Paul Wall
Photo: Paul Hawthorne/Getty Images

As if it weren't evident by the diamonds in his mouth, the platinum around his neck or his copious collection of Cadillacs, Paul Wall has a taste for the finer things in life. The same can also be said for Travis Barker, whose armada of classic cars rivals most dealerships. Ditto for his partner in crime Rob Aston, who, um, has a lot of tattoos ... that certainly look like they cost a lot of money.

So it makes sense that when all three recently decided to form a hip-hop group, they went with the name Expensive Tastes. After all, it pretty much explains their whole raison d'être.

"We all have our own niche," Paul Wall said. "We're all really big on Cadillacs, but no one's got as many as Travis. And Rob is into living it up, having fun. And with me, it's the diamonds. We've each got our own thing, but we all bring it together on certain things. And one of those things is the music. Being in there with those two guys, it just blows my mind. Watching Travis make a beat, or hearing Rob lay down a verse, it's amazing. We're making great music, and we're having a good time doing it."

It'll probably be the first new music that fans hear from Aston and Barker, since they've officially closed the door on their previous band, the Transplants.

"It's over with, as far as I know. We canceled everything back in August," Barker said (see "Transplants Cancel All Tour Dates, Cite Armstrong's 'Exhaustion' "). "I guess everything happens for a reason. Is it all good for all parties concerned? No comment."

OK, then.

The three members of Expensive Tastes first collaborated in June when Wall chopped and screwed an album by the Transplants (see "Transplants Team Up With Paul Wall For First Chopped-And-Screwed Rock LP") but it wasn't until September that they officially formed Expensive Tastes (see "Call Guinness World Records: Barker Forms Another Band, This One With Paul Wall"). Since then, the trio have gotten together twice in Barker's Los Angeles home studio and once at Wall's place down in Houston.

"We've got three [songs] in the can so far," Aston said, "and the tentative titles are 'Hold Up,' one is called 'Slidin' on That Oil' and one of them is called 'My Medicine.' Musicwise it's a straight hip-hop record, and the majority of the beats are done by Travis. He's going to surprise a lot of people with the beats he's making on this record. He's so talented, and so is Paul. When we get in there, everything meshes."

Both Wall and Aston said fans can expect a single from Expensive Tastes to start making the rounds on the mixtape circuit this summer, though there is no firm release date for a full album. "It'll be out when somebody gives us the right amount of money," Wall laughed.

So what can fans expect from Expensive Tastes? According to Aston, if they're looking for introspective lyrics about life and death, they might be barking up the wrong tree. "Paul and Me, we're just talking about what we do: our cars, getting loaded, having fun. It's everyday sh--, man," he said. "From the cars to the ice to the drink, we're just everyday people."

• Paul Wall
• Transplants

R. Kelly's "Trapped in the Closet"
Photo: Sbme

Sealed With a Kiss: R. Kelly's serialized "Trapped in the Closet" video drama is either genius or preposterous, depending on whom you ask, but Kelly's got plenty of explaining to do on the DVD set, which includes seven new chapters, running commentary and behind-the-scenes snips.

Greatest Delights: Whether you can or can't get enough of them, Tom DeLonge, Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker are back this week with newly refined — and not-so-refined — product. Two unreleased cuts and a bonus DVD come with Greatest Hits, while the Haunted Cities do-over is done up right by Paul Wall.

Set Splinters: Nirvana completists undoubtedly nabbed last year's With the Lights Out box set, but even those fans will need Sliver: The Best of the Box. It's got unreleased takes of "Spank Thru," "Sappy" and a rehearsal version of "Come as You Are," plus some snappy, never-before-seen cover artwork.

Heavy Mettle: Ozzy's cover of the Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil" may not be surprising, but his takes on John Lennon's "Working Class Hero" and King Crimson's "21st Century Schizoid Man" sure are. And if you're looking for live tunes to sate your metal tastes, look no further than Slipknot's two-timing 9.0: Live, which is loaded with 24 tracks' worth of easy-listening pleasure (knot).

Like Mother, Like Daughter: June Carter Cash's Church in the Wildwood comes back this week, while the illustrious wife of Johnny is also hailed with Ring of Fire: The Best of June Carter Cash. In the meantime her daughter Rosanne also gets the reissue treatment with remastered versions of Interiors, King's Record Shop and Seven Year Ache.

Song Title of the Week:

• "Amazedisgrace" (3's Wake Pig)

Carlos Santana's All That I Am: Carlos keeps it seemingly simple with "Hermes," "Fuego" and "Con," but makes it a bit more complicated with a Spanish-language tune ("Do Tu Amor") and a DVD's worth of goodies. Oye como va again.

Public Enemy's New Whirl Order: In case you've been dodging Best Buys, PE's latest drops in other retail outlets this week. Recorded with Moby and led by the single "MKLVFKWR," Chuck and Flav keep it even realer with a bonus DVD filled with multimedia tracks, commentary and mo'.

Killing Joke's "XXV Gathering: The Band That Preys Together Stays Together" DVD: Every bit as ominous as it sounds, "XXV Gathering" finds founding and recently recruited members of the U.K.'s dastardly denizen digging into 17 tracks' worth of devastating dirge punk. It's the only DVD available from Jaz and company, so even if you missed the Shepherd's Bush Empire show, it'll be worth your wail.

New Releases:

• 3 - Wake Pig (Metal Blade)
• 7th Octave - Seventh Degree (Slam Jamz)
• The Alabama Boys - No Way I Can Lose (SMC)
• Altamont - The Monkees' Uncle (Ant Acid Audio)
• Trey Anastasio - Shine (two CDs; Columbia)
• Burt Bacharach - At This Time (Columbia)
• Ballerz Ink - Tha Hustle (Thump)
• Bobby Bare - The Moon Was Blue (Dualtone)
• BirdMan - Fast Money: Screwed and Chopped (Universal)
• Blink-182 - Greatest Hits (with DVD; Geffen)
  Buy Now: Greatest Hits (with DVD; Geffen)
• Terri Clark - Life Goes On (Mercury Nashville)
• The Cops - Get Good or Stay Bad (Mt. Fuji)
• A.J. Croce - Early On (Seedling)
• Deep Purple - Rapture of the Deep (Eagle Rock)
• Dishwalla - Live ... Greetings From the Flow State (DualDisc; Immergent)
• D.P.G. - Dillinger and Young Gotti II: Tha Saga Continuez (Gangsta Advisory)
• Ed Gein - Judas Goats & Dieseleaters (Metal Blade)
• Fatlip - Theloneliest Punk (with DVD; Delicious Vinyl)
• Garaj Mahal - Blueberry Cave (Harmonized)
• Goldfrapp - Number 1 EP (enhanced; Mute)
• Guitar Wolf - Golden Black: Greatest Hits (Narnack)
• John Hiatt - Live From Austin TX (New West)
• William Hooker, Glenn Hall, Lee Ranaldo - Oasis of Whispers (Alien8)
• Imogen Heap - Speak for Yourself (RCA)
• The Impossebulls - Slave Education (Slam Jamz)
• Freddie Jackson - Personal Reflections (Artemis)
• Eric Johnson - Live From Austin TX (New West)
• Sander Kleinenberg and Lee Burridge - This Is Everybody! On Tour (two CDs; Ultra)
• Diana Krall - Christmas Songs (Verve)
• Lagwagon - Resolve (Fat Wreck Chords)
• Lokote - Dia De Los Muertos (Thump)
• Brian McBride - When the Detail Lost Its Freedom (Kranky)
• Kate and Anna McGarrigle - The McGarrigle Christmas Hour (Nonesuch)
• Montgomery Gentry - Something to Be Proud of: Best of 1999-2005 (Columbia)
• Move.Meant - The Good Money EP (Wax Paper)
• Nirvana - Sliver: The Best of the Box (Geffen)
  Buy Now: Sliver: The Best of the Box (Geffen)
• OC - Smoke and Mirrors (Red Urban)
• Tony Orlando & Dawn - A Christmas Reunion (R2)
• Ozzy Osbourne - Under Covers (DualDisc; Epic)
  Buy Now: Under Covers (DualDisc; Epic)
• The Panic Division - Versus (Militia Group)
• The Peasall Sisters - Home to You (Dualtone)
• Princess - Princess (Sick Room)
• Public Enemy - New Whirl Order (Slam Jamz)
  Buy Now: New Whirl Order (Slam Jamz)
• Carlos Santana - All That I Am (with bonus DVD; Arista)
  Read: "Guest List For New Santana LP: Big Boi, Mary J., Will.I.Am, Bo Bice And More"
  Buy Now: All That I Am (with bonus DVD; Arista)
• Ulrich Schanuss - Far Away Trains Passing By (with bonus EP; Domino)
• Signal Drift - Set Design (Consumers Research)
• Slipknot - 9.0: Live (two CDs; Roadrunner)
  Read: "Slipknot Cap A Year Of Destruction With 9.0: Live; More Stone Sour On Tap"
  Buy Now: 9.0: Live (two CDs; Roadrunner)
• Speech - Vagabond (Bluehammock)
• Sun Kil Moon - Tiny Cities (Digipak; Caldo Verde)
• Test Icicles - Boa Vs. Python EP (Domino)
• Texas Tornados - Live From Austin TX (New West)
• Third Day - Wherever You Are (Essential)
• Transplants - Haunted Cities - Screwed and Chopped by DJ Paul Wall (Atlantic)
  Read: "Transplants Team Up With Paul Wall For First Chopped-And-Screwed Rock LP"
  Buy Now: Concrete Rose (Def Jam)
• Josh Turner - Your Man (MCA Nashville)
• The Vacancies - A Beat Missing or a Silence Added (Blackheart)
• Kenny Vance and the Planotones - Lovers Island (Varèse)
• Dwight Yoakam - Live From Austin TX (New West)
• Various artists - Dawning of a New Era (Trojan)
• Various artists - Gilles Peterson Presents BBC Sessions (RPM)
• Various artists - I Like It, Vol. 2 (Compost)
• Various artists - La Guitara: Gender Bending Strings (Vanguard)
• Various artists - Latin Grammy Nominees 2005 (Univision)
• Various artists - Now That's What I Call Music! 20 (UTV)
• Various artists - Old School House Party (Thump)
• Various artists - "According to Jim" soundtrack (Hollywood)
• Various artists - "Brokeback Mountain" soundtrack (Verve)
• Various artists - "Chicken Little" soundtrack (Walt Disney)

Notable Reissues:

• Boy Sets Fire - Before the Eulogy (with bonus tracks; Equal Vision)
• June Carter Cash - Church in the Wildwood and Ring of Fire: The Best of June Carter Cash (Dualtone)
• Rosanne Cash - Interiors, King's Record Shop and Seven Year Ache (Columbia/Legacy)
• A.J. Croce - Early On (Seedling)
• John Fogerty - The Long Road Home: Ultimate John Fogerty/ Creedence Collection (Fantasy)
• Grateful Dead - Fillmore West 1969: The Complete Recordings (three CDs; live; Rhino)
• Isaac Hayes - Ultimate Isaac Hayes: Can You Dig It? (Stax)
• Killswitch Engage - Alive or Just Breathing - The 25th Anniversary Series (Roadrunner)
• Senses Fail - Let It Enfold You (enhanced; Vagrant)
• Dusty Springfield - Live at the Royal Albert Hall (Eagle Rock)
• Taking Back Sunday - Tell All Your Friends (Victory)
• Richard & Linda Thompson - Pour Down Like Silver (with bonus tracks; Fontana)
• Various artists - Coming Home for Christmas (RCA)
• Various artists - The Complete Verve Remixed Deluxe Box (Verve)
• Various artists - Trampoline Records Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 (Rounder)

DVDs:

• George Benson - "Live at Montreux 1986" (Eagle Vision)
• Beta Band - "The Best of Beta Band Film" (Astralwerks)
• DMX - Cypress Hill's 6th Annual Smoke Out Presents: DMX (Eagle Vision)
• Duran Duran - "Live From London - Deluxe Edition" (with CD; Universal)
• Grateful Dead - "Dead Ahead: Live From Radio City" (Monterey)
• John Hiatt - "Live From Austin TX" (New West)
• Eric Johnson - "Live From Austin TX" (New West)
• R. Kelly - "Trapped in the Closet - Chapters 1-12" (Jive)
  Read: "R. Kelly To Release Chapters 1-12 Of 'Trapped' On DVD — And It's Not Over Yet"
• Killing Joke - "XXV Gathering: The Band That Preys Together Stays Together" (Red Distribution)
• John Lennon and Yoko Ono - "The Dick Cavett Show: John & Yoko Collection" (Shout! Factory)
• Yngwie Johann Malmsteen - "Concerto Suite for Guitar and Orchestra in E Flat Minor With the New Japan Philharmonic" (Eagle Vision)
• Youssou N'Dour - "Live at Montreux 1989" (Eagle Vision)
• Lou Reed - "Live at Montreux 2000" (Eagle Vision)
• Testament - "Live in London" (Red Distribution)
• Texas Tornados - "Live From Austin TX" (New West)
• Dwight Yoakam - "Live From Austin TX" (New West)
• Various artists - "Live 8 at Eden: Africa Calling" (Rhino)

Coming Attractions:

November 8:

• Limp Bizkit - Greatest Hitz (Geffen)
• The Mars Volta - Scab Dates (Universal)
• Young Buck - T.I.P. (Mass Appeal)

November 15:

• Mariah Carey - The Emancipation of Mimi: Platinum Edition (Island)
  Read: "Mariah Carey Emancipating Mimi Again, With Bonus Tracks"
• Green Day - Bullet in a Bible (with DVD; Reprise)
• Madonna - Confessions on a Dance Floor (Warner Bros.)
  Read: "Madonna Making 'Spontaneous' And 'Unapologetic' Dance Music"
  Buy Now: Confessions on a Dance Floor (Warner Bros.)

November 22:

• John Mayer Trio - Try! John Mayer Trio Live in Concert (Columbia)
  Read: "John Mayer Trio Geek Out With Live Album, Rolling Stones Jokes"
• Britney Spears - Britney Spears Remixed (Jive)
• System of a Down - Hypnotize (DualDisc same day; Columbia)
  Read: "System Of A Down Album Preview: Hypnotize Even Wilder Than Mezmerize"
  Buy Now: Hypnotize (DualDisc same day; Columbia)

• R. Kelly
• Nirvana
• blink-182
• Transplants
• Slipknot

Travis Barker at the KROQ Inland Invasion 5
Photo: MTV News

DEVORE, California — OK, this is getting out of control.

Travis Barker, the Blink-182/ Transplants/ Box Car Racer/ Plus-44 drummer (see "Travis Barker Hopes To Get Danger Mouse On New, 'Way Out There' Plus-44 LP"), revealed over the weekend that he's formed yet another new band, this one with Transplants rapper Rob Aston and Houston rapper Paul Wall.

"It's called Expensive Tastes," Barker said backstage at KROQ-FM's Inland Invasion (see "Beck Bashes, Barker Mashes, Shirley Clashes, Arcade Fire Smash At KROQ Fest"). "It's gonna probably come out next year, [a joint release that will be] half Swisha House/ half La Salle [Records, Barker's label]."

Barker met Wall, whose The Peoples Champ just hit shelves, earlier this year while at the offices of Atlantic Records for a Transplants meeting.

"We were like, 'Yo, we're big fans of Paul Wall,' and they're like, 'Oh, he just happens to be in the next room,' " Barker recalled. "He was familiar with the Transplants, we were familiar with him, and it was just obvious we were gonna work together."

From there, Wall did a chopped-and-screwed remix of the Transplants' Haunted Cities (see "Transplants Team Up With Paul Wall For First Chopped-And-Screwed Rock LP"), which is due later this year, as well as a track on Bun B's new album that Barker produced.

"It's kind of nice having this time to work with artists that you're big fans of," said Barker, referring to the hiatuses from Blink-182 and the Transplants (see "Transplants Cancel All Tour Dates, Cite Armstrong's 'Exhaustion' ").

During the break, Barker is also expanding his clothing label, Famous Stars and Straps, and building his name up as a hip-hop producer. He's meeting with T.I. about collaborating this week.

"It's always been a passion of mine," Barker said. "I've been listening to hip-hop since I was listening to music. It was always crazy to be in punk-rock bands and rock bands and always be listening to soul or R&B or hip-hop — stuff I didn't play, so it's exciting to work with artists. And I'm a drummer, so I was listening to hip-hop as a kid, bugging out, trying to get the rhythms down and stuff. It's finally my time to execute."

Barker's learning how to meld his drumming chops with hip-hop through another one of his projects, a live show with DJ AM that the duo debuted at Inland Invasion (see "Travis Barker Hooks Up With Nicole Richie's Fiance, Makes Transplants Priority"). Their set mixed and mashed all sorts of styles, including hits from Dr. Dre, the Game and Snoop Dogg.

"We just started jamming songs, we didn't know what was gonna happen," Barker said of their practice sessions. "Songs that really felt good or took off, we marked and then we'd do them over, and then we'd try to find a cappella [versions] of those songs. Sometimes I'll play the drums and it's just a cappella and drums, and sometimes I'll play the drums and he's scratching the hook or whatever. We almost remix the song, sometimes."

"Every record we went through, I'd play two bars of it and he's just got the beat locked," DJ AM (a.k.a. Adam Goldstein) said. "At first I was [skeptical when Barker suggested the idea], just 'cause for a nightclub setting it can be tough, but I've seen wack drummers — and he's not a wack drummer."

So far, the duo are planning to keep their collaboration on the stage, but that could change.

"If people want it enough, we'll burn a couple discs," DJ AM said. "It's tough [for licensing] 'cause we're playing a lot of [copyrighted] music. And [Barker] makes every song sound better, too, so people will be pissed, like, 'I should've done it like that!' "

"We didn't think we'd be here right now, so we don't expect sh--," Barker added. "We're just organically taking it day by day."

Along with working with Barker and planning his wedding to Nicole Richie, AM is finishing a mix CD and just opened a club in Hollywood called LAX.

"After working in clubs forever, it's nice to own one," he said. "And I put a really good sound system in there and made the booth very DJ-friendly, so everyone who plays there loves it."

• blink-182
• Transplants
• Paul Wall

Travis Barker at the Stuff Style Awards
Photo: Chrissy L. Nguyen / MTV News

HOLLYWOOD — If you thought Travis Barker had already collaborated with just about everyone and their mother, you'd be right, but the Plus-44/ Transplants/ Box Car Racer/ Blink-182 member is looking to work with one particularly elusive beatmaker.

"We've talked about working with Danger Mouse for the new Plus-44 record," Barker said at the recent Stuff Style Awards, held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. The tattooed, Mohawked rocker was an honoree for contributing to fashion with his popular punk clothing line, Famous Stars and Straps. Among the event's other celebrated fashionistas were Diddy, Pharrell Williams and Jay-Z.

Several producers will most likely lend their beats to the group's forthcoming LP, set to begin recording in October, and as always, Barker says to expect some "way out there" stuff to flow out of that booth.

"We only have three or four songs written right now, but oh, it's going to be good," he said.

Barker has also been busy debuting his new collaboration with DJ AM (perhaps better known as Nicole Richie's hubby-to-be) around Los Angeles; they are appearing at KROQ's Inland Invasion on Saturday and at an upcoming gig alongside Slim Thug and Mike Jones (see "Travis Barker Hooks Up With Nicole Richie's Fiance, Makes Transplants Priority").

This summer, Barker was also hard at work touring with the Transplants to promote their latest LP, Haunted Cities, until frontman Tim Armstrong was sidelined due to "exhaustion" (see "Transplants Cancel All Tour Dates, Cite Armstrong's Exhaustion"). While details on Armstrong's condition are few, Barker did confirm that the band was on hold for the time being.

"Right now, one of our members needs time off, so we're granting him that," Barker said.

One more major project the rocker is gearing up for is the December birth of his second child with wife Shanna Moakler. You can follow Moakler's pregnancy, along with the Transplants tour, when the second season of "Meet the Barkers" premieres on MTV in January. The reality show will also showcase the drummer producing one of his first hip-hop tracks, with rapper Bun B of UGK.

"I think last season was awesome, but this one is even crazier," Barker laughed. "You have no idea."

Barker says this pregnancy has been a bit easier for Moakler, who is currently at six months. "She has a big ol' belly, and I love it," he said. "I love having babies. It's been fun, and as long as Shanna feels good through it all, that's even better."

In August, the couple revealed that they were expecting a girl (see "Travis Barker's Plus-44 LP On Schedule, But Not On The Clock"). As for names, Barker says he and his wife have been using e-mail surveys to get input from friends.

"We haven't settled on a name yet, but we have some favorites," he said. "We've tossed around everything from Alabama to Lola to Briar, but we'll just have to wait and see."

• Omarion, Kelly Hu And More At The Stuff Style Awards

• Transplants
• Box Car Racer
• blink-182

Transplants
Photo: Estevan Oriol

Just one month ago the Transplants were riding high with a second single scheduled and a co-headlining tour with Pennywise poised to kick off in November.

Now it looks like those plans are being scrapped — at the very least. Late Tuesday night, the Transplants announced that, due to an unspecified illness, they were canceling their upcoming appearances at the U.K.'s massive Carling and Leeds Festivals, as well as "all other future tour dates," including the Pennywise tour (see "Transplants Firing On All Cylinders With New Tour, Single").

As breakup rumors began to swirl, the band's management tried to assuage the situation, chalking up the cancellation to frontman Tim Armstrong's "exhaustion" and saying the band wasn't calling it quits.

"Basically Tim's unable to perform. When he gets better we'll address specific touring plans. All three of them want to support this record and love this record. They spent over a year making this album, but being that he's not feeling well, we don't know when he'll be able to perform," Transplants manager Eric Hellman said Wednesday (August 17). "It's not like the band is in jeopardy though. It just boils down to the fact that no one in this band wants to piss off fans. So we'd rather be honest and tell people, 'Well, the November tour may happen, but it might not.' Hopefully the tour will happen, but if it doesn't, don't be shocked.' "

Hellman would not disclose any more information about Armstrong's condition but said he's unable to continue any Transplants-related activity and that "as of today we have no touring plans."

"Tim needs to get better. When push comes to shove, the music is great, and it's a priority, but everyone's health and family comes first. And Tim wants the same things as those guys, but he can't do it in the condition he's in right now," he said. "As far as I'm concerned, Tim will always be a member of Transplants. But we're in a position right now where we don't want to lie to our friends. And the honest truth right now is that Tim isn't feeling well right now, and he needs to get better."

When MTV News caught up with Transplants rapper Rob Aston backstage at last week's Warped Tour stop in Camden, New Jersey, he made no mention of Armstrong's medical condition. In fact he seemed obsessed with nothing else but finally hitting the road with his band.

"When we put out our first record, we didn't really get to tour at all. We didn't get to go to Europe, didn't get to go anywhere. So it's been like two and a half years since we got to play again. But we're lucky, we get to do Reading and Leeds, do a European tour, go to Japan, Hawaii, come back in November and December, do this tour with Pennywise. We got a lot of making up to do this time around."

Hellman said Armstrong's condition does not affect the band's plans to release a second single — which he said will now be "Crash and Burn," not "What I Can't Describe," as had previously been reported — or their collaboration with Houston MC Paul Wall (see "Transplants Team Up With Paul Wall For First Chopped-And-Screwed Rock LP").

"We're still heading forward with both of them. I can tell you that people will be hearing both the single and the chopped-and-screwed album real soon," he said. "But right now Tim's got to feel better. Everyone is so supportive of Tim right now. Travis and Rob are super supportive of everyone the work with. Neither one would wish pain or problems on anyone."

• Transplants

Transplants (file)
Photo: Estevan Oriol

It's kind of hard to believe, especially considering they have two records under their belt and a lineup that's one-third Blink-182 and one-third Rancid, but the Transplants have never actually gone on a proper North American tour.

Sure, you can currently catch them on the Warped Tour (see "Warped Tour '05: Backstage at the Punk Rock Circus"), and they have played a whole bunch of radio fests across the country, but they've never launched a full-scale, headlining campaign.

Until now. Kind of.

Starting in November, the Transplants will embark on a co-headlining trek with bro-core legends Pennywise, according to the band's label, Atlantic Records. And for Transplant Travis Barker — who's been on countless jaunts around the world with his seemingly dozens of other musical projects over the years — the prospect of touring with Pennywise has got him super-psyched.

"To be out there with a band like Pennywise — who I grew up listening to and admire very much — is really exciting," he said. "But it's also exciting to finally get out there as the Transplants. When the last album came out, I had no time to do a big tour, because it was right back into Blink world. But this time out, we're gonna make it up to our fans. Transplants and Pennywise, it's a perfect match."

While a full list of dates isn't available yet, Atlantic said the tour will make stops in Los Angeles, New York, Boston, San Francisco and San Diego, and that a full itinerary will be released in the coming days. It's expected to run into December.

Which is just about the time Barker said the Transplants will drop the chopped-and-screwed version of their Haunted Cities album (see "Transplants Team Up With Paul Wall For First Chopped-And-Screwed Rock LP"). Add to that plans for another single ("What I Can't Describe") in the near future, and things are definitely looking a lot busier for Barker & Co.

"Man, our chopped-and-screwed album is coming out soon, we've got this tour with Pennywise, everything's working on all cylinders," Barker said. "Everything's coming along just great. It's all real and good. There's no bullsh--t."

• Transplants

• My Chemical Romance
• Transplants

Rob Aston (file)
Photo: Marsaili McGrath/Getty Images

There are many benefits to being in the Transplants: Tattoos are not only welcomed, but encouraged. Shirts are infrequently (if ever) worn, which makes tanning a breeze. And you get to make music with a punk icon (Rancid's Tim Armstrong) and a human metronome (former Blink-182 drummer/reality TV father-of-the-year Travis Barker).

But the best thing about being in the band — at least for rappin' frontman Rob Aston — is just being in the band. After all, he never thought it would ever happen.

"At first, the Transplants weren't going to be a band. We were just jamming around in Tim's basement, and it was never going to be released," Aston laughed. "Five years ago, I never would've thought I would be in a band like this, with guys I admire so much."

Those initial jam sessions in Armstrong's basement would eventually become the Transplants' 2002 self-titled debut, and they kept the same formula when making the just-released Haunted Cities, although over a much, much longer time period.

"This record was made over the course of two years, just because everyone was busy with their own stuff," Aston said. "Sometimes we would work two days a month and then we wouldn't work for a month. But every time we got together we were always progressing, so it worked out for the better. No one treats this like a side-project."

A majority of Cities was written in one super-creative 12-day stretch last July (see "Transplants Write 22 Songs In 12 Days But Can't Think Of Names For Any Of Them") , including the first single, "Gangsters and Thugs," which features the mush-mouthed Armstrong rasping, "Some of my friends sell records/ Some of my friends sell drugs" over a snapping Barker breakbeat.

"That's how it is sometimes," Aston said. "I ain't mad at my friends no matter how they get their money. People might think it's wrong, but you got to make your money. That's all real sh--."

Aston earned his money on the LP not just by rapping, but by wrangling a whole host of hip-hop guests for Cities, including his heroes the Boo Yaa T.R.I.B.E. and Cypress Hill's Sen Dog and B Real. And he's largely responsible for introducing the rest of the Transplants to Houston rapper/producer Paul Wall, who's planning on releasing a chopped-and-screwed version of the album later this year (see "Transplants Team Up With Paul Wall For First Chopped-And-Screwed Rock LP").

"I've been a fan of that dude since he first came out," Aston said. "He came through, heard the record, wanted to do the whole thing. I like it way better than the original version — that's some history sh-- right there! No one's chopped-and-screwed a rock record and released it before. We're going to repackage the album and release it as a double disc. It's awesome 'cause you can't chop and screw every album. Some of 'em will sound like sh--."

• Transplants

Coldplay's Will Champion, Chris Martin and Jonny Buckland (file)
Photo: Roland Magunia/Getty Images

The British invasion of Billboard's albums chart will carry on for a third straight week, according to the latest SoundScan figures.

England's favorite rock sons — the Chris Martin-led melodic quartet Coldplay — continue to outsell the rest of the music industry's current players with their third studio release, X&Y. The LP, which managed to clear the 1-million-sold hurdle in two weeks, achieved third-week scans of more than 186,000 and holds the top spot despite a 42 percent sales plummet.

As the latest figures reveal, it was a rather languid week for retail, with practically every album in the top 200 having experienced some sort of sales deceleration. One of the few gainers this most recent sales week, My Chemical Romance, jumped from the chart's #79 to #58, thanks to a 7 percent sales upsurge for their latest offering, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge; the disc moved close to 17,000 units.

The reduction in cash-register activity aside, many big records did make positive chart moves. Mariah Carey's The Emancipation of Mimi, for instance, climbs two positions to this week's #2, selling 131,000 plus after 11 weeks out. The Black Eyed Peas' Monkey Business finishes as the chart's #4, thanks to sales of more than 103,000, up one from last week's #5 spot. But Dave Grohl's Foo Fighters fall from #2 to #3, with second-week sales of 116,000 for their fifth disc, In Your Honor.

It was a solid week for debuts, but none performed as strongly as the self-titled LP from Hotlanta MCs Boyz N Da Hood. The record opens at #5, with scans of more than 101,000. Oakland-born songstress Keyshia Cole's Way It Is follows at #6, moving nearly 89,000 its first week out. Dexter Holland's Offspring check in at #8, with the band's retrospective Greatest Hits release; opening-week sales totaled 70,000 and change. The second solo effort from Cash Money constituent Birdman, Fast Money, debuts at #9, with sales of close to 65,000.

Haunted Cities, the latest from the Tim Armstrong and Travis Barker collaboration the Transplants, opens as the chart's #28, having sold close to 34,000 during its first week in stores. Smashing Pumpkins mastermind Billy Corgan's first crack at a solo career, TheFutureEmbrace, finishes at #30, with first-week scans of more than 32,000. No Limit Records head Master P takes the #39 slot, with debut week sales of more than 25,000 for his latest, Ghetto Bill. The Warrior's Code, the fresh batch of punk tunes from Boston brawlers the Dropkick Murphys, is the only other debut LP to break into the top 50.

Backstreet Boys, who've returned to pop's forefront following a five-year break, slip four spots on this most recent sales chart to #7, having opened the previous week at #3 with their new one, Never Gone; the album suffered a 73 percent sales plummet, finishing out week two with less than 79,000 scans. The chart's #10 belongs to System of a Down's Mezmerize, which sold close to 63,000 copies — enough to keep original "American Idol" winner Kelly Clarkson's Breakaway out of the top 10. Clarkson checks in at #11, with sales of more than 61,000.

Gwen Stefani's Love, Angel, Music, Baby continues to soar off store shelves, coming in at #12 with nearly 61,000 scans, followed by country king Toby Keith's Honkytonk University at #13 with sales of 58,000 plus. 50 Cent's The Massacre is in at #14 with 54,000 units sold, and Shakira's Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 takes #15 with sales of 50,000 and then some.

Other noteworthy debuts popping up on this most recent Billboard sales list include TLC's re-released Now & Forever: The Hits, opening at #53 with close to 18,000 scans; Clutch's Robot Hive/ Exodus debuting at #93, with sales of just under 13,000; Dredg's Catch Without Arms comes in at #124, selling 9,000 plus; Sugar Ray's Best Of opens at #138 with 7,600 scans; and the Bam Margera-compiled Viva La Bands debuts at #141, with over 7,500 units claimed.

For an in-depth feature on Coldplay, check out "Coldplay: The Quiet Revolution."

• Coldplay
• Mariah Carey
• Boyz N da Hood
• Foo Fighters
• Black Eyed Peas

The Transplants' Rob Aston and Travis Barker (file)
Photo: MTV News

With Blink-182's Travis Barker on drums and Rancid's Tim Armstrong on guitars and occasional vocals, the Transplants have plenty of punk credibility. More recently, they've been going after hip-hop cred, first by collaborating with the likes of the Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E. and Dilated Peoples, and now by enlisting Houston rapper Paul Wall to chop and screw their new album.

Wall, one of the leading lights of the slowed-down, messed-up sound (see "Chopped And Screwed: A History") is working on his version of Haunted Cities for release later this year, which will mark the first time a rock album will be given such treatment (officially, anyway).

In the meantime, the original Haunted Cities is due Tuesday (June 21), three days after the Transplants kicked off the Vans Warped Tour (see "My Chemical Romance And A Very Stiff Chicken Rock Milwaukee Warped Tour Stop").

The album was recorded in between Blink-182 and Rancid tours and recording sessions. "It was all done sporadically, here and there," Barker said. "Sometimes it would be [singer] Rob [Aston] and Tim, sometimes it would be all of us in the studio playing together, sometimes it was on a tour bus — whenever we could get to it."

"We all stepped our game up a lot from last time," Aston added, comparing it to the band's 2002 self-titled debut. "And nothing on the record sounds forced. It all came together naturally."

That includes the collaborations, which feature B-Real and Sen Dog from Cypress Hill, Rakaa from Dilated Peoples, and the Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E., who appear on the album's second single, "What I Can't Describe."

"I wrote that one about dying and stuff," Aston said. "Like, just get it while you can, you know, while you're here. Nothing lasts forever and it is what it is. I'll go when it's my time. I'm ready."

The Transplants shot the video for "What I Can't Describe" at the same time as the video for their first single, "Gangsters and Thugs."

"It's like some more of this gang-life sh--, all the homies come out, backyard boogie and all that," Aston said. "Just everyone hanging out, having a good time."

Estevan Oriol, who directed Blink-182's "Down" video, helmed both clips. "That's our homie too, so that's always good when you can work with people who are your close friends," Aston said.

The Transplants will be on the road with the Vans Warped Tour through August 15 in Northampton, Massachusetts. Afterward, the band will head overseas for a few dates, including the Reading and Leeds festivals on August 27 and 28 in England.

In the fall, Barker plans to dedicate more time to his new project with DJ AM (see "Travis Barker Hooks Up With Nicole Richie's Fiance, Makes Transplants Priority"), while Aston will turn his focus back to his solo album.

"Actually, a bunch of the songs that ended up on this record were gonna be on the solo record," Aston said. "But I'm still gonna keep recording that and put it out after this record's run its course. I've still gotta work with DJ Quik."

• Transplants
• Paul Wall
• Tim Armstrong

Omarion, Kelly Hu And More At The Stuff Style Awards

• Transplants
• Omarion
• JC Chasez

Warped Tour in Kansas City, KS 06.22.2005

• The All-American Rejects
• Atreyu
• Matchbook Romance
• My Chemical Romance
• The Offspring

Foos, Audioslave, Interpol, Killers Play Weenie Roast 2005

• Transplants
• My Chemical Romance
• Interpol
• Bloc Party
• The Killers