A trademark-infringement suit proceeded against Britney Spears on Thursday (September 9) in a San Diego court, where athletic-clothing company Lite Breeze expanded its lawsuit over the use of the phrase "In the Zone." The company claims Spears' use of its slogan as the title of her last album is causing marketplace confusion, and Lite Breeze filed a motion to add Britney's clothing company, Britney Brands, as a co-defendant. Lite Breeze attorney Kathleen Walker said she anticipates the trial will start next year...

Britney's mom, meanwhile, is coming to her defense regarding the singer's recent no-shows at her performing-arts camp and the Video Music Awards. Lynne Spears wrote on the singer's Web site that her daughter was "devastated" that she couldn't make it to the camp because of her doctor's orders, which is why she tried to watch it on a satellite feed. "After 15 minutes into the show, the connection was lost," Spears wrote. "The camp promised to send Britney a tape of the entire performance so she could watch it. We were able to get the connection back up during the dance later that night, and Britney was able to talk to all the campers for a little bit." The singer's mother also made light of all the rumors about her daughter's impending wedding to Kevin Federline, saying that, "if you believe the press, Britney and Kevin have been scheduled to be married every weekend since they got engaged. It all really makes me laugh." ...

In yet more Britney news, a commercial for her Curious perfume -- starring the singer in a steamy hotel situation -- is slated to debut September 17 on her newly launched Elizabeth Arden Web site. Even steamier, Spears has designed a corset called A Man's Dream for an upcoming lingerie auction hosted by Frederick's of Hollywood to benefit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. Susan Sarandon is hosting the event, which takes place in Los Angeles on October 20. Fans wanting to bid on corsets designed by celebs -- including Spears, Sarandon, Geena Davis and Edie Falco -- can also bid online at www.fredericks.com. ...

Gwen Stefani's solo record, still untitled, now has a release date. According to No Doubt's Web site, her debut is due November 23. ... Lance Bass is appearing in the movie he produced after all. "Lovewrecked," starring Amanda Bynes, just finished principal photography and will feature the 'NSYNC singer in a cameo role as "Dan," a cell-phone-toting assistant to the manager and publicist for the rock star marooned on a tropical beach with Bynes' character. Bass shot his scenes in the Dominican Republic. ... There's nothing lamer than having your favorite CD labeled with a black Sharpie (except perhaps paying $17.98 for it), so Green Day are giving their fans a solution. For $7.99, they'll sell you a five-pack of blank CD-Rs emblazoned with the color artwork from each of the band's four albums, plus one disk that features a rare band photo. ...

R. Kelly is heading a benefit concert for the Congressional Black Caucus on Friday in Washington, D.C. The concert, part of the Annual Legislative Conference, hopes to raise money for scholarships. "I'm privileged and honored to be invited to help such a distinguished group raise money for such a worthy cause," Kelly said in a statement Thursday. "I can't think of anything more important to support than education." ... As if marrying Dave Navarro weren't enough, Carmen Electra is hunting down the most delectable guys in America. She's hosting Bravo's upcoming reality competition "Manhunt: The Search for America's Most Gorgeous Male Model." The show is slated to last eight episodes, starting October 12, and will involve 15 men competing for a one-year contract with the IMG modeling agency. ...

Velvet Revolver's Scott Weiland and Duff McKagan are getting into the restaurant biz. They're joining forces with Fuel frontman Brett Scallions to open Snitch, a New York club and restaurant that'll cater to both insomniacs and rockers alike by remaining open 24 hours on the weekends. ... "No Quarter: Unledded" -- a concert film chronicling the 1994 reunion of Jimmy Page and Robert Plant -- is finally being released on DVD. The repackaged album of the same name will also be available on CD; both are due October 26. The film originally premiered on MTV and features the pair performing 17 tracks, such as "Kashmir" and "When the Levee Breaks," in a variety of locations including Marrakech, Morocco and London. The DVD will also include the extra track "Black Dog," filmed at the American Music Awards, and the bonus video "Most High," a 13-minute interview with Page and Plant. ...

PJ Harvey is hitting the road this fall for a nationwide tour to promote her latest album, Uh Huh Her. Harvey had previously hit the West Coast in August and is this time concentrating on other regions of the U.S., starting October 1 in Minneapolis and closing out in Detroit on October 14. ... On November 2, Capitol Records will release Acoustic, an album of acoustic recordings by John Lennon. Songs on the disc include a live version of "Imagine" as well as versions of "Dear Yoko" and "Love." Of the 17 tracks on the record, seven are being released commercially for the first time. ... The lineup for the 18th annual Bridge School Benefit has been announced. Paul McCartney, Sonic Youth and Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals are among the musicians joining event founder Neil Young on October 23 and 24 at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California. The Bridge School teaches children with severe speech and physical impairments. ...

9.08.2004

The new album from Destiny's Child is going to be called Destiny Fulfilled and will hit stores November 16. The first single, "Lose My Breath," is being sent to radio this week. Meanwhile, Beyoncé and her mom/stylist, Tina Knowles, have announced the name of their clothing line, due in the fall of 2005. The House of Dereon is named after Beyoncé's grandmother, who worked as a seamstress and started Tina's lessons in fashion. "To me, this is the greatest way to enter into the fashion world," Beyoncé said in a statement Wednesday. "Inspired by my grandmother, working with my mother, and pursuing a dream we all had for many years, establishing an important fashion company." ...

One of Jennifer Lopez's prized possessions has become a casualty of Hurricane Frances. A 28-foot Regal boat J. Lo had docked outside her Miami Beach mansion was shown little mercy by the devastating storm. A salvaging crew was called in on Labor Day to dispose of the shredded yacht. The boat was not the same one J. Lo used to arrive at the MTV Video Music Awards. ... Genocide in Sudan, a benefit CD featuring songs from System of a Down, Jill Scott, Jurassic 5, Yoko Ono and Danger Mouse, hits stores November 23. All profits will go to the United Nations Refugee Agency and UNICEF to help build awareness of the humanitarian crisis in Sudan. ...

Court documents released Tuesday reveal some of the evidence that will be admitted and other evidence that will likely be suppressed in the Michael Jackson child-molestation trial. In the documents, originally filed August 20, many of the items taken during the Neverland Ranch raid and tentatively admitted into evidence -- previously only identified by number -- are briefly described, such as a dozen computers, a camera, videotape recordings, a tissue, books, bags, various paperwork, an audio cassette recorder, a cassette titled "Earth Song 6-8-89," keys to the master bedroom, an envelope, print ads, a letter, and a case with phone-recording equipment. As for items that are likely to be suppressed, police also confiscated photographs from the Neverland arcade, additional photos found in a safe, a book on robotic dogs, a November 2003 calendar, a Garden City Hotel bag, medicine bottles, a medical log and daily entry logs for the ranch. The next hearing in the case is scheduled to start September 16. ...

A posthumous release from Elliott Smith is about to hit shelves this fall. The DVD "Elliott Smith - Olympia, Washington" features the late musician's solo set on the closing night of the five-day Yoyo A Go Go festival in 1999, including such songs as "Independence Day," "Stupidity Tries," "Easy Way Out," and "See You Later." It's due on November 30 ... Influential post-punk outfit Wire are releasing a DVD/CD set that showcases the only known recording of one of their '70s performances, taken from their oft-bootlegged hour-long studio concert slot on the German rock music show "Rockpalast" on February 14, 1979. "Wire on the Box," due October 26, includes songs such as "Pink Flag," "Former Airline" and "A Touching Display," as well as a 20-minute interview with the band. ... Former Dismemberment Plan singer Travis Morrison will release his debut solo record, The Republic of Travistan, September 28 on Barsuk Records. In anticipation of the album, Morrison has been playing solo shows featuring dismembered (er, Morrison-reworked) covers of Ludacris, Mary J. Blige and Death Cab for Cutie as well as show tunes and spirituals. Band shows in support of the new album begin Saturday in Arlington, Virginia. ...