Photo: Calvin

After two weeks, rapper T.I. has been knocked out of the top spot on the Billboard albums chart — but not by a single, big-name artist. Actually, it took the combined might of 20 hitmakers to get the job done, and now, thanks to sales of more than 222,500 in just one week, there's a new LP sitting in the #1 slot.

With track contributions from heavyweights like Fall Out Boy, Avril Lavigne, Gwen Stefani, Fergie, Justin Timberlake, Ne-Yo, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Daughtry and others, the 25th installment in the Now That's What I Call Music! compilation franchise managed to outsell T.I.'s T.I. vs. T.I.P. by more than 125,000 scans, dropping the rapper's latest — which, during its third week in stores, generated 93,500 in sales — to #3. According to the latest SoundScan tallies, interest in the disc waned by 47 percent.

Now 25 even trounced Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus — the latest release from the star of the Disney Channel original series — which finished at #2 with 113,000 copies sold. So, really, Now 25 faced little competition on its way to the finish line — although, one album picked up a significant amount of ground coming down the home stretch.

After entering last week's chart at #20, sales of the soundtrack to the film "Hairspray" — which features the vocal talents of the movie's stars: John Travolta, Zac Efron, Queen Latifah, Nikki Blonsky, Michelle Pfeiffer and others — swelled by 95 percent, and the release itself surged ahead 16 chart positions to finish at #4. Following at #6 is Fergie's The Dutchess, which scanned close to 50,000 units, while Linkin Park's Minutes to Midnight holds steady at #7, with 46,900 sold. Coming in at #8 on next week's chart is Amy Winehouse's Back to Black, which netted another 45,400 in sales during its 19th week of release, and returning to the top 10 at #9 is Nickelback's All the Right Reasons, with a reported 42,500 scans. Rounding things out at #10 is Bon Jovi's latest, Lost Highway, with sales coming in at just under 42,000.

Now 25 was among 16 new releases to open on next week's chart, and one of only two discs to penetrate the top 10: American acoustic-folk singer/songwriter Colbie Caillat's Coco bows at #5, having sold 50,900 copies during week one. The third-highest-charting debut belongs to Yellowcard and their new one, Paper Walls, which sold 40,400 copies during its first week on record store shelves and landed at #13.

Meanwhile, Rooney's Calling the World sold more than 15,200 units to claim the chart's #42 spot, followed at #44 by the Rocket Summer's Do You Feel with 15,000 copies scanned. Rapper Tech N9ne's Tech N9ne Collabos: Misery Loves Kompany opens at #49, with sales reported at 13,500, and finishing at #65 with 10,500 copies snatched up is the latest studio offering from the Chemical Brothers, We Are the Night. Christian punks MxPx's Secret Weapon surfaces at #76, after selling 9,500, and 10 spots down, debuting at #86, is Legally Blonde: The Original Broadway Cast Recording, with sales coming in at little more than 8,300.

Editors' An End Has a Start bows at #117, thanks to sales of more than 6,200, while Suzanne Vega's newest, Beauty & Crime, finished at #129, with 5,700 sold. (hed) p.e.'s Insomnia generated close to 5,500 scans during its first week in stores, which lands the LP at #138 on next week's chart. Meanwhile, Behemoth's The Apostasy opens at #149 with 5,000 scans, followed at #150 by One Cell in the Sea, the debut album from A Fine Frenzy, also known as 22-year-old singer/songwriter Alison Sudol, which sold just under 5,000 units. Finally, with 4,600 copies grabbed up, is the latest from Nile, Ithyphallic, which claims the chart's #162 spot.

• T.I.
• Colbie Caillat
• Fergie
• Linkin Park
• Amy Winehouse

Avenged Sevenfold's <i>All Excess</i>
Photo: Warner Bros / Wea

This week's an odd one, with almost too many titles hitting stores to count ... but probably just a few that'll have you reaching for your wallet. Luckily for us, there's enough variety among the litter to have some fun. Let's go.

Video Vipers: Avenged Sevenfold are greasing up a new, self-titled album for an October release, but while that's still in the works, 'Fold fanatics can sink their teeth — or eyes, rather, or ... oh well, never mind — into "All Excess," a new DVD. The title doesn't just allude to the band's hard-partying, c'mon-don't-we-really-look-like-GN'R-now? ways but also hints at what you'll find inside the set: more video bonuses than frontman M. Shadows has tattoos. Piled onto the disc is a documentary, live footage, music videos and segments capturing the making of each of them. "There's footage from some early shows, when we still sucked," Shadows told MTV News' Chris Harris. "[You'll] learn everything about us with this DVD."

Turn the volume knob down a notch or two and you'll be ready for the All-American Rejects, who are teeing up a video set of their own this week. This one's got a funny name too — "Tournado" — but that was actually the band's craftily named trek with Motion City Soundtrack, Gym Class Heroes and others. The resplendently packaged DVD captures the band's gig in the Twin Cities, plus the requisite on-the-road documentary, photo gallery — and a not-so-requisite batch of skits.

Hey guys, wait for us! Underoath are also anteing up with a DVD, the piously titled "777" (well, they are Christians, after all). Frontman Spencer Chamberlain and the crew have dumped onto their disc 75 minutes of unreleased footage from the Warped Tour, Taste of Chaos and other stints, as well as videos and a making-of doc.

So it's Tyson Ritter vs. M. Shadows vs. Spencer Chamberlain. You decide. They all sound like porn stars to us.

Now and Then: Who are we kidding — a quick glance at the listings below will tell you that this week's heaviest hitter is definitely Now That's What I Call Music! 25, and if the set featured more than just previously issued fare, we'd have more to say about it. It doesn't, so we don't.

A Bit of Hip-Hop: With all the rock that's been hitting stores the last two weeks — Smashing Pumpkins, Interpol, Against Me!, etc. — you'd figure rap would want to step up its game on the whole. But that really hasn't been the case (MCs must still be fearing the mighty T.I.) That said, Too Short is plopping a new effort into his massive catalog, and for once the title isn't about chicks or pimps or ego — in a sweet gesture, he's named it I Love the Bay. New York rapper Akir is also stepping up to the plate — well, sorta: His paradoxically named debut, Legacy is back again, thanks to Babygrande, with guest spots by Jean Grae, Immortal Technique and others still intact.

Well, Aren't They Special: When all else fails, there's always the vaults. This week, two ladies and a Guy are back thanks to bonus-track-laden special editions of their noted LPs. Erykah Badu's Baduizm is getting beefed up via B-sides, U.K.-only cuts and more hard-to-find tunes, while sister-in-soul India.Arie's Acoustic Soul is getting similar treatment. Guy's eponymous release is getting a full disc of extras, though ... feeling jealous, ladies? Don't be: As far as reissues go, Garbage have them all beat — the special limited-edition version of their best-of Absolute Garbage boasts a second disc of remixes by Massive Attack, Crystal Method, UNKLE and more.

Chemical Balance: While we're on the subject of electronic music, don't forget the mighty Chemical Brothers. That's right, mighty: While the group's releases have been slipping Stateside — 1997's Dig Your Own Hole peaked at #14 on the Billboard albums chart, followed by 1999's Surrender at #32, 2002's Come With Us also at #32 and 2005's Push the Button at #59 — the group's last five releases have all hit #1 in the U.K. That includes its new one, We Are the Night, which docks at U.S. shores this week. Featured on the effort are legendary Canadian beat poet Bill Bissett, members of Klaxons, Fatlip of the Pharcyde and progressive-rockers Midlake.

Throwing a Changeup: Or maybe we should say "gyro ball" ... either way, if you're looking for something different this week — and happen to like a little rinky-dink team of scrappers called the Boston Red Sox — you'll want to dig your cleats in a little deeper. Music From the Mound is a new compilation curated (supposedly) by Japanese pitching import Daisuke Matsuzaka (a.k.a. Dice-K). Featured on the disc — seriously, don't laugh — is a song called "Gyro Ball" featuring no less than J. Geils harmonica player Magic Dick, onetime Extreme guitarist Nuno Bettencourt and Sox TV announcers Don Orsillo and Jerry Remy. The team's charity, the Red Sox Foundation, will be getting all proceeds from the album, which features other anthems for a nation ... Red Sox Nation, that is.

Song Title of the Week:

"Handicapitation" from Birdflesh's Mongo Musicale

Album Cover of the Week:

Winters' Black Clouds in Twin Galaxies

Other Notables:

Los Campesinos!'s Sticking Fingers Into Sockets
This Welsh band came together thanks to a common affection for Super Furry Animals and the Decemberists — which should give you an indication of its indie-pop goodness. Before heading into the studio to record their proper debut with Broken Social Scene producer David Newfeld, Los Campesinos! are bowing with this enhanced EP. Look out for "We Throw Parties, You Throw Knives," "You! Me! Dancing!" and other timelessly titled tracks.

Eastern Conference Champions' Ameritown
These guys wish they were from Wales, or somewhere in British, even though the solidly American squad named their album the way they did. The group hooked up with Oasis and Verve producer Owen Morris for this LP and just toured with Black Rebel Motorcycle Club too. And while BRMC aren't from overseas either, they're also all about My Bloody Valentine, Spacemen 3 and other louder-than-thou Brit psych bands. Expect to hear lotsa soaring vocals, heavily distorted psych guitars and big drums on this LP.

Mick Harvey's Two of Diamonds
You might know him from the Bad Seeds or the Birthday Party ... eh, you probably haven't heard of Mick Harvey at all. The longtime (read: decades-long) Nick Cave collaborator has a few things of his own to say, which he details on his follow-up to 2005's One Man's Treasure. Enlisting PJ Harvey pianist/drummer Rob Ellis — oh, and a double-bass, too — Harvey spills his soul on "Slow-Motion Movie Star," "Home Is Far From Here" and "Out of Time Man." So are we!

New Releases:

· A Fine Frenzy - One Cell in the Sea (Virgin)
· Almah - Edu Falaschi (Candlelight)
· Big Shug - Street Champ (Babygrande)
· Birdflesh - Mongo Musicale (Candelight) [Buy Now]
· Bottom of the Hudson - Fantastic Hawk (Absolutely Kosher)
· Colbie Caillat - Coco (Republic)
· The Chemical Brothers - We Are the Night (Astralwerks) [Buy Now]
· The Cribs - Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever (Warner Bros.) [Buy Now]
· Deathspell Omega - Fas (Southern Lord)
· Destroyer Destroyer - Littered With Arrows (Goodfellow)
· Minnie Driver - Seastories (Zoë/Rounder)
· Eastern Conference Champions - Ameritown (Suretone)
· Editors - An End Has a Star (Fader Label) [Buy Now]
· Federation - It's Whateva (Reprise)
· Eliza Gilkyson - Your Town Tonight (Red House)
· Great White - Back to the Rhythm (Shrapnel)
· Emerson Hart - Cigarettes & Gasoline (Manhattan)
· (Hed) p.e. - Insomnia (Suburban Noize)
· Mick Harvey - Two of Diamonds (Mute)
· Ryan James - Directed (High Tail)
· Ben Jelen - Ex-Sensitive (digipak; Custard)
· Eilen Jewell - Letters From Sinners & Strangers (Signature Sounds)
· Lillian Axe - Waters Rising (Locomotive)
· Livin' Out Loud - What About Us (Pyramid)
· Los Angeles Jazz Ensemble - Expectation (with DVD; Kind of Blue)
· Los Campesinos! - Sticking Fingers Into Sockets (enhanced EP; Arts & Crafts)
· The Magic Numbers - Those the Brokes (enhanced; Astralwerks)
· Raul Malo - After Hours (New Door)
· Meat Puppets - Rise to Your Knees (Anodyne)
· Memfis - The Wind Up (Candlelight) [Buy Now]
· MxPx - Secret Weapon (Tooth & Nail) [Buy Now]
· The Rocket Summer - Do You Feel (Island)
· Rooney - Calling the World (Geffen)
· Rose Funeral - Crucify Kill Rot (Candlelight)
· Matt Shulman - So It Goes (Jaggo)
· Slough Feg - Hardworlder (Candlelight)
· Mark Soskin - One Hopeful Day (Kind of Blue)
· Sound the Alarm - Stay Inside (Geffen)
· Strata - Strata Presents the End of the World (Wind-Up) [Buy Now]
· Tech N9ne - Tech N9ne Collabos: Misery Loves Kompany (Strange Music)
· Too Short - I Love the Bay (Up All Nite)
· Suzanne Vega - Beauty & Crime (Blue Note)
· Violent Storm - Storm Warning (Gold Storm)
· Winters - Black Clouds in Twin Galaxies (Candlelight)
· Wise Intelligent - Wise Intelligent Is ... The Talented Timothy Taylor (Intelligent Muzik/ Shaman Work)
· The Phil Woods Quintet - American Songbook II (Kind of Blue)
· Yellowcard - Paper Walls (deluxe edition with DVD due same day; Capitol) [Buy Now]
· Various artists - A Shaman Work Retrospective: Looking Back to Move Forward (Shaman Works)
· Various artists - Daisuke Matsuzaka: Music From the Mound (EMI Catalog Marketing)
· Various artists - FabricLive 34: Krafty Kuts (Fabric)
· Various artists - Now That's What I Call Music! 25 (UTV)
· Various artists - Toolroom Knights, Vol. 1 (two CDs; Toolroom)

Notable Reissues and Archival Material:

· Akir - Immortal Technique Presents: Akir - Legacy (Babygrande)
· Laurie Anderson - Big Science (Nonesuch)
· India.Arie - Acoustic Soul - Special Edition (Motown/Universal)
· Chet Atkins - The Essential Chet Atkins (two CDs; RCA/Legacy)
· Chet Atkins and Les Paul - Chester & Lester (RCA/Legacy)
· Erykah Badu - Baduizm - Special Edition (Motown/Universal)
· Bobby Bare - Bobby Bare Sings Lullabys, Legends and Lies (two CDs; RCA Nashville/ Legacy)
· George Benson - Greatest Hits (Rhino)
· Grant Lee Buffalo - Fuzzy (Noble Rot)
· Cheech & Chong - Greatest Hits (Rhino)
· Confederate Road - Greatest Hits (Rhino)
· Rodney Crowell - Greatest Hits (Rhino)
· Detente - Recognize No Authority (MVD Audio)
· The Dramatics - The Very Best of the Dramatics (Stax) [Buy Now]
· Holly Dunn - Greatest Hits (Rhino)
· Einstürzende Neubauten - Palast der Republik (MVD Audio)
· Freddy Fender - Greatest Hits (Rhino)
· Ella Fitzgerald - The Very Best of the Harold Arlen Song Book and The Very Best of the Irving Berlin Song Book (Verve)
· Eddie Floyd - The Very Best of Eddie Floyd (Stax)
· Garbage - Absolute Garbage (limited-edition two-CD set; Almo Sounds/ Geffen/ UMe) [Buy Now]
· The Groundhogs - The Best of the Groundhogs (Caroline)
· Arlo Guthrie - The Best Of (Rhino)
· Guy - Guy - Special Edition (Motown/Universal) [Buy Now]
· Robyn Hitchcock - Jewels for Sophia (Noble Rot)
· John Lee Hooker - Jealous (Shout! Factory)
· K-os - Collected (Virgin)
· The Knife - Silent Shout - Deluxe Edition (two CDs and one DVD; Mute) [Buy Now]
· Johnny Lee - Greatest Hits (Rhino)
· Little Milton - The Very Best of Little Milton (Stax)
· Neal McCoy - Greatest Hits (Rhino)
· Natalie MacMaster - The Collection (Foreign Media)
· Charles Mingus Sextet with Eric Dolphy - Cornell 1964 (live; two CDs; Blue Note)
· Gary Morris - Hits (Rhino)
· Willie Nelson - Live at Billy Bob's Texas (limited edition; with DVD; Smith Music Group)
· Louis Prima - Jump, Jive an' Wail: The Essential Louis Prima (Capitol/EMI)
· Rammstein - Völkerball (available as a standard digipak with one CD and one DVD; a special-edition digipak with one CD and two DVDs; or limited-edition photo book with two CDs and two DVDs; Universal) [Buy Now]
· The Rivingtons - Papa Oom Mow Mow: Rockin' R&B and Boss Ballads (Shout! Factory)
· Saxon - Best of Saxon, The Eagle Has Landed and Power & the Glory (Caroline)
· Seals & Crofts - Greatest Hits (Rhino)
· Keely Smith - The Essential Capitol Collection (Capitol/EMI)
· Johnnie Taylor - The Very Best of Johnnie Taylor (Stax)
· Susan Tedeschi - The Best of Susan Tedeschi: Episode Two (Sheridan Square)
· Rufus Thomas - The Very Best of Rufus Thomas (Stax)
· Teddy Thompson - Up Front & Down Low (Verve Forecast)
· UFO - Lights Out (two CDs), Masters of Rock and Obsession (Caroline)
· Manuel Valera - Vientos (Anzic)
· Warren G - Regulate: G Funk Era (two CDs; Def Jam) [Buy Now]
· Various artists - Crickets: Best of the Fading Captain Series 1999-2007 (two CDs; Recordhead)
· Various artists - Freeway Jam: To Beck and Back (Tone Center)
· Various artists - Seriously Good Music: Bollywood, Burleque, Celtic, Gypsy and Reggae (Petrol/EMI)

Digital Releases:

· Seizure Crypt - Hello, My Name Is ... Madness (available through Interpunk and on SeizureCrypt.com)

Music DVDs:

· Aerosmith - "In Performance" (with book; Hurricane) [Buy Now]
· All-American Rejects - "Tournado" (Interscope) [Buy Now]
· Avenged Sevenfold - "All Excess" (Warner Bros.) [Buy Now]
· James Brown - "Mr. Dynamite" (MVD Visual)
· Johnny Cash - "Music in Review" (with book; Classic Rock Legends) [Buy Now]
· Bob Dylan - "The Golden Years 1962-1978" (Chrome Dreams)
· E-40 - "The Best of E-40: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow - The Videos" (Jive/Legacy)
· Donald Fagen - "The Nightfly Trilogy" (three-MVI box set; Rhino)
· Garbage - "Absolute Garbage" (Almo Sounds/ Geffen/ UMe) [Buy Now]
· Green Day - "In Performance" (with book; Hurricane) [Buy Now]
· Green Day - "Rock Case Studies" (with book; Classic Rock Legends) [Buy Now]
· The Moody Blues - "Videobiography" (Classic Rock Legends)
· Nirvana - "In Performance" (with book; Hurricane) [Buy Now]
· Rolling Stones - "Rock Case Studies" (with book; Classic Rock Legends) [Buy Now]
· Jill Scott - "Live in Paris" (Hidden Beach)
· Sublime - "The Ultimate Bundle for the Sublime Fan" (two DVDs and one DVD; MVD Visual) [Buy Now]
· Tanya Tucker - "Tanya Tucker" (MVD Visual)
· Underoath - "777" (Tooth & Nail) [Buy Now]
· Gene Watson - "Gene Watson ... Sings His Greatest Hits" (MVD Visual)
· The Who - "Videobiography" (Classic Rock Legends) [Buy Now]
· Various artists - "60's Rock 'N' Roll Jukebox" (MVD Visual)
· Various artists - "Reggae Nashville Deep Roots Music 1 - Revival/ Ranking Sounds" (MVD Visual)
· Various artists - "This Ain't Your Mom's Hardcore: Volume Two" (MVD Visual)
· Various artists - "The Undagrind" (MVD Visual)
· Various artists - "We Love Ella! A Tribute to the First Lady of Song" (Verve)

Coming Attractions:

July 24:
· Prince - Planet Earth (Columbia) [Preorder]
· Sum 41 - Underclass Hero (Island) [Preorder]
Read: "Sum 41 Kill President In New Song — Deryck Whibley Says It's 'A Metaphor' "
· Tegan and Sara - Con (deluxe edition with DVD due same day; Vapor/Sanctuary)

July 31:
· Common - Finding Forever (Universal) [Preorder]
Read: "Kanye West, Lily Allen Finding Something In Common"
· DevilDriver - The Last Kind Words (Roadrunner) [Preorder]
· Korn - Untitled (deluxe edition with bonus DVD due same day; Epic) [Preorder]
Read: "Korn Are Cracking Up Over Eighth LP's 'Gothic Feel,' Munky Says"

August 7:
· Constantine Maroulis - Constantine (6th Place)
Read: " 'American Idol' Vets Bo Bice, Constantine Maroulis Can't Stop Rockin' "
· Okkervil River - The Stage Names (Jagjaguwar)
· UGK - Underground Kingz (two CDs; Jive) [Preorder]
Read: "Ex-Con Pimp C Juiced For UGK Album, Says He Has Lessons To Teach"

• Avenged Sevenfold
• The All-American Rejects
• The Chemical Brothers
• Editors
• Yellowcard

Christina Aguilera on the cover of the October issue of <i>Jane</i>
Photo: Cond&#233; Nast

Christina Aguilera has some advice for fans: "Never believe everything you read or see or hear." The singer shared that pearl of wisdom in Jane magazine's October issue, on newsstands Tuesday — and added, "Which I'm sure you are not going to want to print." They did print it, along with Aguilera's thoughts on documenting her life with Jordan Bratman for television: "My marriage is sacred to me, and I feel that they would exploit it." But while reality TV doesn't appeal to the singer, acting does. "I'm going to read scripts while I'm on the road working this record," she said. "I think so many people who start off as musicians and cross over just end up playing themselves. To me, that's not a challenge whatsoever. I want to quote-unquote act." ...

Last month, Hilary Duff predicted that she'd be done with her forthcoming album by mid-September. But when she was in New York last week to launch her new perfume With Love at Macy's, the singer admitted that she hadn't met her deadline. "Is it mid-September already?" she said. "It's probably going to be a bit longer. We've done a lot — I would say we're a little more than halfway finished, but I'm not done." Though Duff's record label had said the yet-untitled album would still come out November 21 as originally planned, the singer is in fact getting a little more breathing room — the label confirmed Friday (September 22) that it's pushing back Duff's next LP until December 5. ...

As NBC weighs whether to air the mock crucifixion in an upcoming Madonna concert special scheduled for November, the singer spoke out Thursday to defend the controversial element of her Confessions world tour. In a statement, Madonna said that the bit — which has been criticized by the Roman Catholic Church and the Russian Orthodox Church — is not "anti-Christian, sacrilegious or blasphemous," but a plea for "mankind to help one another and to see the world as a unified whole. I believe in my heart that if Jesus were alive today he would be doing the same thing." She added that the intent of the staged crucifixion — which ends with a quote from the Bible's Book of Matthew about taking care of the hungry and sick — is to bring attention to the plight of impoverished children in Africa. ...

It doesn't seem to be too hard out here these days for Three 6 Mafia. MTV announced this week that it's partnering with the Oscar-winning rappers for "Adventures in Hollywood," a comedic reality series that will follow them as they try to make headway in Tinsel Town. The show will trail remaining members DJ Paul and Juicy J as they relocate from their Memphis hometown to Los Angeles along with their entourage, including artist and protégé Project Pat. ...

Fergie talks health in Shape magazine's October issue, and sings the praises of one food that's dear to her heart: pizza. The Black Eyed Peas singer, who said she hikes with boyfriend Josh Duhamel to stay in shape, has two takes on the cheese-topped treat, naming "pizza dipped in ranch or blue-cheese dressing" as her favorite food splurge and "a bagel with cottage cheese and tomatoes" as her #1 breakfast. "I heat it up, so the cheese melts a bit like a pizza." ... Reports that Michael Jackson plans to open a leprechaun theme park in Ireland are not true, according to the singer's spokesperson. Jackson's camp dismissed the Irish Daily Mirror story, which quoted a source that claimed the singer planned to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in the plan because he "loves the whole idea of leprechauns and the magic and the myths of Ireland," as "erroneous and ridiculous." ...

Perhaps smarting from the commercial beat-down they suffered with this year's Lights and Sounds, Yellowcard have been writing new songs and are preparing to enter the studio this winter to begin work on a new album. According to their label, Capitol Records, there is no word on just who will produce the new album, but Yellowcard hope to have it in stores by mid-2007. ... Tommy Lee makes a cameo in Jack's Mannequin's video for "Dark Blue," directed by Brett Simon (the Killers, New Found Glory). The 1950s-set clip is inspired by the dance-contest movie "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" Lee played drums on the album, the side project from Something Corporate singer Andrew McMahon. ... Dancehall reggae singer Buju Banton is facing his latest ban in the U.S. over violent lyrics about gays and lesbians. The Los Angeles Times reports that e-mail complaints and concerned callers prompted the manager of the Highland nightclub in Hollywood to research Banton's past and cancel the singer's show scheduled for October 2. ...

A seventh-grade teacher in Kentucky's Jefferson County school district will not be arrested for burning two American flags in class, Louisville newspaper The Courier-Journal reports. Still, Dan Holden — who was removed from the classroom after giving his lesson on free speech — will not go back to teaching until the district decides whether or not he violated school rules. He has since been assigned to perform noninstructional duties. The Louisville Fire & Rescue arson squad said in a report that Holden had left the students with the flags ablaze as he went to get water to put out the flames, but authorities said criminal charges are not warranted. ...

Alice Cooper will be joining the Rolling Stones for three guest appearances as part of his annual Halloween Tour, which kicks off Saturday in Halifax, Nova Scotia — where the legendary rockers will be joined by Kanye West and local favorites Sloan. Cooper and the Rolling Stones will also join forces at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, September 29. He will then hit cities including Nashville, Cleveland and New York without the Stones, before joining the band one last time to inaugurate the new Cardinals Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, and close out his tour. ... The Rolling Stones, who launched their tour Wednesday, have added a November 22 show in Honolulu, Hawaii, to their schedule. ... Original Bad Company bassist and King Crimson member Raymond "Boz" Burrell died Thursday at his home in Spain, according to a statement released by Led Zeppelin's Swan Song Records, which put out Bad Company's first six studio LPs. The cause of Burrell's death was not given. He was 60 years old. ...

Plenty of artists have used the Old Testament as inspiration for their music, but an upcoming album called 10 Plagues (due November 7) takes a new approach. The 10-track compilation collects songs by a diverse group of artists — including Rufus Wainwright, Brian Eno, Stephin Merritt (Magnetic Fields), Laurie Anderson, Imogen Heap and Cody Chesnutt — who each take on one of the plagues associated with the Passover story of the Jews' exodus from Egypt. Song titles include "Blood," "The Meaning of Lice," "Flies," "Boils," "Hailstones," "Darkness" and "Katonah (Death of the Firstborn)." ... Joseph Arthur, a singer/songwriter known for using looping techniques in his live solo show, is touring with a band for the first time in his career. Arthur's trek begins Monday in Philadelphia and ends November 3 in Brooklyn, New York. ...

Fresh off a stint opening for Madonna in Europe, electronic-music hero Oakenfold is heading back to the U.S. for a string of club dates in support of his new single, "Sex 'N' Money," which features Pharrell. Oakenfold's run starts Friday in San Diego and winds down October 14 in Miami Beach, Florida. ... Stephanie McKay — a Bronx, New York, singer who has worked with Tricky, Mos Def and Kelis — will release her Stateside debut, a self-titled EP, on Tuesday. Geoff Barrow of Portishead produced her U.K. debut, which was released in 2003. ... British singer Lily Allen will release her debut album, Alright, Still, in the U.S. on January 30. In the meantime, a four-song digital EP that includes the single "Smile" is out Tuesday.

9.21.2006

Beyoncé was the big winner at Wednesday night's 10th annual British Music of Black Origin Awards, taking home three out of four awards she was nominated for, including Best International Female as well as Best Song and Best Video for "Deja Vu." British newcomer Corinne Bailey Rae was close behind with two awards: Best U.K. Female and Best U.K. Newcomer, BBC News reports. The Black Eyed Peas bested Gnarls Barkley, Outkast, Pussycat Dolls and the Streets for the Best Group award, and Jay-Z took Best International Male; neither he nor Beyoncé attended the ceremony. Sean Paul won for Best Reggae Artist and Rihanna took the Best R&B Artist statue. ...

Axl Rose has been sued by an art broker who claims the Guns N' Roses frontman reneged on a $2.36 million deal for a portrait of John Lennon painted by Andy Warhol, The Associated Press reports. The suit, filed on September 11 in Los Angeles by Acquire d'Arte, claims the broker parleyed a deal with a New York art gallery to reduce the asking price for the artwork from $2.65 million, according to The Associated Press. But Axl ponied up just $1.21 million for the painting, and both his manager and attorney informed the broker that he wouldn't be paying the balance, as he didn't have enough money and "the painting was not worth the price he had agreed to pay," according to the suit. Rose's lawyer, Howard Weitzman, told AP that the terms of the deal may have been distorted. "It's my opinion that Axl Rose is the victim of some fraud or misrepresentation here," he said. The broker is seeking $1.5 million in damages. ...

Madonna has squeezed past Cher as the top-grossing female road warrior. According to a press release from tour promoter Live Nation, the singer's Confessions run, which wraps Thursday (September 21) at the Tokyo Dome, is the top-grossing tour ever by a female artist. Though total grosses are not yet tallied, tour producer Arthur Fogel predicted a final take of $193.7 million from 60 shows in front of almost 1.2 million fans — just enough to move past Cher's record of $192.5 million. ... Timbaland wants to work with Fall Out Boy and the All-American Rejects — or so he told Rolling Stone for the newest issue of the magazine, hitting stands Friday. The producer also said in the interview that he's bored with hip-hop. ...

C-Murder has partnered with Vibe and Kensington Publishing to release his first book, "Death Around the Corner," as a part of the magazine's new Street Lit initiative. The manuscript centers around New Orleans' Third Ward community, where the rapper and his brothers, including Master P, grew up. The text was written entirely by hand while the rapper was behind bars for the shooting death of a 16-year-old boy outside a New Orleans nightclub. "Death Around the Corner" also comes on the heels of Miller's next album, Screamin 4 Vengeance, which will be the lead release on the newly relaunched Priority Records. "Death Around the Corner" is scheduled to be excerpted in the January issue of Vibe along with an interview with C-Murder, who is currently under house arrest while waiting to be retried for the 2002 shooting. The book is due in paperback December 26. No date has been set for Miller's album. ...

Kevin Federline has re-upped his deal to be the face of Five Star Vintage. After the company dubbed his debut in their fall campaign an "overwhelming success," K-Fed has been tapped to front the winter 2006 ad campaign as well. The ads, featuring K-Fed in a black "New York"-emblazoned hooded sweater and a signature track jacket — will debut in magazines next month. ... Johnny Knoxville, fashion icon? Stuff magazine names the "Jackass" star Style Man of the Year in the October issue. "It's just the way you carry yourself," Knoxville said of his style philosophy, explaining that when he walks he gets "a nice roll going in my shoulders" ... and thinks about breasts. Other honorees include Chamillionaire, Kevin Federline, Wolfmother, Luke and Owen Wilson, Adrian Grenier and motocross star (and Pink's husband) Carey Hart. ... While touring this fall with Three Days Grace, singer Adam Gontier is playing solo acoustic shows at selected rehabilitation centers across the country and hosting Q&A sessions afterward. "It's my payback to a system that kept me alive," Gontier said in a letter to fans. "Not only is it a payback, but it's my way of getting across a point to many people out there who feel like they're alone and feel like there's no way out. There is." ...

British billionaire Richard Branson, the mogul behind the Virgin brand, said Thursday that he would commit $3 billion to the fight against global warming, AP reports. Branson made the announcement in New York on the second day of the Clinton Global Initiative conference and was joined by Bill Clinton for the announcement. "Our generation has inherited an incredibly beautiful world from our parents and they from their parents," Branson said to reporters. "We must not be the generation responsible for irreversibly damaging the environment." Branson said 100 percent of the profits from his transportation and airline companies will fund efforts to find renewable energy sources to take the place of coal and oil. ... DJ AM will judge the "Shaken and Stirred" DJ contest, searching for the best remix of the classic James Bond theme. The promotional contest for the upcoming "Casino Royale" Bond flick will wind up with five finalists flown to New York on November 8 to perform live in front of a celebrity panel of judges including AM. The winner will get an all-expense paid, VIP trip to Las Vegas, a chance to open for AM at a nightclub in Sin City and new DJ equipment. ...

When Tom Green had surgery for testicular cancer, cameras were there to document his journey. And now that he's about to go under the knife again — for an operation on a broken leg — the comedian has more plans to share his pain with the world. Green busted his leg last week while attempting skateboarding tricks for his online talk show "Tom Green Live," and will have surgery Thursday to correct the injury. Green plans to show footage of the procedure on his show, which streams at TomGreen.com. "We will somehow make it funny," he said in a post on his site. ... On Monday night in Toronto, Final Fantasy was presented with the inaugural Polaris Music Prize, a cash award (approximately $18,000) presented to the artist behind the year's best Canadian album — "based on artistic merit" and chosen by a panel of judges. He Poos Clouds, the disc from Fantasy (a.k.a. Owen Pallett), beat out LPs from Broken Social Scene, Cadence Weapon, Sarah Harmer, K'Naan, Malajube, Metric, New Pornographers and Wolf Parade as well as Porcella, the final disc from the now-defunct Deadly Snakes — who played their farewell show in Toronto late last month.

• Christina Aguilera: "Dirrty" Girl To Married Woman

• Christina Aguilera
• Madonna
• Fergie
• Michael Jackson
• Yellowcard

Yellowcard's Sean Mackin and Ryan Mendez
Photo: Paul Hawthorne/Getty Images

In the months leading up to the release of Lights and Sounds, Yellowcard frontman Ryan Key was fond of saying that the ambitious album would probably alienate a large portion of their fanbase, and that he was 100 percent OK with that.

But now, more than five months after the album's release, he might want to reconsider that statement (see "Yellowcard Move To New York, Write LP About Hating Los Angeles"), because Yellowcard wouldn't mind those extra record buyers.

Since it hit stores in late January, Lights — Yellowcard's bid for artistic maturity — has struggled. The LP debuted at #5 on the Billboard albums chart, selling just 90,000 or so copies in its first week, and then began a precipitous drop down the chart, exiting the top 50 within four weeks. It has since disappeared from the top 200 altogether. Its two singles have failed to take off on radio — a situation no doubt exacerbated by Key's near-constant battles with his vocal cords (see "Yellowcard Postpone Gigs, Singer Due For Throat Surgery"), which led them to cancel many gigs around the album's release.

To date, the much-anticipated album has sold a little more than 315,000 copies, a far cry from the breakthrough success of 2003's Ocean Avenue, which approached sales of 2 million.

In short, it's been a rough six months for Yellowcard. And they'll be the first to admit it.

"We have all these theories as to what happened, but basically it comes down to the fact that we don't have the momentum that we had at the height of Ocean Avenue," violinist Sean Mackin said. "I think some people in the band felt the need to rebel from where we were and the kind of acts we were grouped with. A lot of people in our band thought we had a lot more to offer. And that's how we've ended up where we are."

While it may sound like Mackin is making a thinly veiled jab at Key's arguably grandiose aspirations for Lights and Sounds, he assured us he's not. He thinks the whole band bears responsibility for the album's performance.

"I think that the band went on ... maybe not a tangent, but we had a goal in mind, and at the end of the recording process, we were so proud of how artistic we were," he said. "And I think we showed too much. I think maybe we were a little too jaded and a little too dark, and I think that the lack of hope and faith that we put on this record made us a little less sparkly and light to people.

"But I think that it's all part of our evolution," he explained. "We all went a bit too far, Ryan included. He's a very powerful lyricist, but I think that even he was in a dark period after Ocean Avenue. He was very confused as to why — all of a sudden, out of nowhere — there was all this attention on him. It put him in a weird place and that's what he wrote about."

Mackin insists the bandmembers don't view Lights and Sounds as a mistake — "It's more of a learning experience," he laughed — but admitted that everyone is anxious to put the past behind them. And with Key's vocal ailments finally cured, YC may be able to do that, launching a full-scale tour in support of the record — they hit the road June 10, with Matchbook Romance supporting on most dates — and lobbying their label, Capitol Records, to release a third single from Lights.

"I don't know if we're going to get another single. We've canceled almost three months of touring in the past in the last eight months. [And] 'Rough Landing, Holly' went to radio and was the most-added song, but everything just sort of fizzled out," Mackin said. "In the meantime, there's all these other artists getting airplay, so we need to try to build momentum.

"And if we can't get it back, then we're just going to make a new album and come out swinging again," he resolved.

While there are no firm plans to begin work on a follow-up to Lights just yet, Mackin wants fans to know that Yellowcard aren't going to let any of this stop them from making the music they love. However, next time out, they may try to dial back the darkness a bit.

"Ryan is definitely looking for a fresh start. He's learned a lesson from all of this, and you can see it in his eyes and in his step. Lights and Sounds is definitely not what Ocean Avenue was — not to say it's a failure — but we've learned a few things, for sure," Mackin said.

"And I'm a fighter, and I want to go out there and show people just why these songs mean so much for us. And regardless of what you may think, I still love being in this band. It definitely beats serving and cooking at Chili's."

For more on Yellowcard, check out the feature "Split Decision."

• Yellowcard

Ludacris
Photo: Bryan Bedder/Getty Images

Is Ludacris a straight shooter? That's for the jury to decide, as they say. The rapper testified in a New York courtroom Thursday (May 25) that he had never heard the expression "straight like that" prior to recording his 2003 hit "Stand Up," according to The Associated Press. He also said he's never received any copies of the song "Straight Like That" by New Jersey's I.O.F., who are suing Ludacris for copyright infringement. "I do not know what the term 'straight like that' means, sir," Ludacris said on the stand, addressing the prosecution. Kanye West, who co-wrote "Stand Up," was also in court and is expected to testify before the trial ends. ...

Jack White has revealed the reason he left Detroit for Nashville earlier this year. "I couldn't take the negativity anymore," he recently told AP. "It was so super-negative. It was draining me, I had to get somewhere where I could breathe again." White spent time in Nashville to produce Loretta Lynn's 2004 album, Van Lear Rose, and he lives there now with his wife, model Karen Elson, and their new daughter, Scarlett. ...

Foo Fighters have tacked a few new dates onto their long-awaited acoustic tour. Having already sold out their July 13 gig in Berkeley, California, the band will also play the following day there, also at the Berkeley Community Theatre. Two Canadian dates have been added as well: July 10 at Vancouver, British Columbia's Orpheum Theatre, and August 23 at Toronto's Hummingbird Centre. ...

Former Yellowcard guitarist Ben Harper gave his mom a not-so-special Mother's Day present when he was arrested in the wee hours of May 14 under suspicion of DUI, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Harper's vehicle was pulled over at 4:27 a.m. for speeding when an officer smelled what he said he believed was marijuana in the car. "The officer then asked me to perform a Breathalyzer test, and I declined, because I had been at a show and had a few drinks," Harper told MTV News. "So they took me in under suspicion and made me take the test then, and I blew a number under the legal limit." He was released on $5,000 bail and told to return for a court hearing June 8 for charges related to a separate speeding incident. ...

Alice in Chains, who wrapped up a five-date tour in New York on Tuesday, have lined up four more U.S. club gigs for August. In the interim, the reunited rockers will head overseas for a spate of festival appearances. More dates are believed to be forthcoming, but for now the band plans to perform August 3 in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire; August 4 in Sayreville, New Jersey; August 5 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; and August 12 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. ...

KT Tunstall will contribute a brand-new song, "Warm," to the soundtrack of "Ruby Red Chequer," the first film from Kevin Spacey's London-based Old Vic Theatre Company. There are also rumors that Tunstall may make a cameo in the film, but at the moment, her label, Virgin Records, says that hasn't been confirmed. ... Apparently Janet Jackson wasn't letting herself go when she gained 60 pounds — she tells Us Weekly that she was plumping up for a role she ended up having to forgo anyway. As it turned out, the movie "Tennessee" conflicted with Jackson's plan to finish her forthcoming album, 20 Years Old, in time for its September 26 release date. "They wanted to see me in a different light, as a heavier woman. They really wanted to make a statement with the film," Jackson tells the magazine. "I didn't feel bad about myself at all. It was part of my job." ...

You may be able to buy two Nintendo Wiis for the price of one PlayStation 3, if the latest price announcement regarding the fall's new video game systems holds true. Nintendo announced Thursday that its forthcoming Wii won't cost more than $250 when it launches at the end of the year. The specific price is still a mystery, though $10 can probably be safely excluded. Sony's PS3, expected in the U.S. on November 17, is still penciled in at $499 for the basic version and $599 for the fully featured edition. Nintendo also announced that the company intends to ship 6 million units of the Wii by March 31. ... McFarlane Toys has announced plans to create a line of figures based on the hit TV show "Lost." Slated to reach stores this fall, the first series of figures will feature Jack, Kate, Hurley, Locke, Charlie and Shannon, each replete with a detailed base and backdrop that focuses on a specific moment in the character's story." (Click to see the Charlie Pace "Lost" figure.) There are also plans to release "Lost" deluxe box sets that re-create key moments between characters, plus dioramas of some of the show's famous locales, like the crash site and the hatch.

Howard Stern and CBS settled their breach of contract suit on Wednesday, but neither side was revealing the details of the deal, according to AP. CBS Radio sued Stern in February, accusing the shock jock of using the CBS airwaves to promote his move to Sirius Satellite Radio during the final 14 months of his time at CBS and cutting his $500 million Sirius deal without properly disclosing his plans to CBS, as required in his contract. ... 2 Live Crew and Copiah County, Mississippi, resolved a federal lawsuit with an undisclosed settlement on Wednesday, Mississippi's Clarion-Ledger reports. The Miami rap group and concert promoters had filed a $15 million claim against the county, alleging that 2 Live Crew were forced to cancel a June 2000 performance after authorities set up a roadblock near the outdoor show and arrested 92 people. Earlier this month, a former Copiah County sheriff testified that he did not want the concert in town, and confirmed that approximately 90 deputies manned roadblocks near the field hosting the show. ...

Morningwood are kicking off their Tour Off Your Clothes Tour (a reference to the band's "Take Off Your Clothes" anthem) June 13 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Rock Kills Kid will open for several shows on the tour, which hits cities including Atlanta, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago and San Francisco before wrapping up with Morningwood's opening stint for the Go-Go's at Los Angeles' Greek Theater on July 14. The band will also perform on "The Late Show With David Letterman" on June 21. ... Eamon is back, and it sounds like he's got more relationship troubles to deal with. The singer, whose hip-hop- and doo-wop-inspired "I Don't Want You Back" hit back in 2003, is set to release a new single, "How Could You (Bring Him Home)," next month. The track, produced by Frankie J beatmaker Happy Perez, will be featured on Eamon's second album, Life Is Good, due August 1. ... An April 16 trial date has been set for Phil Spector's embezzlement suit against his former assistant Michelle Blaine, AP reports. Spector will stand trial in January for the 2003 shooting death of actress Lana Clarkson.

05.24.2006

Ludacris appeared in U.S. District Court in New York Tuesday as the 2004 suit accusing the rapper and Kanye West of ripping off the hook to "Stand Up" comes to trial, The Associated Press reports. The lawsuit claims that New Jersey rap group I.O.F. passed along demo tapes including the song "Straight Like That" to West and Ludacris, who then used the track's lyrics and beat for "Stand Up." Ludacris and West maintain that they didn't hear "Straight Like That" until the suit was filed. The trial is scheduled to run through the week, and Ludacris and West — who was not in court on Tuesday — are expected to testify. If the rappers are found liable, damages will be assessed in a penalty phase. ...

The debut solo album from Neptunes mastermind Pharrell Williams is finally (re)scheduled for release after months of delays. In My Mind is now expected to drop July 25, according to a spokesperson. It will include guest spots from Jay-Z, Daddy Yankee, Gwen Stefani and others and be preceded by the new single, "Number 1," featuring Kanye West. ...

A beef between Avenged Sevenfoldand the Dillinger Escape Plan is taking shape. According to Dillinger's MySpace page, a feud had been festering for several months when Avenged frontman M. Shadows turned up the heat during a recent interview, saying Dillinger "make sh---y noises and try to pass it off as music." "What about bands that make sh---y noise and try to pass it off as Guns N' Roses?" a Dillinger MySpace post read in response. "This guy and his merry band of musical clowns get more hilarious by the minute. M. Shadows' real name is Matt Sanders or some sh--." With that in mind, Dillinger say they've decided to change their stage names in derision. "So, in his honor, our new names are officially as follows: G. Piranha, Blaster Master Weinman, Bullwhip Benoit, Corpsef---er Pennie [and] Leafeater Wilson. Those are going to be the names on our new CD — 100 percent serious." ...

Pete Yorn will spread the word about his forthcoming album, Nightcrawler, with a 36-gig acoustic tour that launches June 22 in Santa Barbara, California, and wraps August 12 in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Nightcrawler hits stores August 15. ... Influential punks Social Distortion, will be back on the road for a two-week run this summer. The band's trek kicks off July 3 in Las Vegas, with a handful of gigs booked through July 15 in Denver. The Supersuckers and Nine Black Alps will open. Social D are still working on material for the follow-up to 2004's Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll. ...

Gorilla Biscuits are getting back together this summer for a 27-date U.S. tour that will coincide with the impending re-release of the hardcore icons' classic 1989 LP, Start Today. The yet-to-be-scheduled reissue will feature in-depth liner notes by guitarist Walter Schreifels and a DVD featuring the band's 2005 reunion set at New York's CBGB. The tour kicks off August 4 in Asbury Park, New Jersey, and wraps up September 2 in New York. ... Another recently reunited group, post-hardcore act Lifetime, have announced plans for a spate of gigs in July. The Bronx have been tapped to open five shows in Allston, Massachusetts (July 10); Buffalo, New York (July 13); Cleveland (July 14); Chicago (July 15); and Detroit (July 16). Details on additional dates will be announced in the coming weeks. ...

You win some and you lose some — even when you're Elton John. The singer accepted a $188,000 libel settlement from the British Daily Mail newspaper on Wednesday (May 24), AP reports. Daily Mail had claimed in a June 2005 issue that guests at a charity ball were forbidden to approach John, a report that caused the singer "considerable embarrassment and distress," his lawyer noted in a hearing at London's High Court. Other happenings across the Atlantic may also have Elton hurting. "Lestat," the Broadway musical based on Anne Rice's "The Vampire Chronicles" and featuring music by John and longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin, is closing after only 39 performances. The $10 million show's curtain will drop for the last time Sunday. ... Ian Copeland, a booking agent who represented R.E.M. and the Police, died Tuesday in Los Angeles, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Copeland — brother of Police drummer Stewart Copeland — succumbed to melanoma after battling the disease for many years. He was 57. ...

After initially pushing back two Paris shows in order to allow guitarist Keith Richards to fully recuperate from brain surgery following his recent mystery accident, the Rolling Stones announced Wednesday that they will postpone 15 dates on their Bigger Bang European tour, according to a Reuters report. Richards, 62, is back in the U.S. recuperating from recent surgery in New Zealand to repair damage from a concussion allegedly sustained when he fell out of a coconut tree while on vacation in Fiji last month. The shows were supposed to start in Barcelona on Saturday and run through July 5 in Zagreb, Croatia. Rescheduled dates are expected to be announced before week's end, with the tour slated to pick up again in early July at a yet-unannounced venue. ...

Kaiser Chiefs singer Ricky Wilson was nearly killed in a hit-and-run accident in the British city of Leeds over the weekend. Wilson, who was struck by a car while walking in a crosswalk on Sunday evening, was spared serious injury by one of his patented onstage leaps, according to a post on the band's Web site. "He's the luckiest man alive, because he is still alive, it sounds daft, but a 'Ricky trademark jump' has probably saved his life," the post read. "The jump meant he was flipped over the top of the car, hitting the windscreen, rather than getting trapped under it." Wilson, who suffered a broken toe and bruises, was crossing on a green pedestrian light when he was struck by an unidentified driver; police are investigating the incident. Wilson is expected to be well enough to perform on the band's upcoming dates June 2-4 in Holland and Germany. ...

Nicole Richie and DJ AM are back off. The pair released a statement on Monday explaining that they have called it quits after a brief reconciliation. "We are confirming that we have amicably separated," the brief statement read, according to AP. Richie and AM called off their nine-month engagement in December but were back together in recent months. ... Former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell has named her baby daughter Bluebell Madonna, inspired by the flower and "the singer, whom I love," she tells British magazine Hello! Bluebell was born May 14 in London.

• Ludacris
• Kanye West
• The White Stripes
• Foo Fighters
• Yellowcard

Hawthorne Heights
Photo: Brian Appio

Hawthorne Heights have developed a unique touring strategy: Complete a run of sold-out arena gigs, marry off a bandmember or two and then go back to playing shows.

Version 1.0 of the concept launched roughly two weeks ago when Hawthorne wrapped a stint on Fall Out Boy's Black Clouds and Underdogs Tour (see "Fall Out Boy Start Divulging New Tour Dates — The Real Ones, That Is"). And they began the nuptials phase of the plan when bassist Matt Ridenour tied the knot recently (guitarist Casey Calvert takes the plunge this week).

After the honeymooning, they'll kick off a string of dates, beginning with appearances at a couple of radio festivals — Edgefest in Frisco, Texas, and the 89X Birthday Bash in Detroit — both on June 18.

Hawthorne's headlining tour begins the following night in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with Anberlin, Halifax and Hit the Lights along for the ride. Over the next month, they'll also share the stage with Yellowcard, Matchbook Romance and Story of the Year.

They're also sitting on a pair of videos for singles off If Only You Were Lonely (see "Hawthorne Heights Deny Ne-Yo Beef, Pick Oreos Over Cristal"). The band shot a live clip for "This Is Who We Are" at the Minneapolis stop of the Black Clouds Tour on April 14. And a few weeks later, they filmed a video for "Pens and Needles" in Miami with director Dale "Rage" Resteghini, a host of their most fervent South Florida fans and five cameras.

"The shoot is going down in an ultra-sexy Spanish monastery in Miami Beach," Resteghini wrote on his exclamation-point-packed MySpace page. " ... About 750 of their nearest and dearest fans who can dance, back-flip off our stage and mosh will be in the video. This is a huge video that we will be shooting on five 35mm film cameras, which will capture all the fun and chaos. The location is absolutely sick. It's like some ancient Aztec war ground."

Sounds killer, dude.

Hawthorne Heights tour dates, according to Victory Records:

• 6/18 - Frisco, TX @ Pizza Hut Park, EdgeFest
• 6/18 - Detroit, MI @ State Theatre, 89X Birthday Bash
• 6/19 - Fort Wayne, IN @ Piere's
• 6/20 - Grand Rapids, MI @ Orbit Room
• 6/22 - Rochester, NY @ Water Street Music Hall
• 6/24 - Baltimore, MD @ Sonar
• 6/25 - Allentown, PA @ Crocodile Rock Cafe
• 6/27 - Johnson City, NY @ Magic City Music Hall
• 6/28 - New Haven, CT @ Toad's Place
• 6/29 - Providence, RI @ Station Park
• 6/30 - Wilmington, DE @ Big Kahuna
• 7/9 - Costa Mesa, CA @ Pacific Amphitheatre
• 7/13 - Buckingham, QC @ Festival D'Ete
• 7/14 - Montreal, QC @ Metropolis
• 7/15 - Ottawa, ON @ Bluesfest
• 7/19 - Thunder Bay, ON @ Community Auditorium
• 7/20 - Winnipeg, MB @ Burton Cummings Theatre
• 7/21 - Saskatoon, SK @ Prairieland Park
• 7/22 - Calgary, AB @ MacEwan Hall
• 7/23 - Edmonton, AB @ Shaw Conference Center
• 7/25 - Vancouver, BC @ Croatian Cultural Center
• 7/29 - Bonner Springs, KS @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
• 7/30 - Council Bluffs, IA @ Westfair Amphitheatre
• 7/31 - Springfield, MO @ Ozark Empire Fair
• 9/2 - Seattle, WA @ Seattle Center, Bumbershoot Festival

• Hawthorne Heights
• Yellowcard
• Halifax
• Matchbook Romance

Yellowcard's Ryan Key
Photo: Appio

Yellowcard frontman Ryan Key has been battling vocal-cord ailments for nearly six months — and he's finally given up fighting.

On Monday (April 24), YC's label, Capitol Records, released a statement saying the band has been forced to postpone a string of early summer gigs because Key has been diagnosed with a cyst on his cords, an ailment that requires surgery.

"We're disappointed to be postponing these dates, but it's a relief to know the source of the problems I'd been having with my voice," Key said in the statement. "And it's much better to confront it now [rather] than later when it could be more serious. We'll be back on the road in June when we can give 100 percent."

Shows up to and including the band's May 7 show in Memphis, Tennessee, will proceed as planned. The postponed gigs include a May 18 gig at Boston's Lansdowne Street Music Hall, a show on the 19th at Lupo's at the Strand in Providence, Rhode Island, and a May 28 concert at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland.

Five shows in June have been rescheduled: June 1 in Tempe, Arizona (now August 9); June 2 in Tuscon (August 7); June 3 in Albuquerque, New Mexico (August 8); June 5 in Las Vegas (August 5); and June 7 in Bakersfield, California (August 10). Tickets purchased for the June shows will be honored for the dates in August.

Key's throat problems first came to light back in December, when the band was forced to pull a host of U.K. shows after its frontman developed a nodule on his cords that required immediate rest ("If we don't take care of it now, there is a serious risk of surgery," Key wrote on YellowcardRock.com). The following month, Key's cords flared up again, and Yellowcard canceled a handful of dates on their club tour in support of the just-released Lights and Sounds (see "Yellowcard Line Up Club Tour, Post A Preview Of Newly Named LP") — including, ironically enough, a pair of shows in Albuquerque and Tempe.

• Yellowcard

Michael Jackson
Photo: Christina Barany/Getty Images

Michael Jackson had planned to release his forever-forthcoming Hurricane Katrina charity single on a fledgling label called Two Seas Records, which was set up by his benefactor, Bahraini Prince Abdulla Hamad Al Khalifa. But now the singer's signed to the label himself, promising to record a new album for release by next year, the label announced Tuesday (April 18). British music-industry exec Guy Holmes, who has been named CEO of the label, will also take on the role of Jackson's manager. "I am incredibly excited about my new venture," Jackson said in a statement, "and I am enjoying being back in the studio making music." ...

Jennifer Lopez is putting the finishing touches on her upcoming Spanish-language album, Como Ama Una Mujer (which translates to How a Woman Loves), but she's already brainstorming her next project, she revealed to Harper's Bazaar in the magazine's May cover story (Click to see Lopez's Harper's Bazaar photos.) The singer said her follow-up will be a ska-tinged pop album and spoke highly of former ska-pop queen Gwen Stefani. "Women who've started their own trends, who don't care what other people are thinking ... I admire Gwen Stefani's style and Madonna's. Those two have blazed their own trails." Meanwhile, Lopez has revised the dates for her upcoming international tour. She's nixed shows in Mumbai, India, and Istanbul, Turkey, and has added one in Sofia, Bulgaria, on May 2. ...

Ashley Parker Angel shows off his lack of cooking skills on Tuesday's episode of Diddy's weeklong series, "Celebrity Cooking Showdown." "I do not cook," Parker Angel said. "I'm the first one to say it. Coming into this thing, I knew how to make Eggo [waffles] and ice cubes, and that was like it." Competing with the likes of Tom Arnold, Patti LaBelle and Gabrielle Reese, the former O-Town singer said he had to overcome his fear of chopping off his fingers to please his partner chef, Wolfgang Puck. "Wolf was like, 'Faster, faster,' and I play guitar, I play piano, I need my fingers, you know?" If Parker Angel makes the cut, he'll compete again on Thursday for the final cook-off. The show airs at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, and the winner will be announced live on Friday. ...

Yellowcard will hit the road this summer for a string of festival and club dates. The tour kicks off in earnest May 7 at the Beale Street Music Festival in Memphis, Tennessee, and makes stops at radio festivals in Boston, Providence and Columbia, Maryland, before hitting its stride with the first club gig June 1 at the Marquee Theatre in Tempe, Arizona. The club tour is currently scheduled to run until the end of June, but more dates are expected to be announced shortly. Matchbook Romance and Hedley will join YC for the shows. ... After visiting an AIDS clinic in Masaka, Uganda, last week, Alicia Keys was in Durban, South Africa, Tuesday to visit more Keep a Child Alive-sponsored sites, including the AIDS Healthcare Foundation's Ithembalabantu ("people's hope" in Zulu) Healthcare Center. The clinic provides free medical care and antiretroviral treatment to thousands of children and families living with HIV/AIDS. Keys and the KCA group spent two hours visiting a few hundred patients, about 50 of whom were children. ...

Hoobastank and Korean R&B singer Se7en are scheduled to perform live at MTV Japan's Video Music Awards May 27. The event — which will take place at the National Yoyogi Stadium No. 1 Gymnasium — will also feature Japanese R&B singer AI, reggae duo Def Tech and Japanese pop icon Kumi Koda, as well as Rihanna for the red-carpet show. Andrew W.K. and Pamela Anderson join previously announced Asian celebrity presenters such as Anna Tsuchiya, Melody and Soul'd Out. ... "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" sure worked its magic on the box office — the fourth film in the franchise became the first digitally remastered 2D IMAX film to reach the milestone of grossing $20 million, Warner Bros. Pictures and IMAX announced Tuesday. "Harry Potter" also set records for IMAX with the biggest three-day opening weekend and highest per-screen average. ...

The reunited Alice in Chains will perform at the 2006 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally August 11 in Sturgis, South Dakota, according to the event's Web site. Other artists lined up to perform include Kid Rock, Alice Cooper, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Blue Öyster Cult. Alice in Chains will launch a brief U.S. club tour on May 18 in Los Angeles, with Comes With the Fall frontman William DuVall and other guest vocalists filling in for the late Layne Staley. No other dates have been revealed. ... Due to an undisclosed illness, Head Automatica have been forced to pull out of three of the dates on the band's current tour with Coheed and Cambria and Avenged Sevenfold. Head Automatica, whose frontman Daryl Palumbo battles Crohn's disease, missed a performance scheduled in Houston on Monday and will not appear at shows set for San Antonio, Texas, on Tuesday and Grand Prairie, Texas, on Wednesday. Head Automatica's new album, Popaganda, hits stores June 6. ...

Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee has been suffering from tendonitis in recent weeks, impeding his ability to pound the kit. But it appears the injury hasn't impacted Tommy's skills behind the ones and twos, as he's lined up a number of DJ gigs. Lee will be manning the turntables at Boston's Avalon (April 29); Louisville, Kentucky's Atlas (May 6); Las Vegas' Ice (May 27); Atlantic City, New Jersey's Mixx (June 9); and Las Vegas' Hard Rock Hotel (July 17). ... Panic Channel, featuring former Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro and drummer Stephen Perkins, will head out on a 17-date club tour that kicks off May 16 in San Diego. Dates run through June 7 in Los Angeles. Navarro will also co-host the upcoming Erotica LA convention, set for June 23-25, with adult-film star Jenna Jameson. ... Melissa Etheridge announced on her Web site Tuesday that her partner, Tammy Lynn Michaels, is pregnant with twins. "We are thrilled to announce that Tammy is pregnant, and expecting our twins sometime around this fall," read the statement. "To answer the obvious question: We used an anonymous donor from a [sperm] bank." ...

Jimmy Tamborello, the electronic whiz kid behind the Postal Service, will release a solo album titled Mistake Mistake Mistake Mistake under the moniker James Figurine. Due July 11, the 10-track disc will include vocal collaborations with Rilo Kiley and Postal Service associate Jenny Lewis, Kings of Convenience's Erlend Øye as well as designer/animator/poet Geoff McFetridge. ... Having toured the country — twice — and sung out loud and proud against President Bush on "The Tonight Show," Conor Oberst is now hard at work on a follow-up to the two Bright Eyes albums he released last year, Digital Ash in a Digital Urn and I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning. According to the band's label, Saddle Creek, Bright Eyes — now consisting of Oberst, Saddle Creek utilityman Mike Mogis and trumpet player Nate Walcott — are writing and recording a new album right now, and they've gotten help from singer/songwriter M. Ward and Sleater-Kinney drummer Janet Weiss. The still-untitled LP is tentatively due in spring 2007. Bright Eyes will take a break from recording beginning in June to play a handful of shows in Canada, plus an appearance at the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, Tennessee. ...

Vanessa Carlton performs on an upcoming episode of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," in which two grandparents raising three orphaned grandchildren in Philadelphia get a renovated home. The renovation takes place over the course of two back-to-back episodes airing April 30 beginning at 7 p.m. on ABC. Since the children's late mother suffered from breast cancer, Carlton's performance takes place at a breast cancer awareness fundraising concert. ... Patti LaBelle isn't someone you'd immediately associate with country music — nevertheless, the R&B singer is going to serve as a guest judge on "Nashville Star." "So much of country music's heritage comes from rhythm and blues," the show's executive producer Jeff Boggs said. "Her advice for our contestants will be invaluable." LaBelle will give the five remaining hopefuls helpful hints during episode six, which airs live Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET on the USA network.

04.17.06

Mario Etheridge, the bouncer at Detroit's CCC Club suspected in the shooting death of D12's Proof, was arraigned on weapons charges Saturday morning in Detroit's 36th District Court. Etheridge's attorney, Randall Upshaw, entered not guilty pleas on his client's behalf during the hearing. According to the Detroit Free Press, Magistrate Steve Lockhart set Etheridge's bond at $70,000 — an amount he has yet to post. He's due in court for a preliminary hearing April 26. ...

According to Jimmy Rosemond, who manages the Game, the Compton, California, MC wasn't in court in Greensboro, North Carolina, on March 28 because an appearance summons never showed up in his mailbox. In a statement issued Monday afternoon (April 17), Rosemond said "there was a change of address in which Game did not receive his court summons." (Last week a judge issued a bench warrant for the Game's arrest after he missed his court date.) The Game still faces charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest in Greensboro, stemming from an October incident at a local mall. "It was a simple mistake and yes, a paper warrant was issued," Rosemond said. "However, his attorneys are working to clear this matter immediately." ...

Pink's not "Stupid" — she knows it's time to move on from her controversial clip and demonstrate that the rest of her new album, I'm Not Dead, isn't all gimmick. The singer shot a video for the wistful "Who Knew" over the weekend in Los Angeles, following a couple at a carnival with directors Samuel Bayer (Green Day, Good Charlotte), Robert Hales (Fort Minor, Jet) and Brian Lazzaro (Rilo Kiley, Mest). "It's about the death of friendship," Pink said. "You're best friends forever, and then three years later, you haven't seen each other in two years. What happened? You grow apart and people come in and out of your life for different reasons, seasons." Pink also has a video for "U and Ur Hand" already in the can, directed by "Stupid Girls" auteur Dave Meyers. ... Ashanti pulled out of a planned concert in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Saturday after her cousin was killed by a drunk driver while running an errand for the singer before the show. According to the Cape Times Web site, 20-year-old Quinshae Snead was thrown into oncoming traffic from a car in which she was a passenger after it was struck by an unlicensed 17-year-old drunk driver who had stolen his mother's car. The teen was arrested for drunk driving. Ashanti was on the bill for the Redd's Divas Concert at the Coca-Cola Dome, which also featured Lauryn Hill, Regina Belle and a host of popular African singers. ...

The White Stripes are being sued by a Detroit producer who claims he helped produce the band's signature lo-fi sound. Jim Diamond — the Dirtbombs bassist who is credited as a co-producer on the Stripes' 1999 self-titled debut and sound mixer on 2000's De Stijl — is now seeking royalties from them. A spokesperson for the Stripes acknowledged the suit but had no further comment on it. Bert Deixler, the Los Angeles attorney representing the band in the case, told The Associated Press that the suit "is meritless [and] will be defended with vigor." A June 12 trial date has been set for the case. ... If you're just about to pay your taxes, Moby wants you to think about where the money you're giving the government is going. "A lot of times, when you think of government policies, it seems very abstract and sort of arbitrary, until all of a sudden it's tax time, and you realize that your tax dollars are actually funding what the government does," he said. And that means partly bankrolling the Iraq war, which he claims is costing $244.2 million per day, or $170,000 per minute, or $2,379 per person. "Apart from that it's the biggest foreign policy disaster in the United States and that thousands of American soldiers are being killed and maimed, the fact that it's coming out of everyone's pocket really just adds insult to injury," Moby said, suggesting people feel free to write "not for Iraq" on the envelope. ...

Former Great White manager Daniel Biechele has written letters of apology to the families of 100 people who died in a nightclub fire at a Great White show in February 2003, the AP reports. Biechele was the one who lit the pyrotechnics display that sparked the blaze. He pleaded guilty to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter and will serve up to 10 years in prison under a plea bargain that did not require him to write the letters. "Mr. Biechele feels genuine sorrow at what happened in this case, and he's been wanting to say something to the victims for a long time," his lawyer, Tom Briody, told the AP. Biechele's sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 8. ... A judge in New Orleans has thrown out a lawsuit by a man who claims to have been sexually and physically assaulted by Michael Jackson in 1984, the AP reports. Joseph Bartucci Jr., who was 18 at the time of the alleged incident, claimed Jackson lured him into a limo at the world's fair and held him for nine days, and that he repressed the memory until 2003. U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon's reason for the dismissal was not released along with the judge's order. ...

Christina Milian has lots to say these days about her ex Nick Cannon, and none of it's pretty. Milian told Blender magazine for its May cover story that she found out Cannon was cheating on her after hacking his Sidekick. (Click here to see photos of Milian in Blender.) While filming the Wes Craven thriller "Pulse" in Romania, Milian started getting calls from her friends back home, asking if the couple were still together. "All the time we were together, I heard nothing," the singer told the mag. "No rumors, no gossip, and then all of a sudden I'm in Romania and I start hearing stuff." Once she found the code to Cannon's phone and cracked it, Milian says her concerns were confirmed. "I did something no woman should do," she said. "But sometimes you're entitled to ... and I think a lot of women do it, but it's my first time doing it." She had more to say about the breakup for Rap-Up's latest cover story, revealing that when she broke up with Cannon, he admitted cheating on her "for the entire three years we were together. The whole time with different girls, not just one, but different girls. He said to me that these girls helped his ego and made him look good," she said. Milian added that any characterization by Cannon that they're still friends is completely false and that she's already called his mother to ask him to stop saying that. Milian finds space to vent on her upcoming album, So Amazin', too. She gets even on the song "Who's Gonna Ride," which features the opening line "I ain't one to cuss, but f--- you." The album, produced in part by Milian's new boyfriend, Andre Lyon, — Dre of Cool and Dre — is due May 16. ...

Incubus will perform during Amnesty International's Make Some Noise, an acoustic benefit concert set for April 29 in Portland, Oregon. Actress Mira Sorvino will host the event, which will also feature performances by Audioslave guitarist Tom Morello (as Nightwatchman), Collective Soul and Suzanne Vega. ... There have been several additions to this year's Coachella Music and Arts Festival, set for April 29 and April 30 in Indio, California. Head Automatica, the Rakes and Catherine Wheel frontman Rob Dickinson will all be performing as part of the first day's lineup. Others confirmed for the festival include Tool, Madonna, Depeche Mode, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Franz Ferdinand. ... The season six finale of "The Gilmore Girls" will pack an extra punch of indie love, featuring appearances from Yo La Tengo, Joe Pernice, Sparks, Sam Phillips, Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon (with daughter Coco) and, for good measure, Mary Lynn Rajskub (Chloe O'Brian from "24"). The episode will air May 9 on the WB. ...

On Saturday, Deron Miller, lead singer for Bam Margera's favorite act, CKY, posted an announcement on the forum of the band's Web site, proclaiming "CKY Has Dropped Island Records." In the post, Miller wrote that, "We had been asking to be let go since 2003, when it was clear that the label had no idea how to market a band that doesn't write songs about breaking up with their girlfriends. To this day I truly don't know why they signed us in the first place." Later in the post, Miller explained that CKY were actually quite stoked to be off Island. "They wanted to do our fourth album, but giving them a fourth chance to deliver disappointing, empty promises seemed ludicrous." A spokesperson for Island — who released CKY's 2002 album, Infiltrate Destroy Rebuild, and last year's An Answer Can Be Found — said the label had no comment on the matter. Miller promised that even without a label, the band would press on with their current Australian tour. ...

"Guitar Hero" — the 2005 video game sleeper hit that gave players the chance to strap on plastic guitars and rock out — is coming back to the PS2 this November. Publisher RedOctane and developer Harmonix announced that "Guitar Hero II" will feature 55 songs in a still-secret set list. The game will also allow players to team up with separate guitars playing the role of rhythm, lead and bass. More information is expected at the Electronics Entertainment Expo in May. ... Reports began to surface last week that Neil Young had entered a studio earlier this month to record Living With War, an entire album's worth of protest songs featuring the track "Impeach the President," bolstered by a 100-voice choir. His label, Warner Bros., said it had no information about the record, but Young himself confirmed the album Monday via a post on his Web site, NeilYoung.com. In the lengthy message, Young wrote that the album was, in fact, called Living With War, a "metal version of Phil Ochs and Bob Dylan ... a power trio with trumpet and 100 voices." The album is apparently 10 songs long, and though there is no release date set, Young did thank Warner and Reprise Records "for the support." He didn't mention "Impeach," but Young did conclude his post with lyrics to the title track, which features the hook "I'm living with war every day/ I'm living with war right now/ And when night falls I pray for peace."

• Jennifer Lopez In The May 2006 Issue Of "Bazaar"

• Michael Jackson
• Jennifer Lopez
• Yellowcard
• Ashley Parker Angel
• Diddy

Lindsay Lohan in the April issue of <I>Cosmopolitan</I>
Photo: Cliff Watts for Cosmopolitan

A dark-haired Lindsay Lohan graces the April cover of Cosmopolitan, and within its pages the singer/actress gets personal about family problems, body-image issues and guys. Lohan talks about her first onscreen love scene — with Elijah Wood in the upcoming "Bobby" — and says she hopes she'll have time for a real boyfriend when she's done shooting "Chapter 27" in New York. (Successful candidates need to be confident, loyal and have a good sense of humor, "because I come with a lot of baggage.") The 19-year-old, who says sleeping around doesn't appeal to her, admits she's harboring her fair share of crushes. And in a multiple-choice questionnaire, she skips over Orlando Bloom, Jude Law and Brad Pitt to write in votes for favorite heartthrobs Johnny Depp and scruffy indie-rocker Devendra Banhart. ...

California authorities have granted Michael Jackson a 24-hour extension to settle an unpaid-wages dispute at his Neverland Valley Ranch. A spokesperson for the California Department of Industrial Relations said the singer's representatives have been in touch with the office and they are "trying to get the money together" to pay the more than $500,000 in fines Jackson was ordered to shell out by Tuesday (March 14). Authorities shut down Neverland March 9, alleging that Jackson failed to pay his employees and maintain workers'-compensation insurance. Jackson owes $69,000 for allowing his insurance policy to lapse two months ago, as well as $306,000 in back wages and $100,000 in fines. If he does not pay up by the end of Wednesday, department spokesperson Renee Bacchini said her office will file a civil action in court seeking the funds and the singer could face contempt charges. A spokesperson for Jackson did not return calls for comment. ...

Banking on the massive appeal of "American Idol," the TV Guide Channel is launching a live pre-show called "Idol Tonight" that will take viewers behind the scenes of each week's competition until this season's winner is announced in May. The one-hour show premieres Tuesday at 7 p.m. and will be hosted by former-"Idol"-finalist-turned-entertainment-correspondent Kimberly Caldwell. ... Yellowcard, Simple Plan and "X-Men" Iceman Shawn Ashmore are just some of the celebrity gamers who have customized Xbox 360 faceplates for charity. Starting Friday fans will be able to bid on the faceplates over at eBay.ca/XboxCelebrityFaces, with all proceeds going to the Children's Miracle Network of Canada. ... Sorry ladies: Jack Black is reportedly off the market. The Tenacious D frontman and "Nacho Libre" actor eloped with his girlfriend, musician Tanya Haden, according to People magazine. The pair met at a private high school in Santa Monica, California, but only began dating recently. "They love each other very much. We're thrilled," the bride's father, noted jazz saxophonist Charlie Haden, told the mag of his daughter's recent nuptials. Black's publicist would neither confirm nor deny the story. ...

The Dave Matthews Band will perform two nights at Boston's historic home of the Red Sox, Fenway Park, as part of their summer tour. Sheryl Crow will open up both gigs, scheduled for July 7 and 8. ... On Tuesday morning Superior Court Judge Francis J. Darigan Jr. set a trial date for one of the two owners of the Station — the Warwick, Rhode Island, nightclub where 100 people died in a 2003 blaze during a Great White concert. According to The Associated Press, Michael Derderian's case will begin July 31 in Rhode Island's Kent County. Derderian and his brother, Jeffrey, are facing 200 counts of involuntary manslaughter — two for each of the 100 lives lost in the fire, which was sparked when Great White's pyrotechnics ignited flammable soundproofing foam inside the venue. Jeffrey Derderian will be tried following the conclusion of his brother's trial. ... British rockers Hard-Fi are crashing the U.S. in style. To celebrate the Stateside release of their debut album, Stars of CCTV, the band will play a free show at Tower Records in Sherman Oaks, California, Tuesday at 7 p.m. for fans who buy the LP that same day. The gig marks the beginning of the quartet's North American headlining tour, which will include four more back-to-back in-store appearances in San Francisco, San Diego, Portland and Seattle. ...

Seventeen years after their last tour, the members of pioneering new-wave band the Cars — well, a couple of them anyway — are gearing up for a major U.S. summer tour with fellow new wavers Blondie. The New Cars, featuring original members Elliot Easton (guitar) and Greg Hawkes (keyboards), will be joined on the Road Rage Tour 2006 by singer/guitarist Todd Rundgren and his old Utopia bandmate, bassist Kasim Sulton, as well as former Tubes drummer Prairie Prince. Each online ticket purchase for the tour will come with a free download of a disc with five songs each from the New Cars and Blondie. The tour kicks off May 12 at the Grand Casino Tunica Event Center in Robinsonville, Mississippi, and is slated to wrap July 1 at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, New York. ...

OK Go frontman Damian Kulash was booked on resisting-arrest charges by police in Orlando, Florida, after ignoring an officer's orders to head inside the local House of Blues where the band was performing. Instead Kulash insisted on loitering outside with several of the group's fans. According to the band's Web site, Kulash was "locked up for about nine hours, during which time he ate corn flakes and made friends with a couple of guys." He was released Tuesday morning — which means OK Go's gig Tuesday night in Jacksonville, Florida, will go on as scheduled. ... Also in trouble is Less Than Jake frontman Chris Demakes, who was arrested last week while the Gainesville, Florida, ska band was filming a video in Los Angeles for the track "Overrated" — the first single off In With the Out Crowd, due May 23. According to a label spokesperson, the band was in the Topanga Plaza shopping mall, performing for people chowing down in the food court. Security guards asked the band to hit the bricks, and when that took a little too long Demakes was hauled off by police for trespassing.

03.13.2006

Master P and younger brother Silkk the Shocker have struck a plea deal with prosecutors, resolving the felony gun charges stemming from their arrests more than a year ago at the University of California at Los Angeles, according to Reuters. On Monday (March 13) they were each sentenced to 40 hours of community service and ordered to pay a $700 fine as part of the deal. P (real name Percy Miller) pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of carrying a loaded and unregistered weapon while Silkk (real name Vyshonne Miller) pleaded guilty to a felony charge of carrying an unregistered and loaded firearm. Silkk was also sentenced to three years of supervised probation. ...

Maybe Natalie Portman really is as straight-laced as she seems. In the April issue of Vanity Fair, on newsstands Tuesday, the 24-year-old "V for Vendetta" star admits she prefers reading to partying, Converse to Manolos and a style that's classily demure to scantily clad — but that doesn't stop the starlet from letting loose once in a while. "Granted, I'm not super scandalous, but I've had drunken nights out, you know?" Portman admitted to the mag. She also reveals she still remains very close with her folks, who haven't hesitated to speak their minds on her roles. "[During 'The Professional'] my dad had stipulations on how many drags on a cigarette I could take, how many times I could curse," she recalled of her 1994 breakthrough role. "I wasn't actually allowed to inhale. My dad would have people standing behind me, blowing the smoke out." ...

Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne appeared Friday on "The Howard Stern Show" to discuss Black Sabbath's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Sharon also addressed the egging incident targeting Iron Maiden that took place back during the band's final performance on last summer's Ozzfest. Sharon admitted that she orchestrated the fiasco, paying "200 Hispanic kids" to carry out the attack. She also commented that Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson's performance was diminished because of the "eggshells in his mouth." ... Phil Anselmo, former Pantera frontman and current Superjoint Ritual singer, joined the reunited Alice in Chains Friday night for the taping of VH1 Classic's "Decades Rock Live!" tribute to Heart. At the concert, which took place at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Anselmo actually took the microphone for two Alice tracks, "Them Bones" and "Would?" ...

Tool's forthcoming 10,000 Days will hit stores May 2. The LP will feature 11 tracks, including "Vicarious," "Lipan Conjuring" and "Viginti Tres." ... Those adorable faux new-wave moppets Devo 2.0 will take their show on the road later this month to support their debut CD/DVD, which will be released Tuesday. The tweens, who play their own instruments, will perform their peppy covers of Devo songs during an 11-date tour of U.S. junior high and high schools that kicks off March 27 in Boston. The tour — which will hit schools in New York, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago and Minneapolis — will help raise support and awareness of music education in schools. ...

Nine Inch Nails will release a single for "Every Day Is Exactly the Same" April 4. The track, taken from the Nails' latest disc, With Teeth, will be accompanied by remixes, including a Sam Fog and Carlos D (Interpol) take on the title track, two reworkings of "The Hand That Feeds" (one provided by Death From Above 1979) and a couple of new interpretations of the song "Only." ... Due that same day is Thrice's Red Sky EP, which will feature four live tracks and two previously unreleased B-sides: "Flags of Dawn" and "Weight of Glory." ... One more April 4 treat for good measure: the Goo Goo Dolls' ninth studio album, Let Love In. The record will include the hit single "Better Days," but according to singer Johnny Rzeznik, that's the only ballad on the disc. ...

Sonic Youth may be without fifth member Jim O'Rourke for their newest outing, but the band is apparently still buff — their newest album will be titled Rather Ripped. Due June 13 and produced by the band, SY's 20th effort was recorded at Sear Sound in New York, where they tracked Sister and Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star. Songs on Rather Ripped include "Pink Steam," "Incinerate," "Rapture" and "The Neutral." A summer tour is being planned, as is a stop at this summer's Lollapalooza. ... Offspring singer Dexter Holland is set to run the Los Angeles Marathon on March 19 to raise money for the Innocence Project, a nonprofit legal clinic that handles cases where post-conviction DNA testing of evidence can yield conclusive proof of innocence. "All I want to do is beat Oprah," the singer said in a statement. Oprah's previous marathon time is 4 hours, 29 minutes and 30 seconds. ...

Adema have found a frontman in Bobby Reeves, formerly of Los Angeles rockers Level. According to an online post from bassist Dave DeRoo, Reeves possesses "the attitude, the voice and the vocal range to bust out anything from our catalog, and we've never sounded better." He replaces Luke Caraccioli, who left the band last fall. ... Emo rockers Emanuel were involved in a car accident in San Antonio, Texas, over the weekend. No one in the band was seriously injured, but the group's van, trailer and equipment weren't as fortunate. With their mode of transportation and instruments mangled, Emanuel have been forced to drop off their current tour with 30 Seconds to Mars and Aiden. The trek was scheduled to run through the end of the month.

• Lindsay Lohan In The April 2006 Issue Of 'Cosmopolitan'

• Lindsay Lohan
• Michael Jackson
• Yellowcard
• Jack Black
• Nine Inch Nails

Paris Hilton
Photo: David Livingston/Getty Images

The night before "Crash" scored the Academy Award for best picture, the 26th annual Golden Raspberry Awards — prizes that no one in the movie business vies for — were handed out. The biggest Razzie "winner" was "Dirty Love," written by and starring Jenny McCarthy. The film took trophies for Worst Picture and Worst Screenplay; McCarthy was named Worst Actress, and ex-husband John Asher took the prize for Worst Director. Rob Schneider scored Worst Actor for "Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo," while Hayden Christensen was named Worst Supporting Actor for "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith." Paris Hilton's work in "House of Wax" was recognized with a Worst Supporting Actress Razzie; Will Ferrell and Nicole Kidman were named the Worst Screen Couple for their roles in "Bewitched"; "Son of the Mask" took the award for Worst Remake or Sequel; and Tom Cruise and fiancee Katie Holmes were named Most Tiresome Tabloid Target. ...

Bobby Brown was arrested in Webster, Massachusetts, Friday on misdemeanor charges of unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and having an uninsured trailer, The Associated Press reports. The minor violations, which date back 14 years, were noticed when a police officer conducted a routine warrant check. The 37-year-old singer was released on a $40 bond after being held for about an hour. ... Gordon Parks, a writer, musician, photographer and director best known for helming the movie "Shaft," died Tuesday (March 7) at the age of 93, according to the AP. As a photojournalist, Parks shot for such publications as Life magazine, though his most famous image — 1942's "American Gothic," showing a female black janitor holding a broom and a mop in front of the American flag — came while he was documenting life in America alongside such legendary shooters as Dorothea Lange and Walker Evans at the U.S. Farm Security Administration. His first film, "The Learning Tree," came in 1969 and was based on one of his own novels. "Shaft," an iconic detective drama now referenced in countless hip-hop songs and eventually remade with Samuel L. Jackson, followed two years later. ...

Former Blink-182 guitarist Tom DeLonge has settled on a release date and title for the debut album by his new band Angels & Airwaves — well, almost. According to a spokesperson for A&A's label, Geffen Records, the record is tentatively titled We Don't Need to Whisper but will most definitely be in stores May 16. ... That same day brings the debut album from the Raconteurs, the retro-leaning project featuring the White Stripes' Jack White, singer/songwriter Brendan Benson and two members of the Greenhornes. Their album is called Broken Boy Soldiers and features 10 tracks, including "Hands," "Intimate Secretary" and "Blue Veins." The first single from the album, "Steady as She Goes," is available on a limited-edition seven-inch starting Tuesday. ... Yellowcard have added several shows to their Virgin College Mega Tour, including stops in San Diego (April 18), Salt Lake City (April 21) and Wichita, Kansas (April 24). New Capitol labelmates Mae are opening. ... The Red Hot Chili Peppers have unveiled the album art for their forthcoming double LP, Stadium Arcadium, on their Web site. The Chilis have also posted a teaser trailer for Arcadium — featuring a snippet from the disc's first single, "Dani California" — as well as a 30-second downloadable "Dani" ring tone. Stadium Arcadium lands in stores May 9. ...

Pearl Jam have revealed the track list for their upcoming self-titled LP, which is scheduled to drop May 2. Thirteen cuts, including "Life Wasted," "Marker in the Sand" and "Wasted Reprise," will appear on the LP. The first single, "World Wide Suicide," has been posted to the band's bootleg site. ... Bad Boy rapper Black Rob (born Robert Ross) remains in the Bergen County Jail in Hackensack, New Jersey, after authorities picked him up on a fugitive warrant on February 24. Manhattan district attorney's office spokesperson Edison Alban said the MC — who had agreed to turn himself in January 24 to begin serving a two-to-six-year prison sentence on a felony charge for possession of stolen property — is awaiting a date for an extradition hearing. ... Daddy Yankee is the latest artist to partner with Reebok. His shoe and apparel line launch Wednesday. ... Elton John's annual AIDS Foundation Oscar party raised $2.9 million for the fight against HIV — almost triple the amount from a year ago, according to a spokesperson for the event. John Legend performed and sang a duet with John on "Ordinary People" and "Rocket Man." ... For one week, Sirius Satellite Radio is devoting an entire station to the music of Pink Floyd and guitarist David Gilmour. Classic rock channel the Vault started the Gilmour marathon Monday, just in time for Tuesday (March 7)'s release of the guitarist's third solo album, On an Island, his first studio outing in more than two decades. ...

A woman is being held without bond on a murder charge in connection with the stabbing death of former Jackson 5 drummer Johnny Jackson, who was found dead in his home in Gary, Indiana, on Wednesday. Yolanda Davis, 44, told police that she stabbed Jackson, 54, with a steak knife when he lunged at her during a fight, according to The Associated Press. Davis could face up to 65 years in prison if she is convicted. ... Paul Rachman's documentary "American Hardcore," a film that recounts the evolution of America's hardcore punk movement from 1980 to 1986, has been picked up by Sony Pictures Classics, according to Reuters. The movie, which screened at this year's Sundance Film Festival and will be featured at this month's South by Southwest Film Festival, includes concert footage featuring Black Flag, Bad Brains, Jerry's Kids, Suicidal Tendencies and Wasted Youth. Inspired by Steven Blush's book "American Hardcore: A Tribal History," the documentary is expected to hit theaters this fall. ...

Overcast, an influential, erstwhile Massachusetts metal band that counted among its members Killswitch Engage bassist Mike D'Antonio and Shadows Fall frontman Brian Fair, will regroup after eight years apart for a special appearance at this year's New England Metal and Hardcore Festival, set for April 28-30 in Worcester, Massachusetts. According to the band's Web site, it will also return to a recording studio in May to breathe new life into more than 10 classic Overcast tunes and record two previously unreleased cuts, all of which will appear on the forthcoming Reborn to Kill Again. Killswitch guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz (who has produced LPs for Unearth and Underoath) will helm the project. There's no word yet on when the disc will surface, but discussions with several labels are ongoing. ... Political punkers Anti-Flag have teamed up with U.S. Representative Jim McDermott, a Democrat from Washington state, to urge congressional leaders to fund a study on the use of depleted uranium as munitions. The band released a new song, "Depleted Uranium Is a War Crime," through the After Downing Street coalition's Web site. According to the band, the song is a critique on the military's use of the deadly chemical "without studying its long-lasting and detrimental effects to humanity." The cut will appear on the group's forthcoming For Blood and Empire LP, which is due March 21. ...

Saliva will perform at this year's Elvis Presley Festival, which is set for June 2-4 in Tupelo, Mississippi. According to The Associated Press, rockabilly, country and gospel acts the Dempseys, Cowboy Mouth, Jeff Bates, Travis LeDoyt, Chris Cagle, Chely Wright and the Landmarks join Presley's backing vocalists the Jordanaires in the lineup for the eighth annual event. ... Murderdolls frontman Wednesday 13 has entered a North Carolina recording studio, where he's started tracking the follow-up to last year's Transylvania 90210: Songs of Death, Dying, and the Dead. He's written more than 30 tracks for his sophomore solo outing so far, including "Buried With Children," "My Home Sweet Homicide" and "Morgue Than Words." Wednesday 13 will be producing the effort, which could surface in late spring. Wednesday's also recorded two covers ("Burn the Flames" by Roky Erickson and Motörhead's "R.A.M.O.N.E.S."), but it's not clear whether either track will appear on the as-yet-untitled LP. ... A federal judge has ordered Rod Stewart to hand over more than $3 million to a Las Vegas casino where the singer was supposed to perform in late December 2000. Stewart canceled the gig, claiming he was unable to sing due to a recent throat surgery, and the Rio Hotel and Casino filed a breach-of-contract suit to recoup to the $2 million advance the singer was paid. According to The Associated Press, Stewart was ordered to cough up an additional $153,483 in contempt-of-court sanctions and legal costs for withholding information from attorneys representing Harrah's Entertainment before the start of last year's trial. The court also awarded Harrah's more than $1 million in interest, penalties, and related legal expenses. ...

03.06.2006

Mariah Carey and John Legend were the big winners at the 20th annual Soul Train Music Awards Saturday, each taking two prizes. Carey scored a best album award for The Emancipation of Mimi and best single honors for "We Belong Together," while Legend took the best male album prize for Get Lifted and best male single trophy for "Ordinary People." Kanye West won best R&B, soul or rap music video for "Gold Digger" featuring Quincy Jones Lifetime Achievement Award winner Jamie Foxx. R. Kelly, who led the field with three nominations, fell to West and Legend for those prizes but didn't leave empty-handed — he was honored with the newly minted Stevie Wonder Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by presented by Stevie Wonder himself. ...

"American Idol" fans who subscribe to the Fox Reality Network can look forward to even more of the talent contest starting March 16. "American Idol Extra," which promises to "reveal the backstage drama of what really happens on 'American Idol' after the weekly vote-off show," kicks off after the first of the final 12 is cut and will continue through the show's finale in May. The show will follow that week's ousted finalist from tryouts through elimination and provide other "peeks behind the curtain," including updates on finalists from past seasons. "American Idol Extra" will air Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. and again at 10:30 p.m. ... System of a Down will host and headline the fourth annual Souls benefit concert, which is set for the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on April 23 — the day before the Armenian genocide is commemorated. Proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to the Armenian National Committee of America — which is lobbying the U.S. Congress to officially recognize the Armenian genocide — as well as other organizations that work to eradicate genocide across the globe. Tickets go on sale Saturday, and supporting acts will be announced soon. ...

Coldplay are taking a page out the Beastie Boys' playbook for their new live DVD. Much like the B-Boys' "Awesome: I F---in' Shot That!" concert film (which hits select theaters March 31), Coldplay plan to put cameras in the hands of five lucky concertgoers at their two sold-out Toronto shows at Air Canada Centre on March 22 and 23. Enthusiasts can enter the Coldplay fan-cam contest by watching "Entertainment Tonight Canada," catching the Coldplay song of the night and then logging on to GlobalTV.com to complete the contest. ... A number of bands have been added to the bill for this year's Bamboozle festival, set for May 6 and May 7 at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Living Things, Poison the Well, Me Without You, Silverstein, 30 Seconds to Mars, Saves the Day, Chiodos, Halifax, Endeavor, October Fall, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Amber Pacific, Cute Is What We Aim For, Gym Class Heroes, MC Lars, Men Women & Children, Moneen and the Receiving End of Sirens will all take the Bamboozle stage. Previously announced bands Fall Out Boy, Taking Back Sunday and Hawthorne Heights are anchoring the bill. ...

The debut disc from Black Light Burns, Limp Bizkit guitarist Wes Borland's new side project, has been through the mixing process and should be ready for release later this spring. A definitive date has not been pinned down for the LP. ... Head Automatica have announced a slew of new dates that will keep the band busy through early April. Camu Tao will open for the Daryl Palumbo-fronted outfit between March 21 in Athens, Georgia, and April 5 in Farmingdale, New York. The band's forthcoming album, Popaganda, is expected in late May/ early June. ... Underoath are now shooting for a June 20 release for their forthcoming, yet-untitled album, produced by Adam Dutkiewicz, the Killswitch Engage guitarist who has also helmed discs for Unearth and Cannae. To keep them occupied between now and this summer's Warped Tour, Underoath have booked a 17-date tour with Poison the Well, As Cities Burn, Since by Man and Spitfire. That trek kicks off May 3 in Columbia, South Carolina, and wraps up May 30 in Memphis, Tennessee. ...

Riots broke out Saturday night outside of a punk-rock concert in San Bernardino, California, headlined by several British acts, including G.B.H., the Adicts, Vice Squad, Final Conflict, Broken Bones and the Varukers. A number of American bands, such as Total Chaos and Naked Aggression, were also on the British Invasion 2K6 bill. According to The Associated Press, the concert — held at the National Orange Show Events Center — attracted more than 1,500 punk fans. The police, who were responding to a report that someone had been stabbed at the event, attempted to prevent fights that broke out after a group of skinheads began shouting "white power" and were pelted with rocks and bottles by concertgoers. By the time the authorities were able to control the situation, two audience members were hospitalized with serious injuries while dozens of others sustained minor wounds. Two officers were also injured. The AP reports that two patrol cars were destroyed, local businesses were vandalized and fires were set around the arena. At least six people were arrested. ... Sonic Youth guitarist Thurston Moore is amplifying his long-running Ecstatic Peace imprint with a recent Universal Records distribution deal. The label — which has been around since 1981, putting out short runs of records by Jackie-O Mother----er, Yoshimi and No Neck Blues Band — is hoping to break out of obscurity by developing artists in a joint venture with Universal. In the works is the first effort by Pagoda, featuring actor Michael Pitt ("Dreamers," "The Village"), and a "sick" extreme-noise recording between Moore and experimental multi-instrumentalist Prurient.

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