Scott Weiland
Photo: Michael Bezjian/ WireImage

The last year and a half have been tumultuous for Scott Weiland.

In early 2007, Weiland lost his younger brother, Michael, to a drug overdose. Then, about a year ago, Weiland and his wife of eight years, Mary Forsberg, decided to separate (they are still in the process of getting divorced). And this past spring, after months of informed rumors, he parted ways with Velvet Revolver, only to rejoin his first band, Stone Temple Pilots, for a summer reunion tour of the U.S.

It wasn't long after STP reformed that Weiland ended up serving a brief stint behind bars for driving under the influence. And while December 5 will mark six years since Weiland has done heroin, he said that the dissolution of his marriage has tested his sobriety some and admitted that about a year ago, he had "a very short binge with coke."

Needless to say, it wasn't exactly a banner year for the beleaguered singer. But it's also been a productive time for Weiland, creatively speaking. While dealing with the heartache of his divorce ("It's a tough thing to hear," he said, "when your kids ask you, 'Daddy, why can't you come home tomorrow?' ") and mourning the loss of his brother, Weiland wrote songs. Actually, he wrote a lot of songs — more than 40 — and on November 25, Weiland will release half of them as the two-disc set Happy in Galoshes, his second official collection of solo material and the follow-up to 1998's 12 Bar Blues.

"Most of the heavy writing that was done for this record has been done [during the] separation ... between my wife and I," said Weiland, who is working on his autobiography with author David Ritz (who has previously authored books on Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin and Marvin Gaye, among others). "In those moments of emotional desperation, [my recording] studio would become my home, really. It's a massive warehouse place that used to be a heavy-machinery factory, which originally reeked of thick machine oil. I've had the studio for about 10 years, and it's like my art studio. It's a place where I have gone for solace. It's like my church, in a sense. When people ask me if I have a hobby, a lot of times my answer is that I like to surf in warm water. I like to ski, if I have the opportunity. But really, I like to go to my studio and write music that I want to write, where there's no pressure to come up with a hit single."

For Happy in Galoshes, Weiland worked with producer Doug Grean, with select tracks helmed by Steve Albini. The record features guest appearances by Paul Oakenfold and No Doubt's Adrian Young, Tony Kanal and Tom Dumont.

"There's such a wide array of sounds and styles and textures on this album," he explained. "It's kind of like every style of music that I've ever been influenced by and fell in love with, from my childhood up until currently. So, at times, it's sort of a hodgepodge. I'm putting out what my experience has been, essentially, with Mary and with my brother's death. The record's got a few different vibes, and there's a lot of really atmospheric, beautiful and surreal-sounding songs on it."

Happy in Galoshes features 20 tracks in all, including a cover of David Bowie's "Fame," a song Weiland said he's always related to.

"Bowie's obviously my biggest influence," he said. "I'd say Bowie, Morrison, the Beatles and the Stones were the big ones. But Bowie, overall, has probably influenced me the most, on a musical and vocal level, aesthetically, everything really. The song kind of says something about all the experiences that I've had throughout my career, and kind of where I'm at today."

Weiland said he would like for Bowie to hear his take on the track, which is extremely loyal to the original.

"We share publicists, so I want to send him a copy of the song and write a letter to him," he said. "I am hoping the next time I'm in New York, if he's there, I'd love to meet him. He's probably the last of my real idols that I haven't met. I had drinks with Salman Rushdie a couple of weeks ago, which was absolutely mind-blowing."

• Scott Weiland
• Stone Temple Pilots
• Velvet Revolver

Velvet Revolver
Photo: Dave Hogan/ Getty Images

Since it was revealed two months ago that singer Scott Weiland had been excised from Velvet Revolver, the rest of the guys have been searching for his replacement. They hosted auditions and even rejected an offer from reality-TV producer Mark Burnett, who wanted to make VR the subject of his next "Rock Star" series.

Not long after Weiland's departure, guitarist Slash stated that VR would be using the Internet to audition potential frontmen, adding that the band was even toying with the idea of launching a Web site, where audition videos could be posted for public review. That site never took off, unfortunately, but there are still hundreds of aspiring singers out there who are all at the band's beck and call, should the Revolver need them.

While the names of several established musicians (including Linkin Park's Chester Bennington) have been kicked around as rumored replacements, it hasn't deterred these unknown rockers, who claim they're ready to step into Weiland's imposing shoes at the drop of a hat. Some of them have taken their cases to YouTube and other video sites, where, with a little shameless self-promotion, they've manufactured their own hype, generating a groundswell of support from VR fans. Some are even claiming they're front-runners in the race to return the band to the stage, but none explicitly claim they've been contacted by VR.

Dale Toth, who sings in a band called Rogosonic and sounds frighteningly like Axl Rose, had an interesting take with his audition tape. The video, which features an original song from his band, shows nothing but images of Toth trying to look tough. He chose not to cover a VR track, because he figured "it's going to be new material they're more focused on right now, so maybe this is a better idea of what I can offer," he wrote in a post alongside the video. "If it goes further (crossing fingers), I'd be glad to do some vocal tracks to the other VR tunes so they know what I can do on that stuff."

"The vocals are amazing," complimented one fan. "Here's to blowing away the competition."

But Toth admitted on his YouTube page that the band "may have someone already, but I have to contact the VR camp again next week. Hearin' a lot of rumors of people they may already have in mind. Guess we just have to wait for [the] official release."

Another hopeful is Weiland sound-alike Sam Serinsky, who sings for a rock band called Lasting Factor. For his grainy, low-budget audition tape, Serinsky sang one of his own band's originals, and the video has been well-received — with some fans saying it would be a crime if he weren't asked to join the band.

"Damn, you are the real deal," wrote one user, pointing out that Serinsky can also play guitar, which Weiland didn't. "You would be a perfect fit for VR and then some."

"I think it would be good to get someone that is not already 'known' because it would give the band a new, fresh and unbiased sound," wrote another supporter. "I wouldn't be surprised if this kid got a call from Slash and offered the gig."

But perhaps the most-produced (and longest) audition tape belongs to Brian Phyll Miller, a man who desperately wants the gig. In his video (which features some classy footage of a dog licking itself), Miller — wearing a "Brutal Rockers" T-shirt — belts out a cover of AC/DC's "Whole Lotta Rosie," and follows it up with VR's "Slither" and "Fall to Pieces." In the video, Miller talks of his love for "vodka, cigarettes and Jack [Daniels]," discusses some of his influences ("Anybody that's cool"), and talks about the vocal and breathing exercises he does before a performance. He also confesses that, since the age of 14, he's wanted to be in a band.

Google Miller's name, and you'll find he has a lot of online support, whether self-manufactured or not.

On the Rolling Stone site, an already-deleted comment on a Flobots piece read, "Flobots? Hmmm I don't think so ... Velvet Revolver is talking with a guy to be the new singer of their band. He is good, he has some epic vocal cords. Judge for yourself. Go to YouTube and search for Brian Phyll Miller. Make it happen, spread the word on this guy and give him support. He is already talking with the band, but it would be nice to have all the fans' support behind him."

On Monday, several comments popped up on our Newsroom blog, following a post on the VR singer search, mostly praising Miller's abilities.

"A lot of talk about who will be the next Velvet Revolver frontman. ... There is a new guy in town that would be very worthy of filling those shoes," one commenter said. "Brian Phyll Miller is getting a lot of comments on his YouTube and MySpace site. A lot of people are saying he should be the next Velvet Revolver lead singer. I would have to agree. This guy is awesome, great range with his vocals, something I think Slash and the guys should take a serious look at."

"Just watched his YouTube video — he's amazing," another commenter wrote.

On Miller's YouTube page, where he admits he hasn't been contacted or spoken with anyone representing VR, the remarks (the origin and authenticity of which we can't verify) are more of the same: He rules and is the best replacement for Weiland.

"How come this guy isn't signed with some band and changing the world with his epic vocal cords?" wrote one fan, adding that his voice is "much better than Scott Weiland's."

But will these guys ever get their shot at a proper audition? It's doubtful that a band as established as VR, with its members' vaunted history, would opt to add a complete unknown to its ranks over someone who's road-tested, studio-savvy and has a recognizable name. But then again, stranger things have happened.

• Velvet Revolver

The Sword
Photo: Kemado Records

Back in fall 2006, the Sword — who, at that time, were just a retro-metal four-piece out of Austin, Texas, who were trying to spread the word about their doom-chord-thick debut, Age of Winters — were on tour in Canada with Trivium, when out of nowhere, they were approached by an ominous man, claiming to be the brother of Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach.

Of course, they reacted like most folks would in the face of lame, has-been name-dropping. Still, they humored the man and decided to chat him up.

"He tells us that he was hanging out with [Metallica drummer] Lars [Ulrich] and that he loved our record," recalled bassist Bryan Richie. "We just sort of laughed it off, and after that, as a joke, we just started putting Lars on the guest list each night. We figured, 'If he does like our record, maybe he'll show up wherever we're at.' "

But Lars never showed, and the inside joke lived on. That's until the Trivium tour took the Sword to San Francisco's Slim's. "We were shocked, because he actually showed up to see us," Richie continued. "It was crazy. He totally just wanted to hang with us. He didn't necessarily care about watching Trivium." And really, who could blame him?

Ulrich wanted to talk shop with the Sword, but, since Trivium had taken all the club's dressing rooms, the boys snatched up a couple of bar stools and escorted the file-sharing detractor to a shadowy back alley. "That's where we kicked it with Lars," the bassist explained. "We're talking, and Lars goes, 'We're going to take you guys on tour.' And I'm just like, 'Sure. This is one hell of an ego inflator, but I'll believe it when I'm on it.' "

In July, following their appearance at this year's Bonnaroo Music Festival on June 12, the Sword will, indeed, be heading out with Metallica and Down for a seven-gig European tour, which launches July 16 in Bergen, Norway. "It's pretty mind-blowing," Richie enthused.

For a little-known band, signed to an independent label, the Sword have certainly come a long way since forming back in 2003. They've released two critically lauded LPs, 2006's Age of Winters and 2008's Gods of the Earth, and may even participate in this summer's Ozzfest (when asked if his band had been approached for the heavy-metal festival, Richie demurred, saying, "I don't really know that I'm at liberty to talk about that").

Sales of Gods of the Earth — which was released earlier this month and, had it not been for time constraints, would have featured guest appearances by Lamb of God's Mark Morton and Clutch's Mick Schauer — have been better than you'd imagine. The record debuted at #102 on Billboard's Top 200, selling more than 7,500 copies, and last week, it fell to #145, selling around 5,000 units.

"It's insane what writing some badass songs will do for your career," Richie joked.

While the Sword's J.D. Cronise wrote the majority of Age of Winters on his own, over the course of four years, Gods of the Earth was a group effort, from beginning to end — an effort wrought with the pressures most bands face while trying to evade that "sophomore slump."

"It went from one very large contributing member to four contributing members," Richie said. "We all brought ideas to the table, and even though the general parts for the first record were written by J.D., there were a lot of things that were fleshed out in the studio. Each member was able to put his own spin on those tracks. This time, it was much more of a group experience. They were both a labor of love to make and get finished, and I feel the same way when I listen to both of them. These are two really good albums that don't necessarily sound alike.

"We could have played out the whole 'every song in the key of C' thing, and done another record like Age of Winters," he added. "But we didn't want to. All along, I had the confidence that, whatever record we were going to make, it wasn't going to suck to us. That's really what matters — putting something out you really believe in."

Now that they've got two albums under their belt, and a glorious opening slot on Metallica's upcoming tour, the Sword — who will be out with Slough Feg and Children through April 29 in Oklahoma City — can now concentrate on what really matters: investigating the smoking habits of extraterrestrials.

"We're trying to find out if aliens smoke [marijuana]," Richie explained. "We're really trying to get to the bottom of that one, and that's why we feel our shows in Lubbock, Texas [on April 14], and Albuquerque, New Mexico [on April 15], were canceled — because we have been thumbing around and trying to figure out if aliens do smoke the kind. I'm guessing they're not stoked and not looking to be had just yet."

Richie said that the guys' gig in New Mexico was nixed after the club they were supposed to play at burned to the ground, and the Texas date was canceled after police busted the joint for serving alcohol to its underage patrons.

"[The aliens] went so far as burning down the club in Albuquerque and informed the police that Jake's in Lubbock had been selling booze to children," the bassist explained. "I'm just going to go ahead and assume it was the aliens, because I think we know too much."

The rest of the week's metal news:

It's been little more than two weeks since Velvet Revolver sent frontman Scott Weiland packing, and guitarist Slash is still running his mouth about the split. During a recent interview with Kerrang! magazine, Slash said that Weiland's dismissal was a long time coming. "[Scott] didn't know that we were already planning on extraditing him," the guitarist said. "When we started touring the second record, it just felt like we were losing Scott, as far as our connection went. We basically didn't speak a word [during the band's recent U.K. tour]. We gave him the cold shoulder like nobody's business. There were a couple of arguments around the stage, but other than that, nobody spoke to him. I imagine he was quite uncomfortable." Slash, who spent years alongside Axl Rose in Guns N' Roses, said the band is looking forward to finding Weiland's replacement. "At least people know what we're doing — they know we're a rock-and-roll band and that we're successful enough that you're going to have to be on your game if you're going to hook up with us," he said. "I just want to find this guy so we can write some songs." ...

Following the recent departure of bassist Todd Evans, Gwar have announced the return of Casey Orr to his "Beefcake the Mighty" role. Guitarist Balsac the Jaws of Death said fans will get their first chance to see Orr's return this May, when the band heads out on a brief tour of the Midwest and East Coast. No dates for the trek have been released yet. Evans left Gwar so he could focus full-time on his band Mobile Deathcamp, which, rumor has it, will serve as direct support for Green Jellÿ's upcoming summer jaunt. ... Divine Heresy, featuring former Fear Factory guitarist Dino Cazares, have been added to the lineup for this year's New England Metal and Hardcore Festival. If you can't make it up to Worcester, Massachusetts, you can catch the Heresy this May, on tour with Arch Enemy, Dark Tranquillity and Firewind. ...

Gwen Stacy were struck with some bad luck recently in Los Angeles, when nearly $3,000 was pilfered from their van. "We stopped at [a] grocery store to get some food and just to get out of the van for a little bit," the band said in a statement. "After being inside for close to 10 minutes, we came out, [and] we noticed our driver's-side window was busted out. We found that our cash box was stolen." Needless to say, the band's in a tight spot — but rather than establish a PayPal account and beg for donations, the Christian metallers ask only that "you keep us in your thoughts and prayers." Or maybe you could go see the band live and buy some merch. Check the band's MySpace page for a complete list of dates. ... The pride of Brazilian death metal, Krisiun, are hard at work on their next LP with producer Andy Classen (Rotting Christ). The still-untitled effort is slated for release this summer, and when more information about the record is released, we'll bring it to you here. ...

Canadian prog-metallers What's He Building In There? have lost two guitarists — Christopher Cookson and David Halk — and replaced them with another. Mason Tikl will be taking over guitar duties, and Aiden Stevenson has joined the band as its new bassist. The band's self-titled debut hit stores last year, and already, the boys are working on new material, they said in a statement. ... Success Will Write Apocalypse Across the Sky will soon hit the studio to begin tracking their debut offering for Nuclear Blast. The Grand Partition and the Abrogation of Idolatry is being produced by former Death guitarist James Murphy and could be in stores as early as fall. ... Duck Duck Goose have inked a deal with Warcon Entertainment. The newcomers have posted a new track, "Sgt. Slaughter," on their MySpace page. The song appears on the band's forthcoming LP, Noise, Noise and More Noise.

• Metallica
• The Sword
• Velvet Revolver
• Divine Heresy

Stone Temple Pilots at their reunion-tour press conference on Monday
Photo: Charley Gallay/ Getty Images

Unlike most bands that reunite after a bitter split and several years of animus, Stone Temple Pilots — who shared the stage for the first time in five years on Monday night at the former Hollywood Hills estate of magician Harry Houdini — claim they aren't in it for the cash. Nope, STP — frontman Scott Weiland, bassist Robert DeLeo, guitarist Dean DeLeo and kitman Eric Kretz — just missed being STP.

"This is home for us," Dean DeLeo said, following Monday's press conference, during which the band announced it would be heading out this summer on a full-fledged, 65-date reunion run. "I'm fond of our legacy, and I'm fond of our band — I'm a fan. I get off when I'm riding down the highway and an STP track comes on the radio. I get off on that."

But just how did the reunion come together? "Scott's mom called mine and Robert's mom, and then they called Kretz's mom, and they thought it would be a great idea for the boys to do," DeLeo joked. "I hate begging to be whipped and hit, because when they ground us, we can't go out and play. It's the worst, man."

Truthfully, the Stone Temple Pilots reunion, which DeLeo said has been in the works for about eight months, began with just one phone call — from Weiland's wife, Mary.

"Mary called me, because Robert and I have this band with [Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers drummer] Steve Feronne, doing this big 12-piece band [called Farm Fur], and Mary called me, because there was some private party she was involved with, and she asked us to play," said DeLeo. "And then she said, 'Scott's here. Do you want to talk to him?' And we started chatting."

"We were just putting a bunch of guys together to play this beach party — covers and stuff like that," Weiland chimed in. "And Dean is saying to me, 'Man, it would be cool if people could see us onstage together.' Not long after that, I was on the road, and Dean called me up. He said, 'Are you sitting down?' I was in Jersey somewhere, and he said he'd heard from our agent, and that some offers had come in for some festivals this summer. He said he'd been listening to our music and asked me what I thought about doing this."

And the reunion — which has been heavily rumored since late last year — couldn't have come at a better time. Perhaps in anticipation of STP's goings-on, Weiland's most recent band, Velvet Revolver, fired him last week, citing the singer's "increasingly erratic onstage behavior and personal problems" as the impetus for the break. The singer played his possible final show with the band last Tuesday in Amsterdam. And the DeLeos have been free since last May, when their other band, Army of Anyone, went on an indefinite hiatus, allowing frontman Richard Patrick to return to his first love, Filter.

"It's been five years we've been apart, and there's all these young kids who had older brothers who were STP fans, and now they're these little hipsters — 18, 19, 20 years old — and they're STP fans," Weiland said. "These kids come up to me all the time and tell me they loved the band, that they have all of our records. To be appreciated by a whole 'nother generation of fans, all of a sudden discovering you, it's kind of what I did with the classic bands I love — the ones that influenced me. The ultimate goal of this band was to leave a legacy, to have our songs make an impact, to be on the radio still 30 years down the road, and to be enjoyed by people, whether it's something that gives them a feeling of heartache, or something that they relate to because of a struggle they went through in their life. Music is just something that makes you feel, believe and be inspired — that was the goal always, to have our music out there and for it to continuously, over a period of years, inspire."

For STP, the process of healing has been ongoing since they first split back in 2003. According to Weiland, the separation wasn't smooth, and at one point, he and Dean DeLeo came to blows. But Kretz said it feels as though the band never threw in the towel, and that STP still "has a lot to contribute to music."

The band's reunion tour will get underway May 17, in Columbus, Ohio, and run through August 31 in Seattle. After the tour concludes, Weiland said it's back to the studio, to record STP's next LP.

"The whole record machine is f---ed up now, so we really want to get to a place of having some freedom, because we have a lot of leverage," he said. "We have sold almost 40 million records, and we're in a position of power. We want to be free agents, whether it's putting our records out ourselves, or doing some interesting, very creative deal with a nontraditional major record label. The system as it is now ... that formula does not work. We've seen it; we'll need to do things differently, do things wiser."

According to Robert DeLeo, the band has already started crafting material, and he anticipates they'll probably end up writing 100 songs before tracking the effort. The band wouldn't comment on the record beyond that.

Stone Temple Pilots tour dates, according to the band's publicist (remaining dates to be announced in the coming weeks):

» 5/17 - Columbus, OH @ Rock on the Range Festival, Columbus Crew Stadium
» 5/18 - Camden, NJ @ Susquehanna Bank Center
» 5/20 - Cleveland, OH @ State Theatre, Playhouse Square
» 5/22 - Chicago, IL @ Charter One Pavilion
» 5/23 - Indianapolis, IN @ Indianapolis Motor Speedway
» 5/26 - Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena
» 5/31 - Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center
» 6/1 - Mansfield, MA @ Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts
» 6/3 - Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore Detroit
» 6/6 - St. Paul, MN @ Roy Wilkins Auditorium
» 6/7 - Kansas City, KS Rock Fest @ Liberty Memorial Park
» 6/8 - Maryland Heights, MO @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
» 6/11 - West Valley City, UT @ The E Center
» 6/12 - Las Vegas, NV @ The Pearl
» 6/14 - Las Vegas, NV @ The Pearl
» 6/21 - Calgary V Festival @ Fort Calgary
» 6/24 - Hollywood, CA @ Hollywood Bowl
» 6/25 - Tucson, AZ @ Anselmo Valencia Amphitheater
» 6/27 - San Antonio, TX @ AT&T Center
» 6/28 - The Woodlands, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
» 6/29 - Grand Prairie, TX @ Nokia Theatre @ Grand Prairie
» 7/2 - Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre
» 7/4 - Milwaukee, WI @ Summerfest, Marcus Amphitheater
» 7/10 - Quebec City, Quebec @ Summer Festival, Plains of Abraham
» 7/12 - North York, ON @ Edge Fest, Downsview Park
» 7/15 - Canandaigua, NY @ Constellation Performing Arts Center
» 7/17 - Green Bay, WI @ Oneida Casino
» 7/18 - Mt Pleasant, MI @ Soaring Eagle Casino
» 7/19 - Cadott, WI @ Chippewa Valley Music Festival
» 7/25 - Berkeley, CA @ The Greek Theatre
» 7/26 - Paso Robles, CA @ California Mid-State Fair
» 7/27 San Diego, CA @ Concerts on the Green, Qualcomm Stadium
» 8/8 - Bethlehem, PA @ Musikfest
» 8/9 - Atlantic City, NJ @ The Borgata
» 8/10 - Baltimore, MD @ V Festival, Pimlico Race Track
» 8/17 - Charlotte, SC @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
» 8/19 - Orlando, FL @ UCF Arena
» 8/20 - Hollywood, FL @ Hard Rock Live, Seminole Hard Rock Casino
» 8/22 - Tampa, FL @ Ford Amphitheatre
» 8/23 - Alpharetta, GA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, Encore Park
» 8/30 - Vancouver, BC @ GM Place
» 8/31 - Seattle, WA @ Bumbershoot Festival, Memorial Stadium

• Stone Temple Pilots Launch 2008 Tour At L.A.'s Harry Houdini Estate

• Stone Temple Pilots
• Velvet Revolver
• Guns N' Roses
• Scott Weiland

Scott Weiland
Photo: Ethan Miller/ Getty Images

After weeks of online speculation suggesting the band was on the brink of collapse, the founding members of Velvet Revolver — guitarists Slash and Dave Kushner, bassist Duff McKagan and drummer Matt Sorum — officially sent lead singer Scott Weiland packing Tuesday. The rumors of a Velvet Revolver split began soon after Weiland's onstage announcement two weeks ago — during a gig in Glasgow, Scotland — that the crowd in attendance that evening were witnessing something very special: the last-ever Velvet Revolver tour.

Velvet Revolver announced their decision to fire Weiland in a press release issued just as the rockers were playing the last notes of their final performance with the Stone Temple Pilots frontman in Amsterdam. Slash cited Weiland's lack of commitment, "increasingly erratic onstage behavior and personal problems" as reasons for the dismissal. There is still no word on whether the band plans to continue with a new singer.

Surprisingly, an entire night passed without Weiland responding — but really, it wasn't a question of if he would issue his own retort, but when. In an e-mail sent exclusively to MTV News Wednesday morning, Weiland fired back at his erstwhile bandmates, and pulled no punches in his attack of the Revolver.

"After reading the comment by Duff, Matt, Dave and the illustrious 'Guitar Hero,' Saul Hudson, a.k.a. Slash, I find it humorous that the so-called four 'founding members' of Velvet Revolver, better known to themselves as 'the Project' before I officially named the band, would decide to move on without me after I had already claimed the group dead in the water on March 20 in Glasgow," Weiland explained. "In response to Slash's comment regarding my commitment [to the band], I have to say it is a blatant and tired excuse to cover up the truth. The truth of the matter is that the band had not gotten along on multiple levels for some time. On a musical level, there were moments of joy, inspiration, fun ... at times. But let's not forget the multiple trips to rehab every member of the band had taken (with the exception of one member — no need to mention his name).

"Personally speaking, I choose to look forward to the future and performing with a group of friends I have known my entire life, people who have always had my back," Weiland continued. "This also speaks to my commitment to my music and my fellow bandmates in [Stone Temple Pilots] and to the fans who I feel would much rather watch a group of musicians who enjoy being together as opposed to a handful of discontents who at one time used to call themselves a gang."

In conclusion, Weiland warned fans not to be "fooled by veiled trickery," and even wished Velvet Revolver his best. "Good hunting, lads — I think Sebastian Bach would be a fantastic choice." Former Skid Row singer Bach, who has also performed on Broadway and been a regular on VH1 in recent years, was in the running to be Velvet Revolver's lead singer in its early days.

Now, Weiland will turn his energies to the re-formed Stone Temple Pilots, who are expected to reveal details of a full-scale summer tour during a news conference next week. As for Velvet Revolver's future, Slash has said in a number of recent interviews that there would be a third LP from the band, and that Weiland's characterization of the band's European tour as its last was simply untrue.

Who do you think should replace Weiland in Velvet Revolver? Sammy Hagar? Chris Cornell? Courtney Love? Axl Rose? Comment us below!

• Velvet Revolver
• Scott Weiland
• Sebastian Bach

Scott Weiland
Photo: Peter Kramer/ Getty Images

Less than two weeks ago, during a Velvet Revolver gig in Glasgow, Scotland, the band's frontman, Scott Weiland, announced to the crowd in attendance that they were witnessing something very special — the last-ever Velvet Revolver tour. On Tuesday (April 1), the rest of the band — guitarists Slash and Dave Kushner, bassist Duff McKagan and drummer Matt Sorum — released a statement confirming that Velvet Revolver had parted ways with Weiland.

"This band is all about its fans and its music, and Scott Weiland isn't 100% committed to either," Slash said in the statement. "Among other things, his increasingly erratic onstage behavior and personal problems [Weiland recently finished a stint in rehab] have forced us to move on."

When called for additional comment, the band's management, Sanctuary, said everything the band had to say on the matter was in the press release. The band played the final date of its European tour in Amsterdam earlier on Tuesday.

Weiland will presumably turn his energies to the re-formed Stone Temple Pilots, who are expected to reveal details of a full-scale summer tour at a news conference next week. Whether Velvet Revolver carry on with a new singer remains to be seen. But Slash has said, in a number of recent interviews, that there would be a third LP from the rockers, and that Weiland's characterization of the band's European tour as its last was simply untrue. There is no official word of the split on Velvet Revolver's Web site.

Following Weiland's outburst in Scotland, Sorum took to his blog to comment on the situation.

"[We] had a little band turmoil onstage, as you probably all could tell," he wrote. "Being in a band is a lot like being in a relationship. Sometimes, you just don't get along. I guess there has been more turmoil lately, with the cancellations and all. It has been frustrating; I am not going to lie. My career and life in rock and roll has come with its ups and downs. Unfortunately, some people in this business don't realize how great of a life they have. Touring the world, meeting great people, and fans all over the world — and just playing music for a living. I feel truly blessed. But sometimes the road can be draining for some.

"Being away from home and family does grind on you sometimes," Sorum continued. "Personally, I love this sh-- and sometimes can't believe I am so lucky to still be doing what I do for a living. Everybody could see who was unhappy [at the Glasgow show], but all I can say is let's keep the rock alive, people. In this life, you just pick up and keep moving. And don't ever let anybody stand in your way."

Weiland responded in a statement to Blabbermouth.net, saying, "The state of my family affairs is really none of [Sorum's] business, since he is too immature to have a real relationship, let alone children. So don't attempt to stand in a man's shoes when you haven't walked his path. I've made many attempts to remain cordial with the members of VR, but mainly, the likes of you. Funny though — this is your first band, as opposed to being a hired gun. I've been making records (now, on my ninth), which have sold over 35 million copies worldwide and have maintained a level of professionalism regardless of how many drugs I've ingested into my system. I have only canceled one tour during the entire course of my 16-year run and that was the 'make-up' Australia tour. Now, shall I open that can of worms, Matthew? Release the Kraken? Serve ... volley! You canceled the Aussie tour in the fall because you went to rehab, but I won't say why.

"I will sweat, bruise, and bleed for you," he continued, directing his words to the band's fans. "[I] will continue to do so until the end of this tour. However, you deserve to hear Velvet Revolver playing ... not certain individuals singing along to get a muddied-up sound. It's a shame ... we were a gang. But ego and jealousy can get the better of anyone. I wish the best and plan to annihilate the stage in the last few shows."

• Velvet Revolver
• Stone Temple Pilots

Velvet Revolver's Scott Weiland and Slash
Photo: MTV News

During Velvet Revolver's show on Thursday night in Glasgow, Scotland, frontman Scott Weiland — who finished another stint in rehab just before the start of the band's European tour — made a rather peculiar and unexpected announcement, one that stirred considerable debate among VR fans all weekend.

According to several media and fan accounts, Weiland told the sold-out crowd that they were "watching something special ... the last tour by Velvet Revolver." At least one account of the evening's proceedings suggests Weiland's revelation was news to the rest of the band; the tour concludes on April 1 in the Netherlands.

"[Guitarist] Slash, [bassist] Duff [McKagan], [drummer] Matt [Sorum] and [guitarist] Dave [Kushner] all looked at each other. ...They sang 'Fall to Pieces,' [and] then Scott goes over to the side of the stage and argues with the sound guy," one eyewitness reported on a forum devoted to the group. "After a couple of songs, he threw his [microphone] down and walked off. After a long wait, Duff came out with the band and sang the start of 'It's So Easy.' Scott shows up about half way through, sang really half-assed, then [was] gone again."

At press time, the band's rep had not responded to MTV News' request for comment, and there's no official word on the VR site (which was last updated on Thursday), but Sorum — who, along with Slash and McKagan, is a former member of Guns N' Roses — took to his blog to comment on Weiland's announcement.

"[We] had a little band turmoil on stage, as you probably all could tell," he wrote. "Being in a band is a lot like being in a relationship. Sometimes, you just don't get along. I guess there has been more turmoil lately, with the cancellations and all. It has been frustrating; I am not going to lie. My career and life in rock and roll has come with its ups and downs. Unfortunately, some people in this business don't realize how great of a life they have. Touring the world, meeting great people, and fans all over the world — and just playing music for a living. I feel truly blessed. But sometimes the road can be draining for some.

"Being away from home and family does grind on you sometimes," Sorum continued. "Personally, I love this sh-- and sometimes can't believe I am so lucky to still be doing what I do for a living. Everybody could see who was unhappy [at the Glasgow show], but all I can say is let's keep the rock alive, people. In this life, you just pick up and keep moving. And don't ever let anybody stand in your way."

Perhaps it wasn't the clarification Velvet Revolver fans were hoping for, but Sorum's blog post did inspire Weiland to issue his own, slightly vicious statement on the matter.

"The state of my family affairs is really none of [Sorum's] business, since he is too immature to have a real relationship, let alone children," Weiland said, in a statement issued to Blabbermouth.net. "So don't attempt to stand in a man's shoes when you haven't walked his path. I've made many attempts to remain cordial with the members of VR, but mainly, the likes of you. Funny though — this is your first band, as opposed to being a hired gun. I've been making records (now, on my ninth), which have sold over 35 million copies worldwide and have maintained a level of professionalism regardless of how many drugs I've ingested into my system. I have only cancelled one tour during the entire course of my 16-year run and that was the 'make-up' Australia tour. Now, shall I open that can of worms, Matthew? Release the Kraken? Serve ... volley! You cancelled the Aussie tour in the fall because you went to rehab, but I won't say why."

Again, Weiland didn't exactly come right out and say "Velvet Revolver are no more" in his statement, but he did stop short of that admission. "I will sweat, bruise, and bleed for you," he continued, directing his words to the band's fans. "[I] will continue to do so until the end of this tour. However, you deserve to hear Velvet Revolver playing ... not certain individuals singing along to get a muddied-up sound. It's a shame ... we were a gang. But ego and jealousy can get the better of anyone. I wish the best and plan to annihilate the stage in the last few shows."

Weiland, who will be reuniting with the Stone Temple Pilots this summer for a string of dates and possibly a full U.S. tour, then went on to express the excitement he's been experiencing over the revival of STP.

"We did an STP photo shoot before this tour and it was fun, inspiring and it gave me that thrill — that feeling that got my rocks off from the get-go," he said.

And it didn't take fans long to express their disappointment over the possibility of there being no more Velvet Revolver.

"I hope you guys work through all the crap and keep rocking," wrote one fan. "You all are one hell of a rock band, in a time when rock seems almost extinct. I just pray VR as a whole can get through these issues and continue to rock, and I hope to buy a third VR album."

"I hope that it was just a bad night," wrote another. "Moods were obviously in a raw state for some. I actually think Scott should've stayed off the road a tad bit longer from his stint in rehab. I pray that as a band and as a group of friends, you guys can get back to a solid healthy place that will work for you onstage, but more importantly, offstage."

• Velvet Revolver
• Scott Weiland
• Slash
• Stone Temple Pilots
• Guns N' Roses

Keith Richards
Photo: Getty Images

Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards recently offered up some free advice to Grammy-winning songstress Amy Winehouse, according to Reuters. "She should get her act together," the former addict said during an interview at the Berlin International Film Festival on Friday. "Apart from that, I have got nothing to say to the b---h." Winehouse entered a London rehab clinic last month, to deal with her own addictions. Stones frontman Mick Jagger also reflected on this latest generation of drug-addled rockers, saying, "When we were experimenting with drugs, little was known about the effects. In our time, there were no rehab centers like today." ...

Less than a week after frontman Scott Weiland returned to rehab, Velvet Revolver have nixed their upcoming concerts in Australia. "Velvet Revolver deeply apologize to their fans in Australia and thank them for sticking by the group when various members have relapsed during the last year and a half," a statement read. ... Travis Barker and Shanna Moakler have finalized their divorce, according to TMZ.com. "I'm no longer with her," Barker told People. "I have a beautiful daughter at home, a beautiful son at home. That's where my head is at right now. I don't have time for anything else." The couple, who have two children together, have been on and off since they filed for divorce two years ago. ...

Dr. Dre is on the hunt for Death Row documents in an effort to figure out how much it owes him for unpaid royalties that have been accrued after the record company filed for bankruptcy, Billboard.com reports. In paperwork filed in bankruptcy court last week, the producer/rapper (real name: Andre Young) requested permission to acquire information that would help him assess the value of his claim. Dre has asked the court to force Death Row to hand over the documents on February 29 and order the company's reps to be available to be deposed seven days later. Dre had previously tried to sue the label for royalties multiple times, but last month a district-court judge in California agreed to hear his appeal of the court's dismissal of one of the lawsuits. ...

Lupe Fiasco fans have a whole new reason to bundle up this winter: The Chicago MC has created a line of reversible jackets with L.A. street-wear designer Dr. Romanelli. The jackets are black on one side and pink on the other, and have "The Cool" — referring to Fiasco's latest LP — scrawled on the back. ... The score Death Cab for Cutie chief Ben Gibbard co-crafted for the new Kurt Cobain biopic, "About a Son," is getting a standalone release via Barsuk — the same label that recently put out Field Manual, the solo album by fellow Cutie Chris Walla. The "About a Son" score, co-written with Nirvana producer Steve Fisk, will be available digitally February 19, the same day the movie arrives on DVD. ...

All is not well in the Shire. The estate of J.R.R. Tolkien — the late author who penned the "Lord of the Rings" series — filed a lawsuit on Monday (February 11) against New Line Cinema, the studio that released Peter Jackson's film trilogy based on the books. The Tolkien Trust, along with HarperCollins — the series' original publisher — claims New Line failed to pay part of the 7.5 percent of the gross receipts from the films as required. This could mean bad news for the two back-to-back movie adaptations of "The Hobbit" that Jackson was planning to produce. According to The Associated Press, the plaintiffs are seeking more than $150 million in compensatory damages, additional punitive damages and a court order that would give the Tolkien Trust the right to cancel rights the film studio may have to make films based on Tolkien's other works. ...

Filter are planning to drop their comeback LP, Anthems for the Damned, in May. Frontman Richard Patrick spoke with MTV News about the effort late last year, saying, "I knew I'd have to return with the goods, and I'm absolutely convinced that that's what I have with this record." ... Fans of Cold War Kids probably didn't know that Matt Maust has more than just bass-playing skills — he's a writer too. His "What It Is: What It Is," co-written with Paul G. Maziar, is a new urban-centric tome that also includes photo collages. It's due in stores in May. ...

Actor Roy Scheider, who was perhaps best-known for his role as a small-town police chief in Steven Spielberg's 1975 film, "Jaws," died Sunday at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences hospital in Little Rock. He was 75. The cause of Scheider's death has not been released, but the actor had been receiving treatment for multiple myeloma at the hospital's Myeloma Institute for Research and Therapy for the past two years, according to AP. ...

Ten young people were trampled or crushed to death Saturday night, as hundreds of music fans tried to force their way out of a concert by Indonesian melodic death-metallers Beside in Bandung, Indonesia, The Sydney Morning Herald reports. According to witnesses, people were packed into the venue and trying to escape the crush just as hundreds of others were surging their way inside. So far, police have not said what caused the stampede, but an investigation into the matter is ongoing.

2.8.08

In addition to adding the two most-nominated artists of the year to the performing roster for Sunday's Grammys — Kanye West and, via satellite, Amy Winehouse — the show will also feature live sets from John Mayer and gospel great BeBe Winans. Added as presenters are Usher, Will.I.Am, Dierks Bentley, Cuba Gooding Jr., Carole King and Roselyn Sanchez. ...

Common has come up with a title for his new LP: The Believer. The Chicago legend told MTV News he hopes it will be out by November. ... Timbaland has signed a deal to release a straight-to-mobile-phone album, one track at a time over the next year. The unusual scheme hatched with Verizon Wireless, which will give its V Cast subscribers an exclusive chance to access the songs each month, according to Billboard Biz. Tim, who is up for five Grammys, will work with a different artist on each track while touring the country on the Verizon Mobile Recording Studio Bus, which will spin off making-of footage for V Cast subscribers on a dedicated Timbaland channel. Each mobile track will be released just days after it is produced in full-length download, ringtone and ringback version, and will only be available through V Cast and Verizon for $1.99. At the end of the year, a compilation album will be released through Verizon. ...

Pitbull and Baby Bash likely ran into each other at last year's Wango Tango music festival in Southern California — they both performed there — and now the two are joining forces for MTV Trés' Sucker Free Latino spring tour. The two headliners will hit 13 cities starting March 15 in Orlando, Florida, and ending April 4 in San Diego. ... Family, friends and close music-industry associates of the late Big Pun gathered in a private ceremony Thursday night at New York's Studio 450 to honor the eight-year anniversary of the Latino rapper's untimely death. Donations were made both to Pun's family and his foundation, the Christopher Rios Memorial. An attendee told MTV News that the rapper's daughter, Vanessa, paid tribute to her father with a rendition of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You." ...

Teddy Geiger is still busy working on the follow-up to 2006's Underage Thinking — as well as his role in the upcoming flick "The Rocker" — but in the meantime the 19-year-old troubadour has launched a cell phone contest with Mozes. During the month of February, fans can leave messages for Geiger on Mozes.com, after which he'll pick one of the fans to chat with. ... Flyleaf and Seether will team up this spring for an eight-week U.S. tour that kicks off April 8 in Denver and runs through May 31 at a yet-to-be-announced city. A partial list of dates can be found at either band's Web site. ... Thrice have a busy May ahead — the SoCal rockers have a show booked for almost every night that month. The band will actually set out on tour the month before that, beginning April 16 in San Diego, and will bring it to a close May 29 in Hollywood. ...

Members of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, "Saturday Night Live" castmembers Andy Samberg and Seth Meyers, and others turned up at New York's Webster Hall on Monday night for a party thrown by Chloë Sevigny. The actress invited legendary punks the Slits to play at the event, which celebrated Sevigny's new clothing line. ... Working for a Nuclear Free City — whose Businessmen and Ghosts album was a finalist for this year's Shortlist Music Prize — are hoping to capitalize on the success with a brief run. The Brits will hit the road February 29 in San Francisco and continue playing gigs through Austin, Texas' South by Southwest fest in mid-March. ... Still hooked on Phish? Fans can gobble up a bunch of rare items donated by the now-defunct jam heroes for an online charity auction being put on by the mother of the band's drummer, Jon Fishman. Posters signed by Trey Anastasio and Page McConnell, as well as rare Phish shirts and additional items from Oysterhead, Moe. and the String Cheese Incident. Proceeds from the auction, which ends February 21, will go to the Mimi Fishman Foundation, which raises funds for various charities. ...

Now that his Rolling Stones movie, "Shine a Light," is about to hit the big screen, legendary director Martin Scorsese is set to begin work on a yet-untitled documentary about reggae icon Bob Marley. Variety reports that the movie will be authorized by Marley's family and will be released in February 2010, on what would have been Marley's 65th birthday. ... Walt Disney Parks and Resorts are creating a live-performance attraction based on "American Idol" at Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park in Florida. The yet-unnamed attraction, which should open this year, will allow budding singers to "audition" on an "Idol"-like set in front of an audience of 1,000, with a daily winner getting a pass to the show's regional auditions. Visitors will be able to pick their song beforehand, rehearse in a sound booth and, if they pass the audition, work with a vocal coach before performing in front of the live audience and a panel of judges during one of the seven daily shows. ...

Republican presidential candidate John McCain might have a lot of independent-minded supporters, but heartland rocker John Mellencamp ain't one of 'em. The Arizona senator and Republican front-runner stopped playing the unabashedly liberal Indiana singer/songwriter's "Our Country" at his campaign events after Mellencamp's publicist sent a letter questioning the logic of using the tune, according to The Associated Press. "Are you sure you want to use his music to promote Senator McCain's efforts?" read a letter sent to the candidate's campaign on Monday. "Logic says that the facts might prove to be an embarrassment, were they to be circulated widely." The McCain camp said Thursday that the song, and a few others by Mellencamp, would no longer be played at events. Mellencamp publicist Bob Merlis told AP that the situation made Mellencamp uncomfortable and that he couldn't imagine McCain would want to be associated with him. "You know, here's a guy running around saying, 'I'm a true conservative,' " Merlis said. "Well, if you're such a true conservative, why are you playing songs that have a very populist pro-labor message written by a guy who would find no argument if you characterized him as left of center?" ...

Billy Joel will be the last artist to play New York's Shea Stadium before it's torn down. The piano man will perform at "The Last Play at Shea, From the Beatles to Billy" on July 16, during the New York Mets' final season before moving to Citi Field in 2009. The show will make Joel the only artist to have played both Yankee and Shea Stadiums.

• Grammys 60-Second Recap: Celebrating Amy Winehouse And The AARP

• Keith Richards
• Amy Winehouse
• Velvet Revolver
• Godspeed
• Dr. Dre

Scott Weiland (file)
Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Velvet Revolver frontman Scott Weiland — who has long battled drug and alcohol addiction — went back to rehab Wednesday night after their gig at the Wiltern in Los Angeles, according to the band's publicist.

"Weiland voluntarily entered a rehab facility" following the group's performance, reads a statement provided to MTV News. "[Thursday's] San Diego show at the House of Blues has been postponed; the rescheduled date for San Diego is TBA. Velvet Revolver deeply apologize to their fans and thank them for sticking by the group."

The statement did not disclose which facility Weiland had entered or for which substance the singer was seeking treatment. According to a source close to the band, Weiland's rehab stay is not expected to affect its future touring plans.

But the move could potentially stand in the way of a much-rumored reunion of the Stone Temple Pilots. Sources who asked to remain anonymous had told MTV News that the band would be revived this summer for a one-off reunion tour of the U.S., but the band and its representatives have yet to confirm the trek. According to sources, negotiations are still ongoing and venues have been reserved throughout the country for the jaunt, with label reps and managers actively trying to secure their bands opening slots on the proposed run.

This latest development in the Weiland saga comes on the heels of a rather turbulent fall for the former Stone Temple Pilot. Weiland was arrested on November 21 after crashing his car on a Los Angeles highway. He was charged with driving under the influence of drugs with a prior conviction, and police claimed he refused to submit to a chemical test, which is mandated by law.

Weiland has been arrested numerous times over the past decade, for a variety of drug-related offenses in both California and New York, spending time in jail for some of his crimes. In 2003, Weiland was arrested in Hollywood following a traffic accident, and was charged with driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Those charges were eventually dropped on the condition that the troubled singer successfully complete a drug-rehab program and submit to random drug testing.

Back in 1995, Weiland was caught and convicted of buying crack cocaine and sentenced to one year of probation. In late 1999, Weiland was sentenced to spend one year in a recovery center in Los Angeles County Jail after violating the probation he was serving for a 1997 arrest on heroin possession charges. In late 2001, he was booked on domestic-violence charges in Las Vegas, but those charges were eventually dismissed when he agreed to attend counseling sessions with his wife.

• Velvet Revolver
• Stone Temple Pilots

Britney Spears look-alikes on the set of the singer's new "Piece of Me" video
Photo: WENN/Newscom

Britney Spears' "Piece of Me" video is in place, even if it won't actually be out until January at earliest — People.com posted a sneak preview of it on Thursday (December 13). In the clip, her second one for Blackout, the singer and her dancers are chased by the paparazzi and duck into a club in an effort to escape. (Check out snaps from the "Piece of Me" video shoot right here.) Don't forget that Britney has reached out to fans to direct a separate "Piece of Me" video for her, with the winning clip to air December 20 on "TRL." For the "Britney Spears Wants a Piece of You" contest, MTV has opened its vaults of the footage shot of the pop singer over the years, and fans can access the goods via the MTV Video Remixer. Pick the shots you like, mash them up and hit "send" — clips can be up to 3:34 in length or shorter. The grand-prize winner also will receive a brand new Haier Ibiza Rhapsody device along with a one-year subscription to Rhapsody, as well as the entire catalog of Spears' CDs and DVDs released in the U.S. ...

Scott Weiland's DUI case will be continued on January 17, according to TMZ.com — the Velvet Revolver frontman was due to be arraigned Thursday (December 13). Maybe it would have helped if the rocker had gotten that news Wednesday night, when he allegedly ranted onstage at Velvet Revolver's show in Hollywood, the site reports. Weiland reportedly said his group is not the "Mormon Tabernacle f---ing Choir" and, a source allegedly told the site, steered clear of his bandmates backstage after the show and didn't have his picture taken. ... Scott Stapp is off the hook — a domestic battery charge against the rocker has been dropped after he completed terms of an agreement, including his required participation in anger management counseling, according to The Associated Press. The original charge was aggravated assault with intent to commit a felony but it was reduced to a misdemeanor on Monday. Stapp was arrested in May after his wife accused him of taking drugs and throwing a bottle at her. As part of his agreement, he also underwent a substance abuse evaluation and agreed not to have any weapons in his possession. ...

So much for Jessica Simpson's "Blonde Ambition" — the actress' flick, inspired by the '80s classic "Working Girl," is going straight to DVD, according to UsMagazine.com. The comedy, which co-stars Luke Wilson, will hit stores January 22. ...

If you think that lock of John Lennon's hair went for a lot of money — it was auctioned for $48,000 on Wednesday — wait till you hear how much a London dealer threw down for a handwritten, illustrated J.K. Rowling book: a cool 1.95 million pounds, the U.S. equivalent of $3.98 million, according to Reuters. The copy of "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" — a book that is referenced in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — was auctioned Thursday in London, and the price is the most anyone has ever paid for a modern literary manuscript at auction. All proceeds will go to Rowling's charity the Children's Voice, which helps vulnerable kids across Europe. ...

A Louisiana judge denied a request from C-Murder to travel to Texas for Pimp C's funeral on Thursday (December 13). According to an AP report, the judge would not make an allowance for the trip for Murder (born Corey Miller), who is currently under house arrest awaiting a retrial for the 2002 murder of a teen inside a nightclub. ...

Ne-Yo is heading to Wal-Mart — but not to go holiday shopping. Instead, the R&B singer will be at the retail chain's location in Torrance, California, on Friday to help with a toy drive for inner-city children. ... Coldplay have unearthed their cover of the Pretenders' Christmas-themed "2,000 Miles" and posted it on Coldplay.com. The group recorded the song — which benefited Future Forests and Stop Handgun Violence — in 2003 and made it available for a limited time as a paid download on their site. "We love Christmas songs, but every time we try and write one it's awful," Chris Martin wrote in an accompanying post. "So we often cover them — well, once or twice, actually. In fact, the song I would most like to have written is 'Fairytale of New York' by de bloody Pogues of Ireland." ...

Shakira elbowed her way onto the list of Golden Globe nominees — her "Love in the Time of Cholera" contribution earned a nod for Best Original Song. "I composed 'Despedida' with all my love for [Gabriel] Garcia Márquez, who is for me a true genius and the most eloquent spokesman of my people," she said in a statement, referring to the author who wrote the book on which the film was based. Eddie Vedder's "Guaranteed" from "Into the Wild" also made the cut, as did the "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story" tune "Walk Hard," which was penned and performed by John C. Reilly, Marshall Crenshaw, Jake Kasdan and Judd Apatow. Similarly, three "Wild" Vedder songs and a trio of "Walk Hard" cuts have made the Oscar committee's list of tracks being considered for Best Original Song, according to a weblog on Variety.com. Fifty-nine tunes — including ones by John Legend, John Mayer, the Flaming Lips, Sondre Lerche, Rufus Wainwright, Sheryl Crow and Fountains of Wayne frontman Adam Schlesinger — are eligible for the award. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will screen film clips featuring the tracks on January 15, after which the actual nominees for the Best Original Song category will be determined. ...

R. Kelly's Friday night concert at the Forum in Los Angeles will be protested by black activists calling for action against the singer, who is facing 14 counts of child pornography, the Los Angeles Times reports. "It's like pulling teeth to get people to talk about this," one activist, Jasmyne Cannick, told the Times. "It's a challenge to get the black community to even discuss it. They're acting like he doesn't have 14 counts of child pornography against him. ... We're all acting like we don't have daughters and nieces and little sisters." But Kelly's manager, Derrell McDavid, didn't seem too worried when he spoke to the newspaper. "There's been no protests on this tour," he said. "It's just been a warm embrace and sold-out shows." ... Are the Smashing Pumpkins already working on new material? It seems that way — but this time around, fans won't have to wait nearly as long. Drummer Jimmy Chamberlin wrote in a blog post on their Web site that they're in the midst of tracking, and hinted that the Pumpkins might have new material to release as early as January 1. "We are back in the studio recording some songs for a possible release worldwide," he wrote. "Look for these around the first of the year." ...

Snoop Dogg's Youth Football League is still going strong, and the rapper has plotted a third benefit show to raise funds for the project, which helps kids stay off the streets. "The kids in the league depend on me to keep it going, and giving 100 percent of the sales from this concert is my way of making it happen for all of them," he said in a statement about the show, which will take place Saturday at the House of Blues in West Hollywood, California. All proceeds will go to the league and be used for new uniforms, transportation, lodging and food for the upcoming Snoop Bowl, taking place during Super Bowl weekend in Arizona. ... Linkin Park's ambitious Music for Relief project has taken on another cause: raising money and awareness about the humanitarian crisis that has resulted in Bangladesh in the aftermath of Cyclone Sidr. The outreach organization has launched an eBay auction featuring items by LP, Avril Lavigne, Smashing Pumpkins and Deftones, with all proceeds going to the international relief group Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere. ... George Clooney and Don Cheadle were honored in Rome on Thursday with a peace award for their efforts to raise awareness about the Darfur humanitarian crisis, according to AP. Also Thursday, they urged world leaders to provide helicopters for a peacekeeping force, partially led by the United Nations, that will take over security in the Sudanese area later in December. ...

Look, up in the sky, it's the Spice Girls! The reunited group has revealed the name of its Virgin Atlantic jumbo jet: Spice One. The name was chosen via an online contest, and the winner — who hails from Brazil — recently joined the ladies at their recent ceremony at Los Angeles International Airport. ... Three Thom Yorke remixes that were previously available on his Web site will be issued February 4 in the U.K. in the form of 12-inches. The remixes are by the Field, Four Tet and others. ...

Lupe Fiasco has filled up his calendar with concert dates, promotional appearances in support of his sophomore album, Lupe Fiasco's "The Cool," which drops Tuesday. LupeFiasco.com will be relaunched that day, on which Fiasco will also play a gig at New York's the Fillmore at Irving Plaza. After that, he'll stage a December 20 in-store gig at the Bassment in his Chicago hometown; a "MySpace Presents the Release" show in Hawaii on December 27; and then set out on a tour that starts January 10 in Portland, Oregon, and ends March 25 in Fredricksburg, Virginia. In the meantime, stream The Cool in its entirety on MTV's "The Leak." ...

While less than 20,000 of the reported millions who wanted to see Monday's Led Zeppelin reunion in London were actually able to attend the gig, millions more briefly relived the experience vicariously through bootleg online clips. But, almost as fast as those clips showed up on sites like YouTube, they were reportedly taken down at the request of the band's management. Or perhaps at the request of Warner Bros., which owns the publishing rights to Zeppelin's catalog, according to Portfolio.com, which reported that individual clips began disappearing from YouTube on Tuesday afternoon "due to a copyright claim by Warner Music Group," which, incidentally, has a licensing deal with YouTube for its content. However, the story got even weirder Thursday morning, when the Silicon Alley Insider revealed that a Brooklyn, New York, company called "GrayZone," which bills itself as the "bootbusters of the entertainment industry," took the initiative in sending out the takedown notices. According to the Alley Insider story, GrayZone apologized for erroneously issuing the notices and explained, "The error is ours alone. We acted without authorization from the band or Warner Music Group. Unfortunately, an automated system mistakenly attributed the removal of the content to a copyright claim by Warner Music Group. That was inaccurate. We have informed YouTube of the error and we regret any inconvenience this may have caused." Speculation had surfaced that the reason for the takedown might be tied to an expected DVD release of the event at some point next year. ... In related news, Robert Plant will tour next year, but not necessarily with Zep. He'll make the rounds with Alison Krauss, with whom he collaborated for their October release Raising Sand. The pair will trek through Europe in May. ...

There's a new "Jackass" movie coming, and you won't even have to leave the house to see it. The 64-minute "Jackass 2.5" will stream for free from Wednesday until December 31 at JackassWorld.com with previously unreleased footage and interviews. The movie, touted as the first-ever studio-backed feature streamed entirely online, is available to anyone over 17 who downloads the Microsoft Silverlight media player, which can be found at Blockbuster.JackassWorld.com. ... Janet Jackson has finally settled on a title, release date and lead single for her follow-up to last year's 20 Y.O. Discipline will drop February 26 and be preceded by the first single, the Rodney Jerkins-produced "Feedback," which impacts January 7. Ne-Yo, Jermaine Dupri, Stargate, The-Dream and others also lent their talents to the veteran singer's 10th studio effort, which was executive produced by Antonio "L.A." Reid. ... The Liars have lined up a headlining stint for next year as they continue to support their self-titled release, which came out in August. The band will set sail January 25 in San Francisco and play about a month's worth of gigs that will wind down with a February 22 show in Los Angeles.

12.12.07

More Miley! The "Hannah Montana" star has freshened up her Best of Both Worlds Tour schedule with 14 additional January dates, meaning more of her fans will be thrilled and more opportunities will be had for raging ticket controversies. Instead of capping off her tour January 9 in Albany, New York, Cyrus will hit the following cities: Detroit (January 11); Milwaukee (January 13); Chicago (January 14); St. Louis (January 15); Las Vegas (January 18-19); Glendale, Arizona (January 22); Austin, Texas (January 24); Lafayette, Louisiana (January 25); New Orleans (January 26); Orlando, Florida (January 28-29); Jacksonville, Florida (January 30); and Miami (January 31). The Jonas Brothers have been opening for Cyrus but will be replaced by Aly & AJ from January 11-24, after which a yet-unannounced supporting act will take over for the remaining shows. ...

Shia LaBeouf's criminal trespassing charge has just gone poof. Walgreens Co. and a security company announced via a letter read in a Chicago court Wednesday (December 12) that they will not continue a case involving criminal charges against the actor for refusing to leave one of the chain's stores in early November. The "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" star, who reportedly appeared intoxicated at the time of the incident, was arrested and charged with misdemeanor criminal trespassing. ...

"Fantastic" news for Jessica Alba: The actress is pregnant, People.com reports. According to the site, the "Awake" star's representative said her boyfriend Cash Warren is the father. Alba reportedly met Warren on the set of "Fantastic Four" in 2004, at which point they began dating. The actress was reportedly in talks to go to Broadway for a revival of the David Mamet play "Speed-the-Plow." ... Relatedly, it's hard out here for a ... Broadway star? Terrence Howard has signed on for an all-black version of Tennessee Williams' "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" that will debut March 6 at New York's Broadhurst Theatre. James Earl Jones, Phylicia Rashad and Anika Noni Rose of "Dreamgirls" will also star in the third revival of the production, which marks Howard's stage debut. He will play Brick, the aging alcoholic ex-football player. ...

What do John Legend and Eddie Vedder have in common, besides a great set of pipes? The singers are joining together to provide music for an upcoming documentary miniseries based on Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States," a 1980 book that is widely read in high schools and colleges, and its companion piece, "Voices of a People's History of the United States," according to Billboard.com. "The People Speak" will begin production in Boston in January and also involve Viggo Mortensen, Josh Brolin and other actors. Vedder brought Zinn, a Boston University professor, onstage at a Pearl Jam show in Boston three years ago. ...

Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe have more than their Australian backgrounds in common. Forbes has named the actors as the most overpaid celebrities in Hollywood, according to a complicated formula involving the stars' salaries, budgets and returns for movies in which they have appeared, and more. Jim Carrey, Will Ferrell and Adam Sandler also made the list. ...

Just in time for Christmas comes news that Britney Spears has been offered to play the role of the Virgin Mary in the upcoming film "Sweet Baby Jesus," a humorous retelling of the nativity story, according to Us Weekly. "I had to convince my partners because they were like, 'Oh, no. Britney?' " Philippe Rebboah, the film's French producer, reportedly said. "But I thought it was brilliant. It's a bit ironic that she would play the Virgin Mary, no? ... She likes the idea, that's what I heard." Rebboah added that the singer is reviewing the script and will make a decision soon whether to act in the movie, which will be filmed in March. ... You could say this year's "Idol Gives Back" charity special was a wee bit successful — it only raked in a mere $75 million, for charities in the U.S. and Africa. "American Idol" will give the fundraiser another go on April 9 at 8 p.m. with a two-hour special featuring performances and appearances by yet-unnamed celebrities, according to Variety. The show itself will be back January 15 with a two-hour special. ...

Sigur Rós are plotting a batch of theatrical screenings for "Heima," the new documentary film they released late last month. The movie, which revolves around a series of free shows the band played in its native Iceland last summer, will be shown Tuesday (San Francisco, Denver); December 19 (Boston, Atlanta); and December 20 (Austin, Texas; Seattle). ... A lock of John Lennon's hair that went up for bid Wednesday had been estimated to sell for $4,000 to $6,000 — but an unnamed telephone bidder actually shelled out $48,000 for it in the Beatles memorabilia auction, The Associated Press reports. The items in the auction had been collected by the legendary group's hairdresser, and a photo of the band dedicated to her — it was signed "George 'Dandruff' Harrison" — went for $13,000. ...

Music/social-networking site Mog.com relaunched on Wednesday with some seriously beefed-up content. As the result of a deal with Rhapsody Music Service — a joint venture with MTV — Moggers can now listen to millions of full-length songs on their own pages and on the pages of others, and a new search function provides instant access to specific music anywhere on Mog. Using the "play all" function, users can hear what like-minded people are listening to, while the "play this page" function lets users instantly create a playlist of every song mentioned on another Mogger's page. ... Maybe this is where those Led Zeppelin tour rumors came from: Nashville's WSMT-TV is reporting that Zep frontman Robert Plant and bluegrass star Alison Krauss will take the stage together at the Bonnaroo festival in Manchester, Tennessee, in June to perform songs from their collaborative CD, Raising Sand. The fest will be held June 12-15.

• Britney Spears
• Velvet Revolver
• Scott Stapp
• Creed
• Jessica Simpson

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

How The Vest Was Won

• Wolfmother
• The Flaming Lips
• Velvet Revolver
• Green Day
• Jay-Z

Camp Freddy Rock Times Square

• Dave Navarro
• Lindsay Lohan
• Scott Weiland
• Guns N' Roses
• Velvet Revolver

Ashlee, Pharrell, Shakira, Gwen And More On The 2005 'Billboard' Awards Red Carpet

• Ashlee Simpson
• Pharrell Williams
• Chris Brown
• Mario
• Green Day

Lohan, Cannon, Simpson, Teutuls And More At VH1 Big In '05 Awards

• Lindsay Lohan
• Jessica Simpson
• Bo Bice
• Nick Cannon
• Kelis

Madonna, Snoop, U2, Coldplay, Mariah, Velvet Revolver: Live 8 London

• U2
• Coldplay
• Paul McCartney
• Elton John
• Stereophonics

47th Annual Grammy Awards Red Carpet

• Beyoncé
• Kanye West
• Mos Def
• Gwen Stefani
• Black Eyed Peas

47th Annual Grammy Awards Winners

• Maroon 5
• Black Eyed Peas
• Ben Harper
• Marc Anthony
• Los Lonely Boys

Best of 2004: Live Concert Photos

• No Doubt
• Ashlee Simpson
• Yeah Yeah Yeahs
• Evanescence
• Velvet Revolver

Velvet Revolver live at Buzzfest at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in Houston, TX 10.30.2004

• Velvet Revolver