Sublime

Michael Jackson's 'Hold My Hand' And More Posthumous Music Videos

09 Dec 2010 17:37:54 EST

Aaliyah, Tupac Shakur, Elvis Presley and more late superstars have popped up in videos after their deaths.
By James Montgomery

On Thursday (December 9), the late, great Michael Jackson returned to the music-video world with "Hold My Hand," a clip from the upcoming Michael album, which pairs his vocals with production work from some of today's top producers.

And much like that album, the "Hold My Hand" video is very much a retrospective affair, loaded with triumphant MJ performance footage and uplifting imagery (smiling children, sunrises, bright blue skies), not to mention a whole lot of Akon. And while fans can debate whether the clip is a worthy addition to the King of Pop's massive music-video legacy, it certainly carries on the tradition of the posthumous video, a rather ignominious — and incredibly profitable — wing of the music-industry machine.

Yes, ever since Elvis Presley shuffled off this mortal coil, record labels have been churning out videos by deceased stars, for reasons that run the gamut from tribute to pure profit. Out of necessity (since the star is no longer with us), these videos are usually by-the-numbers affairs, full of stock footage and performance clips, the occasional use of animation and, of course, the odd celebrity cameo. More often than not, fans love them — which is why we keep seeing them. And since "Hold My Hand" has just been unveiled, we decided to take a look back at some of the most notable examples of stars who may no longer be with us, but continue to make music videos. Here's our Posthumous Playlist.

Aaliyah
She died tragically in a 2001 plane crash, but her videos kept showing up on MTV. "I Care 4 U" was a collection of clips from the Japanese anime "Macross Pluss II," which feature her as a ghostly figure. "Miss You" was a tribute vid, starting with a heartfelt monologue by DMX and featuring cameos by the likes of Missy Elliott, Lil' Kim and Toni Braxton. "Don't Know What to Tell Ya" is a combination of footage from her old videos and newly animated bits, which reimagine Aaliyah as a superhero in a skintight getup.

Elvis Presley
He died in 1977 but found chart success once again in 2002, when a remixed version of his song "A Little Less Conversation" was featured in a Nike World Cup commercial. A video, featuring performance footage of the King playing on a TV monitor (and a bunch of hyperactive dancers and models re-enacting his famous "Jailhouse Rock" video) was quickly assembled to capitalize. It was appropriately massive.

John Lennon
Murdered outside his New York City home in 1980, Lennon's (then) just-released Double Fantasy quickly rose to #1 on the album charts and even won the Grammy for Album of the Year. The follow-up, Milk and Honey, was also a hit and featured the single "Nobody Told Me," which came with a posthumous video, complete with photos of Lennon as a child, his iconic wire-frame specs and even some of his illustrations.

Nirvana
After the death of Kurt Cobain, there was no shortage of Nirvana sundry released, though the video for "You Know You're Right" — one of the last songs he recorded with the band — is the true standout, full of performance clips and backstage footage that capture the grunge icon at his most powerful, moody and, strangely enough, happy.

The Notorious B.I.G.
He was killed in 1997, but his talent — and the prodigious amount of pre-recorded material he left behind — survives to this day. There truly is no shortage of posthumous Biggie videos, though the most notable are probably the flossy, glossy "Mo' Money, Mo' Problems," Spike Jonze's riotous "Sky's the Limit" (which stars nothing but children) and "Notorious Thugz," a team up with Bone Thugs-N-Harmony that features his ghost rapping inside a studio.

Sublime
Frontman Bradley Nowell died just before the release of the trio's breakout self-titled album, and so — mostly out of necessity — Nowell (and his beloved dog, Lou) continued to turn up in the band's videos, including "What I Got," "Santeria" and "Wrong Way."

TLC
Just before the release of their 2002 album 3D, founding member Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes was killed in a car accident in Honduras. The group's two remaining members pressed on, releasing a series of videos that paid tribute to their late friend. In the video for "Girl Talk," they wear outfits emblazoned with her name, and she shows up in animated form too. "Turntable" is a more traditional posthumous clip, made up of performance footage of the trio taken from their live shows and videos.

Tupac Shakur
Unlike most late stars, Tupac left behind so much material that he never really left. The vaults were mined for more than a decade following his 1996 death, to the point where some believe he may actually still be with us. Not surprisingly, there are no shortage of posthumous music videos out there, including "I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto," which picks up after he was shot (and was filmed from his "point of view"); "Changes," a solemn tribute clip made up of news footage, scenes from his videos and movies and still photos; and "Until the End of Time," a more sparse affair, featuring clips of him onstage and in the studio.

What is your favorite posthumous clip? Let us know in the comments.

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Sublime Members Barred By Court From Using Band Name

04 Nov 2009 09:32:00 EST

At the request of late singer Bradley Nowell's estate, judge issues preliminary injunction against use of the name.
By Gil Kaufman

Less than two weeks after 1990s reggae-punk trio Sublime made their big-stage return at Cypress Hill's Smokeout Festival, a Los Angeles judge issued a preliminary injunction barring the band from performing under the Sublime banner.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Judge Howard Matz issued the injunction on Tuesday following the recent filing of a trademark lawsuit brought by the estate of the band's late singer and creative figurehead, Bradley Nowell, who died of a drug overdose in 1996. After playing for years under the name Long Beach Dub All-Stars, bassist Eric Wilson and drummer Bud Gaugh recently revived the band name with new singer Rome Ramirez, making their major debut at the Cypress Hill event on October 24.

Days before that performance by the shambling band best known for such still-popular, mellow hits as "Saw Red," "Santeria" and "What I Got," Nowell's estate and merchandising company filed a trademark infringement suit on October 21 in Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to halt any performances under the name Sublime.

"Prior to his untimely passing, both Bud and Eric acknowledged that Brad Nowell was the sole owner of the name Sublime," the Nowell family wrote on the band's official MySpace page. "It was Brad's expressed intention that no one use the name Sublime in any group that did not include him, and Brad even registered the trademark 'Sublime' under his own name."

When the suit was filed, Gaugh and Wilson responded, "On behalf of the band Sublime, founding members Bud Gaugh and Eric Wilson are thrilled by the opportunity to reconnect with their fans around the world. While we all mourn the passing of our brother and bandmate Bradley Nowell some 13 years ago, Sublime still has a strong message of hope and love to share — a message that is especially important in these difficult times. Brad's heirs apparently do not share this vision and do not want the band Sublime to continue and tried — unsuccessfully — to file a temporary restraining order to prevent the band from carrying on. Despite those objections, we are pleased that the United States District Court has allowed us to perform as Sublime for all of our fans."

The Hollywood Reporter added that Matz issued the injunction because he believed the estate was likely to win its copyright claim. "We are gratified the court ruled in our favor and found that Bud, Eric and Rome could not use the name Sublime without first obtaining permission from Brad's heirs," Nowell's family said in response to the action. "We believe this will help protect and preserve Brad's musical legacy."

The judge asked attorneys for Nowell's estate to draw up an injunction for him to sign that bars the former bandmembers from using the Sublime name in connection with any live performances or recordings, on clothes, posters, books or other merchandise and in any Internet domain name that uses the word "Sublime" or anything similar. Gaugh and Wilson issued a statement in response, saying, "Our goal continues to be sharing the music and message of Sublime with all of our fans around the world. We intend to take the court's advice and work on a business solution to this issue. We hope the estate follows suit so the music of Sublime can live on and be accessible to everyone."

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Sublime Reunion: New Lead Singer, Same Old Dysfunction

02 Sep 2009 06:51:00 EDT

Chaos surrounding band's re-formation is only fitting, in Bigger Than the Sound.
By James Montgomery

On February 28, at a Mexican restaurant in Sparks, Nevada, Sublime reunited onstage for the first time in more than a decade, playing a hit-filled set before a few hundred awestruck, half-drunk revelers. Or maybe they didn't, since this Sublime consisted of drummer Bud Gaugh, bassist Eric Wilson and — in the place of late, lamented (and, at this point, practically sanctified) frontman Bradley Nowell — some dude named Rome. The genuine article it most certainly wasn't.

So, really, who knows? To some — most notably, Thad Peterson, who booked the show — it was very much the return of Sublime, a point that he made to me repeatedly when I spoke to him all those months ago. ("They sure sounded like Sublime," he enthused. "It was incredible.") To others — like, say, 90 percent of the commenters on sites like PunkDisasters.com — attempting to replace Nowell was close to blasphemy, a move akin to Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl jamming with J.D. Fortune and calling the end result Nirvana.

And herein lies the problem with all things Sublime: It's been 13 years since Nowell died of a heroin overdose, and in the years following his death, the band has sold something north of 17 million albums worldwide, becoming an institution and ascending to the first level of rock immortality. And yet, seemingly no one can agree on anything.

And I'm not even wading into the debate about whether a Rome-fronted Sublime is even really Sublime at all. To me, that's largely semantics. Like it or not, the band is back, due to appear at the 2009 Cypress Hill Smoke Out (as trumpeted in a press release sent Monday), alongside the likes of Pennywise and Cheech and Chong, which seems sort of perfect, when you consider the history of the band.

No, what I'm talking about is the behind-the-scenes stuff, the inner-workings (or lack thereof) of a band for whom drugs and death and dysfunction are par for the course, a band that has spent the past 13 years getting arrested, getting wasted and getting perilously close to obsolescence. And they've been perfectly OK with most of it.

I know this because, ever since the night Sublime may or may not have reunited in Sparks, I've been attempting to land an interview with them. For six months now, I've played phone tag with someone very close to their daily operations — a very nice, very mellow SoCal guy who just might be in over his head — and I've heard more horror stories than you could possibly believe. Possible legal battles. Debates over the use of the Sublime name. Battles to stay clean. Rumors of stints in rehab. With each bit of bad news, the promise of an interview (and "a big announcement") kept getting pushed back. Looking in my desk calendar now, I have the name "SUBLIME" written next to dates like March 11, May 1 and May 4. They all came and went without a bit of news.

And, of course, I'm not blaming my contact for any of this. Like I said, he just seemed to be doing the best he could, and none of these catastrophes fazed him in the least. Seems they become fairly regular occurrences when you're working with a band as checkered as Sublime.

And somehow — much like the band sharing the stage with Pennywise and Cheech and Chong — all this chaos has seemed somewhat fitting. Sublime were born out of squalor, out of weed smoke and empty 40 bottles, out of violence and grime and poverty. They existed amid all these things, rose above them, but they never really left them, because they influenced the music they made. And, after Nowell died, Gaugh and Wilson basically returned to them. And — by many accounts — they've been there ever since. Dysfunction is what this band runs on. It's what made them who they were and are today.

So, when the news of the band's Smoke Out appearance broke, I called, texted and e-mailed my guy. It took him about a day to respond with a quick e-mail and the promise of a phone call. I still haven't received that call, of course, and to be honest, I'm not even certain I ever will. But that's OK. If anything, it made me realize that even if Sublime are carrying on with a new frontman, they're still the same band — deeply flawed, supremely dysfunctional, and completely fine with both of those things.

Some things never change, either because they can't, or because they won't. So long as the tunes are still good, what's the difference, really?

Questions? Concerns? Hit me up at BTTS@MTVStaff.com.

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Have Sublime Reunited?

02 Mar 2009 16:21:00 EST

Band's remaining members performed with a new singer on Saturday.
By James Montgomery

Nearly four months ago, rumors began swirling that Sublime — the celebrated Long Beach ska/punk misfits who achieved fame after the death of lead singer Bradley Nowell in 1996 — were contemplating a full-fledged reunion with a mysterious "unknown singer and guitarist" filling Nowell's spot. Well, over the weekend, at a Mexican restaurant in Sparks, Nevada, that reunion officially happened.

Of course, that sort of depends on your definition of "reunion."

Here's what we do know: On Saturday, Del Mar, a punk act featuring former Sublime drummer Bud Gaugh, took the stage at the Cantina Los Tres Hombres, a Sparks restaurant/bar (try the Burritos Grandes). After finishing the set, Gaugh then took the stage again, joined by Sublime bassist Eric Wilson and a Southern California singer by the name of Rome and began playing Sublime songs (check out a photo of the set list here), even reportedly testing out at least one new song.

The audience went crazy (here's a YouTube clip). After all, since calling it quits in '96, Sublime have had a string of hits (most notably "What I Got" and "Santeria"), sold more than 17 million albums worldwide and inspired a cottage industry of tribute acts, including Providence, Rhode Island's Badfish. But does the Cantina gig mean that Sublime are back in business? Well, according to Del Mar, the answer is "yes."

"So, Del Mar played the gig at Cantina last night ... it was packed and amazing. What really f---ing killed it was SUBLIME reuniting and playing with new singer, Rome," the band wrote on its MySpace page. "We're f---ing stoked for Bud, Eric and Rome ... Bud's still playing with Del Mar, and Sublime doesn't have any firm tour plans or anything YET, but we'll keep you posted on their progress."

That post set off a flurry of message-board activity, most of it centered on the question of whether a Sublime without Nowell actually counts as Sublime at all. "Sorry, but it's not Sublime without Brad Nowell," one PunkDisasters.com poster wrote. "That's like saying Nirvana reunited last night." Fans also wonder if this so-called reunion is just another incarnation of the Long Beach Dub Allstars, the group Gaugh and Wilson formed following Nowell's death of a heroin overdose in 1996.

And while the debate may rage, according to one person who was at the Cantina show, what he saw was very much the reincarnation of Sublime.

"They sure sounded like Sublime. It was incredible," Thad Peterson, the booker for the Cantina, told MTV News on Monday (March 2). "It was an all-around incredible show. The band was tight, and they sounded great."

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For The Record: Quick News On T.I., Busta Rhymes, My Chemical Romance, Madonna, Chris Brown & More

12 Oct 2006 18:00:00 EDT

Tip, Busta lead BET Hip-Hop Awards nominees; MCR box up Parade bonus; Madonna reportedly files adoption papers.
By MTV News staff report

T.I. leads the list of nominees for the inaugural BET Hip-Hop Awards, scheduled to air November 15 at 9 p.m. Tip earned eight nods, followed by Busta Rhymes (six); Chamillionaire (five); Yung Joc and Lupe Fiasco (four); Kanye West, Lil Wayne and Young Jeezy (three); and Common, Rick Ross, Nelly and Cham (two). T.I. (with Young Dro), Snoop Dogg, Ludacris and Young Jeezy are the first performers announced. ...

My Chemical Romance's The Black Parade won't be out until October 24, but fans can pre-order the LP now for $13.98. MCR also have a special limited-edition version of the disc available for pre-order, featuring what the band's site describes as "a long, skinny box with hinged lid, wrapped in black velveteen," with a 64-page book containing frontman Gerard Way's drawings, making-of-the-album notes from the band, and four photo-art cards. The MCR Web site has additional pre-order details. ...

A Malawi government official reports that Madonna filed adoption papers in the African nation on Thursday (October 12) and received approval from a judge to take custody of a 1-year-old boy, according to The Associated Press. Yohame Banda, the boy's father, said he met the singer and her husband, Guy Ritchie, during routine court proceedings. "She and her husband seem happy with David," Banda told AP. "I am happy for him. Madonna promised me that as the child grows she will bring him back to visit." The singer, who arrived in Malawi last week, has not confirmed the adoption. ...

Chris Brown and Dennis Quaid are the first stars confirmed to participate in the Gift of Hope Celebrity Charity Weekend, an event that will encompass golf and poker tournaments, a youth-soccer clinic and concert. The event, benefiting the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, will be held December 1-3 in Las Vegas. ... Photographs of AFI, Bad Religion, Social Distortion and others will be showcased at the exhibit "Cheated: A Punk Rock Art Show," being staged Sunday at Los Angeles gallery the Thought. ...

A four-disc Sublime box set called Rarities is due November 14. Among the gems compiled is a Snoop Dogg remix of "Doin' Time" and a 1995 live version of "Saw Red" featuring Gwen Stefani. ... The Raconteurs are recording instant live CDs with unique artwork for each of the dates on their upcoming string of U.K. shows. The double-disc sets, which will be pressed in batches of 1,000, will be available to fans after each show along with a code to download a free live version of the "Broken Boy Soldier" single. Unfortunately for U.S. fans, the only way to order the sets after the fact is if you have a British address. ...

OG Ice-T will break a long drought on October 31 when he releases his first hip-hop album in seven years, appropriately titled Gangsta Rap. The disc features 17 tracks, including "Ridin' Low,' "Imagansta," "God Can You Hear Me," "Please Believe Me," "Pimp or Die," "Code of the Streets," "Twice the Game" and "Pray," which features his wife, Coco. ... Army of Anyone, the new band featuring former Filter singer Richard Patrick and ex-members of Stone Temple Pilots, will release a three-track digital EP via iTunes on October 31 as a teaser for the November 14 release of their full-length debut. The 99 cent EP will feature the album's first single, "Goodbye," along with a video for the song and a podcast featuring interviews with all the bandmembers discussing the tracks on the CD. ...

Lou Reed put out his third solo LP, Berlin, in 1973, but he has never performed it live. That will change in two months when the artist presents the dark song cycle in all its theatrical glory at St. Ann's Warehouse in Brooklyn, New York, on December 14-17. Original Berlin producer Bob Ezrin and longtime Reed collaborator Hal Willner will provide musical direction, while painter Julian Schnabel will direct and design, and Antony leads the Brooklyn Youth Chorus at the event. Reed will take the theatrical performance to Sydney, Australia, next year for a three-day run January 18-20. ... Canadian indie-rock twins Tegan & Sara are gearing up for the follow-up to their third album, So Jealous. The siblings have written more than a dozen new songs and are scheduled to hit the studio in January with Death Cab for Cutie's Chris Walla, who will produce the yet-untitled effort at his studio in Portland, Oregon. The album is tentatively due for a late summer release. ...

The Jägermeister Music Tour, being co-headlined by Pepper and Slightly Stoopid, kicks off next week. The two dub-rock bands will hit the road beginning October 19 in Anaheim, California, and wrapping up December 9 in San Diego. ... Imogen Heap is returning to the States for a tour beginning November 7 in Montreal and ending December 19 in Chicago. The Frou Frou singer is supporting her solo album Speak for Yourself, which has sold more than 200,000 copies in the U.S. ... And in yet more tour news, Sia is returning to the States for another run to promote Colour the Small One. The trek kicks off November 2 in Seattle and wraps up November 21 in New York. ... Long Island emo collective Brand New will issue The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me, the follow-up to 2003's Deja Entendu, on November 21. The band co-produced the disc with Mike Sapone (MC Lars, Men, Women and Children); look for the effort to feature 12 fresh cuts, including "Welcome to Bangkok," "Not the Sun" and "Handcuffs." ...

Along with traveling on a tour bus run on biodiesel fuel, Gomez have implemented a number of eco-friendly initiatives for their fall tour. The British rockers are requesting organic food backstage, using organic cotton for their merchandise and printing their materials with soy-based ink on recycled paper. ... Barenaked Ladies and Mike Doughty are teaming for a fall tour, beginning October 23 in Manchester, New Hampshire. The outing ends December 3 in San Diego. ... Fonzworth Bentley will host the Quest organization's annual All That Jazz festival at Atlanta Symphony Hall on October 22. The benefit will fund programs to keep kids in school. ... Producer Phil Spector's murder trial has been pushed back a third time this week, with the judge in the case postponing it until March 5, according to AP. Spector's trial for the 2003 murder of actress Lana Clarkson was set to start January 16, but the defense team requested another delay while it awaits the completion of scientific and forensic tests. Spector, 66, is accused of killing actress Clarkson, 40, at his Los Angeles-area mansion on February 3, 2003. He faces life in prison if convicted.

10.11.2006

Alicia Keys and Iman will host the Black Ball fundraiser for Keep a Child Alive at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom on November 9. Keys, David Bowie and Angelique Kidjo will perform at the event, which is supporting the fight against AIDS. Keep a Child Alive is also dipping into its I Am African campaign to auction photographs featuring images of Mischa Barton, Heidi Klum Gwyneth Paltrow, Elijah Wood and many others. Visit KeepAChildAlive.org to purchase tickets. ...

Jay-Z's live debut in China was canceled by the country's Culture Ministry on Wednesday (October 11) due to the rapper's "vulgar" lyrics, The Associated Press reports. The state-run Shanghai Daily newspaper reported that Jigga's October 23 show at Shanghai's Hongkou Stadium was called off because of his salty language, even though other bands with sexually suggestive lyrics — including the Rolling Stones and Black Eyed Peas — have recently performed in Shanghai. "I look forward to rescheduling my concert date in Shanghai," Jay said in a statement. "This world tour has been a life-changing experience, and it has only been made better by touching the fans that I am seeing for the first time." ... For the second time in a week, rumors have surfaced that Madonna has adopted an African child. A Malawian man claimed Tuesday that the singer adopted his 1-year-old son, whose mother died a month after childbirth, AP reports. "At this time we are unable to give you official confirmation," a spokesperson for Madonna told Reuters. "We may have an official statement within 48 hours." ...

The D are bringing it to thee. Tenacious D will celebrate the upcoming release of their film "Tenacious D in: The Pick of Destiny" (due November 17) with a U.S. tour. The 10-date outing will kick off with two shows at the Gibson Amphitheater in Los Angeles on November 17 and 18 and feature gigs in San Francisco, Denver, Detroit, Toronto and New York. The trek will wind down with a December 5 date at the Gwinnett Center Arena in Atlanta. ... A CD and DVD from the summer return of the Family Values Tour will be released on December 26. Tracks will include duets — including Korn's version of Filter's "Hey Man, Nice Shot" with Richard Patrick — covers and acoustic tracks. ... The show must go on for "Rock Star: Supernova" finalist Ryan Star, who was performing at the House of Blues in West Hollywood, California, Tuesday when a power outage halted the show. Rather than leave the stage, however, Star used a flashlight and acoustic guitar to entertain the crowd. ...

Beck and Queens of the Stone Age anchored the LA Weekly Detour, a music gala held Saturday as part of an extensive effort to drive more Los Angelenos to go downtown. Beck brought out four guys who coor

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New Releases: Christina Aguilera, Obie Trice, Snakes On A Plane: The Album, Panic Channel, Cham & More

15 Aug 2006 06:00:00 EDT

Also due Tuesday: Sublime, Sex Pistols, Leigh Nash, Lyfe Jennings, Hot Snakes, 'Cheetah Girls 2' soundtrack.
By Kurt Orzeck

Agile Era: Everyone's aware of Christina Aguilera's fixation with the first half of the 20th century by now, but are they obsessed enough with her obsession to throw down twice as much loot for her new album? We'll find out this week with the two-CD Back to Basics. The set features a guest spot by adult-contemporary mainstay Steve Winwood on "Makes Me Wanna Pray," while Christina gets more current with DJ Premier and Linda Perry elsewhere. The video for the title track is tacked on for good measure, but fans who preordered the "premium package" also earned an exclusive tee and red 7-inch single. Someone's feeling generous these days.

Twice as Trice: Obie Trice's been promising Second Round's on Me for a little while now, but he's finally ready to whip out his wallet and pay up. Eminem, whose Shady Records has been tailoring the disc as more of a street record, executive produces and appears on "There They Go" alongside Big Herk and Trick Trick. 50 Cent crops up on "Everywhere I Go," while Nate Dogg ("All of My Life"), Akon ("Snitch") and Trey Songz ("Ghetto" and "Mama") also spot the sophomore Trice.

Hissteria: You've seen the "Snakes on a Plane" trailer, recited Samuel L. Jackson's catchphrase to your friends and heard Cobra Starship's virulent theme song enough times to throw you into a tailspin, but finally the fangs have been bared. In anticipation of the film's Friday release, Snakes on a Plane: The Album spits up a new Cee-Lo tune, "Ophidiophobia" (the fear of snakes); a new acoustic song by Coheed and Cambria; plus exclusive remixes of Panic! at the Disco, Fall Out Boy and All-American Rejects tunes. Sounds like a lethal combination.

Thunder Down Under by underground-punk vipers Hot Snakes will be no match for the soundtrack, but devout fans will no doubt swallow up the posthumous live LP. Recorded on May 10 last year for the Australian Broadcast Company for air on radio, the set features "Think About Carbs," "U.S. Mint" and "Let It Come."

A Soon-to-Be Millionaire?: Not to be confused with Mr. "Ridin Dirty," Jamaican singer Cham follows up 2000's Wow ... The Story with a different tale, Ghetto Story. The title track features Alicia Keys, as does its video, while Rihanna and Akon also give the dancehall performer a boost. Songs include "Rudeboy Pledge," "Wah Den a She Now?" and "Tic Toc."

Widespread Panic: Dave Navarro is no longer with Carmen Electra, but he has at least one new love on his hands: Panic Channel, which reteams him with Jane's Addiction drummer Stephen Perkins and bassist Chris Chaney. The dudes debut this week with (ONe), which alludes to the fact that it's a debut record and they want you to turn "on" the Channel (get it?). "It was necessary to take our time in order to create an internal history," Navarro said in a post on the band's Web site, regarding the debut's long delay.

Ladies' Week: Christina's leading the charge this week, but she's got a huge crew of femme followers behind her. Hilary and Haylie Duff, Aly & AJ, Kelly Clarkson, JoJo and other youthful pop tarts align on (Lip Smackers Presents) Girl Next. That comp will be up against Raven-Symoné's "Cheetah Girls 2" soundtrack, but Girl Next has some fresh faces on its side: Hannah Montana, Hayden Panettiere and Jordan Pruitt, who are all being introduced on that collection.

Another newbie, Joanna — who appeared in MTV's "True Life" and will open for Nick Lachey on his fall tour — has a bit more in common with Christina: She, too, enlisted Linda Perry's guidance for This Crazy Life. But while the pop genius wrote the title track, Joanna is going with "Let It Slide" as the first single to her long-awaited maiden release.

Also stepping out for the first time on her own is Leigh Nash, who logged a handful of hits with Sixpence None the Richer but is now doing her own thing. Her Blue on Blue debut features two songs co-written with her producer, Pierre Marchand — Sarah McLachlan's longtime collaborator — plus "Ocean Size Love" and "My Idea of Heaven." The LP's dropping on Nash's own One Son Records.

Speaking of Canadians (McLachlan), Juno Award nominee Kinnie Starr called on another Canuck, Tegan and Sara's Tegan Quinn, to sing along on "La Le La La." As it turns out, the track was mixed by Howard Redekopp, an affiliate of another set of Canadians, the New Pornographers. Starr — who was part of Cirque de Soleil's risqué "Zumanity" show and whose stuff has appeared on "The L Word" — also coats her Anything LP with "Rock the Boat," "Sex in the Prairies" and "Wind in Your Sail."

Jazz singer Patricia Barber also pipes up this week, with a more conceptual release: Mythologies. The disc's based on a book your Greek-history teacher should have assigned to you, "The Metamorphoses of Ovid," and hosts hip-hop kids singing, a gospel choir chanting and a guest saxophonist tooting. It's also got a tribute to Nina Simone in "Icarus."

On the subject of salutes, a couple of women are paying homage to the humans on the other end of the gender spectrum, i.e. men. Americana goddess Maria Muldaur — who redid Peggy Lee tunes on her 2003 album, A Woman Alone With the Blues — turns her appreciative gaze to another icon with Heart of Mine: Love Songs of Bob Dylan. She reinterprets "Lay Lady Lay" as "Lay Baby Lay" and also touches on "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go" and the title tune.

Blues stalwart Rory Block reaches back even further with her tip-of-the-cap to the genre's trailblazer Robert Johnson. The Lady and Mr. Johnson finds her doing the devilish Delta thing on "Hellhound on My Trail," "Last Fair Deal Gone Down" and "Preaching Blues (Up Jumped the Devil)."

But the blues' undeniable queen — when it comes to popularity at least — must be Bonnie Raitt, and she, too, crops up this week. VH1 Classic Presents: Decades Rock Live! is the first release from the series to boast a CD and a DVD, and it was also the first episode to air. The guest list seals the deal, with Norah Jones, Ben Harper, Alison Krauss and Keb' Mo' ganging up with Raitt for "Love Sneakin' Up on You."

Song Title of the Week:

Cee-Lo's "Ophidiophobia" from Snakes on a Plane: The Album

Other Notables:

Sublime's Sublime - Deluxe Edition and the Sex Pistols' Spunk: The landmark disc by the reggae-lovin' dub-rockers is supplanted by a two-CD 10th-anniversary edition, bristling with unreleased tuneage, a Wyclef Jean remix of "Doin' Time," acoustic takes and more. On the opposite end of the punk spectrum, the Pistols' hard-to-find live bootleg from 1977 gets a proper release in time for another anniversary: It's been 30 years since the group recorded its first demos. The warts-and-all disc has 15 tracks and includes all the between-song banter.

Various artists' Musicfest NW Vol. 1: Like the Pistols' bootleg, this disc will also be tough to find — but worth the search, as the proceeds are going toward the Rock and Roll Camp for Girls and Oregon Music Hall of Fame. Featuring tracks by Spoon, Kristin Hersh, Crooked Fingers' Eric Bachmann and Centro-Matic, the comp revolves around Portland's three-day September festival, which this year will host Spoon's Britt Daniel, Hersh and the Brian Jonestown Massacre, who also appear here.

Fernando's Enter to Exit: Also representing Portland this week are Fernando Viciconte and his band o' brothers — which includes the Eels' Jeff Lyster and Derek Brown. Fernando, who say on their MySpace page that they sound like "the mating call of the North American dairy cow," do some colorful uddering on "Howard Hughes," "One Trick Pony" and "Pasajeros." Moo.

New Releases:

A Change of Pace - Prepare the Masses (Immortal)
Trace Adkins - Dangerous Man (limited edition with bonus DVD also available; Capitol)
Buy Now: Dangerous Man (Capitol)
Agalloch - Ashes Against the Grain (The End)
Christina Aguilera - Back to Basics (two CDs; RCA)
Read: "Christina Makes Her Comeback Twice As Nice By Expanding Basics Into Double LP"
Buy now: Back to Basics (RCA)
Carmen Appice - Ultimate Guitar Zeus (Escapi)
Patricia Barber - Mythologies (Blue Note)
Rory Block - The Lady and Mr. Johnson (Rykodisc)
Paul Burch - East to West (Bloodshot)
Cham - Ghetto Story (Atlantic)
Buy Now: Ghetto Story (Atlantic)
Cherish - Unappreciated (enhanced; Capitol)
Buy Now: Unappreciated (Capitol)
Damnwells - Air Stereo (Rounder/

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For The Record: Quick News On Jay-Z, Chevelle, Jessica Simpson, Sublime, The Killers, Mick Jagger & More

20 Dec 2004 16:47:00 EST

SnoCore dates announced, Jay-Z and Jessica Simpson make holiday cards.
By MTV News staff report

Break out the parka and the long underwear: The first batch of dates for the 2005 SnoCore Tour have been announced. The winter trek, which features Chevelle, Helmet, Crossfade, Future Leaders of the World and Strata, kicks off January 22 in Vail, Colorado, with confirmed shows running through March 6 in Poughkeepsie, New York. More dates are expected to be added. ...

Handmade holiday cards created by the likes of Jay-Z, Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda, Jessica Simpson, Howard Stern, Adam Sandler and others are being auctioned off on eBay. Proceeds from the "Cards for Charity" project benefit the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research. ... Pennywise, Camper Van Beethoven and Ozomatli are among the bands donating tracks to Look At All the Love We've Found, a Sublime tribute album due in the summer. Blackalicious' Gift of Gab and Spearhead are collaborating for "What I Got" and Fishbone are recording "Date Rape," while No Doubt, Jack Johnson and G. Love and Special Sauce have also expressed interest in contributing. ...

The Killers, the Crystal Method, Paul Oakenfold, John Digweed, Mark Farina and Jason Bentley will headline the four stages of the fifth annual Giant Village New Year's Eve celebration in Los Angeles. This year's party, running from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m., will take place on Wilshire Boulevard in downtown L.A. ... In the wake of 2001's "Being Mick," Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger and his production company, Jagged Films, are getting behind a "Being" series. Like Mick's episode, the A&E series takes viewers inside the daily life of a celebrity. "Being" is expected to air in 2006. ...

For Geezer Butler, there's no going out to play until his Ohmwork is done. The Black Sabbath bassist's solo album is expected to drop in late April. ... Gomez are heading out on a five-city, 10-date tour of the western U.S. in January, starting in the San Diego area on January 14. The run will feature two shows in West Hollywood, three in San Francisco, two in Boulder, Colorado, and a concluding show in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on January 26. ...

12.17.2004

Chart toppers Nelly and Destiny's Child will be staying up late Saturday night as they will serve as the musical guests on FOX's "Mad TV" and NBC's "Saturday Night Live," respectively. Nelly will perform "Na-Nana-Na." Meanwhile, Beyoncé, Kelly and Michelle will take the "SNL" stage for "Cater 2 U" and "Soldier," which will also feature an appearance by Lil' Wayne. ...

U2's Bono has been getting the opera bug lately. After shooting a video for the song "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own" with an opera theme, the singer collaborated with opera icon Luciano Pavarotti on a cover of "Ave Maria," which will be featured on the B-side of "Sometimes You Can't." The DVD single will feature a remix of earlier single "Vertigo" remixed by Trent Reznor. ... The frame and the famed rusted tin roof that was shouted out in the B-52's track "Love Shack" are all that is left after a recent fire. The Athens, Georgia, cabin believed to be the inspiration for the track was once inhabited by B-52's singer Kate Pierson but was unoccupied at the time of the blaze, according to The Associated Press. A local fire inspector told the AP that an electric problem or gas leak could not be blamed, as the cabin was not hooked up for utilities, adding that building supplies being used to renovate the place were stolen. ...

Montreal buzz band the Arcade Fire are taking their act Stateside for a full-scale tour. The trek begins January 12 with a three-night stand in San Francisco and winds its way through most of the West and South before wrapping up February 3 in Boston. ... Johnny Ramone's unfinished book may see the light of day. On the Ramones' Web site, Marky Ramone posted a note saying that Johnny's "writer called me for an interview about four months ago, and was very professional. I just hope that there isn't going to be someone else completing Johnny's book, it wouldn't be accurate, and we definitely don't need another book of quotes. He did tell me that he was going to make a book that included posters, backstage passes, old photos and other interesting things to look at." ...

Xbox gamers, start planning for summer. "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas," which has previously only been available for the PlayStation 2 platform, is coming to the Xbox and PCs on June 7. ... Stereolab singer Laetitia Sadier plans on dropping her second album under the Monade moniker in March. The as-yet-untitled LP follows 2003's Socialisme Ou Barbarie. ... Some Cities, the third album by ambient rock trio Doves, is set for release March 1. The disc follows up their 2002 breakthrough, The Last Broadcast. ...

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Ex-Sublime Drummer Arrested, Possibly For Marijuana

14 Jan 2003 16:57:00 EST

Floyd 'Bud' Gaugh was picked up Friday in Reno, Nevada, and has been released.
By Jennifer Vineyard

Floyd "Bud" Gaugh, former drummer for Sublime and the Long Beach Dub Allstars, was arrested Friday night in Reno, Nevada.

Though Reno police wouldn't confirm the charges, Reno NBC affiliate KRNV-TV reported that Gaugh was arrested for possession of marijuana. The Washoe County Sheriff's office said Gaugh has been released from police custody.

Gaugh, a former heroin addict, was kicked out of Sublime for a year in 1989 because of his addiction. After finding the dead body of Bradley Nowell following the Sublime singer's fatal overdose in 1996, Gaugh vowed to be drug-free. He reportedly quit the Long Beach Dub Allstars in frustration when his bandmates broke a pact requiring them to stay off narcotics.

Now a drummer in Eyes Adrift with Curt Kirkwood and Krist Novoselic (see "Nirvana, Sublime, Meat Puppets Members Form New Group"), Gaugh is set to go on a one-week outing with his new outfit, starting January 31 in Santa Ana, California, and running through February 7 in Austin, Texas.

Gaugh's manager didn't return calls for comment.

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Nirvana, Sublime, Meat Puppets Members Form New Group

31 Jan 2002 15:25:00 EST

Krist Novoselic, Bud Gaugh, Curt Kirkwood team up to record as Eyes Adrift.
By Joe D'Angelo and Iann Robinson

If the collaboration of Krist Novoselic, Bud Gaugh and Curt Kirkwood proves successful, you can just imagine the first clichéd headline: "The 'Eyes' Have It!"

Eyes Adrift, an alternative rock all-star trio composed of the former Nirvana bassist, former Sublime/current Long Beach Dub Allstars drummer and Meat Puppets singer/guitarist, wrote and recorded together in Austin, Texas, where Kirkwood resides, throughout December and have taken the dozen or so resulting songs on the road, according to Gaugh's manager. The group, whose sound draws upon folk and country, began gauging public perception of Eyes Adrift last week in Seattle and Portland, and will wrap up the brief jaunt on February 7 in Austin, where they'll resume work on their debut. Upon the as-yet-untitled LP's completion, the band will begin shopping for a label.

The idea for Eyes Adrift came together last summer, after Novoselic saw one of Kirkwood's solo performances. Gaugh volunteered his services a few days later. This wasn't Novoselic and Kirkwood's first introduction, however; the Meat Puppets opened for Nirvana on their 1993 tour supporting In Utero, and the grunge trio played three Meat Puppets songs ("Plateau," "Oh, Me," "Lake of Fire") with Cris and Curt Kirkwood during their 1993 MTV "Unplugged" performance. Novoselic's only post-Nirvana musical project to release an album was Sweet 75, which issued its self-titled debut — its sole album — in 1997. He has also been involved with the Joint Artists and Music Promotions Political Action Committee (JAMPAC), the annual Spitfire spoken-word tour, and, most recently, legal battles with Courtney Love over rights to previously unreleased Nirvana material (see "Kurt Cobain's Mom Rails Against Grohl, Novoselic").

Gaugh has recorded two albums with the Long Beach Dub Allstars, 1999's Right Back and last year's Wonders of the World. Kirkwood, meanwhile, created the ninth Meat Puppets studio effort, Golden Lies, with three new bandmates in 2000.

Remaining Eyes Adrift tour dates, according to Gaugh's manager:

1/31 - Santa Ana, CA @ Galaxy Theatre
2/1 - Goleta, CA @ Living Room
2/2 - Tempe, AZ @ Nita's Hideaway
2/3 - Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad
2/5 - Dallas, TX @ Trees
2/6 - Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald's
2/7 - Austin, TX @ Emo's

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Yes, That Really Is Bradley Nowell On Dub Allstars' Latest

27 Aug 2001 17:47:00 EDT

Sample of late Sublime singer appears on 'Sunny Hours.'
By Corey Moss

More than five years after Bradley Nowell's fatal overdose, the spirit and voice of the Sublime singer are still filling the airwaves.

The Long Beach Dub Allstars, a collection of former Sublime members and collaborators, have scored a hit with their new single, "Sunny Hours," a "What I Got"-type summer anthem that samples a memorable Nowell line from the Sublime tune.

"I think it's hard for all of us to accept death, but it's part of life," keyboardist Jack Maness said earlier this month from his Long Beach, California, home. "We want to record with him again, and this is kind of our way to do it. His voice and his words on it are very moving. It's like he's right there singing with us."

Turntablist and percussionist Marshall Goodman said Allstars singer Opie Oritz, who sounds strikingly similar to Nowell, included the line "Let the lovin'/ Let the lovin' / Come back to me" as a tribute to the late singer when he wrote "Sunny Hours." Goodman then sampled Nowell's recording for the third time the lyrics appear in the song.

"I thought Brad's voice fit really well with the song, which definitely has the same sort of vibe as a lot of the stuff on the Sublime album," Goodman said. "When you hear him, even just a line or two, you are reminded how talented he was."

"Sunny Hours" appears twice on the Long Beach Dub Allstars' third album, Wonders of the World, due September 11. The radio version of the tune features Black Eyed Peas rapper Will.I.Am, while the "Sunny Hours Reprise" is a more musical version.

The single has provided new material to the many radio stations that still play Sublime in regular rotation.

"It's not 'What I Got,' but it's a great song," said Dave Richards, program director at the influential Q101 (WKQX-FM) in Chicago. "We love Sublime. We miss Sublime. And this LBDA tune is very much in the same tradition as Sublime. And it's just a great summer song."

Wonders of the World, which was produced by Butthole Surfers mastermind Paul Leary, features the same mix of dub, reggae, rock and hip-hop that carries all the Sublime and Allstars albums. Guests on the record include dancehall legends Half Pint and Tippa Irie, Jurassic 5 rapper Chali 2na, and trombonist Gabriel McNair, whose résumé includes recordings with No Doubt, the Offspring and Green Day.

"It's a powerful jambalaya of music," Maness said of the album. "We have the capability to produce ourselves," as they did for 1998's independently released Long Beach Dub Allstars and Friends and 1999's Right Back, which included the single "Trailer Ras," "but having someone with an unbiased opinion is really, really important. [Leary] puts everybody on the page, and he's appreciative of what you are trying to do. And you are trying to impress him because he is so good."

The Long Beach Dub Allstars, whose lineup also includes former Sublime bassist Eric Wilson and drummer Bud Gaugh, along with vocalist/guitarist RAS-1 and saxophonist Tim Wu, will promote Wonders of the World with a fall tour, including the three Smoke Out dates (see "Busta, Deftones, Method Man To Smoke Out With Cypress Hill").

Long Beach Dub Allstars tour dates, according to the band's publicist: