Mariah Carey's <i>E=MC²</i>
Photo: Island

Last week, pop songstress Mariah Carey was everywhere, getting the word out about her latest LP, E=MC². She appeared on "American Idol," made the cover of Us Weekly and starred in a series of commercial-esque vignettes that aired all weekend, as part of MTV's 52/52 campaign.

Needless to say, Mariah's fans were well aware that the singer's album landed in stores last week, and clearly, the public appearances and the media hoopla didn't hurt sales of her record. In fact, with close to 463,000 copies scanned during week one, Carey's 11th studio offering coasts to the top of next week's Billboard albums sales chart, with little — if any — competition.

E=MC² marks Carey's sixth album to top the charts and has outsold all of the singer's previous efforts' opening weeks, according to the latest SoundScan data. In 2005, The Emancipation of Mimi opened at #1 with only 403,800 sold. Much more than that, though, E=MC² has earned the distinction of becoming 2008's best-selling debut so far, trouncing the 374,600 turned out by Jack Johnson's Sleep Through the Static in February.

Mariah's was among 19 new releases to impact next week's top 200 and one of only two new albums to enter the chart in the top 10. The other, country artist Lady Antebellum's self-titled set, bows at #4, selling 43,400 units. The rest of the top 10 is made up of several regulars, with Leona Lewis' Spirit at #2 (with 94,800 scans), Miley Cyrus' Best of Both Worlds live record at #3 (with 47,300 sold) and the 27th installment in the Now That's What I Call Music! compilation series finishing at #5 (selling 39,000 copies).

George Strait's Troubadour follows at #6 (with 38,000 sold), and the soundtrack to "Alvin and the Chipmunks" comes in at #7 (with sales reported at 31,700). The "Juno" soundtrack climbed 38 spots to #8 (31,300), no doubt thanks to the movie's DVD release, while R.E.M.'s Accelerate fell four spots to #9 (30,000). Taylor Swift's self-titled debut comes in at #10, with 29,700 sold.

Thrice's The Alchemy Index Vols. III & IV enters next week's chart at #17, selling 21,400 units. Rush's Snakes and Arrows: Live bows at #18, selling 21,000 copies. The Naked Brothers Band's I Don't Want to Go to School scanned 19,000 copies to open at #23, and Tristan Prettyman's Hello claims the #27 spot, with a reported 18,200 snatched up. The Kooks' Konk follows at #41, with 13,300 sold, while Insane Clown Posse offshoot Dark Lotus' Opaque Brotherhood sold 12,100 copies to enter the chart at #45.

Elsewhere on the chart, Jason Mraz's We Dance EP generated first-week sales of 11,300 to open at #52, Apocalyptica's Worlds Collide follows at #59 with 10,600 scans, and M83's Saturdays = Youth comes in at #107, on the strength of 6,300 in sales. Phantom Planet return at #119, selling 5,700 copies of their new one, Raise the Dead, and Worth Dying For's self-titled debut opens at #166, selling 4,100 copies.

• Mariah Carey's E=MC²: Track By Track
• Mariah Carey: A Look Back At Her MTV Interviews
• Are British Bands Hitting A Star-Spangled Ceiling?

• Mariah Carey
• George Strait
• Thrice
• Rush
• The Kooks

Jimmy Eat World's <i>Chase the Light</i>
Photo: Tiny Evil Records

Twelve years ago, Louis Farrakhan's Million Man March descended on Washington D.C., in an effort to promote activism, volunteerism and voting among black men. This week, on a completely unrelated subject, many fewer new albums are hitting stores — perhaps in anticipation of October 23, which is shaping up to be an especially prolific Tuesday for new releases.

But just because there aren't a million new albums coming out, that hardly means we haven't found any to talk about this week. In fact, this week's lot of contenders, disparate as they might be, actually tie in quite nicely with each other.

Let's start with Jimmy Eat World, who are banking on their new single, "Big Casino," to mean big things for their new album, Chase This Light — the alt-rock vets went so far as to craft their album-release party as a faux casino night on Monday in Los Angeles. The band's last LP, 2004's Futures, went gold, as a matter of fact, so that could be a good sign of what's to come. Fans might want to pick up the iTunes version of the new disc, as it comes with two bonus tracks, although Insound and Smartpunk are offering a third tune as an extra.

While JEW are appearing at select outlets, two big-name artists are getting even more exclusive by putting out their new releases in just one store each. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' hefty "Runnin' Down a Dream" box set — loaded with three DVDs and a CD — is coming out via Best Buy only. It features Peter Bogdanovich's documentary, a soundtrack CD to the flick, a 30th anniversary concert, interviews with Eddie Vedder and Johnny Depp, and more.

KT Tunstall's new set isn't nearly as big as Petty's, but it's just as exclusive — you'll only find NBC Sounds of the Season: The KT Tunstall Holiday Collection at Target. The short CD, which costs $6.99, features six yuletide jingles: "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)," "Sleigh Ride," "Mele Halihimaha (Christmas in Hawaii)," "Fairytale of New York," "2000 Miles" and "Lonely This Christmas." Elliott Yamin and Taylor Swift, who are also part of the NBC series this year, are getting similar releases this week.

The flood of Christmas releases continues with what might be the biggest release in the genre this year: Disney Channel Holiday. The disc features various artists — some girl named Miley; "High School Musical" pint-size powerhouses Ashley Tisdale, Corbin Bleu and Monique Coleman; red-hot squads the Cheetah Girls and Jonas Brothers; Aly & AJ and more. The only artist who might have bigger holiday-release hopes is Toby Keith, although fans are going to have to throw down a few extra bucks for his two-CD A Classic Christmas. The country megastar's first holiday release in 12 years is divvied into contemporary and spiritual standards. Last but not least, Jars of Clay have finally molded their first Christmas album ever, if you can believe it. "O Little Town of Bethlehem," "Wonderful Christmastime" and "Hibernation Day" are among their Christmas Songs.

Speaking of surprising career firsts, R.E.M. have finally roused themselves to make a concert CD for the first time in their 27 years. The simply titled Live immortalizes their concert at the Point Theatre in Dublin, Ireland, on February 27, 2005, in all its glory — the package has two CDs and one DVD, although the price tag is still likely to be relatively low compared to similar releases. Don't miss rare performances of "I Took Your Name" from 1994's Monster and "Ascent of Man" from 2004's Around the Sun, as well as the previously unissued "I'm Gonna DJ."

While R.E.M. mix the old in with the new on their concert package, Carlos Santana also made sure to keep his Ultimate Santana collection fresh. The collaboration-addicted guitar icon slaps three new ones onto the disc: Jennifer Lopez and Baby Bash join him on "This Baby's Fire," while Nickelback's Chad Kroeger croons on "Into the Night" and Tina Turner tags along for a reworking of "The Game of Love." ...

For her part, Angie Stone jammed with soul legends Betty Wright and James Ingram for two tracks — "Baby" and "My People," respectively — on her new LP, The Art of Love & War. Those partnerships are fitting, given that the album is dropping on the recently reactivated seminal soul label Stax. Stone wrote and co-produced most of the effort, which she actually recorded at Marvin Gaye's old Marvin's Room studio on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. In other soul news, Quannum has dug up the never-before-released first album by Chicago's Pieces of Peace, who disbanded in the late '70s. The group's self-titled album showcases its unique spiritual jazz-funk sound.

Ethiopian-born American newcomer Kenna dabbles in soul a little on his second outing, Make Sure They See My Face, which has been delayed numerous times. The 29-year-old artist — who climbed Mount Kilimanjaro after putting out his first album, New Sacred Cow, in 2003 — worked with the Neptunes on Face, which comes with a free ringtone and mobile-phone wallpaper. Tracks include "Daylight," "Phantom Always" and the first single, "Out of Control (State of Emotion)," which Mark Ronson debuted on his online East Village Radio show, "Authentic Sh--."

While Ronson's preview might have stirred things up for Kenna online, Thrice went whole hog by streaming their entire new album, The Alchemy Index: Vols. I & II: Fire & Water, on their MySpace page prior to the album's release. The conceptual project — overly conceptual, some say — revolves around the band separating its sound into distinct elements (or "elements," like fire, water, etc. — get it?). Still, the band also introduced new electronic sounds into its blend, especially with "Water," the second element (each of the four elements is supposed to act as an "EP," but they're being compiled as two CDs). In case that isn't elaborate enough, singer Dustin Kensrue went so far as to compose an original sonnet — organized in the traditional English structure and rhythmic fashion — for each element. Someone let us know when there's a CliffsNotes version available.

Song Title of the Week:

"Man With the Shovel, Is the Man I'm Going to Marry" from To Kill a Petty Bourgeoisie's The Patron

Album Cover of the Week:

Underworld's Oblivion With Bells

Other Notables:

Maritime's Heresy and the Hotel Chair
The Milwaukee band, which formed from the remnants of post-rock heroes the Promise Ring and Dismemberment Plan, has put out a pair of albums since they were born in 2003. But drummer Dan Didier said in a recent statement that the group's new one is "the first time it actually feels like we are a band. Before, members came and went and it never seemed to be a cohesive unit, but, for this record the four of us all started at square one together so the songs reflect all four of us." The album features "Guns of Navarone" — named after the same-titled 1961 movie — "With Holes for Thumb Sized Birds" and "Aren't We All Found Out."

Jessica Vale's Brand New Disease
Want to get inspired? Why not take a trip to the Balkan Peninsula? The alt-rock singer/songwriter focuses on her journey abroad on a new ballad, "Night in Sarajevo," but she also draws on her local New York environs heavily throughout her second disc. "The base sound level in New York is significantly higher than anywhere else in the world, 90 decibels to be exact, so it takes much more intense music to feel like one of making a statement," she said in an, uh, statement.

Various artists' Eyeball Awareness Vol. 1
Underground acts are coming together for a good cause this week, with the Number 12 Looks Like You, Baumer, New Atlantic and others pitching in for the first volume in a four-part series. The Eyeball campaign, which is being unveiled at the CMJ Music Marathon, is being staged to support "To Write Love on Her Arms," a nonprofit movement dedicated to finding hope and help young people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide.

New Releases:

· 9th Wonder - Wonder Years (Asylum)
· Admiral Twin - The Center of the Universe (Pop Collective)
· Cecilia Bartoli - Maria (deluxe-hardcover edition due same day; Decca)
· The Blakes - The Blakes (Light in the Attic)
· The Busy Signals - The Busy Signals (Dirtnap)
· Canadians - A Sky With No Stars (Ghost)
· The Capstan Shafts - Environ Maiden (Rainbow Quartz)
· Champion Kickboxer - Perforations (54-40 or Fight!)
· Stanley Clarke - The Toys of Men (Heads Up)
· Ryan Cohan - One Sky (Motema)
· Ben Forrest Davis - Roughs (Bird Song)
· Dooley-O - The Basement Tapes (Sound of Dissent)
· Fatal Flying Guillotines - Quantum F---ing (French Kiss)
· Ghastly City Sleep - Ghastly City Sleep (Robotic Empire)
· Gov't Mule - Mighty High (ATO)
· The Izzys - The Violent Bear It Away (Fat Man)
· Jars of Clay - Christmas Songs (Gray Matters)
· Jimmy Eat World - Chase This Light (Interscope) [Buy Now]
· Jeru the Damaga - Still Rising (Ashenafi)
· Toby Keith - A Classic Christmas (two CDs; Show Dog Nashville)
· Kenna - Make Sure They See My Face (Star Trak/ Interscope) [Buy Now]
· Amy London - When I Look in Your Eyes (Motema)
· The Makes Nice - This Time Tomorrow (Frenetic)
· Eric Marienthal - Just Around the Corner (Peak)
· Maritime - Heresy and the Hotel Chair (Flameshovel)
· Moros Eros - Jealous Me Was Killed by Curiosity (Victory)
· Carlos Niño & Gaby Hernandez - La Voz Sabia De Los Cosmos (Alpha Pup)
· The Octopus Project - Hello, Avalanche (Peek-a-Boo)
· PJ Olsson - American Scream (CBS)
· Pieces of Peace - Pieces of Peace (Quannum)
· R.E.M. - Live (two CDs and one DVD; Warner Bros.) [Buy Now]
· Rob-O - Rhyme Pro (Sound of Dissent)
· Nate Schierman - Risk (Dummy Boy)
· Michael W. Smith - It's a Wonderful Christmas (Reunion)
· Snmnmnm - Crawl Inside Your Head (Unschooled)
· Soulsavers - It's Not How Hard You Fall, It's the Way You Land (Red Ink)
· Southeast Engine - A Wheel Within a Wheel (Misra)
· Steel Train - Trampoline (Drive-Thru) [Buy Now]
· Angie Stone - The Art of Love & War (Stax) [Buy Now]
· Taylor Swift - NBC Sounds of the Season: The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection (available exclusively at Target; Capitol)
· Take 6 - Greatest Hits (Rhino)
· Thrice - The Alchemy Index: Vols. I & II: Fire & Water (Vagrant) [Buy Now]
· Tierra - Greatest Love Songs (two CDs; Thump)
· Tiësto - In Search of Sunrise 6: Ibiza (two CDs; Black Hole)
· To Kill a Petty Bourgeoisie - The Patron (Kranky)
· KT Tunstall - NBC Sounds of the Season: The KT Tunstall Holiday Collection (available exclusively at Target; Capitol)
· Umphrey's McGee - Live at the Murat (two CDs; Sci Fidelity)
· Underworld - Oblivion With Bells (ATO) [Buy Now]
Read: "Underworld Release New 'Physical' Album Along With Internet Offerings"
· Jessica Vale - Brand New Disease (Explicit)
· Dan Wilson - Free Life (American)
· Elliott Yamin - NBC Sounds of the Season: The Elliott Yamin Holiday Collection (available exclusively at Target; Capitol)
· Various artists - Disney Channel Holiday (Disney)
· Various artists - The Cake Sale (Yep Roc)

Notable Reissues and Archival Material:

· Gerald Albright - The Very Best of Gerald Albright (Rhino)
· Blue October - Foiled for the Last Time (two CDs; enhanced; Universal) [Buy Now]
· Tevin Campbell - The Best of Tevin Campbell (Rhino)
· The Casualties - The Early Years: 1990-1995 (Punkcore) [Buy Now]
· Charlie Cruz - The Best of Charlie Cruz (La Calle)
· Deee-Lite - The Very Best of Deee-Lite (Rhino) [Buy Now]
· Aretha Franklin - Rare & Unreleased Recordings From the Golden Era of the Queen of Soul (two CDs; Rhino)
· The Fray - Reason EP (Epic) [Buy Now]
· The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Live at Monterey (Experience Hendrix)
· Hinder - Extreme Behavior (with DVD; Republic) [Buy Now]
· Miki Howard - The Very Best of Miki Howard (Rhino)
· Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette - Live at Montreux (two CDs; ECM)
· Stacy Lattisaw - The Very Best of Stacy Lattisaw (Rhino)
· Bob Marley and the Wailers - Another Dance: Rarities From Studio 1 (Heartbeat)
· Mass Production - Firecrackers: The Best of Mass Production (Rhino)
· John Mayall - Live From Austin TX (New West)
· Meriwether - Make Your Move (Geffen)
· Midnight String Quartet - Rhapsodies for Young Lovers (Varèse Sarabande)
· Pylon - Gyrate (DFA)
· Patrice Rushen - Haven't You Heard: The Best of Patrice Rushen (Rhino)
· Santana - Ultimate Santana (Arista) [Buy Now]
· Luther Vandross - Love, Luther (four-CD box set; Epic) [Buy Now]
· Grover Washington Jr. - Anthology of Grover Washington Jr. (Rhino)
· Zapp & Roger - All the Greatest Hits (Rhino)
· Various artists - City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music (Rounder)
· Various artists - Creation Rebel: Trojan Re-Mixed, Re-Visioned, Re-Versioned (Trojan)
· Various artists - Home for Christmas: Voices From the Heartland (Rounder)
· Various artists - Summer Records Anthology 1974-1988 (Light in the Attic)

Music DVDs:

· AC/DC - "Plug Me In" (two-DVD box set; limited-edition version with three DVDs also available; Epic)
· Foreigner - "Alive & Rockin' " (Eagle Vision)
· The Jimi Hendrix Experience - "Live at Monterey" (Experience Hendrix)
· John Mayall - "Live From Austin TX" (New West)
· Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - "Runnin' Down a Dream" (box set with three DVDs and one CD; exclusively at Best Buy)
· Dar Williams - "Live at Bearsville Theater" (Razor & Tie)

Digital Releases:

· Rhythm King and Her Friends - The Front of Luxury (Kitty-Yo)
· Various artists - Eyeball Awareness Vol. 1 (Eyeball)

Coming Attractions:

October 23:
· Seether - Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces (Wind-Up) [Preorder]
Read: "Seether Frontman Won't Respond To Amy Lee's Attack: 'I Just Refuse To Lower Myself To That Level' "
· Serj Tankian - Elect the Dead (Serjical Strike/ Reprise) [Preorder]
Read: "System Of A Down Frontman Serj Tankian On Intimate Solo LP: 'I Believe In It' "
· Carrie Underwood - Carnival Ride (Arista)

October 30:
· Avenged Sevenfold - Avenged Sevenfold (MVI also available; Warner Bros.) [Preorder]
· Backstreet Boys - Unbreakable (deluxe digipak also available; Jive) [Preorder]
· Mario - Go (J) [Preorder]
Read: "Mario Gets Back To Making Music With Akon, Timbaland, Neptunes"

November 6:
· Angels & Airwaves - I-Empire (Geffen) [Preorder]
Read: "Angels & Airwaves' Revolution Has Begun — Just Wait 29 Years, Tom DeLonge Insists"
· Chris Brown - Exclusive (deluxe edition comes with DVD; Jive) [Preorder]
Read: "Pharrell, Will.I.Am Joining Chris Brown's Exclusive Club"
· Jay-Z - American Gangster (Roc-A-Fella) [Preorder]
Read: "Jay-Z's American Gangster: A Guided Tour By Jigga, Jermaine Dupri, Pharrell And Others"

• Jimmy Eat World
• KT Tunstall
• Kenna
• R.E.M.
• Thrice

Nick Bollea's car after the Sunday crash
Photo: Tim Boyles/ Getty Images

Nick Bollea, Hulk Hogan's 17-year-old son, was discharged from a hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida, on Monday morning (August 27) after being involved in a car accident the previous evening. Police said Bollea, who was featured in VH1's "Hogan Knows Best" reality series, was driving his Toyota Supra at a high speed along state route 60 when he lost control of the vehicle and slammed into a raised median at 7:30 p.m. in Clearwater. The car reportedly flipped over, and the rear of the vehicle collided with a palm tree. Bollea and one of his car's passengers, 22-year-old John Graziano, were airlifted to the Bayfront Medical Center following the crash. The nature of both Bollea's and Graziano's injuries was not immediately known, but a police spokesperson characterized them as serious. Graziano remains under the hospital's care in critical condition. Alcohol is not believed to have played a role in the accident, but police continue to investigate the crash. No criminal charges have been filed. ...

Jordin Sparks doesn't have a name for her debut album yet, but she's got a release date set in stone: November 20. In anticipation of the 19 Recordings/ Jive disc, the "American Idol" champ drew back the curtains on her first single on Friday, debuting "Tattoo" on AOL's Pop Eater blog. The track hits radio Monday. Sparks told The Associated Press that the effort was partly modeled after one of her own idols, Kelly Clarkson — but that she's a bit nervous to be following in the wake of Clarkson and Carrie Underwood's success. "They've risen the bar so high and I'm like, 'I hope I can reach it,' " she said. "Hopefully [my LP will] sell well and people will like it." ...

The runner-up to Sparks, Blake Lewis, is following suit — he just signed to 19 Recordings/ Arista and is planning to drop his first album late this year as well. Hit-maker du jour J.R. Rotem is already on board for the effort. ...

It's no McDonald's parking-lot tour, but Missy Elliott will be featured in a new Doritos ad campaign debuting September 17, Billboard.com reports. In the clip, she is seen working on a new song and snacking on Doritos Collision, different-flavored chips that spur her to fuse a little country into her hip-hop track. A contest to be held on SnackStrongProductions.com will allow visitors to create their own mash-ups using Elliott's track, although the prizes have yet to be determined. The site also features a help section in which Elliott will give tips. ...

Listen up, punk-rockers: Unreleased and rare tracks by Panic! at the Disco, Gym Class Heroes, the Used, Cute Is What We Aim For, Sparta, Head Automatica and more fill up Press Play: Volume 1, a new comp that was put together by Photo Finish and Alternative Press. A portion of the proceeds from the September 25 release will go to the Keep a Breast Foundation, a nonprofit organization that fights breast cancer. ...

The Disney Channel will air a special dance-along version of "High School Musical 2" on September 8 at 8 p.m. ET, People reports. Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens and other castmembers will instruct viewers on how to mimic their dance moves during the opening and closing numbers. ... Russell Simmons has stepped down from his post as CEO of Phat Fashions, the company he founded in 1992 that spawned Phat Farm clothing. "I leave the division and the brand in great hands. There are so many things I want to achieve, and this is the appropriate moment for me to move on to my next business venture," the hip-hop mogul said in a statement. ...

Mos Def is sounding off about José Padilla, the Guantánamo detainee who was convicted earlier this week of supporting terrorism. "We all know the history of insufficient evidence or testimony under duress — at the very least, legal circumstances that demand some sort of reinvestigation ... basically saying these people are not the criminals they're being made out to be," he told The Associated Press on Thursday. Mos Def will participate this weekend in the 10th annual Black August benefit concert at New York's Nokia Theatre. The event serves to create awareness about people who its organizers, the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, believe have been unfairly convicted — Talib Kweli, Saigon and Dead Prez are also on the bill. ...

Music, martial arts and chess ... how could members of the Wu-Tang Clan not be involved? RZA and GZA are participating in the Hip-Hop Chess Foundation's first-ever Chess Kings Invitational, set for October 13 at the San Francisco Design Center. The rappers will talk on the tournament's Life Strategies panel about how music, martial arts and chess — activities the organization uses to promote nonviolence — have affected their lives. ...

Muse have plotted a handful of September dates with Juliette and the Licks: Seattle (September 9); Portland, Oregon (September 10); Orem, Utah (September 12); Dallas (September 16); Morrison, Colorado (September 18); Mesa, Arizona (September 20); and Irvine, California (September 21). Muse will also hit the San Diego Street Scene on September 22. ... Ben Kweller just squeezed out a new seven-track live EP, Ben Kweller: Live and Solo at the Artists Den, that was recorded December 13 at New York's Solo House. The disc of rarely performed songs is available now at digital outlets. ...

System of a Down frontman Serj Tankian will shoot a video for "Praise the Lord, Pass the Ammunition," from the rocker's solo debut, Elect the Dead, at an undisclosed venue in Hollywood next week with director Greg Watermann (Mudvayne, Lamb of God). Extras are needed for the video — those interested in auditioning can e-mail Watermann at serjvideo@gregwatermann.com. ... The track list for Thrice's upcoming LP The Alchemy Index: Vols. I & II - Fire & Water has been revealed. Fire will boast six cuts, including "The Messenger," "Backdraft" and "Burn the Fleet"; Water will also contain six tunes, among them "Open Water," "Night Diving" and "Kings Upon the Main." Look for the discs to hit stores October 16. ...

A writer/producer who worked on "In Living Color" and created Nickelodeon's "Roundhouse" is suing the Walt Disney Company, claiming it stole his idea for "Hannah Montana," Reuters reports. In the suit, Morris Taylor "Buddy" Sheffield says he pitched Disney Channel executives the idea for a kids' show about a high school student who leads a secret life as a pop star. Sheffield also claims Disney could owe him and his production company millions in lost profits and damages, and he wants compensation for legal fees. A Disney Channel spokesperson told the news service the network had no comment. ...

Kirsten Dunst's penthouse suite at a hotel in Manhattan, New York, was robbed earlier this month, according to court records obtained by AP. Thieves got away with a $13,000 handbag, cell phone, $2,500 in cash, an iPod, two digital cameras and ID cards belonging to the actress, who had been in the city to shoot scenes for her upcoming flick "How to Lose Friends and Alienate People." One suspect was arraigned Wednesday on burglary and grand-larceny charges, and is being held on $50,000 bond. ...

Hellyeah — the band featuring members of Mudvayne, Pantera and Nothingface — are on the hunt for a dozen women they'd like to act as their "Hellyeah girls." The winners will be featured in the band's 2008 calendar — to enter, contestants need to post an audition video to Break.com and send a link to the clip to hellyeahtv@gmail.com. ... The Dillinger Escape Plan will headline a U.S. tour this fall set to kick off October 4 in Cleveland, Ohio. Just five dates have been confirmed, but more will be announced in the coming weeks. The trek will also feature A Life Once Lost, Behold ... the Arctopus and Genghis Tron. Dillinger's forthcoming LP, Ire Works, lands in stores November 13. ...

The resurrected Jesus & Mary Chain are heading back to the studio to record their first studio album in nine years. The band will also treat four West Coast cities to more concerts: Las Vegas (October 20); Anaheim, California (October 22); Los Angeles (October 23) and San Francisco (October 26-27). ... Queen guitarist Brian May has finished his doctorate in a crazy little thing called astrophysics — he was awarded his Imperial College qualification on Thursday in London. May had been an astrophysics student before joining the band 37 years ago but dropped out as Queen became successful. His thesis? "Radical Velocities in the Zodiacal Dust Cloud." ...

Ted Nugent is at it again. The controversial right-wing rocker went on a profanity-spewed tirade at a concert last week, according to video footage posted on LiveLeak.com. With machine guns in his hands, a camouflaged Nugent yelled, "Obama, he's a piece of sh--, and I told him to suck on my machine gun. ... And then I was in New York. I said, 'Hey Hillary, you might want to ride one of these into the sunset.' " He also went off on Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer before saying, "Any questions?" and shouting, "Freedom!"

08.23.07

In one minute, out the next: Nicole Richie checked herself into the Century Regional Facility in Lynwood, California, on Thursday (August 23) to start serving her DUI sentence — only to find herself checking out less than an hour and a half later due to overcrowding. Richie had been sentenced to serve four days in jail. "At this time, the criteria for a female arrestee sentenced to 30 days or less for a nonviolent offense is as follows: the arrestee is booked, screened and usually released within 12 hours," the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in a press release issued to MTV News. "This procedure is based on jail overcrowding to manage population levels mandated by federal court guidelines. Based on the mandated guidelines and Ms. Richie's 96 hours sentence, she will be treated in the same manner as other inmates with a similar sentence." The jail is the same one where Paris Hilton served a portion of her DUI sentence. ...

The Kelly Clarkson train is slowly getting back on the tracks. After the early-summer one-two punch of dumping her manager and canceling the tour in support of My December, the singer has booked the first two shows of what is expected to be a fall/winter outing. The dates — an October 10 show at Verona, New York's Turning Stone casino and another on October 15 at New York's Beacon Theater — are in venues decidedly smaller than some of the arenas Clarkson had been originally booked to hit as part of her scotched 35-date summer tour. The full itinerary for her rescheduled trek is expected in two weeks, according to a management spokesperson. ...

Justin Timberlake is joining the cast of "The Love Guru," a sports comedy starring Mike Myers, Verne Troyer and Jessica Alba. The Myers-produced film is set to begin production next month in Toronto and tentatively be released in theaters June 20. Timberlake will play a hockey player tangled in a love triangle with the top player on a team owned by Alba. ...

Though she's not likely to attend the ceremony given her doctor's orders to take a break from touring and making appearances for the rest of the year, Amy Winehouse is one of the leading nominees for England's Music of Black Origin awards with four nominations for Best U.K. Female, Best R&B Act, Best Video and Best Song for "Rehab." Also nominated for four awards is rapper Dizzee Rascal. The show will take place September 19 at the O2 arena in London, with the winner chosen by a tally of public votes on the event's Web site. A number of American acts are also nominated, among them Kanye West, Common and 50 Cent in the Best Hip-Hop category; and Amerie, Robin Thicke and Ne-Yo, who will battle Winehouse in the Best Song category. Rihanna has a pair of nominations, including one for Best International Act, in which she'll face off against Diddy, Akon and T.I.. ...

In related news, Paolo Nutini has reshuffled his tour plans following news that tour partner Winehouse tabled her U.S. trek until next year. The Scottish singer/songwriter's jaunt will now run from September 7 in Buffalo, New York, through October 28 in New Orleans. "I'll be thinking a good thought for her, she is a remarkable talent. In the meantime, I'm truly excited about this upcoming tour of North America — I guarantee it will be my best yet," Nutini said in a statement. ...

Rapper Saigon was arrested at 1:45 a.m. on Wednesday in New York on Manhattan's West Side after police stopped him for a traffic violation and allegedly found a switchblade-like knife in the car console. According to his lawyer Scott Leemon, the rapper (born Brian Daniel Carenard) was pulled over while driving someone else's car in what Leemon called "another example of NY's finest targeting a member of the rap and entertainment industry ... the small pocket knife was found in a console in the car, not in his possession. As such, I am hoping after further investigation this will be another example of a rapper being wrongfully arrested." Because of a prior felony assault charge, the weapon-possession charge was bumped up to a felony, according to Leemon. Saigon was released on $1,500 bail and is due in court again December 5. ...

On the hunt for killer B-sides? How about Killers B-sides? The band — which put out its last studio album, Sam's Town, less than a year ago — is planning to pump out a rarities disc before the end of the year, Brandon Flowers recently told Billboard.com. The band's cover of Joy Division's "Shadowplay," rendition of Mel Tillis' "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town" and "Spider-Man 3" soundtrack contribution "Move Away" are all on the tentative track list, which may include new material. The Killers have also teed up a different new song for release December 1: "Don't Shoot Me Santa," the band's next Christmas charity single for the Red Campaign. "Last year we were able to raise over $100,000 from the one song ['A Great Big Sled'], and hopefully we'll be able to do it again," Flowers said. ...

The Decemberists aren't planning just any old tour — on their upcoming trek, dubbed "The Long and Short of It," the indie-rockers will mix it up by playing at least two nights in 13 cities. They're also parsing the trek into "long" and "short" shows — the former ones will showcase their poppier material and the latter gigs will revolve around the band's epic songs. The jaunt runs from October 28 in Chicago through December 9 in Seattle. The Decemberists have also slapped together a new EP — The Perfect Crime #2 drops September 25 and features four tracks, including a remix by Junior Boys. ... Morrissey's tour plans are perhaps even more ambitious: For what is expected to be his last sweep through the States for a while, he'll hole up in Los Angeles for a marathon 10-night stand at the Palladium (October 1-13), play a four-night stand at San Francisco's Fillmore and a five-night one at New York's' Hammerstein Ballroom (October 28). Dates for the full trek are from September 21 (Las Vegas) through November 4 (Atlanta). ... Last but not least, Bright Eyes have beefed up their tour regiment, stretching their run from September 13 in Denver through November 19 in New York. ...

Sonic Youth frontman Thurston Moore doesn't have too many kind words to say about Avril Lavigne and John Mayer these days — although he's got plenty of respect for a certain avant-garde legend and another classic-rock hero. "I am playing with Yoko Ono, and she's well past 70 and she rocks," he told Spin for the magazine's September issue. "Neil Young rocks. It's certainly not John Mayer or Avril Lavigne. Those people don't rock. If that's the young generation in the culture, then [forget] it. In the underground, the old guys are cool. I like the fact that the older we get the more we can rock." ... Ramones fans, get ready to be bombarded: More than four hours of unreleased and rare concert material is being piled onto "It's Alive 1974-1996," a double-DVD set poised for an October 2 release. With performances of a whopping 118 songs, the set is highlighted by unissued video footage of the band's New Year's Eve 1977 gig at London's Rainbow Theatre — the show was previously captured in audio form, as the band's noted It's Alive live album. ...

Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder will perform at the world premiere of the Iraq war documentary "Body of War" at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 11. The movie, which tells the story of paralyzed Iraq war vet Tomas Young — who appeared on stage with PJ at Lollapalooza — features two new songs written by Vedder, "No More" and "Long Nights." ... Talk about product placement. Southern-rap-news Web site MemphisRap.com claims Master P and his son Romeo have teamed up with T-Mobile to promote the new Sidekick LX by writing a song called "Sidekick" for their upcoming Miller Boyz album, due September 4 on P's new profanity-free label, Take a Stand Records. ... Fred Durst is in negotiations to direct "Comeback," an inspirational Pop Warner football drama starring Ice Cube, according to The Hollywood Reporter. ...

Samuel L. Jackson will emcee Save the Children's 75th anniversary event at New York's Lincoln Center on September 6. The event, to feature a performance by Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars, will also serve as a tribute to former Presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush, as well as Melinda Gates, for their humanitarian efforts. ... If you have tickets to see enigmatic metal-masked rapper MF Doom anytime soon and the guy onstage doesn't look, or even sound like, the Super Villain you know and love, you might be onto something. Bloggers have been abuzz over the past week about several recent West Coast Doom shows that have reportedly featured an impostor taking the stage in place of the rapper and performing (some say lip-synching) in Doom's place. The first sign that something was up, according to a fan who wrote into the Byron Crawford blog, was that cameras at a recent San Francisco show were strictly prohibited. The disgruntled fan wrote that Doom appeared 100 pounds lighter than usual during the 20-minute headlining performance. A spokesperson for Doom had no comment. ...

A forensics expert backed up defense claims made in the Phil Spector murder trial — and refuted by a prosecution witness on Wednesday — that Lana Clarkson might have continued breathing after she was shot at the music producer's mansion. Prosecutors sparred with the expert, Dr. Werner Spitz, afterward. ... The biggest ticketing agency in the country and the world's biggest concert promoter appear headed for a breakup. According to reports in Hits magazine online and Variety, internal documents about the negotiations from Ticketmaster said it is "doubtful" that Live Nation will renew its agreement with Ticketmaster when their current agreement expires at the end of this year. The loss of the Live Nation business, which Variety said accounted for about 15-20 percent of Ticketmaster's U.S. business in 2006, could mean Live Nation is gearing up to launch its own ticketing venture.

[This story was originally published at 8:00 pm E.T. on 8.23.2007]

• System of a Down
• Thrice
• Hellyeah
• Dillinger Escape Plan
• The Joseph & Mary Chain

Thrice
Photo: Island Records

Dustin Kensrue hasn't been getting much sleep lately. The release of his debut solo album, Please Come Home, is right around the corner, and his month-old daughter has been doing her best to keep him up too. Oh, and there's that little project he's been working on with Thrice, the band he's fronted since 1998: 25 songs, spread across four CDs that are collectively tentatively titled The Elements.

Thrice, Kensrue said, are about halfway through the writing and recording of The Elements, which is bound to be one of the most ambitious studio efforts in recent memory, even more ostentatious than the band's last offering, 2005's tough-to-pronounce Vheissu (see "Double Double Album — Thrice To Spread Next LP Over Four Discs").

"It's definitely a daunting task, and I think we're starting to realize that now, since we're not in the beginning phases anymore," said Kensrue. "It's a lot of fun and a serious challenge for us, which is what we're always looking for."

So far, fans and friends have been responding well to the new material, which the band has previewed here and there during live gigs.

"People who liked Vheissu — and people who didn't — seem to like these songs, but I'm not sure that will play out for the entire project," he said. "This record's different than what would have been just the next Thrice record, being it has these themes that we're trying to hit. It allows for things that wouldn't have happened on an old Thrice record. We have this one song that's sort of a bluesy jazz standard, and there wouldn't have been space for something like that on any of our other records. But we have the freedom to do it here, and it fits."

Thrice are self-producing the four albums, which are each around 30 minutes long. For now, they've been tentatively named Earth, Air, Water and Fire, and the band hopes to release them by year's end.

The band is toying with the idea of releasing the four albums in pairs, with just a few months in between. And for the first time in Thrice's history, they're recording and writing simultaneously, recording cuts in environments Kensrue feels are more conducive to the creative process than another bleak studio with no windows. The mostly acoustic Earth, for instance, which is in the proverbial bag, was recorded in a house with wooden floors. Look for that disc to include the tracks "Digging My Own Grave" and "Come All You Weary."

Air, Kensrue says, is about 75 percent done and will feature the song "As the Crow Flies," while Water, which will boast the tune "Open Water," is halfway finished. Fire, with the cut "Fire Breather," is in the beginning stages. All song titles might change before the albums land in stores.

Kensrue says that he wouldn't call the four discs conceptual. "There's no specific story or concept happening here," he said. "With the lyrics, I haven't been too strict in having it tied directly in. Like for Earth, I didn't just throw the word 'dirt' into my lyrics. I am trying to write things that fit the albums' general vibe."

Because the singer is preoccupied by Thrice at the moment, he has no immediate plans to tour around the release of Please Come Home, which lands in stores January 23 and will include the tracks "I Knew You Before," "Pistol," "I Believe," "Consider the Ravens" and "Blanket of Ghosts." But he will appear on "Late Show With David Letterman" on February 2.

"I have no idea what people are going to think of it," he said of his solo LP. "It seems the feedback's been very positive, which is encouraging. But people may be turned off to it because it won't be what they are familiar with. But the songs are strong, so I'm not too too worried about it. It's something I had to do. I have been wanting to do this for a while."

• Thrice

Thrice
Photo: Island

Last summer, before the release of 2005's Vheissu, Thrice drummer Riley Breckenridge promised fans the LP would be the band's most ambitious offering — which is a claim most rock dudes seem to make these days.

But Vheissu is small potatoes compared to what the Thrice guys are cooking up for their next outing.

According to frontman Dustin Kensrue, "this record we're working on now will be, by far, our most ambitious effort." And he might be right. The singer said his band's taking the double-album concept and squaring it.

"There's going to be four discs, and they will each be themed differently," Kensrue said. "It will be a large body of music — maybe around 25 songs or so. I've never been a fan of double albums; I'm a fan of shorter records. This will kind of be just multiple, shorter records, and each one will be self-sufficient. But also, they all tie into each other. We have a lot of bass material written for it, and we're kind of at this point where we have the core parts of the songs written, and we've been getting together and trying to flesh those out.

"We're actually recording it ourselves too," he continued. "We are kind of trying to approach it in a different manner: We're recording pieces of it and building it and shifting it around. We did that sort of on the last record, with songs like 'Atlantic.' We had the basic idea and we started finishing it off while we were recording it."

Kensrue said Thrice plan to spend the rest of the summer writing material for the yet-untitled album — as they've been for some time now — and they'd like to record it this fall, with the hope that it will be out next spring. Vheissu has sold close to 200,000 copies since its release last September (see "Thrice Going Underground — In A Sense — For Enigmatic Vheissu").

At the same time, Kensrue's finishing up work on his solo debut, several tracks from which he'll be playing on the road. His acoustic, one-man trek kicked off Thursday in Philadelphia and will make stops in New York, San Diego, Las Vegas and Los Angeles before winding down in San Francisco on August 6. The singer's decision to do solo gigs fueled speculation that Thrice were calling it quits — a rumor Kensrue flatly denied.

"Hopefully, my solo album will be out in October," he said. "I'm halfway done with it at this point and am producing it myself. [Thrice guitarist Teppei Teranishi] is engineering it. All the songs are acoustic-based, but the majority of the record will have bass and drums, along with the acoustic guitar. It's a stripped-down vibe."

Kensrue, who is close to signing a solo deal with one of the "bigger indie labels" out there, said his record will contain 10 tracks, including "Blood and Wine," "Prodigal" and "Weary Saints." He said he has been tinkering with several of the tracks for years now.

"Some of them are pretty old, or at least the foundations for them are — just stuff I'd kick around when I was playing acoustic guitar," he said. "But the material never really worked for Thrice. I just really enjoy playing acoustically, by myself. It's kind of a whole different animal, and I've been doing that longer than I've been doing Thrice. I decided to just write a couple more songs, put out a record and sit back and see what happens."

• Thrice

Dashboard Confessional's Chris Carrabba
Photo: Marina Chavez

When organizers of the Bamboozle Festival decided it was time to expand their enterprise, there was only one logical place to go — and only one logical name for their newest project.

"We're heading to California, and we're putting on a show we're calling the Bamboozle Left, because, obviously, it's on the Left Coast. And because we left New Jersey," laughed John D'Esposito, CEO of Mac Cruise Entertainment, which staged the first two Bamboozles. "And because we're moving to California, we're going to do things Hollywood-style. We're doing it big time."

And he's not kidding: The inaugural Bamboozle Left — to be held October 14-15 on the campus of Cal Poly in Pomona — will feature 45 bands, including Dashboard Confessional, Plus-44, Jack's Mannequin, Brand New, Thrice and 30 Seconds to Mars. A ticket presale starts Tuesday, with a single-day ticket costing $33 ($60 for a two-day pass).

It's a lineup that rivals May's Bamboozle East, which featured Fall Out Boy, Taking Back Sunday and the All-American Rejects (see "Fall Out Boy, Motion City Soundtrack Good To Go For Bamboozle '06"). And D'Esposito said that, much like the other Bamboozle — which featured a surprise set by Method Man (see "Look Out, Emo Kids: Method Man To Bring The Ruckus To Bamboozle '06") — the Left Coast version will also pack a few surprises.

"There will be special guests, though I can't say who. But keep in mind that it's going to be Hollywood-themed," he laughed. "Our goal with both Bamboozles is to provide fans with a big, diverse lineup. We're not afraid to have artists like Method Man appear. We're not afraid to take some risks."

But what does the West Coast expansion mean for fans of the original Bamboozle? Well, nothing, really. D'Esposito said plans are still running full speed ahead for a third edition of the fest, to be held once again at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey. And he's not stopping there, either.

"We're thinking that we should try to expand even further. There's talk of having a Bamboozle Island somewhere next year," D'Esposito laughed. "And we're planning a hard-rock sister festival to Bamboozle for later this year. We're not going to try and limit ourselves."

• Dashboard Confessional
• (+44)
• Thrice
• 30 Seconds To Mars

Thrice
Photo: Getty Images

UNIVERSAL CITY, California — For Thrice, choosing band favorite "Red Sky" as their next single was a no-brainer, but choosing the video treatment has been a challenge.

"We don't know what we are going to do with this," singer Dustin Kensrue said backstage at KROQ-FM's recent Almost Acoustic Christmas concert (see "Coldplay Salute System, Stripes, SoCal Torsos At Radio Fest"). "It's really random with all the ways that we're thinking. Some are very literal and some are very non-literal, but we have no idea where we're going right now."

The band has already shared some ideas with director Jay Martin, who worked with Thrice on Vheissu's first video, "Image of the Invisible" (see "Thrice Bring Ninja Moves, Screaming Kids To New Clip — With Gerard Way's Help"). They have also solicited treatments from other directors.

"We're all really happy with the 'Image' video and how it came out, and I think we kind of set a bar that we need to live up to," drummer Riley Breckenridge said. "So it's definitely a challenge for us to get back and make a powerful video. We want it to be the best video it possibly can for 'Red Sky,' so hopefully we'll figure out what the hell we're gonna do."

And remaining hopeful is just what the band needs to do — after all, that's what the song is about. "Overall, I think 'Red Sky' is dealing with the issues that [people] suffer, but in the end things are redeemed and there's a resolution," Kensrue said. "It's got this image of a storm that comes and in the end this unexplained supernatural change [happens] and everything kind of comes right through these dark times. It's about hope in general."

Fans fortunate enough to catch Thrice's performance of "Red Sky" at the Almost Acoustic Christmas got to witness a special duet of the song with Deftones singer Chino Moreno.

"We've done a couple dates with them in the past, and we've always been big fans," Kensrue said. "We [wanted] to do something a little different for the show. I was just thinking he'd do some harmonies and stuff, and he was like, 'I've got some stuff I wanna sing.' So he kind of went off and sang some melodies that he had made up, and they were really cool."

The onstage collaboration seemed like a once-in-a-lifetime moment, but it could very easily be repeated, as Thrice and the Deftones will be co-headlining this winter's Taste of Chaos Tour (see "Taste Of Chaos '06 Tour Dates Revealed").

"Hopefully it will be a good change of pace because there's gonna be a lot of headbanging and shredding and stuff," Breckenridge said of the trek, which will also feature Atreyu and As I Lay Dying. "So we can do a little bit of the heavy stuff and a little bit of the mellow stuff and stick out in that way. Just doing what we do, while other people do what they do."

"I'm hoping to play some of the songs that we didn't get to play on the headline tour we just did," Kensrue added. "I think we really want to play all the songs on the new record. It's hard to choose between them, but I think we'll pick a couple that we haven't played live so far."

Taste of Chaos kicks off February 16 in San Diego.

• Thrice

Thrice's Dustin Kensrue
Photo: Tim Mosenfelder/ Getty Images

It's no secret that Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman is a bit of a workaholic. When we last spoke to him, he was in a London hotel room overseeing promotion on the U.K. leg of his Taste of Chaos tour while at the same time announcing acts for the 2006 edition of Warped and maintaining two separate conversations with tour organizers back in California.

And while our conversation was primarily about Warped '06, Lyman also made sure to promote the 2006 edition of Taste, saying that the tour itinerary was close to being finished (see "Motion City Soundtrack, Thursday, NOFX Already On Board For Warped '06"). And he wasn't joking.

Late Wednesday night (November 30), Lyman gave MTV News an exclusive first look at the dates for the 2006 Taste of Chaos tour, a near two-month jaunt featuring Thrice, Deftones, Atreyu, As I Lay Dying and a whole host of likeminded hard-rock acts. The tour — nicknamed "Winter Warped" during its inaugural run last year — kicks off in the relatively un-wintry climes of San Diego on February 16 and snakes its way throughout the U.S. and Canada before coming to an end April 15 in Montreal.

A special ticket pre-sale begins Friday; fans can visit TasteOfChaos.com for more information.

Last year's version of Taste featured headliners the Used and My Chemical Romance (see "Taste Of Chaos — A.K.A. 'Winter Warped' — Tour Dates, Lineup Confirmed") and was so popular that it spawned a European sequel of sorts, also headlined by the Used, plus a tour-spanning DVD and a charity holiday comp, Taste of Christmas.

Taste of Chaos tour dates, according to event organizers:

• 2/16 - San Diego, CA @ San Diego Sports Arena
• 2/17 - Phoenix, AZ @ Mesa Amphitheatre
• 2/18 - El Paso, TX @ County Coliseum
• 2/20 - Dallas, TX @ Nokia Theatre
• 2/21 - San Antonio, TX @ Freeman Coliseum
• 2/22 - Houston, TX @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
• 2/24 - Jacksonville, FL @ Metro Park
• 2/25 - Orlando, FL @ Tinker Field
• 2/26 - Miami, FL @ Pompano Beach Amphitheatre
• 2/28 - Duluth, GA @ Gwinnett Center
• 3/1 - Norfolk, VA @ Convocation Center
• 3/3 - East Rutherford, NJ @ The Meadowlands
• 3/4 - Philadelphia, PA @ Tweeter Center
• 3/6 - Portland, ME @ Cumberland County Civic Center
• 3/7 - Lowell, MA @ Tsongas Arena
• 3/8 - Hartford, CT @ Expo Center
• 3/9 - Poughkeepsie, NY @ Mid Hudson Civic Center
• 3/10 - Orchard Park, NY @ Buffalo Bills Fieldhouse
• 3/11 - Detroit, MI @ Cobo Arena
• 3/13 - St. Louis, MO @ Family Arena
• 3/14 - Chicago, IL @ UIC Pavilion
• 3/15 - Cleveland, OH @ CSU Convocation Center
• 3/16 - Toledo, OH @ Toledo Sports Arena
• 3/17 - Dayton, OH @ Hara Arena
• 3/18 - Milwaukee, WI @ Eagles Ballroom
• 3/19 - St. Paul, MN @ Roy Wilkins Auditorium
• 3/21 - Fargo, ND @ Fargo Memorial Auditorium
• 3/22 - Lincoln, NE @ Pershing Auditorium
• 3/23 - Kansas City, KS @ Hale Arena
• 3/25 - Denver, CO @ Filmore Auditorium
• 3/27 - Fresno, CA @ Selland Arena
• 3/28 - San Jose, CA @ SJSU Events Center
• 3/29 - Sacramento, CA @ Arco Arena
• 3/30 - Long Beach, CA @ Long Beach Sports Arena
• 4/1 - Portland, OR @ The Pavilion-Oregon State Fairgrounds
• 4/2 - Seattle, WA @ Everett Events Center
• 4/3 - Vancouver, BC @ Pacific National Exhibition
• 4/5 - Edmonton, AB @ Shaw Events Center
• 4/6 - Calgary, AB @ Saddledome
• 4/8 - Saskatoon, SK @ Saskatchewan Place
• 4/9 - Winnipeg, MB @ MTS Center
• 4/12 - London, ON @ John Labatte Centre
• 4/13 - Toronto, ON @ Arrow Hall
• 4/14 - Ottawa, ON @ Corel Center
• 4/15 - Montreal, QC @ Stade Uniprix

• Thrice
• Deftones
• Atreyu
• As I Lay Dying

Thursday's Geoff Rickly
Photo: John Shearer

It's never too early to start planning for next summer. At least if you're Kevin Lyman it's not.

While most of the country begins to break out the winter wear, the founding father of the Warped Tour is already making plans for next year's summertime pop-punk extravaganza, having just announced the first slew of acts that'll be braving the heat and taking the stage at a venue near you.

Motion City Soundtrack, Thursday, Rise Against, From First to Last and venerable punks NOFX are the first confirmed bands for Warped '06, but Lyman said fans can expect more announcements in the very near future. So you can stop e-mailing him now.

"I get bombed with e-mails from kids wanting to know what bands are going to be on the tour, so [we'll] start letting it out now slowly. The only problem is it gets other bands' managers and agents calling relentlessly," he said. "I read a lot of the e-mails from fans, and if I had more time, I would answer them. Warped is always a community, and we're always trying to keep information going out, [but] it's actually fun to read the rumors kids start of who will be the next bands announced."

While the popular Internet rumors this year involve everyone from a reunited Operation Ivy to Marilyn Manson (!) taking the stage at Warped, Lyman said — for the moment at least — there have been no more acts booked for the tour. But that doesn't mean he wants fans to stop all the speculating. Just keep it reasonable.

"Fans would never see some of these bands on Warped because they want too much money and we would have to raise ticket prices," he said. "It never gets old to have fans e-mailing me with suggestions ... the only thing I don't like is when bands get their fan clubs to keep e-mailing me the same name over and over again. This year a band called Showbread is taking it way too far."

Fans (and anyone not in Showbread) can look forward to another round of Warped lineup announcements sometime around Thanksgiving, and soon after that Lyman and Co. will have the routing all mapped out too.

As if Lyman wasn't busy enough already, there's still the matter of the 2006 Taste of Chaos Tour, which gets under way February 15 and features Thrice, Deftones, Atreyu and Story of the Year, among others. Venues will be announced next week.

"Taste is going to be massive this year. We're thinking of ways to make it better all the time," Lyman said. "Like right now I'm in working in London, bringing double-decker buses around to promote British bands and some charities for the U.K. leg of the tour. I'm trying to just have to figure out how to make them go faster than 45 mph. And I'm sure there will big stuff like that going on for Taste in the States, too."

• Motion City Soundtrack
• Thursday
• NOFX
• Thrice
• Deftones

Fantasia
Photo: J Records

A couple from Fantasia Barrino's hometown have a bone to pick with how the "American Idol" winner describes High Point, North Carolina, in her autobiography, "Life Is Not a Fairy Tale." Kyle Sandler and Jennifer English have launched a Web site (www.FantasiasLies.com) in protest of Barrino's claim in the book that she couldn't read after attending local schools and that she and her friends used to call High Point the "land of the dead," according to an Associated Press report. The pair wants signs promoting Barrino at the city's entrances taken down because they think her book portrays the city negatively. A city council member said the signs are not permanent, but there is no plan to take them down. ...

The star-studded charity cover of Eric Clapton's "Tears in Heaven," originally recorded to benefit tsunami victims but now benefiting hurricane victims as well, has finally been released — on iTunes. The single features Gwen Stefani, Scott Weiland, Pink, Mary J. Blige, Elton John, Kelly Osbourne, Ozzy Osbourne, Phil Collins, Rod Stewart, Steven Tyler, Robert Downey Jr. and Gavin Rossdale, among others. Proceeds will be disturbed to those in need by Save the Children. "The magnitude of these natural disasters surpasses anything we've seen in our lifetime," said Sharon Osbourne, who executive produced the song. "With this single and other relief efforts, our intent is to keep these tragedies in the forefront of everyone's minds. We must not forget and do all we can to help these people rebuild their lives." ... Usher has been added to the list of performers for a concert next week in Los Angeles celebrating the 25-year anniversary of BET. Alicia Keys, R. Kelly and Mary J. Blige will also perform on "25 Strong: The BET Silver Anniversary Celebration," airing November 1 on BET. ...

Punk legends the Dead Boys will reunite for an October 31 concert in Cleveland to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the band's formation. The concert will feature the remaining members of the Boys' original lineup: drummer Johnny Blitz, guitarist Cheetah Chrome, bassist Jeff Magnum and guitarist Jimmy Zero. Frontman Stiv Bators was hit by a car in 1990 and died from resulting injuries. ... Thrice's Vheissu hasn't even been in stores for 24 hours, and already the California rockers are calling on fans to remake the disc's first single, "Image of the Invisible." To the winner goes "a sick prize package" of $4,000 in home recording equipment. The band posted all the tracks and guitar tabs from the song online. "You or your band can do a remix or a cover of the song in any style you want, with no restrictions," instructs the band's Web site. Submissions are due November 1. ...

Elton John is slated to perform a charity benefit for the New York Restoration Project, which is conducting an online auction in which bidders can win the chance to go backstage at a Dave Matthews Band concert, record with Faith Hill in her studio, watch Robert De Niro direct his latest movie, hang with Hugh Jackman on the set of "Prestige," race with Jeff Gordon, spend time with Martha Stewart in her private gardens or get advice from Dr. Ruth over lunch. The auction (at www.CharityBuzz.com) coincides with the NYRP's Hulaween gala on October 31, in which Sting will be honored for his environmental work. Bidding concludes November 8. ...

Patti LaBelle is being honored with a televised all-star salute to celebrate her 45 years as a recording artist. The show, taped in the Bahamas, is hosted by Eve and features performances by Nelly, Kelly Rowland, Mario, Ashanti, Big Boi, Boyz II Men and Gerald Levert as well as a reunion of LaBelle for "Lady Marmalade." "An All-Star Salute to Patti LaBelle: Live From Atlantis" airs November 8 at 9 p.m. on UPN. ... Meanwhile, LaBelle will pop up on the small screen on "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" when she performs at a candlelight vigil in front of a house in Capitol Heights, Maryland, that's been rebuilt for a single mother and her eight children. The episode airs October 30 at 8 p.m. on ABC. ...

Do the chilly temperatures outside have you feeling frozen inside? Sounds like you could benefit from some Hot Hot Heat. And you're in luck, because the Canadian synth-poppers have just announced a string of headlining dates in support of their major-label debut, Elevator. The tour kicks off November 6 in Louisville, Kentucky, and runs until early December. ... Recurring back problems have sidelined Killswitch Engage guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz, who will not be traveling with the band overseas for the Taste of Chaos international trek, which kicks off Saturday in Australia. "It has now become apparent that Adam will need back surgery," a message posted on Killswitch's Web site reads. "As a result, the rest of the guys have decided that Adam should not do the upcoming Taste of Chaos [dates] and risk further back problems." The five-piece will perform as a foursome with roadies filling in on second guitar for a few of the songs. ...

Nine Inch Nails, who were originally scheduled to play the Voodoo Music Experience just on October 29 in New Orleans will now also perform at the festival's second night, October 30 in Memphis. A few other bands are also following suit, including the Secret Machines, the New York Dolls and HIM. ... Brothers Senen and Ulpiano Reyes, better known as Cypress Hill's Sen Dog and Mellow Man Ace, are collaborating on an album called Ghetto Therapy, to be released under the Reyes Brothers name in February on their own label, Latin Thug Records. B-Real, Warren G and Archbishop Don "Magic" Juan guest star. ...

10.17.2005

Lindsay Lohan has picked a title for her upcoming second album, due November 22. Like the LP's first single, "Confessions of a Broken Heart," suggests, this album is going to be A Little More Personal. Her video for "Confessions" is slated to premiere on MTV's "Making the Video: Lindsay Lohan" on October 24 at 6 p.m. ET ...

"Come Together Now," the new benefit single for victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita featuring the Game, John Legend, Wyclef Jean, Joss Stone and others, will be featured on an all-star double album called Hurricane Relief: Come Together Now, due in mid-November. Coldplay, John Mayer and Dave Matthews Band are among the other acts that are contributing live or unreleased tracks to the LP. ... Irv Gotti's been waiting since January for his day in court, and on Monday (October 17), he got it — kind of. Jury selection began in a Brooklyn, New York, courtroom in the drugs-and-money-laundering case against the Murder Inc. record mogul and his brother, Chris Gotti, who are both facing 20 years on the federal charges. The next phase of jury selection is expected to continue on October 24, with opening arguments slated for November 14. ...

LL Cool J, Fat Joe, Swizz Beatz, Chaka Khan, Ice-T and the Reverend Al Sharpton were among the celebs who came out Sunday night in New York to be in the presence of royalty. Queen of Hip-Hop Soul Mary J. Blige performed a career-retrospective concert at Lincoln Center's intimate Rose Hall, singing such tracks as "My Life" and "Family Affair" and debuting her new single, "Can't Hide From Love," to close out the set. ... Jamie Foxx is nearly finished with his forthcoming album, Unpredictable, due December 6. The first single will be the title track, featuring Ludacris, and it hits radio November 7. Other guests on the LP include Kanye West on "Extravaganza," Mary J. Blige on a remake of "Love Changes," Pharrell Williams on "Still Here" (which he also produced), Twista on "DJ Play a Love Song" and Timbaland on "Can I Take You Home." ...

Slipknot guitarist Jim Root isn't on the band's current road trip, Subliminal Verses Tour: The Final Volume, because he broke his wrist the day before the tour's Friday night kickoff in Cincinnati. Root did the damage when he crashed while mountain biking. He'll be in a cast for at least six weeks and it's unknown if he'll be able to join the band on any of the dates. ... After doctors in the U.K. advised him to rest his voice, Disturbed frontman David Draiman returned to Los Angeles to see a throat specialist Tuesday morning. The band has postponed the remaining dates of its European tour. Initial reports suggested Draiman was suffering from vocal-cord inflammation, but the band's management said it won't know the full status of his condition until after his doctors have had a chance to examine him. ...

David Reilly, a founding member of techno-rock outfit God Lives Underwater, died Sunday of complications stemming from longstanding stomach problems. Reilly was the band's vocalist and chief programmer; he also played guitar and synthesizer on God Lives Underwater's four LPs, the most recent being 2004's Up Off the Floor. Corporate Punishment Records, which released Reilly's solo album Inside that same year, said in a statement he'd recently inked a solo deal with Universal and was working on material for his second album. ... Guitarist Nick Hawkins, known for his work with Big Audio Dynamite, died of a heart attack on October 10 in his Las Vegas home. He was 40. Hawkins joined the band in 1990, and helped craft the group's two largest hits, "The Globe" and "Rush." He remained with B.A.D. through various lineup shifts and name permutations until 1997. He had been working with his band Dusk Til Dawn on material for a forthcoming album at the time of his death. ... A coroner has determined that former "Saturday Night Live" castmember Charles Rocket (born Charles Claverie), 56, committed suicide by slicing his own throat in a field near his home in Canterbury, Connecticut, on October 7. Rocket, who appeared in the TV show "Moonlighting" and the movies "Dumb and Dumber" and "Dances With Wolves," was most famous for dropping the f-bomb during a spoof of "Dallas" on "SNL" in the 1980-1981 season, when he uttered, "Who the f--- did it?" The profanity unleashed complaints from viewers and Rocket was fired. ...

Krist Novoselic cut the ribbon on Saturday to celebrate the opening of what amounts to a grunge hotel in downtown Seattle. Hotel Max features local artists and photographers' work on the guest doors, and of special note, the fifth floor is devoted to the icons of the Seattle grunge scene — with life-size shots of Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Courtney Love by Charles Peterson covering the room doors. The hotel has also published a book, called "Maximalism: Art at the Hotel Max, Seattle," showcasing the work featured in the hotel. ... Megadeth in a cartoon? The band will appear in two episodes of "Duck Dodgers," the space-age cartoon that features Daffy Duck, Porky Pig and Marvin the Martian, on October 28 and November 4 on Cartoon Network's Boomerang. ...

The Dillinger Escape Plan are packing their bags and heading out on the road to support their latest album, Miss Machine, starting November 16 in Seattle. The 18-date U.S. leg of the trek wraps December 10 in Baltimore. ... P.O.D. will warm up fans for the early 2006 release of Testify with the seven-song The Warriors EP Vol. 2, due November 15. The EP features demo versions of two new songs, "Teachers" and "Ya Mama," live versions of "Boom" and "Wildfire" (from 2004's Cornerstone Festival in Bushnell, Illinois) and the previously unreleased "If It Wasn't for You," "Why Wait?" and "Eyes of a Stranger." ...

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Thrice Photos

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