Shakira on the cover of <i>Teen People</i>
Photo: Time, inc.

Shakira might have said that she's lucky her breasts are "small and humble" in "Whenever, Wherever," but there was a time when she considered getting breast-augmentation surgery because she was unhappy with her body, the singer reveals in the next issue of Teen People. The magazine's latest cover star also said that wasn't the only plastic surgery she looked into. "I considered ... all kinds of things. 'Maybe my eyebrows should be higher. Maybe my lips should be bigger.' " Eventually Shakira came to accept herself, despite all the insecurities. "I'm actually shy; I've just learned to hide it." But her hips don't lie — and her dancing reveals more skin than she sometimes would like to show. "It's not my hobby to show my belly! The moves I do when I perform require it. People of America, I want you to know that I wear clothes once in a while!" ...

Diddy introduced a select few to the next phase of Bad Boy Records Tuesday night in New York. Sean Combs held a small party at his Daddy's House studio and previewed music by newcomers Cheri Dennis and Yung Joc and veterans 8Ball and MJG. ... Jack White is preparing to unleash his brand-new band, the Raconteurs, on America — for one night, at least. On April 7, the band — which also features Detroit songwriter Brendan Benson and two-thirds of Cincinnati garage-rockers the Greenhornes — will play its first-ever U.S. gig at Irving Plaza in New York. Tickets go on sale Thursday at noon via Ticketmaster.com. The Rac's debut album, Broken Boy Soldiers, is due in stores May 16. ...

Nick Lachey has decided on a title and release date for his second album: What's Left of Me, due May 9. The title is the same as the first single, which recently hit the airwaves. ... Paul Wall has titled his fall release Ain't No 401K for a Hustla. Wall is also set to appear alongside Lil' Keke on The Day Hell Broke Loose 3 compilation, due in August. ... Pimp-C will release a DVD documenting his experiences being incarcerated during the Houston boom in 2005 and what has happened after his recent release. "Pimpalation: Return of the Trill," hosted by MTV News' Sway, is due April 11 and will be followed by a CD called Pimpalation on June 13. ... Foo Fighters will be featured in a pair of episodes of "The West Wing." The shows will air Sunday and April 9 at 8 p.m. on NBC. ... Notorious B.I.G.'s family will receive $1.1 million from the city of Los Angeles after the City Council on Wednesday approved the amount U.S. District Judge Florence-Marie Cooper awarded in January. The money covers the family's legal expenses in a civil trial that was ruled a mistrial last year when it was discovered that the Los Angeles Police Department withheld statements that linked two rogue LAPD officers, David Mack and Rafael Perez, to the rapper's shooting. ...

Could it really be over so soon? That's what former Howard Stern listeners across the East Coast and Midwest might have been asking themselves Wednesday morning (March 29) when they turned on their radios to find Stern replacement David Lee Roth absent. Yes, preliminary numbers for Roth have not been promising, but a CBS Radio spokesperson denied reports that the former Van Halen singer had been canned just three months into his gig, saying the motor-mouthed morning man was simply taking a few days off to travel back to New York after broadcasting from Miami Beach Monday and Tuesday. Roth is expected to be back on the air Friday. ... Elsewhere on the dial, Mighty Mighty Bosstones singer Dicky Barrett has attacked Los Angeles' Indie 103.1 after he was recently fired as host of the station's morning show. In a statement released by his publicist, Barrett said he was fired for expressing his dislike on air for a Morrissey song the station was spinning and for an unauthorized pro-choice conversation he had with a caller. Indie General Manager Dawn Girocco responded by saying Dicky was not as committed to the show as he needed to be. ...

After complaints and a lawsuit earlier this year from a Louisiana man, Apple Computer released a software update Wednesday that allows iPod owners to set a maximum volume on their players. The free download works with Nanos and fifth-generation models that play video, and it also allows parents to set a volume limit on their child's iPod and lock it with a special code. The free update is available at apple.com/ipod/download. ... On Monday a judge ordered Michael Jackson and his ex-wife Debbie Rowe to submit copies of legal papers missing from their divorce file, The Associated Press reports. The documents, concerning the custody of the pair's two children, include Rowe's 2001 motion to terminate parental rights and an emergency motion filed two years later seeking temporary custody as well as Jackson's filing opposing his ex-wife's custody motion. Attorneys for Jackson and Rowe have 30 days to turn over the paperwork. A hearing has been set for May 24. ...

As he awaits his murder trial, troubles keep mounting for famed "wall of sound" record producer Phil Spector. A former personal assistant has sued Spector for more than $5 million in Los Angeles, claming sexual harassment, according to an Associated Press report. Spector sued former assistant Michelle Blaine in September, alleging that she skimmed hundreds of thousands of dollars from his accounts. Blaine hit back on Friday, saying that Spector authorized the payments to her, including those for a $700,000 house and that he sexually harassed her, sometimes appeared naked in front of her and once asked Blaine to find a prostitute for him. Blaine also claims that after Spector was charged with the murder of actress Lana Clarkson in 2003, the producer repeatedly proposed marriage to her as a way to block her from testifying against him. Spector's murder trial is slated to begin in September. ...

Eugene Landy, the show-business psychologist famous for his controversial relationship with troubled Beach Boys star Brian Wilson, died March 22 in Honolulu of complications from lung cancer, the Los Angeles Times reports. He was 71. Landy, who also worked with original shock rocker Alice Cooper and actor Rod Steiger, pioneered the concept of "24 hour therapy" when he began treating Wilson in the mid 1970s. Hired to work on Wilson's intense phobias and drug addictions, Landy took control of every aspect of the singer's life, monitoring him 24 hours a day and eventually acting as his manager and artistic collaborator, crossing an ethical line and eventually giving up his license to practice in California after admitting to a charge of unlawfully prescribing drugs in 1989. ...

Prolific songwriter Cindy Walker, known as the "dean of Texas songwriters," died of natural causes Thursday at the age of 87, according to The Los Angeles Times. Walker was known for the more than 500 sentimental, Western-flavored songs she wrote, performed by everyone from Roy Orbison ("Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)"), to Ray Charles ("You Don't Know Me"), with the latter covered by more than 75 artists, including Elvis Presley. Willie Nelson released an album-length tribute to Walker this month called You Don't Know Me: The Songs of Cindy Walker. Walker, often called the greatest living country music songwriter, was a charter member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1997.

03.28.2006

Mariah Carey's been dreaming of a Broadway Christmas since late 2004, when she originally announced plans for a holiday musical, and now she's finally making progress with her plan. "I don't want to mention anything definitive until things are signed," she told MTV Radio, "but there's a very big company that just signed on to develop the project with me." Carey said the musical — which she'll create, produce and star in — will incorporate music from her 1994 album, Merry Christmas, as well as new material. "It's probably going to be a movie first," she said. "I don't want to say a television movie, because it's not like a cheesy network movie, but then it's going to be made for the Broadway production. So the [TV movie] will set the stage for the stage." ...

It was nothing but royalty Monday night in New York as a king, queen and prince came together for the premiere of "ATL." T.I. (the King of the South), Queen Latifah and former Prince of Bel Air Will Smith (with Jada Pinkett) joined Jay-Z, Usher, DJ Drama, Tisha Campbell and Duane Martin at the Tribeca Theater. Latifah's longtime friends and business partners Shakim Compere and Lance "Un" Rivera were also on hand. ...

Jessica Simpson is moving up in the world — at least as far as FHM's annual list of 100 Sexiest Women is concerned. While Scarlett Johansson nabbed the top spot, Simpson catapulted from #16 on last year's list to #4 this year. Other singers making the top half of the chart include Paris Hilton (#11), Lindsay Lohan (#14), Beyoncé (#18), Shakira (#20), Jennifer Lopez (#26; she was #1 in 2000 and 2001), Mariah Carey (#28), Mandy Moore (#31), Christina Aguilera (#37), Gwen Stefani (#40) and Kelly Clarkson (#50). Hilary Duff, the Black Eyed Peas' Fergie and Stefani were new entries this year, but Britney Spears, who was #1 in 2004, was nowhere to be found (Check out photos of FHM's Sexiest Women.). ... Since Lindsay Lohan's upcoming movie "A Prairie Home Companion" (in theaters June 9) focuses on a radio show, it's only natural that the soundtrack would include some of the songs performed on said show. Out May 23, the soundtrack will feature performances from castmembers Meryl Streep, Lily Tomlin, Woody Harrelson, John C. Reilly and Lohan herself, who contributes "Frankie & Johnny." ...

Not every singer on "American Idol" is a pop-star hopeful or graduate of the performance competition, as recent appearances by Stevie Wonder and Barry Manilow have proven. This week the show hopes to shake things up even further with belly-dancing Shakira, who will perform "Hips Don't Lie" with Wyclef Jean on Wednesday night's elimination episode. ... And forgive us if this one sounds familiar, but Simon Cowell is at it again. After expanding his stranglehold on U.S. viewers with his "American Inventor" show earlier this month, the acerbic "Idol" judge is adding a third show to his empire: "America's Got Talent." Open auditions will begin next month for the NBC show, which will be open to performers of all ages and talents — from singers and dancers to jugglers and magicians, according to Reuters. The show will have a celebrity three-judge panel (it will not include Cowell) and the winner will take home a $1 million prize. ...

Live singer Ed Kowalczyk has released a statement in support of "American Idol" contestant Chris Daughtry, who sang a cover of Johnny Cash's "I Walk the Line" last week with an arrangement similar to the version recorded by Live — but without giving the band credit. "We wish Chris the best of luck in the competition," Kowalczyk said. "I thought he did a great job with the song. There's no doubt he's a talented performer and I hope he goes far." Live, meanwhile, will hit the road beginning April 22 in Providence, Rhode Island, in support of their seventh studio album, Songs From Black Mountain, due May 9. ... Travis Barker and DJ AM will take their experimental show to San Francisco April 7 and New York April 13 and 14. VIP packages for the shows are available at StubHub.com and will benefit the Race to Erase MS. ... Chamillionaire and Lil' Flip are teaming for the Texas Boyz Tour, which kicks off March 30 in San Diego and wraps up early this summer. Chamillionaire has recorded several remixes of his new single, "Ridin'," featuring rappers ranging from the Game to Bun B to Fabolous. ...

In a post on Evanescence's official message board Sunday, singer Amy Lee wrote that she and new guitarist Terry Balsamo were in the studio finishing mixes on the group's upcoming album. "We'll be done mixing [the new album] next week! I can hardly believe it, we've been working on this album for so long," Lee wrote. "The stuff sounds so good. ... Wow, what a trip this has been." The singer said Balsamo is "doing really well" after the stroke he suffered in November and that she's busy trying to figure out the order of the songs on the still-untitled album. "It's going to be hard to hold this music in all summer," Lee said. "I really want to thank you guys again for being so patient — I know it's gonna be worth it." A spokesperson for the group confirmed the post and added that the album is slated for release in the fall, with a tour to follow. ...

The Offspring's Dexter Holland is turning into some sort of bionic man or something. In late 2004 he completed a 10-day solo flight around the globe, subsisting only on Doritos and beef jerky. And for an encore — and for charity — he decided to take on the Los Angeles Marathon. Running on behalf of the Innocence Project, a nonprofit legal organization aimed at using DNA testing to free the unjustly convicted, Holland finished in a little more than five hours, good enough for 7,900th place — but not better than Oprah Winfrey's 1994 Washington, D.C., marathon time of 4 hours, 29 minutes and 30 seconds, which was Holland's stated goal. Still, he raised money for a good cause and is happy with his efforts. "I hit a wall at about 16 miles," Holland wrote on Offspring.com, "but I'm glad I was able to finish. I shouldn't have eaten those tacos for breakfast! I didn't beat Oprah's time, but I challenge her to a rematch." ...

If you asked Alanis Morissette, she might say, "Isn't it ironic ... a little too ironic?" Victor Willis, 54, the singer who dressed as the policeman in '70s disco juggernaut the Village People, faces up to five years in prison after his arrest Sunday. He was booked for bailing on a plea deal he cut last year following an arrest on charges of possessing cocaine and a gun. Willis — who left the group in 1980 — had agreed to a maximum of 16 months in jail on the original charge, but when he goes to court Tuesday (March 28) he's looking at four years and four months on the original charges and a possible eight additional months on new drug charges, according to a Reuters report.

[This story was originally published at 12:47 pm E.T. on 03.29.2006]

• Shakira
• Diddy
• Eightball & MJG
• Michael Jackson
• Brian Wilson

Anthony Kiedis at the MusiCares tribute to Brian Wilson
Photo: Lester Cohen/WireImage.com

HOLLYWOOD — It was all good vibrations at Friday's MusiCares Person of the Year dinner, where the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Backstreet Boys and ?uestlove of the Roots honored Beach Boys singer Brian Wilson with kind words and musical tributes.

"He's a modern day Stravinsky,"
?uestlove said outside the Palladium before joining Wilson's band and John Legend for "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times." "The way he constructs his music, he's a madman. ... He was doing stuff [40 years ago] that modern people do now, looping his work and stuff. There's a track on Smile with a whole bunch of tubas having a conversation with trumpets. It's great."

(Click for photos from the concert.)

The Chili Peppers opened the concert portion of the event with a rendition of "I Get Around" featuring Anthony Kiedis half-singing/half-rapping the verses and guitarist John Frusciante and bassist Flea harmonizing the chorus.

"God only knows how much we love Brian Wilson," Kiedis told the crowd, referencing one of the Beach Boys' many popular tunes, "God Only Knows," which Wilson performed later with India.Arie.

"I knew someone else much more important would be doing 'God Only Knows,' so my next choice was 'Sail on Sailor,' " British crooner Jamie

	Photos: Chili Peppers, Backstreet Salute Brian Wilson

Other performers included veterans Richie Sambora; Earth, Wind & Fire; Darlene Love; Jeff Beck; Michael McDonald; Billy Preston; and Neil Young, who dedicated his moving version of "In My Room" to Brian as well as his late brothers, Dennis and Carl.

The only band to perform its own song was the Barenaked Ladies, who treated the full house to an acoustic version of "Brian Wilson."

"We're a band that focuses on harmonies, and [the Beach Boys] were the harmony rock and roll band," singer Steven Page explained of his band's longtime admiration for Wilson.

The Barenaked Ladies were one of the many acts who returned to the stage at night's end to perform with Wilson. After quickly thanking MusiCares (reading from a prompter) and singing "Heroes and Villains," "God Only Knows" and "Good Vibrations" with his band, Wilson welcomed the other performers for "Fun, Fun, Fun" and "Love and Mercy."

"I'm leaving you with a littler prayer," Wilson said before the final tune. And his apostles fittingly followed along.

Brian Wilson Presents Smile is nominated in two categories at Sunday's Grammy Awards.

As this year's Grammys approach, you can get all the latest news on the show, the scene and the nominees in our Grammy news archive. On the big night, February 8, be sure to tune in to MTV at 7 p.m. for our "All up in the Grammys" preshow. Plus check out videos of the nominees and more right here on mtv.com.

For more sights and stories from concerts around the country, check out MTV News Tour Reports.

• Red Hot Chili Peppers
• Backstreet Boys
• Brian Wilson
• John Legend
• Jamie Cullum

Snoop Dogg (file)
Photo: Anthony Madler

Now you can say, "Hey Mr. DJ" to Snoop Dogg. The rapper is premiering his own monthly series on XM Satellite Radio from his home studio in Los Angeles called "Welcome to Da Chuuch With Big Snoop Dogg," starting Friday at 8 p.m. The 90-minute show can be found on the classic hip-hop channel the Rhyme (XM Channel 65). Meanwhile, Snoop has chosen "Let's Get Blown" to be his next single. ...

Like Alanis Morissette before her, Christina Aguilera has taken a passage to India for inspiration. "India has always captured my imagination with its myriad cultures and spiritualism," she said in a statement. At a brief press conference at her hotel in Bombay on Wednesday, she told reporters she was "enjoying every bit" of the country during her first trip there. ... While Paris Hilton's perfume is still slated to officially hit stores in February in time for Valentine's Day, it's gotten a soft launch and is in some department stores now, such as New York's Macys, but without displays to make a big production out of it. The heiress is celebrating the launch of the scent Friday at a party in Los Angeles, and is planning future launch parties in other cities through February. The Paris Hilton fragrance is both fruity and floral, with notes of apple, peach, mimosa blossoms, night-blooming jasmine, and of course, some musk and pheromones to keep it sensual. Meanwhile, the third installment of the heiress' FOX reality show with Nicole Richie, "The Simple Life 3: Interns," now has a premiere date of January 26. ...

John Mayer will perform an acoustic set for Musicians on Call's inaugural fund-raiser. The event, to be held at Sotheby's in New York on January 31, will also feature an auction of autographed guitars from Mayer, Avril Lavigne, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Dave Matthews, Elvis Costello, Hanson, No Doubt and Slash. Other autographed memorabilia to be auctioned off includes a miniature piano from Alicia Keys and a basketball from Justin Timberlake. Musicians on Call was founded in 1999 with the mission of bringing live and recorded music to the bedsides of people in health-care facilities. ... Free Fiona Apple! Or at least, free the release of her album, Extraordinary Machine. That's what a just-launched Web site, freefiona.com, is urging Sony Music to do. Apple's Machine, finished in 2003, was reportedly shelved by her record label because it lacked commercial appeal. The Web site, started by Missouri resident Dave Muscato, is organizing a week of protests starting January 24 outside Sony buildings in Los Angeles and New York and encouraging fans to send label execs apples of all kinds — real, fake and photographed — as a symbol of support for the singer. ...

New music is on the way from Madonna — the pop matriarch is back in the studio this week, according to her Web site. No word yet on whether she's recording music for a new album, though she's rumored to be pairing up with William Orbit once again as well as Depeche Mode's Martin Gore. ... R.E.M. are reissuing their entire Warner Bros. catalog — eight records from Green to Around the Sun, as well as a best-of compilation — in two-disc editions that will include previously unreleased material. The first disc of each set will consist of the album as it was originally released, with the second disc featuring the album remixed in surround sound, as well as several extras, like the unreleased "Time Piece" documentary on Out of Time; a short film set in Athens, Georgia, on Automatic for the People; excerpts from the unreleased film "Update" on Up; and the video for "Bad Day" on In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003. The nine CD/DVD combos will come out on February 15. ...

Sum 41 are getting into the holiday spirit by giving away 100 pairs of Converse Chuck Taylor sneakers and a Les Paul guitar. Entry forms and details on the two separate contests can be found on the band's Web site, www.islandrecords.com/sum41. ... Jurassic 5 will bring their old-school-inspired hip-hop show to the sixth annual Sallie Mae benefit concert in Las Vegas. The concert, slated for Friday, will benefit the Shade Tree Women's Shelter and will also feature Jem. ...

Beach Boys founder Brian Wilson will be honored as the MusiCares 2005 Person of the Year for his accomplishments as a musician and humanitarian. Wilson will receive the award at a special tribute dinner, concert and silent auction on February 11 in Los Angeles, two days prior to the Grammy Awards. Wilson "embodies the positive spirit that comes from dedication, perseverance and creative brilliance," said MusiCares Foundation president Neil Portnow in a statement. ...

12.01.2004

Nas threw a party Tuesday night at New York's Azaza to celebrate the release of his new album, Street's Disciple. His boo, Kelis, and friends Mic Geronimo and AZ were among those present. ...

Paris Hilton has been the brunt of many jokes, but now she's getting the "South Park" treatment on Wednesday's (December 1) episode, when all the fourth-grade girls idolize a certain blonde celebrity, known for her jet-set lifestyle, television show and extracurricular activities. They play with her new toy set that comes complete with a video camera and night-vision filter, and try to pursue the boys to make their own videos — until "Paris" arrives to offer some competition. The episode, called "Stupid Spoiled Whore Video Playset," airs 10 p.m. on Comedy Central. ... Snoop Dogg is lending his laid-back flow to the upcoming film "Racing Stripes." The live-action/computer-animated flick also features the voices of Mandy Moore and "Malcolm in the Middle" star Frankie Muniz. "Racing Stripes," about a zebra with thoroughbred aspirations, will hit theaters January 14. ...

The Diplomats' newest member came out onstage Tuesday night as the Harlem-based trio of Cam'ron, Juelz Santana and Jim Jones rocked the stage at their hometown's landmark Apollo Theater for a Roc-A-Fella pay-per-view special. The new member? Juelz's adorable nephew, 5-year-old "Young Ja". You could hear all the ladies saying, "He's so cute." He's also a smart businessboy: After he performed the choruses to the records "Shake" and his uncle's "S.A.N.T.A.N.A.," he told Cam he couldn't stay onstage all night because he had to go to school the next morning. The youngster didn't leave, however, until Killa handed over a huge wad of cash (it wasn't staged, according to Juelz) for services rendered. Memphis Bleek and Peedi Crakk also performed at the show. ... Jay-Z's team beat Nelly's team Tuesday night. No, the Roc-A-Fella family didn't square off with the St. Lunatics — Hov's New Jersey Nets played a home game against Pimp Juice's Charlotte Bobcats. In the end, it was the Nets winning 99 to 86. ...

Following their tour in support of Greatest Hits Vol. 1, Korn plan to resume work on their seventh studio album. The as-yet-untitled effort, which follows last year's Take a Look in the Mirror, is expected to drop in late spring or early summer. Meanwhile, the band is also contemplating releasing an EP to showcase its covers of Nine Inch Nails' "Head Like a Hole" and the Psychedelic Furs' "Love My Way." ... Staples is auctioning off more than 140 autographed celebrity staplers from such stars as Paris Hilton, Donald Trump, Kobe Bryant, Ringo Starr, Cher, Alice Cooper, and the Dixie Chicks. Each celebrity has named a charity of their choice to receive 100 percent of the profits from the sale of their stapler. The current high bids are on staplers from Cher ($605), Trump ($800) and Hilton, who leads the bidding at $1,005. The auction ends on Monday at www.staples.com. ...

Adding a new member to the Gorillaz is a lot more complicated than just penciling in another rock star. The animated group, fronted by Blur's Damon Albarn, is holding a contest on its Web site, www.gorillaz.com, to augment its lineup. Entries are being taken beginning December 15 and can be anything from animation to sketches to vocal outtakes. The band is expected to release its second album next year. ... The Donnas are giving fans the chance to rock out with the "Daisy, Decibels, Decay & the Donnas" online sweepstakes. One grand-prize winner who submits their entry by Sunday will receive a prize package including a Daisy Rock guitar with a pink faux-fur guitar strap, guitar accessories including a maintenance kit and picks, a copy of the ladies' new album, Gold Medal, Logitech speakers and Urban Decay's "Heavy Metal" cosmetics package. Aspiring rockers and Donnas fans can check out www.thedonnas.com for more info. ...

Guitarist Luke Pacquin has joined the ranks of Hot Hot Heat, replacing Dante DeCaro, who left in October. The dance-rock band will drop its next album, Elevator, in April; "You Owe Me an I.O.U." will be the first single. ... Better Than Ezra have signed a new label deal with Artemis, and plan to release an album come spring. Lead singer Kevin Griffin recently wrote a couple of songs for Howie Day, "Perfect Time of Day" and his current single, "Collide." ...

• Snoop Dogg
• Christina Aguilera
• No Doubt
• Fiona Apple
• R.E.M.

Jadakiss (file)
Photo: Appio

In this week's batch of new releases, an experimental rock group gives birth to a ghost, a rapper plants a deadly smooch on the shelves of record stores, and a couple of hard rock groups hurl the metal at their fans with full force.

Given all the excitement and anticipation surrounding the release of Wilco's new album, it's hard to believe that the band was dropped by its label in 2001 after handing in what would become 2002's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Wilco's newest effort, A Ghost Is Born, hits stores Tuesday (June 22).

Rapper Jadakiss really wants to make sure you remember his name when you pick up one of his albums. In 2001, he released Kiss Tha Game Goodbye, and on Tuesday he puts out Kiss of Death. Moving from rap to R&B, newcomer JoJo releases her self-titled debut this week, fueled by the single "Leave [Get Out]."

On the harder side of things, Ministry, Motörhead and the Scorpions all have albums hitting stores this week. After having allowed a few years to pass between past records, Ministry accelerate the process with Houses of the Molé, the follow-up to 2003's Animositisomina. Motörhead heat it up with Inferno, while the Scorpions put out Unbreakable, the band's first studio release in four years.

File under fusion: Los Angeles' Ozomatli combine salsa, hip-hop, rock, jazz and funk on Street Signs, while Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante releases his fifth solo album (and second this year), The Will to Death.

Beach Boys member Brian Wilson releases his solo effort Gettin' in Over My Head, and Morris Day, a founding member of Prince's band the Time, drops his first solo album since 1992, appropriately titled It's About Time.

Out Tuesday, June 22:

• Age of Ruin - Tides of Tragedy (Eulogy)
• The Album Leaf - In a Safe Place (Sub Pop)
• Bobby Bare Jr.'s Young Criminals' Starvation League - From the End of Your Leash (Bloodshot)
• Belles - Idle Acres (Second Nature)
• David Benoit and Russ Freeman - Benoit/Freeman Project 2 (Peak)
• BoDeans - Resolution (Zoë/Rounder)
• Trina Broussard - Same Girl (Motown)
• Chronic Future - Lines in My Face (Interscope)
• Consequence - Take Em to the Cleaners (Sure Shot)
• Morris Day - It's About Time (Hollywood)
  Buy Now: It's About Time (Hollywood)
  
• Despistado - The Emergency Response (EP, Jade Tree)
• DJ Spooky - Celestial Mechanix: The Blue Series MasterMix (Thirsty Ear)
• Nick Drake - Made to Love Magic (Island)
• Fourplay - Journey (Bluebird)
• John Frusciante - The Will to Death (Record Collection)
• Benny Golson - Terminal 1 (Concord Jazz)
• Rachel Goswell - Waves Are Universal (4AD)
• Benny Green and Russell Malone - Bluebird (Telarc Jazz)
• Mark Holland - For Such a Time as This (Cedar n Sage)
• Jadakiss - Kiss of Death (Interscope/A&M)
  Read: "Nate Dogg, Neptunes, Kanye West On New Jadakiss LP"
• Jahsir - Stress Free (X-Ray)
• JoJo - JoJo (Blackground)
• Keoki - The Great Soundclash Swindle (Hypnotic)
• Lit - Lit (DRT/Nitrus/Dirty Martini)
  Buy Now: Lit (DRT/Nitrus/Dirty Martini)
  
• Lynyrd Skynyrd - Lyve (Sanctuary)
• Miriam Makeba - Reflections (Heads Up)
• Maroon 5 - 1.22.03 Acoustic (RCA)
  Read: "Maroon 5 Plan To Keep It Hot And Steamy In Next Video"
• Edwin McCain - Scream & Whisper (DRT)
• Ministry - Houses of the Molé (Sanctuary)
  Read: "Ministry Visited By Aliens While Making Killer Mole"
  Buy Now: Houses of the Molé (Sanctuary)
  
• Motörhead - Inferno (Sanctuary/Metal-Is)
  Buy Now: Inferno (Metal-Is)
  
• Mystic Chords of Memory - Mystic Chords of Memory (Sanctuary/Rough Trade)
• Ozomatli - Street Signs (Concord)
• Paulson - Variations (Initial)
• Elvis Presley - Elvis at Sun (BMG Heritage)
• Pretty Boy Floyd - Size Really Does Matter (Deadline)
• Qntal - Qntal III (Noir)
• The Race - If You Can (Flameshovel)
• Jonathan Richman - Not So Much to Be Loved as to Love (Sanctuary/Vapor)
• Robots in Disguise - Robots in Disguise (Recall)
• Salvatore - Tempo (Racing Junior)
• Scorpions - Unbreakable (Sanctuary)
• Erick Sermon - Chilltown New York (Universal)
• Ravi Shankar & Gingger - Celestial Body (Ark 21)
• Sonia Dada - Test Pattern (Calliope/Razor & Tie)
• Sweetback - Stage 2 (Epic)
• Tilly and the Wall - Wild Like Children (Team Love/Saddle Creek)
• Toy Crayzy - She So Crayzy (X-Ray)
• McCoy Tyner - Illuminations (Telarc Jazz)
• Bebo Valdes and Diego Cigala - Lagrimas Negras (Bluebird)
• Wilco - A Ghost Is Born (Nonesuch)
  Read: "Wilco: Ghost Stories"
  
  
• Brian Wilson - Gettin' in Over My Head (Rhino)
• Various artists - America Will Always Stand (Time-Life Music)
• Various artists - Bombay Beats (Varese Sarabande)
• Various artists - Electro Cured: An Electro Tribute to the Cure (Cleopatra)
• Various artists - Mento Madness (V2)
• Various artists - "Queer as Folk - 4th Season" soundtrack (Tommy Boy)
• Various artists - "Spider-Man 2" soundtrack (Columbia)
  Read: "Hoobastank, Jet, Yellowcard Spin Songs For 'Spider-Man 2' Soundtrack"
• Various artists - "Two Brothers" soundtrack (Decca/Universal Classics)
• DVD: Flotsam & Jetsam - Live in Phoenix (Deadline)
• DVD: KMFDM - WWWIII Tour 2003 (Sanctuary)
• DVD: Bernie Williams - The Journey Within (GRP/Verve)
• DVD: Various artists - Toronto Rocks (Rhino)
• DVD: Various artists - Vans Warped Tour '03 (Kung Fu/Image Entertainment)

June 29:

• Lloyd Banks - Hunger for More (Interscope)
  Read: "G-Unit's Lloyd Banks, Young Buck Recording Solo Albums"
• Brandy - Afrodisiac (Atlantic)
  Read: "Brandy On Growing Up: A Candid Chat"
• The Cure - The Cure
  Buy Now: The Cure (Geffen)
  (Geffen)
• Dave Matthews Band - Live at the Gorge (RCA)
• Lil Wayne - Tha Carter (Cash Money)
• The Tragically Hip - In Between Evolution (Zoe)
• Uncle Kracker - 72 & Sunny (Lava)

July 6:

• Ray Manzarek - Golden Scarab (Lemon Records)
• Poco - Indian Summer (Lemon Records)
• Angie Stone - Stone Love (J Records)

July 13:

• Jimmy Buffet - License to Chill (RLG)
• Roots - Tipping Point (Geffen)
• They Might Be Giants - Spine (Zoë)

• Jadakiss
• Wilco
• Ministry
• Motörhead
• Ozomatli

Good Charlotte fans will have to wait a couple of weeks longer for the group's third album, Chronicles of Life and Death.The follow-up to 2002's The Young and the Hopeless is now due October 5, after previously being slated for September. ... Papa Roach will release their Getting Away With Murder in September. The disc was produced by Howard Benson (P.O.D., Blindside) and mixed by Chris Lord-Alge (Bad Religion, Green Day). The band will play a five-week tour to preview songs from the new disc, starting June 25 in Spokane, Washington. Dates are scheduled through July 17 in Orlando, Florida. ...

The battery trial of Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson has been pushed to September 13, following a defense motion. Lifeson and his son were arrested after they got rowdy with police after a New Year's Eve party at a Florida hotel. ... A limited-edition version of Switchfoot's latest album, The Beautiful Letdown, due June 22, will include a bonus DVD that features behind-the-scenes footage from the making of the "Dare You to Move" video, an acoustic version of "On Fire," the previously unreleased "Monday Comes Around" and a live version of "Meant to Live." ...

When tickets for the Curiosa Festival, featuring the Cure, Interpol, the Rapture and Mogwai, go on sale this weekend, fans will be given the option to preorder the Cure's new, self-titled album through ticketmaster.com. The band's 13th album drops June 29. ... Brian Wilson's upcoming Getting in Over My Head, due June 22, will feature a collaboration with Paul McCartney called "A Friend Like You." ... Omaha, Nebraska, electro-rockers the Faint will drop their fourth LP, Wet From Birth, September 14. The album follows 2001'sa breakthrough Danse Macabre, and last year's Danse Macabre Remixes, which featured contributions from Paul Oakenfold and Photek, among others. ...

Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale has recorded 14 songs for his solo debut with Helmet's Page Hamilton as producer. A release date has yet to be set, but the still-untitled LP may be ready before the end of the year. Helmet's Size Matters, meanwhile, is due September 14. A tour is expected to commence the following week. ... Guster singer/guitarist Adam Gardner and his wife, Lauren Sullivan, have launched Reverb, a nonprofit environmental action group that will spread awareness through music tours. The group will erect an eco-village at venues on the Alanis Morissette/Barenaked Ladies' Au Naturale Tour beginning July 16 in Wantagh, New York. ...

Two years after debuting at the 2002 Bonnaroo festival, Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains, featuring Primus bassist Les Claypool, Guns N' Roses drummer Brian "Brain" Mantia, Parliament/Funkadelic keyboardist Bernie Worrell, and former GN'R guitarist Buckethead, are preparing to release their debut album, The Big Eyeball in the Sky, September 7. The group is planning a tour for October. ... 2 Live Crew's Luther "Luke" Campbell will be honored at the Free Speech Coalition's Night of the Stars on July 24. Actress Susan Sarandon and two California legislators (Assemblyman Paul Koretz and Senator John Vasconcellos), are the honorary co-chairpersons for the event. Porn star Jenna Jameson will also be honored. ...

Boston Red Sox players Johnny Damon, Bronson Arroyo and Lenny DiNardo provided backing vocals to the Dropkick Murphys' version of "Tessie," a 1903 waltz that Red Sox fans used to sing. The song has been absent from Fenway Park since the "Curse of the Bambino" was born when Babe Ruth was sold to the New York Yankees prior to the start of the 1920 season, but legend has it that when it was sung, the Sox were unbeatable in the postseason. ...

6.10.2004

Britney Spears has more than knee trouble to worry about — she's also facing a $10 million lawsuit. San Diego athletic-clothing company Lite Breeze Inc. is claming trademark infringement because of the singer's use of the phrase "In the Zone" for her album. Lite Breeze claims that it's causing marketplace confusion, since it has used the phrase in association with its promotion of music and live sporting events. The company also alleges that once Spears received a cease-and-desist letter, she switched the name of her tour to the Onyx Hotel. Spears is required to file an answer to the allegations by Monday. ...

Eminem won another victory against Ray Benzino and The Source. On Wednesday in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, a judge awarded Shady Records undisclosed compensation for the hip-hop magazine's violation of an injunction and publication of some of Em's lyrics on its Web site. The raps, which were written by Em as a teenager, came to light only a few months ago when they were uncovered by The Source. The judge also dismissed a counter-copyright-infringement lawsuit by the magazine against Eminem, whom the judge compared to Elvis. ...

Rapper Loon, along with one of two co-defendants, failed to appear in California's Beverly Hills Superior Court on June 3 for a preliminary hearing on charges of assault with a deadly weapon. A bench warrant has been issued for Loon, whose real name is Chauncey Hawkins, and co-defendant William Reyes. The charges stem from an incident at the West Hollywood House of Blues in February in which Loon is accused of stabbing a security guard. ... Scott Weiland got a bit of a breather in the DUI case against him in Los Angeles. His court date was postponed until June 22. ...

Evanescence have added a batch of new shows to their summer tour, which also features Seether, Three Days Grace and Breaking Benjamin. The trek, which was previously scheduled through the end of July, now runs through August 15 in Little Rock, Arkansas. ... After playing a few select shows and summer radio festivals, Hoobastank will launch a tour on June 19 in Toronto. Dates run through July 30 in Weedsport, New York. The following day the band will head to Greensburg, Pennsylvania, to play the Rolling Rock Town Fair, which also features Disturbed, N.E.R.D., Staind, the Crystal Method, Sevendust, Finch, Finger Eleven and Three Days Grace. ...

Despite the assurances of the Rock the Bells concert promoter, a spokesperson for RZA of the Wu-Tang Clan said that any reunion of the iconic rap crew scheduled for July 17 in San Bernardino, California, is still under discussion. The Clan are also scheduled for a handful of shows overseas in June and July, which RZA also says are tentative. ... "Legally Blonde" is joining the ranks of flicks-turned-musicals. Music and lyrics for "Legally Blonde - The Musical" will be composed by Larry O'Keefe and Neil Benjamin. No word yet on when the show will see the bright lights of Broadway or who will play the starring role of Elle Woods. ...

Stephen Malkmus is hammering away on his third post-Pavement album, which he expects to drop in January. Malkmus isn't sure if the album will be a solo venture or will include his band the Jicks, with whom he released last year's Pig Lib. ... For Tanya Donelly's third solo album, she's recruited a former Throwing Muses bandmate to play percussion. Whisky Tango Ghosts is due August 10 and features Dave Narcizo on two songs ("The Promise," "Story High"). Other song titles include "Butterfly Thing," "Every Devil," "Divine Sweet Divide" and "My Life as a Ghost." ...

Producer and beatmaker Jimmy Tamborello of the Postal Service and Dntel will unveil a hip-hop project under the name Headset in the fall. The group's album, Space Setting, is described as being influenced by the work of the Neptunes and Timbaland. ... Peter Garrett, the former lead singer of Midnight Oil, announced on Thursday (June 10) that he will run for Australia's parliament with the opposition Labour Party. According to The Associated Press, the Labour Party approached Garrett about joining the race, and he will run for a seat from a Sydney district that strongly favors the Labour Party. Garrett has long been involved in politics, largely as an environmental activist. In the early '80s, he bid for a seat in parliament's upper house on a nuclear-disarmament ticket and was narrowly defeated. ...

• Good Charlotte
• Papa Roach
• Rush
• Switchfoot
• The Cure

Jewel and John Mayer at the Elton John benefit
Photo: Michael Caulfield/WireImage.com

ANAHEIM, California — Along with selling millions of his own records every year, Elton John likes to champion a few of his favorite up-and-comers and help expose their music to the masses.

Three of his 2002 projects, Best New Artist Grammy nominees John Mayer, Norah Jones and Vanessa Carlton, joined past favorites like Nikka Costa and Rufus Wainwright in repaying John by singing his classics in a tribute concert Friday.

The event, a benefit for music education sponsored by Yamaha as part of the 2003 International Music Products Association winter conference, also featured some of John's influences, ranging from Brian Wilson to Ray Charles, entertaining a near-capacity crowd at the Arrowhead Pond.

Fifteen artists performed John numbers before the man of the hour (three, actually) took the stage for his own show, which mixed hits from 2001's Songs From the West Coast with classics like "The Bitch Is Back" and "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues."

Of all the acts on the bill, Mayer was the sole performer who actually got to duet with John, sharing verses on a moving version of "Sacrifice" (which John introduced as his first #1 single) midway through the English legend's set.

Jones' appearance also stood out, as she was the only artist whose own band joined her, for a jazzy take on "Tiny Dancer" with an extended guitar solo. That's not to say John's band, including longtime drummer Nigel Olsson and guitarist Davey Johnstone, weren't consistently impressive throughout the night.

Carlton chose the newer "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" for her tribute, and although the singing was shaky at times, she entertained the older audience by leaving the piano midway through and dancing energetically around the stage.

"Will & Grace" star Eric McCormack hosted the event, sharing comical stories of his childhood fascination with John and delivering one-liners. "I need to inform you of some last-minute cancellations," he said at one point. "Winona Ryder won't be singing 'Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word' after all."

McCormack even sang "Captain Fantastic," shocking the crowd with his solid voice.

Other highlights included Jewel's twangy rendition of "Your Song," Brian McKnight's spot-on "Rocket Man" and Charles' touching "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word."

After Yamaha president Terry Lewis presented John with the Lifetime Achievement in Musical Excellence Award, all of the evening's performers took the stage, along with Elvis Costello, to squeal the "wah, wah wah wah wah wah" chorus of the finale, "Crocodile Rock."

Set list:

• Nikka Costa - "Levon"
• Rufus Wainwright - "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"
• Eric McCormack - "Captain Fantastic"
• Bruce Hornsby - "Burn Down the Mission"
• Jewel - "Your Song"
• Brian McKnight - "Rocket Man"
• Norah Jones - "Tiny Dancer"
• Brian Wilson - "Someone Saved My Life Tonight"
• Randy Newman - "Bennie and the Jets"
• Diana Krall - "Border Song"
• Take 6 - "Philadelphia Freedom"
• Vanessa Carlton - "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"
• Ray Charles - "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word"
• Michael McDonald - "Take Me to the Pilot"
• Carmen Twillie and Circle of Life Choir - tribute to "The Lion King"
• Elton John - "Funeral for a Friend," "I Want Love, "The Wasteland," "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues, "Sacrifice" (with John Mayer), "Original Sin," "I'm Still Standing," "The Bitch is Back," "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting," "Crocodile Rock"

• Elton John
• John Mayer
• Vanessa Carlton
• Norah Jones
• Nikka Costa

The wattage for the All-Star Tribute to Brian Wilson, set for March 29 at New York's Radio City Music Hall, has become ever more intense. Billy Joel, Ricky Martin, Jimmy Webb, the Go-Go's, Hootie & the Blowfish singer Darius Rucker and the reunited Wilson Phillips (which includes Wilson's daughters Carnie and Wendy) will participate in the extravaganza honoring the great Beach Boys composer, according to Wilson's representatives.

Paul Simon, Elton John, Heart, Matthew Sweet and Aimee Mann and Michael Penn were announced as participants last week for a bill that will find each artist taking on a song from the Wilson catalog. The show will also feature a short set from Wilson himself and a top-to-bottom run-through of the Beach Boys' orchestral pop masterpiece Pet Sounds. The tribute, part of TNT's Master Series, will air on the network this summer.

• Brian Wilson
• Billy Joel
• Ricky Martin

Paul Simon
Photo: Lynn Goldsmith

LOS ANGELES — Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Gloria Estefan, Brian Wilson, Moby and Macy Gray showed Paul Simon that "he's the one" at a charity dinner in Los Angeles on Monday night, honoring the folk-pop great as the 2001 MusiCares Person of the Year.

Simon, whose latest album, You're the One, is up for the Album of the Year Grammy, received the honor for his musical achievements and generosity throughout his more than 40 years in music.

The ceremony, held at the Century Plaza Hotel, raised money for MusiCares, established by the Recording Academy in 1989 to offer emergency financial assistance and addiction recovery programs to musicians. The event is one of the highlights of Grammy week, leading up to the Grammy Awards on Wednesday night.

"I'm honored to be able to be of help," Simon said during a press conference before the dinner. "My daughter, who is in kindergarten, is in the same class with a boy whose father is a musician, and [the father] said to me that he wanted to thank MusiCares, because it had paid for his rehab program, and he felt it was a miracle and it saved his life. ... I'm sure that that applies to hundreds, if not thousands of other musicians." Clad in a cherry red, retro-style pantsuit, Gray opened the show with a rendition of Simon's "You Can Call Me Al," from Graceland, his landmark, 1986 Grammy winner for Album of the Year. Among the other performers were Wonder and the Dixie Hummingbirds, who sang "Loves Me Like a Rock," which the Dixie Hummingbirds sang with Simon on 1973's There Goes Rhymin' Simon. Joan Osborne sang "Homeward Bound," from 1966's Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme. Beach Boys mastermind Brian Wilson sang the Simon and Garfunkel classic "The Sounds of Silence," which first appeared on the duo's debut album, 1964's Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. "It is a good cause, but I came for selfish reasons — I want to see Paul Simon, and I want to see other people I love sing Paul Simon songs," Matchbox Twenty singer Rob Thomas said.

In a career that has spanned five decades, Simon has received 34 Grammy nominations and won 16 Grammy Awards as a singer, composer and producer. You're the One will compete for Album of the Year with Beck's Midnite Vultures, Eminem's The Marshall Mathers LP, Radiohead's Kid A and Steely Dan's Two Against Nature. "As a songwriter, Paul Simon sets the standard," Kenny Loggins said. "He was the guy I went to school on when I was first learning to be a songwriter — and still am, from the early Simon and Garfunkel material to 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' to 'Darling Lorraine' on the new album. He's always breaking the rules and making up new ones and is one of the most brilliant lyricists out there. I'm in total admiration of him." The evening included a silent auction of music memorabilia, but the amount of money the event raised was unavailable at press time.

The Academy announced Monday that Simon joins the list of Grammy performers, which also includes Elton John and Eminem, Madonna, U2, 'NSYNC, Christina Aguilera and Destiny's Child.

The Grammy Awards will air on CBS on Wednesday at 8 p.m. (live ET, delayed PT).

• Paul Simon
• Macy Gray
• Stevie Wonder
• Brian Wilson

French New Wave pop outfit Tahiti 80 has scored a hit on college radio with "Heartbeat," a song from its first full-length LP, "Puzzle," and in the next few weeks the band will look to catch some mainstream ears when the track is serviced to pop and alternative stations across the country.

Tahiti 80 formed in 1993 by then-University Of Rouen students Xavier Boyer and Pedro Resende. The duo added Médéric Gontier and Sylvain Marchand over the next two years and issued its first EP, the appropriately titled "20 Minutes," in 1996.

The Minty Fresh record label has just issued "Puzzle" here in the States, and Tahiti 80 frontman Xavier Boyer recently chatted with MTV News about the sonic inspiration for its "Heartbeat" single.

"There's little stories behind this song," Boyer explained,