Madonna recently told the International Herald Tribune that she has a new project in mind -- and it's all about her. "I'm thinking about doing a 25-year retrospective -- multimedia, with video and photographs of me by Mario Testino, Herb Ritts, Steven Klein and Steven Meisel," she told the paper. ...

Black Eyed Peas' Taboo was arrested Tuesday morning on suspicion of driving under the influence, The Associated Press reports. The 31-year-old rapper, whose real name is Jaime Luis Gomez, was taken into custody after a collision in Industry, California. He was released later that day with citations for possession of less than an ounce of marijuana, possession of a prescribed medication without a prescription, and driving under the influence. Police did not disclose a court date. ...

Foxy Brown pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor battery and resisting-arrest charges in a Fort Lauderdale, Florida, court on Wednesday (March 28), according to South Florida's Sun-Sentinel. The charges stem from a beauty-shop scuffle that took place February 15 in Pembroke Pines. "I am going to stand up and fight and take care of this," she said after the hearing, according to the newspaper. Broward County Judge Joel Lazarus withdrew the previously issued arrest warrant, and he set a trial date for June. ...

Beastie Boys are planning a new album, summer shows and some additional instrumental gigs. One of the latter sets will be staged May 26 at the Sasquatch! Music Festival at the Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Washington -- that's in addition to the group's previously scheduled regular set the following day. After that, the act will head overseas for 18 appearances at European festivals, from a June 10 performance at the Alive Festival in Lisbon, Portugal, through a two-night stand September 8-9 at the U.K.'s Bestival. As for Sasquatch!, more acts have been added to that roster: Mixmaster Mike, Clinic, the Polyphonic Spree and others will join already announced participants Arcade Fire, Björk and Interpol. ...

Hilary Duff said splitting from Joel Madden was the right thing to do, but it wasn't easy. "We had a great relationship," she told MTV News. "I don't look back and wish we weren't together." Duff explained that the couple ended things on good terms, but feelings were still hurt. "I didn't know why I didn't want to be in a relationship anymore. I was still, like, what am I doing? I love this person." The singer/actress said the breakup resulted in a creative boost that inspired songs with many emotions, including tracks that Duff describes as "a little bit angry and some that are a little bit hurt and lonely and sad." Her album Dignity, due Tuesday, features those songs -- as well as ones that are about the good times. "I was really scared [to] put these songs on the record about us being happy, but then I was like, 'Why?' Those were my experiences too." ...

Speaking of breakups, New Jersey rockers Thursday have split with Island Records. Confirming months of rumors, the band revealed the divorce through its MySpace page. "It was a difficult decision and it took us the better part of six months to come to an agreement with the label, but now that we have, both of us are very happy with how things have turned out," the statement read, adding that the decision was mutual. The band plans to complete its current tour, after which it'll "start writing for a new record. We have not decided where this new record will be released yet. Although we've had several wonderful offers already, we're just enjoying our freedom for now. It's very exciting to have the opportunity to start again." Thursday's Island debut, 2003's War All the Time, has sold 364,000 copies since its release. The follow-up, 2006's A City by the Light Divided, has scanned a mere 132,000 to date. ... Saves the Day drummer Pete Parada has left the band after a four-and-a-half-year tenure. "It saddens me to report that I have decided to leave the band," he wrote in a statement. "I wish them all the best of luck and look forward to starting fresh with a new band." Before Saves the Day, Parada logged kit time with Face to Face. ...

The re-formed Smashing Pumpkins will make their onstage debut in Paris on May 22, the band announced on MySpace. Tickets for the show, which will take place at Le Grand Rex, go on sale April 11. ... Scott Weiland's wife, Mary, has released a statement responding to reports of an altercation that the couple had at Burbank, California's Graciela Hotel as well as her arrest on Monday for allegedly setting fire to the Velvet Revolver singer's belongings outside their home. She explains that the incidents were brought on by a "reaction to an imbalance in medications" she takes to treat a bipolar disorder. "Reports that we were fighting at the Graciela Hotel are untrue," the statement reads. "Scott was simply trying to help calm me down. I want to make it very clear that he did not hurt me in any way." The couple have made amends with the hotel and have paid for damages, according to Mary Weiland. "Most importantly, neither of our children were witness to any of these events and they have been in the care of a family member," the statement concludes. "We appreciate all your concerns and how supportive people have been." ...

"Star Wars" fans will have a new reason to make pen pals this summer: The U.S. Postal Service is unveiling a set of stamps commemorating the sci-fi franchise, AP reports. The 15 stamps -- featuring Darth Vader, Yoda, Luke Skywalker and many more likenesses -- will be released May 25 at the cost of 41 cents apiece -- the two-cent increase from stamps' standard 39-cent cost takes effect May 14. ... Morrissey is plotting his first U.S. tour in three years. The exhaustive trek will carry him from an April 27 gig in Stockton, California, all the way through a July 21 show in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The former Smith will be supported by Kristeen Young, who also acted as opener on last year's Ringleader of the Tormentors jaunt. ...

David Bowie will curate the inaugural H&M High Line Festival, a 10-day mix of music, film, comedy, visual art and performance that begins May 9 and will be held in venues near New York's High Line, a defunct elevated railway. Bowie's handpicked participants include musical acts Arcade Fire, Polyphonic Spree, Air and Laurie Anderson, as well as comedian Ricky Gervais, art from the Claude Cahun Public Art Exhibition and 10 Spanish-language films from the last 100 years. A portion of each ticket sale will benefit Friends of the High Line, an organization working to transform the 1930s rail structure into a park. ... Fishbone have unveiled a string of spring dates to promote the April 24 release of their new LP, Stuck in Your Throat, the band's first record in more than six years. The tour kicks off Saturday in Malibu, California, and dates are scheduled through a May 19 stop in Seattle.

03.27.2007

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.