Smashing Pumpkins' Billy Corgan
Photo: Warner Bros.

According to the Smashing Pumpkins Web site, "It's official. The Smashing Pumpkins are currently writing songs for their upcoming album, their first since 2000."

The popular 1990s rockers have been tipped to reunite for months, ever since leader Billy Corgan took out a full-page ad in the Chicago Tribune last summer announcing his intentions to re-form the band (see "Billy Corgan Says He Wants To Re-Form Smashing Pumpkins"). In December, he posted another cryptic message on his MySpace page, which read, "The surprise I have in store for you all will be announced soon enough. Hold on to your horses. After all, good things surely come to those who wait. Don't you just love the suspense?"

Otherwise, Corgan has been mum on when or how the reunion will take place and who will join him on the second go-round. The only other new information on the official Web site is that "no release date has been set yet, but the band plans to begin recording this summer."

A source close to the group confirmed last week that the Pumpkins were in "pre-production" mode, but did not discuss who would be in the band's lineup for the new album and expected tour. Corgan has been estranged from original bassist D'Arcy Wretzky for more than seven years, since she left the band prior to the release of 2000's Machina/ The Machines of God. She was replaced by former Hole bassist Melissa Auf Der Maur, who told MTV earlier this year that she would be happy to rejoin the group (see "Smashing Pumpkins Reunion Is Under Way, According To Sources"). The status of guitarist James Iha, who has also had strained relations with Corgan over the years, is also unknown.

The last original recording from the Pumpkins, Machina II: The Friends and Enemies of Modern Music, was released on the Internet as a free download in 2000. On December 2, 2000, the band played what Corgan said would be their last-ever show, at the club that helped launch their careers more than 12 years earlier, Chicago's Metro.

Days before the group's final show, Corgan was asked if there was any chance that Wretzky might make a surprise appearance and signal a thaw in their relationship. He joked, "Obi-Wan [Kenobi] has a better chance of playing with us."

Then again, he opened that last, epic 4-hour show with the quip, "Welcome to the last gasp of the Smashing Pumpkins" and said in the days after the gig, "This is the last time I will play all these songs for the rest of my life." At the time, he said he had discussed it with the group's other members and they'd all decided that they would never play live together again (see "Pumpkins Circus Folds Up With Epic Show").

But never seems to have come sooner than Corgan thought, as the one person who is definitely on board is his long-time right hand man and the group's muscular drummer, Jimmy Chamberlin (see "Smashing Pumpkins Drummer On Reunion: 'I'm In, And I'm Excited' "). (A spokesperson for Azoff Management confirmed in February that Corgan and Chamberlin had signed on with the firm as the Smashing Pumpkins.) Chamberlin was also the drummer for Corgan's short-lived post-Pumpkins group, Zwan.

Earlier this year, Auf Der Maur said Corgan has been working on material that will, at some point, surface in the form of a new Smashing Pumpkins album. "From what I understand, Billy [will be] making a Pumpkins record over the next little while," Auf Der Maur told MTV News. "Everyone knows Billy doesn't need too many people to make a Pumpkins record, other than Jimmy [Chamberlin, longtime Pumpkins drummer] — who he has [on board]."

Auf Der Maur said she's game for a reunion. "My services are there for him whenever he needs them," she said in February. "Assuming I'm not on tour — but even then, we can cross paths. I love the Pumpkins, and to play those songs again would be nothing but fun for me. It was a big part of my life."

• The Smashing Pumpkins
• Billy Corgan
• Zwan
• Auf Der Maur

Zwan
Photo: Jim Marshall

Billy Corgan has pulled the plug on Zwan, his first band since Smashing Pumpkins, a label rep confirmed on Tuesday. The singer plans a solo career.

Corgan first spoke of the breakup on Monday, when he appeared on Chicago's WGN-TV morning news program. "A couple of people asked me, 'Why didn't you tell anybody?' " he said on the show. "I'm sort of out of the period of my life when I run around trying to generate news.

"I think my heart was in Smashing Pumpkins," Corgan continued. "I think it was naive of me to think that I could find something that would mean as much to me. I really enjoyed my experience with Zwan, but at the end of the day, without that sense of deeper family loyalty, it becomes like anything else."

Zwan seemed to be in trouble this summer, when the band abruptly canceled its international tour. Bassist Paz Lenchantin departed soon after, joining another Zwan member, guitarist David Pajo, in his group Papa M.

"The band wasn't going to reach its full capacity spiritually and musically," Corgan told the Chicago Tribune on Monday. "I didn't see the commitment necessary. I was reliving 'Behind the Music,' and I'm not getting on that train to hell again."

Corgan started Zwan after the Pumpkins broke up in December 2000. With ex-Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, guitarist Matt Sweeney, Pajo and Lenchantin aboard, the band released Mary Star of the Sea in January 2003. What turned out to be their lone studio album debuted at #3 but soon sank on the Billboard albums chart, ultimately selling 267,000 copies.

The band had planned to return to the studio this fall to record some of Corgan's acoustic folk songs under the moniker Djali Zwan. Instead, the 36-year-old Corgan will focus on a solo career of music and writing. He hopes to publish a book of poetry, which he'll preview Wednesday at Chicago's Poetry Center (see "Billy Corgan To Preview Poetry Collection In Chicago"), and he plans to release a CD of six acoustic songs next year.

A spokesperson for Warner Bros. said the label will continue to have a relationship with Corgan.

• Zwan

Billy Corgan
Photo: Warner Bros.

Following in Jewel and Ashanti's footsteps, Billy Corgan is also getting in touch with his inner poet. The former Smashing Pumpkins/current Zwan frontman is previewing his forthcoming poetry book next week in Chicago. He's already shopping the collection to New York publishers.

Corgan will open the Poetry Center of Chicago's 31st annual Reading Series, to be held at the Art Institute of Chicago's Rubloff Auditorium. In addition to previewing his verse, Corgan's hour-long performance on Wednesday will include a musical component. Organizers said that the event was designed to establish a link between poetry, song lyrics and music, but didn't know yet if Corgan would be playing his own music, or if he would be accompanied.

"We're giving him total artistic license," the Poetry Center's Shirley Stephenson said. "And he said that music will be an important element. We're just not sure how, just yet."

Previous Poetry Center readers have included William S. Burroughs, Carlos Fuentes, Allen Ginsberg and David Mamet.

Tickets for the reading cost $35 through TicketWeb, and proceeds benefit the Poetry Center. A post-reading reception will be held at the loft of an art collector in Chicago. For more information, log on to www.poetrycenter.org.

• Zwan

Britney Spears
Photo: Herb Ritts

A wax sculpture of Britney Spears at Madame Tussaud's in London will have inflatable breasts that pulsate in time to her dancing, according to Reuters. The figure will be posed shimmying around a pole and is set to be accompanied by dance instructors — real ones, not wax — who will teach visitors a routine. ...

Queen Latifah will play a cab driver who teams up with a young cop to solve a series of bank robberies in "Taxi," a remake of the 1998 French movie of the same name. Tim Story ("Barbershop") is in negotiations to direct the flick, scheduled to start filming in September. ... Ja Rule and comedian George Carlin will make brief appearances in "Scary Movie 3," which is currently being shot in Canada. Pamela Anderson, Denise Richards, Charlie Sheen and Simon Cowell will also make cameos in the movie. ...

It's a boy! Hot 97 New York radio personality/rapper Angie Martinez and Dru Hill's Nokio welcomed their baby, whom they named Niko, into the world on Thursday in New York. ...

Zwan have canceled 23 dates of their international tour because of an unspecified family illness. Dates were scheduled between June 15 in Imola, Italy, and July 25 in Fuji, Japan. No additional details are available. ... Pretty soon there will be more anarchy in the U.S., as the Sex Pistols are scheduling their first American tour in seven years. The first on-sale date is for August 21 in Wantagh, New York, but the tour launches a day earlier in Boston, according to the band's Web site. If it doesn't implode in its first week, the tour runs through late September. The Sex Pistols' last Stateside appearance was in September at the KROQ 2002 Inland Invasion Concert. ...

06.12.03

Wednesday's Justified and Stripped Tour stop in Vancouver was canceled after delays at the Canadian border cut into the crew's set-up time for the production. "We regret any inconvenience to our fans and sincerely hope that we have the opportunity to perform in Vancouver soon," Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera said in a joint statement. ...

Sean "P. Diddy" Combs' Limited Edition Sean John Navigator, which the rap mogul showcased at the MTV Movie Awards, will be available July 1. Lincoln is making only 100 of the SUVs, which will sell for about $85,000. ... Destiny Child's Kelly Rowland will perform the national anthem at game 6 of the NBA Finals in San Antonio on Sunday. ... Michael Jackson has settled the $12 million lawsuit brought against him by financial advisor Myung-Ho Lee. Lee claimed that the pop star owed him unpaid fees and expenses for his company Union Investment Corp.'s efforts to put his financial affairs in order since he was near bankruptcy. Court TV had requested to televise the trial, which could have meant a public airing of the state of Jackson's finances. The case had been scheduled for trial starting June 18. ...

Timbaland was deemed songwriter of the year at the 16th annual ASCAP Rhythm and Soul Awards Tuesday. Tim, who also received the honor in 2001, was recognized for penning the hits "More Than a Woman" and "I Care 4 U" for Aaliyah, as well as Tweet's "Oops (Oh My)" and Missy Elliott's "Work It." Ashanti's "Foolish" picked up the top R&B/hip-hop song; Nelly's "Hot in Herre" was dubbed best rap song; and Fat Joe's "What's Luv?" was named best soundtrack song. ... Timbaland is also working on his third LP with his childhood friend Magoo. The album is coming out later this year and features Missy on the first single, "Cop That Sh--." All three flip classic verses from Rakim, MC Lyte and Special Ed in their rhymes. ...

Classic rockers Aerosmith channeled their inner "Rugrats" to pen the tune "Lizard Love" for the third feature film based on the Nickelodeon series. The song will appear in "Rugrats Go Wild!," which hits theatres Friday, and the video, featuring the band cavorting with the wisecracking toddlers, is being shown on Nickelodeon. ... The lineup of the second annual Austin City Limits Festival is set. Newly announced artists Yo La Tengo, Kings of Leon, the Polyphonic Spree, Hank Williams III and the Dandy Warhols join a previously announced roster that includes R.E.M., Liz Phair, Ben Harper, Jack Johnson and Spoon. In all, 100 acts will take to eight stages over three days, September 19-21, at Zilker Park in the Texas capital. ...

Aaron Carter will launch Aaron's Jukebox Tour on July 26 in Phoenix. During his set, Carter will sing classics by Sammy Davis Jr., Elvis Presley, the Monkees, the Beatles, David Bowie, Billy Idol and others. The 20-date U.S. trek ends in Sacramento, California, on September 1, after which Carter will tour Japan. ... Stacie Orrico recently shot the video for her next single, "More to Life." The singer is overseas now, but will return for several radio-station festivals, beginning July 3 in Orlando, Florida. ...

New York Yankees centerfielder Bernie Williams will release his upcoming jazz album, The Journey Within, July 15 on Paul McCartney's MPL Communications. The Beatle also releases Carl Perkins and Buddy Holly music on the label. ... Boxers Lennox Lewis and Floyd Mayweather Jr. have recorded hip-hop songs for the soundtrack to "Fight Night," an upcoming DVD documentary about boxing. Too Short and RBX also joined Lewis' brother, producer Calico Smoke, to record songs for the album, due June 24. ...

Electronic music pioneers Kraftwerk, widely credited with inventing the genre with 1977's Trans-Europe Express, will release their first album in 17 years, Tour De France, on July 22. On the album, "Tour De France 03," a sequel to the 1983 single that will be released independent of the LP on July 8, will appear alongside new songs as well as a reworked version of the original tune. ... Company Flow co-founder El-P is headed downtown to get his jazz on. The MC known as El Producto has teamed up with avant-garde jazzbos Blue Series Continuum, a sextet including pianist Matthew Shipp, bassist William Parker and trumpeter Roy Campbell, for an LP due this fall. On July 22, a 10-inch vinyl-only single, "Sunrise Over Brooklyn," is scheduled to drop. ...

• Britney Spears
• Ja Rule
• Queen Latifah
• The Sex Pistols
• Zwan

Avril Lavigne has donated a signed drum used in her performance at this year's Brit Awards to an auction raising money for a 5-year-old British boy fighting cancer. The Barnet & Potters Bar Times newspaper (www.barnettimes.co.uk) is organizing the auction. ...

Want to get your hands on an unreleased Nick Carter song? You might have to sift through a lot of cereal to find "Don't Walk Away" — it's on one of four CDs included in boxes of General Mills brands such as Cheerios, Honey Nut Cheerios, Cocoa Puffs, Trix, Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Lucky Charms. As part of Nickelodeon's upcoming Kids Choice 2003 Awards (airing April 12), the cereal brand — a title sponsor of the awards — is offering a four-CD collection of pop hits from such past performers as the Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, 'NSYNC, and Nick and Aaron Carter. Look for the specially marked boxes to hit grocery stores soon. ...

The White Stripes have announced the opening acts for their upcoming U.S. tour. Not so unexpected are the Whirlwind Heat, signed to Jack White's label Third Man Records, but warranting a "say WHAT?" is the warm-up act for the April 19 New York show: legendary country singer Loretta Lynn. ... Before Dashboard Confessional's A Mark, a Mission, a Brand, a Scar hits stores in July, Chris Carrabba's group will re-release its 2000 debut, The Swiss Army Romance, with two bonus tracks: "Hold On" and "This Is a Forgery." Dashboard will promote the re-release, due April 22, with 10 New York and Los Angeles shows beginning May 14 at S.O.B.'s in the Big Apple. ...

Zwan are planning a return to the studio in the fall to record some of Billy Corgan's acoustic songs for an album due early next year under the moniker Djali Zwan. The sessions will be documented for a DVD. ... Tommy Lee will play a kingpin on the April 4 episode of the Fox series "Fastlane." Supermodel Naomi Campbell will play a porn distributor in the same show. ...

"None more black" is how much darker an upcoming Danzig-led multi-band tour can get. The Blackest of the Black Tour, which also features Opeth, Superjoint Ritual, Behemoth, Nile and Lacuna Coil, has only two confirmed dates — May 2 in Phoenix and May 3 in Los Angeles — though additional shows are promised. When Danzig take the stage for their headlining slot, they'll be with a new bassist. Howie Pyro, (formerly of D Generation) has been replaced by Jerry Montano. ... CKY have canceled the 10 remaining dates of a headlining tour after guitarist Chad I Ginsburg broke his tailbone on Tuesday and was ordered to rest for four weeks. Ginsburg was about to sign autographs for fans when he slipped down stairs at the House of Blues in Chicago. ...

Joey Fatone is not the only Jive Records artist recording a comedy album: Weird Al Yankovic has signed with the label and will release the follow-up to 1999's Running With Scissors on May 20. Meanwhile, the singer of such classics as "Amish Paradise" and "It's All About the Pentiums" will appear on the April 6 episode of "The Simpsons." ... Ministry drummer Tia Sprocket has left the band and been replaced by Rey Washam, who played on the last three Ministry studio albums and the band's last two tours, but who originally didn't want to tour this year. Ministry's trek will begin March 28 in Tucson, Arizona, and will finish up May 25 in Somerset, Wisconsin. ...

The Birmingham, Alabama, city council has denied Widespread Panic a permit to perform two concerts there in May. Authorities arrested hundreds (mostly on drug charges) and one fan overdosed on ecstasy when the jam band performed near the city a year ago. ... Television producer Chuck Barris, whose 1982 memoir was made into the movie "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind," will fulfill his lifelong dream of releasing an album when Confessions of a Dangerous Singer is released on April 8. Barris, whose first success in entertainment was writing the 1962 Freddy Cannon hit "Palisades Park," recorded standards and his own songs for the album. ......

03.26.03

Karen of "Will & Grace" will have met her match when Madonna makes her small-screen debut as a guest star on an upcoming episode of the comedy, which she just shot in Los Angeles, according to an NBC spokesperson. Madonna's character, Liz, rocks Karen's world as her new roommate, who happily shares many of her eccentricities, including her taste in men. The high-maintenance Liz also shares many of Madonna's attributes — including her love of music — as she works as a manager of a CD distribution center which specializes in "Hits of the '80s"-type compilations. Madonna was joined on the set by her gal pal Sandra Bernhard. The episode, called "Dolls & Dolls," airs April 24 at 9 p.m. ...

In an attraction that has just been added to the WWE's Wrestlemania XIX on Sunday, Brooklyn, New York's Fabolous will square off against 240-pound Boston wrestler John Cena. Fab hasn't gone totally crazy — he won't be fighting in the ring. Instead, the platinum MC will be defending the honor of hip-hop. He accepted Cena's open challenge for a rap-off. ... Cam'ron and the Diplomats celebrated Big Willie style in their hometown of Harlem on Tuesday. Besides standing on parked cars and throwing out money to their fans on 125th Street, the trio signed autographs at the uptown HMV and held their album-release party at club Sessa. Keith Murray, Drag-On, Dame Dash, Noreaga and Cam's "Paid in Full" co-star Wood Harris were among those in attendance. ...  

Kelly Rowland and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers are the latest artists to cancel their European tours for fear of traveling while war is being waged in the Middle East. Rowland's spokesperson said the State Department suggested postponing her dates, while a statement on Petty's Web site says the decision was made after consultation with European promoters. ... Add Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong to the list of musicians who have recorded anti-war songs. The acoustic "Life During Wartime," which includes the lyric "A real war to fight against/ Instead of our petty disagreements/ How can I rationalize my life during wartime?," is available on www.greenday.com. ... Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore has launched www.protest-records.com, a site specifically designed to give away music protesting the U.S.-led military action in Iraq. To date, the site boasts tracks from the Beastie Boys and Cat Power, among others. ...

Good Charlotte's Benji Madden appears on "Jump Around," the first single from reggae punk band Morgan Heritage's Three in One, due April 29. Madden met the band, which features the five children of reggae singer Denroy Morgan, on last year's Warped Tour. Morgan Heritage are promoting their sixth album, which was produced by Bobby Digital (Beenie Man, Bounty Killer), with a headlining tour kicking off April 10 in Philadelphia. ... Pop newcomer Stacie Orrico will sing the Angels' 1963 #1 single "My Boyfriend's Back" on an upcoming episode of the NBC drama "American Dreams." Orrico's latest self-titled album, which includes the "TRL" hit "Stuck," was released Tuesday. ...

Zakk Wylde's Black Label Society will support their new album, The Blessed Hellride, due April 22, with a two-week trek beginning Friday in Sacramento. ... Oasis's Liam Gallagher, along with Paul Weller and Hope Sandoval, have contributed guest vocals to the third album from British electronic duo Death in Vegas. Titled Scorpio Rising, the album is due June 17 and features a cover of Gene Clark's "So You Say You Lost Your Baby." ... Third Eye Blind will launch a 20-date tour of small clubs April 7 in Toledo, Ohio. Shows will run through May 12 in State College, Pennsylvania. The band's new album, Out of the Vein, comes out May 13. ...

• Avril Lavigne
• Nick Carter
• Backstreet Boys
• The White Stripes
• Loretta Lynn

Zwan's Billy Corgan
Photo: Nate Lictman

MINNEAPOLIS — With war raging in Iraq, Zwan launched their first proper U.S. tour on Thursday before a sold-out crowd of 1,200 at the First Avenue club.

The 16-song, 110-minute set did its best to momentarily displace the war-ridden consciousness of the crowd with songs that celebrated life and music, not gloom and doom.

The events in Iraq, coupled with a large anti-war protest outside the Federal Building in downtown Minneapolis and a steady downpour of rain, made it difficult for the soaked crowd outside First Avenue to treat the concert like any other Thursday night show.

Once inside the venue, concertgoers seemed anxious to hear what Zwan frontman Billy Corgan had to say about the war, unaware they would have to wait until the first of two encores for a comment.

"It's kind of hard to play and pretend there's not a war going on," Corgan told the crowd. "The best you can do is hope that it goes quick and that no one gets hurt too much. I believe if you think good thoughts, good things will happen, so let's just think good thoughts from here on out. We do appreciate you coming out at this time. It's a weird time, but as good of a time as any to have some fun."

The mood of the crowd ranged from casual indifference to visible trepidation.

"I'm following the war every minute of every day," said John Gates, a fan from nearby Robbinsdale. "It was kind of hard to pull myself away from the TV to be here. It's world history as it's happening. Our troops are guarding our freedom while we get to go to a concert."

"I didn't have any second thoughts about coming tonight," said Amy Erickson, also of suburban Minneapolis. "I fully support our troops in Iraq, though."

When Zwan took the stage shortly before 8 p.m., the Chicago quintet were all business, delivering a set that was marked by colorful melodies and a pervasive sense of optimism as opposed to somber tunes and political finger pointing.

Ever confident in their ability to seize the attention of the crowd, Zwan opened with the slow-building melodies of the second half of the epic, 14-minute "Jesus, I/Mary Star of the Sea," from their debut, Mary Star of the Sea. Dressed in cargo pants and a multicolored rugby shirt, Corgan led the Zwan crew — guitarists Dave Pajo and Matt Sweeney, bassist Paz Lenchantin and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin — through the various time changes and scaling solos, all the while keeping a deadpan expression on his face.

The crowd, a mix of 30-somethings and teenagers, stood in attention throughout a majority of the set, gently bobbing their heads, knowing well that Corgan has long since shunned moshing.

Upbeat renditions of "Declarations of Faith" and "Lyric" followed without pause and had a greater sense of urgency and a more thumping energy compared to their recorded versions.

Zwan were careful in constructing their set list, offsetting the quiet, moody simplicity of songs like "Jesus, I" and a cover of the Beatles' "Don't Let Me Down" with the positive energy of songs like "Endless Summer" and "Ride a Black Swan."

Crowd favorite "Yeah!" was spotless, with Corgan chiming the trademark riff on his guitar as Lenchantin pumped her fist with the crowd, smiling at the strong reaction the song received.

The three-guitar act proved throughout its set that the contributions of each member have played a part in the band's success. Lenchantin displayed her accomplished violin skills on the somber "Of a Broken Heart" and on the non-album track "Friends as Lovers," while Pajo, whom Corgan called an "indie-rock legend," contributed piano and harmonica to the two low-key tunes.

The whirling melodicism of "Settle Down" closed the initial set with bouncing melodies that gripped the appreciative crowd. Another non-album cut, "A New Poetry," served as the first encore but seemed lost on a crowd that was itching to hear the song that would make the evening complete, the single "Honestly."

In performance, "Honestly" took on a more collaborative energy than its studio version, with Lenchantin offering up soft vocal accents as Corgan, Pajo and Sweeney molded a wall of fluctuating distortion around the steady drumming of Chamberlin.

Audience members, singing along and pumping their fists in approval, had attained what they sought out — momentary peace of mind in an otherwise scary and uncertain world.

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

• Zwan

Is there any rapper out there with enough street cred to share a stage with 50 Cent? Yes, in fact, there are two of them. Starting April 1 in Denver, 50 Cent will be joined by opening act the Clipse on the Get Rich or Die Tryin' tour. But before Malice and Pusha-T head out on the road with 50, they'll be shooting the video for their next single, "Hot Damn" (formerly titled "Cot Damn") with director Benny Boom. ...

Those who've been wondering what to call music nowadays will be relieved to know that the 12th installment of Now That's What I Call Music! hits stores March 25. The disc features singles by Jay-Z, B2K, Jennifer Lopez, LL Cool J, Nelly, Nas, Snoop Dogg, Justin Timberlake, Aaliyah, Vanessa Carlton, Chevelle and others. ...

Rob Zombie is previewing his line of "House of 1,000 Corpses" swimwear on his Web site, modeled by Zombie's very own living dead girl, Sheri Moon, his girlfriend and an actress in the film, due April 11. The ensemble consists of a black tank-style top with "1000 Corpses" written on it in blood red, and string bikini bottoms with a skull on the crotch. ... Staind have titled their upcoming third album 14 Shades of Grey. Due May 6, the follow-up to 2001's Break the Cycle was again produced by Josh Abraham (Limp Bizkit). ...

Madonna has revealed the track list for her new record, American Life, due April 22: "American Life," "Hollywood," "I'm So Stupid," "Love Profusion," "Nobody Knows Me," "Nothing Fails," "Intervention," "The Process," "Mother and Father," "Die Another Day" and "Easy Ride." ... When Ozzy warms up for this summer's Ozzfest trek with a couple of dates in the Great White North, he'll be taking along metal vets Voivod, who now feature ex-Metallica bassist Jason Newsted, with him. The eight-date outing takes off June 1 in Vancouver and runs through June 16 in Quebec City. Ozzfest 2003 begins July 28 in Selma, Texas. ...

Zwan have announced additional dates for their upcoming U.S. tour, which begins March 20 in Minneapolis. The trek has been extended to wrap up April 22 in San Francisco. ... Meanwhile, the band's Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin will perform at the fifth annual Waltz benefit for programs for homeless youth on March 8 at the Metro in their hometown of Chicago. Inspired by the Last Waltz farewell concert for the Band, the concert will also feature Local H's Scott Lucas, Mavis Staples, Ian Hunter, David Johansen, Graham Parker and Neko Case. ...

Sheryl Crow has teamed up with caffeine-peddlers Starbucks to put together the latest in the chain's compilation series titled Artist's Choice. The album comprises Crow's favorite tracks, including songs by the Pretenders, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, Ryan Adams, James Taylor, Bob Dylan and Elton John. The compilation, which will feature liner notes taken from an interview with Crow, will be available at select Starbucks locations beginning April 23. ...

Meshuggah and Pantera frontman Phil Anselmo's side project Superjoint Ritual have been added to this year's New England Metal and Hardcore Festival, which will rock the Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts, on May 16 and 17. Other additions include the Haunted, Suffocation and Lamb of God. ... Metal band Chimaira met with misfortune earlier this week when the Los Angeles studio where they were about to shoot the video for their upcoming single "Down Again" caught fire. The video was to feature the band playing inside a giant mass of gauze, but before shooting could begin, the gauze ignited and the flames quickly spread through the room, causing considerable damage to the home studio of director Paul Brown, who has previously worked with Coal Chamber. No one was injured, and firefighters were able to contain the conflagration before it spread to other rooms in the building. ...

03.05.03

Fabolous had the right to say "It's My Party" on Tuesday night. The rapper held a shindig at New York's club Metronome, where such luminaries as Ginuwine and DJ Clue were on hand, to celebrate the release of his new album, Street Dreams. ... Meanwhile, across town at posh club Lobby, Lil' Kim was having a fiesta for the release of her new LP, La Bella Mafia. Mobb Deep's Prodigy and Craig Mack were among those in attendance. ...

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band have added two more shows, on August 28 and 29, to their summer stint at New Jersey's Giants Stadium. This brings the total number of concerts at the venue to nine; the first show is on July 15. ...

Nelly is planning on buying into a Craftsman Truck team starting at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina on March 14, according to the Associated Press. The NASCAR truck will be rocking a new paint scheme and will feature Nelly's Vokal clothing label logo. ...

The X-ecutioners are set to release a new mixtape, titled Scratchology, on April 8. The New York turntable group's compilation will include tracks from Grandmaster Flash, Pete Rock, DJ Premier, DJ Q-Bert and others. ...

Who vocalist Roger Daltrey will be making a cameo on Anthrax's first album in half a decade. Daltrey is featured on a song called "Taking the Music Back." The album, entitled We've Come for You All, hits stores on May 6. ... Depeche Mode frontman Dave Gahan will embark on a North American tour on July 18 in support of his debut solo album, Paper Monsters, due June 3. More details on the trek are expected soon. The album's first single, "Dirty Sticky Floors," will surface in late May. ...

• 50 Cent
• Jennifer Lopez
• Justin Timberlake
• *NSYNC
• Zwan

Zwan
Photo: Jim Marshall

After selling more than 90,000 copies, Zwan's Mary Star of the Sea is also the star of the next Billboard 200 albums chart.

The 14-song album from former Smashing Pumpkins figurehead Billy Corgan's latest project makes the highest debut on the chart, landing at #3 behind the Dixie Chicks' Home and Norah Jones' Come Away With Me, which drops to #2 after three weeks at #1.

The second runner-up slot is familiar territory for Corgan, whose final album with the Pumpkins, Machina/the Machines of God, landed in that slot three years ago. However, the Pumpkins disc sold 165,000 copies in its first week, a 75,000-unit advantage over Mary Star of the Sea.

After 23 weeks on the chart, the Chicks' Home reclaims the top slot, with more then 103,000 copies sold, according to SoundScan figures released Wednesday (February 5). It narrowly beat out Jones' Come Away With Me, whose five Grammy nominations helped it sell another 100,000 copies last week.

While Kid Rock's Cocky maintains its #7 position for a second week, its weekly pull increased thanks to the crossover popularity of its fourth single, "Picture" (see "Kid Rock's Dead-In-The-Water Cocky Comes Back To Life"). Sales of Rock's 15-month-old album increased by nearly 20,000 copies last week to 75,000 units, bringing its total sales to more than 2.4 million.

A lip-synced medley of hits rendered at Super Bowl XXXVII helped Shania Twain's Up! sell 20,000 more copies than it did the week prior, with its 66,000-copy draw pushing it from #12 to #8. After 11 weeks in stores, the country-pop singer's fourth album has sold more than 3.2 million copies.

Rounding out the top 10 are Avril Lavigne's Let Go dropping a spot to #4 (80,000); Jennifer Lopez's This Is Me ... Then staying put at #5 for a third week (79,000); the soundtrack to "Chicago" slipping four to #6 (78,000); Missy Elliott's Under Construction losing a step to #9 (61,000); and the "8 Mile" soundtrack descending four notches to #10 (54,000).

Grammy nominees and performers John Mayer and Coldplay are maintaining the upward trajectory they've been riding since the nominations were announced last month. Mayer's Room for Squares slips one spot to #18 (42,000) but sold 7,000 more copies than the previous week. Coldplay's A Rush of Blood to the Head, meanwhile, jumps five spots to #20 after a more than 9,000-copy increase.

Tyrese's I Wanna Go There takes a 10-spot leap to #23, thanks to the mounting popularity of the single "How You Gonna Act Like That." The sexy singer's third LP sold roughly 8,000 more copies than it did the previous week for a total of 240,000.

The net worth of 50 Cent's mixtape Guess Who's Back? continues to accumulate, as it jumps from #43 to #28 on a 10,000-copy surge. Pop fans just can't seem to hear enough of "All the Things She Said," T.A.T.U.'s latest single — the teen duo's debut jumps 20 places to #33.

The biggest gainer in the top 40 is Jamaican dancehall singer Sean Paul. His second U.S. album, Dutty Rock, vaults 52 spots to #39 after selling 12,000 more copies than the previous week thanks to the single "Get Busy."

Christian singer Steven Curtis Chapman sold a whopping 51,000 copies of his latest LP, All About Love, to debut at #12. Other notable new entries include the compilation Absolute Body and Soul, featuring Alicia Keys, D'Angelo and Usher, at #73; Other People's Songs, a covers album by '80s synth-pop duo Erasure at #138; More Music From 'Coyote Ugly,' the 2000 flick's second soundtrack, which includes Blondie, Billy Idol and Fastball, at #144.

• Zwan
• Dixie Chicks
• Kid Rock
• Avril Lavigne
• Jennifer Lopez

Zwan's Billy Corgan
Photo: Warner Bros.

Zwan will take their three-guitar attack on the road with a U.S. theater tour set to begin on March 20 at Minneapolis' First Avenue, running through an April 8 show in Orlando, Florida. The tour is currently slated to run through late April, with more dates to be announced soon, according to a spokesperson for the band.

Prior to the North American dates, Zwan, whose debut album, Mary Star of the Sea, will debut at #3 on next week's Billboard albums chart, head overseas, swinging through Japan and winding up at the Liquid Room in Tokyo on Thursday. A seven-date European tour will follow, kicking off on February 9 at La Cigale in Paris and lasting through a February 23 show at La Riviera in Madrid.

Zwan tour dates, according to their label spokesperson:

• 3/20 - Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
• 3/21 - Milwaukee, WI @ Rave Ballroom
• 3/22 - St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
• 3/24 - Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theatre
• 3/25 - Toronto, ON @ Kool Haus
• 3/27 - TBA
• 3/28 - New York, NY - Hammerstein Ballroom
• 3/29 - Baltimore, MD @ Towson State University
• 3/31 - Normal, IL @ Illinois State University
• 4/1 - TBA
• 4/2 - Chicago, IL @ Northwestern University
• 4/4 - Buffalo, NY @ University of Buffalo
• 4/5 - Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory
• 4/7 - Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle
• 4/8 - Orlando, FL @ Hard Rock Live

• Zwan

Although the Smashing Pumpkins packed it in a few years ago, that was far from frontman Billy Corgan's swan song. It did, however, make way for his Zwan songs. With the help of fellow rockers Dave Pajo (Slint, Tortoise), Matt Sweeney (Chavez, Skunk), Paz Lenchantin (A Perfect Circle) and Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlain, Mary Star of the Sea was born. (Check out Zwan's music at MTV.com First Listen.)

You'll be more mixed up than Kay Slay after the rest of this week's new releases shout-outs. The batch features one compilation after the next, starting with Erasure's '80s-infused interpretation of Other People's Songs. Can you say "Can't Help Falling in Love" by Elvis Presley, "Everyday" by Buddy Holly, and "Video Killed the Radio Star" by the Buggles? Andy Bell can.

Next up is Lou Reed's dark mixed set, The Raven, which was inspired by the writings of horror master Edgar Allen Poe. David Bowie and Steve Buscemi are among the stars who contribute their voices to the album, which is filled with a seamless blending of Poe's poems and stories with Reed's, and also includes a new version of "Perfect Day."

Dirty Vegas' Night at the Tables features the group's own music, plus songs by the likes of dance and trance well-knowns Frankie Knuckles, Kylie Minogue and Underworld, while N.V.A. Straight From the Crates Vol. 1 houses new tracks by Mos Def, Black Moon, the Pharcyde and Jurassic 5. Finally, Papa Roach and N.E.R.D. team up for the "Biker Boyz" soundtrack, which also includes cuts from Jadakiss featuring Ron Isley, Redman featuring E3, and Metallica, Ja Rule and Swizz Beatz.

Now let's get the rest of these albums in the mix.

Out Tuesday, January 28:

• 4 Way Street - 4 Way Street (Sliced Bread)
• A Static Lullaby - Don't Forget to Breathe (Ferret)
• Acousticsol - Acousticsol (Pure and Simple)
• Apocalypse Theater - Lost in America (Underground Inc)
• Backdraft - Here to Save You All (Abstract)
• A Band of Bees - Sunshine Hit Me (Wall of Sound/Astralwerks)
• Blackstreet - No Diggity: The Very Best of Blackstreet (Interscope)
• Boils - Ripping Waters (EP, Thorp)
• Brainstorm - Funky Entertainment (Capitol)
• Butthole Surfers - Butthole Surfers/Live Pcppep (Latino Bugger Veil)
• Claude Challe - Near Eastern Lounge from the R.E.G. Project (Virgin)
• Steven Curtis Chapman - All About Love (EMD)
• Richard Clayderman & Rahul Sharma - The Confluence (Narada)
• Click - Gently Unraveling (Fowl)
• Colorform - Send Forth Your Soul (Synchronic)
• Contempt - Secret Around Us (World War III)
• Ry Cooder & Manuel Galban - Mambo Sinuendo (Nonesuch/Perro Verde)
• Chris Cutler - Solo (ReR)
• Stefano Di Battista - Round About Roma (Blue Note)
• Kasse-Mady Diabate - Kassi Kasse: Music From the Heart (Narada World)
• Dirty Vegas - Night at the Tables (Ultra)
  Buy Now: Night at the Tables (Ultra)
• Dogwood - Seismic (Tooth & Nail)
• Erasure - Other People's Songs (Mute)
• Eternal Gray - Kindless (The End)
• Stephen Fearing - That's How I Walk (Shawn Colvin guests) (Philo/Rounder)
• Furthermore - She and I (Tooth & Nail)
• G-Wiz - Just Like You (Orpheus)
• Grave - Back From the Grave (Century Music)
• Benny Green and Russell Malone - Jazz at the Bistro (Telarc Jazz)
• Fred Hersch - Live at the Village Vanguard (Palmetto)
• Randy Howard - I Rest My Case (Sugar Hill)
• Human League - Dare/Love & Dancing (Caroline)
• Human League - Reproduction (Caroline)
• Human League - Travelogue (Caroline)
• K-OS - Exit (Astralwerks)
• Kid Brother Collective - Highway Miles (One Day Savior)
• Kill Pill - Outside These City Walls (Uprising)
• Sonny Landreth - The Road We're On (Sugar Hill)
• Adrian Legg - Guitar Bones (Favored Nations Acoustic)
• Loose Fur - Loose Fur (Drag City)
• Jesse Malin - The Fine Art of Self-Destruction (Artemis)
• Midtown, Recover, and Blue Medic - New Old Rare (Fueled by Ramen)
• The Monkees - Live Summer Tour (King Biscuit)
• Mul-Ty - Made 4 Love (Universal)
• David Murray Latin Big Band - Now Is Another Time (Justin Time)
• Mutiny UK - In the Now (System)
• Bob Neuwirth - Bob Neuwirth (Water)
• Aaron Neville - Believe (EMI Gospel)
• Nightingale - Alive Again (The End)
• Nightmares on Wax - Carboot Soul (Warp)
• Oingo Boingo - Boi-ngo (MCA)
• Old Friends Quartet - Feelin' Fine (EMD)
• Original Fierce - Fierce Factor (American)
• Pigface - Easy Listening (Underground Inc)
• Poww Brothers - Faithful (Orpheus)
• Pressure - Anthem (EP, Uprising)
• Pretty Girls Make Graves - Pretty Girls Make Graves (EP, Dim Mak)
• Project Rocket - New Years Revolution (Uprising)
• Flora Purim - Speak No Evil (Narada Jazz)
• Raunchy - Velvet Noise (Nuclear Blast)
• Lou Reed - The Raven (Sire/Reprise)
  Read: "Lou Reed's Obsession With Edgar Allan Poe Spawns The Raven"
• Rock Kills Kids - Rock Kills Kids (Fearless)
• Rondellus - Sabbatum (medieval tribute to Black Sabbath, The Music Cartel)
• Scene Creamers - I Suck on That Emotion (Drag City)
• ScoLoHoFo - Oh! (Blue Note)
• Mark Selby - Dirt (Vanguard)
• Virgil Shaw - Still Falling (Future Farmer)
• The Snowdogs - Deep Cuts, Fast Remedies (Victory)
• Somehow Hollow - Busted Wings and Rusted Halos (Victory)
• Souls of Mischief - Spark (Chocolate Industries)
• Stakker - Eurotechno (Rephlex)
• Steel Train - For You My Dear (EP, MCA)
• Storm - Unpredictable Amalgamation (Orpheus)
• Summer at Shatter Creek - Summer at Shatter Creek (Absolutely Kosher)
• Sweet Honey in the Rock - The Women Gather (EarthBeat!)
• Swimmingpool - Anything That Doesn't Move (Combination)
• Teena Marie - Irons in the Fire (MCA)
• Danny Tenaglia - Choice (Ultra)
• Underwater - Bleed Me Blue (Tribunal)
• Cheryl Wheeler - Different Stripe (Philo/Rounder)
• Zwan - Mary Star of the Sea (Reprise)
  Read: "Billy Corgan In Search Of Personal 'Jesus' On Zwan Debut"
  Buy Now: Mary Star of the Sea (Reprise)
• Various artists - Absolute Body and Soul (Time Life)
• Various artists - Astro Bar (Water Music)
• Various artists - Back to the Future 80s (Topaz)
• Various artists - Bare Essentials, Vol. 2 (Naked/Astralwerks)
• Various artists – "Biker Boyz" soundtrack (DreamWorks)
  Read: "Papa Roach, Neptunes Team Up For 'Biker Boyz' Soundtrack"
• Various artists - Bodega Lounge (Ark 21)
• Various artists - Electricity - An Electropop Sampler Volume Two (Ninthwave)
• Various artists – "The Guru" soundtrack (Universal)
• Various artists - High Times Presents: Rip This Joint (Uni/Win)
• Various artists - Hit the Breaks (Radikal)
• Various artists – "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" soundtrack (Virgin)
• Various artists - "Les Miserables" highlights (Decca)
• Various artists - Mixdown (ForeFront)
• Various artists - More Music from "Coyote Ugly" (Curb)
• Various artists – "Movern Callar" soundtrack (Warp)
• Various artists – N.V.A: Straight from the Crates Vol. 1 (Avatar)
• Various artists – "Pulse: A Stomp Odyssey" soundtrack (Six Degrees)
• Various artists - Pure 80s Love: The #1 Hits (Universal)
• Various artists – "The Recruit" soundtrack (Varese Sarabande)
• Various artists - Sourcelabs (Source)
• Various artists – "Two Weeks Notice" soundtrack (Varese Sarabande)
• DVD D.I.Y. or Die: How to Survive as an Independent Artist (Music Video Distributors)
• DVD Manu Chao - Babylonia en Guagua (Virgin)
• DVD Natalie Cole - Ask a Woman Who Knows (Hip-O)
• DVD Midge Ure - Rewind: The Greatest Hits Tour (Eagle Eye/Pioneer)

February 4:

• Jars of Clay - Furthermore: From the Studio to the Stage (BMG)
• Pet Shop Boys - Disco 3 (EP, Sanctuary)
• Various artists - "Daredevil" soundtrack (Wind-Up)

• Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Nocturama (Epitaph)
• Massive Attack - 100th Window (Virgin)
• John Mayer - Any Given Thursday (Sony)
• Various artists - We're a Happy Family: A Tribute to the Ramones (Sony)

• R. Kelly - Chocolate Factory (Jive)

• Third Eye Blind - Crystal Baller (Elektra)

• Zwan
• Lou Reed
• Dirty Vegas
• Blackstreet
• Erasure

Photos of Zwan live at The Museum of Science and Industry

• Zwan