Eddie Vedder in the video for "No More"
Photo: Warner Bros.

On Monday (March 17), online political and social action community Think MTV is hosting the world premiere of Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder's "No More" video, a powerful clip calling for the end of the war in Iraq.

The video provides viewers with a window into the life of Tomas Young, a 26-year-old Army veteran, who was shot and paralyzed from the chest down after serving in Iraq for less than a week. Young's powerful and inspiring story served as the subject of a documentary called "Body of War," produced by legendary talk-show host Phil Donahue and Ellen Spiro, slated to hit select theaters later this month.

Young enlisted just two days after the attacks of September 11, intent on fighting those responsible for the deaths of thousands. The documentary details how he turned his personal suffering into political activism, as it questions the conflict that cost him his mobility.

"I shake my fist in impotent rage whenever I hear more evidence that the war [for which] I lost my ability to walk — and so many other things — could have been avoided entirely," Young says in a video interview with Vedder on Think.

In Vedder's video, Young's post-Iraq life is chronicled with painful imagery, interspersed with footage of Vedder performing the song. The clip shows Young maneuvering his wheelchair (which he says is in poor condition and falling apart), speaking to large crowds about his experience overseas and measuring out pain medication in his bed. There's also footage of war protests, images of a laughing George W. Bush, video of Young getting in and out of his chair and segments showing the veteran meeting with politicians to discuss his struggles.

The video ends with the some startling statistics of the war: the number of soldiers who've lost their lives in the war (nearly 4,000), those wounded in combat (28,770), Iraqi casualties (1.2 million), the number of homeless Iraq war veterans (200,000) and veteran suicides (120 a week).

While working on the song, Vedder and Young formed a friendship, which is detailed on Vedder's and Young's Think profiles. In fact, some of the lyrics to "No More" were culled from Young's own words about the war, which Vedder said "helped me say those things with conviction."

"Tomas has taught me a great deal, and our friendship has become one of depth and sincerity," Vedder said. "It has been a mind-expanding experience. I see how he relies on the strength of the songs to help him through each day. It is a true living example of the power of music."

Talking to people like Young and the mothers of soldiers who did not come back from Iraq has proved to Vedder "that this [war] has to stop — like, today."

On Tuesday, two days before the fifth anniversary of America's invasion of Iraq, Sire Records will release Body of War: Songs That Inspired an Iraq War Veteran, a two-CD compilation featuring songs handpicked by Young. The set includes Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder's previously unreleased, live version of "No More," which was specifically written for the "Body of War" documentary and performed with Ben Harper at last summer's Lollapalooza in Chicago's Grant Park.

Body of War: Songs That Inspired an Iraq War Veteran also boasts tracks from Bright Eyes, Neil Young, Bad Religion, John Lennon, Lupe Fiasco, Bruce Springsteen, System of a Down frontman Serj Tankian, Kimya Dawson, Laura Cantrell and the Nightwatchman.

"The compilation record was an idea that grew out of my love of music and my reliance on it before, during, and after the war," Young said. "The songs I selected for the record were tracks that inspired, motivated, and at times, literally saved me over the past few years."

Sale proceeds from the record will benefit the nonprofit organization Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW), which strives to give a voice to the large number of active-duty service people and veterans who are against the war but are under pressure to remain silent.

Get informed! Head to Choose or Lose for nonstop coverage of the 2008 presidential election, including everything from the latest news on the candidates to on-the-ground multimedia reports from our 51 citizen journalists, MTV and MySpace's Presidential Dialogues and much more.

• Eddie Vedder

Alicia Keys
Photo: Columbia

Alicia Keys took home four trophies from the NAACP Image Awards, held at Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium Thursday night. She won the Outstanding Album and Outstanding Female Artist prizes, as well as the top video and song awards. Other honorees included Chris Brown, Jordin Sparks, Denzel Washington and Janet Jackson. Washington and his "Great Debaters" co-star Jurnee Smollett won the Best Actor and Actress prizes for film, while Jackson received the Best Supporting Actress honor for her work in "Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?" ...

As Britney Spears' father extended control over her affairs in Los Angeles on Thursday, a New York attorney attempted to undo them by taking the conservatorship to federal court. Claiming he represents the singer — despite a judge already deciding she's unable to retain counsel of her own just yet — attorney Jon Eardley filed a claim that the singer's conservatorship deprives her of her civil liberties, since she's been denied the right to meet freely with whom she chooses (as her father has the power to restrict visitors); make and receive phone calls (since a restraining order prevents manager Sam Lutfi from contacting her); drive a car (since her father hired security to do that for her); and gain access to money or credit cards (since her finances are being handled by her trust). "She is being confined ... to the private person of her own home," the suit reads. Eardley is represented by Lutfi's publicist, Michael Sands, who claims that the motion moves jurisdiction from Los Angeles Superior Court to the U.S. District Court, and voids the conservatorship: "Britney Spears has no conservatorship!" he said in a press release. However, the Los Angeles Superior Court responded, "This is an issue that will have to be litigated by the parties." ...

Paramore and Jimmy Eat World have rolled out dates for their much-anticipated co-headlining tour. The 20-date outing will take them from San Antonio on April 1 to Atlantic City, New Jersey, on May 2, with stops in California, Iowa, New York and elsewhere along the way. ...

Eddie Vedder has sketched out the itinerary for his first-ever solo tour, which he will stage in support of his Grammy-nominated "Into the Wild" soundtrack, according to Billboard.com. The Pearl Jam frontman will swing through Vancouver, British Columbia, on April 2, after which he'll play a smattering of shows in various California cities: Santa Cruz (April 5), Berkeley (April 7), Santa Barbara (April 10), Los Angeles (April 12-13) and San Diego (April 15). ... The Raconteurs are wrapping up their yet-untitled sophomore effort in Nashville, according to a recent post on their MySpace page. The post wasn't forthcoming with more details, although it did say, "They promise to release [the LP] as soon as they can." ...

U2 frontman Bono and British artist Damien Hirst raised $42 million for HIV/AIDS programs in Africa at a Sotheby's auction in New York on Thursday, according to The Associated Press. The (Red) Auction, co-organized by the Gagosian Gallery, sold pieces from some of the world's top contemporary artists. Sotheby's said model Christy Turlington bought a piece for $170,500. "We got serious about love, and not just the love of art, but the love of our brothers and sisters suffering from AIDS in the poorest places on the planet," Bono said, according to BBC News. ...

Coheed and Cambria, Incubus and Disturbed have been added to the roster for this year's Download Festival in England (June 13-15). They join a lineup that already features Kiss, Judas Priest, the Offspring, Motörhead, H.I.M, Children of Bodom, Rise Against, Lostprophets, Alter Bridge and In Flames. ... Aerosmith are starring in a new edition of "Guitar Hero" called, er, "Guitar Hero: Aerosmith." Due in the summer, the game will feature 30 or so songs by the Boston legends, as well as ones by bands that have opened for Steven Tyler's crew. ...

Chan Marshall — better known as Cat Power — has bulked up her tour schedule in support of her recently released album, Jukebox, according to Pitchfork. Following an April 10 show in Vancouver, British Columbia, she will hit up Seattle the following day and continue playing gigs through an April 20 show at Austin, Texas' South by Southwest fest. Two days later, she'll perform in Houston, after which she'll journey down to Mexico City for an April 23 performance. ... The National — whose last album, Boxer, made many critics' top 10 lists last year — have slipped out a live EP through Rhapsody, Pitchfork reports. The release, called Rhapsody Rocks NYC, contains four songs recorded at New York's CMJ Music Marathon last year. ...

Butch Walker has slapped together a new live album, but in case you're running low on funds these days, don't worry — he's posted the 24-track effort for free download at FriendsorEnemies.com. Devout fans can get the release with bonus tracks for $5.99. ... Portishead have firmed up their first album in 10 years. Third will drop April 29 and feature 11 songs, including "Nylon Smile," "Magic Doors" and "The Rip." ...

Yoko Ono has denied reports that she was planning legal action against singer Lennon Murphy, who has sought to trademark the name of her band, Lennon. In a letter to the technology blog BoingBoing, Ono explained that several years ago, Lennon Murphy sought Ono's permission to perform under her birth name, Lennon Murphy, which Ono did not object to. But later, without Ono's knowledge, the singer reportedly filed an application in the U.S. Trademark Office requesting the exclusive right to utilize the name "Lennon" for musical performances. Ono's attorneys asked Murphy's lawyers and manager to withdraw the registration, offering to cover all costs Murphy had incurred in filing for the trademark. When Murphy went ahead with the registration anyway, Ono said she did not sue Murphy, but had her attorneys notify the trademark office that Ono did not believe it was fair that Murphy be granted the exclusive right to the Lennon trademark for musical and entertainment services. Ono wrote, "I am really hurt if people thought that I told a young artist to not use her own name in her performances and had sought to sue her. I did no such thing. I hope this allegation will be cleared." ...

Borders Books is trying a new method to appeal to music downloaders. According to a press release, the retailer will roll out 14 new concept stores this year featuring "digital centers" that will allow customers to burn CDs and download music and books to most MP3 players, though not to iPods.

2.14.08

Avril Lavigne, who was once known as the "anti-Britney," now has nothing but sympathy for the pop star, as she reveals in the new issue of Maxim. "No one else has it as hard as Britney," she told the magazine. "I feel bad for her. How does she even think with all those flashbulbs? When I'm being followed, everything's thrown off. They run red lights. They cause accidents. She can't even walk to her car. F---ing stalkers." Lavigne, who has been known to flip off and spit on the paparazzi in the past, also said she's disgusted at speculation that she's pregnant with her first child. "Remember in high school when people would start fake rumors about you?" she asked. "Well, this isn't high school. It's like, the entire world." Check out more Avril photos from the mag's March issue at Maxim.com. ...

A Los Angeles judge decided Thursday (February 14) to extend the temporary conservatory powers that Britney Spears' father has over the singer's affairs — at least through the next hearing, on March 10. Jamie Spears had been granted control to oversee Britney's well-being and her estate earlier this month, along with co-conservator Andrew Wallet. Court-appointed investigator Samuel Ingham told the court Thursday that he had not finished his psychological evaluation of the singer and was granted an extension until the next hearing. Also by March 10, Britney must undergo a 730 evaluation to study her family to determine the best custody arrangements, Commissioner Reva Goetz decided. Goetz also named Britney's older brother, Bryan — who used to work on her former management team — along with New York estate attorney Ivan Taback as co-trustees for the singer's trust while she is considered unable to manage her own affairs. Meanwhile, Britney's current manager Sam Lutfi has yet to be served with a restraining order. The lawyers for the conservatorship concluded that Lutfi was intentionally avoiding being served because they'd already spent over 200 hours trying to reach him. A hearing about the restraining order is scheduled for February 22. ...

Beyoncé's father, Mathew Knowles, isn't too happy about Aretha Franklin scolding his daughter for comments she made about the Queen of Soul at Sunday's Grammy Awards. "Something this ridiculous — it's childish, it's unprofessional," he said in a statement on Thursday, according to People. "And it's a sad day when egos get bruised because somebody used the word 'king,' 'queen,' 'prince' or 'princess.' " Beyoncé introduced Tina Turner as "the queen" during the ceremony, after which Franklin released a statement in which she said, "I am not sure of whose toes I may have stepped on or whose ego I may have bruised between the Grammy writers and Beyoncé. ... However, I dismissed it as a cheap shot for controversy." ...

Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, Ricky Martin and others are voicing support for Alejandro Sanz after the cancellation of a concert he intended to play in Venezuela, Reuters reports. In 2004, the Latin American singer claimed President Hugo Chávez had tried to quash a campaign for a recall referendum against him. Sanz supporters are reportedly accusing Chávez of censorship in the wake of the concert cancellation. ... White Stripes are getting some extra lovin' at Best Buy, Pitchfork reports. The retail chain is selling a five-track EP surrounding the band's new single, "Conquest," that features all the accompanying B-sides that were previously available only on vinyl or in digital form. The EP comes free with the purchase of the band's Icky Thump album, or it can be bought separately. ...

Well, so much for all those reunion tours. A day after Billboard.com reported that the Police would be retiring for good after their upcoming North American trek comes news that the reunited Spice Girls likely won't go on either. Geri Halliwell — or Ginger Spice, to the fans — told the site she isn't anticipating a follow-up to the group's current run, which ends February 26 in Toronto. "It probably won't happen ever again," she said. "I'm still absolutely blown away that we did more than one show. So right now I'm thinking this is it. This is the last time you will ever get to see this Girl Power, the five Spices on the stage as one." Still, she added the requisite nugget of wisdom: "You can never say never." ...

The Smashing Pumpkins have dished up an unreleased track, "SuperChrist," for a limited-edition CD that will be made available March 1 at Guitar Center locations, according to Billboard.com. The compilation disc, which doesn't have a name, was curated by Billy Corgan and the gang — they picked acts that feature Guitar Center employees based on submissions from them. "SuperChrist" was a leftover track from the Pumpkins' 2007 album, Zeitgist, and the band has previously played it on tour. An accompanying video will premiere February 27 on MySpace. ... Guitar Center has another limited-edition goody too: a Roland RZA/Forat Custom MV8800 machine designed by the RZA and electronic trailblazer Bruce Forat. The hand-painted device features original artwork by the two, including allusions to the Wu-Tang Clan's recent 8 Diagrams LP. If you're interested in getting one, though, you'll have to throw down big bucks and act fast when they go on sale February 28: Only eight machines are being made available, and they cost a pricey $5,999 apiece. ...

Christina Aguilera has "never had more respect for the female body," the new mom told People for its new issue, which hits newsstands Friday. She added of her C-section to deliver her 4-week-old son, Max: "The hardest part was deciding on his birthday. I wanted to leave it up to fate, but at the same time I was ready to be done early!" The singer, who shared photos of her baby with the magazine, said she intends to start recording in her home studio this month. As for what she and husband Jordan Bratman have been spinning lately, she revealed: "Yesterday we had Led Zeppelin blaring through the house. Most new moms play Beethoven, but we're playing Metallica, Bob Marley, the Stones." ...

An interview with Michelle Williams in which she addressed her breakup with Heath Ledger, who died from an accidental drug overdose late last month, has just been published. "Obviously so much has changed for me in the last few months that I don't really have an idea of what my life is going to be," Williams told the U.K.'s Wonderland Magazine for what is said to be her last interview before the actor's death. "I thought I knew certain things and it turned out that I didn't, so I don't really try and anticipate so much anymore. I'm not making any bets on the future." ...

Chris Rock has been confirmed to appear the 2008 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, taking place June 12-15 in Manchester, Tennessee. He's just one of more than a dozen comedians set to perform at the fest — a list that also includes David Cross and Janeane Garofolo — but he's the only one that'll do his work from Bonnaroo's main stage (the same stage Kanye West, Pearl Jam and Metallica will appear on) in front of 80,000 somewhat-dazed-and-confused festival-goers. ...

Madonna premiered her directorial debut Wednesday at the Berlin Film Festival, but she said the flick didn't come without a "struggle." Madge and members of the "Filth and Wisdom" cast also held a press conference, during which she said, "One of the themes that I explore in the film is struggle, and if I look back to the beginning of my career, I can recall those moments of struggle like it was yesterday. There are aspects of [the characters'] struggle that I could relate to completely, and I could access that memory and put it into the story." ...

Moby is building anticipation for his upcoming album, Last Night, with an exclusive downloadable preview mix at RCRDLBL.com. Last Night, meanwhile, is due April 1. ... As it turns out, Moby has something in common with Norah Jones, Lou Reed, David Byrne and Scissor Sisters: a mutual distaste for the Iraq war. The musicians will come together March 18 — the fifth anniversary of the Iraq invasion — in New York for "Speak Up!: A Benefit Concert for Peace in Iraq & Justice at Home." The event will take place at St. Ann's Warehouse in Brooklyn. ...

Broken Social Scene have lumped more dates onto their upcoming world tour, Pitchfork reports. In addition to Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Singapore, the band will also hit Taiwan, Mexico, Turkey, Luxembourg, Russia, the U.K., France, and the U.S. ... Battles are gearing up for some road action too: The band, adored by indie-philes, will play Bonnaroo June 12, after which it will swing through Washington, D.C., two days later, and then Philadelphia the day after that. ... Kristin Hersh, Cornershop's Anthony Saffery, Dirty Vegas' Steve Smith and others have concocted heartfelt covers of songs made famous by Joe Cocker, Bill Withers and others in time for Valentine's Day. Expansion Team Records just released Souvenirs, which contains the tracks, in CD and digital form. ...

Clear Channel Broadcasting — the media giant that owns the radio station that promoted the fatal Great White show in 2003 at the Station club in West Warwick, Rhode Island — agreed Wednesday to pay $22 million for more than 100 claims stemming from the fire that claimed 100 lives. According to The Boston Globe, the settlement is linked to Clear Channel's WHJY-FM, which ran ads for the show, where station DJ Michael Gonsalves was killed after introducing the band onstage. "We continue to be deeply saddened by the tremendous harm suffered by the victims, their families and the community as a result of this tragic fire," Andy Levin, chief legal officer of Clear Channel Communications, said in a written statement. "While Clear Channel had no role in causing or contributing to this fire, we are pleased to resolve these claims and, hopefully, contribute in some way to a sense of resolution for the affected victims and their families." The settlement comes on the heels of a $30 million tentative agreement reached three weeks ago with Rhode Island TV station WPRI-TV, whose photographer was accused of standing in the way of patrons attempting to escape the burning building. ...

Three people were arrested at Sunday's Grammy Awards on suspicion of using stolen passes to get access to the show. According to The Associated Press, Sebastian Bonner, 20, was arrested after he tried to enter the event at Los Angeles' Staples Center using one of nine stolen all-access passes. Courtney Mitchell, 30, and Pamela Clay, 44, were found with someone else's event ID card and arrested on suspicion of receiving stolen property. Police believe the motive was a desire to see celebrities. "We eliminated that this wasn't something more serious than some people who wanted to see the Grammys who are star-struck," Commander Andrew Smith said. Police believe someone on the inside sold the IDs to friends and acquaintances. ... On Tuesday, Oklahoma State University forwarded a list of 11 student names to the Recording Industry Association of America, in compliance with a court order in the RIAA lawsuit accusing the students of unlawfully downloading copyrighted recordings using school servers. The students had filed a motion to quash their subpoenas, but the judge denied it and ordered the school to turn over their names. Wired.com reported that the move by OSU was the latest incidence of a university complying with the RIAA's newest tactic in combating illegal file-sharing.

• Alicia Keys
• Britney Spears
• Eddie Vedder
• Bono
• U2

Madonna
Photo: Dave Hogan/ Getty Images

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

12.5.07

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kanye West
Photo: Michael Buckner/ Getty Images

For the last month or so, everyone in the music industry has been abuzz about Kanye West and 50 Cent — or more specifically, the epic sales campaign the two waged during the weeks leading up to the September 11 release of their latest LPs, 'Ye's Graduation and Fif's Curtis.

And last week the results came in, with West the undisputed victor (see "Kanye West's Sales Triumph, By The Numbers: He Thumped 50 Cent In Almost Every Market" and "Kanye West Pounds 50 Cent In First Week Of Album Showdown"). But who'd come out on top after week two? Would West's sales continue to eclipse 50's, or would the tables turn, resulting in a come-from-behind coup?

Well, neither ended up being the case, and the results stayed pretty much the same: Sales of Graduation were significantly stronger than those generated by Curtis, and interest in both sets waned. According to the latest SoundScan totals, sales for West's latest dipped 76 percent, while Curtis suffered a 79 percent sales cut. What this all means, basically, is there's a new name in the #1 position on next week's Billboard albums sales chart, and that name is Reba.

What's even more surprising than the bubbly, fire-fleeced country sweetheart and former star of the now-canceled CW sitcom "Reba" surpassing the two biggest hip-hop releases of the year so far? The fact that the album is the first #1 of McEntire's 30-year career.

McEntire's Reba Duets — which features collaborations with artists like LeAnn Rimes, Kelly Clarkson, Rascal Flatts, Don Henley, Justin Timberlake, Faith Hill and Kenny Chesney — sold more than 300,500 copies during its first week in record stores to claim the chart's peak position. Reba's previous best was a #2 bow for 1994's Read My Mind. That drops West's Graduation to #2 with close to 226,000 scans and 50's Curtis to #3 with 143,000 sold. (In just two short weeks, Graduation has sold nearly 1.2 million copies.)

Right behind 50 at #4 this week is the new one from Barry Manilow, The Greatest Songs of the Seventies, which sold 113,000 units. Along with Reba, Manilow was one of 30 newcomers to next week's top 200, and one of six to debut in the top 10. Following Chesney's Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates (which falls to #5 with 112,200 copies sold) and the soundtrack to the Disney Channel original movie "High School Musical 2" (at #6 with 99,400 scans) at #7 is the latest from James Blunt, All the Lost Souls; the disc sold a reported 92,400 copies.

Next, bowing at #8, is Ultimate Victory, the new one from Chamillionaire, with 79,000 in first-week sales. The #9 spot belongs to KT Tunstall's Drastic Fantastic, with week-one scans clocked at 49,700, and, rounding things out with a #10 opener, it's Twista's Adrenaline Rush 2007, which sold 40,700 units.

Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder's first crack at going solo, the soundtrack to Sean Penn's "Into the Wild" flick, debuts at #11, selling 39,300-plus copies. With 38,300 scans, the latest from emotive Finnish metallers H.I.M., Venus Doom, follows at #12, while Motion City Soundtrack's Even If It Kills Me opens at #16, selling 33,000 copies. The Very Best of Diana Krall bows at #19, while Celtic punks the Dropkick Murphys claim the #20 position with The Meanest of Times, which scanned more than 28,200 copies.

Meanwhile, Gloria Estefan's 90 Millas comes in at #25, having generated more than 23,700 scans, and at #26, with 23,600 sold, it's former Dire Straits leader Mark Knopfler's latest solo effort, Kill to Get Crimson. One Chance, the debut album from "Britain's Got Talent" winner Paul Potts, follows at #30 with 22,100 sold, and New Found Glory's cinema-themed covers collection, From the Screen to Your Stereo Part II, pops up at #42 with 15,500 sold.

Playlist, Babyface's latest, finishes in the #48 slot, having sold 13,700 units, while Between the Buried and Me's Colors trails in the #57 spot with sales of 12,600. Right behind them at #58 is Thousand Foot Krutch's The Flame in All of Us, which sold 12,500 copies. Rise to Power, the second studio LP by Miami rapper Rick Ross, follows at #62 with 11,600 copies scanned and bagged, while death metallers the Black Dahlia Murder's Nocturnal opens at #72 with 9,600 sold. Train frontman Pat Monahan's first solo outing, Last of Seven, bows at #82 with 8,200 scans.

The Donnas return to the top 200 at #89, having sold 7,600 copies of their new one, Bitchin', while metal act Suicide Silence's The Cleansing cleared 7,000 scans, earning them the chart's #94 opening. Gospel outfit Trin-I-Tee 5:7's T57 debuts in the #102 position with 6,700 sold, while Broken Social Scene Presents Kevin Drew: Spirit If... claims the #113 spot with just over 6,000 copies grabbed up.

Gospel artist Byron Cage's Live at the Apollo: The Proclamation opens at #118 with 5,700 copies sold, while Ministry's swan song, The Last Sucker, comes in at #130, selling 5,000 units. Doom-metal force High on Fire's Death Is This Communion comes in at #142 with 4,500 scans, followed five spots down at #147 by German metallers Rammstein's live offering, Völkerball, which sold close to 4,500 copies. And last but not least, finishing out the week at #173, it's the debut solo album from Havoc, one-half of the hip-hop duo Mobb Deep; The Kush sold 3,900 units its first week in stores.

• Kanye Topped 50, But Who's The Real Winner?

• Reba McEntire
• Kanye West
• 50 Cent
• James Blunt
• Eddie Vedder

Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder performs at Lollapalooza on Sunday
Photo: Aaron Pinkston/MTV News

Before a crowd that stretched as far as the eye could see, Pearl Jam closed out Lollapalooza on Sunday night with a galvanizing two-hour set that also featured a guest spot from Ben Harper, appearances from an anti-war Iraq veteran and former NBA star Dennis Rodman — and lyrics from Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2" slipped into "Daughter," during which singer Eddie Vedder altered the lyrics to, "George Bush: Leave this world alone!" (See "Pearl Jam Electrify; Amy Winehouse, Lupe Fiasco, Kings Of Leon Also Help Cap Lollapalooza.")

Oh, wait, you didn't hear that part?

Maybe you were watching the live "Blue Room" webcast of Lollapalooza beamed out by main Lollapalooza sponsor AT&T. According to the band and a number of its fans, PJ were informed after the show that some segments of their performance were missing from the AT&T broadcast — namely the anti-Bush statements, which led them to suspect that the broadcast may have been censored by AT&T.

"We responded on the site to our fans because they sent in multiple inquiries asking about the webcast being cut," longtime PJ spokesperson Nicole Vandenberg said about the post on PJ's official Web site on Wednesday responding to the controversy. "We were told via Lollapalooza, who spoke to AT&T, that it was the result of an overzealous content engineer who made a mistake. But ... I think the bigger question here is this: What is AT&T doing to ensure that 'mistakes' like this don't happen in the future?

"We aren't talking about them editing the word 'f---' out," Vandenberg continued, after acknowledging that mistakes often happen during such high-pressure, live events. "We're talking about them editing out content in a song that referenced the president. I'm curious as to why this content monitor thought that might concern them? I'm interested in knowing whether AT&T thinks this is the only 'content monitor' who will ever make a mistake of this nature?"

The other line cut from the webcast was, "George Bush: Find yourself another home."

Steve Schwadron, a spokesperson for AT&T, told MTV News on Thursday that the editing of the performance was not intentional and was "a mistake by one of our webcast vendors." Adam Smith — executive vice president of the vendor, music-consulting firm Davey Brown Entertainment, which produced the webcast for AT&T — also said the edit was an unintended error. "It was a mistake," Smith said. "Our policy is not to edit any performance at all — never, ever. We take responsibility for the mistake."

Though nothing else was edited out of the broadcast, Smith said he was not able to explain why the only edits happened to be the two anti-Bush statements. Brown Entertainment was in control of the standard two-minute delay AT&T requires for the non-age-restricted Blue Room broadcasts.

"We completely regret this mistake by an individual who was subcontracted by AT&T," Schwadron said. "It is not part of our policy and I can't tell you what that person was thinking. This was not a censorship issue — it was a mistake that is completely against our policy and it was a solitary incident not tied to any larger theme. We completely disagree with what took place."

Schwadron said AT&T is working with PJ to post the song in its entirety soon.

Fans responding on the group's message boards were angry and confused. "I thought it was a glitch on the webcast (which is common), not censorship," wrote a user named Marie Curie. "Scott" wrote that he unplugged his speakers to fix the problem, which he thought had to do with his virus-riddled computer.

However, it was no surprise to "Mr Bungle," who wrote that, "My wife and I called it right away, as soon as Ed started bashing Bush, the audio cut out. It was so obvious it was being censored."

In their post on the controversy, the band wrote, "AT&T's actions strike at the heart of the public's concerns over the power that corporations have when it comes to determining what the public sees and hears through communications media.

"If a company that is controlling a webcast is cutting out bits of our performance — not based on laws, but on their own preferences and interpretations — fans have little choice but to watch the censored version," the post continues. "What happened to us this weekend was a wake-up call, and it's about something much bigger than the censorship of a rock band."

A report on the controversy on the left-leaning Huffington Post blog took a harsher view of the incident, tying the subcontractor error to a larger theme of what it claimed was AT&T's history of bad faith with its customers when it comes to issues like handing over private phone records and speaking out against the concept of Net neutrality, which proponents say will guarantee the freedom of Internet content from manipulation by the large companies that supply Internet connections.

Pearl Jam has promised to post the complete, unedited Lollapalooza version of "Daughter" on their Web site soon and has promised to work harder in the future to ensure that their live broadcasts/webcasts are free from "arbitrary" edits.

"I don't see this as a fight," said Vandenberg. "I see it as an opportunity for AT&T to take steps to ensure that this sort of thing doesn't happen, and for the public to see how easily it can happen ... it's really just an unfortunate incident that occurred, that happens to reflect the issues at the heart of the debate around Net neutrality and media consolidation in general."

Seen a great show? MTV News wants your photos, videos and reports from all the latest concerts for our new You R Here community. Check out the site to read, rate and comment on reviews from around the globe. We'll put the best stuff on our You R Here blog, and even in on-air news!

• A Look Back At Lollapalooza 2007

• Pearl Jam, Amy Winehouse, Lupe Fiasco, M.I.A., More At Lollapalooza 2007

• Pearl Jam
• Eddie Vedder

The Ramones
Photo: Warner Bros.

About the only thing Eddie Vedder, Metallica, U2 and Tom Waits have in common is that they're all fans of the Ramones and they're all featured on We're a Happy Family: A Tribute to the Ramones.

The disc, due in February, was spearheaded by Rob Zombie and features a variety of acts playing songs by the legendary New York punk band (see "Rob Zombie Finalizes Ramones Tribute With Last-Minute Adds"). Since the pioneering group relied on three-chord riffs and basic instrument skills, it's not hard to cover the Ramones, but it's hard to cover the Ramones well.

Many of the covers on We're a Happy Family are pretty faithful to the originals. Offspring's "I Wanna Be Sedated" could almost be mistaken for the Ramones themselves. While the band is a tad tighter than the Ramones typically were, vocalist Dexter Holland sings in a voice that sounds remarkably like Joey Ramone.

Similarly, Rancid's bombastic "Sheena Is a Punk Rocker" is reverentially delivered with the speed and power of a blender on "puree," and Green Day cleanly blast through "Outsider," demonstrating they have a grasp for both East Coast and West Coast punk.

Though U2 vocalist Bono sings "Beat on the Brat" in a tender, lovestruck voice, his bandmates tear into the cut with vigor and ferocity. And while Garbage give "I Just Wanna Have Something to Do" a modern electro sheen, they perform the song in a way that's instantly recognizable.

Not surprisingly, singer/songwriter Pete Yorn plays "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" with passion and sensitivity; surprisingly he rocks it up to the point where it's just as powerful as Metallica's version of "53rd & 3rd."

Other songs on the record bear a less direct resemblance to the Ramones. "Red Hot Chili Peppers" turn "Havana Affair" into a pepper pot of scribbley guitar, meandering basslines and Anthony Kiedis' distinctive vocals. Rob Zombie reconfigures "Blitzkrieg Bop" into a churning beast of effects and lunging guitars.

Marilyn Manson's neo-gothic take on "KKK Took My Baby Away" is even more extreme, filled with breathy, moaning vocals, industrial percussion and an effect that sounds like a synchronized military march.

However, the winner of the most unusual Ramones interpretation is Tom Waits, who along with Primus' Les Claypool converts "Return of Jackie and Judy" into a ramshackle, twisted blues rocker with cigarette-scarred vocals.

Eddie Vedder and punk band Zeke contributed two songs to the album — a melodic but pounding version of "I Believe in Miracles" and a room-shaking rendition of "Daytime Dilemma (Dangers of Love)."

Other acts with songs on We're a Happy Family are the Pretenders, Kiss and Rooney

• The Ramones
• Garbage
• Marilyn Manson
• Metallica
• U2

Rob Zombie
Photo: MTV News

Fans growing impatient for the release of the Ramones tribute album We're a Happy Family now have a good reason to turn that frown upside down.

The track list for the LP, which is currently being mastered, and a tentative street date of November 5 were announced via a posting on the Web site of Rob Zombie, who is serving as co-producer along with guitarist Johnny Ramone.

Although Zombie himself vouched for the accuracy of the most specific details concerning the album since he first announced plans for it in November (see "Rob Zombie Helming Ramones Tribute Album"), a spokesperson for Columbia Records, the label which intends to release the LP, couldn't confirm them at press time.

"The project just snowballed," Zombie said on Monday of the time-consuming effort that went into assembling the album. "You start a project, and everyone is like, 'Well, who else is on it?' 'Well, no one yet.' So everyone waits to see what everyone else is doing. As we started confirming people like Red Hot Chili Peppers and U2, everyone was like, 'Now I want to do it!'"

Besides previously reported tracks from Green Day, Marilyn Manson, U2 and Eddie Vedder, who collaborated with Seattle thrashers Zeke for his contributions, the track list reveals new additions such as the Pretenders' "Something to Believe In"; the last entry, Pete Yorn's "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend"; Tom Waits' "Return of Jackie and Judy"; Kiss' "Do You Remember Rock and Roll Radio?" (a late addition Zombie said was among his favorite cuts); and "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow" by newcomers Rooney (see "L.A. Rockers Rooney Get A Hand From Weezer, Britney, 'NSYNC"). Although the inclusion of a new band yet to drop their debut may seem odd alongside songs by such veteran artists, Zombie explained that the bandmembers are friends with Johnny, who invited them to the party.

Tragedy helped Metallica — who couldn't decide which song of a possible eight being considered (four of which had been recorded) they would deliver to Zombie — finally settle on one, according to a Metallica spokesperson (see "Rob Zombie's Ramones Tribute LP Just Waiting For Metallica"). Upon learning of the death of Ramones bassist Dee Dee in June (see " 'Dee Dee Ramone Was Punk Rock' To Friends, Fans"), they eliminated the other recorded options, "Commando," "Today Your Love, Tomorrow the World" and "Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue," and went with "53rd & 3rd," Dee Dee's signature song about his early days spent hustling in midtown Manhattan. The fate of the other recorded tracks are unknown, the spokesperson said.

Vedder and Zeke recorded two tracks for the LP, "I Believe in Miracles" and "Daytime Dilemma," though the latter will appear only as a bonus track limited to the album's initial pressing.

Not only does We're a Happy Family sound like a great listen, Zombie took special care to ensure that the album's artwork and packaging were comparable to the music, so he designed it himself with the intention to make it as elaborate as possible. Zombie described the finished product to be a gatefold Digipak containing never-before-published photos of the Ramones from the early '70s to up until their very last farewell tour, taken by the band's friend and documentarian Arturo Vega.

With the artwork completed, all that's left is for horror author and diehard Ramones fan Stephen King to write the liner notes.

In other Zombie news, his feature film "House of 1,000 Corpses" may be back from the dead. After a deal with MGM fell through because of what Zombie said was an offhanded dis during an interview with Ben Affleck for MTV's "Movie House" (see "Rob Zombie Says Joke Derailed 'Corpses' Deal With MGM"), he said he's very close to signing a new deal which will give the film a proper theatrical release "soon."

We're a Happy Family track list, according to Rob Zombie:

• Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Havana Affair"
• Rob Zombie - "Blitzkrieg Bop"
• Eddie Vedder with Zeke - "I Believe in Miracles"
• Metallica - "53rd & 3rd"
• U2 - "Beat on the Brat"
• Kiss - "Do You Remember Rock and Roll Radio?"
• Marilyn Manson - "The KKK Took My Baby Away"
• Garbage - "I Just Want to Have Something to Do"
• Green Day - "Outsider"
• Pretenders - "Something to Believe In"
• Rancid - "Sheena Is a Punk Rocker"
• Pete Yorn - "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend"
• The Offspring - "I Wanna Be Sedated"
• Rooney - "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow"
• Tom Waits - "Return of Jackie and Judy"
• Eddie Vedder with Zeke - "Daytime Dilemma (Dangers of Love)" (limited edition bonus track)

• The Ramones
• Rob Zombie
• Pete Yorn
• Tom Waits
• Green Day

Eddie Vedder inducts the Ramones into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.
Photo: VH1

NEW YORK — A mohawked Eddie Vedder put the regal Waldorf-Astoria hotel in a punk rock state of mind Monday night when he inducted the Ramones into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (check out Kurt Loder's take on the Hall's history here).

Nearing the end of his 17-minute speech, Vedder said, "After this, I'm sure the evening will move quickly, but it's the Ramones and it's punk rock and I'm just about finished and I hope you're OK with that." The crowd's response included some jeers and boos.

"Apparently you're not. F--- you," he replied.

But overall, the night was filled with special moments — including a Talking Heads induction and reunion as well as posthumous inductions of Joey Ramone and Chet Atkins — even though the ceremony was also plagued by technical difficulties and long delays (the delays will be edited out when VH1 broadcasts the event on Wednesday).

There was no question about the content of Vedder's speech, which was called "brilliant" by those who followed him. But as well spoken as the Pearl Jam singer was in his call to remember how the Ramones revitalized rock and how desperately that needs to happen again, he was also slow, pausing and mumbling through passages.

"They were armed with two-minute songs that they rattled off like machinegun fire," Vedder said, "and it was enough to change the Earth's revolution. Now it's Disney kids singing songs written by old men and being marketed to 6- and 7-year-olds, so some kind of change might have to happen again soon."

Vedder's speech set the tone for the evening, but for capturing the spirit of the Ramones, masters of the short and sweet, Green Day did the trick. The pop-punk trio saluted their forefathers with efficiency, blasting through "Rockaway Beach," "Teenage Lobotomy" and "Blitzkrieg Bop" without speaking to the crowd or to reporters backstage.

For the most part, the Ramones kept it light, with bassist Dee Dee Ramone joking, "I'd like to congratulate myself and thank myself and give myself a big pat on the back. Thank you, Dee Dee, you're wonderful."

Drummer Tommy Ramone, however, reiterated that the honor did mean a lot to the band, especially since it was something their late singer had wanted. "The honor of our induction ... means a lot to us. But it's really meant everything to Joey." He continued that thought backstage, saying it was one of the last things he talked about with Joey before the singer's death last April.

Talking Heads put aside their legendary acrimony and performed for the first time in 18 years. Joined onstage by CBGB owner Hilly Kristal, the band thanked just about everyone who had nurtured, fed or paid them over the years, including the rock hall itself, "for giving this band a happy ending," drummer Chris Frantz said.

Latter-day touring members of the band, including Bernie Worrell of Parliament/Funkadelic and Steve Scales, joined on two-thirds of the set, which consisted of "Psycho Killer," "Burning Down the House" and "Life During Wartime." "This is a song completely inappropriate at this time," singer David Byrne said before launching into "Life During Wartime," "but then again, maybe it is appropriate."

Witnesses to the band's performance started wondering if talk of a full-fledged reunion would also be appropriate. After all, Byrne actually seemed relaxed playing with his former bandmates, with little to no trace of the self-conscious and idiosyncratic moves that comprised his so-uncool-he's-cool Talking Heads persona. Content to move in sync with Tina Weymouth's able bass playing, Byrne instead painted a picture of ease.

Backstage, Byrne said the choice of songs helped "smooth things out." "We just played what we imagined people wanted to hear," he said. "This wasn't the time to pull out obscure numbers." Would there ever be such a time again? Guitarist Jerry Harrison said that they would think about that later. "We haven't played together for a really long time," Frantz added, "and I think we're all grateful to have a happy night like this and to have a good vibe."

Good vibes weren't hard to find in the evening's other performances, which started off with an orchestrated version of "Shaft," conducted and then sung by inductee Isaac Hayes. Dressed in a silky pajamalike outfit, Hayes led Paul Schaffer's band in a long prelude to his famous theme song. Waving his arms around, Hayes acted out instrument parts as if he were playing them himself, adding a sense of spunk to his funk.

Inducted later in the evening, Hayes warned young rap and hip-hop artists to avoid being blinded by the money. "It's not all about bling bling and all the gold and Cristal," he said. "Don't slip into the traps, and don't forget about your 'hood."

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers took it a little easy on their renditions of "Last Dance With Mary Jane" and "American Girl." Petty didn't reach for the slightly higher register he usually sings those songs in, and instead dropped it down a notch, bearing a resemblance to his presenter's father. "Before Tom came along, a lot of singer/songwriters were stuck with the label the 'new Dylan,' " presenter Jakob Dylan said. "Tom's vision was so strong that when I came along, I was called the 'new Petty,' when actually I may have been the only one who deserved the burden of being called the 'new Dylan.' "

The closing all-star jam turned out to be neither all-star nor a jam. Many of the evening's performers, inductees and presenters — from the Ramones and Green Day to Anthony Kiedis (who inducted Talking Heads) and Alicia Keys (who inducted Hayes) — didn't participate.

The first song of the finale, Al Green's soul classic "Take Me to the River," had to be done twice, since audio problems made it difficult to hear the full mix the first time around. Some of the pairings for the rest of the jam made sense — presenter Darlene Love joining inductee Gene Pitney on "He's a Rebel," which he wrote for her group, the Crystals — but having Matchbox Twenty's Rob Thomas (pulled from the audience) duet with Jewel (who inducted Brenda Lee) was less to do with the event than with positioning. Still, it didn't dilute their tribute to George Harrison on "Here Comes the Sun."

Other inductees included Chet Atkins (as a sideman) and Jim Stewart (as a non-performer).

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony airs Wednesday at 9 p.m. on VH1.

• Pearl Jam
• Eddie Vedder
• The Ramones
• Green Day
• Talking Heads

65th Annual Golden Globes Nominees

• Shakira
• Eddie Vedder