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For The Record: Quick News On Justin Timberlake, Avril Lavigne, Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson, Eminem & More

Timberlake announces tour dates, blasts tabloids; Lavigne learns from Spears; Simpson visits orphanage in Mexico.

Justin Timberlake is extending his North American FutureSex/LoveShow with a second leg. The 15 additional dates begin with an August 6 performance at FedExForum in his Memphis hometown and end with a September 16 gig at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Here are the venues he'll play in between: the Gwinnett Center in Atlanta (August 7); TD Banknorth Garden in Boston (August 10); Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey (August 13); Madison Square Garden in New York (August 15); Bell Centre in Montreal (August 18); Air Canada Centre in Toronto (August 20); MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba (August 25); Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas (September 1); GM Place in Vancouver, British Columbia (September 5); Rose Quarter in Portland, Oregon (September 7); Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington (September 8); ARCO Arena in Sacramento, California (September 10); and HP Pavilion in San Jose, California (September 12). ...

In other JT news, he doesn't have much to say about ex-girlfriend Britney Spears these days, but he does have an opinion about the gossip magazines that keep a close watch on her -- and on him and ex Cameron Diaz. "I despise what they do," Timberlake said in the April issue of Details, on newsstands Tuesday (March 27). "They create soap operas out of people's lives. [Britney and I] had our thing and it's over." ...

Avril Lavigne and Spears may not be linked in the tabloids, but they do have a connection -- fans who enjoy Lavigne's live show can thank Britney for her influence. "My mom made me go to a Britney Spears concert when I was young," the singer said in an interview published in the April issue of Jane (on newsstands Tuesday). "I was like, 'No, I don't want to!' She was like, 'You're going to be a performer, you need to see other people!' " ... Jessica Simpson visited a Mexican orphanage in Nuevo Laredo on Tuesday, showing up to a throng of cheering children, according to The Associated Press. The singer/actress, who was accompanied by her mother, donated a new 2007 Chrysler minivan to the orphanage. She stayed there for about 40 minutes, having her photo taken and signing autographs. ...

Jessica Smith, a former "Laguna Beach" castmember, has been arrested for investigation of felony driving under the influence of alcohol following a late-night freeway crash Monday, AP reports. The 19-year-old crashed into another car, the driver of which sustained minor injuries. A passenger traveling with Smith also suffered minor injuries. The actress, who has remained in custody in lieu of $100,000 bail, is scheduled for arraignment Wednesday. ...

Just a day after Eminem and ex-wife Kim Mathers agreed in court to stop criticizing each other in public for the sake of their daughter, Kim was interviewed on New York radio station Hot 97 Tuesday morning and spoke about Em, including his recent legal action to stop her from speaking about their relationship. "How many songs has he done about me?" Kim -- who has served as subject matter for tracks including "Cleaning Out My Closet" and "Mockingbird" -- asked radio host Miss Jones. "How many interviews has he done where he's talking about freedom of speech? ... I do a couple of interviews and he's crying like a little girl." Kim accused Em of being "disconnected from reality," revealed that she has no contact with him despite only living a mile away -- and shot down any chance that the twice-divorced couple would eventually find their way back to each other. "We don't work good together," she said. "It's not good for the kids." ...

On Monday nights, West Hollywood, California's Keyclub is home to cover band Metal Skool, and they bring '80s classics, big hair and tight spandex. So the last thing you'd expect to see there is one of today's big-name guitarists taking the stage -- behind a drum kit. Earlier this week, those who paid the $20 admission got much more than they bargained for when Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello took a seat at the kit, joining the entire crew of Disturbed and Anthrax's Scott Ian to rock the house with a rendition of AC/DC's "Highway to Hell." Looking a little uneasy at first, Morello gradually took control of the drums over the course of the performance. ...

Akon is featured on "Never Never," the first single from Brick&Lace. The track was made available Tuesday on iTunes, while the Jamaican sister duo's debut album, Love Is Wicked, is due June 26 on Akon's Kon Live Distribution imprint through Geffen Records. ... LOX rapper Styles P has signed with Koch to release his next project, 5 Star General, tentatively due in July. The album will mark his first release since parting ways with Interscope late last year. The rapper had previously announced his intentions to partner with Koch during a New York radio interview, but now the paperwork is complete. "It feels good to be a part of a team that appreciates hip-hop in its truest form," Styles said in a statement. "I am ecstatic about being in control of my own destiny." ...

The All-American Rejects will be honored with the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers' Vanguard Award at the 24th annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards on April 18 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. The Rejects will perform, as will the Fray and Nick Lachey. Melissa Etheridge, Kelly Clarkson, Jermaine Dupri and Johnta Austin will also be honored. ... The White Stripes have unveiled the track list for their upcoming Icky Thump album, which is due in June. According to a post on WhiteStripes.com, Thump will span 13 tracks, with titles like "300 M.P.H. Torrential Outpour Blues," "Prickly Thorn, but Sweetly Worn" and "A Martyr for My Love for You." Of course, this being the Stripes, the announcement also came with a crossword puzzle and a series of track descriptions, which run the gamut from cautionary ("If you're looking for hot water, don't be shocked when you get burned a little bit") to straight-up nonsensical ("They got a white pony in a stable and ride him when the doggie isn't able.") ...

Female-fronted metallers In This Moment have been added to this summer's Ozzfest rotating lineup, securing a slot on the tour's second stage alongside Hatebreed, Nile, the Showdown, Daath, Circus Diablo, Ankla, Mondo Generator and 3 Inches of Blood. According to guitarist Chris Howorth, the band is "very proud and honored to be a part of this year's Ozzfest. Not only are we huge Ozzy fans and excited to be playing with him every day, but this year's festival is free, so everyone has a chance to come out and be a part of this amazing experience. It's going to be a great chance to reach out to an entirely new audience. We are also looking forward to playing with and getting to know all the rest of the bands on the tour. It's so surreal because not too long ago we were watching the Ozzfest as fans out in the crowd, and now we are performing." ...

Sammy Hagar and Linda Perry have been selected to receive Recording Academy Honors awards for the San Francisco chapter. The ceremony is scheduled for April 29 at the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco's Union Square. ... Saves the Day and Say Anything are heading out on a 32-stop co-headlining tour that kicks off April 10 in San Diego and hits cities including Los Angeles, Seattle, Minneapolis, Chicago, Cleveland, Boston and Atlanta before wrapping up May 17 in Dallas. Saves the Day will follow the tour with a trip to the studio, where they will work on their sixth LP, Under the Boards, due in the fall. ... Kings of Leon will tour North America in support of Because of the Times, due April 3. The trek begins April 28 at Coachella and ends June 16 at Bonnaroo.

03.26.2007

Eminem and Kim Mathers agreed not to criticize each other in public on Monday (March 26), The Associated Press reports. The couple agreed that fighting publicly could be harmful to their 11-year-old daughter, Hailie. Eminem, who had previously filed a motion seeking to stop his ex-wife from making "derogatory" comments about him in public, was not at the closed-door court hearing but spoke by telephone. ...

Ciara, Ludacris, Ne-Yo, Robin Thicke, Steve Harvey and the O'Jays -- with Keith Sweat and Johnny Gill -- have been added to the Essence Music Festival lineup. They join previously announced participants including Beyoncé, Chris Brown and Mary J. Blige. The fest takes place July 5-7 in New Orleans. ... Slayer are planning to hit the road yet again in support of last year's Christ Illusion, this time with Marilyn Manson as the co-headliner. The full schedule hasn't been announced, but expect the metal madness to hit 25 cities, starting July 25 on the East Coast and ending in early September on the West Coast. Two support acts will be added. ...

Nas, Public Enemy, the Roots, Mos Def, EPMD, Cypress Hill and Pharoahe Monch are among the artists joining the Rock the Bells lineup, which features previously announced headliners Rage Against the Machine and Wu-Tang Clan. Tickets go on sale Saturday for shows at New York's Randall's Island (July 28); San Bernardino, California's NOS Events Center (August 11); and San Francisco's McCovey's Parking Lot (August 18). Organizers also announced Monday that the tour will be extended with 15 more shows, featuring co-headliners Nas and Wu-Tang Clan -- but not Rage. Details on the added dates will be revealed in the coming weeks. ...

Mary Weiland, wife of Scott, was arrested Monday for allegedly setting fire to the Velvet Revolver singer's clothes outside their home in Toluca Lake, California, AP reports. She was later booked for investigation of felony arson vandalism, and their children, ages 4 and 6, were placed in custody of family friends. That wasn't the only weekend incident involving the couple, though -- on Saturday, police were called to the Graciela Hotel in Burbank after the Weilands were found brawling there. ... Rapper DG Yola was shot in a failed robbery attempt while his vehicle was stopped at a red light in Atlanta on Saturday night; the bullet went through one cheek and out the other. Yola is currently recovering at an Atlanta hospital, where doctors are optimistic that he will make a full recovery. "He is already up and about and writing. Yola ain't gonna let up," his family said in a statement. "We respectfully request privacy and appreciate the well-wishes and prayers of Yola's fans during this time." Yola's debut album, Gutta World, is scheduled to be released on Power Hittas/ Atlantic in June. ...

Kal Penn, UPenn prof? The actor, who stars most recently in "The Namesake" but is better known as Kumar from "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle," will teach two undergraduate courses at the University of Pennsylvania during the school's spring 2008 semester, AP reports. Penn will guest-instruct "Images of Asian Americans in the Media" and "Contemporary American Teen Films." ... Sean Lennon is taking to the road for a monthlong tour in support of his recent release Friendly Fire. The string of dates spans a Friday gig in Dallas through an April 29 show in San Francisco. ...

Arcade Fire have been forced to cancel the last eight dates of their European tour after lead singer Win Butler succumbed to a nagging sinus/bronchial infection while in Norway. In a post titled "Heavy Heart" that went up on the band's Web site Saturday, the singer explained, "I am backstage at the venue in Oslo and I just had to make the very sad decision to cancel the rest of the European tour. I have been suffering from a sinus and bronchial infection for the last three months, and last night in Stockholm I finally pushed my voice and body farther than they are able to go. Last night I kept yelling at the monitor guy because I didn't recognize the sound that was coming out of the monitor as my own voice, and it took me until the second song to realize that the sound was coming from me. Today I can barely speak or make any sound, so finishing the shows is no longer possible." Butler said several doctors advised him to cancel the tour weeks ago and he tried to press on but must now have sinus surgery to begin healing. It's not known if Butler will recover in time for the planned April 26 kickoff of the group's U.S. tour. ...

Elton John celebrated his 60th birthday Sunday night by extending a Madison Square Garden record with his 60th concert at the New York arena. John was introduced by former President Bill Clinton, who noted the efforts of the singer's foundation to fight HIV/AIDS. The show also featured a round of "Happy Birthday" sung onstage by John's longtime songwriting partner Bernie Taupin along with comedians Robin Williams and Whoopi Goldberg. John also paid tribute to late Beatles singer John Lennon, recalling that Lennon joined him onstage at MSG in November 1974 for what would be Lennon's last concert appearance. ... Estradasphere, an eclectic and adventurous outfit from Santa Cruz, California, has posted a live video for "A Corporate Merger" at TheEndRecords.com. The group begins a North American tour Monday in Petaluma, California, with dates scheduled through April 23 in its hometown.

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