It looks like Valentine's Day might come a week (or so) early for Fall Out Boy fans, in the form of a brand-new album. According to a spokesperson for the band's management, FOB's follow-up to From Under the Cork Tree is tentatively scheduled to hit stores on February 6. There's still no title or track list for the new disc, but earlier this month, bassist/mouthpiece Pete Wentz told MTV News that roughly a dozen songs will make the final cut, and that the album will feature guest appearances from Panic! at the Disco guitarist Ryan Ross, New Found Glory guitarist Chad Gilbert and "a couple" of the band's friends from the hip-hop world. ...

The Saturday concert Mariah Carey was planning to stage in Hong Kong has been scrapped due to poor ticket sales and what promoters called Carey's "unreasonable demands," according to The Associated Press. The show was set to be held outdoors near the city's financial district, but promoters said only 4,000 tickets had been sold. ... Ciara celebrated her 21st birthday at Manhattan, New York's Club Marquee Wednesday night -- and gave more than she received. The singer/dancer offered a treat to the crowd when she gave an advance screening of her new video "Promise" to a room full of celebs, including Busta Rhymes, LeToya Luckett and DJ Clue. The sexy clip, the first from her forthcoming album Ciara: The Evolution, features the singer flaunting her "Goodies" a bit more than in the past. Directed by Diane Martel (Ashlee Simpson, John Legend), the video is set to debut on MTV Friday. ...

Lollapalooza is digging its heels into Chicago's Grant Park. The festival will return to the outdoor venue August 3-5 in 2007, according to a post on the Lolla Web site, and remain there until at least 2011. ... A new HBO series hosted by Eurythmics co-founder Dave Stewart will set sail with its first episode, "Bono and the Edge: Off The Record," November 24. The series, co-executive produced by Interscope Geffen A&M Chairman Jimmy Iovine, will spotlight musicians explaining the story behind their songs. Its regular run will begin in January. ... My Chemical Romance are the first act confirmed for the next Bamboozle festival, set for May 5-6 at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Tickets go on sale November 24, and the next major artist announcement is expected November 22. Last year's installment of the annual festival included performances by Fall Out Boy, Thursday, Taking Back Sunday and AFI. ... Expect to see Tenacious D and Snow Patrol performing at the American Music Awards, which will be broadcast November 21 at 8 p.m. on ABC. ...

The forthcoming "Tony Hawk's Project 8" video game, which hits stores next month, will feature a track from Plus-44 called "Lycanthrope." But fans of the Blink-182 offshoot may be more excited to learn that they'll be able to navigate the game's skate parks as drummer Travis Barker. ... Lance Bass' boyfriend, Reichen Lehmkuhl, says he and the former 'NSYNC singer have been facing threats spurred by his new memoir about being gay in the military, "Here's What We'll Say: Growing Up, Coming Out, and the U.S. Air Force Academy." "We have to be very protective," former Air Force captain and "Amazing Race" winner Lehmkuhl, 32, told "Inside Edition." "I am not going to hide. ...There are threats that come in from people who do not want me to be so public and expose what is going on in the military." ...

Part of former "American Bandstand" host Dick Clark's massive rock-memorabilia collection will be auctioned off December 5 and 6 in New York, Reuters reports. Items up for sale will include the microphone Clark, 76, used for 31 years while hosting the show along with one of Paul McCartney's four Hofner left-handed basses, one of Bruce Springsteen's guitars, a beaded glove worn by Michael Jackson and a bustier with black tassels worn by Madonna on her first tour. Part of the profits of the auction will go to the T.J. Martell Foundation, which raises funds to battle cancer, leukemia and AIDS. ...

The Who's Pete Townshend bailed on Howard Stern Wednesday morning. The rocker was scheduled to appear on Stern's Sirius Satellite Radio show -- which can be heard free today at Sirius' Web site, promoting the company's new Sirius Internet Radio service -- with bandmate Roger Daltrey. The two musicians were inside a studio in London, and the interview was to be conducted via satellite feed. Townshend split after hearing Stern and the gang discussing what topics they'd like to address with the guitarist -- including his sexuality and the child-pornography allegations he faced in 2003 -- leaving Daltrey behind. ... From First to Last frontman Sonny Moore, who underwent surgery this summer to remove a nodule from his vocal cords, went back under the knife recently for a second procedure to "smooth out" his pipes. Doctors have advised the singer to rest his voice, but the band will finish out the remainder of the World Champions Tour with Atreyu, Every Time I Die and Chiodos; the trek runs through November 19 in Las Vegas. Chiodos mainman Craig Owens will be replacing Moore on vocals, while Moore will play guitar for the band's entire set. From First to Last are planning to write material this winter for their forthcoming major-label debut, which should see a summer 2007 release. ...

Five years after '80s new-wave icons Duran Duran reunited, the group is splintering again. Guitarist Andy Taylor quit the band during the U.S. leg of their world tour after his relationship with the group became "unworkable," according to a message posted on the band's site. A session guitarist will replace Taylor on the tour. ... Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon will screen her road movie, "Perfect Partner," Friday and Saturday at Montclair State University in Montclair, New Jersey. Gordon, who collaborated with filmmakers Phil Morrison ("Junebug") and Tony Oursler on the film -- which stars Michael Pitt ("Last Days") -- will join husband/bandmate Thurston Moore plus Jim O'Rourke, Ikue Mori and Tim Barnes to perform the soundtrack live. The event kicks off at 7:30 p.m. each night, and tickets are $35. Check out PeakPerfs.org for further details.

10.25.2006

It really is a boy! But he doesn't share Sean Preston's initials after all. According to the birth certificate filed at the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder's office and posted on the "Access Hollywood" Web site, the son born September 12 to Britney Spears and Kevin Federline is named Jayden James Federline. A source close to the family revealed last month that the baby was a boy named Sutton Pierce, but Spears has not yet commented on her second child's name or gender. ...

So so gone. Jermaine Dupri confirmed Wednesday (October 25) that he has voluntarily resigned as president of Urban Music at Virgin Records. The producer and So So Def CEO reportedly blamed Virgin for poor promotional efforts of his girlfriend Janet Jackson's latest album, 20 Y.O. The set was executive produced by Dupri, and Jackson graced the cover of several magazines, however, sales for the album have fallen below expectations following the singer's last underwhelming album, Damita Jo. In a statement released Wednesday morning, Dupri clarified he was in fact leaving his post on his own accord. "Since there are so many rumors running rampant about my position at Virgin Records, I feel that it is necessary to set the record straight," he said. "I was not forced out of the company, I made a decision that it was in my best interest to leave." JD was not available at press time to discuss his future plans. ...

Who says MySpace is just for wasting time? The Game recently typed in the name of his long-lost sister -- who he hasn't seen since he was a child -- in a MySpace search and was reunited with her, according to a press release from the Web site. ... Jay-Z, Nelly and Usher might have to make room for the Fresh Prince. Will Smith is the latest artist bidding on an NBA franchise, as part of an investment group that includes Hall of Fame player Julius "Dr. J." Erving. The actor/rapper is vying to purchase his hometown team, the Philadelphia 76ers, The Philadelphia Inquirer reports. Smith's group is among several that have placed bids, with the winning price tag expected to exceed $400 million, sources close to the negotiations told the paper. If Smith's group is successful, he'll join the aforementioned artists, who have stakes in the New Jersey Nets, Charlotte Bobcats and Cleveland Cavaliers, respectively. ...

Black Sabbath fans might be seeing double in the coming year, with the band's original lineup and one of its subsequent configurations planning to hit the road. Guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler, drummer Bill Ward and onetime Sabbath singer Ronnie James Dio are on the verge of reuniting as Heaven and Hell -- the title of one of the two albums Dio sang on -- according to a press release put out Wednesday by publicity firm Rogers & Cowan. "If all goes well, Heaven and Hell should be hitting the road in early 2007," the statement read. Shortly after that announcement was issued, Ozzy Osbourne's camp released a statement saying, "Tony Iommi and Ronnie Dio are working on a project together which has nothing to do with Black Sabbath. There is only one Black Sabbath. Ozzy, Tony, Geezer and Bill will be touring late next year along with a new Black Sabbath album. However, Ozzy wishes Tony and Ronnie much success in their project together." ...

The King has been dethroned. Late Nirvana singer Kurt Cobain has edged out Elvis Presley on Forbes.com's list of top-earning dead celebrities. Between October 2005 and October 2006, Cobain earned $50 million to Elvis' $42 million, putting the grunge icon at the top in his very first year on the list and ending Presley's five-year reign. ... Someone may have finally out-weirded Michael Jackson. A London woman, Nona Paris Lola Jackson, filed court papers in Los Angeles last week claiming she is the real mother of Michael Jackson's three children, according to KNBC-TV in Los Angeles. The woman, who signed the papers "dudu," is asking to have a say in the child custody settlement recently reached between the pop star and ex-wife Deborah Rowe. The woman claims that Jackson's ex-wives Rowe and Lisa Marie Presley never had sex with the singer, and also said she's written more than 3,000 songs for Jackson. A hearing on her motion is set for November 29 in Los Angeles. Rowe is believed to be the mother of Jackson's oldest children, Prince Michael Joseph Jackson Jr., born in 1997, and daughter, Paris Michael Katherine Jackson, born in 1998. Jackson has a third child, Blanket (a.k.a. Prince Michael II), whose mother is not known. ...

Sebadoh, John Vanderslice, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists and Jolie Holland are the first acts announced to perform at 2007's Noise Pop festival. The 15th installment of the San Francisco indie gala is scheduled for February 27-March 4. ... "I Trust You to Kill Me," a documentary following Kiefer Sutherland as he works as a road manager for Rocco DeLuca & the Burden, will make its TV debut November 11 on VH1. The movie opened in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco last month. ... On February 6, Bloc Party will -- finally -- release their second album, A Weekend in the City. The record, which an ebullient press release describes as a semi-concept album about "daily life in a modern city," was produced by Snow Patrol knob-twiddler Jacknife Lee and recorded in Dublin, Ireland. Weekend features 11 songs, including "Hunting for Witches" (which BP premiered on their recent North American jaunt), "The Prayer," "When Is Home?" and "SRXT." ...

Jibbs is shooting the video for "King Kong," the second single from his debut album, Jibbs Feat. Jibbs, in Los Angeles on Wednesday (October 25) and Thursday. Jibbs will head out on the Scream Tour 5 with Yung Joc, Omarion and Ne-Yo beginning November 22 in Miami. Jibbs also recently became the second artist ever to go sell a million ringtones (for "Chain Hang Low") before releasing a debut LP. ... Heather Mills McCartney, who is in the middle of a bitter divorce battle with ex-Beatle Paul McCartney, plans to sue England's Daily Mail and Evening Standard newspapers over comments her lawyers have deemed "false, damaging and immensely upsetting," according to a Reuters report. The move comes after legal documents -- apparently prepared by Mills McCartney's lawyers -- were leaked last week, containing allegations that Paul McCartney mistreated his wife during their four-year marriage. Legal action is also expected against the Sun, a British tabloid newspaper. ...

Jon Lech Johansen, a renowned hacker known as "DVD Jon" for his success in cracking the copy-protection codes on DVDs, claims to have hacked the iPod and iTunes music-store code and plans to license his code to others for a fee, according to The Associated Press. The 22-year-old native of Norway reverse-engineered iTunes so that songs purchased from it can be played on other, non-iPod portable devices, and figured out how to play songs from other online music stores on iPods, which use a proprietary form of copy protection. ... Tommy Johnson, the tuba player who scared a generation of movie fans with his ominous opening notes to the "Jaws" theme, died in Los Angeles on October 16 of complications from cancer and kidney failure, according to the Los Angeles Times. He was 71. The veteran player performed on thousands of movie scores over a 50-year career, including "The Godfather," "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," the "Indiana Jones" trilogy, the "Star Trek" movie series, "The Lion King," "Titanic" and "The Thin Red Line."