Eddie Van Halen
Photo: Jason Smith/Getty Images

Van Halen are suing Nike over an alleged design similarity between Eddie Van Halen's iconic "Frankenstein" guitar and a new line of the sportswear company's sneakers, according to reports. But in a statement to Footwear News, Nike has now called the lawsuit without merit.

"Based on the information provided to us, we have not infringed on any rights held by Mr. Van Halen," the statement read. "Nike's Dunk shoe design is not substantially similar to any of the Van Halen designs, and Nike has not referenced the 'Van Halen' name or image as part of any marketing campaign or promotional material associated with the shoe."

ELVH, Van Halen's company, filed a cause of action for copyright infringement complaint last Friday in a Los Angeles court against Nike, alleging that the design of some Dunk Low sneakers matches that of Van Halen's famous guitars.

In 2001, the group copyrighted the crisscrossing red, black and white pattern that Eddie created in the late '70s for his hybrid version of Gibson and Fender electric guitars. He's continued to use the design on subsequent guitars. The trim on the side of the Nike Dunks features a red background with black and white crisscrosses.

Earlier in the spring, Van Halen released a line of sneakers featuring the Frankenstein design through a licensing deal with a New Jersey-based merchandising company.

ELVH contends that the similar Nike design caused Van Halen "irreparable harm and damage" and asks for the seizure and destruction of all the sneakers, confiscation of the profits and damages.

Lawyers for Van Halen told Footwear News that they had no comment besides the filed complaint, and they declared their preference "to try cases in court."

• Van Halen

Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage

First, the campaign of Republican presidential nominee John McCain angered the members of Van Halen. Then, about a week later, it incensed Heart. Now, the campaign has raised the ire of Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters.

In a statement issued by the band's publicist Wednesday morning (October 8), the Foo Fighters slammed the McCain camp for its unauthorized use of the group's 1997 hit single "My Hero" as its latest campaign theme tune.

"This isn't the first time the McCain campaign has used a song without making any attempt to get approval or permission from the artist," the statement reads. "It's frustrating and infuriating that someone who claims to speak for the American people would repeatedly show such little respect for creativity and intellectual property. The saddest thing about this is that 'My Hero' was written as a celebration of the common man and his extraordinary potential. To have it appropriated without our knowledge and used in a manner that perverts the original sentiment of the lyric just tarnishes the song. We hope that the McCain campaign will do the right thing and stop using our song — and start asking artists' permission in general."

The band issued the statement after receiving press reports that McCain had been using "My Hero" as the "latest in a number of unauthorized theme songs at his campaign rallies," without seeking permission from the band, its management, record label or the song's publisher.

In late August, Van Halen lashed out at the McCain campaign after it used their track "Right Now" as the candidate's entrance theme during a rally in Dayton, Ohio. The band's publicist told MTV News that Van Halen were not informed that McCain was going to use their song and that they were never approached for permission. "Had they asked, permission would not have been granted," the publicist said.

About a week later, Heart objected to the campaign's use of their song "Barracuda" at McCain rallies and events. The campaign continued to use the track, even after Heart asked that they cease further usage.

"The Republican campaign did not ask for permission to use the song, nor would they have been granted that permission," Heart said in a statement. "We have asked the Republican campaign publicly not to use our music. We hope our wishes will be honored."

• Foo Fighters
• Van Halen

Heart's Nancy Wilson
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images

In the past week, Republican presidential candidate John McCain and GOP vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin have managed to rile two classic rock outfits, Van Halen and Heart, who both claim the Arizona senator's campaign didn't ask their permission to use their songs.

First, on August 29, just minutes before revealing Palin as his running mate, McCain strutted out onto a stage in Dayton, Ohio, as Van Halen's inspirational 1991 track "Right Now" boomed through the speakers. Hours later, the band's publicist told MTV News that Van Halen had no idea McCain would be using the track, and "had they asked, permission would not have been granted."

Now, the candidate has enraged Heart's Ann and Nancy Wilson, who've apparently issued cease-and-desist letters to the McCain/Palin campaign, demanding that their 1977 hit "Barracuda" not be used as Palin's theme song. The track was used at the convention, both to introduce Palin and on the heels of McCain's acceptance speech at the close of the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota. The song was likely chosen to refer to Palin's nickname "Sarah Barracuda," which the Alaska governor earned as a high school basketball star in her hometown of Wasilla, Alaska.

"The Republican campaign did not ask for permission to use the song, nor would they have been granted that permission," says a statement from Heart's camp, according to TMZ.com. "We have asked the Republican campaign publicly not to use our music. We hope our wishes will be honored."

Later, in a phone call to EW.com, Nancy Wilson expressed her feelings more strongly. "I feel completely f---ed over," she said. And in an e-mail to the site, both sisters said that "Sarah Palin's views and values in NO WAY represent us as American women. We ask that our song 'Barracuda' no longer be used to promote her image. The song 'Barracuda' was written in the late '70s as a scathing rant against the soulless, corporate nature of the music business, particularly for women. (The 'barracuda' represented the business.) While Heart did not and would not authorize the use of their song at the RNC, there's irony in Republican strategists' choice to make use of it there."

"Barracuda" is perhaps Heart's best-known single, and appears on the band's third LP, Little Queen.

• Heart
• Van Halen

Red Hot Chili Peppers' Flea in 1999
Photo: MTV News

• Red Hot Chili Peppers
• AC/DC
• Jane's Addiction
• Metallica
• Beastie Boys

David Lee Roth and Kurt Loder in 1997
Photo: MTV News

Where do old interviews go to die? Since 1988 they've gone into the MTV News vault, but we've been exhuming them to bring you these classic natterings. Here's the latest in the series, which runs every Tuesday.

Is David Lee Roth nuts? I mean really, who hasn't wondered? Roth was already clinically extroverted when he erupted out of the first Van Halen album. You'll recall the Diamond Dave effect: the leopard-skin spandex, the leg-splaying leaps, the demented leer fizzing madly beneath the haystack of surf-punk hair. Five more hit albums did nothing to tone him down, of course. And then the band dumped him.

That was 23 years ago. Since then ... well, you know. For Van Halen, there followed the Sammy Hagar years — very successful (although most unpopular with Roth partisans). Then, after Sammy got dumped in turn (or quit or whatever — let's not relive it), there came the Gary Cherone year, which produced one album, "Van Halen III," which was universally hailed as abysmal. Then ... nothing. Or not much. That was 10 years ago.

Since then, Roth has released a series of solo efforts to diminishing effect. (A 2006 bluegrass version of the Van Halen hit "Jump" may have been his oddest musical moment.) He spent much of his downtime nipping at the heels of Eddie Van Halen, lobbying for a reunion of the band's original lineup. He was pretty sure it had finally happened in 1996, when they called him back to record two new tracks to be tacked onto a greatest-hits album; and he was certain it was on when they invited him to join them in presenting an award at that year's Video Music Awards. Unfortunately, he turned their appearance into a celebration of Diamond Dave, and his return to the fold. Backstage, an infuriated Eddie told Roth he was ... nuts, probably. There would be no reunion.

The following spring, Roth, now resident in New York, was arrested for attempting to buy marijuana in Washington Square Park. This was a low point — Diamond Dave busted scoring a five-dollar bag of beat weed among the local skate kids. Oh, how the mighty, and so forth.

That November, Dave turned up for an interview at the MTV studios. He was a little ... I don't want to say nuts, but certainly mercurial. Or maybe just cagey. All we really wanted to know about was the state of his relationship with Van Halen — would there ever be a reunion? Roth was more interested in talking about gurus and therapists and childhood sugar problems. Great. Well, entertaining, at least.

The long-yakked-about reunion of the original Van Halen lineup continued failing to happen. Eddie Van Halen underwent tongue-cancer and hip-replacement surgery, got divorced, and went into rehab, reportedly for his famous drinking problem. He also found time to banish bassist Michael Anthony from the VH lineup — a long-brewing move — and to replace him with neophyte bassist Wolfgang Van Halen, Eddie's son. Ironically, not to say ridiculously, when the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last year, exiled members Anthony and Sammy Hagar were the only two who showed up for the ceremony.

Then something surprising happened. Well, surprising to anyone who was still paying attention. Last September, three-quarters of a Van Halen reunion finally materialized, with Roth back onboard. Reviews were good, but then a string of dates had to be postponed in order for Eddie to get unspecified medical attention. Now, though, the boys are back. And they're scheduled to stay on the road at least into June. Can you believe it? No, really, can you?

(Assuming they actually played Milwaukee last night, Van Halen is scheduled to play Pittsburgh tomorrow.)

Enjoy digging through The Loder Files? You'll find more here, and there's much more to come from the vaults — check back every Tuesday!

• The Loder Files: A Trip Inside The MTV News Vaults

• Van Halen
• David Lee Roth

Eddie Van Halen (file)
Photo: Michael Buckner/ Getty Images

Van Halen have postponed 17 more concert dates so that guitarist Eddie Van Halen "can continue medical tests to define a course of treatment," the band announced late Monday on its Web site. The post noted that Eddie remains "under doctors' care"; the band postponed several dates last week due to his unspecified "medical tests." No further information about the guitarist's condition was offered.

The postponed dates include Charlottesville, Virginia; East Rutherford, New Jersey; New York, New York; Duluth, Georgia; Pittsburgh; Providence, Rhode Island; Uncasville, Connecticut; Atlantic City, New Jersey; St. Louis; Columbus, Ohio; Rosemont, Illinois; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Milwaukee; Manchester, New Hampshire; Hershey, Pennsylvania; Raleigh, North Carolina; and Baltimore.

The tour is to resume April 19 in Las Vegas, the site said, with rescheduled dates to be announced shortly. Fans are advised to retain their tickets as they will be honored at the rescheduled concerts, or ticket refunds will be issued at the original point of purchase.

Last week, tour promoter Live Nation issued a statement that read, "According to Eddie Van Halen's physician, he is undergoing a battery of comprehensive medical tests to determine a defined diagnosis and recommended medical procedures."

A spokesperson declined to elaborate on the medical condition that has sidelined the guitarist, whose stint in a rehab facility last fall delayed the long-awaited reunion with founding vocalist David Lee Roth.

• Van Halen

Photo: Michael Buckner/ Getty Images

The reunited Van Halen have been forced to postpone four upcoming dates of their U.S. tour due to an unspecified medical condition affecting guitarist Eddie Van Halen. A statement issued by tour promoter Live Nation on Monday afternoon (March 3) explained that concerts in Dallas, Cincinnati, Baltimore and Raleigh, North Carolina, have been postponed and rescheduled for April.

"According to Eddie Van Halen's physician, he is undergoing a battery of comprehensive medical tests to determine a defined diagnosis and recommended medical procedures," read the release.

A Live Nation spokesperson could not elaborate on the medical condition that has sidelined the guitarist, whose stint in a rehab facility last fall delayed the long-awaited reunion with founding vocalist David Lee Roth.

Due to the medical issues, the show that was scheduled to take place Monday night at the American Airlines Center in Dallas has been rescheduled for April 24, Wednesday's show at the U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati will take place April 22, Friday's show at the RBC Center in Raleigh has been rescheduled for April 13, and Sunday's show at the 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore has been bumped to April 15.

The Live Nation spokesperson said the tour is expected to pick up the previously scheduled dates beginning on March 11 in Charlottesville, Virginia, and, for now, no other dates have been affected. According to the band's Web site, the tour is currently slated to run through an April 19 date at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

• Van Halen

Snoop Dogg
Photo: MTV News

Snoop Dogg struck a plea deal on Thursday (September 20) in his weapon-possession case stemming from an arrest at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, in September 2006, The Associated Press reports. The rapper (real name: Calvin Broadus) was sentenced to 160 hours of community service and three years' probation, and ordered to make a $10,000 charitable donation. In the September incident, Snoop was found carrying a collapsible baton — while he claimed it was for a video shoot, authorities considered it to be a dangerous weapon. If he doesn't violate the law again, his felony conviction will be reduced to a misdemeanor after one year. "We are very pleased with the outcome," his attorney Donald Etra told AP. "He wants to get on with his life." ...

Game (real name: Jayceon Taylor) was given a conditional discharge on Thursday in the case involving the rapper allegedly impersonating a police officer in New York in November, AP reports. Per Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Marc Whiten's order, if Game is not arrested again within six months, the misdemeanor criminal-impersonation charge will be dismissed. Claiming innocence, Game had rejected previous plea deals that would have kept him out of jail in exchange for a guilty plea. He was arrested after allegedly telling a cab driver he was an undercover cop and instructing him to run red lights, but Game denied that claim and instead argued that the driver decided to run the red lights on his own. Game's lawyer, Jeffrey Lichtman, pointed out Game's facial tattoo and said it was doubtful the driver would have believed the rapper to be a police officer. "I've never seen a cop with writing all over his face," Game said. ...

First Dr. Dre makes an appearance at the VMAs, and now he's got an interview in the latest issue of GQ — maybe Detox really is on the way. The notoriously reclusive producer appears in the 50th anniversary issue of the men's magazine and, for the first time, goes on record about the rift between his Aftermath artists 50 Cent and Game. "It was definitely a conscious thing," he said of his decision to not speak up in the past about the feud. "This is something that's between labelmates. I've said, 'When you guys are ready to make some music, let's get down. Let's get in the studio.' All that other stuff, that's not for me. This is something they created, so it's something they have to handle. I don't feel like I have to choose a side." Dre also revealed that, at the behest of Interscope Chairman Jimmy Iovine, he once asked Game not to dis 50 during a New York show. "I knew that this one wasn't gonna go away," he said. "I know these guys, and I know nobody is gonna back down." ...

Gerard Way had some kind words to say to the University of Maine's campus newspaper, The Maine Campus, about Bon Jovi — his band, My Chemical Romance, will open for the rock legends October 25-26 as part of the christening of Newark, New Jersey's Prudential Center. "I grew up as a Bon Jovi fan. Whenever you're dealing with Bon Jovi or Springsteen, it's just a great honor and at that point; it doesn't really matter what genre you play. It really just kind of matters that you're all from New Jersey." Way also had a thing or two to say about MCR being labeled "emo," although his words on that subject weren't so kind. "Emo bands were being booked while we were touring with Christian metal bands because no one would book us on tours. I think emo is f---ing garbage, it's bullsh--. I think there's bands that unfortunately we get lumped in with that are considered emo and by default that starts to make us emo. All I can say is anyone actually listening to the records, put the records next to each other and listen to them and there's actually no similarities. I think emo's a pile of sh--." ...

Yung Joc will perform at the 100th anniversary of Zeta Beta Tau fraternity's Cornell University chapter, according to the campus' paper, The Cornell Daily Sun. The October 12 concert, to be held at the Zeta Beta Tau house, will serve to benefit the Children's Miracle Network, an alliance of hospitals for children. ... Jennifer Lopez has a new album on the brain — Brave, which drops October 9 — but that hasn't stopped her from hooking up with Carlos Santana for a new slice set to be featured on the rock icon's Ultimate Santana collection, due October 16. Baby Bash also surfaces on "This Boy's Fire," which was partly produced by Sean Garrett. Two more previously unreleased collabos — "Into the Night" with Nickelback's Chad Kroeger and "The Game of Love" with Tina Turner — also beef up the best-of disc. ...

Missy Elliott posted a teaser on her Web site announcing that she's back in the lab cooking up a new album that she hopes to release in the spring. No other information was given on the album, which would be her first since 2005's The Cookbook. ... As huge as the Kanye West/ 50 Cent album showdown appeared to be, LP sales are still down 9 percent compared to the same week last year, Billboard reports. ... Tired of seeing Kanye West all over the place? Too bad. The recent Gradu-ee will perform September 29 on "Saturday Night Live." Spoon will play on the show the following week. ...

Sammy Hagar says he wouldn't have toured with the reunited Van Halen without founding bassist Michael Anthony, who has been replaced with Eddie Van Halen's son, Wolfgang Van Halen, for the band's reunion tour with singer David Lee Roth. According to the Web site for Internet radio station KNAC, Hagar said, "I wouldn't do it without Mike. ... If Eddie wants to play with his son, fine. I love my son too, but I got him a different job. ... I just think the fans are gonna walk away with a little bit of a disappointment because Mike's a big part of that band." ... In related news, Van Halen have tossed three more California dates onto their much-anticipated reunion tour, which kicks off September 27 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The band will hit Fresno on November 29, Anaheim on December 18 and will now bring the jaunt to a close in Oakland on December 22. ...

The inaugural Girlfrenzy concert scheduled for October 27 at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine, California, has been postponed. Though organizers have not given any reason for the show's cancellation, they said in a post on the show's MySpace page that it will be rescheduled for 2008. The show was to feature Avril Lavigne, Fiona Apple, Sheryl Crow and Colbie Caillat. ... After three years, Scratch magazine is calling it a day. The hip-hop mag's final issue features 50 Cent and Timbaland on the cover and is due out at the end of September. No reason was given for the magazine's shuttering. ...

The 10th anniversary edition of Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp will get an extra dose of power this year with appearances from Slash, Who singer Roger Daltrey, Vince Neil and Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh. Also on the roster for the event, to be held November 7-11 in Las Vegas, are Cream bassist Jack Bruce, as well as members of Iron Maiden, Yes, Steely Dan, Bad Company, Megadeth and Winger. ... Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will give Asbury Park, New Jersey, fans a sneak preview of their upcoming tour in support of their upcoming album Magic, which is due October 2. The Boss has scheduled a pair of benefit shows for Monday and Tuesday night at the Asbury Park Convention Hall, with the $100 tickets selling out almost immediately when they went on sale Thursday morning (September 20), according to the promoter. ...

Gene Simmons, glam-rocker, reality-TV star, magazine entrepreneur and ... science-fiction author? You read it right — the Kiss frontman has penned the first installment of a planned sci-fi series, "Zipper," for release in November. The heavily illustrated book tells the story of a drone soldier from another planet who "begins to question his purpose and contemplate his autonomy ... he realizes his own capacity for individualism and wishes to explore it further," according to Simmons' Web site. ... Hardcore heroes Snapcase are getting back together for a one-off show to benefit Callum Robbins, the son of Jawbox's J. Robbins who is suffering from spinal muscular atrophy. The gig will go down at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, New York, on November 24 and also feature 108 and Triple Threat. The show is being organized by 108 member and author Norman Brannon, whose "The Anti-Matter Anthology: A 1990s Post-Punk & Hardcore Reader" — a tome revolving around the defunct fanzine — is due in stores November 6. ...

Gina Gershon can't stop the rock. The "Showgirls" actress, whose 2004 reality show chronicled her attempted crossover into the world of rock and roll, will preview songs from her upcoming album In Search of Cleo during a residency at the New York club the Box every Sunday and Monday night in October. Backed by a five-piece band and three dancers, Gershon will unveil the suite of songs — all of which she wrote or co-wrote — that tell the true story of the search and recovery of her lost cat, Cleo. According to a press release, the 10 songs focus "on the literal and metaphoric experience of the search, not just for Cleo, but for love," using "biting humor, country, blues and jazz-influenced singing and a splash of sexy."

09.19.07

So a judge orders Britney Spears to submit to random drug tests and abstain from alcohol, and what does she apparently do next? Goes partying! The singer reportedly went clubbing into the wee hours Tuesday night in West Hollywood, California, hitting both Winston's Bar & Grill and the Hyde Lounge — with a flurry of paparazzi on her tail, of course. Observers told People magazine that the singer was brought shots at Hyde, though it's unclear whether she actually drank them. Meanwhile, Spears has changed legal counsel again. On Monday, her divorce attorney Laura Wasser had stepped down to be replaced by Marci Levine, and on Wednesday (September 19), Levine prepared to step down to be replaced by Sorrell Trope. Trope's office told MTV News on Wednesday that the firm was in the process of being retained by Spears and anticipated that the necessary paperwork would be signed and taken care of by the end of the day. ..

In other Britney news, Justin Timberlake talked a bit about the singer Wednesday on "Oprah." When asked what he thinks is "going on" with her, Timberlake said, "I don't know, to be honest with you. I haven't spoken to her in years. I mean, there's no ill will — I have nothing but love for her. It's funny because we dated each other at a time ... wow, I haven't talked about this in a long time. It's interesting. ... We were teenagers, you know? I think that's basically the best way to describe what happened to us. I think she's a great person, and I don't know her as well as I did. ... What I do know about her is she has a huge heart, and she is a great person." ...

Talk about adding insult to injury. After pounding 50 Cent in the first week of their album showdown, Kanye West has bested his rival a second time by clinching the Music of Black Origin Award for Best Hip Hop artist. Amy Winehouse scored the Best U.K. Female prize, surprisingly, while Rihanna nabbed Best International Act honors, and Ne-Yo's "Because of You" earned Best R&B Title and Best Song. ...

If you caught Ashlee Simpson giving her yet-untitled album a test-drive at the VMAs earlier this month, you probably noticed the Cure's Robert Smith didn't make it onto the LP. In July, Smith voiced doubt about the supposed collabo taking place, and while Simpson told MTV News during her "Chicago" run in London late last year that "To work with Robert Smith would be an honor," she recently told Rolling Stone, "I am a huge fan, but would never expect to write with Robert Smith from the Cure." Boyfriend Pete Wentz also doesn't appear on the November disc — "We both keep our music separate from each other," she told Rolling Stone — however Timbaland, the Neptunes, Kenna and Gym Class Heroes' Travis McCoy did make the cut. ...

Game better be game to take on a new lawsuit — an Indian music-and-film company is suing him and Timbaland over "Put You on the Game." The song was featured on the Compton, California, rapper's Aftermath debut, The Documentary, and produced by Timbaland. According to documents obtained by MTV News, Saregama India — which filed a similar copyright-infringement suit in 2002 against then-Aftermath artist Truth Hurts — claims the duo used the song without its permission and also cites a number of additional parties, including Aftermath Entertainment, G-Unit Records and producer Danjahandz, who co-produced the track. The company is suing for a yet-undetermined sum. ... But everything isn't so dire these days for Timbo — the super-producer is soaping up for a scheduled appearance on an upcoming episode of "One Life to Live" scheduled to air October 9. He will perform two songs from his recent Shock Value LP, with the artists who accompanied him on the studio tracks: "The Way I Are" with Keri Hilson and "Apologize" with One Republic. ...

Let's set one thing straight: Chris Brown does not dislike Ciara, even though he's quoted as saying "I don't want Ciara" in the current issue of Vibe. "I didn't say I didn't like her," the singer recently told MTV News. "They mixed it around. Ciara, you know you're my homie." The article states that Brown's face "curls up as if he'd just noticed a foul odor" when the topic of Ciara is broached. "They made it seem totally bogus," he explained. "I don't have any grudges. I'm not a negative person. And I don't have a certain type. I don't care if you're a model or if you work at a gas station. Everyone's human. Everyone's a loving human being. And everyone has a chance with me." ... The New York Times loves Justin Timberlake's Southern Hospitality — the "SexyBack" singer's baby-back ribs in particular. "The most confounding thing about Southern Hospitality is those baby back ribs. Because they are, against tall odds, good," Peter Meehan wrote in his review, which was published Wednesday. "They are juicy but not fatty, seasoned simply and evenly and scented with a strong but not overpowering hit of smoke." ...

Australian Web site Undercover has reported that Rage Against the Machine are tipped to be one of the headliners of the upcoming Big Day Out festival. Though organizers haven't yet announced the lineup of the January shows, the group has reportedly booked gigs in Sydney and Melbourne on January 22 and 30, respectively, which closely coincide with BDO shows in those cities. ... The Foo Fighters will serve as the musical guest on "Saturday Night Live" on October 13, little more than two weeks after the band's Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace lands in stores. ...

Mya is stepping up for a good cause: The singer will perform at Skool'd, a benefit event to be hosted by Richie Rich on Wednesday night at Sol in New York. Eve DJ Miss Saigon and Le Tigre's JD Samson will spin at the benefit, the proceeds from which will go to the Ali Forney Center and the Reciprocity Foundation — organizations that assist lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender homeless youth in New York. Later Wednesday evening, she will host a party celebrating the launch of travel and lifestyle magazine Terrace at New York's Pink Elephant. ... A number of hip-hop and R&B acts have signed on to play a September 29 concert in support of the Jena Six, the black teens charged in connection with the beating of a white teen in Jena, Louisiana. Among the acts scheduled to play the Jena 6 Empowerment Concert at Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex in Birmingham, Alabama, according to the event's promoter, are Lloyd, Baby Boy, Twista, Jagged Edge, Tank, Killer Mike, Disturbing Tha Peace's Small World, B5, LAX Boys and Hurricane Chris. ...

Prince gave London Fashion Week the royal treatment on Wednesday when he delivered an unannounced performance during Matthew Williamson's catwalk show, Reuters reports. Once Prince's "U Got the Look" song reportedly began playing at the show, two models started dancing on the runway — after which the singer, who was sitting in the front row, started singing into a microphone from his seat. Prince them hopped on the runway and was joined by his band for the performance. "He really wanted to do this, and you don't say no to Prince," Williamson told the news service after the show. ... Bo Bice has seen the light, and it's Wal-Mart. The former "American Idol" finalist is planning to release his new album, See the Light, through the retail giant on October 23, with a presale on Walmart.com taking place beforehand. Wal-Mart will be the only terrestrial store carrying the disc, although it will be available through other online outlets. Bice, who parted ways with RCA last year, is putting out his second album through Sugar Money/ StratArt. "We had no inhibitions about what this was going to be," Bice said in a statement about the disc. "We just went in and did whatever we wanted to. The freedom shines through." ...

The Shins hope to indie-rock the mtvU Woodies this year — the band has scored three nominations, including Woodie of the Year. Lily Allen, Gym Class Heroes and Linkin Park have picked up two noms apiece, while Amy Winehouse, Common, Lil Wayne, TV on the Radio, M.I.A., Thom Yorke and Spoon have also been noticed. Don't miss the show when it airs November 15 on mtvU. ... A source told the Chicago Sun-Times that Michael Jackson is planning big things for his long-gestating comeback album. Comparing the music being recorded to the tunes on Jackson's landmark Thriller album, the source speculated that the yet-untitled, unscheduled disc might contain appearances by sister Janet Jackson and some of the other Jackson siblings. ...

Millions have watched Chris Crocker scream "Leave Britney alone!" on his hugely popular viral-video clip that recently made the rounds, and now reality-TV programmer 44 Blue Productions is hoping to parlay that success onto the small screen. Variety reports that a TV documentary soap is being developed around the 19-year-old Internet sensation — who still lives with his grandparents in Tennessee. ... According to reports from London, Babyshambles frontman Pete Doherty — who has publicly stuggled with drugs — has written a song for fellow hot English mess, Amy Winehouse. The tune, "Amy on the Mend," was reportedly intended to lift Winehouse's spirits as she deals with her recent health issues and an alleged drug overdose last month, and was allegedly sent to Winehouse in a frame and signed, "Love, Pete." The Daily Star reported that the tune, timed with Winehouse's 24th birthday, features the lines, "Amy on the mend, all that passion to spend/ Like a paper Boadicea in a battle to the end, end, end." ...

Barry Bonds has piped up about Marc Ecko's move to let fans decide the fate of the baseball slugger's record-breaking 756th home-run ball, which Ecko won in an auction over the weekend, on Vote756.com. "He's stupid," Bonds said. "He's an idiot. He spent $750,000 on the ball and that's what he's doing with it? What he's doing is stupid." He added of the fans' voting, "All of those options don't weigh anything. In baseball, that number [756] stands." According to The Associated Press, Ecko issued a statement Wednesday saying he would make a custom T-shirt reading, "Marc Ecko paid $752,467 for my ball, and all I got was this 'stupid' T-shirt.' " Meanwhile, the hip-hop fashion mogul's philosophy has caught on — the man who submitted Bonds' record-tying home-run ball also plans to let fans vote on whether the item should go to Cooperstown or be destroyed. "I give [Ecko] a lot of credit in all sincerity," Ben Padnos told AP. "I understood the potential value in this." Speaking of which, there is one difference in Padnos' approach: He's selling ads on his Web site, EndtheDebate.com. ...

Owen Wilson was only supposed to have a minor cameo in Ben Stiller's "Tropic Thunder" flick, but all the same, Matthew McConaughey has stepped in to fill the actor's shoes after Wilson dropped out of the film following a suicide attempt last month, Variety reports. The movie, which is filming in Hawaii, will also star Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr. and others. ...

Former Great White tour manager Daniel Biechele is now eligible for parole, having served one-third of his four-year prison sentence, AP reports. Rhode Island's parole board will meet on Wednesday to decide whether to grant parole to Biechele, who was imprisoned for igniting pyrotechnics that sparked a deadly fire four years ago at the Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island. The blaze killed 100 people and injured more than 200 others.

• Snoop Dogg
• Dr. Dre
• 50 Cent
• Game
• Missy Elliott

Joel Madden
Photo: Evan Agostini/ Getty Images

Joel Madden spoke on Ryan Seacrest's radio show on Tuesday (September 18) about his plans to marry Nicole Richie, People reports. The Good Charlotte rocker — who saw his marriage-proposal secret slip after Regis Philbin spilled the beans — told Seacrest, "Obviously, marriage is in our future. I don't know when or where or how, but right now our priority is our family and is the baby. That's all we've been thinking about. We are in love and are really happy." Richie announced on "Good Morning America" in late July that she was four months pregnant. And it looks like Madden is taking on some of the shopping responsibilities. "I already went to Target and got a stroller and a playpen," he told Seacrest. ...

Vanessa Hudgens, who has recently been dogged by leaked nude photos, is facing a new problem: The "High School Musical" star's attorney is suing her for $150,000 in unpaid fees, TMZ.com reports. The suit, filed by Brian L. Schall, alleges that she owes him for contract-signing services dating back to October 2005 and that he wants 5 percent of her earnings. ...

Kanye West and Jay-Z were all smiles on Tuesday, the day before the first-week-sales figures for 'Ye's Graduation and 50 Cent's competing Curtis were due to be released. "Everyone is coming up to me and telling me how proud they are of me," West told The Associated Press, adding, "it feels overwhelming." Jay was a bit more cautious in his enthusiasm over the yet-unannounced results, saying, "We're not gloating. He's celebrating his win ... in his mind, he believed he could win the whole time." ...

Hell has frozen over ... and Zack de la Rocha has finally put the finishing touches on his forever-in-the-works solo LP, Billboard reports. According to the news outlet, sources say de la Rocha plays keyboards on the yet-untitled effort — which has been in the works since the singer initially left Rage Against the Machine in 2000 — and that it sounds like a cross between Led Zeppelin and Dr. Dre. Ex-Mars Volta drummer Jon Theodore also collaborated heavily on the album, according to Billboard, and some of it was recently recorded at Jack Johnson's Los Angeles studio. De la Rocha is reportedly unsigned and considering offers for how to distribute the LP. ...

Nicole Scherzinger is launching her second single this week, "Baby Love" (featuring Will.I.Am). But the Black Eyed Pea doesn't get to play her love interest in the video, despite the song being "about us being in love." "I love Will, but I'm not in love with Will," the singer laughed. "I have a guy playing my lover, a sweet guy with a great energy that I cast for it." Francis Lawrence (Britney Spears, Gwen Stefani) directed the clip, which takes place off the coast of Southern California's Catalina Island. ... Fat Joe has hooked up with Imperial Records — a division of Capitol and Terror Squad — for the release of his eighth album, The Elephant in the Room. The LP, due early next year, will be studded with stars: Diddy, Rick Ross and Fabolous make guest appearances, while Scott Storch, Danjahandz and DJ Khaled lend their production skills. ...

The last of four secret Van Halen rehearsal shows reportedly took place Sunday night in Los Angeles before more than 500 fans — including guitarists Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine and Kirk Hammett of Metallica. Also on hand, apparently, was Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde, who attempted to get onstage during the set but was denied by frontman David Lee Roth. In a video making the rounds on the Internet, Wylde, who appeared to be in the front row, tried to hoist himself onto the stage. Security shuffled in to remove him, but Roth took to the microphone. "Nah, nah, nah. Are you in show biz?" he said. "Then get off the stage. Get off the f---ing stage." ...

Legendary punk rockers the Sex Pistols have announced that they'll squeeze into their bondage pants again for one night only on November 8 at the Brixton Academy in London for a 30th anniversary celebration of the release of their landmark 1977 album, Never Mind the Bollocks ... Here's the Sex Pistols. Original singer John Lydon, guitarist Steve Jones, drummer Paul Cook and bassist Glen Matlock will be on hand for the show, the group's first in more than four years. Bollocks, the only studio album recorded by the Pistols, features such punk classics as "God Save the Queen" and "Anarchy in the U.K." ...

The Gorillaz are prepping their second B-sides collection, D-Sides. The 22-track double-disc is slated for release November 6 and will feature demos; B-sides ("68 State," "Murdoc Is God," "Hongkongaton"); and remixes of songs like "Kids With Guns" and "Dare" by everyone from DFA and Hot Chip to Jamie T and Soulwax. ... Our long national nightmare is over ... sort of. After years of holding out, Radiohead have finally begun offering their albums for download. The group, which has held back from offering landmarks like The Bends and OK Computer to iTunes in the past because of its dislike for the site's practice of allowing individual songs for download, is now offering all its albums and some early singles in a high-quality, DRM-free format on 7digital.com. The albums will only be sold as complete packages. ...

David Bowie has made a $10,000 donation to the Jena Six Legal Defense Fund and is lending his voice to aid the six black teenagers who defenders have said faced overly aggressive prosecution and extended incarceration over their role in an alleged altercation with a white classmate in the small town (population: 3,000) of Jena, Louisiana, last year. The teens are alleged to have assaulted a white student in December, months after an incident on campus in which three nooses were hung on a tree at the local high school set off a series of tense, racially charged confrontations. "There is clearly a separate and unequal judicial process going on in the town of Jena," Bowie said in a statement. "A donation to the Jena Six Legal Defense Fund is my small gesture indicating my belief that a wrongful charge and sentence should be prevented." Thousands of people, including rapper Mos Def, are expected to descend on the town on Thursday to protest the prosecution of the five teenagers and a minor. ...

Perry Farrell — whose Satellite Party has stumbled out of the starting gate with poor sales of their Ultra Payloaded debut — is kissing the major labels goodbye and launching his own indie label, Bells Are Ringing. Although it was originally released by Columbia in late May, Ultra Payloaded will now act as the first Bells Are Ringing release. "I'm very excited to become part of this new independent trend where artists will have more creative freedom, make higher profits on the sales of their music, and most of all, it allows me, the artist, to own my art, my masters," Farrell said in a statement. ... Don't tell Neil Young: Alabama Governor Bob Riley has announced that the state's tourism agency will be using Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama" to market the state next year, AP reports. The classic-rock song was released in 1974 as a response to Young, who was critical of the South. ...

The Dead Kennedys will release a greatest-hits collection on October 9 called Milking the Sacred Cow. The set will feature a dozen tracks, including "Holiday in Cambodia," "Too Drunk to F---" and "Halloween." ... The dates for Sevendust's upcoming Ladies Get Out of Jail Free Tour '07, along with 10 Years, Black Light Burns and Neverset, have been revealed. The trek launches October 19 in Maplewood, Minnesota, and gigs are booked through November 10 in Atlanta. ... 3rd Strike have re-formed with a brand-new lineup. The band is currently working on new songs and posted one of them, "Battlecry," on its MySpace page. The band has booked an October 19 gig at West Hollywood, California's Whisky A Go Go, and the gig will also feature Drowning Pool and the Exies. ...

Expect to see even more kids accompanying Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in the future. "We're not done," Pitt recently told AP. "[People] say, 'Any plans for a fifth?' And I say, 'And a sixth, and a seventh, and an eighth and a ninth.' That's my answer," he said. The actor, who stars in Friday's "Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford," also let it be known that he and Jolie have crafted a 9-foot-wide bed that fits them and their four children. "One more [child] and we'll have to go to 11 feet," he said. ...

Wesley Snipes must pay United Talent Agency $1.7 million in a default judgment issued Tuesday, according to CBS News. The company, which helped the "Blade" actor get roles in multiple films, sued him in July 2006 for an alleged breach of oral contract. UTA claims Snipes agreed to pay 10 percent of any money he earned for movie roles the talent agency got for him, but he did not pay commissions for "The Shooter," "Chaos" and other films.

09.17.07

Dave Grohl has opened up to U.K. newspaper The Guardian about the death of his former Nirvana bandmate Kurt Cobain. "Kurt dying shocked me into running away from music for a while," he divulged. "I started Foo Fighters because I didn't want to retreat. I couldn't imagine joining another band and sitting behind the drum set, because I would always think about Krist [Novoselic] and Kurt." Grohl also revealed that while one of the Foos' earliest songs, "I'll Stick Around," was not directed at Cobain's ex-wife, Courtney Love, he wouldn't be surprised if similar comparisons are made over "Let It Die." The song, featured on the Foos' new album, Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace, features the lyric "A simple man and his blushing bride/ Intravenous, intertwined." The tune was "written about feeling helpless to someone else's demise," Grohl said. "I've seen people lose it all to drugs and heartbreak and death. It's happened more than once in my life, but the one that's most noted is Kurt. And there are a lot of people that I've been angry with in my life, but the one that's most noted is Courtney. So it's pretty obvious to me that those correlations are gonna pop up every now and again. I still remain a little secretive about it all." ...

Even at Sunday night's Emmys, where he wasn't nominated for anything, Kanye West couldn't win. The rapper notorious for loudly expressing his award-show-freeze-out frustrations playfully lampooned his sore-loser reputation during a skit in which actor Rainn Wilson ("The Office") beat Kanye at a game of "Don't Forget the Lyrics" based on 'Ye's song "Stronger," with the loser doomed to retiring from show business. After West slipped up and sang "that's how long I've been on you," comedian Wayne Brady joked that Mr. West picked "the wrong time to speak properly," pointing out that the lyric ends with the words "on ya." A smiling West exclaimed, "I never win!" The consolation? West had a front-row seat for the Los Angeles ceremony, right next to multiple winner Tony Bennett. Later on in the evening, he popped over to Justin Timberlake's concert at the Staples Center for a rendition of West's "Stronger," according to TMZ.com. ...

The stars of "High School Musical" are still in negotiations for a third flick, Corbin Bleu told People magazine. "Truthfully as long as it's a good script and as long as everybody is being paid fairly, I would be more than happy to go and have one last hurrah," he said. The 18-year-old actor also revealed that he's never actually been to an "HSM" premiere due to various scheduling conflicts. ... Comic book fan Ghostface Killah is partnering with Adult Swim for a free tour set to hit college campuses next month. The trek, which will feature Witchdoctor as the opening act, will begin October 1 at the State University of New York in Albany and run through an October 19 gig at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. Indie-rockers ... And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead and Dethlok — the once-fictional animated band featured on the Adult Swim program "Metalocalypse" — are joining forces for a separate free trek, but shows have not been announced beyond the October 29 start date. ...

Will Ferrell isn't your typical actor, so it makes sense he wouldn't be your typical charity donor either — he's raising money for a friend's cancer foundation by auctioning a cameo spot in his new flick, The Associated Press reports. Online bidding for an appearance in "Step Brothers" began Monday and ends September 26, and the opening bid was $5,000. The winner will be announced September 27; get to meet with Ferrell at the Cancer for College golf tournament dinner at Temecula Creek Inn in Temecula, California; and shoot a scene with the actor in October. The proceeds will go to Craig Pollard's Cancer for College foundation — Pollard and Ferrell were fraternity brothers at the University of Southern California. ...

Apparently Nine Inch Nails mastermind Trent Reznor plans to disband the group's current lineup following the final gig on its current tour, which is set for Tuesday in Honolulu. Reznor told Honolulu's Star-Bulletin that he wants "to switch things around a bit." Nine Inch Nails, he said, "as a rock band configuration [has] done it and we've done it again. I see other ways I can present the material in concert, more challenging, something new. I don't want it to go stale." The band has been touring together for more than two years and currently includes drummer Josh Freese, guitarist Aaron North, bassist Jeordie White and keyboardist Alessandro Cortini. ... Marilyn Manson is teaming up with a French family-run distillery, Matter-Luginbuehl, to produce thousands of bottles of his own brand of absinthe, called "Mansinthe." Production on the line started last month, and so far, 6,000 bottles have been made. No word on when "Mansinthe" will be commercially available, or for that matter, where. ... Former Evanescence members Ben Moody and David Hodges have collaborated with Celine Dion for a track slated to appear on the singer's forthcoming Taking Chances LP, due November 13. The duo wrote and produced one track for Dion, called "This Time." ...

Live Nation, which runs the House of Blues chain, has either canceled or moved to alternate venues five heavy-metal concerts previously scheduled at House of Blues clubs located on Walt Disney Co. property in Anaheim, California, and Orlando, Florida, according to the Los Angeles Times. In Anaheim, a gig that had been booked two months earlier and was set to feature Machine Head, Arch Enemy, Throwdown and Sanctity on September 7 was moved to a different venue; a show that was supposed to feature Cannibal Corpse, the Black Dahlia Murder, the Red Chord and the Absence on September 13 was also shifted to a different club; and Obituary's planned September 26 concert has been canceled. Two other shows, scheduled for the House of Blues in Orlando, have been moved as well. John Vlautin, vice president of communications for Live Nation, said in a statement that "House of Blues offers a range of entertainment to match the audience at our venues. It was determined that the mix of entertainment at our two Disney locations should be different from our other venues." ...

After months of delays, the free-download site SpiralFrog finally launched on Monday, offering users the chance to choose from more than 700,000 songs and 3,500 videos from a number of independent labels and Universal Music Group acts like Amy Winehouse, Timbaland, Rihanna and Fall Out Boy. The ad-supported site requires users to wait 90 seconds while downloading tracks and sign in every month to answer some questions about their buying habits. Unfortunately for iPod users, the site doesn't work with the biggest-selling MP3 player, and users can't burn the songs onto CDs.

• Good Charlotte
• Nicole Scherzinger
• Will.I.Am
• Van Halen
• Fat Joe

Michael Anthony
Photo: Peter Kramer/ Getty Images

You've got to hand it to Michael Anthony: The dude is all about taking the high road.

While Anthony, Van Halen's original bassist, wasn't asked to participate in the band's long-awaited reunion trek with inaugural frontman David Lee Roth (see "Van Halen Reunite With David Lee Roth -- Tour Kicks Off September 27"), he doesn't seem all that miffed. Eddie Van Halen's 16-year-old son, Wolfgang, will be taking over on bass (see "Michael Anthony Says He Wasn't Invited To Van Halen Reunion, But Calls His Replacement 'A Great Kid' ").

So is Anthony disappointed? You betcha — but he's not going to let it ruin his fall.

"It's not like it was totally unexpected," he told MTV News during a recent interview, "only because of the strain from the 2004 tour and how everything's been since then." Anthony is referring to the band's 2004 reunion jaunt with Roth replacement Sammy Hagar, which grossed almost $55 million before ending on a sour note (at the conclusion of the run's final gig, guitarist Eddie Van Halen smashed one of his guitars and quickly walked offstage).

"That's the one thing that's really kind of sad," Anthony continued. "It would have been cool to get onstage with Dave again, but I'm not going to whine about it, because that's the way it is. Why waste my time trying to make a stink about it?"

Instead, Anthony is going to be hitting the road with Hagar this fall for a tour that kicks off in Biloxi, Mississippi, on October 19, and runs through November 17 in Sioux City, Iowa. The tour will feature Anthony's Mad Anthony Express, Los Tres Gusanos, the Other Half, and Sammy and the Wabos.

"I just want to go out and play for the fans," Anthony explained. "Sammy sold part of his tequila company and made a lot of money on that, so he doesn't have to do anything if he doesn't want to. But that's what it's all about — getting out there and playing. I'm not doing the Van Halen tour, so Sammy asked me to come out with him again."

He said everyone "and their mother" has been asking him why he's not doing the VH reunion run, and he's not sure what to tell them. Anthony dismissed rumors that his exclusion from the reunion tour had anything to do with his partnering with Hagar in the Other Half.

"I was touring with Sammy when Van Halen wasn't doing anything, and people said that got under their skin, and they felt like I was betraying them or whatever, which I really wasn't," Anthony explained. "I wasn't going to sit home and do nothing. My wife wanted my ass out of the house. So when Sammy called and said, 'Hey, want to come out and jam a song or two?' that's how it started. I don't know why I wasn't asked to do the tour."

In fact, he admits he hasn't spoken to Eddie since 2004 and agrees with many of the band's fans, who reject the notion that the forthcoming Roth run is a bona fide reunion.

"I know in the past there's been a lot of fighting and drama, but I'm not into all of that, especially now," he said. "And I'm not going to sit there and whine about it and call these guys mother------s and the whole bit. It is what it is, and if [Eddie] wants his kid to play with him, fine. But they're really throwing him into the lion's den right off the bat. This is going to be a tough enough tour for those three guys, having not played for so long, and then throwing [Wolfgang] in the mix? ... I hope he does OK. It's sad that the fans aren't going to see the original lineup."

But Anthony was most upset by Van Halen's reported attempts last month to erase him from the band's 35-year history. Fans lashed out at the band after photos of Anthony on Van Halen's official Web site were allegedly removed or replaced by an image of Wolfgang. The pictures were restored within hours, soon after fans took notice and began sounding off on various VH message boards.

"When I went on the Web site, that was probably more upsetting than anything else," he said. "On the first album especially, they replaced my picture with a picture of Wolfgang, and I was like, 'What's someone trying to do here?' I am proud of Van Halen's history, be it good or bad or whatever. I love everything about the band. I guess the fans spoke out, because the next day, they changed it back. I really don't know what to say to that. If that's the way they want to play it out, then that's the way they'll play it out."

The tour, he said, is "going to be interesting this year, because earlier in the year, Sammy did this cruise down to Cabo San Lucas, and he asked me if I wanted to play on the ship. I thought, 'Yeah, that'd be cool to do,' but I didn't want to get up there and just play with his band and do Hagar songs as I always do," Anthony said. "So I thought, 'I'll grab his guitarist Vic Johnson and his drummer David [Lauser], and we'll learn some early Van Halen stuff,' and somebody called it the Mad Anthony Express. We did a couple of shows and played the really old stuff: 'D.O.A.,' 'Atomic Punk.' I lead-sang it, and it was so much fun. So we did it again Father's Day weekend in Lake Tahoe, and I put this thing together. We opened the show, and everybody loved it so much, Sammy's going, 'Hey, we need to go out on tour and open with the early stuff.' So here I go."

Anthony said the tour with Hagar will run for about a month. Then there will be a brief break before the tour commences. They plan to keep it going up through next summer. He also said there's a chance he and Hagar will start working on music together and that it's possible the duo might release a record some point down the line.

• Van Halen, The Early Years

• Van Halen

2007 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Ceremony Inducts R.E.M., Van Halen, Grandmaster Flash And More

• Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
• R.E.M.
• Van Halen
• Pearl Jam
• Velvet Revolver

The Week In Pictures For February 23, 2007

• Britney Spears
• Kevin Federline
• Van Halen
• My Chemical Romance
• Carrie Underwood

Van Halen, The Early Years

• Van Halen

R.E.M., Van Halen Lead Rock And Roll Hall 2007 Inductees

• R.E.M.
• Van Halen
• Patti Smith
• Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
• The Ronettes