<![CDATA[Pete Yorn]]> http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/yorn_pete/artist.jhtml (c) 2007 MTV Networks. (c) and TM MTV Networks. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See http://www.mtv.com/sitewide/mtvinfo/terms.jhtml for terms and conditions. http://www.mtv.com/sitewide/images/u/mtv-logo.gif MTV http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/yorn_pete/artist.jhtml 65 44 Music en-us 15 <![CDATA[A Look Back At Lollapalooza 2007]]> Watch our chats with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Lupe Fiasco and more from last year's festival, plus find out how you can contribute to our 2008 Lolla coverage.


Lupe Fiasco
Photo: MTV News

Related Artists ]]> http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?id=1566122 News Article http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?id=1566122 3 Aug 2007 11:07:00 EDT <![CDATA[Dave Matthews Gets Roots-y: Hip-Hop Act Tapped For Tour]]> DMB kicking off summer trek July 8 in Illinois; Pete Yorn, Guster also supporting on select dates.
By Chris Harris


Dave Matthews
Photo: Carlo Allegri/ Getty Images

For jam-band enthusiasts, it's become something of an annual tradition. Like backyard barbecues, baseball and lazy days spent soaking up the sun, sand and surf, it just wouldn't be summer without Dave Matthews Band. That's because the band has consistently toured, summer after summer, since 1998. Likewise, the arrival of each spring usually brings with it a slew of amphitheater gigs. It's an unswerving pattern you could set your watch to.

Of course, Matthews isn't one to disappoint his loyal fans — meaning, this summer won't be any different. The rocker will crisscross the U.S. with his namesake band, packing them into one arena after another starting July 8 in Bridgeview, Illinois.

The 36-show run will conclude with a two-night stand at the Hollywood Bowl on October 1-2.

A host of support acts — including the Roots, Guster, Stephen Marley, Xavier Rudd, Toots & the Maytals, Umphrey's McGee, Robert Randolph & the Family Band, the Wailers, Robert Earl Keen Jr. and Pete Yorn — has been tapped to join DMB on various dates along the way. Presale tickets will be available to members of the band's fan club, the Warehouse, through April 9, with tickets going on sale to the general public April 21.

But before Dave Matthews Band can explore the 50, they'll be spending much of May in Australia and Europe, where Matthews has lined up several shows with longtime pal Tim Reynolds for late April.

DMB have been working on material for their next studio LP — the band's seventh — which is expected to hit stores before the end of the year. No additional details about the effort have been publicized. The offering follows 2005's platinum Stand Up.

Dave Matthews Band tour dates, according to the band's Web site:

· 7/8 - Bridgeview, IL @ Toyota Park
· 8/1 - Mansfield, MA @ Tweeter Center
· 8/2 - Mansfield, MA @ Tweeter Center
· 8/4 - Hartford, CT @ New England Dodge Music Center
· 8/5 - Hartford, CT @ New England Dodge Music Center
· 8/7 - Camden, NJ @ Tweeter Center at the Waterfront
· 8/8 - Camden, NJ @ Tweeter Center at the Waterfront
· 8/10 - Burgettstown, PA @ Post-Gazette Pavilion
· 8/11 - Bristow, VA @ Nissan Pavilion at Stone Ridge
· 8/14 - Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center
· 8/15 - Virginia Beach, VA @ Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater
· 8/17 - Noblesville, IN @ Verizon Wireless Music Center
· 8/18 - Noblesville, IN @ Verizon Wireless Music Center
· 8/20 - Cuyahoga Falls, OH @ Blossom Music Center
· 8/22 - Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center
· 8/23 - Clarkston, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theatre
· 8/25 - East Troy, WI @ Alpine Valley Music Theatre
· 8/26 - East Troy, WI @ Alpine Valley Music Theatre
· 8/28 - Bonner Springs, KS @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
· 8/31 - George, WA @ Gorge Amphitheatre
· 9/1 - George, WA @ Gorge Amphitheatre
· 9/2 - George, WA @ Gorge Amphitheatre
· 9/11 - Gainesville, FL @ University of Florida/ Stephen C. O'Connell Center
· 9/12 - Tampa, FL @ Ford Amphitheatre
· 9/14 - West Palm Beach, FL @ Sound Advice Amphitheatre
· 9/15 - West Palm Beach, FL @ Sound Advice Amphitheatre
· 9/18 - Raleigh, NC @ Alltel Pavilion at Walnut Creek
· 9/19 - Charlotte, NC @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
· 9/21 - The Woodlands, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
· 9/22 - Dallas, TX @ Smirnoff Music Centre
· 9/25 - Phoenix, AZ @ Cricket Pavilion
· 9/26 - Irvine, CA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
· 9/28 - Chula Vista, CA @ Coors Amphitheatre
· 9/29 - Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre
· 10/1 - Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl
· 10/2 - Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl

Related Artists ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1556026/20070330/dave_matthews_band.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1556026/20070330/dave_matthews_band.jhtml 30 Mar 2007 02:40:00 EDT <![CDATA[New Releases: Jessica Simpson, Method Man, Tego Calderon, Pete Yorn, Too Short, Bob Dylan & More]]> Also due Tuesday: Beenie Man, Young Dro, Ray LaMontagne, Támar Davis, M. Ward, Hatebreed.
By Kurt Orzeck


Jessica Simpson's <I>A Public Affair</I>
Photo: Sony Music

Finally Going Public: Jessica Simpson fans better have slipped into their dance shoes a bit early in anticipation of her new album, A Public Affair. Those who preordered were rewarded with not just a collector's DVD, but also a free download of the same-named single, a preview of two more cuts and entry into the "Hang With Jessica" sweepstakes. Still, anyone who picks up the LP will be able to use it to unlock an extra tune, "I Belong to Me," as a Windows download. Although Jessica's writing contributions don't surface until later in the album, she executive produced the whole shebang with father Joe Simpson. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis produced three tracks, including "Push Your Tush," while Simpson does the throwback thing by borrowing from the Cars, Stevie Nicks and the Ohio Players elsewhere. Hot stuff.

A New Method: For 4:21 ... The Day After, Method Man dug up the ashes of Jimi Hendrix by recording in Electric Lady Studios, which the guitarist breathed more than just life into in the '70s. But this Man's effort is pure hip-hop, cemented by contributions from Lauryn Hill, Fat Joe, producer Scott Storch, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Ginuwine, Raekwon, Erick Sermon, Havoc and the RZA. Quite the party.

Reggae's Undisputed Champ?: Beenie Man is feeling pretty social these days too, ushering in a handful of R&B heavyweights for his distinctly dancehall record, Undisputed. Janet Jackson pays a visit on the Neptunes-produced "Feel It Boy," Akon helps him take care of "Girls," Scott Storch touches up "Dutty Wine Gal," and Lady Saw chimes in on "My World."

Tego to Go: While Beenie is one of reggae's biggest names these days, a pioneer of one of the genre's offshoots, reggaetón, is also checking in this week. Tego Calderón's The Underdog/ El Subestimado might seem like a bilingual effort, but it's almost all sung in Spanish, save the Buju Banton-featuring "Bad Man" and "Chillin' " with Don Omar. A sample of Jimmy Cliff's "Sooner or Later" also crops up on the record, half of which was recorded in Miami.

Blow-in' It: Too Short makes this week's competition even stronger by dropping Blow the Whistle, his first proper release since 2003's Married to the Game. David Banner bolsters "Baller," and Jazze Pha partakes in "16 Hoes," but Too Short proves he can hold his own with "I Want Your Girl," "Pimpin' Forever," "Call Her a Bitch" and other instructional songs.

Game On: With all the rap heavyweights dishing up new slices this week — there's also Young Dro (Best Thang Smokin') and Loon (No Friends) — the Roots' diverse Game Theory will be a breath of fresh air. The Philly phenoms sample the Jackson 5's "All I Do Is Think of You" on "Can't Stop This," which Jay Dee produced before he died earlier this year. And the record becomes even more eclectic as Black Thought, ?uestlove and the squad tap into Radiohead's "You and Whose Army" and Sly & the Family Stone's "Life of Fortune and Fame."

Singer/Songwriter Stew: Among all the hip-hop activity, a smattering of singer/songwriters are chiming in as well, and the truly varied crew is challenging the limitations of the term. Probably the best-known singer/songwriter of them all, Bob Dylan, tallies his first studio LP in five years, Modern Times. Fans will want to scoop up the limited-edition deluxe version, which has an expanded booklet, previously unreleased photos and a DVD with four goodies: a performance of "Cold Irons Bound" that was shot during the making of the 2003 bomb "Masked and Anonymous," a rendition of "Love Sick" from the Grammy Awards and videos for "Blood in My Eyes" and "Things Have Changed." There's also another DVD, "Bob Dylan 1966 - 1978: After the Crash," which was produced in conjunction with the well-regarded Dylan fanzine Isis and culls phone conversations, rarely seen material and interviews with his collaborators.

Fellow Columbia artist Pete Yorn — who appeared alongside Dylan on the 2001 "Bandits" soundtrack — brings to a close the three-album trilogy that launched his career with Nightcrawler, which he's been hyping with a litany of in-store and club performances. Fans who preordered were gifted with the bonus limited-edition EP Westerns, which he has said was inspired by Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison, but everyone will be able to enjoy "Bandstand in the Sky," "Policies" and "The Man," which features Dixie Chick Natalie Maines.

While Yorn's Nightcrawler is a distinctly rock record, Ray LaMontagne tones it down with Till the Sun Turns Black, produced by Ethan Johns (2004's Trouble, Ryan Adams). Expect stripped roots-folk throughout from the RCA Records artist, including "Truly, Madly, Deeply," "Barfly" and "Three More Days."

Continuing to buck the major labels is M. Ward, whose fifth record features guest spots by My Morning Jacket's Jim James, Neko Case and Saddle Creek Records production stalwart Mike Mogis. Post-War boasts "Today's Undertaking," "Neptune's Net" and "Chinese Translation."

You Hear It First artist Támar Davis injects some guitar soul into the mix with Milk & Honey, which is bound to be mixed up with John Lennon's album of the same name as it hits the record racks. "Beautiful, Love and Blessed" pits her with Prince, but people ranging from Naomi Judd to Arsenio Hall have been singing her praises.

Also stepping up to the plate is Bostonian Catie Curtis, whose 12-song Long Night Moon features Mary Chapin Carpenter and the Push Stars' Chris Trapper; Iowan William Elliott Whitmore, whose nine-track Song of the Blackbird finds him reinterpreting "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot"; and New Yorker Sasha Dobson, whose Modern Romance sees her branching out into Brazilian music, folk and pop.

Song Title of the Week:

"Konichiwa Bitches" from Method Man's 4:21 ... The Day After

Other Notables:

Various artists' "Kill Your Idols" DVD: After winning the Tribeca Film Festival's rather narrow Best New York Documentary Feature honor but only getting a brief theatrical run, the underground-music film gets upped with bonus interviews and live-performance clips in the DVD version. If you've always wondered what was up with your brother's No Wave fascination, or give a hoot about Sonic Youth and the scene that spawned them, here's your chance.

The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds - 40th Anniversary: If you've been waiting to find the right time to get familiar with one of the most important pop records of all time, now's your chance. The limited-edition set, which is boosted by a DVD documentary, has four different mixes of the album, plus a photo gallery and suede digipak case. If you want to get even more authentic, look for the double-colored vinyl version, for which just 10,000 pressings are being made.

Motörhead's Kiss of Death vs. John Lithgow's The Sunny Side of the Street: This record probably won't spell doom for one of heavy metal's most enduring acts, as Lemmy and the gang hang tough with "God Was Never on Your Side," "Sucker" and "Devil I Know." Also included as a bonus is a newly recorded version of the band's 1991 punk salute "R.A.M.O.N.E.S.," further cementing Lemmy's affinity for the punk gods. Probably the most polar opposite disc to Kiss of Death is Lithgow's children's album, which immortalizes the actor's take on "Inka Dinka Doo" and "I Always Say Hello to a Flower." It's another bright move, so to speak, from the former "Third Rock From the Sun" castmember.

New Releases:

Notable Reissues and Archival Material:

  • Bernard Allison - No Mercy (MVD Audio)
  • America - Struttin' Our Stuff (MVD Audio)
  • Beach Boys - Pet Sounds - 40th Anniversary (limited-edition fuzzy package with DVD; Capitol)
  • Tony Bennett - I Left My Heart in San Francisco, MTV Unplugged, Perfectly Frank, Tony Bennett's Greatest Hits of the '50s and Tony Bennett's Greatest Hits of the '60s (RPM/ Columbia/ Legacy)
  • Terri Clark - Definitive Collection (Hip-O)
  • Billy Cobham - Live: Flight Time (MVD Audio)
  • Roger Daltrey - Daltrey, One of the Boys and Ride a Rock Horse (Hip-O)
  • Sammy Davis Jr. - Definitive Collection (Hip-O)
  • Steve Earle - Definitive Collection (Hip-O)
  • Humble Pie - Definitive Collection (Hip-O)
  • James Hunter - ... Believe What I Say (Hepcat)
  • Julio Iglesias - 1100 Bel Air Place and Tango (Columbia/ Legacy)
  • Millie Jackson - Still Caught Up (Southbound)
  • Waylon Jennings - Waylon Jennings Sings Hank Williams (Hip-O)
  • Daniel Johnston - Continued Story/ Hi, How Are You and Yip/ Jump Music (High Wire)
  • Tom Jones - Definitive Collection (Hip-O)
  • Kingston Trio - The Essential Kingston Trio (two CDs; Shout! Factory)
  • Leah Kunkel - Leah Kunkel (Rev-Ola)
  • Shelby Lynne - Definitive Collection (Hip-O)
  • Kawabata Makoto & the Mothers of Invasion - Hot Rattlesnakes (MVD Audio)
  • Marillion - Marbles Live (MVD Audio)
  • Dave Mason - Definitive Collection (Hip-O)
  • Kathy Mattea - Definitive Collection (Hip-O)
  • Rudy Ray Moore - The Best of Rudy Ray Moore and Friends (The Pen)
  • Iggy Pop - 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection (A&M)
    Buy Now: 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection (A&M)
  • Primitives - Buzz Buzz Buzz (United States Distributors)
  • Queensrÿche - Q2K (Rhino)
    Buy Now: Q2K (Rhino)
  • Diana Ross - Definitive Collection (Hip-O)
  • Stereolab - Serene Velocity: A Stereolab Anthology (Rhino)
  • Pete Townshend - Another Scoop, All the Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes, Deep End Live!, Empty Glass, The Iron Man the Musical by Pete Townshend, Psychoderelict, Rough Mix, Scoop, Scoop 3, White City and Who Came First (Hip-O)
  • Tanya Tucker - Definitive Collection (Hip-O)
  • Waterboys - Fisherman's Blues - Collectors Edition (limited edition with bonus CD; Capitol)
  • Bob Willis & His Texas Playboys - Legends of Country Music: Bob Willis & His Texas Playboys (three CDs; Columbia/ Legacy)
  • Various artists - Chill Lounge (Water)
  • Various artists - Dave Hamilton's Detroit Funk: Rare and Unreleased Twisted Funk 1967-1973 (BGP)
  • Various artists - The Greatest Songs Ever: Africa, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, France, Greece, Gypsyland, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Portugal, Middle East, Spain and Turkey (Petrol/ EMI America)
  • Various artists - Highway South: Southern Rock (Time Life)
  • Various artists - UFC: Ultimate Beatdowns, Vol. 1 (enhanced; Nitrus)

Music DVDs:

  • Black Crowes - "Who Killed That Bird Out on Your Window Sill ... the Movie" (Rhino)
  • Roger Chapman - "Family & Friends" (MVD Visual)
  • Sandy Denny - "Under Review" (MVD Visual)
  • Dream Theater - "Score: 20th Anniversary World Tour Live With the Octavarium Orchestra" (two DVDs; Rhino)
  • Bob Dylan - "Bob Dylan 1966 - 1978: After the Crash" (MVD Visual)
  • E-40 - "E-40 & the Hype on Hyphy: Town Bizness From the Yay" (Warner Bros.)
  • Ian Gillan Band - "Live at the Rainbow 1977" (MVD Visual)
  • Green on Red - "Valley Fever: Green on Red" (MVD Visual)
  • The Korgis - "The Korgis DVD Kollection" (MVD Visual)
  • Queen - "Under Review: 1980-1991" (MVD Visual)
  • Barbra Streisand - "A Happening in Central Park" and "Barbra Streisand ... And Other Musical Instruments" (Rhino)
  • Pete Townshend - "Psychoderelict Live in New York" (Hip-0)
  • Various artists - "Jazz Shots From the West Coast, Vol. 1" (MVD Visual)
  • Various artists - "Kill Your Idols" (Palm Pictures)
  • Various artists - "Roots Daughters: The Women of Rastafari" (MVD Visual)

Coming Attractions:

September 5:

September 12:

September 19:

Related Artists ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1539627/20060828/simpson_jessica.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1539627/20060828/simpson_jessica.jhtml 29 Aug 2006 06:00:00 EDT <![CDATA[Dave Grohl Helps Pete Yorn Rock, Tupac Inspires Him To Be Prolific]]> Third album from singer/songwriter inspired by personal drama, music legends.
By Corey Moss


Pete Yorn
Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

While recording his third and potentially final album, Pete Yorn found inspiration in Elvis Presley, David Bowie and ... Tupac?

"I had seen this Tupuc documentary, and he just kept recording like he felt like he might die," Yorn recalled. "I don't know if I felt that way, but I felt like staying in the studio and recording as much as I can. And I just kept writing and writing."

After three years, Yorn finally emerged with a rock album and a gospel-flavored EP. "I got heavy into Elvis' later gospel phase and I discovered Roy Orbison in a major way, some of the more obscure stuff he was doing," Yorn said of the EP, titled Western.

For the more rocking material, Yorn cited Bowie's experimental Low as a major influence. "I like the drum sounds from that a lot," he said of the 1976 album. "This record rocks, though. Dave Grohl plays drums on one song and I put that harmonizer all over them. The record definitely has its mellow moments, but it's upbeat."

Both records also feature Dixie Chicks, "Farmer" Dave Scher from Beachwood Sparks and legendary keyboardist Leon Russell. "There are a couple songs I wrote with friends, which was something I'd never done before," Yorn added.

Yorn considers the LP, Nightcrawler, to be the third installment in a trilogy that includes his debut musicforthemorningafter and 2003's Day I Forgot. "When you hear it, you'll understand," he said. "This could be the last one. I could be three records and out in this form. I might start a band and see where that takes me."

Yorn's not the kind of songwriter to spell out messages in his material — "I don't even know what they're about until five years later, I'll be onstage singing it and something's going on in my life and I'm like, 'Wow, I get it,' " — but he said this batch of songs definitely come from a specific place.

"A lot of relationship stuff, a lot of sh-- has happened in my immediate family and friends and I put that in and tried to make happy endings from them," he explained, without elaborating. "Most people might see them as dark and negative, but I know there's a glimmer of hope at the end of each song. It's important for people to know it's a hopeful record.

"Some of it might go over people's heads, but I know it's the right thing," he added. "I spent a lot of sleepless nights making it."

Nightcrawler is due in stores on August 15, while Western will be available exclusively on Yorn's summer tour, which kicks off on June 22 in Santa Barbara, California, and wraps up August 12 at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Dubbed the You & Me Acoustic Tour, the trek will be Yorn's first playing solo since he was signed in 2000.

"I saw Bruce [Springsteen] at the Pantages do his one-man show and that really inspired me," Yorn said of the Boss' recent Los Angeles gig. "So I'm presenting the songs in their most primitive form, but at the same time, I'm bringing a bunch of friends with me who I've been known to play with in the past, so at any time the shows could transform to a rock show. I'm not going to have any set list, just do what I feel and take requests and connect with the fans."

Yorn's film-school-graduate cousin will also be traveling on the tour, shooting footage for videos and a possible DVD.

"My favorite thing has always been the super-sweaty nights in the small clubs where everybody's right next to you," Yorn said. "That's the most inspiring thing for me and where I'm happy."

You & Me Acoustic Tour dates, according to Columbia Records:

  • 6/22 - Santa Barbara, CA @ Soho
  • 6/23 - Long Beach, CA @ The Vault 350
  • 6/24 - Sacramento, CA @ Blue Lamp
  • 6/27 - Dallas, TX @ Gypsy Tea Room
  • 6/28 - Austin, TX @ The Parish
  • 6/30 - Lawrence, KS @ The Bottleneck
  • 7/1 - St. Louis, MO @ Blueberry Hill's Duck Room
  • 7/2 - Madison, WI @ The Annex
  • 7/5 - Indianapolis, IN @ The Music Mill
  • 7/6 - Columbus, OH @ The Basement
  • 7/7 - Louisville, KY @ Phoenix Hill Tavern
  • 7/8 - Buffalo, NY @ Town Ballroom
  • 7/10 - Rochester, NY @ The Club at Water Street Music Hall
  • 7/11 - Portland, ME @ The Asylum
  • 7/12 - Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club/ Lounge
  • 7/13 - Baltimore, MD @ Sonar
  • 7/15 - Carrboro, NC @ Cat's Cradle
  • 7/16 - Knoxville, TN @ Blue Cats
  • 7/17 - Nashville, TN @ Exit/In
  • 7/18 - Atlanta, GA @ Smith's Olde Bar
  • 7/19 - Birmingham, AL @ The Nick
  • 7/21 - Council Bluffs, IA @ Whiskey Roadhouse at Harrah's
  • 7/22 - Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theatre
  • 7/24 - Denver, CO @ Walnut Room
  • 7/25 - Boulder, CO @ Fox Theatre
  • 7/26 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Club Sound
  • 7/28 - Seattle, WA @ Crocodile Cafe
  • 7/29 - Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
  • 7/31 - San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
  • 8/1 - San Diego, CA @ The Casbah
  • 8/2 - Scottsdale, AZ @ Martini Ranch
  • 8/8 - Alexandria, VA @ The Birchmere
  • 8/9 - Richmond, VA @ Alley Katz
  • 8/11 - Philadelphia, PA @ North Star
  • 8/12 - Asbury Park, NJ @ Stone Pony

Related Artists ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1534091/20060612/yorn_pete.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1534091/20060612/yorn_pete.jhtml 12 Jun 2006 12:36:00 EDT <![CDATA[For The Record: Quick News On Ludacris, Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, Avenged Sevenfold, Social Distortion & More]]> Ludacris appears in court to defend 'Stand Up'; Pharrell LP gets new launch date; Avenged trade barbs with Dillinger Escape Plan.
By MTV News staff report


Ludacris
Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

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.

05.23.2006

50 Cent was named Songwriter of the Year on Monday, as the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers presented its Pop Music Awards in Beverly Hills, California. Green Day's "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" shared Song of the Year honors with Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together" (written by Johnta Austin, Jermaine Dupri and Manuel Seal). Green Day also took the Creative Voice Award, while Annie Lennox was presented with the Founders Award. The ceremony featured a brief Eurythmics reunion, as Lennox was joined by guitarist Dave Stewart for a performance of her solo hit "Why." ...

Madonna is catching some heat from the Catholic League following the Sunday launch of her Confessions world tour, in which she wore a crown of thorns and sang "Live to Tell" while hanging from a mirrored cross. "When the Material Girl first embraced Kabbalah, we thought her newfound faith would inspire her to show some respect for religion," said Bill Donohue, who heads up the Catholic civil-rights organization, in a statement issued Monday. "But I guess you really can't teach an old pop star new tricks. Madonna has been spicing up her act with misappropriated Christian imagery for a long time now. ... Do us all a favor, Madge, and stick to singing and dancing." Madonna's tour continues through September 4, with dates throughout North America and Europe. ...

U2 and Mariah Carey took home handfuls of Grammys less than four months ago, but it's already time to start planning for next year's big event. The 49th annual Grammy Awards will be held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on February 11, it was announced Tuesday (May 23). The ceremony will air live on CBS. ... The Hip-Hop Action Network's Hip-Hop Summit on Financial Empowerment went down in Miami over the weekend, drawing Fat Joe, Pitbull, Remy Ma, MC Lyte, and members of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and the Diplomats. Action Network Chairman Russell Simmons was there too, of course, and Doug E. Fresh acted as summit co-moderator. ...

Jamie Hewlett, co-creator of the Gorillaz and the man who put faces to Murdoc, 2D, Russel and Noodle, was honored as the Designer of the Year by London's Design Museum on Monday. Hewlett was awarded approximately $47,000 for his contributions to the group's graphics, "live" performances and Gorillaz.com. A collection of Hewlett's work will be on display at the Design Museum through June 18. ... Legendary rocker Lou Reed headlined a free concert in New York on Tuesday, marking the grand opening of the building at 7 World Trade Center — the first new edifice at the World Trade Center site in its outdoor park. The bill also features Brazilian Girls, Citizen Cope, Ollabelle and Suzanne Vega. ...

Julia Roberts, Anna Paquin and Martin Short are among those who will present Tony Awards on June 11. The ceremony will be broadcast live at New York's Radio City Music Hall on CBS at 8:00 p.m. ... Norah Jones is set to make her feature acting debut alongside Natalie Portman, Jude Law and Rachel Weisz in the romantic comedy "My Blueberry Nights," Variety reports. The film, director Wong Kar Wai's first English-language feature, will star the Grammy winner as a woman traveling the U.S. in search of the meaning of love. It will shoot in locations across the country this summer. ...

Imogen Heap has turned the expression "Don't get your hands caught in the cookie jar" into reality. After a gig in Knoxville, Tennessee, the singer indulged in a few shots of Jägermeister, went to the reception area of her hotel and snuck a cookie box into her suitcase — only to get busted by management. A security camera caught Heap in the act, and after management called police, she returned the item. ... Like your coffee with a Kiss? Then you're in luck. Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley will be at Broadway at the Beach in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, June 27 to christen the Kiss Coffeehouse, the so-called "most outrageous coffee and dessert shop ever constructed." The restaurant will have various blends of Kiss-brand coffee and will be adorned with 20-foot-tall smoking Kiss boots and rare memorabilia. ...

John Clark, a 23-year-old Indianapolis man who claims he's Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds' illegitimate son, was arrested Friday for trying to extort $9 million from the Grammy-winning artist. According to AP, Clark threatened to go public with his claims but offered to keep quiet in exchange for payment. Indianapolis authorities said Clark was charged with felony theft and misdemeanor intimidation after accepting a bogus $9 million check from one of Babyface's attorneys and signing a faux nondisclosure agreement. "The story was that he was going to ruin Babyface's reputation by claiming to be Babyface's illegitimate baby," prosecutor Carl Brizzi told the wire service. Clark contends he's Edmonds' son and has the documents to prove it, but Brizzi said he's failed to produce them. Clark is being held without bond at the Marion County Jail, and an initial hearing on the matter is set for Tuesday. ... 3LW are back after a four-year break — and they've got Jermaine Dupri on their side. The producer twiddles the knobs and is featured on the R&B group's new single, "Feelin' You," while Scott Storch, Dre & Vidal and others help out elsewhere on the group's third LP, Point of No Return, due August 15. ...

Ex-Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar, a former resident of San Bernardino County, California, was presented with a certificate by county officials Tuesday proclaiming May 23 Sammy Hagar Day. Hagar plans to open his upcoming tour in San Bernardino on June 3. ... On Monday, Seattle's city council recommended that a new park be built adjacent to the future home of an African-American museum that will be named in late guitarist Jimi Hendrix's honor. According to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, the final decision rests with Seattle Parks and Recreation Superintendent Ken Bounds, who will be advised by a park-naming committee. Councilwoman Jean Godden argued for the resolution, saying that while there may be some concerns as to "what kind of a role model he was, given his problems with substance abuse" that "if you think about it, there's hardly anyone who's a genius and has contributed to culture who hadn't had some personal flaws." There's no word on when Bounds will issue his decision. ...

Bloodsimple, featuring former members of Long Island, New York's Vision of Disorder, are down a drummer following the departure of Chris Hamilton. The band, which released its debut, A Cruel World, a little more than a year ago, has yet to name a replacement, and details concerning the split have not been released. Bloodsimple will head back to the studio this summer to record their sophomore LP, which is being eyed for a late 2006 release. ... Machine Head, Converge, Vision of Disorder and Horse the Band have been added to select dates on this summer's Sounds of the Underground tour as special guests. The festival, featuring As I Lay Dying, In Flames, Trivium and others, kicks off July 8 in Cleveland and runs through August 12 in Universal City, California. ...

Sony BMG's tentative settlement of 15 consumer class-action suits was granted final approval by a federal judge Monday, AP reports. The agreement, which was given preliminary approval in January, will allow consumers to exchange CDs with XCP or MediaMax copy-protection software for replacement discs without software. Sony will also offer a patch to remove the software from computers and has pledged to stop manufacturing CDs with the XCP and MediaMax software.

Related Artists ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1532400/20060524/ludacris.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1532400/20060524/ludacris.jhtml 24 May 2006 06:10:00 EDT <![CDATA[Minnie Driver Launches Music Career With Pete Yorn Assist]]> British actor has track on Trampoline compilation, completes album, hopes to tour
By Corey Moss


Minnie Driver on "Will & Grace"
Photo: Chris Hatson

Pete Yorn likes to play a little game with a song called "Everything in My Pocket," a track on a new compilation from his Trampoline label.

"We'll play it for people and go, 'Guess who that was?' " he explained. The reaction when he reveals the answer is priceless.

Minnie Driver, the voice behind the song, knows that look herself. She sees it at her unannounced performances at Hotel Café, a Hollywood singer/songwriter hotspot.

"I see it on people's faces," the veteran actress said in her thick British accent as she began mimicking certain listeners. " 'Oh my God, this is going to be a train wreck. I can't wait to write, "Minnie Driver sucks ass!" on my Web site tonight.' But people are pleasantly surprised because it doesn't suck. That doesn't mean it's great yet. I just want to get out there and play."

That the "Good Will Hunting" and "Return to Me" star sings, plays guitar and writes music probably comes as such a surprise because she's been acting for more than 10 years without mentioning her crossover aspirations. And contemporaries such as Brittany Murphy have tended to give music a shot as their acting careers peak (see "Brittany Murphy To Launch A Singing Career").

"People are like, 'Huh? You can't do that,' " Driver said from her Los Angeles home, fresh from a Hawaiian surfing trip. "I've been trying to tell people that I did this long before I was an actress. I don't think anyone took it very seriously, though."

Driver was on the verge of signing a record deal with a major label in 1994 when she won the lead in "Circle of Friends" opposite Chris O'Donnell. Her performance garnered rave reviews and her acting career took off.

"The road divided. I had to make a choice and music's been on hold ever since," Driver said. "I never stopped playing music, but just for myself."

The actor met Yorn through her then-manager, the singer/songwriter's sister-in-law, and became a fan and friend. Through Yorn she met guitarist Marc Dauer and Wallflowers keyboardist Rami Jaffee, who eventually launched Trampoline Records with Yorn (see "New Deals Give Bounce To Pete Yorn's Trampoline Records").

"I had them going, 'When are you going to shut up, write a record and put it out there?' " Driver said. "And I can't argue with that."

With the exception of a few "Will & Grace" episodes and some small movie roles, Driver took a break from acting last year and spent months in Dauer's studio, working with Jaffee and other musician friends, including pedal-steel guitar players and cellists. When "Everything in My Pocket" was finished, Dauer suggested releasing it on Trampoline Records Greatest Hits, Vol. II.

"Pete might have had some reservations about throwing a famous friend on there, with the risk of losing credibility, but I think it's to their credit that they trusted the music," Driver said.

Driver, whose influences range from Dido to Gillian Welch to Eddie Vedder to Johnny Cash, has since finished the album, which she described as split between bare-bones acoustic music, such as a piano-and-upright-bass version of Bruce Springsteen's "Hungry Heart," and "slightly vibier songs with hooky bass lines and more programmed stuff."

Lyrically, her songs are extremely personal. "Your first record, you've been saving up your emotional dribble to put somewhere, so it's all about people I know and love," Driver said. "The lyrics muse on things rather than provide any answers, though."

Challenge motivates Driver. "I'm fascinated to see if I can actually pull it off," she explained, "because I know it's risky for artists to do something different. It always fascinated me that you have to completely reinvent yourself and eschew the previous thing you did. Jennifer Lopez became a mega pop star and now her career's one big conglomeration. Being a singer/songwriter is a little different than being a slick pop act. She does it beautifully, but that's not my style."

She paused, then whispered, "I can't dance like she can. Well, I can, but I have to be really drunk."

Driver is shopping the album around, looking for the right record label. She hopes to tour this year, though the only gig on her schedule so far is a Trampoline showcase later this month at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. She's especially nervous about performing for her film-business peers.

"I wouldn't do it if I didn't really like what everyone has put into this record," she said. "It would be too awful. It's quite private, especially if people have prior knowledge of you. But I never thought that was a good-enough excuse not to do something."

Related Artists ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1484414/20040116/driver_minnie.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1484414/20040116/driver_minnie.jhtml 20 Jan 2004 07:54:00 EST <![CDATA[Pete Yorn Is Bossy On <i>Live From New Jersey</i>]]> Singer/songwriter covers Springsteen's 'Atlantic City' on two-disc set.
By Corey Moss


Pete Yorn (file)
Photo: Gregg Delman

As the final show of his fall tour approached in his home state, Pete Yorn was feeling the pressure from fans wondering about that other New Jersey rocker.

"I had pretty much stopped playing Springsteen, and I didn't want to do it," Yorn recalled. "Everyone was asking all day [about a Boss cover], and I said, 'No, I'm not doing it.' "

Well, not only did Yorn cover Springsteen, he's releasing the performance to the world.

The singer/songwriter's version of "Atlantic City" is among the highlights of the two-disc Live From New Jersey, available on www.peteyorn.com and due in stores this spring.

The concert, recorded October 29 at the Community Theatre in Morristown, also includes a cover of the Elvis Presley-popularized "Suspicious Minds" and such Yorn hits as "Life on a Chain" and "Crystal Village" (see "Pete Yorn To Tour With Foo Fighters, Gets Misty-Eyed On 'Crystal Village' ").

"It's a pretty good mix of both albums," Yorn said recently from his Los Angeles home. "The live show is very different from the records, more powerful, and by the end of the tour the songs have taken on new life."

Yorn was especially amped on the fall tour after having just opened several dates for heroes R.E.M.

"I always check out the other bands, but that was the only tour I've been on where I stood on the side and watched every song," he said. "I loved it. They were such a part of how I grew up. I took a lot of them with me when I started my own shows."

In New Jersey, Yorn played some songs the way he began his music career: solo and acoustic. He hopes to release one of them, Day I Forgot's "All at Once," as his next single.

"I totally broke down [inside]. I was like, 'Sh--, dude, don't start bawling,' " Yorn recalled. "I held it together and apologized: 'Sorry, I got a little emotional there.' It's just very personal for me for some reason."

The lyrics suggest why. The song ends, "When he comes around/ Do not tell him nothing/ Do not make a sound/ 'Cause if he knows we're there/ He might tear his heart out/ And beat us to death with it/ I was too young to understand."

Yorn is writing his next album, and while it's too early in the process to elaborate, he said he's "having fun with it." The album will probably be released in the fall. In the meantime, fans can look forward to the "Shrek 2" soundtrack album in May, which will feature Yorn's cover of the Buzzcocks' "Ever Fallen in Love," produced by Eric Valentine (Queens of the Stone Age, Good Charlotte).

"I'm very picky about how people record drums," said Yorn, a drummer himself. "But [Dave] Grohl gave him a great review on our Foo Fighters tour."

Beside the Buzzcocks song, Yorn also recently covered Albert Hammond's "It Never Rains in Southern California" for the "Stuck on You" soundtrack.

"Both were requests," Yorn said. "I'd never even heard of the Buzzcocks song, but it's fun. Usually I'll do covers kind of different. These I did more straight-up but still made them my own."

Yorn's also been busy putting out other people's music through his Trampoline label (see "New Deals Give Bounce To Pete Yorn's Trampoline Records"). Along with releasing Trampoline Records Greatest Hits, Vol. II, which features actor Minnie Driver's recording debut (see "Minnie Driver Launches Music Career With Pete Yorn Assist"), the label recently dropped Minneapolis rockers the Hang Ups' eponymous album.

"I've known about that band since '97," Yorn explained. "I was driving out to Malibu one weekend and liked the artwork on one of their albums so much I bought it. It ended up becoming my favorite record of the summer."

Trampoline Records also just released the DVD "Live From Los Angeles: The First Waltz," a collection of performances shot at Trampoline Records Revue concerts in October 2002 and February 2003 at the House of Blues in West Hollywood. Yorn, Dauer's Jukebox Junkies, Minibar, Peter Himmelman, Rusty Truck (featuring Rolling Stone photographer Mark Seliger), Jeff Trott (who co-wrote and co-produced some Sheryl Crow hits) and the Hang Ups are among the bands on the video.

Related Artists ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1484416/20040116/yorn_pete.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1484416/20040116/yorn_pete.jhtml 20 Jan 2004 07:54:00 EST <![CDATA[For The Record: Quick News On 50 Cent, Marilyn Manson, Outkast, Norah Jones, Alice Cooper, B2K, Pete Yorn & More]]>
50 Cent
Photo: Greg Delman

50 Cent has been nominated in six categories at the 2003 Billboard Awards, which will be held December 10 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The rapper is up for Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year and Hot 100 Single of the Year. R. Kelly and Beyoncé are each nominees in five categories, and Sean Paul and the Dixie Chicks are up for awards in four categories. Justin Timberlake, Chingy and 3 Doors Down are each nominated for three, while Aaliyah, Linkin Park, Audioslave, Floetry, Norah Jones and Shania Twain are finalists in two categories. ... Meanwhile, 50 and G Unit were scheduled to shoot a video in Los Angeles on Tuesday (December 2) for "Poppin' Them Thangs," the next single from Beg for Mercy. Veteran hip-hop video director Little X is helming the clip. ...

A Swiss prosecutor in Zurich is considering filing charges against Marilyn Manson for breaching laws protecting religion and for inciting violence during a show there in 2001. A criminal investigation was launched after a religious organization there filed a complaint about his onstage shenanigans. Christian groups and politicians in Zurich attempted to block a recent Manson concert, claiming his views are offensive to the majority of the city's inhabitants, but the concert went on as scheduled. ... Playboy TV is launching a hip-hop show January 9 that will include uncensored videos, trips to strip clubs with rappers and segments such as Sex Tip of the Day. "Buckwild," named after host Ken "Buckwild" Francis, will feature Outkast, Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Lil Jon and Loon, among others, in the first six episodes. ...

Grammy sweeper Norah Jones will appear on two songs from the upcoming Wax Poetic album Nublu Sessions, due February 10. Jones' two tracks were recorded between 1997 and 1998 when she was a member of the group. The record will also contain guest performances by N'Dea Davenport, Saul Williams and U-Roy. ... On Tuesday original shock rocker Alice Cooper was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Look for his star at the corner of Orange Drive and Hollywood Boulevard by the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel — it's the one next to the dead birds. ... Big Tank, one of the primary producers behind the soundtrack to B2K's "You Got Served" movie, said the album, due December 23, will include guest spots from R. Kelly, Fabolous and Mario. "It's a dance movie, so all I had to do was try to make things that I would love to hear at a club and kind of go off that," Big Tank said. ...

Latin electronic musician Louie Vega of the duo Masters at Work will release a solo record, Elements of Life, in February. Vega will begin a DJ tour on December 11 in Chicago and will remain on the road through April. ... Metallica's revealing documentary "Metallica: Some Kind of Monster" has been accepted by the Sundance Film Festival in the American Spectrum category. The movie, directed by Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky ("Brother's Keeper," "Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills"), is an unflinching fly-on-the-wall account of the creation of Metallica's St. Anger. Sundance begins January 15 in Park City, Utah. A theatrical release is planned for March. ... Pete Yorn, Phantom Planet, Lisa Loeb and Mellowdrone will headline the Gimme Shelter benefit concert December 11 at the Roxy in West Hollywood. Proceeds will go to the St. Joseph Center and New West School in Los Angeles. ...

Before opening for Linkin Park on a recent stint of U.K. dates, Welsh rap-rockers the Lostprophets shot a video in Los Angeles with director Brian Scott Weber (Trapt) for "Last Train Home." The song is the first single from Start Something, the follow-up to 2001's The Fake Sound of Progress, produced by Eric Valentine (Good Charlotte) and due February 3. ... Are you a onetime producer whose teen trio went from cash cow to broken mule once the pop market crashed? Maybe an aging rocker wondering why the check to the massage parlor bounced? Then EMI Music North America might be looking for you. The record company and publishing house has set up a Web site listing songwriters and producers they owe royalties to but can't seem to find. The AWOL artists include producer Salaam Remi (Fugees), QDIII (Quincy Jones' son) and the band Bigod20. ...

Margarine Eclipse, Stereolab's first album since the death of Mary Hansen last December, is due January 27. The follow-up to 2001's Sound Dust was recorded at the band's own Instant 0 studio in France with longtime producer Fulton Dingley. ... Yellowcard have been tapped to headline MTV2's Handpicked Tour, which kicks off December 4 in the band's hometown of Jacksonville, Florida, and wraps up December 20 in Los Angeles. Seattle rockers Acceptance are opening. ...

12.01.03

R. Kelly appeared in a Chicago court Monday (December 1) as his defense team filed several motions to dismiss the child-pornography charges against him as well as to suppress testimony and evidence. The center of the defense's argument is that the time frame of the allegations provided by the prosecution was too broad, preventing the singer from presenting an alibi for an exact date and time. Kelly's lawyers also asked to dismiss the case based on the unconstitutionality of Illinois child-porn statutes; to quash a grand-jury subpoena and suppress all evidence that was obtained during the grand-jury process; to preclude testimony from certain expert witnesses; and to suppress suggestive identification procedures. The prosecution said that it will address and answer the motions at the next hearing, set for February 6. ...

Animal-rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is barking mad at Ashanti, who wore a $15,000 mink coat in a recent Christmas medley video to promote her new album. "It's so easy these days to have a look that kills without killing anything. Ashanti should know better," PETA said in a statement. The group plans to send Ashanti a video narrated by Pamela Anderson that depicts the barbaric practices of the fur industry in an effort to convince the R&B princess to change her ways. ...

For years, the tiny New York rock club CBGB served as a second home for Ramones frontman Joey Ramone, who helped pioneer the U.S. punk rock scene in the '70s. Now the city has recognized Ramone's accomplishments, and renamed a street across from the club Joey Ramone Place. The new street sign was unveiled at a celebration on Sunday attended by Ramone's mom, Charlotte Lesher, Marky Ramone and others. ... Queen have made their catalog available for download in Europe to mark World AIDS day. Band royalties for the first week of sale will be donated to the AIDS charity Mercury Phoenix Trust, and the band's U.K. label will match the donation. ...

No Limit rapper Soulja Slim was gunned down the night before Thanksgiving outside his mother's home in New Orleans. Slim, whose real name was James Tapp, was a childhood friend of Master P and his brother C-Murder; his most successful album, Give It 2 'Em Raw, came out in 1998 on P's No Limit Records. Slim's most recent album was Years Later ... A Few Months After, released in August. Police said they don't yet have a suspect or motive in the slaying. ... Memphis Bleek recently teamed with T.I. and Trick Daddy to shoot a video for "'Round Here," the second single from the Roc-A-Fella rapper's third album, M.A.D.E. Due December 16, the album also features Jay-Z, Beanie Sigel and Nate Dogg. ...

And you thought the only way to get a celebrity thumbprint was to hang out at the Los Angeles County Jail. London auction house Cooper Owen is auctioning off autographed thumbprints from Justin Timberlake, Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey, Johnny Depp, Shakira and other music and film celebrities on December 9. The auction will take place online at cooperowen.com. ... Move over, Chingy, there's a new party rapper in town — from the communist party, that is. The Chinese Communist Party will be repackaging revolutionary icon Mao Tse-tung as a rap artist, according to the U.K.'s Daily Telegraph, in an attempt to appeal to China's youth. The China Record Company is setting one of Chairman Mao's lessons, "The Two Musts," to hip-hop beats for release next month to mark the 110th anniversary of Mao's birth on December 26, 1893. Two other recitations, "The East Is Red" and "Serve the People," will be set to pop music and released by the company as well. ...

Kelly Osbourne has finished a track with the Matrix for her as-yet-untitled second record. "It's sort of heavier than most of my other stuff and what it's about is more me," she explained recently. ... Meanwhile, the man on Osbourne's arm of late is nearing completion of his first solo album. "It'll probably be a little more hip-hop but it'll be angry," Transplants singer Rob Aston said. Tim Armstrong is producing, along with Cypress Hill's DJ Muggs. "He's one of the easiest guys to work with and he's a legend, so I'm honored to be working with that guy," Aston added of Muggs. ...

John Frusciante's fourth solo album, Shadows Collide With People, is due February 25. Red Hot Chili Peppers bandmates Flea and Chad Smith guest on the record, along with Bicycle Thief's Josh Klinghoffer. ... Youngbloodz staged a biker rally in Los Angeles last week for the video for "Lean Low," which will be the first single from the "Torque" soundtrack. Joseph Kahn, who directed the movie, also handled the video, which features stars from the film. ...

Boomkat are about halfway done recording their second album. "It's eclectic," singer/actress Taryn Manning said recently. "I like hip-hop and rock and I like old music and I like dance music, so [the album is] just everything I like." ... Metal band Manowar have always taken pride in being fast and furious, and now those attributes have paid off outside the music kingdom for guitarist Karl Logan. Recently, the Western New York Off-Road Association motocross league awarded the axe-slinging barbarian first place in the amateur racing category for his performance for the year. …

Related Artists ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1480900/20031202/50_cent.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1480900/20031202/50_cent.jhtml 2 Dec 2003 07:02:00 EST <![CDATA[Neptunes, Flea, Pete Yorn, Tori Amos On Shortlist Nominating Panel]]> Along with Dave Matthews, Mos Def and others, they'll nominate 100 adventurous albums.
By Corey Moss


The Neptunes
Photo: Virgin Records

The Neptunes, Perry Farrell, Mos Def and Coldplay's Chris Martin have the privilege of nominating albums for this year's Shortlist Music Prize.

Other panelists selected for the third annual contest include Dave Matthews, Queens of the Stone Age singer Josh Homme, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, Roots drummer Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson, Erykah Badu, Musiq, Pete Yorn, the Chemical Brothers, Tori Amos and Tom Waits.

The Shortlist Music Prize, which went to Sigur Rós in 2001 and N.E.R.D. last year (see "N.E.R.D. Win Shortlist Prize"), honors adventurous albums that have sold fewer than 500,000 copies.

The panelists — which also include filmmakers Spike Jonze and Cameron Crowe, journalists Josh Tyrangiel ("Time") and Kim Osorio ("The Source") and radio personality Nic Harcourt (KCRW-FM) — will compile a list of approximately 100 nominees that will be announced in late August and will appear on the contest's Web site.

The Neptunes, Farrell and the others will then shorten the nominees to 10, the official Shortlist, which will be announced in mid-September. In October, select finalists will perform at a concert in Los Angeles that will also double as the award presentation, where the winner is given a $5,000 cash prize.

This year a Shortlist tour and TV special are also in the works, according to a spokesperson for the contest, founded by music industry veterans Greg Spotts and Tom Sarig.

Last year's panel, which selected albums by Björk, Cee-Lo and the Hives, among others, included Beck, Metallica's Lars Ulrich, and the Strokes' Albert Hammond Jr. and Nick Valensi (see "Strokes, Neptunes, Beck, Spike Jonze Nominate Discs For Shortlist").

Related Artists ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1474732/20030724/neptunes_rock_.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1474732/20030724/neptunes_rock_.jhtml 25 Jul 2003 11:01:00 EDT <![CDATA[New Deals Give Bounce To Pete Yorn's Trampoline Records]]> With distribution deal, financing in place, imprint signs first act: Nadine.
By Corey Moss


Pete Yorn
Photo: MTV News

Pete Yorn once described Trampoline Records as "an excuse for me to get drunk and play music with my friends." Well, he'd better not drink too much, because it's slowly turning into a real label.

With financing and distribution deals in place, the company has signed its first act: St. Louis natives Nadine.

"It's a really great, kind of progressive alt-country band, and it's going to be cool," Yorn said recently. Trampoline will release Nadine's Strange Seasons, the band's fourth album, on September 2, the same day as Trampoline Records Greatest Hits Vol. 2. The band's first single, "Different Kind of Heartache," will be featured on the compilation.

A track list for Greatest Hits Vol. 2 has yet to be finalized, but Yorn, the Wallflowers' Rami Jaffee and the Jukebox Junkies' Marc Dauer will continue to make the compilations the centerpiece of Trampoline.

"It's just a really fun thing, Yorn said. "We get so many CDs sent to us, and we get to hear a lot of music that we otherwise wouldn't have gotten to hear. And not all of it's good, of course, but sometimes you find a really good band through it."

As with the first compilation, Trampoline will support Vol. 2 with a revue show featuring as many of its bands as possible. The label is also looking to sign more artists, which could find Yorn getting more hands-on with the roster.

"If I had the time and there was a band that I was passionate about, I'd be into producing them, definitely," he said. "I have strong ideas in the studio; anybody who works with me knows that."

Finding the time is the hard part, as Yorn's touring schedule is booked through the fall, when he will open for R.E.M. on select dates. In the meantime, he wraps a tour with the Foo Fighters Wednesday (July 16) in Vancouver and will follow with overseas dates and August 7 and 8 shows at Giants Stadium with Bon Jovi.

"The Foos' crowd has been great," Yorn said. "I think they're enjoying us, which is cool, and the Foos are really nice, sweethearts. The other band on tour is the Special Goodness, with Pat [Wilson] from Weezer as the lead singer, so it's all these drummers-turned-lead-singers, which is cool."

Yorn has released "Crystal Village" as his second single (see "Pete Yorn To Tour With Foo Fighters, Gets Misty-Eyed On 'Crystal Village' ") and is looking to fans on the tour to help him decide the third.

"People like 'Burrito,' " Yorn said. "When you're making the record, you don't know what people are gonna respond to, you're just kinda makin' it for yourself, and so it's cool to see what songs people gravitate toward."

Related Artists ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1473863/20030715/yorn_pete.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1473863/20030715/yorn_pete.jhtml 16 Jul 2003 07:56:00 EDT <![CDATA[Pete Yorn - Relator]]> Pete Yorn - Relator

Relator

  • Artist: Pete Yorn
  • Label: Atco
  • Director: Jim Wright
]]> Videos http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1162655&vid=426636 http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1162655&vid=426636 14 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EDT <![CDATA[Pete Yorn - Don't Wanna Cry]]> Pete Yorn - Don't Wanna Cry

Don't Wanna Cry

  • Artist: Pete Yorn
  • Label: Columbia
  • Director: The Malloys
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For Us

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