemical Romance, Gwen Stefani, Akon, Fergie and Fall Out Boy will compete for MuchMusic Video Awards, it was announced Wednesday (May 23). Nickelback and K-os, who landed five and four nods respectively, will represent the music channel's Canada homeland; Red Hot Chili Peppers, Evanescence, Killers, AFI, Feist and Nelly Furtado are also up for awards. The ceremony will be held June 17 in Toronto. ... Miri Ben-Ari was involved in a car accident Wednesday afternoon in Jersey City, New Jersey, her manager told MTV News. According to her manager, the hip-hop violinist was stopped at a red light in her Mercedes-Benz when a UPS truck rammed her from behind. Ben-Ari, who has worked with everyone from Kanye West to Twista to Scarface, hit her head on the steering wheel and was taken to a nearby hospital, where she was treated and released soon thereafter. Although her injuries are said not to be serious, she will be laid up at home for a couple of days, following doctor's orders to rest. ...

Sanjaya Malakar is already getting his acting career started. In a crudely edited one-minute online short released this week, the hair-raising "American Idol" sensation stars as a 25-year-old student at the Rhode Island School of Design named Bill Vendall, who claims to have invented Sanjaya as an "elaborate art project" that was part of his thesis program. "To the fans of Sanjaya, maybe you are actually fans of Bill Vendall, the artist. ... I am art. I am sure many of you subconsciously knew what I was doing," a snooty, black-clad, white-shades-wearing Vendall/Malakar says in the clip. Over a lazy blues instrumental and blurry camera close-ups, the "artist" points to a montage of Sanjaya "Idol" highlights and mockingly says, "How could you look at this, this, this and not see it as a symbol for the self-referencing nature of progressive evolution?" ...

Phil Spector wasn't the only one in the hot seat in the music producer's murder trial on Wednesday, according to AP. Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler said Dr. Henry Lee removed an object from the scene where actress Lana Clarkson was killed and that he must "produce it forthwith." Attorney Sara Caplan testified that she saw the renowned forensic expert place a white object into a vial during the defense's search of Spector's mansion, and the prosecution claims it was a piece of Clarkson's fingernail. Prosecutors also contend that the fingernail has a trace of the passing bullet and will show that the actress resisted having a gun placed in her mouth. Lee has denied taking the object from the crime scene and, despite Fidler's request, will not be held in contempt because of conflicting accounts regarding the object. The judge said jurors will have to determine for themselves whether Lee is a credible witness. "Dr. Lee has a lot to lose here," Fidler said in a hearing, although the jury was not present. ...

More details have emerged about the alleged domestic dispute at the Florida home of former Creed frontman Scott Stapp over the weekend. In a 911 transcript released Tuesday, Stapp's wife, former Miss New York Jaclyn Nesheiwat, called authorities on Sunday pleading with them to come to the couple's home. She told a dispatcher, "He just threw a glass bottle at me. ... He just came home, he's wasted ... he's been out partying all night," according to AP. Nesheiwat told the dispatcher that Stapp — who went to rehab in 2004 — was "on drugs and pot. There's a lot of pot in the house," adding that there were also "a lot" of guns in the home. Before police arrived, Nesheiwat called 911 again to report that Stapp was "hiding all the drugs." Nesheiwat was not injured in the incident, in which Stapp was arrested and initially charged with aggravated assault with intent to commit a felony, although the count was later reduced to a misdemeanor. Stapp was released from custody on Monday and will be subject to random drug and alcohol testing. ...

Brother Ali, Cage, Sage Francis, Mr. Lif and Felt (featuring Murs, Slug and Ant) are opening up their pockets again for another Paid Dues tour. The third installment of the underground-hip-hop trek sets sail July 25 in Chicago and docks August 12 in San Diego. ... Former Queens of the Stone Age bassist Nick Oliveri has inked a deal with Suburban Noize for the release of the new album from his current group, Nick Oliveri and the Mondo Generator. The LP, Dead Planet: SonicSlowMotionTrails, lands in stores July 17 — just in time for the band's appearance on this summer's Ozzfest. ... After years of relative silence, Portishead have been tapped to curate and perform at the All Tomorrow's Parties' Nightmare Before Christmas Festival, to be held December 7-9 at Butlins Holiday Camp in Minehead, England. The band will unveil fresh material during the gig, but there are no plans yet for the group to release an LP — which would be its first studio outing since 1997's self-titled effort.

• Live From 'American Idol' Finale Red Carpet
• 'American Idol' Finale: 130 Minutes In Just 60 Seconds

• Melinda Doolittle
• Britney Spears
• Creed
• Scott Stapp
• Lady Sovereign

Britney Spears in Miami on Sunday
Photo: Alexander Tamargo/ Getty Images

The news happens all the time, even while you're enjoying your weekend. Check out this brief rundown to bring you up to speed this morning — a quick heads up from your friends at MTV News.

Here's what we've got:

The sixth season of "American Idol" signs off this week, and what a season it's been. But Sanjaya's unforgettable run and Melinda's shocking departure follow five years of "whoa!" moments — read and watch as MTV News' "American Idol" expert Jim Cantiello recaps seasons one through five in five minutes. ...

Kanye West plans to light up the stage on his upcoming tour, which he's titled "Glow in the Dark," he told us first. Also in Mixtape Monday: Pharrell says he's mixing some Baltimore house music into Twista's new single, "Give It Up," Obie Trice has Eminem and Akon on his LP wish list, Jadakiss lets his music speak for itself and lots more.

It was a good weekend for new music. Friday night in Nashville, the White Stripes rocked the Cannery Ballroom, breaking their onstage fast with an intense 80-minute set at the intimate venue. And a day later, Linkin Park, Korn and Queens of the Stone Age hit KROQ's annual Weenie Roast, delivering new tunes to the Irvine, California, crowd. ...

And "Shrek the Third" is first — the animated sequel earned $122 million its opening weekend, making it #1 at the box office this weekend and the top-earning animated film of all time. ...

Quote of the Day: "I ain't even take my warm-up jacket off yet. This is just Jazzercise!" — Jadakiss on "Pay Attention."

Here's what everyone else is talking about:

Britney Spears brought her 14-minute show to Florida over the weekend and ran into some technical difficulties, People reports. Spears' backing track skipped during her show at Orlando's House of Blues on Saturday and she briefly ran offstage after her top nearly fell off during her Miami gig at Mansion on Sunday. And while Britney battled through her stage troubles, she was less of a trouper when it came to travel, according to The New York Post. Gossip column "Page Six" reported Sunday that Spears hopped off of her Friday flight to Miami due to some less-than-luxurious accommodations. So where will she turn up next? If PerezHilton.com's "totally unconfirmed and completely unsubstantiated" report is to be believed, you may see Britney perform on this week's "American Idol" finale. ...

Former Creed frontman Scott Stapp was arrested at his Boca Raton, Florida, home on Sunday and charged with assault related to domestic violence, The Associated Press reports. He has been charged with one count of domestic assault and is being held without bond, according to a Palm Beach County official. No one was injured or hospitalized in the incident. Stapp's wife, Jaclyn Nesheiwat, did not comment on the specifics of the arrest, but said, "It's just a rough time," according to The Palm Beach Post. ...

The New York Post reported Saturday that Method Man was arrested Thursday night in Brooklyn, New York, after being pulled over for an expired inspection sticker — and found to be driving in a car full of what appeared to be marijuana smoke. The Wu-Tang rapper admitted that he had more marijuana under the driver's seat, according to the Post source — "I guess he was feeling mellow." He was arraigned in Brooklyn Criminal Court and released on his own recognizance Friday. ...

In other legal news, TMZ.com reports that Foxy Brown passed up a plea deal related to her battery charge in Broward County, Florida, and may stand trial in September. She could be sentenced to one year in prison. ... And Sylvester Stallone will pay — about $10,000 — for trying to bring human growth hormone into Australia, AP reports. A judge in Sydney hit the actor with a $2,451 fine and ordered him to pay $8,200 in court costs on Monday (May 21). The actor pleaded guilty to the charge last week, explaining that he didn't know human growth hormone was banned in the country. ...

Even breakups and DUI busts sound like good news when celebs talk to People. Over the weekend, the site reported that Jessica Simpson is "very happy" following her split with John Mayer, while Nick Carter is grateful that he got popped in 2005 for driving under the influence. Marilyn Manson, on the other hand, said that his marriage to Dita Von Teese left him a "naked, featherless bird," People reports. One of these things is not like the other: People got that scoop from a Spin interview. ...

What's "the last thing the planet needs"? An invasion of angry aliens? A giant asteroid headed right this way? If you ask Roger Daltrey, the greatest menace is Al Gore's Live Earth concerts. The Who frontman joined the (not very long) list of artists speaking out against the July 7 event, telling British tabloid The Sun that global warming's " questions and the answers are so huge I don't know what a rock concert's ever going to do to help." Fair enough. So what's Daltrey's suggestion? He'd "burn all the ... oil as quick as possible, then the politicians will have to find a solution," according to the Sun interview. ...

And U2 promoted the premiere of their Vertigo Tour film "U2 3D" in Cannes on Saturday with a short red-carpet set featuring "Vertigo" and "Where the Streets Have No Name," Reuters reports.

• 'American Idol': Six Seasons In Six Minutes

• Linkin Park, Korn, Incubus, More At Weenie Roast '07

• Britney Spears
• Scott Stapp
• Creed
• Method Man
• Jessica Simpson

Diddy
Photo: Brad Barket/Getty Images

Diddy's planning to drop his next — and last — solo album September 19, he told MTV Europe, and to make it special, he's recruited a lot of help, including Mary J. Blige, Christina Aguilera, Brandy, Busta Rhymes, Nas and Will.I.Am. "I'm taking from what I've learned from dance music, electro-clash, techno, hip-hop, soul and pop, and kind of fusing it together," Diddy said. "It's like everything in hip-hop is so hardcore with guns and problems and beef, and nobody is being romantic — not in a corny way, but just giving all of yourself. It's still going to have that gangsta vibe to it, but it's a musical journey. It's going to feel good." Diddy said the first single will be a club track. "We are going to bring a lot of high fashion, a lot of energy, a lot of sex, a lot of drugs, spirituality, good times," he explained. "We're going to have something for the kids, but it's really an adult thing. It's definitely pornographic, orgasmic, gangsta, to the point where your soul feels good. It's like a spiritual revolution. It's like being sanctified." And if that sounds like an odd combo, Diddy sums it up as "Little Richard-style for the ladies." ...

A Miami judge dismissed an invasion of privacy lawsuit filed by an unidentified woman against Scott Stapp and Kid Rock on Wednesday, saying the woman cannot sue if she remains anonymous, according to The Associated Press. Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Gerald Hubbart told the lawyer for the woman who appears in the infamous, but as yet unreleased, sex video featuring the two rockers that she could refile the suit in 20 days if she's willing to use her real name. ...

On Thursday morning (April 20), Pixies frontman Frank Black and his wife welcomed their fourth child, a girl named Lucy Berlin Thompson. Little Lucy weighed in at a shade under 8 pounds, 10 ounces and is apparently destined for superstardom: "She's gorgeous," Black said in a statement. "She's got lips like Angelina Jolie." ... Rancid have been floating under the radar since the 2003 release of their sixth album, Indestructible. But this summer, fans of the Tim Armstrong-led punks have something to look forward to. Rancid will release a yet-untitled DVD, featuring 31 videos shot between 1993 and 2003, in July, according to the band's official site. They're also planning a tour to coincide with the DVD's release. ...

A.F.I. will head out this spring with Dillinger Escape Plan and Nightmare of You. So far just a handful of dates have been firmed up: June 13 (Montreal), June 15 (Toronto), June 20 (Boston), June 22 (New York), June 24 (Philadelphia) and July 11 (Denver), with more to be announced in the coming weeks. A.F.I.'s forthcoming LP, Decemberunderground, is set for June 6. ... There's a new Coheed and Cambria video for the song "The Willing Well: IV - The Final Cut," but it's not something anyone will likely ever see. Frontman Claudio Sanchez and his girlfriend recently shot the super-low-budget clip, which depicts an unfaithful woman being tortured and murdered by her chainsaw-wielding boyfriend. "We did all the makeup ourselves with a bunch of clay and fake blood, and it looks really good," Sanchez said. "We had a great time doing it and we thought there was nothing wrong with it. Then we saw a movie that was kind of in the same vein and we were like, 'Man, this is kind of f---ed up.' " Although drummer Joshua Eppard said the video is his favorite the band has ever made, Coheed's label and management have advised the group not to release the video in any form. ...

Ex-Marilyn Manson guitarist John 5 has quit his new band Loser in order to spend more time on the road as Rob Zombie's guitar player. "I've been juggling two careers for over one year now," John 5 said in a statement. "I found it impossible to be in two places at once." As a result, Loser, whose debut album, Just Like Us, was slated for release June 6, was dropped by their label. ... The long-awaited return of crackly indie rockers Sparklehorse appears to be on the horizon. According to a post on their official Web site, the follow-up to 2001's It's a Wonderful Life is complete with a tentative release date of September. Though (as usual) the record was mostly recorded by brain trust Mark Linkous in his Static King studio, collaborations on the record include Danger Mouse (who also handled some mixing chores), the Flaming Lips' Steven Drozd, producer Dave Fridmann and ambient electronic artist Christian Fennesz, as well as frequent associates Scott Minor, John Hott and Sophie Michalitsianos. The still-untitled fourth album will also include an unreleased Wonderful Life track that features Tom Waits on piano. ...

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers are hitting the road, and they're bringing some friends along for the ride. Pearl Jam and former Phish frontman Trey Anastasio will join the band on select dates of the Highway Companions Tour, which kicks off June 9 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Petty & the Heartbreakers will also provide the opening music for the NBA Playoffs and Finals broadcasts on ABC Sports and the Eastern Conference Finals on ESPN. Classics "Runnin' Down a Dream," "I Won't Back Down," "Learning to Fly," "Makin' Some Noise" and "You Wreck Me" will be played over highlights and other coverage. Two new songs, "Saving Grace" and "Big Weekend," from Petty's upcoming summer release, Highway Companion, will also be used. ABC Sports coverage of the NBA playoffs begins Saturday at 3 p.m. ... After singing in her movie "Prey for Rock & Roll," Gina Gershon is putting out an album of her own, but don't expect her to be a rocker chick. "I'm doing weird music right now," she said. "It's kind of swampy country blues. It's totally different. It's weird; it's funky. But we'll see. You think it'll sound one way, and then it'll sound like something else." Gershon said she starts recording next month in Nashville and then she'll put a band together. ...

Scruffy Canadian rocker Sam Roberts has put the finishing touches on his second album. Due May 16, Chemical City was recorded at a church in Australia and is the follow-up to We Were Born in a Flame, which scored a Juno Award (Canada's Grammy equivalent). Roberts and his band will tour this spring in support of fellow Montrealers the Stills. ... Lifehouse, Everclear and Vanessa Carlton will perform at A Concert for Lili Claire, a benefit being held May 6 at Las Vegas' Mandalay Bay Events Center. All proceeds raised through ticket sales will be earmarked for the Lili Claire Foundation's Family Resource Center, for the creation of programs designed for individuals and families living with Williams syndrome, Down syndrome, autism and other neurogenetic disorders. Jason Alexander, who played George Costanza on the long-running sitcom "Seinfeld," will host the event.

04.19.06

Nick Lachey opens up about the dissolution of his marriage to Jessica Simpson in the next issue of Rolling Stone, on newsstands Friday. There's no easy explanation for the breakup, he says, adding that he doesn't blame "Newlyweds," the interference of his father-in-law, Joe Simpson, or even Jessica's alleged infidelities. "We just didn't work," Lachey said. "I don't know if we would have worked if we'd been soybean farmers in Iowa. ... I don't know if there were other men. But if she did cheat, it was the result of something bigger, not the reason we didn't work." Lachey said that he and Jessica never discussed the cheating allegations (he chose to trust her), but sometimes he wishes he'd caught her in the act, just so he'd know for sure. "That would be clear-cut. End of story." Lachey revealed that he tried to convince Jessica to try marriage counseling when she asked for a divorce, "But she didn't want to go." Lachey also said that he's opted not to pursue spousal support, though he legally reserved that right in February. ...

Twenty of the more than 100 original ringtones that will be available as Pepsi Cool Tones on Motorola phones this summer will be written and produced by Mariah Carey. "I had a lot of fun with this project," Carey said. "It was a great creative outlet because musically I could do things here that I would never think to do for one of my albums." Carey will also star in a Pepsi ad directed by Paul Hunter, due to air in May, and will kick off her summer tour in July with a Pepsi Smash concert at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles. Speaking of Carey commercials, Mariah is also selling the Escada dress she wore in her Intel Centrino Duo commercial. The auction, to benefit VH1's Save the Music Foundation, runs through May 3 at VH1Auctions.com. And Carey fans who want to benefit themselves can enter to win a specially designed — it's got butterflies — Intel Centrino laptop autographed by Mariah at CentrinoContest.Intel.com. ...

Want LL Cool J's body? The rapper/actor wants to show you how to get one just like it, via a fitness book he's planning to co-write with his trainer, Dave Honig. They've just inked a deal (along with writer Jeff O'Connell) to create "LL Cool J's Platinum Body," which will describe an accessible fitness program with four levels of increasing intensity. Rodale plans to publish the book in January 2007. ... Paris Hilton has just signed a deal to develop and market sunglasses, in addition to her other accessories ventures of watches, handbags, small leather goods, cosmetics and fragrances. Hilton has also expanded her watch line to be distributed throughout Europe (excluding Russia) and is working on a third fragrance as well. ... Fresh off her opening slot on the Coldplay tour, Fiona Apple is hitting the road for a headlining trek of her own. Kicking off June 20 in Phoenix, the 34-date tour will run throughout the summer, wrapping up August 10 in Cleveland. Openers will include Damien Rice and David Garza. In addition to the tour, Apple will play two May shows, in Florida and South Carolina, plus a July 26 performance as part of New York's Central Park Summerstage concert series. ...

Velvet Revolver's Scott Weiland and Duff McKagan will be taking a break from recording the band's second LP to act as guest judges on USA's "Nashville Star" Tuesday, according to the band's publicist. The episode will also feature a performance by Hank Williams Jr. ... (ONe), the forthcoming debut from former Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro's new band, the Panic Channel, will be in stores September 12. "If there was a channel that showed nothing but hysteria and panic, it would be the highest-rated channel on TV," Navarro said. "We like to think of creating music as a way to channel the panic into something tangible." The group also features drummer Stephen Perkins and bassist Chris Chaney, both former Jane's members. On May 16, the day the band will launch its first-ever tour in San Diego, a two-song digital-only release will be made available, including the tracks "Why Cry" and "Tea House of the Spirits." ... California metallers Bad Acid Trip have been added to the second stage for this summer's Ozzfest. The band, which has toured with System of a Down, released their debut, Lynch the Weirdo, on System frontman Serj Tankian's Serjical Strike label in 2004; the album was produced by System guitarist Daron Malakian. This year's Ozzfest begins June 29 in Auburn, Washington, and will run through August 13 in West Palm Beach, Florida. System of a Down, Disturbed, and Hatebreed are among the bands lined up for the tour, which also includes Ozzy Osbourne for 10 dates. ...

Taking Back Sunday and Angels & Airwaves will hit the road together this summer on a North American tour. While details are sketchy, a spokesperson for TBS' label, Warner Bros., said the trek will kick off June 22 in Jackson, New Jersey, and that dance-minded rockers Head Automatica have been tapped to open. ... Seether will release a live acoustic album called One Cold Night on July 11. The collection, recorded at Philadelphia's Grape Street on February 22, will also include a DVD. Meanwhile, Seether just shot a video for "The Gift" in Oaxaca, Mexico, with director Meiert Avis. ... Alanis Morissette will reprise her role in the play "The Exonerated" for a week in London from May 23 to 28. Morissette first starred in the off-Broadway production in 2003 as Sunny Jacobs, a hippie who spent 16 years on death row after being framed for the murder of two policemen in the mid-1970s. ...

Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons and Peter Criss will be among the first inductees in the Long Island Music Hall of Fame, according to the official Kiss Web site. The museum will honor artists or groups that were either born in Long Island, New York, or resided there for a significant portion of their career. Billy Joel, the Ramones, Neil Diamond, Louie Armstrong, Twisted Sister and Tony Bennett will also be honored by the fledgling hall. In related news, Kiss have teamed up with Gemini Cosmetics, Inc. to develop a line of his-and-her Kiss fragrances that will hit stores in September. "Like Kiss, these fragrances make no apologies for embodying an attitude that is unrepentedly sexy, aggressive and incredibly unique," Stanley said in a press release. Simmons explained that the fragrances, the latest in an ever-growing line of Kiss-related products that even includes coffins, "have the smell of success for us ... and for all the men and women who will wear it. These fragrances hit all the right notes and will top the charts in no time."

[This story was originally published at 1:05 pm E.T. on 04.19.2006]

• Diddy
• Mary J. Blige
• Pearl Jam
• Nas
• Frank Black

Shakira on the April cover of <I>Elle</I>
Photo: "Elle" magazine

Shakira appears on Elle's April cover, revealing inside how a family financial setback changed her at age 8. The singer — who was already dancing and writing her own songs by then — told the magazine she reacted to the collapse of her father's business with anger, but that a visit to a park where homeless children lived also changed her. "These children had no food," she said. "It moved me so much that at that very moment, I took up a mandate to succeed in life and give a hand to those kids." Shakira said she hopes a 16-foot steel statue of her likeness, set to be erected in her hometown of Barranquilla, Colombia, will help inspire citizens to follow their dreams. Designed by German sculptor Dieter Patt, the statue — which comes complete with bell-bottom pants and a guitar strapped to its neck — weighs five tons and took more than a year to complete, according to The Associated Press. ...

It's becoming less likely that people will see any more of that Kid Rock/ Scott Stapp sex tape. Lawyers for Rock reached an agreement with World Wide Red Light District, the company hoping to release the tape of the two rockers cavorting with groupies. The pact extends a judge's order blocking the tape's release. According to an AP report, the temporary injunction currently in place would remain in effect without the parties having to go to court again. Paperwork to permanently block the tape's release is expected to be filed soon. ... Audioslave guitarist Tom Morello will take a break from the studio this week to guest host Rock-N-Roll Bingo, a charity event set for Thursday at Cranes Hollywood Tavern in Hollywood. Bingo cards run $5 each and the game, which will begin at 6 p.m., is open to players of all ages. Proceeds raised during the event will benefit South Central Farm, a 13-year-old community farm serving more than 350 families in the heart of South Central Los Angeles. ...

Two of Bam Margera's favorite bands have united in the name of metal. H.I.M. frontman Ville Valo has contributed guest vocals to "The Bryonic Man," which will appear on Cradle of Filth's yet-untitled forthcoming album, due in late June. ... This fall Rock N' Roll Books will release "Rick Rubin: In the Studio," a tome that takes a look at the highly respected producer's 20-year career. Written by biographer Jake Brown, the book will provide studio insight for Rubin's work with the Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Johnny Cash, Linkin Park and Metallica. Interviews with some of the bands who've aligned themselves with Rubin will be included, as will interview material with the producer himself, who discusses the making of each record. ...

Jack White's Raconteurs side project has shot its first video, for the single "Steady, as She Goes." Auteur Jim Jarmusch, who directed last year's "Broken Flowers" and featured Jack and Meg White in his 2003 film, "Coffee & Cigarettes," shot the clip on V-Cams bought at Toys "R" Us. The Raconteurs' Broken Boy Soldiers will be released May 16. ... Stars singer Amy Millan will release her solo debut, Honey From the Tombs, in August. A departure from Stars' romantic pop, the disc's bluegrass leanings will be rounded out with appearances by fellow Stars members Chris Seligman and Evan Cranley, Metric's James Shaw and Broken Social Scene's Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning. Millan will hit the road late this summer. ...

On April 11 Capitol will release the Beatles collection The Capitol Albums, Vol. 2. The four-CD follow-up to the 2004 set The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1 will include four Beatles albums originally released in 1965: The Early Beatles, Beatles VI, the "Help!" soundtrack and the U.S. version of Rubber Soul. Each disc comes in replica packaging and includes a booklet with photos and clippings from that year. ... Word that the landmark Capitol Records tower — the label's longstanding home, which looks like a giant stack of records — might be sold to a developer intent on converting the building into living space has sent city leaders and preservationists into overdrive, according to the AP. Los Angeles politicos claim the building, where Frank Sinatra and many other musicians recorded, is a historical landmark (a spokesperson for Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa likened the building's legend to that of the Hollywood sign). Owners EMI told the AP that the company hasn't been "actively shopping" the building, which currently holds offices for 150 people, on the market, but that it had received several serious proposals from interested buyers. ...

Would you turn down $5 million dollars? Apparently Morrissey would. During an interview at this year's South by Southwest conference Thursday, Moz revealed that the Smiths were offered the enormous sum to re-form for this year's Coachella festival but turned the offer down. "When you start doing things for money, something terrible happens to you," he explained. "I haven't reached that stage ... but I might." During his performance at the Austin Music Hall that night, Morrissey attacked the latest round of U.S. bombings in Iraq. "I hear we bombed Iraq again. We can't be looking for weapons of mass destruction again." ... In other South by Southwest news, indie-rock vets Built to Spill were forced to cancel their performance at a Filter Magazine party after frontman Doug Martsch suffered a detached retina. The band's You in Reverse is due April 11. ... A pirate hip-hop radio station in Miami called Da Streetz has been creating some headaches for pilots taking off from Miami International Airport. The signal from the station has been bleeding into the communications between pilots and the control tower on occasion, according to an AP report. Authorities traced the signals to an antenna in a warehouse near the airport, where they found three computers and a CD player — but no DJ. Despite the discovery the station continues to broadcast.

03.17.2006

The judge in the case pitting Britney Spears against Us Weekly said Thursday that she needs more time before ruling on a motion by the magazine to dismiss a $20 million libel suit filed by the singer, according to The Associated Press. Spears filed the suit in December, alleging the magazine printed a false report that had her and husband Kevin Federline acting "goofy" in the presence of their lawyers while screening an alleged sex tape that they were worried would be released. Spears has claimed both the story and the existence of the tape are false. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for May 3. ...

Oscar-winning Memphis rappers Three 6 Mafia are being sued by a fan who claims he was beaten at one of the rap group's August 2003 concerts, AP reports. The members could land in a Pittsburgh courtroom next month to be deposed in the suit filed by Ramone Williams, a then-19-year-old fan who says he was thrown to the floor, hit with a chair, stomped on and kicked in the face at the gig. He is suing them for inciting the audience during their performance and for failing to end the violence once it started. Three 6's lawyer told the AP that his clients deny Williams' allegations. ...

The South by Southwest music conference is usually filled with secret shows announced at the last minute, and this year has proven to be no different. What wound up being a poorly kept secret after rumor got around was Beastie Boys' Thursday night show at Stubb's, where the band played a set consisting mostly of songs from their two most recent albums, To the 5 Boroughs and Hello Nasty. The Flaming Lips also went the secret route with a rare acoustic set at Eternal. ... During an interview at SXSW, the Foo Fighters' Taylor Hawkins confirmed that the band's next single will be "Miracle" from the acoustic side of In Your Honor and that rehearsals for its upcoming summer tour will commence in May. ...

Linkin Park's Chester Bennington and his wife, Talinda, had a baby boy on Thursday in Los Angeles, the AP reports. Tyler Lee weighed in at 9 pounds, 3 ounces, according to a statement from their publicist. ... Nick Lachey is slated to play a single man living in Manhattan in the new CW comedy "She Said/ He Said," a spokesperson for the channel told the AP on Friday. The pilot will be shot in April, and the show's fate will be determined soon after; the fledgling network — formed by merging the WB and UPN — will announce its schedule May 18. ...

He's paid his bills but appears to have packed his bags. A day after Michael Jackson avoided a lawsuit from the state by settling up a bill of several hundred thousand dollars with the employees at his Neverland Ranch in California, the singer's representatives announced that he's locking the doors of the main house on the 2,600-acre ranch. According to The Associated Press, Jackson's spokesperson said because Jackson is currently residing in the Middle Eastern country of Bahrain, he has decided to close the house and lay off some workers. ... Pink, Chris Brown and Bow Wow will perform at Nickelodeon's 19th annual Kids' Choice Awards, hosted by Jack Black and set for April 1 at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion. Ludacris, Hilary Duff, Lindsay Lohan Justin Timberlake, Cameron Diaz, Nick Cannon, Jon Heder, Emma Roberts, Jesse McCartney and Avril Lavigne are among the celebrities scheduled to take part in the festivities. ... In other Chris Brown news, an airdate has been set for his acting debut on UPN's "One on One": March 27. The R&B up-and-comer makes a cameo on the show, playing himself but getting turned down by an older woman. ...

More details have emerged about the role that Jay-Z protégé Ne-Yo will take on in his big-screen debut, the forthcoming urban dance film "Step Show," directed by Sylvain White (the upcoming "I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer"). According to The Hollywood Reporter, actor/choreographer Columbus Short ("You Got Served") will portray the streetwise dancer courted by step-show-competing fraternities, and Ne-Yo will play his college roommate. ... "Welcome Back, Kotter" creator and star Gabe Kaplan said rapper-turned-thespian Ice Cube is a fine choice to play his old role in the forthcoming big-screen adaptation of the television classic. Kaplan told "Access Hollywood" that Cube is the perfect guy. ... He has shown what kind of crossover appeal he has." On "Kotter," Kaplan played a teacher who returns to his Brooklyn, New York, high school, where he leads a class of apathetic students; the sitcom was based on Kaplan's own experiences as an educator. As for who he'd like see cast in Cube's movie version, which will be set in South Central Los Angeles, Kaplan said, "Snoop Dogg will play Horshack, Vanilla Ice would play Barbarino ... I don't know." ...

At New York's Splashlight Studios on Thursday, Microsoft and Epic Records announced the launch of a partnership that will feature a new Epic musician's music and videos — as well as a chance to compete against them — through Xbox Live every month. Kicking off the program will be Natasha Bedingfield, whose video for her hit song "Unwritten" will be available for download through Live onto the Xbox 360. Bedingfield will also play on Live against select gamers in April, a continuation of the Xbox Game With Fame celebs-vs.-gamers program that Microsoft has run with stars like Outkast and Maroon 5 since early 2004. To kick off the program, Bedingfield performed a three-song acoustic set at Splashlight. Attendees were treated to hands-on sessions with spring and summer 360 titles, including "99 Nights," "Dead Rising" and, in its first even semi-public outing, "Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis." ...

With the reunion of the surviving members of Alice in Chains in full swing, Arts Publications will release a fresh reprint of the biography of late Chains frontman Layne Staley. The book, called "Layne Staley: Angry Chair," has been out of print for a number of years. The tome's author, Adriana Rubio, has been inundated with e-mails and phone calls from fans looking for a copy in recent weeks. The Arts Publications Web site is currently accepting pre-orders for the book. ... Aston "Family Man" Barrett, who was reggae legend Bob Marley's bass player, filed a lawsuit in London's High Court this week against Marley's family and record label. According to Reuters, the suit claims Barrett and his late brother, Marley drummer Carlton Barrett, were the "bedrock" of Marley's music. The bassist claims that he's owed royalties from Island Records, as well as earnings from songs he said he co-wrote with the late Marley, who died of cancer 25 years ago. Island has attempted to have the case dismissed, as Barrett had previously accepted a settlement. The trial is expected to last three weeks.

• Shakira
• Kid Rock
• Scott Stapp
• Tom Morello
• Raconteurs

Scott Stapp
Photo: Paul Hawthorne/Getty Images

Finally, something Kid Rock and Scott Stapp can agree on that doesn't involve — well, you know.

A month after Rock took similar action, Stapp filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday in Los Angeles in an effort to stop World Wide Red Light District from selling and promoting a sex video featuring himself, Rock and four women, according to The Associated Press.

Stapp's filing alleges that two tapes, described as a "video diary" of his 1999 tour, were stolen from a safe at his house, according to the AP. The claim states that Red Light District — the company that released the Paris Hilton sex tape "One Night in Paris" — violated Stapp's trademark and privacy rights, causing him embarrassment, pain, suffering and emotional distress. The suit seeks a restraining order barring the company from distributing the video.

Rock took legal action last month in Detroit (see "Kid Rock Sues To Block Scott Stapp Sex Tape"), and was granted a temporary order halting Red Light from posting previews of the tape or selling it. That order will remain in effect until March 23, at which point Rock's lawyers will seek a permanent injunction.

Some fans, unfortunately, have already gotten a peek at the footage courtesy of a 40-second clip that was shown on Red Light's now shuttered KidRockSexTape.com and ScottStappSexTape.com Web sites.

Red Light claims the tape came from an unnamed third party, and the company's attorney has denied it was stolen.

Rock's lawsuit claimed that the singer was told the tape would remain Stapp's private property and would not be publicly displayed. While Stapp has said the release of the footage was part of an elaborate plot to ruin his solo career, Rock has laughed off those suggestions and playfully scolded the "idiot" singer for not keeping an eye on his video library (see "Kid Rock Laughs Off Scott Stapp's Sex-Tape Conspiracy Claim").

The potential release of the tape has also resulted in a suit against Stapp by one of the women in the video, who filed suit on March 2 seeking unspecified damages for emotional distress and invasion of privacy (see "Woman In Kid Rock/ Scott Stapp Sex Tape Files Lawsuit").

• Scott Stapp
• Kid Rock

Scott Stapp
Photo: Michael Wong

It's about time Scott Stapp got some good news.

On Tuesday, the Los Angeles city attorney's office announced it will not be filing charges against the former Creed frontman for being intoxicated in public at Los Angeles International Airport on February 11.

Stapp was arrested at LAX less than 24 hours after he was married to Jaclyn Nesheiwat in a private ceremony in Miami. The couple were on their way to Hawaii for their honeymoon when an intoxicated Stapp caused a commotion and was taken into custody by airport police (see "Scott Stapp Gets Married — And Arrested For Public Intoxication"). Once in custody, he requested a blood-alcohol test, registering a 0.18 — more than twice the legal limit in California. Stapp was then booked in Van Nuys, California, and released on $250 bail.

But after a brief meeting with Stapp, the city attorney decided against filing charges, meaning the singer was free to continue his club tour in support of his solo debut, The Great Divide.

"After reviewing the case, we felt it was appropriate to have all parties get together and discuss the charges," city attorney spokesperson Frank Mateljan told MTV News late Wednesday. "After we did that, we felt satisfied and no charges were filed against Mr. Stapp."

In a statement released to MTV News on Thursday (March 9), Stapp expressed his gratitude to the city attorney's office and told his fans that he's working hard at keeping his nose clean.

"As many are aware, while en route to Hawaii for my honeymoon I was delayed at LAX. No charges have been filed by the L.A. county district attorney's office, and for that I am appreciative," the statement read. "I have said it before, but we all make mistakes, and the day will come soon enough where you no longer read of mine in the tabloids."

Of course, this doesn't mean the end of Stapp's legal woes. He's currently being sued by a woman in Florida, who claims that he was to blame for the release of the now infamous Stapp/ Rock sex tape. In the suit, the unidentified woman — one of four who appear in the video — is seeking unspecified damages from Stapp after she suffered "emotional distress" stemming from the release of the tape (see "Woman In Kid Rock/ Scott Stapp Sex Tape Files Lawsuit").

For his part, Stapp maintains that the tape was stolen from him and was leaked to World Wide Red Light District Video in an effort to sabatoge his career (see "Kid Rock Laughs Off Scott Stapp's Sex-Tape Conspiracy Claim").

The opening date of the singer's tour — which took place late last month in his hometown of Orlando, Florida — garnered a generally positive review in the Orlando Sentinel, which deemed the show "relatively embarrassment-free" although it "didn't draw enough fans to warrant opening the hall's upstairs balcony." Stapp was described as "almost unbearably chatty, going on and on about how much the relatively small but highly enthusiastic hometown turnout meant to him."

The paper also quoted Stapp as telling the crowd, "I tend to learn things the hard way," and also saying, "I could run and hide right now, with everything that's going on in my life, but I'm right here with you."

• Scott Stapp

Photo: MTV News/Michael Wong/Frank Micelotta/Getty Images

One of four women featured in the Kid Rock/ Scott Stapp sex tape has filed suit against the former Creed frontman and the company attempting to distribute the video.

In the lawsuit — filed Thursday in Miami-Dade County Circuit Court — the woman (who is only identified as "Jane Doe") alleges that "on or about December 28, 1999" she engaged in sexual acts with Stapp "after a romantic interlude" and that she was "under the belief that the video was to remain in Stapp's private possession."

The suit seeks unspecified damages for emotional distress and invasion of privacy. World Wide Red Light District Video, which has been trying to market the tape, is also named in the suit.

"The video was taped in private by Stapp ... under the premise that it would remain in [his] possession and not be released to anyone," reads a copy of the suit posted on TheSmokingGun.com. "Stapp permitted private facts regarding Doe to be publicly disclosed by allowing the video to be given and/or sold to World Wide ... for public disclosure and commercial exploitation."

Stapp maintains that the tape was stolen from him and given to Red Light by someone looking to destroy his solo career, a claim dismissed by his co-star in the video, Kid Rock (see "Kid Rock Laughs Off Scott Stapp's Sex-Tape Conspiracy Claim"). A spokesperson for Stapp was aware of the Florida lawsuit but had no comment.

Last month, RLDV began streaming clips of the tape on two Web sites, but they were shut down after a judge in Detroit signed a temporary order preventing the distribution or display of the material (see "Kid Rock Sues To Block Scott Stapp Sex Tape"). On March 23 that same judge will decide whether or not to sign a permanent injunction against RLDV.

• Scott Stapp
• Kid Rock

Kid Rock and Scott Stapp (file)
Photo: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images

If you are a rock star, there are several ways to react when a tape of your sexual escapades somehow ends up in the hands of a notorious porn distributor.

You can immediately sic a team of lawyers on the distributor (à la former Poison frontman Bret Michaels, who successfully sued the Internet Entertainment Group in 1998 to block the sale of a tape featuring him and Pamela Anderson). You can turn the whole thing into a nice little profit for yourself (like Tommy Lee and Anderson did after a judge awarded them a portion of the proceeds from the sale of their sex tape in late 2002).

Or, if you're Kid Rock, you can just try to laugh the whole thing off.

On Thursday, the Detroit rocker did just that, telling The Associated Press that the release of a tape involving him, former Creed frontman Scott Stapp and four women had "perfect timing ... I got a record coming up."

Rock jokingly blamed Stapp for losing the sex tape in the first place, calling him "an idiot," and dismissed claims Stapp made earlier this week that the tape was stolen and somehow ended up in the hands of World Wide Red Light District as part of a large conspiracy aimed at destroying his solo career.

"I'm like, what are you talking about?" Rock told the AP. "This tape gets out — it's your tape — and you're [saying] someone's trying to sabotage your career?"

And though he's putting up an amicable front, Rock wasn't joking when he sued Red Light to prevent the distribution of the tape last week (see "Kid Rock Sues To Block Scott Stapp Sex Tape"). Judge John Feikens agreed with Rock, and issued a temporary order preventing RLDV from posting previews of the tape or selling it in any form. That temporary order will remain in effect until a March 23 hearing in Detroit, where Rock's team will seek a permanent injunction against RLDV.

But until then, Rock maintained that everything is all good. In fact, the only thing he's really upset about is being lumped into the same category as Michaels, Lee and Stapp.

"I don't want to be in that company with all these idiots [who have] sex tapes, which is why I've never had a video camera," he told the AP. "I agree I knew the tape was going on at the time — I must have. Although, I'll guarantee you, I wasn't sober."

• Kid Rock
• Scott Stapp

Kid Rock
Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images

It's been jokingly referred to as the sex tape that no one wants to see. And if lawyers for Kid Rock get their way, no one will.

On Tuesday, Rock's legal team scored an initial victory in its attempt to block a California company from distributing a sex tape featuring the Detroit rocker, former Creed frontman Scott Stapp and four women.

U.S. District Court Judge John Feikens signed a temporary order that prevents Red Light District Video — the company that distributed 2004's "One Night in Paris" sex tape, featuring heiress Paris Hilton — from posting the Rock/ Stapp video on their Web sites. Last week, Red Light launched two separate sites, KidRockSexTape.com and ScottStappSexTape.com, which each streamed a 40-second clip of the tape. Both pages were offline as of Wednesday morning (February 22).

The temporary order remains in effect until Friday morning, when Rock's attorneys will attempt to obtain a permanent court order halting the sale or distribution of the tape, which was allegedly shot in 1999 when Rock and Creed were on tour together. In Rock's lawsuit, he claims that it was clearly understood that the video would remain Stapp's private property and would not be displayed publicly.

"The bottom line in our suit is that everyone has a right of privacy, even is they're a public figure," Rock's co-counsel Michael Novak told MTV News. "Our complaint is that regardless of how Red Light procured the tape, they don't have the legal right to distribute it. And Judge Feikens agreed."

A spokesperson for Red Light District had previously stated that the company got the tape from a third party, and that by offering it for sale, they were preventing the tape from making the rounds on the Internet.

Novak said that he and fellow attorney William Horton filed the suit solely on behalf of their client, and that Stapp had his own representation, who had apparently also filed a claim against Red Light District. A spokesperson for Stapp could not be reached for comment.

"Stapp shot the tape. It was his property, and it should've remained his property," Novak said. "And as such, this case is really sort of a no-brainer. It has direct parallels to the Bret Michaels case [in which the former Poison frontman successfully sued the Internet Entertainment Group to prevent the distribution of an explicit video with Pamela Anderson], because this tape is private. We're not trailblazing anything new here."

• Kid Rock
• Scott Stapp