Stephan Jenkins of Third Eye Blind
Photo: Neilson Barnard/ Getty Images

Congrats to country queen Reba McEntire for notching her second #1 country album debut with Keep on Loving You, which will take the top spot on the Billboard 200 next week, thanks to sales of 96,000, according to figures provided by Nielsen SoundScan.

But the real story is down a few spots at #3, where 1990s alterna-pop forgotten souls Third Eye Blind will stage a triumphant return to the upper echelons of the charts with their first album in six years, Ursa Major. In fact, this bow is the highest any Third Eye Blind album has ever placed on the charts, and while the reappearance from the once multi-platinum hitmakers might seem surprising, if you've been to one of their shows lately, you might have noticed that a whole new generation of young fans have discovered their sugar-buzz pop bombs, and they appear to have gone out to their local megamart and actually plunked down money for a CD. Then again, a bargain $3.99 price at the Amazon.com MP3 store probably helped downloads, which accounted for more than half of the album's 49,000 first-week sales.

Other than 3EB's triumph, next week's chart is in a virtual holding pattern. Last week's #1, country king George Strait's Twang, shed 61 percent of its business to drop to #2 on sales of 61,000, while the Kings of Leon continued their strong showing, easing up a spot to #4 (45,000) as the one-year anniversary of Only by the Night approaches. Elsewhere in the top 10: the Black Eyed Peas slip a pair to #5 with The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies) (41,000); Neil Diamond's Hot August Night NYC live album moves down four spots from its debut last week to #6 (39,000); and the "Hannah Montana" movie soundtrack storms up seven to #7 (38,000), thanks to a 41 percent increase in business following the DVD release of the movie. Taylor Swift's relentless Fearless bumps up one spot to #8 (34,000), switching places with Daughtry's Leave This Town (#9, 33,000), and the Now That's What I Call Music! 31 compilation rounds out the top 10 (33,000).

Just outside to top 10, Sean Paul's Imperial Blaze drops in at #12 (28,000), and Grammy-nominated singer Ledisi hits #14 with Turn Me Loose (27,000). New Orleans keyboard rockers Mutemath have a decent showing at #18 for their latest, Armistice (18,000). Comedian Patton Oswalt, current star of the sports-themed flick "Big Fan," rolls into the #67 spot with his in-concert album My Weakness Is Strong (7,000). Costumed metallers Gwar make it to #96 with Lust in Space (5,000), and Raconteurs singer/guitarist Brendan Benson squeaked in at #110 with his truly excellent, '70s-splashed solo album, My Old, Familiar Friend (4,000).

Further down the list, the mixtape-like soundtrack to Quentin Tarantino's #1 movie, "Inglourious Basterds," limps in at #132 (3,000). Mind-numbingly catchy "Evacuate the Dancefloor" act Cascada is just behind at #155 with the album of the same name (3,000), and prolific indie punk Jay Reatard lands at #182 with his Watch Me Fall (2,000).

Next week could bring some new names in the top 10, with releases from Colbie Caillat, Arctic Monkeys, Queen Latifah and Ingrid Michaelson.

• Third Eye Blind

Jay-Z (file)
Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images

As odd as it may have been to see a bill featuring Kelly Clarkson, Third Eye Blind and Jay-Z, it's even stranger to see a blog post from Jay-Z.

Jay admitted that he doesn't use Twitter, but he managed to post a blog for RapRadar.com following his performance Thursday evening at the University of Arizona. The MC said he was caught up in the excitement of the moment, as well as the technical difficulties, and he missed the opportunity to say something important.

"On the show as well were Third Eye Blind and Kelly Clarkson ... I thought that had to be the oddest pairing ever, but soon realized it's what I've always professed. There's NO such thing as Black music or White music only Good or Bad music."

Jay said it was cool to like different things that are outside of your comfort zone. He said this also applies to the world around us and not just music.

"If you're African American you can have a Jewish friend." He brought up his own friendship with former Def Jam head/ current Warner Music CEO Lyor Cohen. "The Jew fro and the BLUEprint fro [Afro] are the SAME thing."

Jay added that he would like to see diverse concerts such as this happen more often, outside of the one or two festivals per year and big radio station summer concerts like Zootopia, held by New York's Z-100, among many others.

"I'm putting that into the universe," Jay blogged, adding, "Next up, [a concert with] Taylor Swift and Uncle Murda!"

• Jay-Z
• Kelly Clarkson
• Third Eye Blind

Madonna
Photo: Dave Hogan/ Getty Images

Time to pucker up for Madonna's next album — Billboard.com reports that the singer has settled on the title for it: Licorice. The effort, which will reportedly feature "Candy Shop" and "The Beat Goes On" (featuring Pharrell), is due in late April and will be Madge's last effort for longtime label Warner Bros. Kanye West is said to be a guest on "The Beat Goes On," according to the site, which also reports that Madonna's vintage track "The Devil Wouldn't Recognize You" will get an update on the new disc. ...

Jessica Sierra pleaded not guilty on Thursday (December 6) to charges of disorderly intoxication, resisting arrest and violating conditions of her parole on earlier felony battery and possession charges, according to The Associated Press. The former "American Idol" finalist was arrested early Sunday morning outside a bar in Ybor City, near Tampa, Florida, after causing an unspecified disturbance while working inside the establishment. Sierra's lawyer reportedly said he is consulting with doctors to map out a comprehensive drug and alcohol plan for the ex-"Idol" contestant, who is currently being held without bail. Sierra is to remain in jail at least until her next hearing on December 20. ...

Gym Class Heroes, the Academy Is ... and Relient K will help anchor next year's Warped Tour, according to Alternative Press. Every Time I Die, From First to Last and the Bronx are also among the first 18 bands named for the summer trek, with the dates yet to be announced. ... Speaking of summer fests, Bonnaroo will take place June 12-15 in Manchester, Tennessee, Billboard.com reports. The lineup will be revealed in late January or early February. ... Your chance to download Radiohead's In Rainbows is about to end. The band has announced that the InRainbows.com Web site will close Saturday. But you can still plunk down $80 for the box set at Radiohead's online w.a.s.t.e. store, while supplies last. ...

Ne-Yo and Macy Gray are joining Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy and others as they pitch in for presidential aspirant Senator Barack Obama. Ne-Yo and the Goo Goo Dolls will play at an Obama fundraiser in Universal City, California, on Monday, while Gray, Tweedy and others will perform at the senator's Friday event in Obama's hometown of Chicago. On a related note, Wilco will set out for a two-week U.S. tour in February. ... Paris, you've got nothing on Britney — Spears outdid Hilton on eBay in terms of related items sold this year. AP reports that 34,345 Brit-related items were sold, compared with 27,377 for Paris. A mere 8,099 items related to Lindsay Lohan were auctioned, while on the movies front, "Transformers" beat out Harry Potter with 442,342 and 344,825 related items sold, respectively. ...

Indie-rockers, state attorneys general and anti-smoking activists are finding themselves on the same side, oddly enough — some of them are reportedly peeved about an ad for Camel cigarettes that appeared alongside a cartoon-heavy indie-rock feature in the magazine's November 15 issue, Pitchfork reports. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. has stopped promotions for its "The Farm" marketing campaign after nine attorneys general sued the company over the ads, according to North Carolina's Winston-Salem Journal. More states are reportedly expected to also sue R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., which could face a fine of more than $100 million for violating a 1998 agreement between 46 states and tobacco manufacturers. The Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement banned the use of cartoons to sell market cigarettes in 1997, effectively killing off Joe Camel. Also being debated, according to Pitchfork, are Camel-sponsored concerts that have featured the Flaming Lips, Band of Horses and the Faint. ...

Alicia Keys will ring in the new year with a performance on the roof of New York's Rockefeller Center as part of Carson Daly's shindig on NBC, People.com reports. The show, which will air December 31 at 11:35 p.m. ET, will also feature Lenny Kravitz performing in Times Square. Keys will sing two songs from her latest album, As I Am. ... LL Cool J, Rev Run, Petra Nemcova, Brett Ratner and other celebs have ponied up items for an ongoing online charity auction staged by Russell Simmons' Diamond Empowerment Fund. "Diamonds Give" features 15 lots of donated diamond pieces and runs through December 16 on eBay. ...

It sounds like U2 might be going back to the future on their upcoming album. The band, which flirted with dance beats and techno on such albums as 1991's Achtung Baby, is incorporating trance, metal and Moroccan influences on its new disc, according to an interview with Bono in The Independent. The singer said fans will "feel the difference. ... Normally when you play a U2 tune, it clears the dance floor. And that may not be true of this. There's some trance influences." He also said the yet-untitled and unscheduled album has some "very hardcore guitar" and "real molten metal" from guitarist the Edge that doesn't sound "like anything we've ever done before, and we don't think it sounds like anything anyone else has done either." Though he wouldn't categorize the album as "world" music, Bono said its sound was inspired in part by a religious music festival the guys attended in Fez, Morocco, where they were exposed to Sufi music. "It was a real humbling thing for a punk-rock shouter, listening to these people who just close their eyes for 40 minutes and sing the most sophisticated melodies." So far, U2 have recorded enough material for two records, he added. ...

Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson recently hung with locals, bathed in an irrigation ditch in their boxers and visited an orphanage in Peru this week, according to AP. An image that surfaced shows the two, who reportedly stayed at a cheap hotel room that cost less than $50 per night, smiling and waving in Cuzco. Cameron Diaz, Bill Gates and others visited the area earlier this year. ... Courtney Love has a new video on her hands ... kind of. A clip featuring manga character Princess Ai — whose universe of properties was co-created by Love — will premiere at the New York Anime Festival on Saturday. "Princess Ai: Broken Leash," which includes live action, animation and music, will appear as part of a CD/DVD anthology due in fall 2008. ... It's hard to keep old punks down. After their recent reunion tour of England this year, punk grandfathers the Sex Pistols will hit the road again next summer, according to Reuters. Guitarist Steve Jones did not give any specifics about the 2008 tour on his Los Angeles radio show on Wednesday, other than to say that the group might play an upcoming charity show at London's Royal Albert Hall organized by Who singer Roger Daltrey. ...

And the battle over James Brown's estate goes on. According to AP, two former trustees for the late singer's estate say the judge who is handling the disputes made them resign in late November. In recently filed court documents, Buddy Dallas and Alford Bradley reportedly said they want to retract their resignations and that South Carolina Circuit Judge Jack Early used "improper judicial influence." They are also seeking for the appointment of their successors to be overturned.

12.5.07

Unlike Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Richie, Kiefer Sutherland is not getting off easy with his DUI — the "24" actor has been sentenced to 48 days in a Los Angeles County jail for his September 24 arrest and violating his probation. The actor must start serving his sentence at the Glendale City Jail prior to March 30, UsMagazine.com reports. He has also been sentenced to five years of probation, must finish a year-and-a-half-long alcohol-education program and go to weekly therapy sessions for a half-year. Sutherland, who had a previous DUI before his fall arrest, had been pulled over by police after making an illegal U-turn and reportedly blew twice the legal blood-alcohol level during a breathalyzer test. He issued a statement after entering a no-contest plea in early October, saying, "I'm very disappointed in myself for the poor judgment I exhibited recently, and I'm deeply sorry for the disappointment and distress this has caused my family, friends and co-workers on '24' and at 20th Century Fox." ... Contrasting with Sutherland's devastating news, Richie caught a break on Wednesday when her court-mandated anti-drinking program granted the socialite a leave of absence, according to People. Coordinators at the program were reportedly worried for Richie's safety, with her rep saying such leaves of absence are granted to people with medical conditions and that she did not get special treatment. Richie is eight months pregnant and has to complete the 18-month program as part of her DUI plea deal ...

Bad news for Vanessa Hudgens: A Los Angeles judge ruled Wednesday (December 5) that a breach-of-contract suit by her former lawyer can go forward, according to CBS News. Brian L. Schall is suing the "The High School Musical" star for breach of contract, although Hudgens has argued that she was a minor at the time she signed the agreement and therefore isn't bound to it. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Tricia Ann Bigelow said the matter of Hudgens disaffirming her contractual obligations within a reasonable time period is a "factual issue," and that Hudgens' decision to wait until she was 18 years and 9 months old to reject the contract is an issue for either a jury decision or a motion for summary judgment. The next hearing in the case is slated for January 15. ... Lindsay Lohan might be facing another setback too: Raymundo Ortega, the busboy who is seeking $200,000 in damages stemming from Lohan's collision with his van in October 2005, says he has proof the starlet was drinking before the crash, according to The Associated Press. He reportedly filed papers Tuesday. ...

An interview with T.I. that was conducted prior to his October arrest on gun charges appears in the December/January issue of Rap-Up magazine, which features him and Nicole Scherzinger on alternate covers. The rapper said he has a new urban-clothing line on the way — called "A King of Oneself" — and also revealed his interest in a different type of endeavor: commercial construction. "I want to build a Home Depot or a Wal-Mart, shopping centers," he told the mag. Tip cited Tupac as the rapper who had the most influence on him growing up — and called out some other big names for keeping him out of trouble. "Sometimes I be wildin' out, then [Suge Knight says,] 'Man, you got too much going on, you can't do that. It ain't like the old days,' " said the rapper, who is currently under house arrest. "[Jay-Z] will tell me the same thing, [Diddy] tell me the same thing, Kevin Liles — everybody trying. Wyclef is another one. People, I guess, just care." ...

For her part, Nicole Scherzinger named Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake, Gwen Stefani, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson as the singers she admires the most. She also talked about someone else you may have heard of — Kanye West — and why the tracks he produced for her solo debut didn't make the cut. "I wasn't able to really finish them in time," said the singer, whose Her Name Is Nicole LP is due January 29. "When I have the right time and the right album, I wanna finish those songs. There was talks of putting Common on one of them." Scherzinger also talked about shooting her "Whatever U Like" video with the other Rap-Up cover artist, T.I. "When we did the video it was crazy 'cause we were all up in each other's grills, like [director] Paul Hunter really made us go there, but it was great. He's a professional. Paul was making us tug on each other; we were hard-core for a hot second." ...

Jay-Z celebrated his 38th birthday with Beyoncé in Paris on Tuesday, according to People.com. The couple reportedly holed up in a hotel suite, took a drive around the city, ate at L'Avenue restaurant and caught a cabaret show. ... Pete Wentz, Chris Brown, the Jonas Brothers and Corbin Bleu all made Teen magazine's list of the 50 Hottest Guys in Hollywood — but Zac Efron takes the cake by topping the bunch. ... Keira Knightley stripped down for the revealing cover of the latest issue of Interview magazine. "How does that always happen?" the "Atonement" actress asked herself, in the interview, of taking off her clothes. "Because I say yes, I suppose." ...

Styles P, Hurricane Chris and Fabolous will bring some yuletide cheer to Russell Simmons and Rev Run's eighth annual Youth Holiday Party in New York on Tuesday, with MTV News' own Sway acting as one of the emcees. For the festivities, the Simmons brothers and their Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation will turn the Fillmore at Irving Plaza into a winter wonderland, raffling off prizes like an Xbox 360 and tickets to a taping of "106 & Park." Kids will also get Target gift cards. ...

Journey are counting a new singer among their ranks: Arnel Pineda. The Filipino crooner, who previously covered the band's songs with his group the Zoo, is the third Journey singer in two years — he follows Jeff Scott Soto, who left the fold earlier this year after filling in for Steve Augeri, who split with the band in 2006 due to medical reasons. "I know they'll expect me to sound exactly like 'the voice,' " Pineda said in a statement, referring to yet another former Journey singer: Steve Perry. "But that will never happen. I know there's only one Steve Perry in this world." "Arnel doesn't sound synthetic and he's not emulating anyone," added guitarist Neal Schon, who discovered the singer's Zoo clips online. "I tried to get a hold of him through YouTube and I finally heard from him ... but it took some convincing to get him to believe that it really was me and not an imposter." ...

Deerhunter, Black Dice, Fischerspooner and others have chipped in unreleased new songs for Living Bridge, a two-CD collection of songs by bands who have previously recorded at Brooklyn, New York's Rare Book Room Studio. The 25-song package will hit stores February 26 and christen Rare Book Room Records, a new label. ... The Breeders will be back in '08 with a new disc hitting stores April 8. Mountain Battles will arrive six years after the band's previous effort, Title TK, which the band took nine years to put out following its most successful album, 1993's Last Splash. The Pixies-affiliated group is also due to tour throughout the year, hitting up South by Southwest and Coachella along the way. ... Peaches will sweeten up New Year's Eve this year by counting down the clock in downtown Los Angeles as part of Hard NYE's bash. She will also perform, as will Justice. ...

Paula Abdul was a "disaster" on "Saturday Night Live" when she hosted the show two years ago — so says Tina Fey in the January issue of Playboy. "I was pregnant at the time and probably a little moody, but I remember thinking, 'She's a disaster!' " Fey said. ... Vivica A. Fox booked herself on Wednesday on charges of driving under the influence, TMZ.com reports. A judge ordered on Monday that the actress be booked or face a bench warrant. ... Charges were dropped against Jonathan Rhys-Meyers after he apologized for creating a drunken fracas at an airport in Ireland earlier this year. The actor, who faced two charges of public drunkenness and breach of peace, said through his lawyer that he intends to make a donation to an unspecified charity. ...

The one guy who seemed kind of charmed by Borat's antics in last year's "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" has joined the parade of people suing the fake Kazakh reporter. According to Reuters, driving instructor Michael Psenicska's suit against the film's makers and star Sacha Baron Cohen claims that he was tricked into participating in a film that he was led to believe was a "documentary about the integration of foreign people into the American way of life." Psenicska said he was paid $500 in cash to give Borat a driving lesson and described the experience as "surreal," saying Cohen drove erratically down residential streets, drank alcohol and yelled to a female pedestrian that he would pay her $10 for "sexy time." Psenicska is seeking $100,000 in compensatory damages and additional punitive damages for being misled, and for the emotional harm he allegedly continues to suffer. Psenicska said if he had known the true nature of the film, he never would have participated. The studio behind the flick said the suit had no merit and that Psenicska was a willing participant in the film. ...

Eddie Vedder is making his first video appearance since his spot in Pearl Jam's "Jeremy" clip 15 years ago. Mr. Ed is supporting his soundtrack to "Into the Wild" with a video for "Guaranteed." ... Saosin can't get enough of the road — the band, which toured for most of 2007, has rolled out a new 2008 itinerary. The California rockers will take Armor for Sleep and the Bled along for their jaunt, which starts January 21 in Tucson, Arizona, and ends February 14 in Chico, California. ... The sounds made by the creepy creatures in Will Smith's new movie "I Am Legend" might seem familiar to Faith No More fans — Mike Patton is the one behind them. The always-busy musician, who previously lent his voice to video games like "The Darkness" and "The Portal," is also delving into the film world with "A Perfect Place," a noirish short film for which he composed the music. ...

The family of Justin Barker, the white student who was allegedly beaten by six black classmates last year in Jena, Louisiana, has filed a civil lawsuit against the teens, their parents, the local school board and a seventh student who was not charged in the case, USA Today reports. The lawsuit claims that the attack on Barker was of "such extreme nature so as to require emergency medical care and treatment for the harm inflicted by the attack, and resulting in extensive and permanently disabling injuries." The suit, filed Thursday, also alleges that employees of the LaSalle Parish School Board were not adequately supervising students or maintaining discipline. ...

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama will flex his rock muscle on Friday at a fundraising show featuring Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy performing solo alongside buzz band the Cool Kids, Third Eye Blind singer Stephan Jenkins, Jill Sobule and local indie bands the Changes and Canasta. The "Change Rocks" show will take place at the Riviera Theatre in Obama's hometown of Chicago, with tickets ranging from $50 to $500 apiece. ... Hillary Clinton's campaign has had a change of heart. Less than a month before the Iowa caucuses, Clinton has dropped her controversial campaign theme song, "You and I" by Celine Dion, and replaced it with "Blue Sky" by Colorado 1990s college faves Big Head Todd and the Monsters, according to ABC News. ...

We can see now why comedian Dave Chappelle might have walked away from that $50 million Comedy Central deal: He'd rather be doing stand-up. Chappelle broke his own endurance record on Sunday with a set at the Laugh Factory in West Hollywood, California, that lasted six hours and 12 minutes, besting his previous mark, set in April, by a good five minutes. Club owner Jamie Masada told AP that Chappelle was on a mission. "Dave was determined to keep his record because he recently heard that Dane Cook was planning on trying to break [his] record," Masada said. ... R&B singer Avant has signed to Capitol Records to release his next album, due in the summer. The multiplatinum crooner was previously signed to MCA, before the label folded into Geffen Records, through which he released four albums and a string of hit singles, including his breakout "Separated." Avant's yet-untitled next album is expected to include production from Rodney Jerkins and Mr. Collipark, among others.

• Madonna
• Gym Class Heroes
• Alicia Keys
• Radiohead
• The Academy Is...

"Idol" personalities Simon Cowell, Ryan Seacrest, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson
Photo: George Lange/ FOX

The owners and creators of "American Idol" are being sued by a fan who says the show stole his idea for a Web game based on the singing competition. Adam Pick claims in a lawsuit filed last week in Los Angeles Superior Court that he invented an interactive fantasy game called "Idol Go Home," in which people could reverse the voting process by picking who should get booted instead of who should win. "It's fantasy football with a reality-TV twist," Pick said of the game, which would let users post blogs and photos as well. But after pitching the idea and giving "Idol" a prototype of the site, Pick claims show representatives said they weren't interested, but that Pick could launch his own site. Once he did so, Pick says, "Idol" demanded that he shut down the site, while at the same time, according to his lawsuit, "Idol" modified its site to incorporate Pick's ideas. Pick is seeking monetary damages and an injunction restraining the show from using his idea. Fox had no comment. ...

Prince will be presented with lifetime-achievement honors at the 10th annual Webby Awards, set for June 12 in New York. One of the first artists to release a Web-only album (1997's Crystal Ball), Prince is being recognized for his innovative use of the Internet to distribute music and connect with fans. "Besides being a musical genius, Prince is a visionary who recognized early on that the Web would completely change how we experience music," Webby Awards founder Tiffany Shlain said. Previously announced special-achievement honorees include Gorillaz and the founders of MySpace. ...

Hilary Duff's dog Lola now has her very own blog, hosted in the fan-club-only section of the singer/actress' official site, HilaryDuff.com. And what does the pampered pet of a pop star have to say? So far the Chihuahua has posted her endorsement of a dog-care book written by the owner of a Maltese pal. ... Black Eyed Peas are starring as superheroes who spend their days making candy and their nights defending hip-hop in a series of digital films — a.k.a. online commercials — promoting Snickers. The "digi-sodes" launch Monday on InstantDef.com. ...

When AFI's new album, Decemberunderground, hits stores Tuesday, the most devoted fans might want to pick up four copies. The band has placed one of four different collectible booklets behind the disc's cover insert, each featuring the face of a group member. The limited-edition booklets will be available exclusively in the album's first pressing. ... Rob Thomas and Matchbox Twenty have donated $200,000 to the Consortium for Worker Education, a resettlement agency aiding music education in Gulf Coast high schools affected by Hurricane Katrina, The Associated Press reports. Thomas will also raise money for the fund during his current tour with Jewel, which hits Portsmouth, Virginia, on Wednesday (May 31). Music instruction in school will "groom generations of musicians who are so vital to rebuilding New Orleans, its infrastructure and its culture," Thomas said in a statement. ... Now that he's through sending off ousted "American Idol" contestants, Daniel Powter is hitting the road. The "Bad Day" singer will launch a U.S. tour beginning July 17 at Philadelphia's Theatre of the Living Arts. The trek wraps up with a two-night stand at West Hollywood's Roxy Theater on August 4 and 5. ...

Foo Fighters have added two more dates to their upcoming acoustic jaunt, which the band has nicknamed its "Afoostic" tour. But that's become something of a misnomer, now that the Foos have announced that one of the just-announced shows will be performed electric. That performance will be held August 18 at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa's Event Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey, while the band will play a proper stripped-down set August 15 at the DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. ... Tegan and Sara will release their first DVD, "It's Not Fun. Don't Do It!," August 8. Content includes a full concert shot at the Phoenix in Toronto, a tour documentary filmed by the twin sisters, the making of 2004's So Jealous and all the duo's videos. ...

A National Guardsman who lost his right arm near the shoulder and left arm above the wrist in Iraq filed suit Friday in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, against filmmaker Michael Moore for allegedly including him in "Fahrenheit 9/11" without his permission, claiming defamation and invasion of privacy. Sergeant Peter Damon, who was injured in October 2003, was featured in a 10-second clip in Moore's documentary that depicted him awaiting surgery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. But those 10 seconds of footage were from an interview with NBC News' Brian Williams, and Damon claims that he was never asked, nor did he consent, for the interview to be used elsewhere. Damon says he disagrees politically with Moore and that the interview made it appear as if he were complaining about the war effort instead of talking about the pain he felt when he lost his arms. (Moore has denied any intention to demean the service of U.S. troops through the film.) Damon's seeking $100 million and also named Harvey and Robert Weinstein, Miramax, Lionsgate and NBC in the suit. The Weinsteins, NBC and Lionsgate had no comment. ...

Former Jane's Addiction and Porno for Pyros frontman Perry Farrell will deliver the keynote address at the upcoming CMJ Rock Hall Music Fest, to be held June 14 at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. Farrell's DJ alter ego, Peretz, will man the ones and twos along with Mike Boogie and Prince Paul during the festival's opening-night shindig. ... Original Black Flag singer Keith Morris and onetime Guns N' Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke joined L.A. punks the Bronx onstage for the last show of the band's monthlong residency at Los Angeles' Spaceland Monday night. Clarke produced the Bronx's 2003 self-titled debut. ...

Third Eye Blind's hits have been compiled for a CD/DVD set aptly titled Third Eye Blind: A Collection. The 19-track CD includes "Semi-Charmed Life," "How's It Gonna Be" and "Jumper," along with B-sides and bonus tracks. The DVD features all seven of Third Eye Blind's videos as well as two clips for the previously unreleased "Losing a Whole Year." ... Canadian indie rock veterans Sloan are lining up festival dates in the U.S. and Canada, but they don't plan to kick off a full-fledged tour until the fall. According to a post on the band's Web site, Sloan continue to work on their next album, which is due in September. But fans won't have to wait that long to hear something fresh from the foursome. "Look to criticize the new single in July," the update notes.

05.30.2006

The African nation of Namibia offered Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt the privacy they sought for the birth of their child, and now the couple are giving back. Jolie and Pitt, who welcomed their daughter Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt in Namibia on Saturday, donated $300,000 toward the medical treatment of new babies in the country's hospitals and gave $15,000 for a school and community center in the town of Swakopmund, The Associated Press reports. "We want to contribute to Namibia and the people who have been so gracious to us at this time," the couple said in a statement. ...

Cingular Wireless announced Friday that more than 64.5 million text-message votes were cast throughout the fifth season of "American Idol." That smashes last season's record of 41.5 million. ... The Raconteurs are playing in-stores at Amoeba Music in Hollywood and San Francisco on the same day: June 8. The L.A. show is scheduled for 11 a.m., followed by the San Fran set at 9:30 p.m. ... Still aren't convinced Beck's about to issue his third LP in two years? A post that appeared on Beck.com late last week further confirmed the hard-to-believe accomplishment: "Beck has just completed his new album, which he's been in the studio working on with Nigel Godrich," the post read, referencing the producer who worked on 2005's Guero and 2002's Sea Change. "The album is due out this fall." ...

It turns out Korn haven't decided to axe guitarist Rob Patterson after all. Patterson, who had previously played with Otep, was recruited last year to fill in for Brian "Head" Welch as Korn's touring guitarist. But last week, during the European leg of the band's See You on the Other Side tour, fans noticed Patterson — who plays offstage during Korn shows — had been replaced by Fear Factory guitarist Christian Olde Wolbers. According to the band's management, that lineup was only temporary. "Korn played three shows with their longtime friend Christian to start the tour in Europe, but Patterson is now back at that position." ...

Snow Patrol were forced to postpone a pair of shows — Monday night in Atlanta and Wednesday in Washington, D.C. — in order to give frontman Gary Lightbody's voice a rest. Lightbody made the announcement on the band's site, SnowPatrol.com, writing, "My voice is in pieces. ... When we began the Eyes Open tour in February, I was told by my doctor a few days beforehand that I had laryngitis and it would be best if I took a week off to recover. I told him I didn't have a week, as we had shows pretty much every day." He added that he's seeing a specialist in New York and that the band will make up the postponed shows in mid-August. It's not known if Lightbody's ailment will also force Snow Patrol to bump their upcoming gigs in New York and Philadelphia. ...

Yeah Yeah Yeahs have a cheat planned for their "Cheated Hearts" video: make someone else do the work. The band is looking for a few good fans to take their best shot at Karen O for the next clip from Show Your Bones. According to the announcement posted on the band's site, Yeah Yeah Yeahs are seeking video submissions from people who "dress the part" and "get lost in the song" against a white wall with the track blaring in the background. Entries must be submitted on DV, postmarked by June 12 and include a signed release form. Head to YeahYeahYeahs.com/cheatedhearts for additional tips and a copy of the release. ...

James Blunt, who won the most performed song of the year prize at Thursday's Ivor Novello Awards, called it the "Most Overplayed Song" award while accepting the trophy, and now one radio station is doing its part to keep the former British army officer off the airwaves. Essex FM, an adult-contemporary station serving the eastern English county, has banned Blunt's music, citing listener demand. "We don't have anything against James Blunt," program director Chris Cotton said in a statement on the station's Web site. "We're pleased he's been so successful, but we really need a break. While his songs have been very popular, there is a tremendous amount of industry pressure to play certain artists very frequently. Often this can be out of step with the audience's tastes, which results in songs being overplayed." ...

Actor Paul Gleason, best known for his portrayals of Clarence Beeks in "Trading Places," Deputy Police Chief Dwayne Robinson in "Die Hard," and hard-as-nails Principal Richard Vernon ("Don't mess with the bull, young man. You'll get the horns") in the teen-comedy classic "The Breakfast Club," died Saturday in a California hospital. He was 67. The AP reports that Gleason died of mesothelioma, a rare form of lung cancer linked to asbestos. Gleason appeared in more than 60 films and later in his career made several notable television appearances in TV shows including "Friends" and "Seinfeld." He is survived by his wife, two daughters and a granddaughter. ...

The Rollins Band will team up with Los Angeles punk legends X for the 18-date As the World Burns Tour, which kicks off July 28 in San Francisco and runs through an August 19 stop in Boston. ... Helmet's forthcoming album, Monochrome, has been slated for a July 18 release and will hit stores as the band travels the country on this summer's Warped Tour. The disc, the follow-up to 2004's Size Matters, will feature 10 new tracks including "Swallowing Everything," "410 and Goodbye" and "Money Shot." ... Sleepy Brown, Washington, D.C., duo Panacea and Waco, Texas' the Strange Fruit Project have joined previously announced headliner Big Daddy Kane and Chicago's Lupe Fiasco and Rhymefest on the lineup of the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival, set for June 24 in New York's Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park, located between the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan Bridge. For more information and to register for tickets to the free show, head to the fest's site, BrooklynBodega.com. ...

Gary Glitter is due in a Vietnam court June 15 to appeal his child-molestation conviction, Reuters reports. Glitter's lawyer said the one-day hearing to appeal the singer's three-year sentence will take place at Supreme Court in Ho Chi Minh City. Glitter has been incarcerated in the resort town of Vung Tau since March. ... Gorky's Zygotic Mynci are no more. In a Friday post on their Web site — titled "Gorky's Zygotic Mynci RIP (Rock in Peace)" — the Welsh band, which formed in 1990, announced that it's splitting up. "Richard, Megan, Euros and Pete would like to thank everyone who came to the gigs and bought the records over the years," the statement read. ...

• 'American Idol' Season Five Final 12

• Prince
• Hilary Duff
• Black Eyed Peas
• AFI
• Rob Thomas

Sammie
Photo: Business Wire/Getty Images

We couldn't get enough of them. Their songs were our soundtrack, and we laughed, danced, cried and loved along with them. They flashed across our radio and TV burning brightly — but where have they been lately? As you'll find out in our new regular feature Where Ya Been?, sometimes the stories behind your favorite songs are more interesting than the hits themselves.

 
Who: Sammie (born Sammie Bush)

Biggest hit: "I Like It"

Claim to fame: Helped pave the way for the current wave of teen male R&B crooners.

Why do I know that name?: It's been a while since we heard from preteen R&B sensation Sammie. The pint-size singer exploded on the scene in the late '90s as a 12-year-old after paying his dues singing in his Miami church from the age of 4. When a grade-school music teacher noticed his chops, he was transferred to a performing arts magnet school and joined up with two older boys in a vocal group, the Wonder 3. Before long, they were auditioning for "It's Showtime at the Apollo," but Sammie was the only one the program wanted. He debuted on the "Apollo Kids" segment in 1998 and won the finals for his rendition of Stevie Wonder's "My Cherie Amour" the following year. The "Apollo" win put Sammie on the radar of Atlanta-based hitmaker Dallas Austin (Boyz II Men, TLC), who co-wrote and executive produced the singer's 2000 debut, From the Bottom to the Top, which was recorded the summer after he completed sixth grade. The album drew comparisons to both Wonder and the young Michael Jackson, and Sammie said the attention was, well, amazing. "It was a lot of fun [being a star at 12]," recalled Sammie, now 18, of his string of hits that included "I Like It" and "Crazy Things I Do." "At such a young age, to travel the world and have girls scream over you — it's very different from what most 12-year-olds are accustomed to."

Reading, writing and reeling it back in: After another hit, the title track to the forgettable Keanu Reeves flick "Hardball" — a song that featured fellow half-pints Bow Wow, Lil Wayne and Lil' Zane — Sammie voluntarily pulled the plug on his career in an attempt to salvage something of a more typical high school experience. "It just popped up," said Sammie of his decision to quit the biz and go back to finish school. "I never anticipated stopping, but I thought about it and it felt like the best thing to do. I always knew I'd come back, though. People see me and think I'm still that 12-year-old kid and they're surprised at how big I got to be."

High school confidential: When Sammie started ninth grade and "Hardball" was in theaters, he was so mobbed by autograph seekers in the halls of his high school that he needed a security escort to get from class to class. "But by the end of my sophomore year, it faded away and people started treating me like a regular guy," he recalled. He also played on the school's basketball team and was crowned homecoming king.

Call it a comeback: By junior year, Sammie had joined choir to get his voice — which had dropped noticeably lower — back into shape. After consulting with his mom, he decided to begin the second act of his career. When Hurricane Frances hit Florida in 2004, his family evacuated to Atlanta, which is how he ended up at a birthday party for Austin. "He was in shock at how big I had gotten and he said right away, 'I want to sign you,' " Sammie said of the producer, with whom he had kept in touch over the years. He is now signed to Austin's recently relaunched Rowdy Records and just filmed the first video from his upcoming second album, Sammie, for the Jazze Pha-produced "You Should Be My Girl," featuring Sean Paul from the Youngbloodz. He's also signed on for his first film role, alongside fellow young crooner Ne-Yo, in "Steppin'." "It's not scary, but I'm more anxious now," said Sammie, who co-wrote many of the songs on his adult, R&B-flavored new album. "I'm working out in the gym all the time because these young boys out here with those ab muscles ... it's a lot of hard work, but I'm not a new artist, I just have to re-establish myself."

The moral: Staying in school can be cool. "If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me, 'Sammie, what happened?,' I wouldn't have to sing for my income," the singer joked. "A lot of people do get forgotten, but if it's a hit, it's a hit forever. I do 'I Like It' and everyone sings along like it was yesterday."

 
Who: Third Eye Blind

Biggest hit: "Semi-Charmed Life"

Claim to fame: The only Top 40 group we can think of whose first hit mixed "doot doot doot"s with lyrics about oral sex and snorting crystal meth.

	Third Eye Blind: Where Ya Been?

Why do I know that name?: Formed in the early 1990s by San Francisco singer/songwriter Stephan Jenkins, Third Eye Blind were one of the least likely pop groups of the decade. The band landed a recording contract with Elektra Records after hitting the label's radar with a widely circulated demo and an opening slot for Oasis in their hometown in 1996. When their self-titled debut was released the next year, it spawned the huge hit "Semi-Charmed Life," which, despite its head-bobbing chorus and seemingly sunny lyrics about beaches and young love, is one of the darker songs to ever top the charts — a distinction Jenkins relishes to this day. "Someone described them once as 'pretty little songs with dirty little words,' and I like that," Jenkins said. "Our label couldn't understand that a band could have some songs that were catchy but its message was dark. They couldn't understand that we were more about the Velvet Underground than the Beatles."

Second time's a charm ... After selling more than 6 million copies of their debut (bolstered by hits like "Life," "Jumper," "How's It Going to Be" and "Graduate"), Third Eye Blind returned in 1999 with the darker, more experimental Blue, which would sell nearly 2 million copies but spawned fewer hits.

... But third time wasn't: By the time the band released 2003's Out of the Vein, Elektra was in the midst of being absorbed into Atlantic Records and Jenkins contends the group was not a priority. "I worked really hard on Out of the Vein," he said of the band's least successful outing, which has sold around 250,000 copies. "Elektra was imploding as we were making it, so we didn't make a video and didn't do a marketing campaign, but as far as critics go, it was my best-reviewed album." Discouraged by the record's failure, Jenkins said he pulled back and did some soul-searching. "If you take the first three albums, they were of a piece," he explained. "They were lyrically about making a good shield, putting up a really good front and all the triumph and damage that that incurred." While lying low, Jenkins produced girlfriend Vanessa Carlton's 2004 album, Harmonium, and began writing songs for a solo record. Once he heard what the rest of his band — Arion Salazar (bass), Brad Hargreaves (drums) and Tony Fredianelli (guitar) — was up to in the studio, he scrapped those plans and got to work on the group's fourth release.

Going it alone: "This album is about what happens when you take all those layers you have and you let go of them," he said of the record the group began in early 2005. "That process, lyrically, has been really hard for me." Admitting to a touch of writer's block, Jenkins — who has co-produced all of the band's albums — said lyrics have been holding things up so far, but he doesn't worry that people have forgotten about 3EB. He noted that a fan-run Web site recently racked up 36,000 hits in a single month, a British magazine named Blue one of the most underrated albums of the past decade — and despite not having a new album to push, in May 3EB played to their biggest crowd ever as a headliner in Philadelphia. "We finally got our cred and people got what we were doing," Jenkins said. A career retrospective is due in July on Rhino Records, but Jenkins said he doesn't plan to shop the new album to a label. "Why would we?" he asked. "What will that do for us? I don't think we can equal what we did before [saleswise], but I think we can reach a lot of people with our music and our albums can be defining the culture." Current plans call for the as-yet-untitled disc to be released in 2007.

The moral: If, as Jenkins terms his group, a "very badly marketed" band can sell nearly 10 million albums, just think of what Third Eye Blind could do if Jenkins were calling all the shots.

 
Ever wonder what happened to Crazy Town? How about Snow? Ace of Base? Tell us which faded stars you'd like us to check up on, and you just might find them in a future edition of "Where Ya Been?" Send us your suggestions and we'll get digging...

• Sammie
• Third Eye Blind
• Dallas Austin

Radiohead will follow Hail to the Thief's first single, "There There," with "Go to Sleep," which is expected to surface in mid-August. An animated video for the tune has already been shot. A retail single will be released in the band's native U.K. on August 18 backed with the new song "I Am Citizen Insane" and a live version of "Fog," the studio recording of which appeared on the "Knives Out" single. ...

Audioslave will release a self-titled DVD on Tuesday. The package will include scenes from the band's live debut in New York on top of the Ed Sullivan Theater marquee, the videos "Show Me How to Live," "Cochise" and "Like a Stone," and interviews with the band. ...

From "American Idol" to "American Dreams": Kelly Clarkson will play Brenda Lee and sing "Sweet Nothin's" on the second-season premiere of the NBC drama. Also lined up for the show are Alicia Keys, who will play Fontella Bass and sing "Rescue Me," and Monica, set to portray Mary Wells and perform "My Guy." Usher and Third Eye Blind, who have both appeared on the program before, will return this season. ... Meanwhile, Third Eye Blind will perform their latest single, "Crystal Baller," at halftime at the Major League Soccer All-Star Game on August 2. The game will take place at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, and will be televised on ABC. ...

Sam Phillips' Sun Studios, the legendary place where Elvis Presley recorded "That's All Right" and Carl Perkins tracked "Blue Suede Shoes," has been designated a historic landmark, the first music studio to own that distinction. A signing ceremony took place Wednesday at the U.S. Capitol. Others who recorded at the Memphis studio include Roy Orbison, Howlin' Wolf and Johnny Cash. ... Now that the Who are, perhaps, a piece of history, vocalist Roger Daltrey will host the upcoming History Channel show "Extreme History With Roger Daltrey." The weekly 30-minute show will debut in October, and will feature the rock legend re-enacting the feats of cavemen, Vikings, explorers and war generals. ...

Gling-Glo, Björk's rare LP of traditional Icelandic jazz that has been available only as an import since it dropped in 1990, will finally see U.S. release on September 9. ... Prince will release his first DVD, titled "Prince Live at the Aladdin Las Vegas," later this year. Recordings from the finale of his One Night Alone 2002 Tour are among the highlights of the DVD, which also includes classic Prince tracks, covers and tour material. ...

Vegetarian Paul McCartney has joined PETA in its fight against Kentucky Fried Chicken. According to the Associated Press, the former Beatle has taken out a full-page ad in Louisville, Kentucky's Courier-Journal newspaper to challenge David Novak, chairman and CEO of KFC's Louisville-based parent company Yum! Brands Inc., to improve how chickens are raised and killed for the restaurant chain. ... With eight nominations, Shania Twain leads the pack honored by the Canadian Country Music Association. Twain is up for the Fans' Choice Award, Single of the Year for "Forever and for Always" and Album of the Year for Up!, among others. Awards will be handed out on September 8. ...

07.23.2003

Beyoncé is eyeing "Baby Boy" as the second single from Dangerously in Love, and she's just awaiting approval from guest Sean Paul's people to make it official. In related news, Michelle Williams is hoping to release her second gospel album by October. ... Justin Guarini has finally shot a video for his first single, "Sorry," due early next month. His big-screen debut, From Justin to Kelly, is due on DVD August 26, just two months after the musical flopped in theaters. ...

Ruben Studdard's success can be measured by record sales as well as by inches — 15 of them to be exact. That's how tall the Velvet Teddy Bear, a new stuffed animal created with the "American Idol" winner's nickname in mind, stands. Due September 19 and priced at $20, the doll is clothed in a multicolored cap and jersey, both emblazoned with Studdard's name. A more manageable seven-inch version costing $15 will also be available. ... To warm up for his San Francisco and London runs of "Chicago," Backstreet Boy Kevin Richardson is reprising his role as tap-dancing lawyer Billy Flynn in the national touring production's Pittsburgh stop. Taking over for Gregory Harrison, Richardson will do matinee and evening performances on Saturday and Sunday at Pittsburgh Symphony Heinz Hall before continuing to San Francisco for a three-week run starting August 4. The London production dates have not yet been announced. ...

Rhino's Elvis Costello reissue campaign charges forward with another three double-disc gems on September 9. Get Happy!! (1980), Trust (1981) and Punch the Clock (1983) will include bonus tracks, studio outtakes and demos. ... Melancholic English rocker Travis will release their third album in September. The record was put on hold eight months ago when drummer Neil Primrose suffered a life-threatening neck injury while swimming. During Primrose's recovery, frontman Fran Healy wrote the majority of the songs on the disc, which was recorded with Tchad Blake in Scotland. ...

AC/DC singer Brian Johnson, who has been working on a musical in Sarasota, Florida, called "Helen of Troy," has recruited Cranberries singer Dolores O'Riordan to help write songs. The two hooked up earlier this summer during a European tour featuring both bands and the Rolling Stones. ... Misfits bassist Jerry Only has formed a new version of the band with onetime Black Flag singer/guitarist Dez Cadena and Ramones drummer Marky Ramone for Misfits Project 1950, a covers album featuring oldies like "Monster Mash," "Runaway" and "Great Balls of Fire" with guest appearances by Ronnie Spector and Blondie's Jimmy Destri. The Misfits will kick off a U.S. tour called Fiend Fest on July 23 in Tempe, Arizona, with the Damned, the Dickies, Agnostic Front and Balzac also on the bill. ...

Da Band, the drama-bringing group from P. Diddy's "Making the Band," had a listening session for their debut LP Tuesday night at New York's Daddy House studio. The first single from the album, due in September, isn't done, but P.D. played several songs featuring all the members as well as solo joints from Sara and Chopper. ... A former accountant of the London Suede will stand trial in April for allegedly robbing the band of more than $750,000. Fran Dixon was arrested three years ago after a probe into the band's finances revealed irregularities. Dixon is also accused of stealing an additional $750,000 from Primal Scream and Echobelly. ... Speed to Kill, a band signed to Nickelback singer Chad Kroeger's 604 label, are recording their full-length debut, which follows a three-song EP. ...

The fourth album from Wellwater Conspiracy, which features original Monster Magnet guitarist John McBain and Pearl Jam/Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron, is due September 9. A tour is being assembled to coincide with the release. ... Brooklyn's Radio 4 have signed to Astralwerks, which will release the Electrify EP August 26. The EP features remixed tunes from last year's Gotham! LP by the DFA and the Faint, among others. The groove rockers' third album is expected next year. ... The first robe created for psychedelic choir the Polyphonic Spree has been returned to leader Tim DeLaughter a week after it was stolen in the U.K. The robe, created by DeLaughter's mother-in-law and considered invaluable, was given back freshly laundered. ...

• Radiohead
• Kelly Clarkson
• Audioslave
• Monica
• Third Eye Blind

Marilyn Manson
Photo: Interscope

Marilyn Manson retained his Midas touch with the The Golden Age of Grotesque, while Cold's latest LP could barely get any hotter on next week's Billboard albums chart.

Manson moved more than 118,000 copies of his band's fifth album in its first week of release to lay claim to the #1 spot, according to SoundScan figures released Wednesday (May 21). Although the total barely surpassed the debut-week numbers of his previous album, 2000's Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death), by about 1,000 copies, it placed 12 spots higher on the chart. Manson's only other album to debut at #1 was 1998's Mechanical Animals, which sold upward of 222,000 copies in its first week.

Jacksonville, Florida's favorite sons — Limp Bizkit notwithstanding — Cold will make an impressive bow at #3 with Year of the Spider. Thanks to the single "Stupid Girl," which was created with the help of Weezer's Rivers Cuomo, Cold's third album sold more than 101,000 copies.

Between the two big debuts lies 50 Cent's Get Rich or Die Tryin'. The year's most successful album will jump three spots to #2, as its 15-week sales run has the 5 million mark in sight.

The remainder of next week's top 10 includes Evanescence's Fallen, surpassing sales of a million at #4 (96,000 last week); Norah Jones' Come Away With Me slipping four spots to #6 (87,000); Kelly Clarkson taking two steps forward with Thankful to #7 (78,000); the soundtrack to "Lizzie McGuire" also advancing a couple of slots to #8 (77,000); The Very Best of Cher dropping five places to #9 (71,000); and last week's leading LP, the Isley Brothers' Body Kiss, now bringing up the rear at #10 (67,000).

It was another disappointing week for the record industry. Aside from the chart debuts, only two albums in the top 40 saw an increase, albeit a marginal one, in their weekly sales totals. The overwhelming popularity of "The Matrix Reloaded" helped its soundtrack move up three spots to #5 as it sold more than 3,000 additional copies for a total of 96,000. Lil' Kim's La Bella Mafia also enjoyed a rise, leaping from #36 to #28, with help from a very slight sales swell.

Perhaps only the folks at the Universal Music Group, the largest major-label conglomerate and home to Manson and 50 Cent's label Interscope and Cold's Geffen, are smiling, with artists in next week's win, place and show slots.

Third Eye Blind's first album in four years, Out of the Vein, will make its presence known in the #12 slot. The single "Blinded (When I See You)" helped propel sales of more than 62,000 copies. That's 12,000 fewer copies sold than the first-week draw of their 1999 LP, Blue. But, indicative of the record industry's predicament, Blue's debut numbers placed it nearly four times further down the chart at #40.

With their highest first-week sales ever, disturbed pop-punks Alkaline Trio can cheer up now that Good Mourning landed at #20. Fans can't seem to get their fill of the rambunctious rambler "We've Had Enough," so more than 40,000 picked up their fifth LP, the follow-up to 2001's From Here to Infirmary.

Other notable debuts on next week's chart include Cleveland hardcore sextet Chimaira's The Impossibility of Reason at #117; and ESPN Presents Stadium Anthems, featuring bleacher bangers such as "We Will Rock You," "Celebration" and "Blitzkrieg Bop," at #149.

• Marilyn Manson
• Cold
• Third Eye Blind

While the new album opens by saying, "Everything's been said before/ There's nothing left to say anymore," Marilyn Manson manages to squeeze out 13 more songs on the sleazy The Golden Age of Grotesque. The first single, "mOBSCENE," utilizes the classic cheerleading lilt for what is usually "be aggressive, b-e aggressive," but Manson twists it for his purposes into "be obscene."

Also on the album are other smirking song titles like "Slutgarden," "Use Your Fist and Not Your Mouth" and "Doll-Dagga Buzz-Buzz Ziggety-Zag."

While Manson is busy in the Golden Age, Cold think it's the Year of the Spider. The album, more melodic than efforts past, finds Scooter Ward singing about being a loner, a loser, a winner in his own mind, a good one, a bad one and a sick one with a smile.

Alkaline Trio use their emo-punk to say Good Mourning while Third Eye Blind release their third album, Out of the Vein, whose primary function is emotional bloodletting. The lyrics on the record stay pretty intently focused on a relationship gone wrong. Note: "Pretty intently" means 12 out of 14 songs.

Out Tuesday, May 13:

• Affair - No Substitute (MTM)
• Matti Alfonzetti - Machine (MTM)
• Alkaline Trio - Good Mourning (Vagrant)
• Bill Anderson - Classics (Varese)
• Aria - Soldier Boy (Oh)
• Alex Bach - Miles to Go (Orchard)
• Beavershot - Beavershot (Raucous)
• Biloxi - Right the Music (MTM)
• Black Tape for a Blue Girl - With a Million Tear Stained Memories (Projekt)
• Blue Epic - Love and Hate (EP, TVT)
• Milton Brown and His Musical Brownies - Daddy of Western Swing (Proper Box)
• Chimaira - Impossibility of Reason (Roadrunner)
• Lucia Cifarelli - From the Land of Volcanos (Universal)
• George Clinton - Six Degrees of P-Funk: The Best of George Clinton (Sony)
• Cold - Year of the Spider (Interscope)
  Hear: The Leak: Cold - Year of the Spider
  Buy Now: Year of the Spider (Interscope)
• Rusty Cooley - Rusty Cooley (Lion Music)
• Paul Craver - Let the Music Play (Ripete)
• Deadbolt - Haight Street Hippie Massacre (Headhunter)
• Deadline - Back for More (Captain Oi!)
• Sir Bald Diddley & His Wigouts - Man With Two Left Hands (Raucous)
• The Duece Project - Stone Cold (Warner Bros.)
• Dying Fetus - Stop at Nothing (Relapse)
• Dysrhythmia - Pretest (Relapse)
• John Eddie - Who the Hell Is John Eddie? (Universal)
• Empire - Trading Souls (Lion Music)
• FBC - Born to Hustle (Shot Callin)
• Fiend - Can I Burn 2 (Fiend Entertainment)
• Eternal Flame - King of the King (MTM)
• The Forgotten/The Headaches - Split (People Like You)
• Frantic Flintstones - EP Collection (Raucous)
• Frolic - Beaten: The Black and Blue Album (Orchard)
• Hirsh Gardner - Wasteland for Broken Hearts (MTM)
• Dana Gillespie - Staying Power (Ace)
• Griffin - Turn the Light On (Orchard)
• The Guild League - Private Transport (Matinee)
• Cornell Hurd - Live at Jovita's: Don't Quit Your Night Job (Behemoth)
• Hybrid Freak Division - Non Conformative (Lion Music)
• Ignition - Ignition (MTM)
• Jadis - Fanatic (Inside Out Music)
• King Drapes - King Drapes Stomp (Raucous)
• Kuprij/Ferrigno/Leal - Promised Land (Lion Music)
• The Liberty Ship - Northern Angel (EP, Matinee)
• Love and Rockets - So Alive (Psychobaby)
• Marilyn Manson - The Golden Age of Grotesque (Interscope) Read: "Marilyn Manson Hits Below The Belt On Grotesque New LP"
  Buy Now: The Golden Age of Grotesque (Interscope)
• Marcel - You, Me and the Windshield (Universal)
• Lars Eric Mattsson - Power Games (Lion Music)
• Melodie Group - Updownaround (Matinee Recordings)
• The Meteors - Psychobilly (People Like You)
• Nasum - Helvete (Relapse)
• Ohm - Ohm (Lion Music)
• Franky Perez - Poor Man's Son (Atlantic)
• Jeff Potter & the Rhythm Agents - Rhythm Riot (Raucous)
• Reckless Kelly - Under the Table and Above the Sun (Sugar Hill)
• Ritual - Think Like a Mountain (Inside Out Music)
• Lee Rocker - Upright and Kickin' (Raucous)
• Ruthless - Ruthless 4 Life (Dirty South)
• Slur - Independence (Tarpit)
• T-Rock - Defcon, Vol. 1: Lyrical Warfare (Secret Service Ent.)
• Todd Snider - Near Truths and Hotel Rooms Live (Oh Boy)
• Street Talk - Restoration (MTM)
• Sweet Jimmie - I Still Got It (Orchard)
• Los Tahures - Mi Borrachera (Sony)
• Tennis - Laundromat (Sound Gizmo Audio)
• Third Eye Blind - Out of the Vein (Elektra)
  Buy Now: Out of the Vein (Elektra)
• 1349 Rykkinn - Brown Ring of Fury (Jester)
• Pat Travers - P.T. Power Trio (Blues Bureau)
• Deanna Varagona - All the Goodbyes Have Been Taken Hello (Gadfly)
• Joop Walters - Workshop (Lion Music)
• Weak - Weak (Orchard)
• Lizz Wright - Salt (Verve)
• Yo Gotti - Life (TVT)
• Various artists - 26 Tracks (Ninth World Music)
• Various artists - Hits of 1952 (Memoir)
• Various artists - Circuit Party, Vol. 8 (SPG)
• Various artists - Drew's Famous Big Country Hits (Turn Up The Music)
• Various artists - Old School Jams, Vol. 4 (SPG)
• Various artists - Lowrider Oldies, Vol. 7-9: Cruisin Chrome Series (Thump)
• Various artists - It'll Come to You: The Songs of John Hiatt (Vanguard)
• Various artists - Sk8erboy Rock, Vol. 1 and 2 (Critique)
• Various artists - Xtasy: The First Roll (KMJ)

May 20:

• Deftones - Deftones (Warner Bros.)
  Read: "Deftones Almost Done With Deftones — For Real This Time"
  Buy Now: Deftones (Warner Bros.)
• Less Than Jake - Anthem (Warner Bros.)
  Buy Now: Anthem (Warner Bros.)
• Live - Birds of Pray (MCA)
• Staind - 14 Shades of Grey (Elektra)
  Read: "New Staind LP Marked By Grey Matters"
  Buy Now: 14 Shades of Grey (Elektra)
• The Thorns - The Thorns (Sony)

May 27:

• Lillix - Falling Uphill (Warner Bros.)
  Read: "Lillix Pair Angelic Voices With Rock Sensibilities On Debut"
• Local H - No Fun (Thick)
• Vince Neil - Live One Night Only (Image)

June 3:

• Jewel - 0304 (Atlantic)
  Read: "Jewel Bites Into A Musical Pickle-And-Peanut Butter Sandwich"
  Buy Now: 0304 (Atlantic)
• Monica - All Eyez on Me (J)
  Read: "Monica Revises Leaked LP With Help From Missy Elliott"
• Sugar Ray - In Pursuit of Leisure (Atlantic)
  Read: "Babies, Marriage Somehow Lead Sugar Ray To Write A Club Song"
• Train - My Private Nation (Sony)

June 10:

• Duran Duran - Singles Box Set 1981-1985 (Capitol)
• Justin Guarini - TBD (RCA)
• Metallica - St. Anger (2 CDs, Elektra)
  Read: "Metallica Album Preview: Damage Inc. Is Back In Business"
  Buy Now: St. Anger (2 CDs, Elektra)
• Radiohead - Hail to the Thief (Capitol)
  Read: "New Radiohead Album, Hail To The Thief, Due In June"
• Luther Vandross - Dance With My Father (J)

June 17:

• Petey Pablo - Still Writing in My Diary: 2nd Entry (Jive)

June 24:

• Gang Starr - The Ownerz (Virgin)

July 8:

• Beyoncé - Dangerously in Love (Sony)
• Triumph the Insult Comic Dog - TBD (Warner Bros.)
  Read: "Eminem Enemy Triumph Previews LP; Beefs With Bow Wow, Benji"

July 15:

• Macy Gray - The Trouble With Being Myself (Sony)

• Marilyn Manson
• Cold
• Alkaline Trio
• Third Eye Blind
• Chimaira

Pink is returning to the studio the first week of February to begin recording the follow-up to 2001's hit Missundaztood. The singer's spokesperson could not confirm what producers Pink will be working with, but said she will also be recording the title track for the new "Charlie's Angels" movie, which will hit radio and video outlets in May. The film, which features a Pink cameo, is due in June. ...

Simple Plan have been tapped to open all the dates of fellow Canadian Avril Lavigne's Try to Shut Me Up! Tour. The band continues to support its debut album, No Pads, No Helmets ... Just Balls, which is nearing sales of a quarter million copies, and hopes to be wearing its game face throughout the tour, which begins April 9 in Toronto and wraps May 17 in Philadelphia. ... The Library of Congress has selected Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five's 1982 hip-hop classic "The Message" to be among the first 50 sound recordings to be entered into the national registry. The registry, created to preserve important recordings, also includes Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, President Franklin D. Roosevelt's radio "Fireside Chats" and Aretha Franklin's "Respect." ...

Pete Yorn has set an April 22 release date for Day I Forgot, the follow-up to 2001's Musicforthemorningafter. R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck and Elvis Presley's backing vocalists the Sweet Inspirations have participated in Yorn's recording sessions with producer R. Walt Vincent. ... Despite the departure of co-founder John Davis a year after releasing 1999's One Part Lullaby, Folk Implosion, best known for their 1995 hit single "Natural One," have returned with The New Folk Implosion, so named for the two new members surrounding ex-Dinosaur Jr. bassist/ Sebadoh frontman Lou Barlow. The band's first tour in two years kicks off February 27 in San Francisco and runs through April 9 in Los Angeles. ...

The City of Detroit has selected techno pioneers Carl Craig, Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson to produce this year's Detroit Electronic Music Festival rather than Pop Culture Media, which has produced the festival since its inception in 2000. Like previous years, the DEMF will be held during Memorial Day weekend. ... Moody and intense instrumental trio the Dirty Three are set to embark on a North American tour April 3 in Champaign, Illinois, in support of their sixth studio album, She Has No Strings Apollo. More than two dozen dates later, the trek winds down May 5 in Vancouver. ... Third Eye Blind frontman Stephan Jenkins seems to be feeling a little less clairvoyant than he was last year. He's changed the name of the band's upcoming disc from Crystal Baller to Out of the Vein. The album is currently scheduled to hit shelves April 29. ...

01.28.03

The insanity is turning out to be even more insane that expected. Insane Clown Posse have hit the road with '80s rap hellraisers 2 Live Crew and Anybody Killa. The Posse will remain on tour through April 26 in Columbus, Ohio, and they're mixing up their formula until it's as explosive as a shaken bottle of Faygo by presenting the public with totally rad new face paint. Instead of standard black-and-white patterns, the Clowns will alter their designs to meet their twizted moods. Crazy. ...

Bay Area punks Rancid are working on their sixth studio album, produced by Epitaph founder and Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz. The band's first recording since 2000's self-titled album is due for release in June, just in time for their headlining slot on this summer's Warped Tour. ... The girls of T.a.t.u. are back in their native Russia, where Julia Volkova is seeking treatment — possibly surgery — for a throat ailment. As a result of the diagnosis, the group was forced to postpone a few promotional shows in the U.K. last week. ...

Har Mar Superstar, eccentric Midwestern singer/ Kelly Osbourne's date for the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards, is in negotiations to play Dancing Ernie in "Starsky & Hutch," director Todd Phillips' big-screen update of the 1970s cop show that stars Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson in the title roles. Snoop Dogg will also appear, as street-informant Huggy Bear. ... Adam Levy, the guitarist in Norah Jones' band, is releasing a solo album, Get Your Glow On, April 8 on his own Lost Wax label. Jones and Memphis soul singer Otis Clay are among the guest performers. ...

American Head Charge keyboardist Aaron Zilch has parted ways with his bandmates due to irreconcilable differences. In a post on the band's official Web site, bassist Chad Hanks said the group will not seek a replacement, and that from now on their other keyboardist, Justin Fowler, will handle all sampling duties. ... Lamb of God's new album, As the Palaces Burn, will come out May 6. The disc, which is being produced by Strapping Young Lad frontman Devin Townsend, will feature appearances by Townsend, ex-Megadeth guitarist Chris Poland and Today Is the Day vocalist Steve Austin. ...

• P!nk
• Avril Lavigne
• Simple Plan
• Pete Yorn
• Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five

Third Eye Blind
Photo: Elektra

A resolution was reached Monday in ex-Third Eye Blind guitarist Kevin Cadogan's lawsuit against the band, its management and lead singer Stephan Jenkins.

Just after the nine-member jury was selected in U.S. District Court in Oakland, California, a settlement for an undisclosed amount of money was brokered between the band, its former guitarist and Eric Godtland Management, Cadogan said.

"A big weight has been lifted with the resolution of this case, and now I feel ready to rock," he said.

Spokespeople for Elektra Records and Eric Godtland Management had no comment on the settlement.

Cadogan shared songwriting credit with Stephan Jenkins on 16 of the 27 songs on 1997's self-titled debut and 1999's Blue, including the hits "Semi-Charmed Life," "Graduate" and "How's It Going to Be."

Following his split with the band in June 2000 (see "Third Eye Blind Split With Guitarist"), Cadogan filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit against the band and singer Stephan Jenkins, citing fraud, wrongful termination and breach of contract (see "Third Eye Blind Sued By Ex-Guitarist").

The ousted guitarist said that he was fired without warning because he didn't agree to a deal that would have yielded a $1 million advance to record an EP and start an Elektra Records imprint, while the other members did. Following a show at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2000, Cadogan was left stranded in Utah with the hotel bill slid under his door, while the band was off to perform on "The Tonight Show" with Cadogan's replacement, original guitarist Tony Fredianelli.

Cadogan's new band Bully will soon be shopping for a label deal, while Third Eye Blind continue to work on their third album, Crystal Baller (see "Third Eye Blind Recruit Fred Durst, Andrew W.K. For Third Album").

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