Scott Weiland
Photo: Peter Kramer/ Getty Images

They reunited for a successful run of summer gigs and they've even been writing new material — but, according to frontman Scott Weiland, Stone Temple Pilots' future plans are still very much up in the air, given that two of the band's members have been sued by their old record label, Atlantic Records.

"It's pretty f---ed up, actually," Weiland told MTV News last week. "I don't know who we would record for. I'm not into recording for Atlantic Records, and there are some legal issues there. Originally, I was told — and I was told for years — that we were free from Atlantic. I don't know how it is that [bassist] Dean [DeLeo] and [guitarist] Robert [DeLeo] are free from [Atlantic], and [drummer] Eric [Kretz] and I are not. I have no interest in making a record for a major label. If we were going to make a record, I would want to do it in a way that was much more original and in a more creative fashion."

Atlantic Records filed a lawsuit in Manhattan District Court this spring against Weiland and Kretz, claiming the two tried to get out of their recording contract with the Warner Music Group label prematurely. The filing contends Weiland and Kretz have threatened to stop performing under their current contract, and that they've indicated that they'd like to end the agreement unless Atlantic makes some significant changes. In the suit, the label claims that, though STP have written and recorded six LPs, it wants them to record a seventh — and deliver up to two more, should the label decide it wants them.

However, the suit hasn't deterred the band from working on new material, Weiland said. "I know those guys have been writing, and there's been some really cool stuff that's come about from that," he explained. "I'm proud of everything we've written. But to make another record would mean another couple of years of my life dedicated to that, and I just don't know if that's where I see myself going."

Weiland will issue his second solo offering, Happy in Galoshes, on November 25, an album he's been working on for more than a year, even before he was fired from Velvet Revolver back in the spring. He said that, while he's receptive to recording with STP once more, he likes the freedom that being a solo artist affords him.

"When I look at people like Beck and even, unfortunately, Elliott Smith, who was one of my favorite singer/songwriters, the ability to do what you want to do at your own pace is appealing to me," Weiland said. "You don't really have any fiduciary responsibility to anyone but yourself. But being in a band, you do. It's like, you can't just say, 'You know what? I don't want to tour.' You just can't."

As for Velvet Revolver's collapse, Weiland said that, looking back on it now, he knows just what caused the band's turmoil.

"Velvet Revolver fell apart because there were too many big egos in the band — and I'm including myself," he said. "It wasn't necessarily about bad egos, just big egos, and unfortunately, it just mistakenly kind of eroded."

• Scott Weiland
• Stone Temple Pilots

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

Scott Weiland
Photo: Andrew H. Walker/ Getty Images

Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland, who has struggled with substance abuse off-and-on for years, has been sentenced to serve 192 hours — 8 days — behind bars, according to TMZ.com. The sentence, doled out by a Los Angeles County judge on Monday afternoon (April 28), stems from his arrest in late November on a misdemeanor driving under the influence with a prior conviction count.

According to TMZ.com, Weiland has until May 28 to serve out his sentence; Stone Temple Pilots' reunion tour gets under way May 17 in Columbus, Ohio. Weiland was not present for his sentencing; his attorney, Anthony Brooklier, attended and entered a no-contest plea on behalf of the rocker. At press time, Brooklier had not returned calls from MTV News seeking comment.

Weiland — who recently acrimoniously split with Velvet Revolver — was arrested November 21, while driving on a Los Angeles highway shortly after 6 p.m. It was at that time that Weiland was involved in a non-injury collision in which it was determined he was at fault.

"While the police were investigating the traffic collision, Weiland exhibited signs of impairment," his arrest report reads; the November arrest was his second for driving under the influence. "The investigating officer administered a series of field sobriety tests to the driver, which he was unable to satisfactorily perform." At the time of his arrest, Weiland also reportedly refused to submit to a urine or blood test.

In addition to jail time, Weiland was also ordered to complete an 18-month alcohol program and pay almost $2,000 in fines. He has also been put on a four-year summary probation period.

• Stone Temple Pilots
• Scott Weiland

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

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

Madonna
Photo: Dave Hogan/ Getty Images

Madonna recently told the International Herald Tribune that she has a new project in mind — and it's all about her. "I'm thinking about doing a 25-year retrospective — multimedia, with video and photographs of me by Mario Testino, Herb Ritts, Steven Klein and Steven Meisel," she told the paper. ...

Black Eyed Peas' Taboo was arrested Tuesday morning on suspicion of driving under the influence, The Associated Press reports. The 31-year-old rapper, whose real name is Jaime Luis Gomez, was taken into custody after a collision in Industry, California. He was released later that day with citations for possession of less than an ounce of marijuana, possession of a prescribed medication without a prescription, and driving under the influence. Police did not disclose a court date. ...

Foxy Brown pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor battery and resisting-arrest charges in a Fort Lauderdale, Florida, court on Wednesday (March 28), according to South Florida's Sun-Sentinel. The charges stem from a beauty-shop scuffle that took place February 15 in Pembroke Pines. "I am going to stand up and fight and take care of this," she said after the hearing, according to the newspaper. Broward County Judge Joel Lazarus withdrew the previously issued arrest warrant, and he set a trial date for June. ...

Beastie Boys are planning a new album, summer shows and some additional instrumental gigs. One of the latter sets will be staged May 26 at the Sasquatch! Music Festival at the Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Washington — that's in addition to the group's previously scheduled regular set the following day. After that, the act will head overseas for 18 appearances at European festivals, from a June 10 performance at the Alive Festival in Lisbon, Portugal, through a two-night stand September 8-9 at the U.K.'s Bestival. As for Sasquatch!, more acts have been added to that roster: Mixmaster Mike, Clinic, the Polyphonic Spree and others will join already announced participants Arcade Fire, Björk and Interpol. ...

Hilary Duff said splitting from Joel Madden was the right thing to do, but it wasn't easy. "We had a great relationship," she told MTV News. "I don't look back and wish we weren't together." Duff explained that the couple ended things on good terms, but feelings were still hurt. "I didn't know why I didn't want to be in a relationship anymore. I was still, like, what am I doing? I love this person." The singer/actress said the breakup resulted in a creative boost that inspired songs with many emotions, including tracks that Duff describes as "a little bit angry and some that are a little bit hurt and lonely and sad." Her album Dignity, due Tuesday, features those songs — as well as ones that are about the good times. "I was really scared [to] put these songs on the record about us being happy, but then I was like, 'Why?' Those were my experiences too." ...

Speaking of breakups, New Jersey rockers Thursday have split with Island Records. Confirming months of rumors, the band revealed the divorce through its MySpace page. "It was a difficult decision and it took us the better part of six months to come to an agreement with the label, but now that we have, both of us are very happy with how things have turned out," the statement read, adding that the decision was mutual. The band plans to complete its current tour, after which it'll "start writing for a new record. We have not decided where this new record will be released yet. Although we've had several wonderful offers already, we're just enjoying our freedom for now. It's very exciting to have the opportunity to start again." Thursday's Island debut, 2003's War All the Time, has sold 364,000 copies since its release. The follow-up, 2006's A City by the Light Divided, has scanned a mere 132,000 to date. ... Saves the Day drummer Pete Parada has left the band after a four-and-a-half-year tenure. "It saddens me to report that I have decided to leave the band," he wrote in a statement. "I wish them all the best of luck and look forward to starting fresh with a new band." Before Saves the Day, Parada logged kit time with Face to Face. ...

The re-formed Smashing Pumpkins will make their onstage debut in Paris on May 22, the band announced on MySpace. Tickets for the show, which will take place at Le Grand Rex, go on sale April 11. ... Scott Weiland's wife, Mary, has released a statement responding to reports of an altercation that the couple had at Burbank, California's Graciela Hotel as well as her arrest on Monday for allegedly setting fire to the Velvet Revolver singer's belongings outside their home. She explains that the incidents were brought on by a "reaction to an imbalance in medications" she takes to treat a bipolar disorder. "Reports that we were fighting at the Graciela Hotel are untrue," the statement reads. "Scott was simply trying to help calm me down. I want to make it very clear that he did not hurt me in any way." The couple have made amends with the hotel and have paid for damages, according to Mary Weiland. "Most importantly, neither of our children were witness to any of these events and they have been in the care of a family member," the statement concludes. "We appreciate all your concerns and how supportive people have been." ...

"Star Wars" fans will have a new reason to make pen pals this summer: The U.S. Postal Service is unveiling a set of stamps commemorating the sci-fi franchise, AP reports. The 15 stamps — featuring Darth Vader, Yoda, Luke Skywalker and many more likenesses — will be released May 25 at the cost of 41 cents apiece — the two-cent increase from stamps' standard 39-cent cost takes effect May 14. ... Morrissey is plotting his first U.S. tour in three years. The exhaustive trek will carry him from an April 27 gig in Stockton, California, all the way through a July 21 show in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The former Smith will be supported by Kristeen Young, who also acted as opener on last year's Ringleader of the Tormentors jaunt. ...

David Bowie will curate the inaugural H&M High Line Festival, a 10-day mix of music, film, comedy, visual art and performance that begins May 9 and will be held in venues near New York's High Line, a defunct elevated railway. Bowie's handpicked participants include musical acts Arcade Fire, Polyphonic Spree, Air and Laurie Anderson, as well as comedian Ricky Gervais, art from the Claude Cahun Public Art Exhibition and 10 Spanish-language films from the last 100 years. A portion of each ticket sale will benefit Friends of the High Line, an organization working to transform the 1930s rail structure into a park. ... Fishbone have unveiled a string of spring dates to promote the April 24 release of their new LP, Stuck in Your Throat, the band's first record in more than six years. The tour kicks off Saturday in Malibu, California, and dates are scheduled through a May 19 stop in Seattle.

03.27.2007

Justin Timberlake is extending his North American FutureSex/LoveShow with a second leg. The 15 additional dates begin with an August 6 performance at FedExForum in his Memphis hometown and end with a September 16 gig at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Here are the venues he'll play in between: the Gwinnett Center in Atlanta (August 7); TD Banknorth Garden in Boston (August 10); Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey (August 13); Madison Square Garden in New York (August 15); Bell Centre in Montreal (August 18); Air Canada Centre in Toronto (August 20); MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba (August 25); Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas (September 1); GM Place in Vancouver, British Columbia (September 5); Rose Quarter in Portland, Oregon (September 7); Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington (September 8); ARCO Arena in Sacramento, California (September 10); and HP Pavilion in San Jose, California (September 12). ...

In other JT news, he doesn't have much to say about ex-girlfriend Britney Spears these days, but he does have an opinion about the gossip magazines that keep a close watch on her — and on him and ex Cameron Diaz. "I despise what they do," Timberlake said in the April issue of Details, on newsstands Tuesday (March 27). "They create soap operas out of people's lives. [Britney and I] had our thing and it's over." ...

Avril Lavigne and Spears may not be linked in the tabloids, but they do have a connection — fans who enjoy Lavigne's live show can thank Britney for her influence. "My mom made me go to a Britney Spears concert when I was young," the singer said in an interview published in the April issue of Jane (on newsstands Tuesday). "I was like, 'No, I don't want to!' She was like, 'You're going to be a performer, you need to see other people!' " ... Jessica Simpson visited a Mexican orphanage in Nuevo Laredo on Tuesday, showing up to a throng of cheering children, according to The Associated Press. The singer/actress, who was accompanied by her mother, donated a new 2007 Chrysler minivan to the orphanage. She stayed there for about 40 minutes, having her photo taken and signing autographs. ...

Jessica Smith, a former "Laguna Beach" castmember, has been arrested for investigation of felony driving under the influence of alcohol following a late-night freeway crash Monday, AP reports. The 19-year-old crashed into another car, the driver of which sustained minor injuries. A passenger traveling with Smith also suffered minor injuries. The actress, who has remained in custody in lieu of $100,000 bail, is scheduled for arraignment Wednesday. ...

Just a day after Eminem and ex-wife Kim Mathers agreed in court to stop criticizing each other in public for the sake of their daughter, Kim was interviewed on New York radio station Hot 97 Tuesday morning and spoke about Em, including his recent legal action to stop her from speaking about their relationship. "How many songs has he done about me?" Kim — who has served as subject matter for tracks including "Cleaning Out My Closet" and "Mockingbird" — asked radio host Miss Jones. "How many interviews has he done where he's talking about freedom of speech? ... I do a couple of interviews and he's crying like a little girl." Kim accused Em of being "disconnected from reality," revealed that she has no contact with him despite only living a mile away — and shot down any chance that the twice-divorced couple would eventually find their way back to each other. "We don't work good together," she said. "It's not good for the kids." ...

On Monday nights, West Hollywood, California's Keyclub is home to cover band Metal Skool, and they bring '80s classics, big hair and tight spandex. So the last thing you'd expect to see there is one of today's big-name guitarists taking the stage — behind a drum kit. Earlier this week, those who paid the $20 admission got much more than they bargained for when Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello took a seat at the kit, joining the entire crew of Disturbed and Anthrax's Scott Ian to rock the house with a rendition of AC/DC's "Highway to Hell." Looking a little uneasy at first, Morello gradually took control of the drums over the course of the performance. ...

Akon is featured on "Never Never," the first single from Brick&Lace. The track was made available Tuesday on iTunes, while the Jamaican sister duo's debut album, Love Is Wicked, is due June 26 on Akon's Kon Live Distribution imprint through Geffen Records. ... LOX rapper Styles P has signed with Koch to release his next project, 5 Star General, tentatively due in July. The album will mark his first release since parting ways with Interscope late last year. The rapper had previously announced his intentions to partner with Koch during a New York radio interview, but now the paperwork is complete. "It feels good to be a part of a team that appreciates hip-hop in its truest form," Styles said in a statement. "I am ecstatic about being in control of my own destiny." ...

The All-American Rejects will be honored with the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers' Vanguard Award at the 24th annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards on April 18 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. The Rejects will perform, as will the Fray and Nick Lachey. Melissa Etheridge, Kelly Clarkson, Jermaine Dupri and Johnta Austin will also be honored. ... The White Stripes have unveiled the track list for their upcoming Icky Thump album, which is due in June. According to a post on WhiteStripes.com, Thump will span 13 tracks, with titles like "300 M.P.H. Torrential Outpour Blues," "Prickly Thorn, but Sweetly Worn" and "A Martyr for My Love for You." Of course, this being the Stripes, the announcement also came with a crossword puzzle and a series of track descriptions, which run the gamut from cautionary ("If you're looking for hot water, don't be shocked when you get burned a little bit") to straight-up nonsensical ("They got a white pony in a stable and ride him when the doggie isn't able.") ...

Female-fronted metallers In This Moment have been added to this summer's Ozzfest rotating lineup, securing a slot on the tour's second stage alongside Hatebreed, Nile, the Showdown, Daath, Circus Diablo, Ankla, Mondo Generator and 3 Inches of Blood. According to guitarist Chris Howorth, the band is "very proud and honored to be a part of this year's Ozzfest. Not only are we huge Ozzy fans and excited to be playing with him every day, but this year's festival is free, so everyone has a chance to come out and be a part of this amazing experience. It's going to be a great chance to reach out to an entirely new audience. We are also looking forward to playing with and getting to know all the rest of the bands on the tour. It's so surreal because not too long ago we were watching the Ozzfest as fans out in the crowd, and now we are performing." ...

Sammy Hagar and Linda Perry have been selected to receive Recording Academy Honors awards for the San Francisco chapter. The ceremony is scheduled for April 29 at the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco's Union Square. ... Saves the Day and Say Anything are heading out on a 32-stop co-headlining tour that kicks off April 10 in San Diego and hits cities including Los Angeles, Seattle, Minneapolis, Chicago, Cleveland, Boston and Atlanta before wrapping up May 17 in Dallas. Saves the Day will follow the tour with a trip to the studio, where they will work on their sixth LP, Under the Boards, due in the fall. ... Kings of Leon will tour North America in support of Because of the Times, due April 3. The trek begins April 28 at Coachella and ends June 16 at Bonnaroo.

• Ultimate Madonna: Interviews From The Vault
• MTV News RAW: Hilary Duff

• Madonna
• Black Eyed Peas
• Hilary Duff
• Joel Madden
• Scott Weiland

Scott Weiland
Photo: Andrew H. Walker/ Getty Images

Forgive Velvet Revolver for not yet having picked a single from their just-completed second album, Libertad.

"We had this joke in the studio that it's all A-sides, no B-sides," singer Scott Weiland said recently. "So it's really kind of hard to pick. There are just a lot of great songs."

VR credit the greatness to two factors, the first being producer Brendan O'Brien, who worked with Weiland during his Stone Temple Pilots days.

"He has really helped the guys challenge themselves on a musical level," Weiland said. "[Libertad] definitely still rocks, but it's incredibly more musical. There's a lot more textures, and Slash and Duff [McKagan] have really sort of risen the bar. It just goes places that the first album didn't go."

"He is the best musician in the room," guitarist Dave Kushner added. "I talked to Tom Morello because he has done records with Brendan, and he said the same thing. And to have a producer who is so musical, you can't just skate by. He'll say, 'Why don't you try this chord?' And I'm like, 'I've never heard of that chord!' "

The second factor is that, unlike with their debut, Velvet Revolver actually feel like a band now.

"We toured for two years," Weiland said. "And [because of that] we've really gotten close during the making of this record."

While he admits the bandmembers got a bit sick of each other touring behind 2004's Contraband, Weiland says the guys are now looking forward to returning to the road.

"We're actually going to do a short American tour of some intimate clubs and small theaters, just to warm up," Weiland said. "Then we're going to South America and Europe, then back for a big American tour at the end of the summer."

Moreover, according to the band's publicist, Weiland and Slash will give the induction speech for honorees Van Halen during the 2007 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, set to unfold inside New York's Waldorf-Astoria hotel on March 12. In light of recent rumors, it's unclear whether Velvet Revolver will perform at the event in Van Halen's place — and whether any of the members of the latter band will even be present to accept the honor (see "Van Halen Reunion Tour Might Not Happen After All").

In the meantime, Weiland is also finishing his second solo album, which he plans to release at the end of 2007 (see "Scott Weiland Pumped For Velvet Revolver LP, Solo Collabo With Pharrell").

"It kind of goes all over the map like the first one, but a bit more focused because I'm not using drugs anymore," Weiland said. "It has a little bit of Latin jazz, some R&B-oriented stuff, some stuff with beats. There's some stuff that's really kind of out there. I'm into creating sounds, but it's all about melody, really."

Before finishing, Weiland hopes to collaborate with Mick Jones of the Clash.

"We wanted to work with him with Velvet Revolver, but we didn't get the chance to do it," he said. "So I'm thinking about getting a hold of him, working on a track or two."

Libertad is due this spring.

• Van Halen, The Early Years

• Velvet Revolver
• Scott Weiland
• Slash
• Van Halen

Scott Weiland
Photo: Ethan Miller/ Getty Images

Scott Weiland tries to avoid boredom at all costs.

In addition to being a dad and a husband (he's married to model Mary Forsberg), he fronts Velvet Revolver. He's working on his forthcoming autobiography with author David Ritz, and would like to pursue acting. The self-proclaimed "fashion whore" is mulling his own clothing line, and hopes to release his second solo LP late next year. On top of all that, Weiland has just launched his own record label, Softdrive, with his manager and production partner.

It's clear the man knows how to keep busy, and recently, he's been consumed with working on Velvet Revolver's Libertad — the follow-up to 2004's Contraband — an LP the former Stone Temple Pilots leader couldn't be more, well, psyched about.

"I haven't been this excited about a rock record since 1993, when I went into the studio to record [STP's] Purple," which was recorded in just 10 days, with producer Brendan O'Brien (Incubus, Rage Against the Machine) at the helm, Weiland explained. O'Brien is also behind Libertad, which Weiland called "a really inspired rock and roll album, but it's got many textures.

"It's multidimensional, which I think is one thing Brendan brings out in artists," Weiland continued. "I think he's brought out the best in this band, and, I mean, these guys" — guitarists Dave Kushner and Slash, bassist Duff McKagan and drummer Matt Sorum — "are amazing players, and they're capable of anything. They've reached completely new heights, and pulled something out of themselves. Instead of doing what's completely comfortable, what they've done before, they have gone to new places, emotionally, musically and spiritually."

Weiland said the new album, which should surface this spring, "is completely colorful in a new way, but it is definitely not a concept album." The singer said he scrapped initial plans to weave a connecting concept throughout the LP because "there's been a hurricane of concept albums that have come out this year, and I really didn't want to make the concept album that made the levee break." Velvet Revolver wrote more than 18 tracks for the disc, including "Pills, Demons, Etc.," "Just 16," "Get Out the Door," and "Queen for a Day," and started tracking December 4.

"It's an album like albums were meant to be," he said. "It's not a collection of singles, but it's not some drummed-up concept album that's contrived either."

VR first enlisted producer Rick Rubin (Jay-Z, Red Hot Chili Peppers), but — for reasons Weiland wouldn't really get into — opted to instead work with O'Brien. "Obviously, Rick makes things happen with people, and that chemistry creates a certain 'spiritual combustion' in some way," the singer said. "But with us, that didn't happen. I worked with Brendan on every STP record, and we needed somebody who was more in the trenches with us. When Brendan works with a band, he becomes the fifth or sixth bandmember. He gets in there with you, and he's in the thick of it. Every song that we were working on previously had a different feel, and songs that I was completely uninspired by, within a short period of time, became inspiring. Songs that I had no ideas for, I suddenly had a lot of ideas for, and took to completely different places than I think I would have taken them."

And Weiland said he's about two-thirds of the way done with his yet-untitled solo outing, his first since 1998's 12 Bar Blues. He said the disc will most likely be out next fall, "right around the time STP takes ... uh, STP ... Freudian slip ... Velvet Revolver takes its break. So that'll give me time to go do some roadwork, and do some shows, which I really didn't have a chance to do with my last album."

He's written more than a dozen tracks for the effort, including "The Man I Didn't Know," "Beautiful Day," "I Know It's Late," "She Sold Her System," "Big Black Monster," "Killing Me Sweetly" and "Happy," a cut originally slated for Libertad.

"That's the one I wrote with Pharrell Williams," he said. "I think [Williams] is incredibly talented, and what makes him great is he is completely colorblind, musically. Where his influences lie are from all different genres of music, and I think he takes you on a sonic journey, as far as his production goes. And, so, we kind of went and sort of searched him out, talked to him, and told him the ideas we had. This track we started working on with him pertained more to me, personally, than to the band, so it became one of the songs on my solo record."

Weiland's sophomore LP will be released by Softdrive, a label he'd been trying to develop for more than six years. He said he wanted to form a label "that would release various types of music, and focuses on the great music of all the genres." One of the label's first releases, the debut disc from the Actual, In Stitches, will be issued in 2007, and the label has also signed country artist Tommy Joe Wilson. Softdrive operates out of Weiland's recording studio.

"Obviously, we don't have a massive income stream to offer major dances, but we can make records here for next to nothing," he said. "We have everything in our recording studio that every major recording studio has."

• Scott Weiland
• Velvet Revolver
• Stone Temple Pilots
• Army Of Anyone

Nelly (file)
Photo: Universal Records

Nelly reminds parents that their kids are their biggest fans in a new underage-drinking prevention ad, which will debut Wednesday during "Law & Order" on NBC. In the Anheuser-Busch-sponsored 30-second spot, Nelly admits that some of the parents watching him may not recognize him as a hip-hop icon, so he pretends to be a chef, a boxer and a golfer. "Underage drinking is a serious issue, and working with parents to address the problem is the responsible thing to do," Nelly said in a statement. "It's very important for parents to talk with their children about everything, and underage-drinking prevention is definitely one of those things you need to jump on early." ...

Britney Spears' reality show with husband Kevin Federline is going to re-run on MTV, it was announced on Tuesday (May 17). "Britney and Kevin: Chaotic" premieres Tuesday at 9 p.m. on UPN, while the second run will premiere on MTV on May 26, with the first two episodes of the half-hour series airing back-to-back at 10 p.m. The series will continue on MTV Thursday nights at 10 p.m. throughout the run, with the hour-long finale airing June 23 at 10 p.m. Spears is using her song "Chaotic" from the In the Zone sessions as the show's theme song. ... Scott Weiland, wearing a vintage 1972 Nudie Rodeo Tailor suit and accompanied by a pedal-steel guitarist and steel drummer, treated the audience at "Last Call With Carson Daly" last week (at a special taping at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles) to the debut performance of a country ballad he wrote about his father called "The Man I Didn't Know." "I met Tim McGraw at the Grammys, when we sang 'Across the Universe' together for tsunami relief and we talked about singing a song together," the Velvet Revolver singer said in a statement. "This is the song I wrote for us to sing." The episode will air Thursday. ...

Michael Jackson's defense — after trying to establish on Monday that the accuser's family never alerted Neverland employees that anything was wrong — turned on Tuesday to trying to establish that the accuser's family also did not inform the Department of Children and Family Services when that opportunity arose. DCFS employee Irene Laverne Peters testified that the reason they were investigating in the first place was because charges were leveled at the mother, for "general neglect." Peters said that the mother said she was hiding at her boyfriend's house because of documentary maker Martin Bashir, and seemed upset only because she hadn't signed a release for her children to be on television. Peters said that the mother insisted that she was aware of everything her kids did at Neverland. When she was asked if the kids ever slept in the singer's bed, the mother said that that never happened. Peters asked the accuser if he had ever slept in Jackson's bed, and the boy denied it, she said. However, the prosecution's timeline regarding the molestation has the abuse not occurring until after this interview. Meanwhile, Jay Leno is scheduled to testify in the case on Monday. ...

Incubus wrote three new tracks and duet with the Pretenders' Chrissie Hynde for the soundtrack to the Jamie Foxx action thriller "Stealth," due out July 12. "We wrote the first song, 'Make a Move,' really quickly," singer Brandon Boyd said. "It's fun and bouncy, but still thoughtful." The band's two other new songs are called "Admiration" and "Neither of Us Can See" (featuring Hynde), which will play over the movie's closing credits. "When we were conceptualizing the song, it became obvious that we needed two voices to capture the different facets of this song," Boyd said of his first duet. "Chrissie came in and added another dimension to the song." The trailer for "Stealth" premieres Wednesday and will play before "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith." "Stealth" hits theaters July 29. ... Meanwhile, Foxx is getting his own music special to air on NBC, which he'll also executive produce. The tentatively titled "Jamie Foxx Special" would follow the release of his new album this fall, and feature all original music by Foxx as well as a few guest stars. The one-hour show would also trace his musical roots back to his hometown of Terrell, Texas. An airdate has yet to be announced. ...

Mike Epps ("The Honeymooners") will play raunchy comedian Richard Pryor in a big-screen biopic, according to Variety. The movie will be co-produced by Pryor and his wife, Jennifer Lee Pryor, who said Epps was tapped over an earlier choice for the part, Damon Wayans, whom the pair believed was too well-known. ... Babyface is prepping his ninth album, Grown & Sexy, due out July 26. His first single, "Sorry for the Stupid Things," hits radio on Monday. Other tracks on the album include "Tonite It's Goin' Down," "Mad, Sexy, Cool," "Goin' Outta Bizness" and "Drama, Luv and 'Lationships." In advance of the album's release, Babyface is planning a live one-hour performance special (airdate to be announced). ...

Skating legend Tony Hawk is taking his Boom Boom Huckjam extreme sports/music tour on the road again this summer. The 25-city outing, which kicks off on June 17 in Spokane, Washington, will also be turned into a behind-the-scenes series for the action sports channel Fuel tentatively titled "On the Road With Tony Hawk." DJ Aero (Methods of Mayhem) will spin during the events. ... If your Memorial Day plans included a trip to Detroit for the city's annual electronic music festival, this year it will cost you. The Detroit City Council recently approved a plan that would allow organizers to charge $10 per day ($25 for a three-day pass) for the traditionally free event, now dubbed "Fuse-In: Detroit's Electronic Movement," according to the Detroit Free Press. Organizers said that if the festival had not moved to a pay model, its future would have been in doubt due to a lack of major sponsors. ...

A Social Distortion cover of the Clash's 1979 song "Death or Glory" will be the first single from the "Lords of Dogtown" soundtrack, due May 24. A Rise Against cover of Black Flag's "Nervous Breakdown" as well as favorites from the Jimi Hendrix Experience ("Fire"), Rod Stewart ("Maggie May") and the Stooges ("T.V. Eye") are also included. The skateboarding biopic opens June 3. ... Teenage Fanclub's first new album in nearly three years, Man-Made, will be released in the U.S. on June 7. The Glasgow, Scotland, band's eighth studio album was recorded in Chicago with Tortoise's John McEntire, marking the first time the group worked on an album abroad. ... Switchfoot's follow-up to their breakthrough album, 2003's The Beautiful Letdown, will be called Nothing Is Sound and will hit stores in July. The San Diego rockers wrote the album while touring behind Letdown. ...

05.16.2005

Paris Hilton and Nick Carter are trading barbs once again through the media. The actress/heiress was asked last week on Edmonton, Alberta, station 96X, on a show called "The Canadian Hit 30 Countdown," to compare her new boyfriend — also named Paris — to her previous boyfriends, such as Carter. Hilton responded, "Night and day. He's not using me for anything ... he's not a disgusting pig, sorry." Carter responded shortly afterward that Hilton "should take a look in the mirror." "I kind of have to brush it off my shoulders, because she's very immature," Carter told the station. "The problem with Paris is that she thrives off of hurting other people, and it's not just me." Fellow Backstreet Boy Kevin Richardson added that he had asked Hilton to lay off the negative comments. "I pulled her aside at a party, and said, 'We'd never done anything to harm you, I don't appreciate the negative comments. Unless you want me coming after you in the press, and you don't want me talking about you, you need to stop it and lay off my little brother.' It angers me that she started again." ...

Michael Jackson's defense turned on Monday (May 16) to disputing the accuser's family's claims of being held prisoner at Neverland by demonstrating that during their time there, they received a number of services — from orthodontia for the kids to full body waxing for the mom — and that no one providing those services saw any indication that anything was wrong. A Neverland maid testified that the accuser's mother did ask for help leaving the ranch, but it was because Jackson's associates were interfering with her relationship with the pop singer, she said. Other employees indicated that the accuser and his brother were problem children, testifying that they found them with porn and alcohol when Jackson was not around. However, one witness, former Neverland chef's assistant Angel Vivanco, was limited in testifying about what he claims the accuser's sister told him, based on his "quasi-sexual" relationship with her. The defense had indicated that he would say the sister told him her family was planning "something big" regarding Jackson and that her mom was "psycho." ...

Ciara got the most nods for the upcoming BET Awards, with four nominations (including Best New Artist, Best Female R&B, Best Collaboration and Viewer's Choice for "1, 2 Step"). Also leading the pack are Destiny's Child, John Legend and Kanye West, with three nominations each. Other multiple nominees include Fantasia, Amerie, 50 Cent and Omarion. Destiny's Child, Mariah Carey, Ludacris, Missy Elliott and the Game will perform on the show, which will be televised live on June 28 at 8 p.m. ET. ... Want to vote for one of the final three "American Idol" contestants — Bo Bice, Carrie Underwood and Vonzell Solomon — to become one of the final two? You'll be more likely to get through on Tuesday, when each contestant will be assigned two toll-free numbers instead of one. "With the volume of calls this season already exceeding last year's, we felt it was important to give fans additional phone numbers in an attempt to reduce congestion," Executive Producer Cecile Frot-Coutaz said. ...

Jennifer Lopez may have scrapped plans to do a full tour, but she's going forward with at least one live concert, to be filmed for a special to air on NBC, the network announced Monday. The tentatively titled "Jennifer Lopez Special" will include her singing her catalog of hits as well as songs from Rebirth. No airdate for the show was announced. ...

Young Buck's Friday court date in Los Angeles in connection with the melee at last fall's Vibe Awards was once again postponed, this time to June 8. The G-Unit rapper has already pleaded not guilty to assault with a deadly weapon. ... CMJ and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum have teamed for the first CMJ/ Rock Hall Music Fest, scheduled for June 8-11 in Cleveland. More than 100 bands will perform around the city for the festival, including Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks, the Futureheads, Spoon, Grandmaster Flash, the Misfits, Powerman 5000, Mushroomhead and the Pixies, who are kicking off the festival June 8 at the Rock Hall. ...

Blink-182's Mark Hoppus is giving away clothing from his Atticus female clothing line to the band's fans. Through Blink's Web site, fans can enter the contest for a chance to win a hat, hooded sweatshirt and a baby tee, along with a compilation CD produced by Hoppus for SideOnedummy Records, featuring songs from Blink-182, Death Cab for Cutie and Fall Out Boy. All Mark asks is that potential winners send him a list of "three songs that would make a great soundtrack to your life," with an explanation as to why. There will be 10 winners in all. ... Vanessa Carlton is training with the hopes of being one of the 30,000 picked in the lottery drawing to compete in the New York City Marathon. She applied last week to be on pop station Z100's team. The marathon takes place November 6. ...

Former '50s teen idol Paul Anka has recorded covers of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit," Oasis' "Wonderwall" and R.E.M.'s "Everybody Hurts" for his latest album, Rock Swings, due June 7. The 47-year show business veteran wrote big-band arrangements for the songs. ... Hüsker Dü founder Bob Mould has a new solo album in the works called Body and Soul, due out July 26. Songs vary from guitar-heavy, full-band approaches like "Paralyzed" and "Circles" to acoustic ballads such as "High Fidelity" and "Days of Rain." Mould plans to tour in the fall, performing material from all stages of his career — solo, Sugar and Hüsker Dü — for the first time. Fugazi's Brendan Canty — who guests on the album — has signed on to play drums for the tour. ...

The site of the Hawthorne, California, home where the Wilson family grew up and became the Beach Boys is being dedicated as an official historical landmark on Friday. Brian Wilson will perform at the afternoon unveiling, which will include appearances by fellow founding member Al Jardine and Wilson's daughters Carnie and Wendy Wilson (of the soft-rock group Wilson Phillips). ... Believe it or not, the city of Hibbing, Minnesota, has never erected any permanent honor to its favorite son, Bob Dylan. The folk icon, who went to high school in the small Midwestern town, will see the street he grew up on renamed "Dylan Drive," according to The Associated Press. ...

• Nelly
• Britney Spears
• Jamie Foxx
• Incubus
• Scott Weiland

Camp Freddy Rock Times Square

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