Michelle Williams

Michelle Williams Takes HIV-Positive Role For TV-Acting Debut

14 Feb 2006 11:34:00 EST

Ex-Destiny's Child member also making wish list of collaborators for next LP.
By Angela Lu, with additional reporting by Corey Moss

Michelle Williams
Photo: Stephen Shugerman/ Getty Images

BEVERLY HILLS — While one Michelle Williams is earning buzz on the big screen (as Heath Ledger's on- and offscreen "Brokeback Mountain" love interest), another is getting some attention on the small screen.

Destiny's Child singer Michelle Williams made her television acting debut Monday night on the UPN comedy "Half & Half," playing a strong-willed, HIV-positive record producer.

"I did the role because I wanted people to know that whatever you have, you can still live." said Williams, who will also appear in the next two episodes of the series. "You can still work, you can still be fly, you can still be classy, and your dream doesn't have to die."

Williams, who previously acted in Broadway's "Aida" (see "DC's Michelle Williams Preps For 'Aida,' Plans To 'Keep It Real' On Next Solo LP"), shot the episodes during a break between Destiny's Child's final tour and the start of her third solo album (see "Destiny's Child Announce Split").

"I know my first two albums were gospel, but I'm going to do some soul music because I love R&B music, so I'm excited about that opportunity," Williams said at Clive Davis's annual pre-Grammy party (see "Jamie Foxx Pulls Kanye And Snoop Into His Grammy Party Takeover"). "Hopefully it'll be out at the end of this year [or] early next year."

Williams has yet to collaborate with any big names, but she has a few possible creative partners in mind.

"I've got to work with Anthony Hamilton," she said. "I've got to do something with John Legend. Those are like my two dreams. You know who I really love, too, is Bonnie Raitt. I love 'Nick of Time.' I listen to that song once a day at least."

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Destiny's Child Back In The Studio, So 'Shut Up!' Kelly Rowland Says

9 Jul 2004 08:35:00 EDT

Group proves naysayers wrong by reconvening to record.
By Corey Moss, with additional reporting by Ritesh Gupta

Kelly Rowland
Photo: MTV News

Kelly Rowland has been hearing it for three years now.

" 'You guys aren't going to go back in the studio,' " Rowland repeated, imitating a naysayer.

"Well, I just want to say to everybody who comes up to me, OK, now what?" the singer continued. "We're back in the studio, we're putting out a record. Shut up!"

It's official — Destiny's Child's fourth studio album is in the works, and to hear Rowland tell it, the ladies' time apart is having quite an influence on the new material.

"All of us have been in three different places ... so there's a lot to talk about, a lot that's gone on, personally," Rowland said. "I think it's important to talk about that on this new record, to put what we've been going through separately into the new record."

For the recently engaged Rowland, her lyrical input will have a lot to do with relationships.

"Beyoncé will tell you the same thing," Rowland said. "With fame [comes] people trying to split us up, make something out of nothing.

"I know one main ingredient with a Destiny's Child record is to always make it personal," she added. "That's definitely one thing I admire about Usher. He's putting all of his heart and soul in his record. [People] feel like when they're listening to the record, that [Usher's] talking to them. That's important."

So far, Destiny's Child have logged studio time with Rockwilder and are talking with Kanye West and Rich Harrison (Alicia Keys, Mary J. Blige), who produced songs for both Rowland and Beyoncé's solo albums, including the latter's "Crazy in Love."

The group is also excited to discover and expose some lesser-known producers. "I remember when we worked with She'kspere and he didn't really work with anybody [before] and we came out with 'Bills, Bills, Bills' and people were excited about that," Rowland said. " 'Survivor' [produced by Anthony Dent] was the same thing. We want to deliver the same kind of ingredients, but just a little bit more mature."

Although Michelle Williams released two solo albums since Destiny's Child went on hiatus in 2001, and there was talk late last year of Beyoncé releasing a second LP, the group never thought about disbanding.

"It was a no-brainer that all of us wanted to do another DC record," Rowland said. "That's where we started. That's the mold everything grew from and you can't just stray away from that. I know all of us are so excited about this next record and we wouldn't have done the solo records if it wasn't for Destiny's Child records."

Rowland is so amped up to regroup that she's literally already dreaming about going back on the road with DC.

"We all have on white suits, and everything is just so crisp," she recalled. "I just see it in my head, I'm so excited. You can see this glow on my face. I cannot wait until this record is done and we can go out and we can tour, and it's gonna feel so good again. I can't even describe to you what it is. It's love, it's hard work, it's hunger."

Destiny's Child's sessions will be a little bit spotty throughout the summer, as Beyoncé is also shooting "The Pink Panther" with Steve Martin (see "Beyonce Wants To Follow 'Pink Panther' With A Movie A Year" ).

Rowland, who had a role in "Freddy Vs. Jason," recently finished a comedy of her own, "Seat Filler" (see "Kelly Rowland In Talks To Play Megastar In Romantic Comedy" ).

"I actually play a pop star and I fall in love with a seat filler," Rowland said. "It's really a very, very cute story. This was my first lead role. I star in it with Duane Martin and we had a great time. It was definitely a learning process for me as well."

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New Releases: Twista, Michelle Williams, Katy Rose, Stereolab, Voodoo Child, Air, Fantomas & More

26 Jan 2004 09:11:00 EST

Twista (file)
Photo: Legit Ballin Records

Look out below as Twista unleashes his Kamikaze this week. In less reckless new-releases news, Destiny's Child's Michelle Williams drops her second solo album, Do You Know, and the Foo Fighters, Dave Matthews Band, P.O.D., Creed and Nickelback prove they're Committed 2 Rock on this "positive music" compilation.

Stereolab's 10th full-length album, Margerine Eclipse, sticks to the group's tried-and-true sound despite the absence of singer Mary Hansen, who was killed in 2002 (see "Stereolab Singer Killed After Being Struck By Car" ). The song "Feel and Triple" is a tribute to her.

For a change of mood, check out Voodoo Child, otherwise known as Moby, and his Baby Monkey, a straightforward dance album inspired by a party Moby attended in an abandoned railway tunnel in Glasgow, Scotland.

For the generally morose Elbow, it takes a Cast of Thousands to help them lighten up a bit. Meanwhile, another downer band, Starsailor, reveal that Silence Is Easy.

Finally, Air's two-disc set, Talkie Walkie, co-produced by Nigel Godrich, features the group's usual dreamy fare plus some instrumentals, including "Alone in Kyoto," which appeared in "Lost in Translation." 10-4. Over and out.

Out Tuesday, January 27:

10,000 Maniacs - Campfire Songs: The Popular, Obscure and Unknown Recordings (Elektra)
Against All Authority - Live at the Fireside Bowl (Liberation)
Air - Talkie Walkie (Astralwerks)
A. Skillz & Krafty Kuts - Tricka Technology (Finger Lickin')
Bayside - Sirens and Condolences (Victory)
Cheryl Bentyne - Talk of the Town (Telarc Jazz)
John Berry - I Give My Heart (Clear Sky)
Blueridge - Side by Side (Sugar Hill)
Greg Brown - Honey in the Lion's Head (Trailer)
Chemlab - Oxidizer (Invisible)
Bradley Cole -In Our Time (Nomadic)
The Cure - Join the Dots: B-sides and Rarities, 1978-2001 (Elektra)
Felix Cutillo - Visage II (Europa Pop)
Jon Delerious - No Warning (Nordic Trax)
Discordance Axis - Jou Hou (Hydra Head)
DJ Cam and Tassel & Naturel - Fillet of Soul (Inflamable)
Dave Douglas - Strange Liberation (Bluebird)
Down to the Bone - Cellar Funk (Narada)
Drugmoney - MTN CTY JNK (Hybrid)
Elbow - Cast of Thousands (V2)
Darren Emerson & Mutiny - Underwater Episode 2 (Underwater)
Emery - The Weak's End (Tooth & Nail)
Fantômas - Delirium Cordia (Ipecac)
The Flatlanders - Wheels of Fortune (New West)
Front Line Assembly - Total Terror (Cleopatra)
Marvin Gaye - Concert Anthology (Cleopatra)
Gentle Giant - Playing the Cleveland (United States Dist.)
Ghost - Hypnotic Underworld (Drag City)
Gorerotted - Only Tools and Corpses (Metal Blade)
Hammerfall - One Crimson Night (Nuclear Blast)
J Majik - Fabric Live 13 (Fabric)
Jay-J - Loveslapped Vol. 3 (Loveslap!)
The Kiss of Death - Kiss of Death (Tribunal)
Leahy - In All Things (Narada Jazz)
Lil' C-Style - Blacc Balled (Rumm)
Long Since Forgotten - Standing Room Only (Rocketstar)
The Love Project - The Love Project (Narada)
Meat Beat Manifesto - In Dub (:\ run)
James Moody - Homage (Savoy Jazz)
No Motiv - Daylight Breaking (Vagrant)
Nodesha - Nodesha (Arista)
The Notwist - Different Cars and Trains (Domino)
Organic Infest - Way to Temptation (Crash Music)
Pig Destroyer - Splits Collection (Robotic Empire)
Poster Children - No More Songs About Sleep and Fire (Hidden Agenda)
Premonitions of War - Life in Kowloon (Victory)
Pyrexia - Cruelty Beyond Submission (Crash Music)
RBX - Ripp Tha Game Bloody (Street Muzic)
Remembering Never - Women and Children Die First (Ferret)
Rosana - Marca Registrada (Universal Latino)
Katy Rose - Because I Can (V2)
Roy - Big City Sin and Small Town Redemption (Fueled by Ramen)
Dani Siciliano - Dani Siciliano Likes (¡K7)
Mindy Smith - One Moment More (Vanguard)
Southern Culture on the Skids - Mojo Box (Yep Roc)
Stampin' Ground - A New Darkness Upon Us (Century Media)
Starsailor - Silence Is Easy (Capitol)
Stasis - Past Movements (Peacefrog)
Stereolab - Margerine Eclipse (Elektra)
Symphorce - Twice Second (Metal Blade)
Tarbox Ramblers - A Fix Back East (Rounder)
Telefon Tel Aviv - Map of What Is Effortless (Hefty)
Tenki - View of an Orbiting Man (Future Appletree)
Throbbing Gristle - TG+ (Mute)
Tiamat - Prey (Century Media)
Ron Trent - Abstract Afro Journey (King Street Sounds)
Trio Eléctrico - Echo Porcours (Stereo Deluxe)
Twista - Kamikaze (Atlantic)
Vesania - Firefrost Arcanum (Crash Music)
Voodoo Child (a.k.a. Moby) - Baby Monkey (V2)
Read: "Moby Goes Ape On Voodoo Child Techno Release"
Weird War - If You Can't Beat 'Em, Bite 'Em (Drag City)
Michael Whalen - From Conception to Birth: A Life Unfolds (Valley Entertainment)
Michelle Williams - Do You Know (Music World)
The Working Title - Everyone Here Is Wrong (R2)
Yes - Ultimate Yes: 35th Anniversary Collection (Rhino)
Z-Man - Dope or Dogfood (Refill/Hiero Imperium)
Various artists - City of God Remixed, Volume II (:\ run)
Various artists - Committed 2 Rock (Time Life)
Various artists - Deep Sensations (Sunswept)
Various artists - Desert Grooves (Water Music)
Various artists - Disneymania 2 (Walt Disney)
Various artists - Favela Chic Postanove 3 (Milan)
Various artists - Pedro Almodovar: Talk to Her - Viva Tristeza (Milan)
Various artists - Smooth Sax Tribute to Stevie Wonder (Tribute Sounds)
Various artists - "The Triplets of Belleville" soundtrack (Higher Octave)
DVD: Celia Cruz Azúcar! (Image Entertainment)
DVD: Dr. Chesky's Magnificent, Fabulous, Absurd & Insane Musical 5.1 Surround Show (Chesky)
DVD: C-Murder - Straight From the Projects: Rappers That Live the Lyrics (Image Entertainment)
DVD: Paul Oakenfold - A Voyage Into Trance (Hypnotic)

February 3:

Five for Fighting - The Battle for Everything (Sony)
Incubus - A Crow Left of the Murder (Sony) Read: "Incubus Experiment With New Sounds On Crow Left Of The Murder"
TLC - Now and Forever (La Face) Read: "TLC Hits Album To Feature Lil Jon, Unreleased Left Eye Track"

February 10:

Norah Jones - Feels Like Home (Blue Note) Read:"Norah Jones Returns Home With New Album"
Courtney Love - America's Sweetheart (Virgin)
Kylie Minogue - Body Language (Capitol)
Various artists - "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" soundtrack (Capitol)

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For The Record: Quick News On Travis Barker, Beastie Boys, Michelle Williams, Jadakiss, Scott Weiland & More

9 Jan 2004 05:50:00 EST

Travis Barker (file)
Photo: MTV News

Travis Barker and his baby's mama, former Miss USA Shanna Moakler, have gotten engaged. The Blink-182 drummer asked for Moakler's hand while the two were at Disneyland on Christmas Eve. Nuptials are expected to take place this year. ...

Grand Royal, the defunct record label once run by the Beastie Boys, has surfaced as an asset up for sale on a bankruptcy auction site (www.bid4assets.com). Highest bidders would get master recordings, licensing agreements and miscellaneous merchandising agreements. The auction has been going on since December 5, but with less than two weeks remaining, nothing has been placed. Perhaps the $10,000 minimum bid is scaring people away from obtaining those Butter 08 masters. ... Michelle Williams has set a January 27 release date for her second solo album, Do You Know. The album will include first single "The Incident," "Love Thang" featuring gospel duo Dawkins & Dawkins, and a version of Destiny's Child's "I Know." ...

Scott Weiland has switched rehab facilities once again — but this time, the court does not approve. The former Stone Temple Pilots frontman/current Velvet Revolver singer was originally placed in court-ordered lockdown rehab at Grandview in Pasadena, California, and then, with the court's permission, switched to Las Encinas, also in Pasadena, last month. But then Weiland switched yet again to a non-lockdown facility called Genesis in Hollywood. During Weiland's probation status report hearing Friday (January 9), the court asked for a complete report about the switch, and a hearing to deal with the matter has been scheduled for January 23, also the date of Weiland's arraignment for his charge of driving under the influence of drugs (from his late October arrest). ...

With "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" such a hit, it's no surprise that the Fab 5 are branching out — with Jai Rodriguez, otherwise known as the group's culture expert, leading them in the music department. Rodriguez, who performed the role of Angel in "Rent" on Broadway, has started work on his debut album. Rodriguez previously released the dance single "Love Is Good" before signing on to the Bravo/NBC show. ... Russell Simmons has sold Phat Fashions, the parent company of his Phat Farm and Baby Phat clothing lines, to Kellwood Company for a reported $140 million. Simmons launched Phat Farm in 1992 and, according to a release announcing the deal on Thursday, he's seen his company's profits go up every year. Phat Fashions will operate as a subsidiary of Kellwood, which already makes such brands as Calvin Klein, Izod and Liz Claiborne. Simmons will stay on as CEO of Phat Farm while his wife, Kimora, will continue as the principal creative force behind the ladies' Baby Phat line. ...

Staind singer Aaron Lewis has arranged a better distribution deal for Lo-Pro, the first band signed to his 413 Records. "The record's in stores now, but it's really hard to find," he said. "Hopefully that will change in January." Lewis hopes to be more hands-on in the studio as an executive producer for the next Lo-Pro release. "I think the band would actually like that," he said. ... R&B singer Teedra Moses coaxed video director Hype Williams out of hiding to film her video for "You'll Never Find (A Better Woman)." The clip, featuring Jadakiss, will be shot in the next two weeks. The track is from her debut album, Complex Simplicity, which drops in April. ...

Swedish rock band Soundtrack of Our Lives will release their fourth album on April 28. The yet-untitled record was self-produced in the band's homeland. ... Orgy have set a February 24 release date for Punk Statik Paranoia, which will be the first release on the band's new D1 Music label. Singer Jay Gordon produced the album, which includes first single "The Obvious." ...

01.08.04

As Britney Spears tries to move on from her little adventure in Las Vegas, she starts rehearsals this month for her upcoming tour, now dubbed the Onyx Hotel Tour. So what's the Onyx Hotel? As a post on the singer's Web site explains, it's a "unique, mysterious hotel powered by an onyx stone," where guests who enter shine their own light into the gemstone and make their fantasies come to life. "It's a vibrant, whimsical place where wondrous dreams are realized, and the darkest of secrets are revealed," the post reads. Fans will have to wait until March 2, when Spears kicks off the tour in San Diego, to find out how that works. ... Meanwhile, Britney will always have Vegas, and Vegas will always have her ... on wax. Spears' likeness at Madame Tussauds has been given wedding regalia of a sort — in the form of a veil, a bouquet and a garter belt, making it an instant tourist attraction, where men have been getting down on one knee to propose. ...

The flow of information in the Michael Jackson case is now up to a judge. The district attorney's office filed a request this week for a gag order to prohibit Jackson, his attorney Mark Geragos and others with connections to the case from talking to the media. Geragos plans to file a motion opposing the gag order on Monday. The media, on the other hand, is fighting for access for more information, as six news organizations — CNN, FOX News, CBS, ABC, NBC and The New York Times — have jointly filed papers requesting that certain court documents be unsealed. Meanwhile, an attorney representing the family of Jackson's accuser has filed a formal complaint about the leak of a confidential child-welfare agency memo, which was posted on the Smoking Gun Web site last month. ...

Josh Groban has joined the Super Bowl pre-game lineup, the NFL announced Thursday (January 8). Groban will perform "You Raise Me Up" accompanied by an 80-person choir prior to Beyoncé's rendition of the national anthem. The Super Bowl, which takes place February 1 in Houston, will be televised on CBS at 6 p.m. ET. ... A Perfect Circle will launch a spring tour on March 18 in Salt Lake City. Dates run through April 16 in Chicago. No support acts have been announced. Next week the band will begin its European tour. ...

On Tuesday, Station club fire survivor Joe Kinan left a rehabilitation center in Boston to continue his recovery at home. Kinan, who is the last survivor to leave the hospital, suffered major burns over much of his upper torso and arms and lost fingers and parts of his nose and ears in the blaze. ... Fans can see as well as hear Incubus when the band's sixth album, A Crow Left of the Murder, drops February 3. A limited number of copies will include video clips of the band's performances on last summer's Lollapalooza Tour and at Neil Young's Bridge School Benefit concert in October. ...

Mandy Moore played a brief surprise set Wednesday night at the relatively intimate Knitting Factory, following the Hollywood premiere of her romantic comedy "Chasing Liberty." Dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, in stark contrast to the gown she was wearing just a few hours before, Moore apologized to the crowd for losing her voice as she made her way through six songs from her recent covers album, Coverage. ... The owner of a Baja Fresh restaurant franchise in Austin, Texas, has decided against demolishing a wall painted with a popular mural by local artist Daniel Johnston. Why does anyone care? Both the artist and the mural, titled "The Frog," were a favorite of late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, who once wore a T-shirt bearing a picture of the mural (www.hihowareyou.com). After protests by numerous locals, the restaurant owner, John Oudt, decided to stop the wall's demolition. ...

Electronic producer Danger Mouse has plans to create The Grey Album, a mash-up record that combines the vocals from Jay-Z's recently released The Black Album with new beats crafted from samples of the Beatles' classic The White Album. Danger Mouse is calling this an "art project/experiment" and does not have official plans to distribute the work in stores when it is completed in February. ... "The Beatles' First U.S. Visit," a new DVD due February 3 in the U.S. and February 9 internationally, will feature never-before-seen footage of the band's 1964 two-week tour of the United States. Albert and David Maysles shot the documentary, which is being released to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the tour. ...

Avenged Sevenfold, IMA Robot and the Beautiful Mistake are the latest additions to this summer's Vans Warped Tour lineup. The annual summer trek, whose marquee acts include New Found Glory, Coheed and Cambria and Bad Religion, kicks off June 25. Meanwhile, the inaugural Warped Tour Japan has added Andrew W.K. to its bill. That trek, which features the Bouncing Souls, Poison the Well and Thursday, begins Saturday in Tokyo. ... Jason Mraz, Shelby Lynne, Joe Jackson, the All-American Rejects, John Doe, Clem Snide, Morcheeba and DJ sets by Tommy Lee, Perry Farrell and Sasha are just a few of the musical attractions at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival, talking place January 15-25 in Park City, Utah. The Metallica documentary "Some Kind of Monster" and "Dig," a documentary on the parallels and sometimes tumultuous relationship of the Dandy Warhols and Brian Jonestown Massacre, are among the music-minded film highlights. ...

MC5's Wayne Kramer, Faith No More's Billy Gould, Rise Against's Tim McIlrath and Anti-Flag's Christopher Barker, who is a cofounder of the Underground Action Alliance, are hosting a rally for their Punkvoter organization Sunday in Des Moines, Iowa, home of the first caucuses, January 19. "I'm coming to Iowa to carry a message of change to punk rockers, and to all young people, that government policies are out of control," the anti-Bush Kramer said in a statement. "Come to the aid of our country now. Hear the facts and work together to influence change." ... Aerosmith and Cheap Trick will hit the road together starting in March and running through June. The only announced show is April 18 in Quebec, but more dates will be announced soon. Aerosmith will be touring behind their upcoming blues record, tentatively titled Honking on Bobo, and Cheap Trick will be supporting their 2003 album, Special One. Both discs were produced by Jack Douglas, who has worked on and off with both bands since the '70s. ...

Singer/songwriter Howie Day continues to tour in support of his second album, Stop All the World Now. A 13-date trek begins February 6 in Washington, D.C., after which Day will take the stage with Barenaked Ladies for a one-off show on March 5 in Lexington, Kentucky. ... Not many besides Fantômas fans can appreciate the brilliance of an album that contains just one song. Delirium Cordia, which has been pushed back to a January 27 release date, is just that — one epic, 55-minute opus that can only stem from the twisted minds of singer Mike Patton; the bassist in his former band Mr. Bungle, Trevor Dunn; Melvins guitarist Buzz Osbourne; and Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo. ... Vast's third album will be the first release on Carson Daly and former Loud Records co-owner Jonathan Rifkind's 456 Entertainment. The LP, titled Nude, is due February 24. …

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DC's Michelle Williams Preps For 'Aida,' Plans To 'Keep It Real' On Next Solo LP

5 Nov 2003 03:20:00 EST

Singer to take over as lead in 'Aida' on November 18; play character for 10 weeks.
By Shaheem Reid

Michelle Williams
Photo: Columbia

Destiny's Child singer Michelle Williams was a little nervous when she joined the hugely popular R&B group three years ago. And now that she's preparing to take over the lead role in the Broadway musical "Aida," a part that has already been established by other actresses, the butterflies have returned.

"I am kinda nervous because [that role has been played by] artists like Heather Headley, who's such a strong vocalist and a strong actress," Williams said a couple of weeks ago. "She's a strong woman, I've met her before. Then with Toni [Braxton] ... I don't want to compare myself with those two. I'm sure they've had to bring their feelings to who [they think] Aida is. [When I was] coming into Destiny's Child, taking over for someone else, it was like, 'Wow, what are people's expectations? Are they gonna like me?'

"[Now it's like], 'Are people gonna accept this R&B star on Broadway?' " she added. "I kinda gotta put all that behind me. I'm here for a reason. If [the producers] didn't want me here, I wouldn't be here. I kinda put all that aside to do my very best."

"Aida" opened on Broadway about a month after Michelle officially joined Destiny's Child back in 2000. Since then the play has won four Tony Awards and in addition to New York, it now has productions running in Germany and Japan. The play centers around a love triangle involving an exiled Nubian princess named Aida, an Egyptian princess named Amneris and a soldier by the name of Radames.

"She is such a strong young lady," Williams said of her character. "She's not afraid to stand up and say what she has to say and yet be sweet about it. She knows the game [and how] to play it."

Williams will take over as Aida on November 18 and is currently scheduled to stay with the production for 10 weeks. The singer says that she is also hoping to get a possible five-week extension at the end of her run in January.

Beyoncé Knowles and Kelly Rowland's groupmate is also scheduled to put out another solo LP, Do You Know?, in January before rejoining Destiny's Child for two albums that are slated to come out later in 2004 (see "Destiny's Child Promise Two Albums In 2004").

"I cannot wait for the world to hear my new solo album," beamed Michelle, whose album includes production from her brother Erron Williams, Beyoncé's younger sister, Solange, and Tommy Simms, who has worked with Eric Clapton. "It's so much different from my first solo album. It's fresher, it's just more inspirational. I was able to experience some things this year and I wrote about them. Whether it's gospel or not, I wrote about it. It's what God gave me."

Williams said unlike her debut gospel LP, Heart to Yours, her new disc's content will be more on the secular side. She expects some of her gospel fans to be a little upset, but Williams said she just wanted to "keep it real" on wax.

"My thing is, just because you say you're brought up in church and say you've got this gospel record, that doesn't mean you don't go through the same things other people in the world go through," Williams explained. "I have the same struggles that some other people may have. I'm still a good girl — I still love the Lord and I know he loves me. What I was able to do is write [about] some of the things God has helped me deal with."

Because Williams says that she's been dealing with relationship issues, one of her album's primary themes deals with what it's like to be in love.

"[I talk about] mistakes you make when you're in love and how they affect your life," she explained.

You can also look forward to DC3 collectively broaching the topic of love when they reconnect in the studio.

"Destiny's Child — we're much older now," the singer said. "Through the past three years, we've grown ... we've experienced love, heartache, heartbreak. If we weren't doing the heartbreaking, someone was breaking our hearts. It's gonna be a lot of stuff with a lot of soul in it. A more mature record."

The older, wiser DC3 album will probably be the second project we hear from the group in 2004. On the first one, they're taking it straight to the playpen.

"I believe it's a lullaby album," Williams said of the first album fans will probably get to hear. "It's gonna be for children, toddlers — a softer record. More sing-along songs. We'll try that and see how it works. We love children. My sister just had a baby, and she's two weeks old. I know I'm gonna get a lot of inspiration from that. The lullaby album is probably gonna be one of the easiest albums we'll ever do. We could probably do that in a few days."

Williams and her two lovely cohorts are hoping to start recording early next year when everyone's timetables coincide.

"The three of us are doing the acting thing now," Williams reported. "I know Kelly has a movie coming out and Beyoncé is working on some stuff. As soon as our schedules clear, we'll make time to get in the studio. We can't wait."

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Michelle Williams

In Stores Now And Coming Soon: New Albums By Sheryl Crow, Michelle Williams, Phish, Melvins & More

16 Apr 2002 07:56:00 EDT

Sheryl Crow
Photo: Universal

This week Sheryl Crow soaks up the sun and the spotlight with C'mon, C'mon, while Destiny's Child fans get their first glimpse at the trio's solo albums with Michelle Williams' gospel disc, Heart to Yours.

Phish — who built a reputation as well as an enormous fanbase on the strength of their live shows — release six more volumes of their live CD series, capturing shows in Tinley Park, Illinois; Camden, New Jersey; Townshend, Vermont; Columbus, Ohio; Denver; and Noblesville, Indiana, dating as far back as 1989.

In honor of the 25th anniversary of "The Last Waltz" — the concert film directed by Martin Scorsese documenting the Band's final performance — a four-CD boxed set featuring the 30 tracks from the original soundtrack and 24 previously unreleased tracks hits stores this week. The new material features performances by the Band with Eric Clapton and Bob Dylan, among others. A special-edition DVD of the movie arrives next month.

And in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of Sid Vicious' death (although the timing is slightly off — the former Sex Pistols bassist died February 2, 1979), U.K. label Ozit Morpheus will release Outrageous & Outspoken!. The CD of conversations with Johnny Rotten and Sid Vicious features gems from Vicious like "I'm better at borrowing money than anyone else in the world."

Maybe if you pick up this album and learn some tips, you can soon buy the whole lot of this week's new releases.

Out Tuesday, April 16:

A Global Threat - Here We Are (Punk Core)
Alien Sex Fiend - Singles 1983-1995 (Versailles)
ATB - Dedicated (Radikal)
Steve Azar - Waitin' on Joe (Mercury Nashville)
Beards - Funtown (Sympathy for the Record Industry)
Adam Beyer - Stockholm Mix Sessions Vol. 3 (Turbo)
Black Dog - Unsavoury Products (Hydrogen Dukebox)
Sheryl Crow - C'mon, C'mon (A&M)
Dat Politics - Plugs Plus (EFA)
Demigodz - Godz Must Be Crazy (Ill Boogie/Blackberry)
Denali - Denali (Jade Tree)
Dianogah - Millions of Brazilians (Southern)
DJ Evolution & Lucien Foort - Fluid (Bliss)
Flowing Tears - Serpentine (Century Media)
Flying Tigers - The Flying Tigers (Atlantic)
Read about it ... Former Powerman 5000, Frankie Machine Members Soar In Flying Tigers
Isaac Freeman & the Bluebloods - Beautiful Stars (Lost Highway)
Gallygows - Give it to Her (Rainbow Quartz)
Gooding - Life Itself (S Three)
Grand Magus - Grand Magus (Rise Above/The Music Cartel)
Cary Hudson - Phoenix (Black Dog)
Kingpin Skinny Pimp - Pimpin' & Hustlin' (Rap Hustlaz)
Quincy Jones - Ultimate Collection (Hip-O)
Legends of Rodeo - A Thousand Friday Nights (Bieler Bros./MCA)
Michel Legrand - Michel Legrand by Michel Legrand (Decca)
Maktub - Khronos (Ossia)
Melvins - Hostile Ambient Takeover (Ipecac)
Midtown - Living Well Is the Best Revenge (Drive Thru/MCA)
Mr. Lil One - Once in a Decade Part 2 (Street Noise)
MU330 - Ultra Panic (Asian Man)
Bob Ostertag - Say No More, Volumes 1 & 2 (Seeland)
Paris Combo - Attraction (Ark 21)
Pedro the Lion - Control (Jade Tree)
Phish - Live Phish 07 (3 CD, Elektra)
Phish - Live Phish 08 (3CD, Elektra)
Phish - Live Phish 09 (3 CD, Elektra)
Phish - Live Phish 10 (3 CD, Elektra)
Phish - Live Phish 11 (3 CD, Elektra)
Phish - Live Phish 12 (3 CD, Elektra)
Selby Tigers - The Curse of the Selby Tigers (Hopeless)
Sex Pistols - Outrageous & Outspoken! (Ozit Morpheus)
Skratch Comando - Incredible DJs (Bomb)
Sucka MCs - Da Album (Ace Fu)
Sufjan Stevens - Enjoy Your Rabbit (Asthmatic Kitty)
Supersuckers/Electric Frankenstein - Splitsville (split CD, The Music Cartel)
Tad Morose - Matters of the Dark (Century Media)
Tapping the Vein - Damage (Nuclear Blast)
TTC - Ceci N'est Pas Un Disque (Big Dada/Ninja Tune)
Ursula 1000 - Kinda Kinky (ESL)
Michelle Williams - Heart to Yours (Columbia)
Read about it ... Destiny's Child Solo Gospel Album Features 9/11 Tribute
Matt Zarley - Debut (Fynsworth Alley)
Various artists - "Bird" soundtrack (Legacy)
Various artists - Buddha Lounge (Buddha Lounge)
Various artists - "Enigma" soundtrack (Decca)
Various artists - Hollywood Disco (Thump)
Various artists - "The Last Waltz" soundtrack (expanded reissue, Rhino)
Various artists - Legends of Harmonica (Rhino)
Various artists - Old School Funkin' Hip Hop Vol. 2 (Thump)
Various artists - "Panic Room" soundtrack (Varese Sarabande)
Various artists - "Pete's Dragon" soundtrack (Disney/Vista)
Various artists - Purified: The Liquid Lounge Chill Out Series (Water Music)
Various artists - "The Rescuers Down Under" soundtrack (Disney/Vista)
Various artists - "Silk Stockings" soundtrack (Rhino)
Various artists - Smooth Grooves: After Hours Cool Down (Rhino)
Various artists - Still More Bounce (Wolfpac)
Various artists - "Straight, No Chaser" soundtrack (Legacy)
Various artists - "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" soundtrack (Disney/Vista)

April 23:

Naughty by Nature - Iicons (TVT)
Read about it ... Naughty By Nature, 3LW Save The Day
Tina Novak - Been Around the World (Arista)
Q-Tip - Kamaal the Abstract (Arista)
Sneaker Pimps - Bloodsport (Tommy Boy)

April 30:

Blackalicious - Blazing Arrow (MCA)
Donell Jones - Life Goes On (Arista)
Various artists - "Spider-Man" soundtrack (Columbia)
Read about it ... 'Spider-Man' Theme To Come Courtesy Of Aerosmith

May 7: