Photo: Def jam

• Eminem
• Young Jeezy
• 50 Cent
• Wu-Tang Clan
• Trina

Nickelback
Photo: Roadrunner

A cool wind wafted into American record stores from Canada last week in the form of Nickelback's fifth offering, All the Right Reasons, while a raging Twista, which first started swirling over Chicago, cut a path across the U.S. and left The Day After in its wake.

In the end, Nickelback's release had a bigger impact, debuting atop Billboard's albums chart with sales nearing 325,000 — the band's first #1 debut. Making the foursome's triumph even sweeter is the fact that All the Right Reasons also represents the band's best week-one sales showing; 2001's Silver Side Up debuted at #2 with 178,000 scans while 2003's The Long Road finished at #6 with more than 200,000 copies sold.

Twista tried to make it two #1's in a row with The Day After, which follows 2004's chart-topper Kamikaze. The Chicago rapper fell short of his goal, with After's sales clocked at under 129,000. His #2 finish hindered female country singer Sara Evans' run for Billboard glory; her newest offering, Real Fine Place, debuts at #3 with sales of nearly 126,000. The previous week's #1, Gretchen Wilson's All Jacked Up, falls three spots to #4, followed at #5 by Sheryl Crow's Wildflower, which netted second-week sales of 106,000. Kanye West's Late Registration hangs tough at #6 with over 94,000 copies soaring off shelves.

Fiona Apple's Mike Elizondo-produced second stab at Extraordinary Machine affirms the songstress' comeback, finishing its opening week at #7. The album sold close to 94,000 copies, besting Franz Ferdinand's latest by more than 10,000 scans; Apple's 1999 release, When the Pawn Hits ... debuted at #13 with 103,000 sold.

You Could Have It So Much Better, Franz Ferdinand's follow-up to their breakthrough self-titled debut, moved just over 81,000 copies during its initial week in stores to claim Billboard's #8 post. The Black Eyed Peas follow Franz at #9 with sales of 79,000 and change for Monkey Business while Faith Hill's Fireflies leaps 30 spots to #10, thanks to a 194 percent surge in retail interest that translated to week-10 scans of just under 79,000.

Trina's latest, Glamorest Life, came close, but couldn't quite score that top-10 cigar, debuting this week at #11 with 77,000 plus scans. Hers was one of several prominent discs to debut on the most recent Billboard chart. Melissa Etheridge's Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled opens at #14 with 66,000 in sales, while Shinedown's Us and Them takes #23 with 47,000 albums sold. O.A.R.'s newest, Stories of a Stranger, surfaces at #39 with sales of 28,000 and then some, and the Deftones' B-Sides & Rarities claims the #42 spot with nearly 27,000 scans. Liz Phair's latest, Somebody's Miracle, hits #46 with 24,000 in sales, while Dwele's Some Kinda ... opens at #54 (21,000), Atmosphere's You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having takes the chart's #66 (19,000) with My Morning Jacket's Z at #67 (18,000).

See "Fiona Apple: The People's Champ" for more on Extraordinary Machine.

• Nickelback
• Twista
• Fiona Apple
• Franz Ferdinand
• Trina

Franz Ferdinand's <i>You Can Have It So Much Better</i>
Photo: Sony

Yes, You Really Can Have It Better: Franz Ferdinand take us out for a second time with You Can Have It So Much Better, and while early birds who did the preorder thing were gifted with a bonus B-sides EP, the DualDisc has some treats of its own, including a 5.1 surround-sound version of the principal 13 tracks, plus studio and interview DVD footage. Tracks include: "Eleanor Put Your Boots On," "I'm Your Villain" and "Outsiders."

Smell Of Success?: Trina's putting plenty of promotional power into her new fragrance these days, but you've probably also gotten a whiff of her new album via the heavily rotated "Don't Trip" (featuring Lil' Wayne). The Diamond Princess already has a second single for the clunky titled Glamorest Life, "Here We Go" featuring Kelly Rowland, and she also teams with Trey Songz and Darren Philes on "Reach Out" and "Shake," respectively.

A Golden Opportunity: Twista is great at nabbing Grammy nominations, but he seems even more skilled at attracting Grammy (and Oscar, for that matter) winners. The MC hooks up with Mariah ("I'm a Winner"), Jamie Foxx ("So Lonely") and Pharrell ("Had to Call") on The Day After, not to mention high-shelf producers Timbaland, the Neptunes, David Banner and — surprise! — Scott Storch.

Right On: Chad Kroeger has proven himself to be one of Canada's more, uh, straightforward hard-rock songwriters ("Hero," "Someday," "How You Remind Me"), and fans of his conventional approach probably won't be disappointed by All the Right Reasons, the latest by his Nickelback. Tracks include: "Follow You Home," "Photograph" and "Animals." (One more thing: The band revisits the highway-themed artwork it used for 1996's Curb, but this time there's actually a car on the road.)

Pure And Not-So-Simple: The latest release by Simple Plan is anything but: The standard MTV Hard Rock Live has three live-video enhancements, but what's being dubbed the special "Mega-Fan" package is bundled with three acoustic bonus tracks ("Perfect," "Welcome to My Life," "Crazy"), a DVD of the entire concert in 5.1 surround sound, a 30-page color booklet and some secretive "special" merch items.

Best-Of Bonanza: Rack 'em up — The Best of Beta Band, The Best of C-Murder, Served Up Texas Style: The Best of the Smokin' Joe Kubek Band, The Best of Master P (reissue), The Best of Silkk the Shocker, The Best of Snoop Dogg, Tina Turner's All the Best: The Hits, The Best of Urban Knights and The Very Best of Jesse Colin Young. Oh, and that's not to mention Melissa Etheridge's Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled and Essential Harry Belafonte, Ravi Shankar and Frank Sinatra With the Tommy Dorsey Band comps.

Frontmen Frontin': The solo itch is especially strong this week, what with new opuses by American Music Club's Mark Eitzel (Candy Ass), Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson (Ian Anderson Plays the Orchestral Jethro Tull) and Depeche Mode's Andy Bell (Electric Blues). But there's another guy stepping away from his team, too, so to speak: Boston Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield, who makes an unlikely backup-singing appearance on Dream #29 by Grammy nominee (and Grease castmember) Cindy Bullens. Bullens, who used to sing for Elton John, also knuckles down with Captain Fantastic and Delbert McClinton.

Song Titles Of The Week: "Puke a Pitch Black Rainbow to the Sun" and "Oh Celebrate Your Vague Words and Coquettish Sovereighnty" (Boduf Songs' Boduf Songs).

Other Notables:

Broken Social Scene's Broken Social Scene Vs. Liz Phair's Somebody's Miracle: A few curious connections here. Both the Canadian ensemble and alt-rock queen take to the breeze with "Windsurfing Nation" and "Wind and the Mountain," respectively; for another, BSS' "Superconnected" and "Handjobs for the Holidays" sound, if only titularly, like classic Phair, while her "Stars and Planets" and "Lost Night" recall BSS' 2002 track "Stars and Sons" and 2001 record Feel Good Lost. BSS win on the extras, front, though: Limited versions of their new one come with a seven-track bonus EP.

Deftones' Rarities & B-Sides: Rhino is doing this odds-and-sods collection up right with 25 tracks spread over a CD and DVD, including Cure, Helmet and Jawbox covers. What might worry fans, though, is the fact that it's coming out on Rhino, a reissue label, and not Deftones' primary label, Warner cousin Maverick — could this be a hint?

My Morning Jacket's Z: The Louisville sluggers continue with their tradition of gorgeously decorated releases (this one features a vibrant pencil drawing of some aquamarine creatures), which is one reason to consider nabbing Badman Recording Co.'s simultaneous double-LP release; the other is that it has a bonus track, "Chills," which has appeared as a B-side in Europe and comes with Z's Japanese pressing.

New Releases:

• 1349 - Hellfire (Candlelight)
• Aiden - Nightmare Academy (enhanced; Victory)
• Fiona Apple - Extraordinary Machine (also available as DualDisc; Epic)
  Read: "Fiona Apple's Long-Delayed LP Slotted For October 4 Release"
  Buy Now: Extraordinary Machine (Epic)
• Arild Andersen Group - Electra (ECM)
• Ian Anderson - Ian Anderson Plays the Orchestral Jethro Tull (Benz-Street)
• Atmosphere - You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having (two CDs; Rhymesayers)
• Anita Baker - Christmas Fantasy (Blue Note)
• Andy Bell - Electric Blues (enhanced; Sanctuary)
• Clint Black - Drinkin' Songs & Other Logic (Equity Music Group)
• Black Label Society - Kings of Damnation: 98-04 (Spitfire)
• James Blunt - Back to Bedlam (Custard/Atlantic)
• Boduf Songs - Boduf Songs (Kranky)
• Ronnie Bowman - The Mountain (Koch)
• Jim Brickman - The Disney Songbook (enhanced; Walt Disney)
• Broken Social Scene - Broken Social Scene (Arts & Crafts)
  Read: "Broken Social Scene's Agenda: Two LPs, Touring, Hating On Audioslave"
  Buy Now: Broken Social Scene (Arts & Crafts)
• Alex Bugnon - Free (Narada)
• Cindy Bullens - Dream #29 (Letsplay)
• Chris Cagle - Anywhere but Here (Capitol Nashville)
• Chevreuil - Sport (Sickroom)
• Cream - Royal Albert Hall: London May 2-3-5-6 2005 (Reprise)
• Cross Canadian Ragweed - Garage (with limited-edition DVD; Universal South)
• Deadly Snakes - Porcella (In the Red)
• Deftones - Rarities & B-Sides (two CDs; Rhino)
  Buy Now: Rarities & B-Sides (Rhino)
• DJ Dan - Lift (Thrive)
• DOO - Cold Shower (Dreyfus)
• Will Downing - Soul Symphony (GRP)
• Dr. John - Live at Montreaux, 1995 (Eagle)
• Dwele - Some Kinda (Virgin)
• Ebony Eyez - 7 Day Cycle (Capitol)
• Linda Eder - By Myself: The Songs of Judy Garland (Angel)
• Mark Eitzel - Candy Ass (Cooking Vinyl)
• Sara Evans - Real Fine Place (RCA)
• Exodus - Shovel Headed Kill Machine (Nuclear Blast)
• The Fall - Fall Heads Roll (Narnack)
• Rosie Flores - Christmasville (Emergent)
• Flyleaf - Flyleaf (Octone)
• Franz Ferdinand - You Could Have It So Much Better (also available as DualDisc; Domino/Epic)
  Read: "Set A Man On Fire, Name Next LP — Franz Ferdinand Do Whatever They Want"
  Buy Now: You Could Have It So Much Better (Domino/Epic)
• Béla Fleck - Crossing the Tracks (Rounder)
• Kirk Franklin - Hero (Gospocentric)
• Paula Frazer - Leave the Sad Things Behind (Birdman)
• Ghostface Killah - 718: Stapleton to Somalia (Koch)
• Robert Glasper - Canvas (Blue Note)
• The Go! Team - Thunder, Lightning, Strike (Columbia)
• Kevin Gordon - O Come Look at the Burning (Crowville Collective)
• Delia Gonzalez and Gavin Russom - The Days of Mars (DFA/Astralwerks)
• Sara Groves - Add to the Beauty (INO/Columbia)
• Eric Hansen - Across the Universe: A Beatles Journey (Narada)
• Reverend Horton Heat - We Three Kings: Christmas Favorites (Yep Roc)
• Marcos Hernandez - C About Me (TVT)
• Bruce Hornsby - Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz Radio Broadcast (Jazz Alliance)
• Hyatari - The Light Carriers (Earache)
• The (International) Noise Conspiracy - Armed Love (American)
  Read: "(International) Noise Conspiracy Prefer Armed Love To Hippie Love"
  Buy Now: Armed Love (American)
• Jemima James - Book Me Back in Your Dreams (Tomato)
• Jimmy Eat World - Stay on My Side Tonight (EP; Interscope)
• Anders Jormin - Xieyi (ECM)
• Journey - Generations (Sanctuary)
• Kiss Me Deadly - Misty Medley (Alien 8)
• Kenny Lattimore and Chanté Moore - Uncovered (Jive)
• Ladytron - Witching Hour (Rykodisc)
• Les Nubians - Les Nubians Presents Echos (Triloka)
• Let Go - Let Go (Militia Group)
• Lichens - The Psychic Nature of Being (Kranky)
• Little Feat - Barnstormin' Live: Volume Two (Hot Tomato)
• Living Things - Ahead of the Lions (Jive)
• Look What I Did - Minuteman for the Moment (Koch)
• Loose Cannon - Who Do U Think U R? (KGB)
• Steven Lynch - The Craig Machine (What Are)
• The Magic Numbers - The Magic Numbers (Capitol)
• Make Believe - Shock of Being (Flameshovel)
• Master P - Ghetto D (Priority)
• Metric - Live It Out (Last Gang)
  Read: "Metric Make It Through A Blue State To Live It Out"
  Buy Now: Live It Out (Last Gang)
• Mugison - Is This Monkey Music? (Ipecac)
• My Morning Jacket - Z (ATO/RCA)
  Buy Now: Z (ATO/RCA)
• Nickelback- All the Right Reasons (Roadrunner)
  Read: "Nickelback Go The John Mellencamp Route For New Video"
  Buy Now: All the Right Reasons (Roadrunner)
• O.A.R. - Stories of a Stranger (Lava)
• Sinéad O'Connor - Throw Down Your Arms (Sanctuary)
• Jeffrey Osborne - From the Soul (Koch)
• Paths of Possession - Promises in Blood (Metal Blade)
• Liz Phair - Somebody's Miracle (Capitol)
• PorkBelly Futures - Way Past Midnight (Wildflower)
• Randy & the Bloody Lovelies - Lift (Cheap Lullaby)
• Enrico Rava, Stefano Bollani and Paul Motian - TATI (ECM)
• Herlin Riley - Cream of the Crescent (Criss Cross)
• The Ripple Effect - Hybrids (Kindred Rhythm)
• Bobby Rush - Night Fishin' (Deep Rush Visuals)
• Sa-Ra - The Second Time Around (Sound in Color)
• Sean T - Ain't Playin (Sumday)
• Jake Shimabukuro - Dragon (Hitchhike)
• Shinedown - Us and Them (limited edition also available; Atlantic)
• Si*Sé - More Shine (Mob)
• Simple Plan - MTV Hard Rock Live (deluxe edition with DVD also available; Lava)
• Soulfly - Dark Ages (Roadrunner)
  Buy Now: MTV Hard Rock Live (Lava)
• Sound Tribe Sector 9 - Artifact Perspectives (System)
• Sponge - The Man (Idol)
• The Standard - Albatross (Yep Roc)
• Straylight Run - Prepare to Be Wrong (EP; Victory)
• Ticonderoga - The Heilig-Levine LP (54º40' or Fight!)
• Tokyo Rose - New American Saint (Sidecho)
• Tragedy Khadafi - Thug Matrix (Fastlife)
• Trina - Glamorest Life (Atlantic)
  Read: "Snoop Dogg Seduces, Lil' Wayne Spends On Trina's New LP"
  Buy Now: Glamorest Life (Atlantic)
• Tunnel Rats - Both Sides (Thump)
• Twista - The Day After (Atlantic)
  Read: "Twista To Reunite With Kanye And Jamie Foxx On Kamikaze Follow-Up"
  Buy Now: The Day After (Atlantic)
• Richard Vission - Automatic (two CDs; Thrive)
• Kirk Whalum - Performs the Babyface Songbook (Rendezvous)
• Why? - Elephant Eyelash (Anticon)
• Various artists - 2K6 Basketball: The Tracks (Decon)
• Various artists - 40 Years: A Charlie Brown Christmas (Peak)
• Various artists - Armageddon Over Wacken: Live 2004 (three CDs; Cleopatra)
• Various artists - Destination Lounge: New York City (two CDs; Revive the Soul)
• Various artists - Goth Electro: Tribute to Depeche Mode (Cleopatra)
• Various artists - I Believe to My Soul (Rhino)
• Various artists - Putumayo Presents: Celtic Crossroads (Putumayo World Music)
• Various artists - Queensbridge Project (Fastlife)
• Various artists - The Sound of Young New York & Toronto (Plant)
• Various artists - Show D.I.T.C. Presents: Street Talk (Lumberjack)
• Various artists - WOW Hits 2006 (enhanced; Chordant)
• Various artists - "Wipeout Pure" soundtrack (Distinctive)

Notable Reissues:

• Chuck Berry - The Definitive Collection (Universal)
• Harry Belafonte - The Essential (RCA)
• Beta Band - The Best of Beta Band (Astralwerks)
• Blood, Sweat & Tears - Blood, Sweat & Tears (limited-edition hybrid SACD; Mobile Fidelity)
• Byrds - Mr. Tambourine Man (limited-edition hybrid SACD; Mobile Fidelity)
• C-Murder - The Best of C-Murder (Priority)
• C-Murder - The Tru Story: Continued (Koch)
• Digable Planets - Beyond the Spectrum: The Creamy Spy Chronicles (Blue Note)
• Melissa Etheridge - Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled (Island)
• Fates Warning - Still Life & Chasing Time (limited edition; three CDs; Metal Blade)
• The Human League - Crash (Astralwerks)
• Iron Maiden - Death on the Road (live; two CDs; Columbia)
• Smokin' Joe Kubek - Served Up Texas Style: The Best of the Smokin' Joe Kubek Band (Bullseye)
• Gerald LeVert - Voices (Rhino)
• Master P - The Best of Master P (Priority)
• Master P - Ghetto D (Priority)
• Master P - Ice Cream Man (Priority)
• Paris Combo - Living Room (DRG)
• Paris Combo - Paris Combo (DRG)
• Elvis Presley - Hitstory (BMG)
• Propaganda - A Secret Wish (ZTT)
• Screeching Weasel - Weasel Mania (Fat Wreck Chords)
• Ravi Shankar - The Essential (Private Music)
• Silkk the Shocker - The Best of Silkk the Shocker (Priority)
• Frank Sinatra - The Essential Frank Sinatra With the Tommy Dorsey Band (RCA)
• Snoop Dogg - The Best of Snoop Dogg (Priority)
• Talking Heads - Talking Heads Brick (eight-CD DualDisc box set; Rhino)
• Peter Tosh - Talking Revolution (two CDs; Pressure Sounds)
• Tina Turner - All the Best: The Hits (Capitol)
• Urban Knights - The Best of Urban Knights (Narada)
• The Edgar Winter Group - They Only Come Out at Night (limited-edition hybrid SACD; Mobile Fidelity)
• Jesse Colin Young - The Very Best of Jesse Colin Young (Artemis)
• Various artists - Air - LateNightTales (Another Late Night)

DVDs:

• America - Live (Eagle Vision)
• Ian Anderson - Ian Anderson Plays the Orchestral Jethro Tull (Benz-Street)
• Blondie - Live (collector's edition with bonus CD; Eagle Vision)
• Body Count - Cypress Hill's 6th Annual Smoke Out Presents: Body Count Featuring Ice-T (Eagle Vision)
• Cream - Royal Albert Hall: London May 2-3-5-6 2005 (Reprise)
• Cream - Farewell Concert: November 26th 1968, Royal Albert Hall (restored extended edition; Image)
• Dio - Evil or Divine (collector's edition with bonus CD; Eagle Vision)
• Dr. John - Live at Montreaux, 1995 (Red Distribution)
• Einstèrzende Neubauten - Liebeslieder (Navarre)
• Hall & Oates - Live (Eagle Vision)
• Happy Mondays - Live in Barcelona (Music Video Distributors)
• Ian Hunter and the Rant Band - Just Another Night: Live at the Astoria, London (Music Video Distributors)
• Iron Maiden - Death on the Road (live; two DVDs; Columbia)
• Jesus Jones - Live at the Marquee (Music Video Distributors)
• Jethro Tull - Nothing Is Easy: Live at the Isle of Wight 1970 (collector's edition with bonus CD; Eagle Vision)
• Murphy's Law - Up With Us ... Down With Them (Music Video Distributors)
• Ned's Atomic Dustbin - Shoot the Neds! In Concert (Music Video Distributors)
• Paths of Possession - Promises in Blood (Metal Blade)
• Pink Floyd - London 1966*1967 (Navarre)
• Pixies - Sell Out: 2004 Reunion Tour (Rhino)
• The Police - Synchronicity Concert (A&M/Universal)
• Scorpions - Moment of Glory: Berliner Philharmoniker Live (collector's edition with bonus CD; Eagle Vision)
• Cat Stevens - Majikat: Earth Tour 1976 (collector's edition with bonus CD; Eagle Vision)
• George Thorogood and the Destroyers - 30th Anniversary Tour: Live (collector's edition with bonus CD; Eagle Vision)
• Tupac - Live at the House of Blues (Death Row)
• Tina Turner - Live in Amsterdam/ One Last Time (collector's edition; two DVDs; Red Distribution)
• Twisted Sister - Live at Wacken: The Reunion (Eagle Rock)
• The Wonder Stuff - Construction for the Modern Vidiot (Music Video Distributors)
• Bobby Womack - Soul Seduction Supreme (Music Video Distributors)
• Various artists - "Extra: A Selection of Outstanding Electronic Music Videos (Navarre)

Coming Attractions:

October 11:

• Ricky Martin - Life (Columbia)
• Alicia Keys - Unplugged (J)
  Read: "Alicia Keys Taps Mos Def, Common For 'Inspired' 'Unplugged' "
  Buy Now: Unplugged (J)
• Story of the Year - In the Wake of Determination (Maverick)

October 18:

• Depeche Mode - Playing the Angel (Reprise)
• Ashlee Simpson - I Am Me (Geffen)
  Read: "Ashlee Remembers 'SNL' Incident But Forgets Boys On New LP"
  Buy Now: I Am Me (Geffen)
• Thrice - Vheissu (Island)
  Read: "Thrice Going Underground — In A Sense — For Enigmatic Vheissu"
  Buy Now: Vheissu (Island)

October 25:

• Chamillionaire - The Sound of Revenge (Universal)
• Destiny's Child - #1's (DualDisc; Columbia)
  Read: "Destiny's Child Look Back With #1's Before Going Their Separate Ways"
  Buy Now: #1's (Columbia)
• Fefe Dobson - Sunday Love (enhanced; Island)

• Franz Ferdinand
• Twista
• Trina
• Simple Plan
• Nickelback

Usher
Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images

Atlanta's Philips Arena was the site of the Heal the Hood charity concert a few weeks ago, and now Usher has announced he'll hit the venue for another benefit show. Usher has named his concert Project Restart and is calling on some of his friends who are major in the game to perform as well. The proceeds from the show, set for October 9, will go to the victims of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. Five thousand of the storms' evacuees who have relocated to Georgia will be given free tickets. Usher is also planning to enlist a few corporations to help find homes for 1,000 families who lost their residences in the hurricanes. ...

Britney's done it, Paris has done it, heck, even Beyoncé's done it — and now it's Hilary Duff's turn. The just-turned-18 singer is planning to launch a line of fragrance products next fall in conjunction with Elizabeth Arden, which previously partnered with Britney Spears on her Curious and Fantasy scents. "I love wearing a beautiful fragrance and don't feel completely dressed without one," Duff said. "I love to layer my fragrances with perfumes, body gels and dusting powders." She said she's looking forward to creating a line that is "fresh and innovative," that "everyone will enjoy wearing, including me." ... The leaked Fugees single "Be Easy" has a new name — the group is now calling it "Take It Easy." The trio's upcoming as-yet-untitled album is slated for release in early 2006. ...

Trina is readying her third studio album, Glamorest Life, due October 4. Her rep says it's "all about the best in life" as well as the rapper's "most personal work to date." It's also pretty stacked with guest appearances. Songs include first single "Here We Go" featuring Kelly Rowland, "Sexy Girl" featuring Snoop Dogg, "Don't Trip" featuring Lil' Wayne, "Shake" featuring Lil Scrappy and "Da Club" featuring Mannie Fresh. ... Despite tabloid suggestions to the contrary, Pink insists that she's not pregnant. "I might look like it, but I'm not," she wrote in a letter to fans on her Web site. She also wrote that she's still putting "finishing touches, tweaks here and there" on her new album. "I will settle for nothing less than my twisted perfection. (I think you all won't settle either)." As for her live DVD, she said she plans to release it with the album next year. ...

According to a post on Nine Inch Nails' Web site from frontman Trent Reznor, the group's drummer, Jerome Dillon, is in the hospital — his second stay this month. No further information was available at press time. "Just spent the day discussing touring up through next summer, then played our asses off to the least responsive audience I can ever remember playing to," Reznor wrote. "As I'm walking to the bus to leave Sacramento as soon as I can, I learn Jerome is back in the hospital. I have no idea what this means." ... Rob Zombie, Def Leppard's Vivian Campbell, Alice in Chains' Jerry Cantrell, former Marilyn Manson guitarist John 5, and former Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones will join Dave Navarro's covers band, Camp Freddy, on Thursday night (September 29) for a gig at Hollywood's Key Club. Proceeds will be donated to the American Red Cross New Orleans Relief Fund. ...

In what has become a monthly occurrence, the Recording Industry Association of America has announced its latest round of copyright-infringement lawsuits against alleged Internet pirates. This round targeted 757 individuals for illegally distributing music on services such as eDonkey, Grokster and Kazaa. Among those sued are students at 17 universities. In addition to the "John Doe" suits, 163 lawsuits were filed against named defendants earlier this month. ... Ex-Breaking Benjamin drummer Jeremy Hummel is suing his former bandmates, claiming he was unceremoniously booted him from the group and hasn't been paid the royalties he's due. According to the Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader, the suit, which seeks more than $8.25 million in damages, claims that back in March 2004, Hummel asked the band if he could take paternity leave for four to six weeks; he wanted to be with his wife for the birth of their first child. That request was granted, and Breaking Benjamin hired a substitute drummer. Seven months later, Hummel, who was still on paternity leave, got a call telling him he was out. The suit also claims Hummel doesn't receive profits from the band's second EP or for the two tracks Breaking Benjamin recorded for the "Halo 2" and "National Treasure" soundtracks. ...

Rolling Stones guitarist Ron Wood is planning to pen a memoir as soon as he's done with the group's current tour. Wood just inked a deal with Macmillan, after submitting a sample chapter and putting the project up for auction; the final bid reached seven figures. ... Adam Ant is also working on a memoir. Ant recently got a book deal for his autobiography, which he's calling "Stand and Deliver," with U.K. publisher Sidgwick and Jackson, who plan to put it out next fall. ... Now that Sinéad O'Connor's putting out her first reggae record, Throw Down Your Arms (October 4), she's going to head out on the road to support it with her first U.S. tour in seven years. Since her production team of Sly & Robbie were so instrumental in getting her to take on songs by Burning Spear, Peter Tosh, Lee "Scratch" Perry and Bob Marley, she's bringing them along with her as her backing band. O'Connor's 10-day trek kicks off November 28 in Minneapolis and wraps December 10 in Philadelphia. ...

Happy Mondays filmed a show in Barcelona, Spain's Razzmatazz club last December, and now the show is coming out on DVD. "Happy Mondays Live in Barcelona," due October 4, also includes soundcheck footage and an interview with frontman Shaun Ryder. ... Not to be outdone, fellow Brit band the Wonder Stuff are releasing a DVD of their own, called "Construction for the Modern Vidiot," also due October 4. This one includes footage from shows from 2000 through 2002 throughout England, including the Fleadh Festival and the Longest Day, as well as behind-the-scenes footage of "a life of doing the gigs for the very sake of doing the gigs, and nothing else." ...

09.28.2005

Paris Hilton has done her share of confessing, and now she says it's your turn — she's doing a sequel to her book "Confessions of an Heiress" that's part empty journal called "Your Heiress Diary: Confess It All to Me," due in November. More than 150 photos of Hilton will be contained in the book, along with messages from her guiding the reader on subjects to write about. ...

Ricky Martin worked with a lot of big producers on his forthcoming album, Life, due October 11, from current Paris Hilton favorite Scott Storch to Will.I.Am, Sean Garrett and the Matrix. Besides Fat Joe and Amerie guesting on the first single, "I Don't Care," Martin's also got another Black Eyed Peas member on the album — Taboo appears along with Daddy Yankee on "Drop It on Me." Other tracks include "Stop Time Tonight," "Save the Dance," "I Won't Desert You" and a reggaeton remix by Luny Tunes of the Spanish version of "I Don't Care." "I wanted to start from zero, as if it were the first album that I was recording, so I could present a new sound," Martin said. The singer's new sound includes Middle Eastern music, Asian music and hip-hop. ... Ludacris is coming full circle. The radio-DJ-turned-rapper has signed on to host a show on XM Satellite Radio's unedited hip-hop channel RAW (channel 66). "Disturbing Tha Peace Presents Ludacris' Open Mic" will begin in January. ...

Another season of teen drama "The O.C." means another Seth Cohen-inspired mixtape of lovelorn soon-to-be indie classics. Due November 8, The O.C. Mix 5 will feature cuts by Gorillaz, Kaiser Chiefs, Kasabian, Stars, LCD Soundsystem, "O.C." theme-song writers Phantom Planet and others. ... Courtney Love is saddened by the tell-all her mom, Linda Carroll, is planning to publish in January. Love's manager said they find it "astonishing and profoundly depressing" that Carroll makes the allegations she does about Love's childhood in "Her Mother's Daughter," considering Carroll "abandoned her daughter when she was 7 years old," resulting with her "barely" knowing her at all. The claims Carroll makes about Love's childhood antics contain "numerous substantial inaccuracies and several scurrilous falsehoods," the singer's manager Peter Asher said, noting that they wouldn't dignify them with individual responses since the book is a "work of vicious and greedy fiction." "Ms. Love will have no further comment on this sad situation." ...

On Tuesday, federal officials charged eight people with crimes in connection with the Internet distribution of "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith" before the final chapter in George Lucas' space epic hit theaters in May. The illegal copy of the movie was traced to a post-production facility in California, where officials charged that employee Albert Valente, 28, of Lakewood, California, took a copy. Valente has pleaded guilty to copyright infringement. Six others were charged with copyright infringement and other misdemeanors for copying and distributing Valente's tape. Marc Hoaglin, 36, was charged with a felony for putting the movie online, which could result in three years in jail. ... Michael Jackson's dad is getting back into the music business. Joe Jackson's starting up a hip-hop boot camp, and he's currently on a search for young talent. The first competition is being held this weekend in New York, where unsigned artists over the age of 18 are invited to come and try out. More info can be found at HipHopBootCamp.com. ...

Simple Plan have scheduled a short fall tour to promote their new live album, MTV Hard Rock Live, due October 4. The trek, which also features Straylight Run, Plain White T's and Paramore, kicks off October 22 in San Diego and wraps up November 19 in Universal City, California. ... Bam Margera's continual quest to take over the world will move one step closer to completion on November 19, when he launches his Viva La Bands Tour in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Bam faves H.I.M., Finch and Skindred are along for the ride, which will feature Margera and his cronies "performing" in between sets. The jaunt wraps November 24 in Philadelphia. ...

Duran Duran are "moving on" from promoting their reunion album, Astronaut, bassist John Taylor said, and spending this month writing their next full-length. The '80s heartthrobs are crashing at a place in San Francisco owned by tennis player Andre Agassi. "He's kindly lending us his house for the month," Taylor said. "It's a great place to work. The music and culture of San Francisco are so strong." ... It's been five years in the making, but former Pharcyde member Fatlip's solo debut is finally on its way. Theloneliest Punk will be released by Delicious Vinyl on November 1, bundled with a DVD featuring a Spike Jonze-directed documentary called "What's Up Fatlip?" If you're wondering what took so long, skip to the song "Writer's Block" for the answer. ...

Cagey guitar virtuoso Buckethead will be hitting the road starting October 21 in Orlando, Florida — the first date of his Disney World to Disneyland Tour. Buckethead, who'll release a solo album, Enter the Chicken, on October 25, will hit 13 other cities before wrapping things up on November 22 at the House of Blues in Anaheim, California. ... On October 18, Immortal Records will release the soundtrack to "Masters of Horror," a 13-episode series directed by some of today's most respected horror directors. The double-disc CD will include new and previously unreleased material from Mudvayne, Thursday, Shadows Fall, Andrew W.K. and others, as well as a collaboration between Buckethead and System of a Down's Serj Tankian. ...

• Usher
• Hilary Duff
• Trina
• Nine Inch Nails
• P!nk

Trina (file)
Photo: Frederick M. Brown/ Getty Images

Trina's back, and as usual, she's got a message for the fellas.

"If you a real fly dude, then you should be able to ball, so spend money on me 'cause I'm real fly," the Miami rapper said of her new single, "Don't Trip."

On the club track, Trina directs her message directly to Lil' Wayne, who lends a verse. Mannie Fresh produced the tune and Dr. Teeth (Mike Jones' "Still Tippin' ") directed the video recently in Miami.

"Don't Trip" is featured on The Glamorous Life, due September 13.

"It's the most fun album I've ever done," said Trina, who's coming off the "Bad Bitch" remix with Webbie on the "Hustle & Flow" soundtrack and is also featured on Ebony Eyez's new remix of "In Ya Face." "It's about a lot of things, really up and down."

Other guests on the LP include Young Buck, Jazze Pha, Lil Scrappy and Snoop Dogg, who raps on a track called "Sexy Girl." "It's basically him trying to get with me," Trina said of the tune.

Trina's been working on the album for three years, in between launching an acting career and other ventures, such as her Diamond Princess perfume line, named after her 2002 album (see "Missy Elliott Joins Princess Trina's Court").

Along with her sitcom, "With Friends Like These," Trina just shot a movie called "Radiant Girls."

"I play this crazy-lady role, a girl in a psychiatric ward, and I'm convincing them I'm crazy," she said.

• Trina
• Snoop Dogg
• Lil Wayne

<i>Hustle & Flow</i> Soundtrack
Photo: Atlantic

For new and emerging artists, scoring a spot on a film soundtrack can be the gateway to mainstream recognition. The "Garden State" compilation was singled out for including artists like the Shins, and now the "Hustle & Flow" and "Wedding Crashers" soundtracks will try to follow suit.

T.I., who's releasing the soundtrack for "Hustle & Flow" through his Grand Hustle imprint, hopes the musical accompaniment to the film about a Memphis hustler struggling to make it as a rapper will accurately represent what it's like to live in the South. Featured artists include Mike Jones, Trina, Webbie, P$C and Trillville.

The soundtrack to the Vince Vaughn/ Owen Wilson flick "Wedding Crashers" showcases indie rock, featuring songs by Death Cab for Cutie, Robbers on High Street, Bloc Party and college favorites Guster. There's also an exclusive track from the Flaming Lips and a rendition of "Hava Nagila" by Vaughn, Wilson and the Klezmer Juice Band.

Out Tuesday, July 12:

• A Love Ends Suicide - The Cycle of Hope (Brand Name)
• About the Fire - Six Anthems From the Comfortably Jaded EP (HCNL)
• The Adolescents - O.C. Confidential (Finger)
• All-American Rejects - Move Along (Interscope)

Read:
Buy Now: Move Along (Interscope)

• Michael Andrews - "Me and You and Everyone We Know" soundtrack (Everloving)
• Bronson Arroyo - Covering the Bases (Asylum)
• Astronautalis - You and Yer Good Ideas (Fighting)
• The Bel Airs - Got Love (HighTone)
• Adrian Belew - Side Two (Sanctuary)
• The Black Dahlia Murder - Miasma (Metal Blade)
• Pat Boone - Ready to Rock (Oak)
• Bow Wow - Wanted (Columbia)

Buy Now: Wanted (Columbia)

• Meredith Bragg and the Terminals - Meredith Bragg and the Terminals, Vol. 1 (Kora)
• Paul Brown - The City (GRP)
• Buckshot & 9th Wonder - Chemistry (Duck Down)
• Bury Your Dead - Alive (Victory)
• B.C. Camplight - Hide, Run Away (One Little Indian)
• Capone - Pain, Time & Glory (FastLife)
• Brian Capps - Walk Through Walls (HighTone)
• Brandi Carlile - Brandi Carlile (Red Ink)
• Philip Catherine - Meeting Colours (Dreyfus)
• Circle of Dead Children - Zero Comfort Margin (Willowtip)
• Darkane - Layers of Lies (Nuclear Blast)
• The Decemberists - The Tain EP (Kill Rock Stars)
• Deep Dish - George Is On (Thrive)
• Brett Dennen - Brett Dennen (Flagship)
• Dew-Scented - Issue VI (Nuclear Blast)
• Dipset - Diplomats & DukeDaGod Present: More Than Music (Koch)
• The Domino Kings - Some Kind of Sign (HighTone)
• Down to Nothing - Splitting Headache (Thorp)
• The Dream Is Dead - Hail the New Pawn (Escape Artist)
• Driving East - A Black Eye or a Broken Heart EP (Brand Name)
• Embrace Today - We Are the Enemy (Deathwish)
• The Endless Blockade - Turn Illness Into a Weapon (Sound Pollution)
• Terry Evans - Fire in the Feeling (Valley Entertainment)
• Fabric Live 22 - Scratch Perverts (Fabric)
• Fatty Koo - House of Fatty Koo (Columbia)
• Federation X - Rally Day (Estrus)
• Flipsyde - We the People (Interscope)
• Forensics - Hogback Mountain, Vol. 1 (Magic Bullet)
• Susan Gibson - OuterSpace (For the Records)
• The Giraffes - The Giraffes (Razor & Tie)
• Gorod - Neurotripsicks (Willowtip)
• Gravy Train!!!! - Are You Wigglin? (Kill Rock Stars)
• The Heart Attacks - Heart and Scissor Killers (Brand Name)
• Hot Karl - The Great Escape (Headless Heroes)
• How It Ends - Beloved (Thorp)
• William Hung - Miracle: Happy Summer From William Hung (Koch)
• Tony Iommi and Glenn Hughes - Fused (Sanctuary)
• JamisonParker - Sleepwalker (Interscope)
• The Junior Varsity - Wide Eyed (Victory)
• Carole King - The Living Room Tour (Rockingale)
• Kinski - Alpine Static (Sub Pop)
• Jeff Klein - The Hustler (One Little Indian)
• The Knitters - The Modern Sounds of the Knitters (Rounder/Zöe)
• Al Kooper - Black Coffee (Favored Nations)
• Daniel Lanois - Belladonna (Anti/Epitaph)
• Lee Lessack - In Good Company (LML Music)
• Lion Fever - Haunted Water (Dim Mak)
• The Del McCoury Band - The Company We Keep (McCoury Music)
• Metalux - Victim of Space (5 Rue Christine)
• Mixel Pixel - Contact Kid (Kanine)
• The Morells - Think About It (HighTone)
• The Most Serene Republic - Underwater Cinematographer (Arts & Crafts)
• Natalise - I Came to Play (Collateral Damage)
• Willie Nelson - Countryman (Lost Highway)
• Neon Blonde - Headlines EP (Dim Mak)
• The New York Rifles - Faraway Faster (Empty)
• Nor Am I - Cause Above the Conquest (Brand Name)
• Paul Oscher - Down in the Delta (Blues Fidelity)
• The Oxford Collapse - A Good Ground (Kanine)
• Dave Peck - Good Road (Let's Play Stella)
• Piglet - Lava Land EP (Team Av)
• Poet Name Life - Calm Before the Storm (Immergent)
• Prefuse 73 - Reads the Books EP (Warp)
• Primes - Primes (Action Driver)
• The Quarter After - The Quarter After (Bird Song)
• Recourse - Weakening the Structure (This Dark Reign)
• Röyksopp - The Understanding (Astralwerks)
• Rufio - The Comfort of Home (Nitro)
• The Michael Schenker Group - Heavy Hitters (Cleopatra)
• Sirone - Live (Atavistic)
• Slim Thug - Already Platinum (Geffen)
• Slum Village - Prequel to a Classic (Barak)
• Snow & Voices - Snow & Voices (Bird Song)
• Son Volt - Okemah and the Melody of Riot (Transmit Sound/ Legacy)
• Rick Springfield - The Day After Yesterday (Gomer/DKE)
• Statistics - Often Lie (Jade Tree)
• Liz Story - Night Sky Essays (DMI)
• Suzukiton - Service Repair Handbook (Crucial Blast)
• Sweet Honey in the Rock - Raise Your Voice (Rhino)
• Swift - The Absolute Uncontrollable (Tribunal)
• Through the Eyes of the Dead/ The Knife Trade - The Annihilation of Expectation (Lovelost)
• Travers & Appice - Live at the House of Blues (New Media Studio)
• Unto Ashes - Grave Blessings (Projekt)
• Chris Walker - I Know It's Love (Canvas)
• Nick Warren - Shanghai (Global Underground)
• Jaguar Wright - Divorcing Neo 2 Marry Soul (Artemis)
• Xiu Xiu - La Forêt (5 Rue Christine)
• Zucchero & Co. - Zucchero & Co. (Concord/ Hear Music)
• Various artists - An All Star Tribute to Shania Twain (Cleopatra)
• Various artists - Fragile: The Piano Tribute to R.E.M. (Vitamin)
• Various artists - Hands in the Air (Water Music)
• Various artists - Pick This Way: A Bluegrass Tribute to Aerosmith (CMH)
• Various artists - Pickin' on Montgomery Gentry, Vol. 2 (CMH)
• Various artists - The Piano Tribute to John Legend (Vitamin)
• Various artists - "Hustle & Flow" soundtrack (Atlantic)
• Various artists - "March of the Penguins" soundtrack (Milan)
• Various artists - "Stealth" soundtrack (Epic)
• Various artists - "The Cave" soundtrack (Lakeshore)
• Various artists - "The Wedding Crashers" soundtrack (New Line)
• DVD: "Paper Chasers" (Koch)
• DVD: "Crazy Club Chicks: Back From Rehab" (Music Video Distributors)
• DVD: Chris Cunningham - "Rubber Johnny" (Warp)
• DVD: Mickey Gilley - "In Concert" (Goldenlane)
• DVD: Various artists - "Kill Rock Stars Video Fanzine III" (Kill Rock Stars)
• DVD: Various artists - "Tino Vision" (Music Video Distributors)

July 19:

• Frank Black - Honeycomb (Back Porch)

Read: "Frank Black Covers Elvis, Duets With Ex-Wife On Dylanesque Album"
• DMX - Here We Go Again (Ruff Ryders)

Read: "Mase Advises DMX To Rap Again, Wait For The Lord's Call"

July 26:

• Babyface - Grown & Sexy (Arista)
• Jason Mraz - Mr. A-Z (Atlantic)

Read: "Jason Mraz Turns His Tongue-Tripping Surname Into An Asset For Next LP"

August 2:

• Faith Hill - Fireflies (Warner Bros.)
• Michael Penn - Mr. Hollywood, Jr. 1947 (spinART)

Read: "Free At Last, Michael Penn Attempts A Comeback With Mr. Hollywood Jr."

• The All-American Rejects
• Bow Wow
• T.I.
• Bloc Party
• Willie Nelson

Backstreet Boys (file)
Photo: Getty Images/Jimin Lai

The Backstreet Boys — who launched their comeback tour last week — have stressed that they never really broke up in the first place, just merely took a break. That point is also being made in the title for their forthcoming album, which they've just decided to call Never Gone, also the name of one of the songs on the LP, due in June. ...

Mariah Carey will shut down the streets of New York's Times Square on April 12 to celebrate the release of her new album, The Emancipation of Mimi. The singer will perform five songs for ABC's "Good Morning America," according to Reuters. Her set will include the singles "We Belong Together" and "It's Like That." ... No Doubt are giving up their guitars — for a good cause. The band is donating two signed guitars for charity auctions, the first of which takes place Wednesday (March 30) in Venice Beach, California, at a benefit for the Surfers Healing Foundation. Sugar Ray are slated to play the event. The second chance to win a No Doubt guitar comes courtesy of Rock the Cure for breast-cancer research. That auction will take place by invitation only on May 3 at the Los Angeles Hard Rock, but online bidding open to the general public starts April 24 at www.juliensauctions.com. ...

Master P and his brother Silkk the Shocker pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a felony charge of carrying loaded, unregistered weapons, The Associated Press reports. The two were arrested January 27 at UCLA after being stopped by campus police for not having a license plate on their car. Police said they found two guns in the vehicle. Both are currently free on bail. ... Russell Simmons, the Reverend Run, Nicole Wray, and Jim Jones and Juelz Santana of the Diplomats will visit Perth Amboy High School in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, on Tuesday for the official launch of the state's Be Powerful, Be Heard youth-voter initiative. The group will introduce a spoken-word contest about the importance of voting; the winner will be announced at the New Jersey Hip-Hop Summit in September. ... Trina announced on Wednesday that she is launching a perfume called the Diamond Princess this summer, which is also when her long-delayed Glamorous Life LP should drop as well. ...

Pixies leader Frank Black will release his first solo album in nearly a decade, Honeycomb, on July 19. The rootsy album was recorded in four days in April 2004, just days before Black hit the road with the Pixies for their reunion tour. Among the legendary session players on the disc are guitarists Steve Cropper (Booker T. and the M.G.s), Buddy Miller (Emmylou Harris) and Reggie Young (Elvis Presley), as well as drummer Anton Fig (Bob Dylan) and keyboardist Spooner Oldham (Aretha Franklin). Among the songs on the disc are "Atom in my Heart," "Another Velvet Nightmare" and "Find Your Saint," as well as a cover of the soul classic "Dark End of the Street." ... Meanwhile, the Pixies will return to the stage this summer, but only for a few weeks. The band is freeing up time for Kim Deal to make another Breeders album. ...

Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor recently sold the gothic New Orleans mansion he's lived in for the past decade. According to The Associated Press, Reznor unloaded the 4,900-square-foot, four-bedroom home for $1.8 million. Reznor moved to Los Angeles last year, leaving behind the home, which has an outdoor pool with sound system and what's been described as "gothic/Victorian decor" with a "medieval edge." ... Rick Rubin, the producer who revived Johnny Cash's career with the American Recordings series, is working with Neil Diamond on the singer's first album in five years. Rubin worked with Cash on a cover of Diamond's "Solitary Man." ...

Jermaine Dupri will be presented the Golden Note Award at the 22nd annual American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) Pop Music Awards on May 16 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. P. Diddy, Elton John and Stevie Wonder are among the past recipients of the award. Neil Young is also being honored at the gala. ... Irish singer and controversy magnet Sinéad O'Connor is in the studio working on her next project — a reggae album. And she's even recording the new effort in the genre's home of Kingston, Jamaica, for added authenticity. According to an Associated Press report, O'Connor's album will be rife with covers of irie protest songs — Bob Marley's "War," Peter Tosh's "Downpressor Man" and Burning Spear's "Marcus Garvey," among others. ...

03.29.2005

Attorney Johnnie Cochran, who rose to fame defending O.J. Simpson, died Tuesday (March 29) from a brain tumor, the Los Angeles Times reports. He was 67. Though he built his career fighting police misconduct, Cochran eventually became one of the most sought-after celebrity lawyers, helping P. Diddy fight charges stemming from a 1999 nightclub shooting, defending Snoop Dogg against murder charges in 1995 and representing Tupac Shakur in a 1993 sexual-assault case. ...

Usher is keeping it on, er, in wax. Visitors to New York's Madame Tussaud's have already been able to audition for a virtually snarky Simon Cowell and hear Beyoncé's wax figure encouraging them to shake their jelly as her backup dancer. Now Usher fans will be singing "Yeah!" at an interactive exhibit focused on the abs-master, whose likeness — dressed in an immaculate white shirt, jacket, baseball cap and signature "U" chain — invites guests into the exhibit, which looks like a music studio. As visitors pass through the multi-colored light beams, the sound system reacts by triggering different clips from the singer's songs. ...

When erudite, experimental rockers Radiohead want to debut new material, they make sure to do it in the most erudite, experimental way possible. Witness the events that transpired at this weekend's Ether festival at London's Royal Festival Hall, where Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke and guitarist Jonny Greenwood performed brand new compositions with the experimental London Sinfonietta orchestra. According to London's The Guardian, Yorke added vocals to the new tune "Arpeggi," and the full orchestra also performed two songs written by Greenwood: "Smear" and "Piano for Children." The Radiohead B-side "Where Bluebirds Fly" was also performed. ... Believe it or not, there actually will be an HFStival this year, despite there not actually being a WHFS anymore. In January, the long-running Washington, D.C., rock station changed formats, leaving the future of the HFStival — a summertime tradition for more than a decade — up in the air. But less than a month later, WHFS' sister station Live 105.7 began broadcasting WHFS on nights and weekends, and now it looks like it'll also be presenting the festival this year, scheduled for May 14 at Baltimore's M&T Bank Stadium. Confirmed acts include Coldplay, Foo Fighters, Good Charlotte, Sum 41 and Interpol. Tickets go on sale Saturday through Ticketmaster. ...

Courtney Love wrapped work in 2000 on the drama "Julie Johnson," which was a hit at Sundance in 2001, but it took this long for the film to find a home — it's now slated to premiere on June 1 on the gay network Here! (available via DIRECTV and DISH Network, and on cable in major markets). In the flick, Love plays Claire, who becomes more than friends with Lili Taylor. Taylor portrays the titular character, a desperate New Jersey housewife on a quest to revamp her life ("The OC" 's Mischa Barton plays Taylor's daughter Lisa). (Click for "Julie Johnson" photos.) Liz Phair contributed four songs to the soundtrack. ... Bronson Pinchot, Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth from "The Apprentice" and Pepa from rap duo Salt-N-Pepa are about to become roomies — they're among the new castmembers for the next installment of VH1's "The Surreal Life." These housemates for the fifth season will share quarters in a Hollywood mansion with former supermodel and "America's Next Top Model" judge Janice Dickinson, baseball slugger Jose Canseco, U.K. model Caprice and motocross madman (and sometime Pink boy toy) Carey Hart. The new season starts September 4. ...

Former Pavement frontman Stephen Malkmus will be hitting six cities over 30 days starting June 5 in Philadelphia as part of what could barely be called a tour in support of his latest record, Face the Truth. Malkmus will hit New York on June 7, Cleveland on June 9, Detroit on June 10, Minneapolis on June 12, Los Angeles on June 14, and then take the next 20 days off before performing at New York's Battery Park with Yo La Tengo on July 4. ... Iconic British mope rockers the Smiths will serve as the subject of an academic symposium to be held at Manchester Metropolitan University in the U.K. on April 8 and 9, according to the BBC. The seminar, called "Why Pamper Life's Complexities," will consider the band's cultural, social, political and musical impact, as well as the influence of frontman Morrissey's lyrics on gender, sexuality, race, nationality and the imagination of class. ...

New Order will be playing four U.S. gigs in late April and early May, just prior to returning to Europe for a string of festival appearances, according to the band's Web site. On April 29, they'll perform in Oakland, California, with the Chemical Brothers before taking the Coachella stage on May 1 in Indio, California. On May 3, the band stops in Chicago for a performance, then heads to New York for a show May 5. ... Paul Westerberg is releasing his first solo-career retrospective, Besterberg: The Best of Paul Westerberg, out May 17. The former Replacements frontman is including 20 songs from his solo albums, tracks from movies, unreleased tunes, outtakes and B-sides. The liner notes will include a track-by-track commentary. ...

• Backstreet Boys
• Mariah Carey
• No Doubt
• Trina
• The Pixies

Trina (file)
Photo: Atlantic

What's good for the G.O.A.T. is good for the gander. Inspired by "Big Ole Butt," LL Cool J's 1989 anthem for women with junk in the trunk, Trina, hip-hop's "baddest chick," recently released an ode to her well-endowed male peers called "I'm Leaving You (Big Ol' D---)."

The libidinous tune finds her rapping graphically about having sex with everyone from Ludacris to Nelly to Trick Daddy.

"I went in the studio with the Trackboyz [producers of J-Kwon's 'Tipsy']," Trina said last week."And [they played me] 'Big Ole Butt.' It was a great thing, and I was like 'I'mma just revamp it and do it over in my way.' Once I did it, it was kinda bland because it was [about] the regular John Doe, Tom and Henry."

Bored by her remake, Trina decided to spice up the track and raise eyebrows by inserting the names of some high-profile rappers.

"I was trying to do something that was going to stir up conversation and give props to those leading the game right now," she said. "That's how I came up with all the males I used in the song — I listen to their music and I'm a fan of theirs as well. It was one of the most fun songs I did."

Not surprisingly, Trina's verbiage about her male conquests' bedroom skills has not garnered any complaints from the MCs she mentions in the record.

"I got a couple of calls from a couple of the guys, but it was all good," the Miami native said, emphasizing that "it was all out of the love and respect I have for them: It's not personal, I didn't sleep with them. Ain't no personal relationships going on. I couldn't [name] every male in the industry, I got the best ones possible. Everybody is feeling the song."

True to her lyrical MO, Trina's pillow talk isn't ending anytime soon. She says her forthcoming third album, The Glamourest Life, due this summer, will have a bunch of "sexy records."

"[There are] a lot of records where the guys are going to be, 'Yo, it's like that?' " she said. "I just wanted to go back. This album is like the advanced version of the first album [2000's Da Baddest Bitch]. On the second album, I kind of laid down a little bit because there's a different respect level, people want to know if you're classy or if you're still raw. So I didn't know what people wanted to hear, and I tried the clean type of thing, but it's not really what's happening. [The new album] is about the streets. It's a new elevation, I just wanna be that bitch."

Helping Trina's climb are producers Cool & Dre, Just Blaze, Kanye West, Swizz Beatz and Scott Storch — a roster befitting a true hip-hop glamour queen. But what is a life of glitz if it can't be all-encompassing? She's also working on an album with Trick Daddy, tentatively titled T-N-T ("We're working on that," she confirmed. "After I go on tour, we will go in the studio. We're in negotiation about that because I know a lot of people want to hear it."), as well as a sitcom called "Friends Like These."

"It's almost like a 'Clueless' kind of thing," she explained. "It's like me and my girls, we run into a bunch of money and we're just doing it real big, living it up. One of my friends got major, major man drama, and I'm running this little beauty salon. I'm excited to see how it turns out."

• Trina
• Ludacris
• Nelly
• Trick Daddy

Britney Spears has hired a new boyfriend: Stephen Dorff. The actor plays her beau in her upcoming video for "Everytime," which was shot recently in Los Angeles. ... The man involved in a 2002 car accident with Kanye West is suing the rapper/producer, demanding that West pay his hospital bills. West immortalized the incident in his hit "Through the Wire," but Miguel Villasana says he was caused significant injury due to West's reckless driving. West initially told police he fell asleep at the wheel, but he changed his story two months later to say he was cut off by Villasana. ...

In what has to be the most unlikely drive to register voters, Trick Daddy, Trina and Luke Campbell will be gearing up for Election 2004: The Movement Tour. Kicking off March 27 in Miami, the artists will perform at 11 events around the state of Florida with the aim of registering 40,000 new voters and raising awareness about issues that affect the hip-hop community. One reason the tour is limited to Florida is because Trick Daddy is still on supervised probation stemming from a drug charge last September. ... Turk, the former Cash Money rapper who is currently being held on $750,000 bond for attempted murder of a Memphis sheriff's deputy, will release his third solo album, Penitentiary Chances, on April 27. The album was recorded prior to Turk's arrest. ...

Joss Stone, Deborah Harry and Cyndi Lauper have been added to VH1's annual "Divas" special, which will air live April 18 from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Jessica Simpson and Patti LaBelle are also on the bill. ... The Federal Trade Commission has reached a $40,000 settlement with three Utah-based companies that bought dozens of phone numbers similar to the toll-free "American Idol" voting lines and charged about 25,000 misdialers up to $3 per call. The callers during the 2002 and 2003 seasons who got one of the wrong numbers were directed to dial a 900-number to place their vote. ...

Who said Limp Bizkit's leader can't laugh at himself? On Wednesday, while the band continued its European tour behind Results May Vary, Fred Durst posted a hilarious video of himself lip-synching to the 1982 Modern English hit "I Melt With You" while dancing in the street. The clip was filmed last year while in Southeast Asia. After the European trek concludes at the end of the month, the band is slated to play a pair of shows in South Africa in early April before heading home. ... The latest stop on Russell Simmons' Hip-Hop Summit Action Network's drive to register voters will be in Chicago on March 27. Co-hosting a panel discussion will be Chi-Town natives Kanye West and Common. Among the artists participating are R. Kelly, Ludacris, Mya, Twista, Foxy Brown and Damon Dash. Only people who are registered to vote or do so on site are allowed to attend. ...

Tina Turner will take on the role of the Hindu goddess Shakti in the upcoming period film "The Goddess," which is being made by Merchant Ivory Productions. ... Sarah McLachlan, Bryan Adams and over 100 other prominent Canadians recently sent a letter to their government asking that Canadian Primer Minister Paul Martin pull out of talks with the United States on participation in a space-based anti-missile shield. The letter said that Canadian involvement in the U.S. defense system would represent the country's "acquiescence and willingness to become an active participant in a permanent nuclear future," and that as such, "it would directly collide with the wishes of the Canadian people who have expressed overwhelming support for nuclear disarmament." ...

Tatsuhiro Fujiwara, a toy designer in Japan, has sculpted two styles of Marilyn Manson wind-up dolls that stand around five inches tall. The first, which features Manson in arm-length black gloves, military cap, suspenders and combat boots, is modeled after the rocker's fascist-dictator look in the "Fight Song" video. The second features Manson in the black top hat and suit taken from the "Mobscene" clip. ... Early this week, the Elvis Presley museum in Las Vegas, Elvis-A-Rama, was broken into, and thieves ran off with over $300,000 worth of goods. The robbers entered the building after ramming the back door with a stolen trunk. They used lead pipes to smash into three display cases, snatched rings, a gold-plated pistol and other articles, and were out again in just five minutes. The museum's most valuable possession, a pair of the King's blue suede shoes, remained intact. ...

Following their performance at the South by Southwest music conference in Austin, Texas, two members of multi-culti rockers Ozomatli, along with their manager, were arrested early Thursday morning. At the end of its set at Exodus, the band led the crowd out onto Sixth Street, which didn't sit too well with Austin PD and a scuffle ensued. Officers had to use pepper spray on some members of the crowd who refused to disperse, witnesses told the Austin-American Statesman. Percussionist Jiro Yamaguchi was charged with assault on a public servant, bassist Willy Aberswas was hit with failure to obey a public servant, and manager Amy Sue Blackman-Romero was charged with violating a city ordinance and interfering with the duties of a public servant. Yamaguchi was released from jail on a $5,000 bond. Aberswas and Blackman-Romero were processed and released ... With a can of Pabst Blue Ribbon in hand, Bright Eyes frontman Conor Oberst joined Omaha, Nebraska, quintet Neva Dinova onstage for a pair of songs Thursday night at New York's Knitting Factory. The two bands share credit on the split EP One Jug of Wine, Two Vessels, due April 20. ...

03.18.2004

In Washington, D.C., recently to perform at the An American Celebration at Ford's Theatre event with Patti LaBelle and Michelle Williams, Jessica Simpson was given a tour of the White House and was introduced to Interior Secretary Gale Norton. "You've done a nice job decorating the White House," Simpson told her, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. ...

Jack White joined Bob Dylan onstage Wednesday at Detroit's State Theatre. The White Stripes frontman played guitar and sang backup vocals to Dylan's cover of "Ball and Biscuit," a track off the Stripes' latest album, Elephant. ... Staind, N.E.R.D., Disturbed and Hoobastank are on board for the fifth incarnation of the Rolling Rock Town Fair, taking place July 31 near the beer's birthplace of Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Three smaller, "travel-size" versions of the show will precede the main event in Boston (June 12), Philadelphia (June 19) and Seattle (June 26). Sevendust, the Crystal Method, Finger Eleven, Three Days Grace and local bands round out the lineup. ...

Jennifer Lopez must have kept some contacts at FOX from her days as a Fly Girl on "In Living Color." Her Nuyorican Productions company has signed a deal with the network to develop comedies, dramas and specials for the small screen. ... Janet Jackson is scheduled to visit the "Late Show With David Letterman" on March 29, the eve of the release of her new album, Damita Jo, for her first network television interview since the Super Bowl incident on February 1. ...

Lisa Marie Presley has clarified remarks she made on an Australian television program, issuing a statement Wednesday saying her comments about her ex-husband Michael Jackson were taken out of context. Though she said on the program she saw things she "couldn't do anything about," she said in her statement that she was "in no way referring to seeing something inappropriate with children, as I have stated publicly before. I never have. In saying I saw things, I was specifically referring to things in that relationship with us that went on between us at the time as husband and wife." ... Meanwhile, attorney Gloria Allred held a press conference on Wednesday saying that Los Angeles County officials have turned down her request that Jackson's three children be removed from his custody, but that she's still bringing the matter to a juvenile court judge, according to an application she filed Wednesday. Allred said Jackson should lose custody of the children because of the child-molestation charges against him, and said she was acting because she believes his children are in danger of physical or sexual abuse. ...

'NSYNC's Lance Bass and actor Omar Epps are about to strut their stuff on the catwalk. The two will model for a Tommy Hilfiger fashion show at Macy's in New York on Thursday (March 18) at 6:30 p.m. ... It's been called the new-millennium "Breakin'," and on May 18 you can watch it at home. The DVD version of "You Got Served," which stars B2K and Marques Houston, boasts such special features as commentary on some of the dance sequences by Omarion and Houston's manager, Christopher Stokes, who also wrote and directed the film. ...

Billy Corgan will perform his first hometown solo acoustic show April 19 at the Metro, the Chicago venue where his band Smashing Pumpkins played their final gig. The show will be filmed and possibly included on an upcoming DVD centered on Corgan's recording sessions for his solo debut. ... Switchfoot's concert DVD "Live in San Diego" will be released on Tuesday. The show was filmed on November 7, 2003, at the club Soma. ...

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club will launch a tour of North America on March 30 in Towson, Maryland. The trek wraps May 2 at the Coachella fest. The band has been off the road since early February, when it had to cancel the rest of its U.K. tour because guitarist Peter Hayes fell off the stage during a show in Brighton and broke his left thumb. He underwent surgery and has fully recovered. ... Last week a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit brought against "Bachelor" Bob Guiney and Wind-Up Records. "The Bachelor" 's production company, And Syndicated, accused Guiney and the label of breaching his contract by promoting his album, 3 Sides, without their permission. Guiney is currently on the road supporting the LP through May 6 in Memphis, Tennessee. ...

Sammy Hagar is expanding his Cabo Wabo Cantina franchise to the U.S. He'll open one of the restaurants at Harveys Resort Casino in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. To celebrate the joint, dubbed Taho Wabo, Hagar will perform at Harrah's across the street April 30 through May 2. ...

• Britney Spears
• Trick Daddy
• Trina
• Joss Stone
• Limp Bizkit

Jive Records announced Monday (September 8) that JC Chasez's solo album, Schizophrenic, has been pushed back to early 2004. ...

So it looks like Beanie Sigel will indeed temporarily make it out of jail. A state judge on Monday authorized the Roc-A-Fella rapper's release, as recommended by a federal judge, into a residential treatment program for substance abuse and anger management while he awaits trial on federal gun and drug charges. Common Pleas Judge Carolyn Temin had temporarily thrown a roadblock in that agreement on Friday because Sigel still faces state charges of attempted murder. According to the rapper's attorney, Sigel will be out on $150,000 bail (posting 10 percent) on Tuesday or Wednesday, at which point he'll check into the unnamed residential treatment center for four weeks. ...

Police in Greenville, North Carolina, have arrested and charged two people for stealing about $300,000 worth of personal property from Trina's hotel room over Labor Day weekend. The suspects, one of whom posed as the rapper's manager, are also facing drug charges after authorities found marijuana during a search of their home. ... Kimberley Locke, the "American Idol" contestant who finished just behind Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken, has signed to Curb Records and began recording her debut album Monday in her hometown of Nashville. The singer's first meeting with the label was captured on video and will air in a September 24 FOX special about the American Idols Live Tour. ...

Because it wasn't so "Complicated," Apple's iTunes music store reached the 10-million -songs-downloaded mark in four months of operation. Just before midnight on September 3, Avril Lavigne's "Complicated" put the online store past the milestone. ... Youth rebellion anthem "We're Not Gonna Take It" has been dubbed the "unofficial theme song" by Arnold Schwarzenegger's campaign spokeswoman, who says it's used to "get the crowd pumped" as Arnold makes his play for the California governor's chair. Ironically, the Twisted Sister album that spawned the tune, Stay Hungry, takes its name from the 1976 comedy film of the same name, in which Schwarzenegger had a role. ...

The Headbanger's Ball Tour kicks off in late October with a bill that features Lamb of God, Killswitch Engage and Shadows Fall. ... Jane's Addiction, Simple Plan and Static-X will headline concerts to take place at the Gravity Games in Cleveland, which begins Wednesday with Static-X and Die Trying performing at a kickoff event. Yellowcard will join Jane's on Friday. ...

Mandy Moore will host and perform at the fourth annual "Women Rock!" concert for Lifetime. Mya, breast-cancer survivor Anastacia, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Dolly Parton and Kenny Loggins will also perform at the event, which this year will have a "Songs From the Movies" theme. Jessica Alba and Sharon Osbourne will be presenters at the show, which will tape September 30 at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood and air October 23. ... Tori Amos has compiled a best-of collection, set to hit shelves November 18. Along with hits like "Cornflake Girl" and "Silent All These Years," it will feature two new songs. ...

Travis have scheduled a short U.S. tour in support of 12 Memories, due October 14. The outing begins with two nights in New York October 21 and 22, and ends October 29 in Detroit. ... Similar to Eminem and Obie Trice's recently announced Willy Wonka-inspired contest, the Chemical Brothers will include one "Golden Path Ticket" in specially marked versions of their new album, The Singles '93-'03, due September 30. The winner will be flown to the duo's New Year's Eve show, the location of which has yet to be announced. Fans can also enter a random drawing at www.astralwerks.com. ...

Perhaps Keanu Reeves and Gavin Rossdale can give each other advice about switching from movies to music and vice versa on the set of "Constantine," the upcoming adaptation of DC Comics' cult classic series "Hellblazer." The Bush frontman is in talks to play a nemesis of Reeves' called Balthazar, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Rossdale, who is working on solo material, has already completed work on the soccer flick "The Game of Their Lives" and has a small role in the Brittany Murphy comedy "Little Black Book." ... Count the Stars totaled their van and trailer on the road over the weekend, resulting in the hospitalization of singer Chris Kasarjian and their withdrawal from several dates of their tour with the Juliana Theory. The rest of the band walked away with only minor injuries, but Kasarjian suffered broken ribs, a collapsed lung and received several stitches, according to the band's label. ...

09.05.03

The increasingly iconic Archbishop Don "Magic" Juan, former pimp and Snoop Dogg's's touring pal, has found a label home for his upcoming album, Bishop Don "Magic" Juan Presents: Green Is for the Money, Gold Is for the Honies, Vol. 1. The album, to be released on Avatar Records, is a compilation of old soul classics that influenced the archbishop during his pimpin' days and, according to the Don himself, new tracks from some of his current rap friends, like Snoop, Ludacris, Ja Rule and P. Diddy. The album will also include a DVD "pimp primer." ...

Beanie Sigel, in jail for drug and gun possession, was granted permission from a federal judge on Thursday to attend a residential treatment program for substance abuse and anger management while awaiting his trial. But that deal was thrown in doubt on Friday (September 5) when a state judge in Sigel's attempted murder case revoked his bail because the alleged victim in the case, Terrance Speller, testified that he has been receiving daily threats over his cooperation with prosecutors. Sigel was to post a $1 million bond, including $150,000 in cash, his $400,000 Philadelphia home and four other properties to attend the treatment program instead of jail. At press time, the same federal judge who granted the program release was deciding on the issue. ... Murder Inc. rapper D.O. Cannon was shot and killed Thursday night in his Queens, New York, neighborhood. Police have yet to name a suspect or motive. D.O. was part of a duo with another MC on the rise named Young Merc. Cannon was last heard on 2002's Irv Gotti Presents: The Inc. and Irv Gotti Presents: The Remixes. ...

Five years ago, the thought of Sharon Osbourne interviewing the star player of the world's biggest boy band for her own TV show was ludicrous. But reality is scarier than the darkest Black Sabbath lyrics. For the first episode of her new program, "The Sharon Osbourne Show," which debuts September 15 on the WB, Osbourne will chat with Justin Timberlake, and talk with eight recently orphaned siblings. The show will feature the music of — not Slipknot, not Soulfly — but Wynonna Judd. ... The Strokes are hitting the road in support of their new album, Room on Fire, beginning October 9 in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. The seven-date stretch with Kings of Leon, a band jokingly referred to as "the Southern Strokes," concludes November 7 in Houston. The Strokes' follow-up to Is This It is due October 21. ...

If you've been listening to mixtapes lately and wondering why 50 Cent is rapping on two versions of a track called "Gunz for Sale," it's because the track was boosted from the G-Unit, according to the camp. A bootleg version of the song popped up on mixtapes with 50 just rapping the chorus and a new group called the A-Team rhyming the verses. The real version of the song, which will appear on the G-Unit's November 4 LP, has also just popped up in the streets and features 50 on the hook as well as the verses. ... Thurr's a whole lot of remixing going on for Chingy. After scoring a hit with a revamping of his "Right Thurr" with Jermaine Dupri and Trina, the St. Louis party starter has teamed with the Young Gunz for a remix of their "Can't Stop, Won't Stop." ...

No, that sound you hear isn't a return to Dante's lost circle of hell, it's the resurrection of the once-ubiquitous Chumbawamba jock-rock hit, "Tubthumping," this time as remixed by the Flaming Lips. The song will appear on an upcoming remix album for Chumbawamba, called Readymades and Then Some, to be released on Koch Records on October 21. An accompanying DVD will feature the documentary "Well Done, Now Sod Off," which examines the group's history before the 1997 "Tubthumping" phenomenon. ... Phish keyboardist Page McConnell's other band, Vida Blue, has set an October 14 release date for its second studio album, The Illustrated Band. The Afro-Cuban sextet the Spam Allstars are featured on the record and will tour with the group. ...

After suffering a tragic setback in the death of their soundman/"fifth member" Jeremy Ward — and as a result having to drop off the Red Hot Chili Peppers/ Snoop Dogg tour in May — the Mars Volta are taking to the road again. Their 15-date jaunt begins October 3 in Austin, Texas, and ends October 25 in Boston. A vinyl version of the band's debut disc, De-Loused in the Comatorium, will hit shelves October 21. ... For a band that built its following by touring, Guster haven't lost any love for the road. Armed with the hit single "Amsterdam," off their fourth album, Keep It Together, the trio recently began a tour with confirmed dates through November 9 in Tempe, Arizona. After that, they won't be resting on their laurels, as the tour is expected to last through December. ...

• JC Chasez
• *NSYNC
• Beanie Sigel
• Avril Lavigne
• Twisted Sister

Sucker Free on MTV: 2005 VMA's

• Diddy
• Trina

Lindsay, Usher, Snoop, Game, Gwen And More Hit The 2005 VMAs White Carpet

• Fall Out Boy
• The Bravery
• Nick Cannon
• David Banner
• Rihanna

MTV: Exclusive: Trina Photos

• Trina

Nelly, Kim, LL, Sean Paul, More On Source Awards Red Carpet

• Nelly
• Lil' Kim
• LL Cool J
• Sean Paul
• Clipse

• Charli Baltimore
• Ashanti
• P!nk
• Busta Rhymes
• Sheryl Crow

MTV Tours: 2001

• Dave Matthews Band
• Placebo
• blink-182
• *NSYNC
• Coldplay